Chapter 2
The practice room echoed with the rhythm of their steps, perfectly in sync.
Sweat dripped, muscles burned, but Jaeyel kept pushing, one move after another, muscle memory taking over.
Then the music stopped.
And the second he let himself breathe, his mind went straight back to it.
Last night.
The message.
The picture.
Yang’s picture – covered in blood.
Jaeyel let out a shaky breath, swiping sweat off his forehead.
Around him, his group members were laughing, joking around like always, but their voices barely registered.
His chest was still tight, his heartbeat still off, not from the routine, but from the unease gnawing at him.
Should he tell Yang?
No. Yang was busy.
The company was already drowning in pressure with the debut of a new boy group. Jaeyel had seen firsthand how much was on his plate. Bringing this up now might not be the best idea.
“Jaeyel.”
He snapped out of his thoughts when Minseo’s voice cut through the fog. He turned, only to find his friend eyeing him carefully.
“You good?” Minseo asked, tilting his head slightly.
Jaeyel forced a small smile.
“Yeah… Just tired.”
Minseo didn’t look convinced, but he let it go,
for now…
Time passed, the intensity of practice wearing everyone down.
The room buzzed with energy, members sprawled across the wooden floor, chugging water, stretching out sore muscles.
Laughter, casual chatter, the occasional sigh of exhaustion.
But again, Jaeyel barely heard any of it.
He sat against the mirror, towel draped over his shoulder, eyes fixed on the floor. His mind was elsewhere.
That message…
His stomach twisted.
It didn’t feel random. It didn’t feel like a prank.
It felt like a warning.
A sharp clap snapped Jaeyel out of his thoughts.
“Hey, heads up!”
One of the staff called out as a few of them stepped into the practice room.
The members quickly straightened up, conversations cutting off mid-sentence.
“Quick update,” the staff member continued.
“We’re replacing the AC in here. It’s been struggling with the heat, so we’re upgrading it, better cooling, better dehumidifier. For the next few hours, you’ll be practicing in another studio.”
The group exchanged glances.
“Oh, okay.”
“Got it.”
“Cool.”
“Alright, we’ll let you know when it’s done.” With that, the staff disappeared, leaving an odd silence behind.
Then, like clockwork, all eyes turned to Jaeyel.
Steve smirked. “Ah, must be nice.”
“Right?” Another member grinned. “Spoiled by our CEO again.”
Jaeyel’s face heated instantly. “Wh-what are you even talking about?” He scowled, waving them off.
“Come on,” Minseo teased, nudging his arm. “You really think we don’t notice? The special treatment? The way he keeps an eye on you?”
“CEO Yang-nim wouldn’t go this far for us,” Jaehwan added. “But for Jaeyel? Oh, of course. New air conditioning? Anything for his favorite.”
“Honestly, being in the same group as you is the real jackpot,” Steve sighed dramatically. “We get to enjoy the benefits too.”
“Yeah, we should start calling you Director Jaeyel at this point,” another member joked, making the others burst into laughter.
Jaeyel groaned, dragging his towel over his face. “Shut up,” he mumbled, but their teasing only grew louder.
It was dumb. Stupid, harmless teasing. But for a moment, it worked. He felt lighter.
Then, just as quickly, that weight crept back in.
His fingers curled around the hem of his shirt.
His smile faded slightly, his thoughts slipping back into uncertainty.
…
Days had passed, yet Jaeyel’s mind remained clouded.
The message, the bloodied image of Yang – it still haunted him.
He had thought about telling him, but there was never a good moment.
Yang was busier than ever, and Jaeyel himself was drowning in practice, schedules and performances.
Now, he walked down the hallway of the company building with Minseo, their conversation lighthearted as they discussed their upcoming performance.
“I swear, if we mess up that last formation again, our choreographer is going to kill us,” Minseo groaned, stretching his arms behind his head.
Jaeyel chuckled. “Yeah, I think he’s already plotting our murder.”
As they walked down the hall, their laughter echoed softly against the sleek walls of the company building.
Then suddenly, they came face-to-face with their sunbae group – standing just a few feet ahead, casually leaning against the wall engaged in their own conversation.
Instinctively, both Jaeyel and Minseo bowed politely, greeting them with respect.
But just as they were about to pass, a voice cut through the air, sharp and laced with something cruel.
“Hey!”
Jaeyel and Minseo froze.
They blinked, glancing toward the voice.
One of the senior members had stepped in front of them, arms crossed, smirk curling on his lips.
“Hyung?” Minseo said cautiously.
The sunbae’s gaze was locked onto Jaeyel, eyes gleaming with something nasty.
Then-
“You should stop acting so high and mighty,” he sneered. “Just because you’re spreading your legs for special treatment doesn’t mean you can walk around here like you own the place.”
Silence.
Jaeyel’s breath hitched.
His mind blanked for a second, his body frozen.
Minseo’s reaction was instant – his face twisted in anger, and he stepped forward, voice rising.
“What the hell did you just say?!”
…
Meanwhile, Yang stepped out of the elevator, his secretary hurrying beside him.
“Sir, the meeting is about to start. We need to-“
Yang didn’t hear him.
He had already stopped in his tracks, gaze locked on a figure in the distance.
Jaeyel.
Even from this far, he noticed him instantly – how could he not? Yang’s world seemed to narrow whenever Jaeyel was in his line of sight.
But something was wrong.
And Jaeyel wasn’t alone.
…
Jaeyel quickly reached out, grabbing Minseo’s arm, stopping him before he could say more.
His heart pounded, not from fear, but from sheer disbelief.
“…Say that again?” Jaeyel’s voice was quiet. Unsteady.
The sunbae scoffed. “Did I stutter? Everyone knows why you get special treatment. You think you’re fooling anyone? Sleeping your way to the top-“
Minseo lost it. “You-!” His voice boomed in the hallway, fists clenched at his sides. “You have no right to say that!”
Jaeyel stood still, head lowering ever so slightly.
His shoulders trembled just enough to be noticeable, his breath coming out in uneven, shaky exhales.
From the outside, it looked like he was struggling to hold himself together, like the words had hit too deep, tearing into something raw inside him.
His hands clenched at his sides, fingers twitching as if grasping for control.
Yang’s sharp eyes took in the scene before him.
Minseo was shouting, his body tense with rage. Across from him, one of the company’s senior idols stood smugly, words spilling from his mouth.
Then-
Jaeyel.
Head down.
Shoulders trembling.
Yang’s blood ran cold.
His secretary continued speaking, oblivious. “Sir, we really need to-“
Yang moved.
Fast.
His long strides cut through the hallway like a storm brewing on the horizon. His face betrayed nothing, expression cold, calculated.
But his eyes…
His eyes were dark.
Dangerous.
