The stage was dazzling. The screams were electrifying. And the cameras—always watching—captured every second of the moment he had worked so hard for.

Jaeyel stood in the center of it all, his chest rising and falling in rapid breaths as the final notes of their debut performance echoed through the venue. His body ached from the intense choreography, his skin glistening under the heat of the lights, but none of that mattered. Not when his heart was pounding with excitement.

This was it. The moment every aspiring idol dreamed of. The moment he had dreamed of.

The audience erupted into cheers as he and his group bowed deeply. Jaeyel’s lips stretched into a wide, beaming smile—one that needed no practice, no effort. It was real. Pure joy bubbled in his chest, drowning out any exhaustion.

He had made it. And he wouldn’t trade this feeling for anything.

---

Backstage, minutes later.

“Jaeyel, that was amazing!” One of his group members, Minho, clapped him on the back. “The crowd loves you, man! You’ve got that natural idol vibe.”

Jaeyel laughed, breathless but exhilarated. “Yeah… it was insane, wasn’t it?”

His entire life had been a battle for survival—working odd jobs, scraping by after his grandparents passed. Then, by some twist of fate, he was scouted off the street, trained for a year, and now he was here. An idol.

And it felt right.

A fresh start. A way out of the endless struggle. But more than that, a dream coming to life.

As the others left to celebrate, Jaeyel lingered behind for a moment, staring at his reflection in the mirror. The person looking back at him was flawless—styled hair, makeup perfectly done, wearing the kind of expensive clothes he could’ve never afforded before.

But this time, he didn’t question if it was really him.

Because it was.

A bright grin stretched across his lips. This was just the beginning. And he couldn’t wait for what came next.

---

Later that night.

The dorm was quiet, except for the muffled chatter of his members in the next room. Jaeyel sat on the balcony, hoodie pulled over his head, staring at the city below.

His phone buzzed.

A message from an unknown number.

“Congratulations on your debut. You shine brightest on stage, not as a waiter.”

His breath hitched.

Who the hell…?

His fingers hovered over the screen, debating whether to reply, but then—

Another message.

“You’re mine.”

A cold shiver ran down his spine.

Jaeyel looked around, suddenly feeling exposed despite being in the safety of their dorm. Was it a fan? A sasaeng? He had heard stories about obsessed fans, but this was—

BANG.

A sudden noise from below made his heart lurch. He stood quickly, peering down into the dimly lit street.

Someone was there.

A tall figure stood near a sleek black car, dressed in a dark hoodie, the hood pulled up just enough to shadow his face. His posture was relaxed, almost casual, but there was something unsettling about the way he stood, like he had been there for a while. Watching.

Jaeyel didn’t know why, but his stomach twisted.

The man tilted his head up slightly, locking eyes with him.

He couldn’t see his face clearly, but he knew he was looking at him.

And for a split second, Jaeyel felt like he had been caught. Like he was standing on a stage, exposed to the world, but this time—there was no script.

The man didn’t smile. He simply exhaled a slow stream of smoke, flicked the cigarette away, and got into the car.

The engine roared to life.

Jaeyel should’ve looked away. Should’ve ignored the unease creeping up his spine. But as the car drove off, one thing was certain.

That man… he had been watching him.