𝑬𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 :: &𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝟎𝐓𝟗 [ ONGOING ]

• Chapter 19 •

⎯⎯ ୨ THIRD PERSON'S ୧ ⎯⎯

The members of &Team are finally home after a long day of filming for their song "Scent of you" and safe to say everyone is exhausted from everything that had occurred—and yes, they did finish the filming of the music video in a day. They started filming the video really early in the morning at around 8 am. and finished at around 2am. in the morning, the next day. They just got home, and they have the rest of the day off to catch up with sleep before going back to work more as the date of the release for their debut songs are already creeping in day by day.

"Sleep well, love," Clementine bid to each one of her soulmates.

"Oh? You're not going to sleep,babe?" EJ asked her, and she shook her head no.

"not yet. I have some work to accomplish before I could even go to sleep. Don't worry, though. I will make sure to get some rest, so go ahead and get some rest,love. I'll be fine here, and if you need me,you'll see me in the living room" She told him, and he nodded in understanding.

"alright,goodnight Clementine–san" he bid and went to bed, and the same goes for the rest of the boys.

Once she was sure everyone was in bed, Clementine grabbed her laptop, earphones, and phone and walked to the living room to work on the paperwork her father asked her to complete before the deadline. Clementine sat alone in the dimly lit room, her mind swirling with thoughts and worries that refused to be silenced. The long day of filming had left her drained, but instead of seeking solace in her bed, she buried herself in paperwork, hoping to distract herself from the unease gnawing at her insides.

Clementine stared at the blinking cursor on her laptop screen, the unfinished document mocking her with its emptiness. The exhaustion from the long day of filming was gnawing at her, yet a restless energy thrummed beneath her skin. Sending her soulmates—K, Fuma, EJ, Nicholas, Yuma, Jo, Harua, Taki, and Maki—to bed had been a temporary balm, but the unease lingered, a serpent coiling in her gut.

She remembered what had occurred. Dakota Maurice. The name sent a tremor through her carefully constructed composure. Three years had passed since their explosive falling out, the scars of betrayal still raw. Now he was back, woven into the fabric of her dreams, and fear gnawed at her.

What if he exposed her secrets, the ones buried deep beneath layers of smiles and laughter? What if he painted her in a light that shattered the carefully crafted image she presented to the world? Most importantly, what if he poisoned the well of trust she shared with her soulmates?

The thought alone made her want to vomit. They deserved more than a love burdened with baggage, a love riddled with secrets. She didn't want them to see the cracks in her carefully constructed facade, the darkness that lurked within.