Aerin sighed heavily as she entered her apartment, closing the door behind her with a soft click. The weight of the past few hours seemed to press down on her all at once. She was still reeling from the absurdity of it all—the date with Seungcheol, Hyunjae's twisted threats, and the shock of finding out about Jeonghan's involvement. And yet, here she was, standing in her kitchen, reaching for a glass of water as though everything was normal. She couldn't shake the feeling that her life had just become a drama, and she wasn't sure if she was the protagonist or just an extra.
Taking a slow sip of water, she thought, How did it all get this messy?
Just as she started to retreat to her room, she froze. Hyunjae stood in the hallway, her presence sharp and uninviting. Aerin's pulse quickened. There was something in the air—a tension so thick it was palpable. What was happening now?
"Hyunjae... Hey," Aerin attempted to pass by, but Hyunjae's hand shot out, grabbing her arm with an iron grip.
"Let me go!" Aerin demanded, panic creeping into her voice as Hyunjae pulled her back with alarming force. The door to the hallway clicked shut behind them, sealing them in. Something was off.
Aerin's heart pounded in her chest as she sized up Hyunjae, who had somehow transformed in that moment. Gone was the girl who once shared casual laughs with her. This version of Hyunjae radiated something darker, something dangerous. Aerin's mind raced, wondering just how far Hyunjae was willing to go to get what she wanted.
Hyunjae didn't speak. She simply took out her phone, unlocked it, and began scrolling.
"Hmm," she mused, her fingers tapping across the screen with eerie calm. "Which one should I release first? Maybe I'll start with this one."
Aerin's stomach sank when Hyunjae turned the phone toward her. On the screen was a headline that made Aerin's blood run cold: "Eclipse's Aerin Slept Her Way into Her Debut—Co-Members Confirm."
Aerin's throat went dry. "What... What is this, Hyunjae? You know this isn't true," she stammered, but her voice lacked conviction as she scanned the article, reading through the fabricated statements that made her want to throw up.
Hyunjae's smile twisted into something malicious. "Oh, it will be true the moment I release it. Your career, your reputation—gone in a heartbeat."
Aerin's eyes darted across the screen, trying to find any shred of truth. The more she read, the more disgusted she became. She recognized the name of the writer—Yoon Dohan. The same journalist who had previously released scandalous, half-truths about her and Seungcheol. She knew one thing for certain: Hyunjae didn't have this kind of leverage on her.
"This is nonsense. You have no proof, Hyunjae. You can't just—"
Hyunjae cut her off with an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, Aerin, you really think I don't have a backup plan?" In one smooth motion, she retrieved a matchbox from her pocket and struck a match against the side, igniting it with a wicked smile.
Before Aerin could react, the door suddenly crashed open, and Aerin's heart skipped a beat. Standing in the doorway was Jeonghan, his hair disheveled and his pajamas in complete disarray. It was clear he had rushed there—how did he even know?
"Jeonghan!" Aerin gasped, her mind spinning. Jeonghan's expression was nothing short of furious as he locked eyes with Hyunjae.
"Are you serious?" Jeonghan's voice was low and dangerous. "You promised it would be the dating rumors, not this ridiculous nonsense. Take that article down. Now. And blow out that damn match."
Aerin could barely comprehend the situation. "Wait, you were helping her?" The realization hit her like a freight train. Seungcheol had been right. The pieces were finally coming together, but why would Jeonghan be involved in this?
Jeonghan's gaze softened for a brief moment before he turned back to Aerin. "It's complicated. But right now, I'm trying to help you."
Before Aerin could respond, Hyunjae dropped the match onto the floor, and the flames quickly spread across the carpet. Jeonghan cursed under his breath and grabbed Aerin's wrist, pulling her toward the door.
"I tried to help her, Aerin. I really did. But this?" He shook his head in disbelief. "This is insane."
They hurried out of the room, and Jeonghan locked the door behind them. As they walked down the hallway, the sound of Hyunjae's frantic banging and shouts faded into the distance.
Once they were safely outside, Aerin felt her breath catch in her throat. "What about Hyunjae? Shouldn't we—"
Jeonghan scoffed, cutting her off. "You seriously want to save her after everything? She just tried to destroy your life, your career! No one deserves to be saved after that. Nothing's going to happen to her in there anyway, it's all to shake her up. He paused, looking at her with a mixture of exasperation and something more. "You're stubborn, Aerin. You always put others before yourself."
Aerin swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. But just as she was about to respond, a small figure appeared from behind the corner, and Aerin's heart dropped. It was Yuna, followed by the rest of the members.
"We locked the door," Aki said, her voice trembling. "And helped Jeonghan get in."
Yuna, tears streaming down her face, stepped forward, her voice breaking. "We were scared, Aerin. Hyunjae... she said she'd disband us if we didn't help her. She said she'd hurt you. We had no choice."
Aerin's chest tightened at the sight of her members, their faces full of guilt and fear. "Girls," she whispered, wrapping her arms around them. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just... confused."
Xia, her eyes red from crying, spoke next. "She threatened us. One time, when I tried to stand up to her, she... she pulled out a knife. She didn't hesitate."
Aerin squeezed them tighter, her heart breaking. "I missed you all so much. I'm glad you're safe."
The reunion was bittersweet, but before it could last any longer, Jeonghan interrupted with a sigh. "Sorry to break this up, but the fire department and the police are here. We should go."
Aerin nodded, trying to shake off the dread that had settled in her stomach. The fire was a reminder that things had escalated far beyond what she could have imagined. But for now, the only thing that mattered was getting everyone out of harm's way.
Once they were safely outside, Aerin turned to Jeonghan. "And you," she said, her voice trembling.
Jeonghan met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "And me."
"Why?" she asked. "Why did you help me? After everything... I thought you were just after whatever Hyunjae could offer you."
Jeonghan's eyes flickered with something unspoken before he sighed—that familiar sigh. "It's... a long story."
Aerin raised an eyebrow. "Good thing I have time."
And with that, they walked into the unknown, leaving behind the chaos that had nearly destroyed her.
.
