IDOL

Chapter 8: Boundaries and Bonds

Zari was still trying to process the strange encounter with Dae-hyun, her thoughts circling around Kael's intense reaction. That evening, as everyone gathered in the living room, Kael casually brought up the situation, his voice low but clear. "Dae-hyun tried to get close to Zari today," he said, glancing at her before continuing. "I had to step in."

The room went still for a moment, and then Jaxon's expression darkened. "What?" he nearly growled, standing up abruptly. "Where is he? I'm going to teach him a lesson."

Before Jaxon could storm off, the other members quickly intervened. Hyunwoo grabbed his arm, pulling him back into his seat. "Jaxon, calm down. It's not worth it," he said, trying to soothe him. Woobin chimed in, "We all know what Dae-hyun is like. You going after him won't help."

Zari sat quietly, confused by the intensity of their reactions. She looked between them, her mind buzzing with questions. Why were they all so angry? Sensing her confusion, Jae-min leaned closer and explained in a quiet tone. "Dae-hyun has a reputation, Zari. He's a flirty guy who only uses girls for his benefit. He doesn't care about anyone but himself, and he's not exactly trustworthy."

Zari's eyes widened in realization. "Oh..." she whispered, finally understanding why Kael had been so protective. It all made sense now—the tension, the glares, and even Jaxon's sudden urge to defend her.

"Now you get why we can't stand him," Jae-min added, giving her a reassuring smile. Zari nodded, feeling a strange mix of relief and embarrassment.

After that, Jaxon became even more protective, and so did the rest of the group, especially Kael. They made sure she was never alone, and even small things like walking to the kitchen felt like a team event.

Jayden, always one to lighten the mood, grinned and joked, "Looks like our Zari is so beautiful she's catching the attention of K-pop artists now."

Zari blushed deeply, her face heating up as the group burst into laughter. "Stop it!" she said, laughing shyly.

Kento teased her further, nudging her playfully. "Yeah, don't say that, or she'll get full of herself!"

Zari, still laughing, lightly punched Kento's arm in retaliation, her shyness mixing with amusement. "You guys are the worst!" she said, but the warm laughter that filled the room made her feel comfortable and loved.

Later that evening, they decided to have dinner together, and Zari offered to bake a cake for everyone. "I want to do something special," she said with a smile.

While everyone else relaxed in the living room, Kael insisted on helping her in the kitchen. "I'll be your assistant," he said, flashing her a grin.

As they worked side by side, Zari felt a calmness settle between them, the earlier awkwardness from the hallway fading away. Kael was surprisingly good at following directions, and they joked and laughed while mixing ingredients. Zari was grateful for the help, especially when it came time to clean up.

"Let me handle the washing," Kael said, rolling up his sleeves as he started scrubbing the dishes.

Zari went over to grab something from the counter, but just as she reached for it, Kael accidentally pressed too hard on the faucet, causing water to spray out. Zari gasped in shock as the water splashed all over her, soaking her white shirt. Her eyes widened in embarrassment as she quickly tried to cover herself, realizing that her shirt had become almost see-through.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Kael panicked, turning bright red as he looked up at the ceiling, avoiding her gaze as if he had committed a terrible crime. "I didn't mean to... I swear, it was an accident!"

Zari blushed furiously, her heart racing as she tried to stay calm. "It's fine... It's fine," she said quickly, but the awkwardness in the air was impossible to ignore. She hurriedly grabbed a towel and dried herself off, still feeling self-conscious under Kael's apologetic gaze.

After that little incident, they managed to finish baking the cake without any more accidents. Zari decorated it with care, and when she brought it out to the living room, the group erupted in cheers.

"Wow, this looks amazing!" Woobin exclaimed, admiring the beautifully crafted dessert.

"Master chef Zari!" Jayden teased, clapping his hands.

Kael, still flustered from what had happened in the kitchen, cleared his throat and tried to join in. "Hey, I helped too, you know!"

The group laughed again, but their compliments remained focused on Zari. "Yeah, sure you did, Kael," Jae-min teased, nudging him playfully. "But we all know Zari's the real star here."

Zari couldn't help but smile shyly at their words, though every time she caught Kael's eye, a wave of embarrassment washed over her. She spent the rest of the evening trying to avoid making eye contact with him, still too flustered by what had happened earlier.

As the night came to an end, and she finally went to bed, Zari found herself still thinking about Kael's awkward apology, the way he had looked so guilty and nervous. She buried her face in her pillow, trying to shake off the lingering shyness.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop her heart from racing every time she thought of him.