Idol [Lee Felix of Stray Kids]

72. Real Life

After his conversation with AiDi, Hyunjin and the rest of the Stray Kids aside from Felix, went to Bang Chan's home since they would be staying with him while they were in Australia. It was a little after midnight when Hyunjin decided to go live on Instagram and come clean about his and AiDi's relationship.

He took a deep breath and pressed the "go live" button and was surprised to see that a lot of their fans were actually watching him.

"Hello," he greeted the camera, watching the viewer count steadily climb. As more fans joined the live session, the comments flooded in, a mix of excitement and curiosity.

He took a deep breath, the warmth of the room contrasting with the chill of uncertainty swirling inside him. Over the past few months, his relationship with AiDi had blossomed into something incredibly special. But then he had to go and screw it all up by claiming that he and AiDi were only friends three days ago after he had accidentally paired a photo of himself and AiDi kissing after Stray Kids performance at KSB. He knew he should've just come clean right then and there when the photo began circulating the internet but he was scared and didn't know how to react to that. And also the need to protect AiDi from the scrutiny of the fans and media had also fueled his decision to lie about their relationship. But now he understood that lying only made things worse and hurt the one person he promised to never hurt.

"Thank you for joining me tonight. I know it's late for everyone, but there's something really important I need to talk about," Hyunjin began, his voice steady yet laced with a hint of nervousness. The chat was moving fast, with fans throwing hearts and supportive messages, but he focused on the task at hand.

"I want to start by saying I'm really sorry," he continued, taking a moment to collect his thoughts.

Hyunjin took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as he stared into the camera, the little red recording light glowing like a beacon of both hope and fear. The warmth of Bang Chan's living room felt comforting, but inside, he was an avalanche of emotions. Just days ago, he had been careless—living in a moment that now felt like a heavy anchor pulling him down.

"Thank you for joining me tonight. I know it's late for everyone, but there's something really important I need to talk about," he began, forcing his voice to remain steady despite the storm brewing within. The viewer count steadily climbed, and as he glanced at the flood of comments, a mix of excitement and curiosity washed over him.

He exhaled slowly. "I want to start by saying I'm really sorry." He paused, the weight of the words filling the air between him and the audience. "I was wrong to claim that AiDi and I were just friends. The truth is, we've been dating for a few months now. Ever since AiDi, Hana, and baby Charlie moved to South Korea to be with Felix, so their family could be together, our relationship evolved into something incredibly special."

Hyunjin felt a knot tightening in his stomach. He knew he was stepping into a minefield of emotions—not just his own, but also those of the people involved. "I lied to you all, and I deeply regret that. I thought I was protecting AiDi. I wanted to shield him from any negativity or hate that comes with being in the public eye, especially since he's Hana's brother, and I didn't want him to bear the brunt of my mistakes."

He remembered how, just days prior, a fleeting moment of joy had turned into a whirlwind of chaos when he had accidentally posted a photo of himself and AiDi kissing. It had been an innocent mistake, something he hadn't realized until his phone buzzed like wildfire with notifications as fans began sharing the photo. In his panic, he had quickly deleted it, but the damage was already done; the speculation and rumors had begun to swirl.

"I thought keeping our relationship a secret until the tour was over would be easier, but I now see how wrong that was," Hyunjin admitted, his heart aching for the hurt he had caused. "I shouldn't have doubted AiDi's strength to handle this situation, especially knowing how resilient he is. I've seen how Hana and Felix managed their relationship, and I should have had that same trust in AiDi."

"Things have been complicated between us. I want everyone to know that because of my actions, AiDi and I have had to take a step back and reevaluate everything. We broke up because of the pain I caused him, but we're working on mending our relationship. It's going to take time, and I hope everyone can understand that," he said, his voice trembling slightly as he fought back the emotions.

"It hurts to see that I put him in a position where he felt like he had to hide or defend himself. I want to be the person who brings him joy, not pain," Hyunjin continued, feeling vulnerable as he laid bare his mistakes. "I hope you can all support our relationship moving forward. I promise no more secrets."

As the comments scrolled past in a blur of emojis and responses, he could see fans expressing their support, but he knew that trepidation still lingered among them. The path to rebuilding trust wouldn't be easy.

He took a deep breath, the moment weighing heavily on his shoulders. "I understand that some of you might feel betrayed or confused, and I'm truly sorry for that. I never meant to hurt AiDi, or to hurt you, our fans. I hope this helps clear the air and allows you all to see what's really going on."

Hyunjin allowed himself a moment to gather his thoughts, feeling the palpable anxiety fill the room. "Thank you for listening. I'm going to do my best to make things right. I love AiDi, and I want our love story to be something beautiful, not marred by secrets or shame. I hope you'll be patient with us as we work through this together."

As he ended the live stream, Hyunjin felt an unexpected sense of relief wash over him. He had finally spoken his truth, and now it was time to face the consequences of his actions. What lay ahead was uncertain, but he felt an ember of hope ignite within him—a hope that love could conquer the hurt, and that honesty could rebuild what had been broken.