Ahrin Lee | the hated member

October 25

October 25. It was her birthday, but it was also Leeknow's, and all her oppas seemed to celebrate only him. She felt invisible, like a ghost in her own life.

As the clock struck midnight, her phone buzzed incessantly with messages from STAY flooding her DMs. But instead of birthday wishes, she was met with a barrage of hate. Many said she deserved to die for stepping into the lives of Stray Kids.

This wasn't a new experience for her. Initially, after that fateful livestream, she had received an outpouring of support. But over time, the tide turned. Fans began to doubt her; the whispers of, "If SKZ dislike her, maybe she really is the problem," spread like wildfire. Now, whenever she walked down the street, she was met with thrown juice cans and venomous stares.

Seokjin couldn't reach out to his sister because of the contract between HYBE and JYP. The siblings had to not make it public that they were siblings. Seokjin sent a cute birthday text and couriered 2 gifts. Seunghan gifted her a brand new watch. Eunwoo - well he hadn't visited her after that day in Milan.

To escape the chaos, she decided to take a walk, hoping the fresh air would clear her mind. As she strolled through the park, she watched the leaves fall, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to her own mood. She spotted a small group of fans gathered, laughing and taking pictures, and a pang of loneliness struck her. They looked so carefree, their faces lit with joy, and she longed to feel that way again.

Suddenly, she overheard snippets of their conversation. "Did you see how Leeknow looked at her? He seemed so uncomfortable!" one girl said, and the others nodded in agreement. Another added, "I just don't get why he would hang out with her. It's like she's trying to steal the spotlight!"

The words echoed in her mind, twisting the knife of isolation deeper. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned away, afraid to let anyone see her crumble.

Just then, her phone buzzed again. It was a message from one of her close friends, a fellow STAY who had always been supportive. "Hey, I know things are tough right now. Don't let them get to you. You're stronger than this!"

She smiled through her tears, grateful for the few who stood by her. But as she typed a reply, a group of fans passed by, glancing her way with disdain. She felt their judgment weighing down on her, and in that moment, she realized how much she craved acceptance.

Before she could do anything, a few began throwing stuff at her.

"GET LOST"

"AH SO IRRITATING!"

"I BET WOOJIN WAS BETTER THAN YOU! I WISH HE RETURNS!"

Woojin. The thought made her angry. He was the reason she was experiencing this. She bit her lower lip as she tried to wipe off the dirty water someone had thrown her way. She felt disgusted.

She ran away from them and didn't stop until she reached a bridge. There, she sank to her knees and let the tears flow. At 22, she felt like a child again—lost and vulnerable, as if she were five years old, seeking comfort in a world that felt overwhelmingly cruel.

She longed for her brother, wishing she could reach out to him, but the distance felt insurmountable. She wanted to confide in Seunghan, but that came with its own complications. He had been bombarded with emails urging him to fire her, a pressure he brushed off, but she couldn't bear the thought of dragging him into her troubles.

So, she had decided to distance herself from INFINITE ICON. She didn't want him to suffer because of her; the last thing she wanted was for his reputation to be tarnished because of her struggles. In that moment, kneeling on the bridge, she felt utterly alone, trapped in a silence that was deafening.

She stood up, and did something she never regretted - she jumped into the water.