After the call with his parents, Sunoo felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The world still felt overwhelming, but at least now he had some clarity. He decided to step out of his house to clear his mind. His feet naturally carried him to his cousin’s café, a cozy little spot tucked away in the corner of the city. It had always been a place where Sunoo could relax, away from the chaos of his dual life as Eclipse and his personal identity. His cousin, Jiwon, was like an older sibling to him, always there to lend an ear when things got tough.
As Sunoo entered the café, the familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee and pastries greeted him. Jiwon was behind the counter, wearing her apron and chatting with a few regulars. When she spotted him, her face lit up.
“Sunoo! It’s been a while! What’s going on? You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind.” She wiped her hands on her apron and motioned for him to come over.
Sunoo smiled weakly, sliding into a seat at the counter. “I guess I’ve had a lot of changes in my life recently. A lot to think about.”
Jiwon raised an eyebrow, clearly curious. “Is it about the whole Eclipse thing? I’ve seen some buzz online. People are finally realizing who you are, huh?”
Sunoo sighed, nodding. “Yeah. It’s been a lot. I just… I’m not sure where to go from here. I don’t know if I want to keep being Eclipse, or if I should pursue something else, like… maybe an idol career. Everything’s a mess right now.”
Jiwon put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You’re young, Sunoo. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. Take your time, and if you need to talk, I’m here.”
Sunoo was about to respond when the soft chime of the café’s entrance bell rang, signaling that someone had entered. He barely registered it at first, his mind still swirling with thoughts, but then he noticed something strange—Jiwon’s expression had shifted.
“Sunoo…” she began, her voice lowering to a whisper, “Do you know who just walked in?”
He blinked, confused, and looked up.
His eyes widened as he recognized the figures walking into the café. It wasn’t just one or two familiar faces. It was SEVENTEEN, BTS, TXT, and ENHYPEN—the very idols he had admired for years. They were all standing in the entrance, a mix of smiles and chuckles on their faces as they looked around.
Sunoo’s heart stopped for a moment. Was this a dream? Was he hallucinating? It couldn’t be real. But the sight in front of him confirmed that it was.
Jiwon chuckled softly as she turned to face him. “Looks like you’ve got some surprise visitors. I didn’t expect this when I opened this morning.”
Sunoo, still processing, didn’t know what to say. The idols seemed to notice him too, and their gazes shifted toward him. At first, there was silence—just the sound of their footsteps approaching the counter.
Heeseung, always the first to speak, was the one who broke the silence. “Well, well, well… if it isn’t Eclipse, in the flesh. We’ve been meaning to catch up with you.” His smile was warm, but there was something else in his eyes—curiosity, and something deeper.
Sunoo blinked, his voice barely above a whisper. “What are you all doing here?”
Jay grinned, crossing his arms. “We figured we’d take a little detour. We heard the famous Eclipse frequented this café, so we thought we’d stop by. Plus, we wanted to see if the rumors were true.”
Jake, never one to hold back, added, “I’m surprised you haven’t run away and hide again. I guess we’re not that scary, huh?” He chuckled, though there was a nervous edge to it.
