A Backstage Love I Han Jisung x Reader

My Scars, I Will Show It All

My stomach twisted as I turned a corner and saw them. Han had the sasaeng pinned against the wall, his body braced like a shield between them and the rest of the alley. The sasaeng struggled wildly, their movements erratic and desperate.

"Stop this!" Han's voice was low but commanding, his words biting through the tension like a whip. "It's over!"

But it wasn't over. Not yet.

The sasaeng twisted suddenly, shoving Han with surprising strength. He stumbled, his footing slipping on the uneven ground, and the sasaeng bolted.

I didn't think—I just reacted. My feet pounded against the pavement as I sprinted after them, the sound of my own heartbeat roaring in my ears.

"Y/N, no!" Han's shout came from behind me, but I ignored it.

The sasaeng glanced back and saw me, their pace faltering for a split second. It was enough. I lunged forward, grabbing for the back of their jacket. My fingers brushed the fabric, and then—

Pain.

I barely registered the blade in their hand before it sliced through the air, nicking my arm. I stumbled back, clutching at the shallow wound, but my momentum had slowed them down just enough for Han to catch up.

He tackled the sasaeng to the ground, his movements sharp and precise. The knife clattered to the pavement, its metallic sound echoing in the narrow alley.

"Stay down!" Han growled, pinning the sasaeng's arms as they thrashed beneath him.

The sound of sirens filled the air, their piercing wail growing louder with every passing second. Red and blue lights flashed at the mouth of the alley as the police arrived, their shouts breaking through the chaos.

That was when we saw her face. She was scarred down her right eye, running the length of her cheekbone. She looked impossibly betrayed, as if she was the one that was being wronged in this situation. Han said nothing to her, only stepped back and watched her with pure fury as she was detained by two officers.

She began shouting at me in Korean. Although I didn't quite understand what she was saying, I could tell it wasn't good by Han's tightening fists. She tried to break free as if she was going to finish the job but this time, she was unable to get me. She had lost and I could see that she had refused to accept it.

I pressed my back against the wall, breathing hard as I clutched my arm. The sting of the cut was sharp, but the adrenaline rushing through me dulled the worst of it.

Han turned to me immediately, his expression shifting from anger to panic as his eyes landed on the blood staining my sleeve.

"Y/N!" He was at my side in an instant, his hands hovering over my arm like he didn't know where to start. "Are you—what were you thinking?"

"I couldn't just sit there," I said, my voice trembling. "I couldn't let you do this alone."

His jaw clenched, and for a moment, he didn't say anything. Then, with a heavy exhale, he reached out and gently tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes.

"You're unbelievable," he said, his voice low and rough. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Join the club," I muttered, wincing as he inspected the cut on my arm.

"Let me see." His hands were steady as he rolled up my sleeve, revealing the shallow but angry red line across my skin. Relief flashed in his eyes, though it was quickly replaced by frustration. "It's not deep, but you need this cleaned up."

The police were still detaining the sasaeng, their voices muffled in the background as Han focused entirely on me.

"You didn't have to do that," he said quietly, his tone softer now.

"Yes, I did," I insisted, meeting his gaze. "We're in this together, aren't we?"

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The weight of everything that had happened hung heavy between us, but so did the unspoken understanding that we weren't alone in this fight.

Han's lips twitched into a faint smile, though his eyes remained serious. "You're impossible," he murmured, shaking his head.

"And you're stubborn," I shot back, my voice lighter now despite the lingering fear in my chest.

"Touché."

He stood, extending a hand to help me up. I took it, letting him pull me to my feet. His grip lingered for a second longer than necessary, his thumb brushing against my wrist in a gesture that was both grounding and reassuring.

As the officers approached to take our statements, Han turned to me, his voice low but resolute. "Well that was a hell of a way to start a relationship, huh?"

The sound of his phone buzzing cut through the moment. Han sighed and picked it up, glancing at the screen. His easy smile faltered, replaced by a look of concern that immediately set me on edge.

"What is it?" I asked, sitting up straighter.

Han hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen before he answered the call. "Hey, Chan," he said, his voice low.

I couldn't hear what Chan was saying, but whatever it was made Han's jaw clench. He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at me briefly before turning away.

"Wait—what?" Han's voice rose slightly, a rare sign of alarm. "How bad is it?"

My stomach twisted. I hated feeling out of the loop, but Han's tense posture told me enough. Something was wrong.

He ended the call with a muttered, "I'll handle it," then let out a long breath before finally turning back to me. "Y/N..."

The weight in his tone sent a chill down my spine. "What's going on?"

Han sat down beside me, his expression conflicted. "It's the sasaeng," he admitted. "They reported us to management."

I blinked, the words not fully registering. "Reported us? For what?"

"For being seen together. They twisted it to make it sound like you're... a distraction or something worse." Han's fists clenched at his sides. "Management thinks it's serious enough to call a meeting. They want me to explain what's going on."

My heart sank. "Han, I– I'm so sorry."

"Don't," he said quickly, his voice firm. "This isn't your fault. It's on them, not you."

I shook my head, guilt gnawing at me. "But this could hurt your career. I don't want to be the reason—"

"You're not," he interrupted, his gaze steady. "I'm going to fix this, Y/N. I won't let them tear us apart over some ridiculous hear-say."

Despite his reassurance, unease settled in my chest. The idea of him standing up to management because of me felt like too much to bear.

Later that night, I decided to give my supervisor a call, to meet face to face.