38

The hallway is dim, the sound of a distant elevator echoing down the corridor. Heyoung walks quietly toward her door, holding a container of takeout in one hand and a tote bag slung on her shoulder. The weight of the last few days hangs over her — but tonight, she just wants to be home.

As she reaches for her door lock, she hears footsteps behind her.

Heyoung cautiously glanced over her shoulder, "...Hello?"

There's no response. But suddenly — a voice, low and familiar.

"Late night again, Heyoung?"

Heyoung freezes. Turning slowly, she sees Aerum emerge from the shadows of the stairwell — dressed in plain clothes, her smile tight and venomous. Behind her, three unfamiliar girls linger, teenage faces warped with obsession and smug defiance.

SEVENTEEN slogans hang from their backpacks. Phones are already filming.

Heyoung got tense, "What are you doing here?"

Aerum tilted her head, "Just wanted to talk. You've been... avoiding me."

The obsessed fans step forward, closing in.

"You're the reason people are threatening to leave the fandom."

"SEVENTEEN belongs to Carats, not you."

"You're not even that pretty. You really think he loves you?"

"You're crossing a line. Get away from my door before I call security." Heyoung angrily said.

Aerum smirked, "No one's watching this hallway. You think he's going to protect you when the fans turn on him? You're a weakness. A liability."

Before Heyoung can react, one of the girls shoves her hard against the wall. Her takeout spills. The back of her head hits the frame of her door with a dull thud. She gasps, stunned.

Another girl yanks her by the wrist, nails digging in deep, while Aerum steps closer, whispering into her ear coldly—

"Break up with him. Quietly. Or next time, it won't just be bruised"

One of the fans slaps her across the cheek — not hard enough to knock her down, but hard enough to sting. Heyoung stumbles, clutching her shoulder where she hit the wall. Her wrist already forming a red mark.

The girls back off, laughing softly as they disappear down the hall, leaving her collapsed just outside her apartment door.

Moments later...

Heyoung sits on the floor, just inside the door, her breath shaky. Her cheek is red; Don't cry. Not yet. She just stares ahead.

Her phone lies on the floor beside her. She picks it up. Her thumb hovers over Scoups' contact.

Then — she locks the phone and sets it aside.

She's not ready to tell him. Not tonight.

The screen lingers on Heyoung's face — calm, too calm — as a single tear escapes down her cheek.

=====

Sunlight filters through the glass windows of a quiet, tucked-away café. At a corner table, Heyoung sits opposite Ayun and Jaehyuk.

She wears sunglasses and a loose sweater, sleeves tugged over her bruised wrist. Her cheek is still slightly red, barely hidden by makeup. A bandage peeks from beneath her sleeve.

Ayun has her hands wrapped tightly around a coffee cup, eyes wide with worry. Jaehyuk looks tense, jaw tight as if he is barely keeping his frustration contained.

Jaehyuk said in a low and controlled tone, "They touched you. She hurt you. And you didn't call me?"

"I knew what you'd do. And I needed time to think." Heyoung replied

"You shouldn't be alone after something like that. You should've called someone. Scoups—" Ayun said softly, but there was a hint of shaking in her voice.

Heyoung interrupted her and firmly said, "I didn't want him to know. He has enough on his plate. This would just make things worse."

She looks down into her tea, unable to meet their eyes for a moment.

"I've decided. I'm going back to London."

Ayun gasps.

Jaehyuk's eyes flash.

"What? You're just—running away?"

Heyoung shakes her head, "I'm choosing peace. I'm taking Mijoo-eonni's offer and she said I can start right away."

"But Cheol—" Ayun said.

"He'll understand eventually. I left out of love. Not because I don't care... but because I do." Heyoung replied.

Jaehyuk bitterly looked at her sister, "He deserves to know, Heyoung-ya. He stood for you and fought for you."

"And because he stood up for me... people turned on him too. I can't keep being his weakness." Heyoung softly said.

A heavy silence.

Ayun wipes her eyes with her sleeve.

Jaehyuk sits back, rubbing a hand over his face.

Ayun quietly whispered, "When?"

"Tomorrow night," Heyoung replied

"...You're not telling him?"

"If I do... he'll follow me to the airport," Heyoung whispered loud enough for them to hear.

Jaehyuk looks away, shoulders tense, but he says nothing more. Eventually, he nods once—reluctantly.

"If this is what you want... I'll take care of things here. But Heyoung-ya —if anything happens in London, call me or Ayun Immediately."

Heyoung softly smiled, "I will."

Ayun reaches across the table and grabs her hand. Heyoung grips it back tightly.

"I hope he finds you again. Somehow."

"Me too."

=====

The practice room is empty except for Scoups, pacing with his phone to his ear. He tries again — but the call even rings. It goes straight to voicemail.

"Come on... pick up, Heyoung..." Scoups muttered.

He pulls the phone away and stares at the screen. His brow furrows, unease building in his chest. He tries again. Same result.

After many attempts of Scoups calling Heyoung, he decided to go to Jaehyuk's office.

As Scoups to Jaehyuk's office, he immediately bursts in. Jaehyuk is seated at his desk, looking over emails. He glances up, startled by the urgency in Scoups' eyes.

"Where's Heyoung?" Scoups asked.

"She's... not here." Jaehyuk composedly replied.

"She hasn't answered any of my calls since last night. She's not at work. She's not at her apartment. What's going on?" Scoups added.

Jaehyuk hesitates. His fingers tighten around a pen. There's a visible inner conflict.

"Jaehyuk-hyung. Tell me." Scoups said in a low but urgent voice as stepped closer.

Finally, Jaehyuk sighs and sets the pen down.

"She left, Cheol. She's on a flight to London. She took the offer that her friend recommended."

Scoups stares at him in disbelief.

"What?"

Jaehyuk quietly added, "She didn't want you to know. Thought you'd follow her."

"Why?! Why would she leave like that?" Scoups sharply exclaimed.

Jaehyuk's jaw tightens. He leans forward, voice quieter, heavier.

"She was attacked, Cheol."

Scoups blink the words not registering at first.

"Aerum followed her to her apartment with a few sasaeng fans. They cornered her. Left bruises. Threats. Told her to end things with you." Jaehyuk added.

Silence crashes between them.

"She didn't tell you because she didn't want to make it worse for you. She thought leaving was... protecting you."

Without another word, Scoups spins on his heel and bolts out the door.

He immediately went to the parking lot to drive his car and made his way to the airport.

Scoups drives fast, jaw clenched, tears threatening at the corners of his eyes. His phone sits on the passenger seat, open on her contact.

The airport is just ahead. His grip tightens on the steering wheel.

A few moments later....

Scoups sprint through the terminal, breath ragged, eyes scanning the crowd. He finds the gate.

The screen above reads:

✈️ Flight KE902 – In Flight

Status: Departed 10 minutes ago

He slows to a stop in front of the large glass windows. Outside, the sky is gray. A plane lifts slowly into the clouds — his chest sinks as he watches it disappear.

"...You really left." Scoups muttered under his breath.

He stands there alone, lost in the stillness of a moment he came too late for — breathing hard, heart heavy, eyes locked on the empty sky where she once was.