The next morning, AUREYA Entertainment called a mandatory all-staff meeting.
Soorin dragged herself to the conference room.
Still exhausted from yesterday.
The room was already packed when she arrived.
Stylists. Managers. Coordinators. Security.
Everyone whispering nervously.
Daehyun waved her over.
She slid into the seat beside him.
"Any idea what this is about?" she whispered.
He shook his head.
"Nothing good."
Manager Park stood at the front. Arms crossed.
His expression was stone.
Then the door opened.
The room fell silent.
A man walked in.
Tall. Late thirties. Black hair perfectly styled.
Green eyes that seemed to see right through you.
Expensive suit. Confident stride.
His smile was polished steel.
"Good morning, everyone. I'm Ethan Hayes, CEO of AUREYA Entertainment."
His voice was smooth. Commanding.
Soorin had never seen him before.
Most staff hadn't.
He rarely appeared in person.
This had to be serious.
Ethan clasped his hands behind his back.
"I'll get straight to the point. The recent scandal involving LUMEN has become a liability."
Murmurs rippled through the room.
"We've tried quiet damage control. It hasn't worked. So we're implementing a new strategy."
He paused for effect.
"A publicized relationship."
Soorin's stomach dropped.
"Effective immediately, Jung Haejin will enter a relationship with one of our solo artists."
The room erupted.
Whispers. Gasps.
Managers frantically typing on their phones.
Stylists exchanging shocked glances.
Soorin couldn't breathe.
Ethan raised a hand.
Silence fell again.
"This isn't up for debate. Contracts have been prepared. The press conference is scheduled for 9 AM."
He gestured toward the door.
"Please welcome Yura."
The door opened.
And she walked in.
★☆★☆★☆
Yura was petite.
Ethereal.
Blonde hair—dyed, perfectly toned.
Wide doe eyes. Rosebud lips.
She wore a pastel pink dress that made her look like a princess.
Her smile was sweet. Practiced.
She bowed to the room.
"Hello, everyone. I'm so honored to work with LUMEN."
Her voice was soft. Lilting.
The kind of aegyo that fans ate up.
Soorin felt sick.
Daehyun leaned over.
"That's Yura. Solo artist under AUREYA. 'Innocent princess' concept."
Soorin nodded numbly.
She couldn't stop staring.
Yura was perfect.
Everything an idol should be.
Manufactured perfection wrapped in sweetness.
Ethan continued.
"Yura and Haejin will be presented as a couple. This will dominate headlines and bury the mystery woman scandal."
He smiled.
"Two of our biggest stars. United. It's brilliant."
Soorin wanted to scream.
But she sat there.
Frozen.
Daehyun grabbed her hand under the table.
Squeezed.
"Breathe," he whispered.
She tried.
Ethan pulled out a stack of papers.
"Contracts will be signed today. Non-disclosure agreements for all staff. Anyone who leaks information will be terminated and sued."
He looked around the room.
"Understood?"
Murmurs of agreement.
Soorin's hands shook.
This was happening.
Right now.
And there was nothing she could do.
★☆★☆★☆
After the meeting, Soorin stumbled to her station.
Her kit felt heavier than usual.
She unpacked it mechanically.
Hands moving on autopilot.
Her brain was screaming.
But she couldn't process it.
Haejin.
In a fake relationship.
With Yura.
She told herself it didn't matter.
That she didn't care.
But her chest ached anyway.
Footsteps approached.
She looked up.
Yura stood in front of her station.
Smiling sweetly.
"Hi! You must be Soorin."
Her voice was bright. Cheerful.
Soorin forced a smile.
"That's me."
Yura's eyes scanned her face.
Then dropped to her hair.
Her smile faltered for just a second.
"Your hair is so pretty. Natural blonde, right?"
Soorin nodded.
"Yeah."
Yura's fingers played with her own dyed locks.
"I've always wanted natural blonde hair. Must be nice."
There was something in her tone.
Not quite envy.
Something sharper.
Soorin's instincts prickled.
"It's just hair."
Yura giggled.
"Of course! I'm so silly."
She leaned in closer.
Lowered her voice.
So only Soorin could hear.
"Stay away from my boyfriend."
Soorin's breath caught.
Yura's smile never wavered.
"I don't care if this started as fake. He's mine now."
Her eyes were cold.
"Understand?"
Soorin's jaw clenched.
She wanted to snap back.
To tell her to fuck off.
But Yura straightened.
Smile back in place.
"Anyway, nice meeting you!"
She skipped away.
Leaving Soorin frozen.
Daehyun appeared.
"What did she say?"
Soorin exhaled shakily.
"She thinks he's really hers."
Daehyun's expression darkened.
"She's delusional."
"Maybe. But she believes it."
Soorin rubbed her face.
"This is a nightmare."
★☆★☆★☆
The LUMEN members arrived.
Haejin looked like he hadn't slept.
His jaw was tight. Eyes hollow.
He took his seat without a word.
Soorin approached.
Brush in hand.
He didn't look at her.
She worked in silence.
Blending foundation.
Setting powder.
Her hands were steady.
But her heart was breaking.
When she finished, he finally spoke.
"Did she talk to you?"
Soorin froze.
"Who?"
"Yura."
His voice was flat.
"Yeah."
"What did she say?"
Soorin hesitated.
"Nothing important."
His eyes met hers in the mirror.
"Don't lie to me."
She set down her brush.
"She told me to stay away from you."
His jaw tightened.
"Ignore her."
"Easy for you to say."
"Soorin—"
"You're the one dating her. Even if it's fake."
His fists clenched.
"I didn't have a choice."
"Neither did I."
She stepped back.
"You're done."
He stood.
Looked like he wanted to say something.
But Yura appeared.
Looping her arm through his.
"Oppa! Ready for the press conference?"
Her voice was sickeningly sweet.
Haejin's expression went blank.
His idol mask snapping into place.
"Yeah. Let's go."
Yura beamed.
Pulled him toward the door.
He glanced back once.
Eyes finding Soorin's.
Then he was gone.
★☆★☆★☆
The press conference was held in the main conference room.
Cameras everywhere.
Journalists packed in.
Soorin watched from the side.
Hidden behind equipment.
Manager Park stood at the podium.
"Thank you all for coming. Today, we're pleased to announce a new relationship between two of AUREYA's brightest stars."
He gestured.
Haejin and Yura walked out.
Cameras flashed.
Blinding.
Yura clung to Haejin's arm.
Smiling brightly.
Haejin's expression was neutral.
Professional.
But Soorin saw it.
The tension in his shoulders.
The way his hands stayed at his sides.
Manager Park continued.
"Jung Haejin and Yura have been dating privately for several months. They've decided to go public today after their leaked pictures were made public after their dance rehearsal."
More flashes.
Journalists shouting questions.
"How did you meet?"
"When did you start dating?"
"Are you in love?"
Yura answered most of them.
Her voice sweet. Practiced.
"We met at a company event. He was so kind. I fell for him immediately."
She paused for effect.
Soorin's nails dug into her palms.
Yura continued, her voice dripping with manufactured sincerity.
"I wanted him to teach me some dance moves on that fateful day that we were photographed by some unknown individual."
Soorin's breath caught.
'What?'
"But I was careless. I'm not sorry for what I did, even if I've received several threats because of it."
The room erupted.
Journalists scribbling frantically.
Cameras flashing faster.
Soorin's vision tunneled.
'Liar! That was me! MEEE! It wasn't that deep anyways.'
She wanted to scream.
To stand up and tear Yura's perfect facade apart.
But she bit down on her bottom lip instead.
Hard enough to taste copper.
Daehyun grabbed her arm.
"Breathe," he whispered urgently.
But she couldn't.
Yura was rewriting history.
Making herself the victim.
The brave girlfriend who endured hate for love.
And Soorin?
Soorin was being erased.
Yura gazed up at Haejin.
Eyes wide and adoring.
"He's my everything."
Haejin's jaw tightened.
But he nodded stiffly.
"She's very important to me."
The words sounded hollow.
Rehearsed.
But the cameras ate it up.
A journalist called out.
"So the mystery woman in the photos was you, Yura?"
Yura's smile widened.
"Yes. I'm sorry for causing so much confusion. I should have been more careful."
Another journalist.
"What about the threats? Are you pressing charges?"
"No," Yura said softly. "I understand fans were protective of Haejin. I don't blame them."
She was spinning it.
Making herself the saint.
The understanding girlfriend who forgave everything.
Soorin's hands shook.
Daehyun's grip tightened on her arm.
"You're just a staff like the rest of us. Don't do anything stupid," he hissed.
But she was barely listening.
Her mind was screaming.
'That was me in those photos. Me. Not her.'
But she couldn't say anything.
The NDA.
Her job.
Her safety.
All of it kept her silent.
Trapped.
Then Yura did it.
She rose on her toes.
Pulled Haejin down.
Cameras exploded.
Soorin's vision blurred.
It looked like a kiss.
But from Soorin's angle, she could see.
Yura angled it perfectly.
Their lips didn't actually touch.
Just close enough to fool the cameras.
Haejin's hands balled into fists at his sides.
Yura pulled back.
Whispered something in his ear.
Something Soorin couldn't hear.
But she saw his expression.
The flash of anger.
Quickly masked.
Then Yura kissed his cheek.
A real one this time.
Lingering.
Possessive.
He didn't pull away.
Soorin couldn't watch anymore.
She turned.
Walked out.
Daehyun called after her.
"Soorin, wait—"
But she kept walking.
Through the backstage area.
Down the hall.
Out the side exit.
Into the cold morning air.
She sucked in breath after breath.
Her chest felt tight.
Like she couldn't get enough oxygen.
'She stole my story. She took what happened to me and made it hers.'
But worse than that?
Everyone believed her.
The journalists.
The fans.
Even some of the staff.
Yura had rewritten the narrative.
And Soorin couldn't do a damn thing about it.