The soft light of Jae-Hyun's apartment filtered through the curtains, creating a subdued, almost intimate atmosphere. Yet, despite the apparent tranquility, there was a persistent tension in the air. It was still late, but Jae-Hyun couldn't close his eyes. He had thought too much about his meeting with Exsy.
Their conversations had been mere fragments of mutual understanding, but it was enough to awaken something in him. The strange attraction he felt for her had been growing every day since the wedding party, an intriguing and inexplicable discomfort. Why her? Why now?
It wasn't a feeling he was accustomed to. Jae-Hyun had always controlled his emotions. He had learned from a young age to hide his desires, to mask his vulnerabilities. But with Exsy, everything felt different. She was neither the admiring fan nor the artist impressed by his fame. She had the rare ability to be completely indifferent to his notoriety while still captivating him. She looked at him like an ordinary person.
A light noise came from the other side of the living room. Jae-Hyun's phone vibrated. It was a message from his manager, as usual.
Manager Wang:
"Don't forget to keep an eye on the others tonight. We don't want any new stories."
Jae-Hyun sighed as he read the message. As always, expectations weighed heavily on his shoulders. The group, his career, the constant pressure. Sometimes, he dreamed of an escape, of a moment of peace without the constant weight. But every time he closed his eyes, Exsy appeared in his thoughts.
A few days passed. The tour resumed, bringing with it the routine of concerts, interviews, and public appearances. But deep inside, Jae-Hyun knew something had changed. That meeting with Exsy, even though brief, had left an indelible mark. He was no longer quite the same man.
The group was at a luxury hotel in the city for a new promotion. As usual, the shadow of their public image loomed over them, but that night, Jae-Hyun was somewhere else. He wandered the hotel corridors, lost in thought. That's when he happened to cross one of the production team members.
— "Park, are you okay?" asked the familiar voice of his assistant.
— "Yeah… I'm fine," he replied distractedly.
But he wasn't even listening to what was being said. His mind was elsewhere. It was crazy, he knew it, but he couldn't shake off this feeling. Exsy. Why was he still thinking about her?
The following evening, as they were preparing for a charity gala, Jae-Hyun received an unexpected message.
Exsy Dewy:
"Jae-Hyun, it's been a while. How are you?"
His fingers hesitated for a moment before he replied.
Jae-Hyun:
"I'm good, thanks. And you?"
It was simple, almost trivial. But deep down, Jae-Hyun knew that this conversation wasn't as casual as it seemed.
Exsy Dewy:
"Still moving, as usual. Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing here, but I think you can understand."
Jae-Hyun:
"Sometimes, I feel the same. It's strange, isn't it?"
He pressed the phone against his chest. He hadn't planned on inviting her into a more intimate conversation, but this simple exchange awakened in him a desire to understand. Why was Exsy so different? Why did she allow him to be himself, without artifice, without a mask?
Meanwhile, Exsy was in a different place, far from the spotlight and the luxury of hotels. She had left her shift at the bar early, taking some time for herself. In her small apartment, the neon lights barely flickered on, and the air was thick with the humidity outside. She let her hand run along the surface of the table. Each movement felt heavier than the last, each thought more burdensome as well.
She knew why she kept working in this environment, but a part of her wondered if it was really worth it. A part of her still dreamed of a simpler future, far from this world of luxury and fake smiles. But another part knew it wasn't that simple. Dreams came with a price. And she had already paid it.
Over the days, the exchanges between Jae-Hyun and Exsy became more frequent. They talked about everything and nothing—music, movies, the cities they'd visited, but also the invisible burdens they both carried. Through their messages, an invisible bond was being woven, but neither of them wanted to name it.
The night was in full swing at the hotel where VERTIGO was celebrating the launch of their latest album. The room was packed with journalists, producers, and celebrities, but Jae-Hyun felt strangely detached from it all. Though he was surrounded by his friends and colleagues, he couldn't shake the image of Exsy floating in his mind. His eyes kept drifting back to his phone, scanning for notifications, hoping for a message.
Min-Jae, who had already had one too many drinks, noticed it first. He watched Jae-Hyun for a few moments, his mischievous gaze gleaming under the dim light.
— "You know, man, you've been completely elsewhere these last few days," Min-Jae said, approaching him with a touch of mockery in his voice. "You're always looking at your phone, like you're waiting for a message or something..."
Jae-Hyun raised his eyes from his screen, caught off guard. He hesitated for a split second but quickly regained his composure.
— "You're talking nonsense. I've just got stuff to handle." He tried to smile, but his gaze shifted, and his fingers tightened around his glass. An awkward tension settled between them.
Min-Jae frowned, clearly intrigued by the subtle change in his friend's behavior. He didn't press the issue right away, but a small doubt crept into his mind.
A few minutes later, Dong-Woo, who had observed the scene, approached. Always calm and perceptive, he sat next to Jae-Hyun.
— "Are you okay, Jae-Hyun?" he asked, his tone more serious than usual. "You seem a bit... absent. You're not like yourself."
Jae-Hyun sighed, then placed his glass on the table as if to pause the conversation. He wasn't used to his friends questioning him about such personal matters. But today, it was different. He felt trapped in his own mind.
— "Yeah, I'm fine, Dong-Woo. It's just... complicated, you know?"
Dong-Woo studied him for a moment, analyzing his movements, his eyes, which were now gleaming with irritation and confusion. He wasn't the type to push his friends into revealing personal matters, but he didn't like seeing Jae-Hyun so disturbed.
— "It's about that girl, right?" Dong-Woo asked softly.
Jae-Hyun froze. He slowly turned his head toward him, his brows furrowed as if he had been caught in the act. It was the first time anyone had dared to bring up the subject. He hadn't talked about Exsy with anyone, but apparently, his friends had noticed the signs.
— "Which girl are you talking about?" he replied, his tone becoming more brusque, as if trying to hide his confusion under a mask of calm.
Dong-Woo shrugged, unfazed. "We all know you've been... preoccupied with something lately." He paused before continuing. "I'm not trying to pry, but if you need to talk..."
Jae-Hyun gritted his teeth and straightened up in his chair, realizing that his friends had noticed his strange behavior. He didn't like it. But the more he tried to push his feelings away, the stronger they became. He wondered how he could have been so transparent, despite his efforts to conceal his distraction.
— "Nothing's certain. It's just... a complicated situation," he murmured, lacking conviction.
Tae-Ho, who had been further away, had also taken an interest in the exchange. He approached, his expression more serious than usual.
— "You know, Jae-Hyun, it's not like you to let something like this affect you," he said, his gaze locking with his friend's. "We all know you're a pro, focused on your career... but now, you're really out of it."
Jae-Hyun sighed deeply, feeling increasingly suffocated by the situation. He didn't want to talk about his growing interest in Exsy, especially with his friends watching him. He wasn't ready to confront what was happening in his mind.
The rest of the evening passed in a heavy silence. Jae-Hyun couldn't ignore the fleeting glances from his friends, but he didn't have the strength to explain himself. He could feel the pressure mounting, and with every vibration of his phone, his heart raced. But not a single message came from Exsy.
A few hours later, the group gathered in a private corner of the hotel. The mood was more relaxed, with the members of VERTIGO letting off some steam after the stress of the official events. But Jae-Hyun, though surrounded by his friends, was still elsewhere.
Dong-Woo, trusting his instinct, watched Jae-Hyun for a moment longer before leaning discreetly toward Min-Jae and Tae-Ho.
— "Don't you think Jae-Hyun's been acting weird lately? He seems to have something on his mind, something... he doesn't want to talk about."
Min-Jae nodded slowly.
— "Yeah, he's been more thoughtful than usual. Did you see how he checks his phone every minute?"
Tae-Ho, who had an increasingly disapproving look, shrugged.
— "Maybe he's just stressed out. He always gets worked up about stuff like this. But if he really wants to talk, he'll come to us. No need to chase him down."
Dong-Woo shook his head, thoughtful.
— "I don't know, but I've got a bad feeling."
Min-Jae turned to him with a sly smile.
— "Oh, you're getting sentimental, Dong-Woo."
But Dong-Woo didn't seem to be joking. He looked at Jae-Hyun one last time, still sitting there, too calm, too absorbed in his thoughts.
Jae-Hyun spent another night reflecting, feeling more and more burdened by his thoughts. He knew his friends had started to ask questions. And yet, it wasn't them who concerned him. It was her. Exsy. He couldn't get her out of his mind. Every message, every exchange seemed to pull him deeper into a spiral he didn't know how to stop.
The night before the launch of VERTIGO's new album, Jae-Hyun found himself alone in his hotel room, the incessant chatter from the other members of the group still buzzing in his ears. He was tired, but he knew he wouldn't sleep tonight. He grabbed his phone, his heart racing a little faster at the thought of sending a simple message.
Jae-Hyun:
"Exsy, I'd like to see you..."
He pressed "send" before he could regret it.
Exsy received the message in her apartment as she was packing her things, ready to leave. A hesitant smile appeared on her lips. She knew exactly what this message meant, but she didn't let herself be intimidated. She was no longer just a spectator. She controlled her life. And if she chose to see Jae-Hyun, it would be for her own reasons.
But at what cost?