Hallyu star Min Jiheon had thought this day would be enjoyable when he woke up in the morning. But reality always had a way of shattering expectations and straying in ridiculous directions. He had finally made time to meet his younger sister, but she was glued to her phone the entire time, fuming. “Chaeyeon-ah, what’s wrong~.” “This is seriously so annoying.” His sister gulped down her drink and slammed the glass onto the table. He peeked at her phone screen. It was a post. [Title: Doesn’t Seo Hoyun look kind of off lately?? Seo HoGyung_expression.jpg Why does his face look so rotten lol He’s been since HallyuCon. └ That’s what I’m saying.. lol Fans swore Seo Hoyun would never get dead-fish eyes but it started in year 3. Stop fangirling just because he’s handsome ㅠ └└ Fuck, that’s a stalker photo, you think you could smile at a sasaeng? └└ Which tune are antis playing at this point, people drooling over this saying he looks sexy should all be thrown in jail. └ Did something happen at HallyuCon?? └└ No..? Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾·𝗇𝖾𝗍 └└ Oh wasn’t it after the younger brother thing? Ever since that photo leaked he’s been .] Reading the blunt words, Jiheon frowned and spoke to his sister. “Chaeyeon-ah, why are you even looking at this?” “Excuse me. I have a reason.” Her eyes stayed locked on the phone. She scrolled and tapped another post. [Title: S H Ys personality was always lol His fans are pro-level at covering their eyes and ears, that’s why they keep stanning him.] “What the hell, what kind of bullshit is that! Seo Hoyun is so kind!” “You’re even calling him by name?” Even she usually added “-ssi” or called him oppa. “I’m so pissed! Is it because there’s talk about moving into 1st tier lately? The sabotage is too much.” Ignoring Jiheon’s questions, she ranted on. “Is liking someone always this hard?” “Do you have to get this miserable?” Sounded like a drama script. Definitely not something a middle schooler should be saying. His sister mumbled with a sulky face. “I just want him to be happy, but people won’t leave him alone. Why are there so many bad people in the world?” “Hahaha, so dramatic. Chaeyeon-ah.” She glared at him like she wanted to kill him over a single joke. Jiheon turned his gaze away awkwardly, then smiled when he saw someone just walking through the café door. Meanwhile his sister’s mood had gone from gloomy to furious. “Seo Hoyun, he! He treats his members so well! He’s so kind to fans!! They don’t know a damn thing, huh!?” She should probably stop now. But since she had been going on about Seo Hoyun nonstop since they met, Jiheon felt a petty urge to let her stew. A voice familiar not only to Jiheon but also his sister was heard. Lower than usual, a little rough at the edges. His sister’s neck turned like a rusty robot joint. Even with a black cap pulled low and a mask covering half his face, the pale white skin and the bluish-black hair brushing his neck left no doubt who it was. Meeting her eyes, he softly curved his gaze. His sister opened and closed her mouth without a sound. Hoyun gave a light greeting and sat down in front of her. “Oh? Seo Hoyun-ssi, when did you get here?” Jiheon had called him over, thinking he could show his sister her idol in person. He knew from the moment Hoyun entered the café, but still asked. “From the part, ‘Seo Hoyun is so kind....’” “Wow~! Hahaha. You came fast....” His sister raised a trembling hand with her face beet-red, completely mortified at creating her own dark history in front of the first celebrity she had ever liked. “Thank you for worrying about me.” “It’ll settle down soon. I’m really fine, so don’t let it stress you out too much.” Jiheon’s eyes narrowed at Hoyun’s gentle tone, so unlike how he normally treated him—cursing, ignoring, mocking. “‘Settle down soon?’” What’s he planning behind that? Unaware of the true Hoyun, his sister was overwhelmed, rattling off praises: handsome, sings well, now even dances well, kind, considerate, handsome again... “Ay. It’s all thanks to my seniors guiding me. Min Jiheon sunbaenim has been so good to me.” Jiheon suddenly felt sick. “Of course. On set you looked out for me so much. Though I was a little shocked when you ad-libbed lines that weren’t in the script...” “Wait. Seo Hoyun-ssi, wait a second.” “But looking back, maybe that was just your way of caring...” Jiheon tried to drag him away, but his sister blocked him. Hoyun’s long lashes lowered delicately as he continued. “Of course, you also asked if I wasn’t just a pitiful person. But I’m sure you had your reasons.” “You even asked how I could have such a personality. But I can understand, since it came from you, sunbaenim.” Jiheon finally realized why Hoyun had agreed to come here so easily, even knowing his sister would be present. His sister’s sharp glare pierced him. He quickly tried to salvage the situation. “Kang Chaeyeon. It’s about time for your academy, isn’t it?” “......Yeah. Min-ssi, we’ll talk later.” Checking her phone, she forced a smile through clenched teeth. “Yes, yes...! Oppa, fighting!” After securing Hoyun’s autograph, she left, though only after Jiheon wrapped his scarf around her neck. Grumbling but accepting, she left the café. Jiheon watched her go when Hoyun, arms crossed, asked: “Kang Chaeyeon? Different surname.” Jiheon looked Hoyun up and down. On the outside, he seemed to shine brighter by the day, but inside he looked hollower than ever. “So why did you call me out? To ruin my image in front of my sister?” “Two birds, one stone.” Hoyun took Jiheon’s water and drank. “Your sister was worried. Something going on lately?” “Nothing for you to worry about.” The café wasn’t even properly signposted, run on a reservation-only basis by word-of-mouth. Despite being spacious, the only customers were Hoyun and Jiheon. Still, Hoyun’s attitude was strangely off. “So why did you call me?” Jiheon grew tense. Nothing good ever came of Hoyun seeking him out. The last time, Hoyun had been on the verge of death. “Just wanted to see your face?” Hoyun smirked, answering with sly ease, and Jiheon instinctively leaned back. When that man acted , it always spelled the worst. “...What’s with you?” “What, can’t a junior want to see his senior?” Jiheon’s throat felt dry. He gulped some Americano. “Just curse me out and hit me, hyung. That’d be better....” Hoyun burst out laughing, uncharacteristically loud. “Yeah, you’re consistent. That’s what ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ I like about you, Jiheon-ah.” Jiheon got goosebumps. People possessed by something bad often acted out of character . “...My little brother lost his original memories.” “...Ah, that brother.” But then Hoyun added something that left Jiheon speechless. “...And about that will you mentioned. It said if I work hard as an idol, my brother’s memories will be restored.” Jiheon stared at him. Back when they first met, dark clouds clung to Hoyun, gathering and dispersing endlessly. “What do you think? Does that sound like a scam to you?” Back then, Jiheon had felt wary but also curious about Hoyun’s true nature. Above all, he’d thought his personality was rotten. But living alongside him, he realized Hoyun wasn’t all bad. He calculated profit and loss sharply, but was oddly soft-hearted, always took responsibility, and only wanted to show the best side of himself to the people he cared about. ‘And now, the clouds have almost vanished.’ Each time they met, Jiheon felt the black haze lighten. ‘What happens if it all disappears?’ He couldn’t say for sure, but if Hoyun truly had the power to scatter even that ominous cloud—if that cloud was really “ill repute”— “...Maybe it’s possible?” It didn’t seem impossible. Hoyun smiled brightly, as if he’d been waiting for that answer, and stood up. Seeing him make to leave, Jiheon unconsciously blocked his path. “Wait, you came just to ask me that? That’s it?” “Yeah, I’m off to prepare for the comeback.” “You don’t have more to ask?” Hoyun looked at him for a moment, then smiled faintly. His expression was hollow, like he had no attachments left to anything in the world. “You’re kind of clingy, you know?” Of course, he was still an asshole through and through. Noeul, who had sent a long letter to Seo Hoyun, had been too swamped with work to think about much else. Still, she hadn’t missed what was happening with him. ‘My Hoyun has to be happy....’ Recently, Daepaseong had begun taking strong measures against sasaengs and malicious comments. But the more popular you got, the more negativity and scrutiny followed. She prayed Hoyun wouldn’t see any of it. Then, logging into SNS after a while, she was stunned. 《[Exclusive] Seo Hoyun secretly d for years... The sum is jaw-dropping》 《The idol who d all of his Perfect Singer appearance fee to children—an angel idol revealed》 Articles about Seo Hoyun were spreading everywhere. “Oh my god... Hoyun-ah....” Her boy was kind too. With all the talk swirling about The Dawn lately, she was overwhelmed. 《—Looking at his donation history, perhaps Seo Hoyun was influenced by a past car accident—.》 “Are you kidding me, you get paid to write this crap?” Of course, some made her furious again. But Hoyun never mentioned donations. No interviews, no fan messages, nothing. That silence made Noeuls even more moved. [Seo Hoyun... I’ll love him all my life. └Wait, didn’t you say you loved someone else... └└Life doesn’t go the way you want..] [ㅠㅠ I’m so proud to love Seo Hoyun.. really... Hoyun is such a good person..] As fans kept the warm mood going— [Finally, the full album, I’ve been dying waiting] [I love you I love you I love you] [Holy shit guys full album!!!! Full album!!!! Full album is coming!!!!!] The countdown to The Dawn’s comeback had begun. The concept photos were released. Noeuls’ hearts nearly stopped when they saw Seo Hoyun’s picture. [ldkfjaldkj WHAT IS THIS I CAN’T BREATHE] [I’m going crazy.. I’m going crazy... I’m going crazy... I’m going insane.....] He had abandoned the black hair he’d always kept— [Seo Hoyun’s first dye job I fainted] —his hair now ash gray with silver undertones, the ends faintly tinted violet, eyes blazing as he stared out through the photo.