"Yuna! Open the door!"
"Leave Eunwoo alone!"
"You don't even deserve to say his name!"
Yuna gripped her phone tightly. Her heart pounded wildly as she stared at the shadows creeping under her door. The screams and pounding outside made it hard to breathe. Eunwoo's fans had found her.
With trembling fingers, she checked her phone one last time. She still couldn't reach Minji. There was only one option left.
With difficulty, she dialed Hwan's number.
Trying to keep her voice steady, she whispered, "Hwan… I need your help."
Moments later, a sleek black car pulled up in front of her building. Hwan sat in the backseat, watching as his men swiftly got to work. His voice was calm but firm as he ordered,
"Get rid of them. Now."
Eunwoo's fans, caught off guard by the sudden presence of bodyguards, hesitated. Soon, with the arrival of police officers, the crowd began to disperse.
Inside, Yuna still trembled.
The knock on her door made her jump.
"Yuna, it's me. Open up."
She hesitated for a moment before gathering enough strength to stand. Slowly, she reached for the door and pulled it open.
Hwan froze at the sight before him. Yuna's eyes were red from crying. Fear was etched all over her face.
Something twisted inside him. Like Eunwoo, he too loved Yuna. Seeing her like this hurt more than he expected. But deep down, he also knew—this was his chance. For the first time, Yuna was asking him for help.
Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him. Yuna recounted everything, her voice barely above a whisper. Each word she spoke only fueled his anger.
Finally, she took a deep breath and said, "I can't stay here anymore."
Hwan's brows furrowed. "Where do you plan to go?"
Her voice wavered as she shook her head. "I don't know… But I can't stay here."
Hwan hesitated for a moment before making an offer. "You can stay at my place."
Yuna's eyes widened in shock. "No, Hwan. I can't accept that."
Hwan stepped closer, his gaze steady. "I knew you'd say that. But right now, there's no other choice. At least until Eunwoo's fans forget about you."
Yuna considered his words. No matter how much she wanted to stay strong, she had reached her limit. After a long silence, she finally nodded.
She accepted.
---
Nova's Practice Room
Nova was in the middle of dance practice for their new music video. Eunwoo moved to the rhythm, but his mind was elsewhere. He needed to see Yuna.
The moment practice ended, he grabbed his things.
"I have something to do. I'll see you later," he told his groupmates.
Doyoon called after him, "Don't be late, Eunwoo. We have a fan meeting tomorrow."
Eunwoo nodded absentmindedly. All he cared about right now was finding Yuna.
He quickly got ready and rushed to her apartment. When he reached her door, he rang the bell. Once. Twice. Three times…
No answer.
He knocked harder. "Yuna! Are you there?"
Silence.
A sinking feeling grew inside him.
He decided to check the café.
When he arrived, he spotted Minji. Without hesitation, he approached her. "Minji, where's Yuna?"
Minji grabbed his wrist and gestured to the seat in front of her. "Sit down, Eunwoo. I need to tell you something."
She hesitated, unsure of where to start. Eunwoo's impatient voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"I'm listening, Minji. Just tell me."
Minji took a deep breath, avoiding his gaze.
"Eunwoo, this morning, when Yuna was about to leave for work, your fans found her address. They showed up at her doorstep. They threatened her."
Eunwoo's jaw clenched, his fists tightening.
Minji continued, "She tried calling me, but my phone was charging. She couldn't reach me… So she called Hwan."
Eunwoo's expression darkened. "And?"
Minji swallowed hard. "Hwan… took her. To his place."
Eunwoo shot up from his seat.
"I'm going to kill him."
Minji quickly grabbed his arm. "Wait! Yuna went willingly."
Eunwoo took a sharp breath, trying to steady his rage. But no matter how much he tried to calm down, one thought refused to leave his mind.
Yuna was staying with Hwan.
And that thought alone drove him insane.