Chapter 6: The Surprising News
Days of uncertainty.
Endless hours checking blurred photos and social media tags, searching for any hint—no matter how small—of who she was. The lack of sleep and the frustration were starting to take their toll on me.
—**"Ah, I'm going out of my mind,"** —I whispered to myself, sinking into the sofa in the recording studio.
I was going crazy trying to find her, and the worst part was that the world kept spinning as if nothing were happening. Jun-ho and Do-yun watched me from the mixing console; I could feel their concerned stares, but I didn't have the energy to pretend everything was fine. Until now, everything had been useless.
Until the door swung open. My manager walked into the room with an expression that was hard to decipher: a mix of relief and a silent warning.
—**"I think we have something,"** —he said, handing me a leather folder with several stapled documents.
I took the folder with trembling hands, ignoring the fact that my heart was hammering against my ribs. I could barely process the text before seeing an image of her printed on one of the pages. It was an ID photo, simple and unfiltered, but it was her. It was **Ji-ah**.
—**"Her name is Seo Ji-ah,"** —my manager said, watching my reaction cautiously while the other members gathered around out of curiosity—. **"She's a senior literature student at Yonsei University. She lives in Seoul with her family and works part-time at a cafe. She has no connection to the entertainment industry. She's... a regular civilian, Min-jae."**
In that moment, I felt my chest tighten. Ji-ah wasn't a celebrity; she wasn't someone used to being under the spotlights or dealing with the chaos of our lives. She was a girl with a simple life, full of books and quiet routines.
—**"A literature student?"** —**Choi Hyun** interrupted, peering over my shoulder—. **"Hyung, she lives in a totally different world from ours. If you get close, you could ruin the peace she has."**
—**"I don't care about her status,"** —I replied, unable to stop staring at her photo—. **"In fact, that makes her even more special."**
For some reason, knowing she didn't belong to this artificial environment drew me in even more. But now that I finally had a name and a place, the real question burning in my mind was...
What on earth am I going to do with this information? Do I even have the right to burst into her normal life just because I can't get her out of my head?