Chapter 40: California Lights and Criminal Hearts
**Night.**
The camera captured the sleek private jet touching down on the illuminated runway of Los Angeles International Airport in California.
Minutes later, the terminal was an ocean of screaming fans and flashing cameras. The crowd pushed against the security barricades as the BVS Kings finally stepped out, looking incredibly handsome. With flawless skin, million-dollar outfits, and perfectly styled hair, they looked like modern-day royalty.
Lee-Dae stepped into the flashing lights wearing a sparkly, emerald-green suit that perfectly matched his eyes. His hair, which usually fell messily over his face, had been slicked back and dyed a rich mix of black and brown. He flashed a charming smile at the cameras, offering a playful wink to the fans straining to reach him.
Right behind him came Seo-Joon, dressed in a sharp, tailored blue suit. His long hair had been completely transformed into a trendy wolf cut—short and textured in the front, falling longer in the back, and freshly dyed in striking shades of silver and gold. He batted his eyelashes at the crowd, blowing theatrical kisses that made the fans scream even louder.
Finally, Kim-Jo stepped out. He looked dashing, devilish, and entirely untouchable in a deep red suit. His previously messy, curly blonde hair was now perfectly straight, trimmed, and dyed a sharp black and silver. He stopped, staring directly into the cameras to hit a flawless "boyfriend pose," reaching one gentlemanly hand out toward the crowd. The fans practically broke the barricades trying to grab it.
With a low, amused chuckle, Kim-Jo pulled his hand back and walked on.
Waiting for them at the end of the VIP terminal was the celebrity host, Austin. He greeted the three of them with a warm smile, shaking their hands before leading them away from the chaos and into a waiting, shiny black stretch limousine.
The moment the car doors closed on screen, the television suddenly went black.
Lucy sat in the quiet of her dorm room, holding the TV remote. She stared at the blank screen, a foolish, dreamy smile plastered on her face. But slowly, her expression shifted as her mind began to race.
*Could they be...?* She immediately shook her head, letting out a sharp, breathless laugh. "Nope. They are definitely not."
It was impossible. Yes, her boys looked strikingly similar to the band, but looking at the mighty BVS Kings on screen, the difference in their worlds was massive. The BVS Kings were incredibly wealthy—billionaires living in mansions with enough money to sustain her for three generations. Her boys, on the other hand, were just a bunch of chaotic, broke guys who had needed a place to crash.
She giggled to herself, feeling silly for even considering it. She remembered Lee-Dae accidentally calling Sunny "Seo-Joon" that one time, but brushed it off. They were probably just joking around because they knew they looked like the famous idols.
Just as she was settling the debate in her head, her phone beeped loudly from the nightstand. She snatched it up, finding three new messages waiting in their group chat.
> **June:** *Hey Tinkabel! How were the exams? Hope you wrote well today! And also preparing for the next one 😏*
>
> **Sunny:** *Lucy! I'm watching your crush on TV! Kim-Jo looks handsome but I look more handsome! True or false?*
>
> **Jimmy:** *U-bi, have you eaten? Please take good care of yourself because I can't bear to see you hurting, okay? Oh... remember to sleep early so you can wake up early too. Hope your roommates are good people? Don't let them bully you. Love you and have a wonderful night. P.S. TURN OFF THE TV AND GO TO BED!*
Lucy burst out laughing, her thumb tracing over Jimmy's chaotic, caring message.
"Such caring gentlemen you all are," she whispered to the empty room.
> **Lucy:** *Alright, I'm going to bed. Good night, boys.*
She hit send, dropped her phone back onto the table, and flicked off the bedside lamp. Since her roommates weren't around, she curled up under her blankets and happily drifted off to sleep.
---
Meanwhile, miles away in California, the interior of the sleek black limousine was filled with tension. The three boys stared at their phones, letting out a collective, heavy sigh of relief the moment Lucy's reply came through.
"Do you think she will recognize us?" Seo-Joon asked, nervously running a hand through his silver-and-gold hair. "I hope you tell her who we really are before she finds out on her own, Kim-Jo. The consequences of her finding out from a screen can't even be guessed."
"Not after the magic the makeup artists just did. She won't recognize us. Calm down," Lee-Dae said, flashing a smile, though his foot was tapping nervously against the floorboard.
Kim-Jo sighed heavily, looking between his two best friends. His palms were actually sweating.
"Can we just finish our work here and go back? I am not comfortable," he groaned, leaning his head back against the leather seat. "I will tell Lucy who we are on her birthday. After we finish singing her the song I specifically composed for her." He said it firmly, as if speaking the plan aloud was the only way to comfort his drumming, troubled heart.
---
Soon, the boys arrived at the most exclusive event center in the city, owned by Austin himself. They bypassed the main entrance, heading straight for the VIP backstage area, and before long, the lights went down. It was time.
They appeared on stage to a deafening roar.
Kim-Jo stood at the center microphone. The music faded out into total silence. Raising the mic to his lips, he whispered in a low, husky voice:
*"You're a criminal."*
The crowd absolutely lost their minds, the cheering so loud it vibrated the floorboards.
Standing in the VIP balcony with his arm wrapped tightly around his girlfriend's waist, Austin chuckled.
"Damn, these dudes are something else," Austin said, shaking his head. "Just four words and everyone in the building is losing their minds."
"You're right," Anika smiled, leaning into him. "But you are worse."
Austin laughed, turning to press a soft kiss against her lips as the music swelled below them.
> **Kim-Jo:** > *You make me fall for you, magically,*
> *You scattered my brain, criminally...*
>
> **Lee-Dae:**
> *Baby let me be your soldier,*
> *Let me be the one to hold you...*
>
> **Seo-Joon:** > *With a smile that I... I... I like,*
> *You make me fall for your heart...*
>
> **All:** > *I swear I will hold you down, never wanna see you fall,*
> *Babe you can call on the phone,*
> *9 PM, 2, and 4.*
> *If you need me babe, for anything babe,*
> *I'll be there for you.*
As the final note echoed through the massive venue, the guests erupted into a standing ovation. As the Kings turned to leave the stage, Kim-Jo looked back over his shoulder and blew one final kiss to the front row. Two ladies immediately fainted, causing Austin and Anika to laugh from the balcony.
Once they were safely backstage, the adrenaline began to wear off. Lee-Dae immediately pulled out his phone, pulling up his messages with his fiancée.
> **Lee-Dae:** *Hi, Angel.*
Almost instantly, the screen lit up with her reply.
> **Paige:** *Man! You looked great out there! My man is the most handsome!*
Lee-Dae chuckled softly, leaning against the wall as he eagerly typed back to her. Across the room, Seo-Joon was already glued to his own screen, rapidly posting behind-the-scenes content to their Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter accounts to keep the fans fed.
Kim-Jo, however, stood quietly in the corner of the dressing room, entirely lost in thought.
Something Lucy had mentioned once suddenly struck him. She had told him she used to stay in California. Specifically, this was where her parents were buried.
Standing in the dressing room surrounded by noise and luxury, Kim-Jo made up his mind. Before they flew back home, he was going to find the cemetery. He was going to search for Lucy's parents' graves, pay his respects, and have a nice, quiet chat with them about their daughter.
With that solid resolution locked in his mind, his troubled heart finally felt at ease.