The sunlight filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I stretch lazily, savoring the rare luxury of waking up late. Seonho's arm is draped over me, his breath soft and steady against my neck. Jaewook stirs on my other side, mumbling something incoherent as he shifts closer. It's a rare morning where we've planned nothing but to be together, enjoying each other's company without the pressures of our hectic lives.
I reach for my phone on the nightstand, intending to check the time. Instead, my screen lights up with a barrage of notifications. My heart sinks as I scroll through message after message, each more alarming than the last. My fingers tremble as I open one of the many links sent by concerned friends and fans.
"Iseul? What's wrong?" Jaewook's voice is groggy with sleep, but it sharpens with concern as he notices my distress.
Seonho is already stirring, his instincts kicking in at the first sign of trouble. "What happened?"
I can barely speak as I hold up my phone for them to see. The screen displays a candid photo that's gone viral overnight: Seonho holding me while I kiss Jaewook, all three of us covered in frosting from yesterday's playful studio session. It's provocative, intimate, and the absolute worst image to have slipped out.
"Holy shit," Jaewook mutters, sitting up straight and running a hand through his hair.
Seonho's eyes narrow as he takes in the photo. His jaw clenches, and without warning, he punches the wall next to the bed. The sound echoes through the room, startling me out of my stunned state.
"Of course it was him," Seonho growls, turning to face us with fury in his eyes. "That bastard producer leaked it."
My mind races, trying to grasp the enormity of what's happened. "This is a catastrophe," I whisper, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "I don't know what to do this time."
Jaewook reaches for my hand, squeezing it reassuringly even though he looks like he's still processing everything himself. "We'll figure it out," he says firmly.
But Seonho is pacing now, his anger palpable. "This is exactly what he wanted—to ruin us."
I bury my face in my hands, overwhelmed by guilt and panic. "It was supposed to be just us," I say, my voice muffled by my hands. "Now everyone knows."
Jaewook pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly as if he can shield me from the storm that's brewing outside our little sanctuary. "We'll get through this," he murmurs into my hair.
Seonho stops pacing long enough to sit down beside us on the bed. He takes a deep breath, visibly trying to calm himself down. "We need a plan," he says quietly but firmly.
I look up at him, desperate for any sense of direction or control in this spiraling situation. "What do we do?"
Seonho's pacing drives me nuts, but I get it. The guy's got energy to burn when he's pissed. He finally stops and looks at me, determination etched across his face.
"I'm calling my label," he says. "We need to see what damage control can be done."
"Good idea," I nod, watching as he strides out of the room, phone already to his ear.
I turn to Jaewook, who's still holding my hand. "Are you alright?"
He gives me a small smile, though it doesn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine, Iseul. But I need to talk to my management too. We have to figure out how to handle this."
"Okay," I say, squeezing his hand before he lets go and follows Seonho out.
Left alone in the room, I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone. The anger bubbling inside me threatens to spill over. Another man thinks he can ruin my life with a photo? Not this time.
I scroll through my contacts and find the number for my lawyer. The call connects almost immediately.
"Ms. Kwon," comes the professional voice on the other end. "What can I do for you?"
I explain the situation in quick, clipped sentences, my frustration evident in every word. My lawyer listens patiently before responding.
"We'll need to gather evidence and build a case," he says. "This is a clear violation of your privacy."
"Do whatever it takes," I say firmly. "I want him held accountable."
As I hang up, Seonho and Jaewook return to the room. Both look serious, but composed.
"What did they say?" I ask.
Seonho runs a hand through his hair, looking more focused than ever. "They're going to issue a statement soon, trying to downplay the photo as much as possible."
Jaewook nods in agreement. "My management is doing the same. They're emphasizing that it's an invasion of privacy and that we'll take legal action if necessary."
"Good," I say, standing up and facing them both. "But listen—I have a plan, and we're not addressing those photos just yet."
Seonho raises an eyebrow while Jaewook looks curious but trusting.
"We have two options," I continue. "We can ride out the rumors and let them die down on their own, or we can confirm our relationship publicly."
They both glance at each other before turning back to me.
"This has to be your choice too," I emphasize. "You need to understand the repercussions it will have on your careers and lives before deciding."
For a moment, silence fills the room as they consider their options. Then Seonho speaks first.
"I'm not afraid or ashamed of you," he says firmly.
Jaewook nods in agreement. "Neither am I."
They look at each other and then back at me, saying in unison, "We don't care what other people think."
A weight lifts off my shoulders at their words. "Alright then," I say with a determined smile. "We're going to make a sequel."
Seonho's grin mirrors mine while Jaewook chuckles softly, relief evident in his eyes.
"What's the plan?" Seonho asks eagerly.
I take a deep breath, feeling more confident than ever with these two by my side. "We're going to take control of this narrative ourselves."
* * *
Two days later, after avoiding the press and dodging any addressing of the leaked photos, I find myself pacing in my recording studio. The room smells of coffee and anticipation. The walls, lined with platinum records and framed posters of my past tours, seem to close in on me as I wait for Seungmin to arrive. My fingers drum against the edge of the mixing console, each tap echoing my impatience.
Finally, the door swings open, and Seungmin steps in. He has that smug look plastered across his face, like a cat who thinks it's cornered a mouse. His eyes scan the room before landing on me, and he smirks.
"Iseul," he says, his voice dripping with false concern. "I got your message. Ready to make amends?"
I take a deep breath, steadying myself. "Sit down, Seungmin."
He saunters over to the chair opposite me, plopping down with an air of superiority. "I knew you'd come around. It's not easy out there without someone like me backing you up."
I force a smile, feeling my nails dig into my palms. "You're right. It's not easy."
He leans back, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, what's the plan? Want to discuss terms?"
I reach into my bag and pull out a manila envelope, placing it on the table between us. His eyes flicker with curiosity as he reaches for it.
"What's this?" he asks, ripping open the envelope.
"Open it," I say calmly.
As he pulls out the papers and starts reading, his expression shifts from smugness to confusion and then to shock. He looks up at me, eyes wide.
"What is this?" he demands.
"It's a lawsuit," I reply evenly. "For violating my privacy by taking unauthorized photos on private property."
He scoffs, tossing the papers back onto the table. "You can't be serious."
"Oh, I'm very serious," I say, leaning forward. "I have evidence from my security cameras that show you were the one who took those pictures."
His face pales slightly, but he quickly regains his composure. "You're bluffing."
I slide a USB drive across the table towards him. "Go ahead and check it out for yourself."
He stares at the USB drive as if it might bite him before finally picking it up. "This is ridiculous," he mutters.
"Ridiculous or not," I say firmly, "you violated my trust and my privacy. You think you can just walk all over me because you're bitter? Think again."
Seungmin stands up abruptly, knocking his chair back in his haste. "You're making a big mistake, Iseul."
"No," I say calmly as I rise to meet him eye-to-eye. "The only mistake was ever trusting you in the first place."
I keep my gaze locked on Seungmin, my heart pounding, but my resolve unshaken. "You are never to set foot on my property again," I declare, each word a bullet aimed straight at his ego. "And as for your so-called creative control over my music? That's over. You have no further say in anything I produce."
Seungmin's eyes narrow, a dangerous glint sparking within them. "You think you can just cut me out like that?"
"I know I can," I reply, folding my arms across my chest. "My lawyer is already working on it. Your writing credits on my previous work? They're being reviewed. My lawsuit aims to get full rights back to me."
His face contorts with anger, his fists clenching at his sides. "You can't do this, Iseul. You owe me—"
"I owe you nothing," I cut him off, my voice icy and unwavering. "And if you dare to fight this lawsuit, I will press charges for revenge porn and character damage. Do you really want to go down that road?"
Seungmin's face turns an alarming shade of red, veins bulging in his neck as he steps forward menacingly. "You're making a huge mistake!"
Before he can get any closer, the door to my office swings open and Seonho and Jaewook step out, their presence like a sudden storm clouding the room. Seonho's eyes lock onto Seungmin with a predatory intensity.
"Is there a problem here?" Seonho asks, his voice calm but laced with a threat.
Seungmin freezes, his bravado faltering as he glances between the two men. "This is none of your business," he spits out.
"It is now," Jaewook says, stepping forward to stand beside me. His calm demeanor is gone, replaced by an edge that promises consequences.
Seonho moves swiftly, grabbing Seungmin by the arms and steering him towards the door. "I think it's time for you to leave," he says smoothly.
Seungmin struggles briefly but quickly realizes he's outmatched. "This isn't over!" he yells over his shoulder as Seonho escorts him out.
Seonho leans in close to Seungmin's ear as they reach the door. "If you ever come near Iseul again," he whispers fiercely, "I'll make sure you regret it."
With one final shove, Seonho pushes Seungmin out the door and slams it shut behind him. The tension in the room dissipates slightly as we all take a collective breath.
Jaewook turns to me, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?"
I nod slowly, feeling the adrenaline begin to ebb away. "Yeah … yeah, I'm okay."
Seonho walks back over to us, his expression softening as he looks at me. "You handled that well."
"Thanks," I say quietly, my voice steadier than I feel inside.
Jaewook places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "We're here for you, Iseul. Whatever happens next."
I manage a small smile, grateful for their support even as the reality of what just happened starts to sink in. The fight isn't over yet—far from it—but for now, I'm not alone in this battle.
We stand there in silence for a moment longer before Seonho breaks it with a determined nod towards my office door.
"Let's get back to work," he says firmly.
And just like that, we move forward together—united and ready for whatever comes next.