Kai, the tall and dark-haired guy Hana had glimpsed at the café, was living a life that couldn't be more different from hers. As the lead singer of Lumina, he was constantly surrounded by fans, paparazzi, and the pressures of fame.
After the café, Kai and his group members, Joon, Minsoo, Sungmin, and Hwan, headed to their management agency for a meeting. Their schedule was packed with concerts, music shows, and variety appearances.
Kai felt suffocated by the constant scrutiny. He longed for a moment of peace, a chance to be himself without the weight of his idol persona.
But that was a luxury he couldn't afford. Not now, when Lumina was on the brink of global stardom.
As they sat in the meeting room, discussing their upcoming comeback, Kai's mind wandered. He thought about the girl he had seen at the café, the one who hadn't recognized him or fawned over him like the other fans.
For a moment, he felt a pang of curiosity. Who was she? What was her story?
But he pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand. He had a job to do, and he couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way.
The meeting ended, and the members of Lumina headed to their dorm, exhausted but driven. They knew what was at stake, and they were determined to make their comeback a success.
As they settled into their dorm, Kai couldn't shake off the feeling of restlessness. He felt trapped in a life that wasn't truly his own. The constant pressure to perform, to produce hits, to maintain a perfect image - it was suffocating him.
He thought about the girl from the café again, wondering what it would be like to be able to walk down the street without being recognized, to be able to have a conversation without being asked for a selfie or an autograph.
Kai sighed, rubbing his temples. He knew he had made his choice when he decided to become an idol. He had known what he was getting himself into.
But sometimes, in moments like these, he couldn't help but wonder what his life would be like if he had chosen a different path.
The other members of Lumina were busy relaxing, watching TV or playing games. Kai got up and walked over to the window, staring out at the city lights.
He felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Joon, his fellow member and friend.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Joon asked, noticing Kai's distant expression.
Kai shrugged. "Just feeling a bit trapped, I guess."
Joon nodded understandingly. "I know what you mean. But we're in this together, remember? We're a team."
Kai smiled wryly. "Yeah. I know."
But as he turned back to the window, he couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to life than this. Joon tapped his shoulder encouragingly and walked away.
Min Soo who had headsets on busily playing a video game, paused, taking the headsets off. "I'm hungry, should we order something?"
"Sure," All the members, with the exception of Kai chorused. They instantly voiced out their choice of meals to be ordered but Kai just stood at the window.
"Kai?" Min Soo called, their collective gaze fixed on his turned back. Intuitively, he lifted his hand over his right hand over his head, dismissively.
"Ok, naengmyeon for Kai." Min Soo shouted, listing it down on a piece of paper he was holding.
Hwan nodded in agreement, his stomach growling at the mention of the cold noodles. "Yeah, and can we get some mandu too?"
Sungmin pulled out his phone and started ordering, while Hwan began setting the table. "I'm so down for some kimchi mandu," he said, making Joon laugh.
While they waited for their food to arrive, Hwan walked over to Kai, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Hey, hyung, what's got you so captivated by the view?" he asked, tugging on Kai's sleeve.
Kai didn't budge, his gaze still fixed on the city lights. Hwan chuckled and grabbed Kai's arm, pulling him away from the window with a playful force.
"Come on, Kai, let's get some food in you! You're starting to look like a ghost," Hwan teased, dragging Kai towards the others.
Kai rolled his eyes good-naturedly, but couldn't help smiling at Hwan's antics. "I'm fine, maknae," he said, using the Korean term for "youngest member".
But Hwan just grinned and continued to pull Kai towards the table, where the others were eagerly waiting for their food to arrive. "No way, hyung, you're coming with us! We can't have our lead singer wasting away to nothing!"
In the moment, the doorbell rang, Minsoo jumped up to answer it, revealing a steaming hot spread of naengmyeon, mandu, and kimchi.
The others laughed and joked as Hwan finally managed to pull Kai into the circle. Min Soo set the meal before them.
The others dug in, savoring the spicy and sour flavors of the Korean dishes.
Hwan without hesitation, picked a bite and shove it into Kai's mouth helping him to get stared. His playful gesture broke the tension, and Kai couldn't help but laugh as he chewed on the food. For a moment, he forgot about his restlessness and enjoyed the warmth of the moment.
While they ate, the conversation flowed easily, and Kai found himself relaxing in the company of his friends. But as the night wore on, his mind began to wander again.
After finishing their meal, the others settled in for a night of relaxation, but Kai felt his restlessness return. He knew he had to slip out, to clear his head and find some space to breathe.
As he slipped out of the dorm, Joon caught his eye. "Hey, where are you off to?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kai hesitated, not wanting to reveal his true intentions. "Just getting some fresh air, hyung," he said, using the honorific term for "older brother".
Joon nodded, but his expression suggested he didn't quite believe Kai. "Be careful, okay? You know the paparazzi are always lurking around."
Kai nodded and quickly exited the dorm, feeling a mix of guilt and excitement.