SOMEONE FROM THE PAST DOESN'T LET GO
SEOUL — MORNING — JAE RIN APARTMENT
Sunlight slowly filled the room.
Jae Rin woke up slowly, her head resting on the pillow, hair spread across the bed like silk.
For a moment she didn't move.
Didn't think.
Didn't remember.
Just breathing.
Peaceful.
Then she noticed something.
Warmth beside her.
She turned her head slightly.
Min Jae was still there.
Sitting half-leaning against the headboard, eyes closed, clearly asleep in an uncomfortable position.
Her eyebrows frowned.
"…You didn't go?"
He opened his eyes slowly.
"You slept."
"So?"
"You only sleep when I stay."
She looked away.
Didn't answer.
He stretched his neck a little.
"You didn't take the pill."
She stayed quiet.
He looked at her carefully.
"You feel better?"
"…A little."
Silence.
She sat up slowly.
Her breathing still slightly heavy, but not as bad as before.
Min Jae noticed.
He always noticed.
"You have checkup today."
She froze for a second.
"…I know."
"You're not skipping."
"I didn't say I would."
"You always try."
She looked at him with a tired expression.
"I said I'll go."
He nodded.
"Good."
Outside the room, voices could be heard.
Yuna.
Sora.
Jisoo.
They were already awake.
Probably reading comments again.
Which meant only one thing.
Fans noticed.
Again.
Jae Rin sighed.
"…They know something's wrong."
Min Jae didn't deny it.
"They noticed the Busan stage clip."
Her jaw tightened.
"Of course they did."
He picked up his phone.
Opened social media.
Showed her.
Trending.
#JaeRinAreYouOkay
#RestQueen
#ProtectJaeRin
#TourPostponed
Millions of posts.
Millions of fans worried.
Some crying.
Some defending.
Some making theories.
She looked away.
"…I hate this."
"You don't hate fans."
"I hate them worrying."
He put the phone down.
"They love you."
She whispered,
"…I know."
Silence again.
Then she stood up.
"I'll shower."
He nodded.
"Hospital at 11."
She stopped at the door.
"…Don't tell the others yet."
He understood immediately.
Checkup.
Reports.
Breathing problem.
Past illness.
"Okay."
She left the room.
Min Jae looked at the floor.
His expression serious now.
Because he knew.
Something wasn't fully healed.
Not even after five years.
Not even after survival.
And the worst part —
she was pretending she was fine again.
Just like before.
SAME TIME — SEOUL — KEIFER POV
Keifer sat on the couch, phone in his hand.
Video paused.
It was from Busan concert.
He played it again.
Jae Rin dancing.
Crowd screaming.
Perfect.
Then the moment.
She stopped.
Just for half a second.
Hand on chest.
Breathing wrong.
He paused again.
Zoomed.
Her face pale.
Eyes unfocused.
He clenched his jaw.
Ci-n walked in.
"You watched that ten times."
Keifer didn't look up.
"She couldn't breathe."
Ci-n sat beside him.
"Fans think exhaustion."
Keifer shook his head.
"No."
"You think serious?"
"Yes."
Silence.
Rory entered with laptop.
"I checked hospital connections."
Angelo looked up.
"And?"
Rory hesitated.
"…Nothing direct."
Aries frowned.
"What do you mean nothing."
"She uses private doctors."
Edrix added,
"And fake names."
Keifer finally looked up.
"Fake names?"
Edrix nodded.
"Yeah. Korean name mostly."
His chest tightened slightly.
"…What name."
Edrix scrolled.
"…Kang Jae-rin."
The room went silent.
Angelo blinked.
"That's her stage name."
Edrix shook head.
"No."
"…Legal record too."
Keifer froze.
Legal.
Not just stage.
Not just fake.
Real.
Why would she change everything?
Why erase old name?
Why erase Fernandez?
Why erase Mariano?
His voice low.
"…Find more."
Rory sighed.
"She erased a lot."
Ci-n smirked slightly.
"That means something big happened."
Keifer stood up slowly.
Eyes dark.
"…Yeah."
Something big.
Something they weren't there for.
Something she went through alone.
And for the first time in years —
he felt afraid.
Because the girl he remembered
would never hide like this.
Unless she was hurt badly.
AFTERNOON — HOSPITAL — JAE RIN POV
The waiting room was quiet.
Private floor.
No fans.
No cameras.
Just white walls.
Jae Rin sat with arms crossed.
Min Jae beside her.
Doctor inside checking reports.
She hated hospitals.
Always did.
Too many memories.
Machines.
Smell.
Cold rooms.
Five years ago.
Lung cancer.
Chemo.
Sleepless nights.
Min Jae holding her hand while she cried silently.
She closed her eyes.
"…I'm fine."
Min Jae looked at her.
"You say that every time."
"I survived once."
"That doesn't mean you ignore everything."
Silence.
Doctor opened the door.
"Ms Kang."
She stood up.
Walked inside.
Min Jae followed.
Doctor looked serious.
Not panic.
Not calm either.
"…Your lungs are weaker than before."
She didn't react.
Expected.
"You need rest."
"I am resting."
"No tour for now."
She nodded.
Already knew.
Doctor continued,
"And no stress."
Min Jae almost laughed.
Impossible.
Her life = stress.
Doctor looked at her carefully.
"You also need proper sleep,if you don't follow all this the cancer might come back."
Min Jae looked at her.
She looked away.
Doctor wrote something.
"Come again next week."
She nodded.
Left the room.
Outside hallway felt too bright.
Too loud.
Too real.
She walked ahead.
Min Jae behind.
Suddenly she stopped.
Her body froze.
She felt it again.
That feeling.
Someone watching.
She turned.
Nothing.
Empty hallway.
But her heart started beating faster.
Min Jae noticed.
"What happened."
"…Nothing."
"You stopped."
"I thought I saw someone."
He looked around.
No one.
"Fans?"
She shook head slowly.
"…No."
Her voice almost a whisper.
"…Someone from the past."
Min Jae's expression changed.
He didn't ask.
Didn't need to.
Because he already knew
who she meant.
And somewhere else in the same city —
Keifer was standing near the hospital entrance,
looking at the building,
not knowing why his chest felt heavy.
Like something important was inside.
Like someone important was there.
And neither of them knew
they were closer than ever.
HOSPITAL — PRIVATE FLOOR — JAE RIN POV
The hallway felt too long.
Too white.
Too quiet.
Jae Rin walked beside Min Jae, arms crossed, trying to ignore the strange feeling in her chest.
Like someone was watching.
Like someone was close.
She stopped walking.
"…Wait."
Min Jae looked at her.
"What?"
She turned slowly.
The corridor behind them was empty.
Nurse at the corner.
Door closed.
Nothing unusual.
But her heart was beating too fast.
"…It's nothing."
"You sure?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
He walked ahead to talk to the receptionist.
"I'll get the papers."
She stayed behind.
Alone for a few seconds.
Bad idea.
Very bad idea.
She turned to walk toward the window —
Suddenly —
A hand grabbed her wrist.
Strong.
Firm.
Before she could react —
She was pulled inside a nearby room.
Door shut.
Her back hit the wall.
Her eyes widened.
And then she saw him.
Keifer.
Her breathing stopped.
For a second she forgot how to move.
He looked exactly the same.
Older.
Sharper.
But the same eyes.
The same voice.
"…Jay."
Her jaw tightened instantly.
"I'm not—"
"You are."
She tried to pull her wrist away.
His grip didn't hurt.
But he didn't let go.
"We need to talk."
"No."
"Yes."
"I said no."
Her voice cold now.
Controlled.
Professional.
"I don't know you."
His eyes darkened.
"Stop lying."
She tried to move past him.
He stepped in front.
Blocking the door.
Her chest started tightening again.
Not illness.
Memory.
Anger.
Fear.
Everything together.
"Move."
"Not until you talk to me."
Her breathing got faster.
He noticed.
His grip loosened a little.
"You're shaking."
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
She looked at him with burning eyes.
Then suddenly —
she started speaking fast Korean.
Words sharp.
Quick.
Emotional.
"그만해. 나한테 이러지 마. 난 예전 사람이 아니야. 이해 못 하면 그냥 가. 제발 나 좀 내버려 둬."
Keifer blinked.
"…What?"
She kept going.
Faster.
More angry now.
"왜 이제 와서 이러는 거야? 나 힘들 때 어디 있었어? 나 혼자였어. 혼자였다고!"
He didn't understand.
Not a single word.
But he understood the tears in her eyes.
She stopped suddenly.
Realizing.
Her lips trembled slightly.
She looked away fast.
Trying to hold it.
Trying not to cry.
Not in front of him.
Not again.
He whispered,
"…Jay…"
She wiped her eye quickly.
Angry now.
Cold again.
"My name is Kang Jae Rin."
Silence.
He stared at her.
She pushed his hand away.
Hard this time.
Opened the door.
Walked out fast.
He didn't stop her.
Didn't move.
Just stood there.
Because for the first time
he saw her eyes break.
And it scared him more than her anger.
HALLWAY — JAE RIN POV
She walked fast.
Too fast.
Her vision slightly blurry.
Her chest tight.
Min Jae turned when he saw her.
"You okay?"
She grabbed his arm.
"…Let's go."
He frowned.
"What happened."
"Just go."
He saw her hands shaking.
Her eyes red.
His expression changed instantly.
"…He talked to you."
She didn't answer.
Didn't need to.
He looked behind her.
Down the hallway.
His jaw tightened.
"…Stay here."
She grabbed his sleeve.
"No fight."
"I won't."
"You promise?"
"…Yes."
She let go slowly.
He walked down the hallway.
Calm.
Controlled.
But his eyes serious.
Very serious.
EMPTY ROOM — KEIFER POV
Keifer was still standing there.
Door half open.
Mind stuck on her voice.
On the Korean words.
On the tears she tried to hide.
He ran his hand through his hair.
"…Damn it Jay…"
Door opened again.
He turned.
Min Jae.
Standing at the entrance.
Calm.
Polite.
Cold.
They stared at each other.
Few seconds.
Min Jae spoke first.
"Mr Watson."
Keifer didn't respond.
Min Jae continued,
"I think it's better if you stay away from her."
Keifer scoffed slightly.
"She's not your responsibility."
Min Jae stepped closer.
His voice still polite.
"She is when she can't breathe properly."
Silence.
Keifer's expression changed.
"…What."
Min Jae didn't explain fully.
Didn't need to.
"She's not well."
Keifer's jaw tightened.
"She looked fine on stage."
"She always looks fine."
That hit.
Hard.
Min Jae continued,
"She needs rest. Not stress."
Keifer looked past him toward hallway.
"…She won't even talk to me."
Min Jae sighed quietly.
"You remind her of the worst time of her life."
Silence.
Keifer didn't argue.
Because deep down —
he knew it was true.
Min Jae turned to leave.
Then stopped.
Without looking back, he said,
"If you care about her…"
Pause.
"…Don't corner her again."
And he walked away.
Keifer stayed there.
Alone.
His chest heavy.
His mind louder than ever.
Because now he was sure.
Something happened to her.
Something big.
Something they weren't there for.
And he was starting to realize —
finding her again
might hurt more
than losing her.