**Sunshine's POV - 5:55 AM**
I walked into KDX Entertainment's lobby and felt it immediately.
The energy was different. Wrong.
Security guards clustered near the front desk, whispering. Executive assistants hurried past with tight expressions. Someone's phone kept buzzing—urgent, insistent.
The building knew something was coming.
I took the elevator to the executive floor.
The doors opened to chaos.
Director Han was on three phones at once, barking orders. Attorney Kim had taken over the small conference room, files spread across every surface. Crisis Manager Park had commandeered two assistants and was pulling up media analytics on four different screens.
"Sunshine." Director Han spotted me. Waved me over without lowering her phone. "Conference room. Now. Bring your tablet—we need live notes."
No "good morning." No "are you okay after last night."
Just work.
I walked into the main conference room.
Hana was already there.
Of course she was.
She sat in the chair next to where Kael always sat—his chair was still empty—perfectly composed in a navy suit that probably cost more than my monthly rent. Two coffees on the table. Her phone positioned just so. Bag placed deliberately on the seat to her other side.
The seat where I usually sat.
Our eyes met.
She smiled. Small. Polite. Victorious.
"Good morning, Sunshine. You look tired. Rough night?"
I didn't answer.
Just walked to the opposite end of the table and sat down.
Opened my tablet.
Waited.
---
**Kael's POV - 6:00 AM**
I walked into the conference room and the temperature dropped ten degrees.
Hana. One end of the table.
Sunshine. The other end.
Both looking at me like I was supposed to choose a side.
"Good morning," I said.
"Morning," Sunshine said. Professional. Distant.
Nothing like four hours ago when she'd told me *don't forget what you think is right* and looked at me like I was someone worth saving.
"Kael." Hana stood. Touched my arm. "I got you coffee. From that place you like."
"Thanks."
She guided me to the seat beside her. Natural. Easy. Like we'd done this a thousand times before.
Which we had.
Two years ago.
I sat down.
Saw Sunshine's jaw tighten.
Saw her look away.
Before I could say anything, my father walked in.
---
**Kael's POV - 6:15 AM**
The meeting started and I felt myself splitting in half.
One version of me listened to Attorney Kim outline legal strategies. Watched Crisis Manager Park pull up media monitoring dashboards. Heard Director Han explain the 48-hour window Deputy Director Seo had bought us.
The other version of me watched Sunshine.
The way she took notes without looking up.
The way her shoulders had gone rigid.
The way she'd positioned herself as far from me as physically possible.
"—which is why we're recommending the tour be postponed," Director Han was saying.
I snapped back to attention. "What?"
"The world tour. It's scheduled to start in six days. We need to postpone it. Indefinitely."
"That's—" I stopped. Tried to process. "That's twenty-three cities. Eighteen months of planning. Hundreds of millions of won invested."
"Which is exactly why we can't have you traveling when this explodes," my father said. His voice was tired but firm. "If you're in Tokyo or Singapore when the next wave hits, you can't respond. Can't hold press conferences. Can't manage the narrative. You'll be trapped."
"The tour contracts have force majeure clauses," Attorney Kim added. "Personal emergency. Family crisis. We can invoke them."
I looked at Director Han. "When would we reschedule?"
"When this is over. When Zenith is neutralized. When the media cycle has moved on." She paused. "Could be three months. Could be six. Could be never."
Never.
My entire career?
"We'll issue a statement this afternoon," Director Han said. "Personal health matter. Need time to address family issues. Fans will understand."
"Will they?" I asked.
Nobody answered.
My phone buzzed.
**Unknown: Article delayed per ethics board request. 48 hours minimum. Use the time wisely. - Deputy Director Seo**
I showed the message
"He already did it," I said. "The article's delayed."
Director Han looked at Hana with genuine respect. "Your uncle works fast."
"When he commits to helping someone, he delivers," Hana said. She touched my shoulder. "See? We have time now. Time to build a real defense. We have time to build our case."
"Forty-eight hours isn't time," Sunshine said from the end of the table. "It's a countdown."
Everyone looked at her.
"What do you mean?" Attorney Kim asked.
"Zenith isn't going to wait for us to build a defense. They're going to use these forty-eight hours to make their case stronger. Find more evidence. Line up more sources. When that article finally publishes, it'll be worse than what they have now."
"That's why we strike first," Hana said. "Sue them before they can publish. Tie them up in legal proceedings. Make them defend themselves instead of attacking."
"That only works if we can prove corporate espionage," Attorney Kim countered.
"We have the recording—"
"Which was obtained through questionable means," he said. "A defense attorney would tear that apart in thirty seconds."
Silence.
Director Han stood up. "We're going in circles. Let's break for two hours. Reconvene at noon with concrete proposals. Kael, try to get some rest. You look like hell."
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine," my father said. "But you need to look fine. The media is watching. The fans are watching. You can't afford to appear weak right now."
Everyone started packing up.
Hana leaned close. "I meant what I said earlier. Lunch? We need to talk strategy away from all this."
I glanced at Sunshine.
She was staring at her tablet. Face blank.
"Okay," I heard myself say.
---
Sunshine's POV
I stood in the hallway outside the
conference room.
Pretending to check my phone.
Really just trying to breathe.
Two staffs walked past. They didn't notice me tucked into the alcove.
"Did you see her?" one of them whispered.
"The woman with CEO kim's son? How could I miss her? That suit probably costs more than my yearly salary."
"She's gorgeous. Who is she?"
A small pause.
"You don't remember? That's Hana Song. She used to come here all the time… two years ago. Maybe a little more."
"Wait—the Hana? His ex-girlfriend?"
"The one and only. I heard they dated for like six months."
Another pause.
"Back then, she came here a few times. Five, maybe six. Always perfect. Always…" she hesitated, like she was choosing the right word. "…like she already belonged here."
My fingers tightened slightly around my phone.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. And did you notice today?" the other one continued, lowering her voice even more. "She sat in the exact same spot. Right next to him."
Silence.
Then—
"So… are they back together?"
"I don't know," she said. "But the way he looked at her? And the way she touched his arm…" A soft scoff. "That's not 'just friends.'"
My chest tightened.
The air suddenly felt… thinner.
"What about Sunshine?" the first one asked quietly.
A pause.
A longer one this time.
"I don't know," the second replied.
"But girls like her don't usually win against girls like Hana."
Their footsteps faded down the hallway.
And just like that—
It was quiet again.
But the words stayed.
Loud.
Heavy.
Sitting right in my chest.
I waited until they walked away.
Then I went to the bathroom and locked myself in a stall.
Put my head in my hands.
Tried very hard not to scream.
---
**Kael's POV - 12:30 PM**
The restaurant Hana chose was quiet. Private. Expensive.
We sat across from each other and for a moment it felt like traveling back in time.
How many lunches had we had like this? How many dinners? How many late nights in restaurants just like this one, talking about everything and nothing?
"You're thinking about before," Hana said softly.
"Yeah."
"Me too." She reached across the table. Didn't quite touch my hand but close. "I missed this. I missed you."
"Hana—"
"I know. I know you're with someone now. Your assistant. Sunshine." She said the name carefully. Like it was fragile. "But Kael, can I be honest with you?"
"Always."
"She can't help you through this. Not really." Hana's voice was gentle. Kind, even. "She's sweet. I'm sure she cares about you. But she doesn't understand this world. The politics. The strategy. The stakes. She can't give you what you need right now."
"And you can?"
"Yes." She squeezed my hand this time. Actually touched it. "My uncle is already working on your behalf. I know how to navigate corporate warfare. I've spent the last year in Paris working crisis management for luxury brands. I know how to control narratives. Manage scandals. Protect reputations."
"This isn't a luxury brand crisis."
"It's the same principles. Power. Money. Public perception." She leaned forward. "Let me help you, Kael. Really help you. Not just as your ex. As someone who knows what she's doing."
My phone buzzed.
**Dr. Yoon: Heard about the article. And the tour postponement. How are you holding up? Do you need an emergency session?**
I stared at the message.
**Me: I don't know. Maybe. Everything is falling apart.**
**Dr. Yoon: That's the BPD talking. Not reality. Come see me today. 4 PM. We'll sort through it.**
I put my phone down.
Hana was watching me. "Everything okay?"
"Just my therapist."
"Dr. Yoon? She's still caring for you?
"Yeah."
"That's good. You need stability right now.
---
**Kael's POV - 3:45 PM**
I walked back into KDX Entertainment and felt it immediately.
The stares. The whispers. The sudden silence when I passed.
Director Han grabbed me the moment I stepped off the elevator.
"We have a problem."
"What now?"
"Photos. You and Hana at La Maison. Someone sold them to Dispatch. They're everywhere. Twitter. Instagram. Naver. Every entertainment site in Korea."
My stomach dropped. "What do the photos show?"
"You. Her. Looking very much like a couple." She pulled out her phone. Showed me.
I stared at the image.
It looked... damning.
"That's not—we were just talking—"
"I know what you were doing. But the optics are terrible. Your fans are melting down. Some are angry you're 'cheating' on your 'girlfriend'—apparently there are photos of you and Sunshine floating around too. Others are thrilled you're back with Hana. It's a mess."
"Where's Sunshine?"
"I don't know. She left her desk an hour ago."
I pulled out my phone.
Called her.
Straight to voicemail.
Director Han touched my arm. "Kael. We have bigger problems than your love life. The afternoon meeting starts in fifteen minutes. We need you focused."
"I am focused."
"You're not. You're thinking about her. About Sunshine. About Hana. About—" She stopped. Softened. "I get it. But right now, we need to deal with Zenith. With the article. With the tour postponement announcement. Personal matters come second."
She was right.
I knew she was right.
But knowing didn't make it hurt less.
---
I stepped into the conference room. The usual hum of activity—Director Han on her tablet, Attorney Kim flipping through papers, Crisis Manager Park whispering to assistant.
Sunshine was there, sitting at her usual spot. Relief hit me like a small wave. For a moment, maybe not everything was falling apart.
Then my phone buzzed.
I held it up.
"Seoul Police Department — Case #45218. Kael Kim. Immediate response required."
Time froze.
Phone in my shaking hand.
Forty-eight hours.
That's what we'd thought we had.
But Zenith had just taken a sledgehammer to the clock.
And now… everything was on fire.
**END OF CHAPTER 20**