The café was small, tucked away in a quiet corner of Seoul. Aurora Entertainment had rented it out for LUMINA's very first fan sign event. Kael stared at the neat row of tables set up with microphones and stacks of albums, his chest tightening with something he couldn't quite name.
Excitement? Anxiety? Both.
He turned to look at his members. Eren was sprawled lazily in his chair, scrolling through his phone like he didn't care, but Kael knew him well enough to see the tension in his shoulders. Tavi was bouncing his knee nervously, his honey-blond hair falling into his eyes. Sion leaned back with his arms crossed, pretending to be cool—but his jaw was tight.
And then there was Klan.
The omega sat quietly at the far end, his fingers fidgeting with a marker. His soft ash-brown hair framed his pale face, and his gray-blue eyes were distant, like he was lost in thought. Kael wondered if he was thinking about ASTRIX's stage yesterday—the cheers, the banners, the way fans screamed their names like they were gods.
In contrast, the little café outside these doors was nearly empty. Aurora had said around thirty fans would come. Thirty. Kael's jaw clenched.
The manager clapped his hands. "Positions, everyone. Let's make this memorable, okay?"
Kael forced a smile and nodded. As the doors opened, a small group of fans trickled in, holding handmade signs and albums. Their voices were soft, shy, but full of something Kael hadn't expected.
Warmth.
"LUMINA oppa! Fighting!" a girl called, her cheeks pink as she waved.
Kael blinked. The sound was small, but it echoed loud inside his chest.
They bowed in unison and greeted the fans with bright voices. Cameras flashed. The signing began.
Kael signed album after album, smiling, chatting, doing his job. But his eyes kept drifting to Klan. The younger boy was sitting up straighter now, his lips curved into a shy smile as he talked to a fan who handed him a small gift—a keychain shaped like a star.
"You're my bias," the girl whispered, eyes shining.
Klan froze, blinking rapidly. "R-Really?"
"Yes! You're so handsome! I love your voice."
Klan's gray-blue eyes softened, and for the first time in weeks, Kael saw it—a real smile. Bright, unguarded, the kind that made something twist deep in Kael's chest.
When the fan left, Klan stared at the keychain in his hand like it was the most precious thing in the world.
Kael had to look away before his expression gave too much away.
---
The event lasted barely an hour, but when it ended, the room was buzzing with soft laughter. Their fans—small in number but loud in heart—had left notes, gifts, and promises to support them forever.
Back in the van, Tavi was grinning for the first time in days. "Did you see that girl who cried when I signed her album? We actually made someone cry, hyung!"
Eren smirked. "Yeah, out of pity."
"Shut up," Tavi said, throwing a cushion at him.
Kael didn't join in. He was watching Klan again. The omega sat by the window, holding that star keychain tightly, his lips curved in the softest smile.
Kael didn't know why that sight made his chest ache. Or why he suddenly wanted to make Klan smile like that every day.
Maybe because, for the first time since debut, Kael saw hope in his eyes again.
And Kael wasn't about to let that light go out.