Klan lay on the studio floor, sweat-soaked and breathless, staring at the ceiling. His heart still pounded from the adrenaline of the Eclipse Stage. But it wasn't the performance that left him shaken—it was the truth in Kael's eyes when he'd said, "I meant every word."
Outside, the city buzzed with rumors. Fans were speculating, companies were whispering, and their agency was holding emergency meetings. But for once, Klan wasn't afraid. Not of the industry. Not of the chaos.
Only of how much he had come to need Kael.
The studio door creaked open.
Kael stepped in, holding two bottles of water. He tossed one to Klan without speaking and sat beside him on the floor.
They drank in silence, the only sound their breathing and the quiet hum of the air conditioning.
"You okay?" Kael asked eventually.
Klan nodded, then looked away. "No. But I will be."
Kael chuckled. "That's fair."
A pause stretched between them—uncomfortable, raw, intimate.
"I've been thinking…" Kael began slowly. "After the next comeback… I want to go public."
Klan's eyes snapped to him. "Public? About us?"
Kael nodded. "I'm tired of pretending. We're not just idols anymore, Klan. We're human. And I'm in love with you. I want people to know that."
Klan's breath caught. The words were heavy and beautiful and terrifying.
"They'll tear us apart," he whispered. "You know that."
Kael leaned closer, their foreheads nearly touching. "Then let them try."
Before Klan could respond, his phone vibrated. A message from their manager.
> CEO wants a meeting. Now. Urgent.
Klan showed it to Kael, who sighed and stood. "Let's go."
As they walked the hallway toward the top floor, the quiet between them wasn't empty—it was loaded, ready to break.
Inside the CEO's office, the atmosphere was cold. Their manager stood off to the side, face unreadable. The CEO didn't waste time.
"I assume you know why you're here," he said, folding his hands.
"No," Kael said bluntly. "But I'm guessing it's not about congratulating us."
The CEO slid a folder across the table. Photos. Blurry, but damning. Kael and Klan. Hand-holding. A hug that lingered too long. A kiss, barely visible, but unmistakable.
"I don't care what you feel," the CEO said flatly. "But if this goes public, LUMINA dies."
Kael's jaw clenched.
Klan remained still, his eyes on the folder. The past few months flashed through his mind—the lies, the pain, the quiet nights spent wishing he could be honest. And now it was all at risk.
But then he remembered the stage. The lyrics. The promise.
"I'd rather lose LUMINA than lose myself," Klan said quietly.
The room froze.
Kael looked at him, pride burning in his eyes.
"You're both on probation," the CEO snapped. "And if one more photo leaks—you're out."
They left the room without a word.
Outside, Klan finally exhaled. "We just lit the fuse, didn't we?"
Kael laced their fingers together.
"Let it burn."