Chapter 81 — Like It Was Never Meant for Him
Milan, Italy — The Day Before the Concert
The sun in Milan didn't just shine—it draped the city in gold.
AUREUS had been granted a rare day off before their first international concert. The streets beckoned with the smell of espresso, roasted chestnuts, and sun-warmed stone. Designer storefronts lined the boulevards, flanked by ivy-covered balconies and fountains that whispered of history.
It was supposed to be a breath of fresh air. A reset.
So Manager Lee gave the order:
"Enjoy your day. No tight schedule. Just be back before nightfall. Stay in pairs."
Minjae and Sungchan went off in search of the best gelato in the city, bickering over flavors before they even left the hotel.
Hyunjae and Rin disappeared with cameras, already planning cinematic shots for the upcoming vlog. Manager Lee trusted them to blend in with tourists—half because they could, and half because Rin was terrifying when annoyed.
Jaeheon, as always, didn't ask to join anyone. No one offered.
They were used to this.
He slipped out alone, disguised in black sunglasses, a high collar, and a shadow that clung to his frame like a secret.
3:14 PM — Somewhere Near the Navigli District
The narrow canals of Navigli were timeless. Water sparkled between cobblestone paths and footbridges, carrying centuries of stories beneath their surface.
Jaeheon wasn't looking for anyone.
He was just walking. Letting the city carry him. Letting the weight in his chest stay undisturbed.
Until he saw her.
Across the water, maybe fifteen meters away, on the opposite side of the canal promenade.
Anastasia.
Wearing soft white linen and a camel-toned coat, hair loose, gold catching on the strands like the sun had chosen only her.
Her posture was elegant. Effortless. She looked exactly the same.
And next to her—a man.
Tall. Sharply dressed. Foreign. He leaned close when he spoke, hand hovering near her back as if familiar with her personal space. She didn't pull away.
She said something, and the man laughed.
She smiled.
And in that moment, the world paused.
Jaeheon froze mid-step. Every sound in Milan dulled around him.
The distance across the canal was barely twenty meters—but it may as well have been a lifetime.
She didn't see him.
Of course she didn't.
Why would she?
She was glowing beneath the sun that gilded the water. Glowing like she had six months ago. Like he had memorized her. Like his heart had decided, irrevocably, that she was it.
And yet now—there was someone beside her.
Talking. Smiling. Laughing.
Jaeheon turned away.
He didn't try to follow. He didn't wait to see more.
He walked.
Fast.
Unthinking.
Like something inside him had cracked so quietly it hadn't made a sound—only a ripple. Only the weight of a decision.
Back in the Hotel Suite — 4:12 PM
When Manager Lee returned from a call, he looked around and asked, "Where's Jaeheon?"
The others glanced up.
Minjae shrugged. "Didn't he come back already?"
"Not with us," said Rin, lowering his coffee.
Hyunjae checked his phone. "He hasn't messaged the group chat."
Manager Lee's brow furrowed. "He said he'd only be out an hour."
Sungchan muttered, "Well, maybe he found a piano and got lost."
They laughed—but it didn't quite reach their eyes.
Elsewhere — Unknown Time, Unknown Street
Jaeheon's legs didn't stop until the sun had dipped just low enough to start coloring the city orange.
He hadn't noticed the time.
His phone buzzed—once, then twice. A message from Rin, and another from the group chat.
"Hyung, u okay?" "Dinner in 30 — come back before Lee-hyung kills us all."
He stared at the screen.
Then, slowly, opened a different chat.
Hers.
The message history, all one-sided, blinked back at him like an echo chamber of who he'd been for the past half-year.
He started typing.
"I saw you today. Across the water. You looked happy."
He stared at the blinking cursor.
"I didn't mean to see it. I wasn't following you. I just…"
"You looked like you belonged there. With him."
Another pause.
Then:
"Since you already have someone… I won't appear in your life again. You don't need to worry about me. I'll keep my feelings to myself."
"I promise I won't bother you. Even if it hurts. I'll just—stay where I am."
He didn't send it.
He deleted the whole thing.
Then wrote something simpler.
"I saw you today."
"You looked beautiful."
Send.
He locked his phone and closed his eyes.
But the ache didn't fade.