The first class of the day was dance, and she had overslept. When she woke up, Jackie was nowhere to be found. She made a mental note to yell at him later. In a panic, she grabbed her things and rushed to the dance studio.
Inside, the other girls were already doing warm-up stretches and chatting with one another. They acted as if she didn't exist—speaking just loud enough for her to hear everything while pretending she wasn't there.
"The new girl's here."
"How are we in the same class as someone with zero training?"
"I heard she got in through connections."
"Isn't it obvious? Chuwon sunbaenim pulled some strings for her."
"Wow. So that's how things work now, huh?"
"Well, at least the online votes are fair. There's no way she's making it to the final group."
"What do you think, Jess?"
"She has zero chance of winning a competition I'm in."
"If you're not threatened, why do you look so annoyed?"
"She used to be the company's favorite. But ever since Ms. Park showed up, she's been all about Aera. I guess Jess is jealous."
Jess's tone grew sharper. "I'm still the company's star. No one can replace me. But if I were you, I'd be worried. You've all still got a lot to improve."
While all this was being said, Aera was obviously not there. And she definitely didn't hear any of it.
With a deliberately loud noise, she stepped forward and called out, "Good morning, everyone!" She walked straight to the furthest corner of the room. The more distance between her and those weirdos, the better.
But the interns who had been gossiping came strutting over.
"Hey, newbie. What kind of relationship do you have with Chuwon?"
Who do they think they are, the mafia? She wasn't going to answer such a dumb question.
"We're your seniors. You can't be disrespectful. If we ask something, you answer."
"I don't care if you're my 'seniors.' I only respect people who deserve it. And from what I see… you definitely don't."
That seemed to rattle the short girl with black hair—self-declared spokesperson of this little gang.
"You think Chuwon sunbaenim can protect you? Just wait. You'll be leaving this place in tears."
Maybe the old Aera would've run to the corner crying. But not anymore. Not this version of her. They were a bit pathetic, honestly—and she couldn't help but laugh. That just pissed them off more.
"Are you laughing at us? What's so funny?"
"You. You're hilarious. You do realize all our training sessions are livestreamed, right? Say hi to the camera."
A camera was mounted high up in the room, and the green light had been on the entire time they'd been standing near her. As soon as they noticed it, all three of them went pale and scattered like cockroaches.
Moments later, the dance instructor walked in.
"Good morning, everyone. We'll start with some stretching exercises."
After warm-ups, the instructor began demonstrating the choreography, step by step.
"When I count down from three, you'll perform the movements I just showed you."
Everyone began moving in sync—except Aera. She felt like she was wrestling with empty air. How were they memorizing these steps after seeing them only once? For a whole hour, the lesson continued like this, and she kept messing up again and again.
When class ended, everyone left the room—except her. The instructor called her name.
"Aera, stay behind for a moment."
She waited for the others to leave before speaking again.
"I'm sure you noticed the difference between you and the others. They've been training for a long time, and I'm guessing you haven't had formal dance training before?"
"No, I haven't."
"Don't be discouraged. It just means you need to work harder to catch up. Make sure you practice during your free time. Also, your body needs more flexibility—we should pick a day and time to work on stretching together. How does that sound?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'll take your advice seriously."
She felt disheartened, though the instructor had been right. While everyone else seemed flawless, she was struggling to keep up—and she had a long way to go.
After a quick goodbye, she left the classroom. Her body ached. Coming from a sedentary lifestyle, the current training felt overwhelmingly exhausting. She had a vocal lesson later that afternoon, but until then, she wanted to squeeze in more dance practice. She found an empty studio and got to work. Time passed without her even realizing it.
"You've been dancing this whole time?"
Jackie's voice made her jump.
"Where were you? Why did you disappear without telling me anything?"
"Calm down. I went home—to see if I was still sick or not. I didn't want to wake you up. Also, don't you have a class?"
She checked the time on her phone. Only fifteen minutes left. She grabbed her things and headed to the vocal room.
Once again, she sat as far from the others as possible. This time, the girls were keeping to themselves. Probably because of the live cameras—they were quieter now.
Compared to dance, the vocal lesson was much more satisfying. Her memory wasn't the best, but thankfully, they had printed copies of the sheet music and lyrics, so she could follow along. After the class ended, she finally let out a long, relieved breath.
After graduating high school, she had gotten used to the comfort of her home. Being here now—constantly attending classes and pushing herself—was utterly draining. But what was harder than the physical strain was being surrounded by the same kind of bullying she had endured for years. It was happening again.
At dinner, the girls all sat in their little friend groups, eating and chatting. Predictably, she sat alone—watching a dance video on her phone. She couldn't afford to let these creatures—who never missed a chance to point out how inadequate she was—be proven right.
Jackie sat beside her. So technically, she wasn't alone. But they didn't speak. They couldn't speak—at least not while people were watching. It felt like all eyes were constantly on her. Because of that, she forced herself to act more cautiously than usual.
She had considered pretending to talk on the phone with her earbuds in—just to speak to Jackie privately—but even that might draw unwanted attention after a while.
After finishing her dinner, she returned to her room. She was completely exhausted. All she wanted now was sleep.
...
Aera, wake up. You're going to be late again."
Her entire body ached from exhaustion. Her eyelids stung as she tried to open them—she still felt overwhelmingly sleepy.
"Five more minutes…"
"You don't have five more minutes. Come on, wake up."
With a groan, she finally forced her eyes open. She had only one class today—vocal training. After that, she could come back and sleep.
On days when she didn't get enough rest, she always felt sick—and right now, that exact heaviness spread through her whole body.
After splashing her face with cold water and brushing her teeth, she felt a little more alive.
During vocal class, she wondered what song they'd be working on today, but the instructor had different plans.
"Alright, everyone. Next week is Jury Night. Each of you will need to prepare a solo performance. Let me know what song you'd like to work on by the end of the day. Now, let's continue."
So soon? Excitement and panic clashed in her chest. What would she sing?
All throughout the class, songs swirled through her mind—none of them sticking. Until one hit her like lightning: a song that meant everything to her.
After class, she ran up to the instructor and shared her choice. The woman looked genuinely surprised.
"That's a very difficult and risky song. Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Alright then. Best of luck with your rehearsals."
"Thank you."
She wanted to give it her all. "Torpil," huh? She would show them the real Aera. She was excited—and determined. But she'd need to create original choreography for the performance. That part… she wasn't so confident about.
She began watching countless dance videos online, saving the parts she liked the most. But when it came to stitching those parts together into something cohesive, she felt stuck.
"I see you're still working on choreography. If you tell me what song you chose, I can help."
"I know you can help. But then it would feel like your work, not mine. I want this to be mine."
She had only one week. That meant two days to finish the choreography, and five to rehearse. And still… her mind was blank.
She put on her headphones and played the song again. Closing her eyes, she let the emotions flood her.
She saw Jackie—but not as he was now. This time it was different. They were sitting together under a tree…
She wasn't just imagining. She was feeling what Arin had felt. Hearing her thoughts. They were the same person… but also not.
She was filled with sorrow. She knew she was going to die. And as she looked at Jackie, only one thought echoed in her mind:
"Will we ever get to share a day like this again?"
She jolted awake, panicked. Her hand went to her eyes.
Why was she crying?
This… this was a memory. And it hurt.
She remembered everything.
Why now? She tried to focus again. They were sitting under a tree, and in the distance, she could hear street musicians.
"I wish I could hear them up close…"
"I can take you there. No one will notice if we sneak back."
"Can we really do that?"
He took her hand, and in the blink of an eye, they were somewhere else. Among the street musicians. She was mesmerized. The dancers and musicians moved together so seamlessly…
Memories flashed through her like a reel of film—almost all of them filled with grief and isolation. Tears streamed down her face, completely uncontrollable. Not wanting Jackie to see her like this, she ran to the bathroom and turned on the faucet.
She cried until someone knocked on the door.
"Aera, are you okay?"
"I—I'm fine. I'll be out soon."
Jackie couldn't know. There were things he couldn't find out—things he couldn't carry.
"You've been crying."
"No, I haven't."
"Aera… You clearly have. Why are you hiding it? Did someone say something again?"
"No. No one said anything. I just… I'm feeling a lot of pressure lately."
"Please don't push yourself too hard. And don't hesitate to ask me for help."
"If I ask you for help, then those girls will be right about me. I want everything I do to be mine. I'm really tired, Jackie. I just want to sleep early tonight… Can I fall asleep in your arms?"
Smiling, he laid down next to her.
"My big baby… These arms are all yours. You don't even need to ask."
She curled up into him.
How was she ever going to tell him she remembered?
She couldn't say that the dagger that killed her was given by his brother. She had always known what her fate would be.
Before the Emperor took her to the palace, she lived with her mother. She had been nine, and every day her mother would whisper the same words:
"Arin, you're special. The strongest in our bloodline. That power puts you in danger. Never use it—if you do, they'll find you. If the leader of the dark spirits learns you exist, it could bring an end to all worlds. Dark spirits cannot possess a body without human help. But humans are greedy. If the worst should happen… you must end your own life."
And then, the worst did happen. The Emperor had her mother killed and took Arin hostage. Her soul was stronger than her mother had feared—so strong that spirits couldn't stay inside her. The Emperor, driven by greed, finally found a way to reach the leader of the dark spirits.
But this spirit… was clever. It tricked the Emperor—promised him divine power if he married her and offered her as a sacrifice that night. But the spirit's true plan was to possess Arin, kill the Emperor, and become Empress.
Arin had to stop it. That's when she knew—her time was up. She had to say goodbye to Jackie—Sang Hoon.
She thought if she told him she was marrying the Emperor, he'd walk away.
He didn't.
He disappeared for a while… but he came back.
Then, Jackie's brother JiHoo came to her in secret.
"My brother's hurting, but he'll learn to live with it. I know what you're planning."
"How could you know?"
"I'm the one who helped your mother escape. I know who you are. This dagger was crafted with a rare stone. If it comes into contact with your blood… it can destroy dark spirits. This is all I can offer. I'm sorry."
And she had been sorry too. Because more than anything, she had wanted a peaceful life with the man she loved. But life… had never been kind to her.
These memories were suffocating. And she wasn't even strong enough to handle her current life—now she carried the grief of two.
She held Jackie tighter.
At least he was here.
And this time—no matter what—she would protect him.