The apartment was quiet. The flickering light from the Seoul 2100 sky had not yet gone out, shining through the glass door and reflecting on the polished floor.
Layla gently stepped in.
The door locked behind her with a cold "click".
No one was awake. Jennifer, Serena, Sara, Lilia, all of them had fallen asleep after a happy chat about love.
She took off her shoes and quietly walked straight to her room.
The clock read 3:10 AM
Layla sank down on the chair.
The small wooden table in front of her still had the scrap paper of the song lyrics she hadn't finished writing the day before. The dim light covered the photos of BABYQUEEN and ASTRIX hanging on the wall.
Her eyes were sunken, her lips were dry, her hands were cold.
"Not worthy…" she whispered, her voice hoarse, "I never deserved…"
"I have to earn money. I have to try harder. I have no right to be moved. No right to be weak…"
She put her face down on the table.
And in her mind…it appeared again.
Damien.
Those eyes. That voice. The way he put his hand on her shoulder every time she trembled.
"You don't have to be strong all the time. Sometimes you're allowed to fall, Layla."
"Shut up…" she hissed, clutching her head with both hands
"Don't think about him…don't…!"
But Damien's image kept flooding back, like a flood, like light seeping into the places she wanted to hide the most.
"Why…?" she whispered, her eyes red, "Why you…?"
She stood up, rushed towards the mirror.
Pulling the hand mirror from the drawer, she threw it hard on the ground.
SCREAMING. SHATTERING.
Layla knelt down, her hands shaking as she picked up the glass. She stared at her distorted reflection.
"Every time you appear… I want to cry. I want to give up."
"I hate it. I hate myself…"
Unable to hold back any longer, Layla lightly slashed her wrist with the glass — not too deep, just enough to hurt.
Blood oozed out. Silently. Just like herself.
The main screen showed Layla's entire room. It was all streamed live.
Vex stood in front of the screen, laughing loudly.
"Look, the girl who was supposed to be the 'genius' of DYG. She was already in love, but she denied it and hurt herself, how stupid."
"What could be more interesting than an idol breaking apart on the stage she built?"
Damien had just walked in.
He stopped dead.
On the screen, Layla was lying on the ground, blood dripping onto the photo of BABYQUEEN and ASTRIX together.
Her eyes were blank.
Julian rushed to the console:
"Oh my god… Why did she hurt herself like that?"
"What's her fault…? This isn't her fault…!"
Rayden stared at the psychological data that the AI scanned from Layla's behavior:
"The expression shows… Layla is in a state of level 4 depression. Self-pressure, self-denial, resistance to emotions, and refusal to accept love.
Elio couldn't believe his eyes:
"Layla always smiles at us… is that really her?"
Lucas lowered his head:
"She lives with a mask called 'strong'. When will she take it off?"
Vex laughed out loud.
"The more pain, the more acting. Idols are like that. Just wait... 8 o'clock this morning, there will be an even better show."
Damien said nothing.
Not a word.
He just stood there.
His eyes were red, his lips were pressed together, his hands were clenched into fists.
He was helpless.
Helplessly watching the girl he cared about... slowly melting under the pressure, alone, with no one to save her.
On the screen, Layla raised her head.
Her eyes were lost.
Blood flowed, tears fell.
And no one, no one, held her in that moment.
04:02 AM in Layla's room, BABYQUEEN Dormitory
Layla sat in the middle of the room, still clutching the makeshift bandage wrapped around the bleeding wound. The weak yellow light shone down on her face, blurred by tears.
She didn't know how long she had been crying.
Her voice was choked with sobs.
Only her breaths were ragged and painful.
She looked up at the wall clock. The hands read 04:02 AM.
"Less than an hour left..." — she whispered, gently wiping her tears with her sleeve.
BABYQUEEN would wake up at 5.
No one could see her like this. No one could worry.
She clenched her fists, then winced at the sharp pain in her left palm.
Layla stood up.
Putting on cream-colored kitchen gloves to cover the wound, she tiptoed out of the room and into the kitchen.
04:15 AM in the BABYQUEEN shared kitchen
The kitchen was quiet, except for the sound of rice washing water and the sound of stir-frying.
Layla was carefully slicing pork ribs, trying to hold the knife with her right hand because her left hand was bandaged with a thin bandage. The wound was aching, but she just pursed her lips and endured it. Not a single complaint.
She had soaked the meat in fish sauce since last night. Today, she decided to make broken rice, a familiar Vietnamese dish that the group hadn't eaten for a long time.
"At least... I can do this." she said softly, trying to keep her voice from shaking.
The smell of grilled ribs began to spread throughout the kitchen.
She added fried eggs, pork skin, cucumbers, and pickles to the plate.
Even though her hand hurt, she still decorated each portion of rice like a mother caring for her child. Even though she was the fourth sister in the group
On the big screen, Layla's every move was clearly visible: flipping her ribs with trembling hands, wiping the sweat from her forehead, and her eyes filled with determination.
Vex leaned back in his chair, laughing softly.
"This little girl... is she BABYQUEEN's 'fourth sister' or their mother?"
"She barely shed a tear, and she's already quietly cooking for the whole group. So interesting."
The entire ASTRIX group fell silent.
Julian sighed, his eyes staring at the screen:
> "Is she always like this? Doing everything, and still blaming herself every night..."
Rayden spoke slowly, his eyes never leaving Layla's image:
"Enduring such pain... to cook familiar dishes for others. That's not weakness. That's... Layla's love for BABYQUEEN."
Elio muttered:
"I always thought she was just an idol who knew how to act strong. Turns out, she is... everything... all of..."
Lucas nodded slightly:
"A soft heart, suffocated by pressure. But still chooses to live for others."
Damien said nothing.
Sitting silently beside him, his eyes were cold as ice.
But in fact... his heart felt like it was being cut by a knife.
Layla was trying to turn each piece of rib with her bandaged hand. Occasionally, she had to stop for a few seconds to breathe. Every time it hurt, she bit her lip — not because she couldn't bear it, but because she was afraid of letting anyone else see her tiredness.
He knew, she didn't want anyone to worry.
And that... hurt him more than any complaint.
04:57 AM in BABYQUEEN's kitchen.
Layla finished placing the last portion of rice on the table.
She breathed a sigh of relief, sweat soaking her back.
> "Done…"
She looked at the clock: 04:57 AM.
Only 3 minutes left.
She sat down on the chair, closing her eyes slightly.
The wind outside the door blew in, so light that it was almost non-existent. But inside Layla… it was a storm.
The clock on the wall read 04:59 AM
Layla had just placed the last portion of food on the table when she immediately turned around and walked quickly into the bathroom. Her bandaged hand was still bleeding slightly, but she didn't care.
"I have to take a quick shower… before they suspect anything…" she thought to herself, quickly rinsing her sweaty hair.
The cold water flowed down her skin, soothing the dull pain in her chest. She leaned lightly against the glass wall, her eyes half-closed.
"At least today… I didn't collapse."
On the 3D screen, the image of Layla bathing flashed for a few seconds, but Vex quickly pressed the scene change button.
"Enough. No need to watch the next scene." He laughed, his eyes shining as if he was watching a dramatic play.
"Time for BABYQUEEN to 'wake up'."
He turned on the screens displaying the remaining rooms. One by one, BABYQUEEN members began to wake up, and each room door opened…
5:06AM, BABYQUEEN's dining room
Serena was the first to step out, her eyes still groggy. But as soon as she saw the dining table, she immediately sobered up:
"What is this...?" Her eyes widened "O-M-G! Layla?! She... woke up early to cook for us?"
Lilia whispered:
"Com tam... is that com tam?"
Serena laughed out loud:
"I can't believe it. Usually she wakes up at 6, then drags us to that pate sandwich shop. Today is a bit strange~"
Sara walked out behind, her hair still a bit wet. Her eyes lit up when she saw the fragrant plate of pork chop rice.
"Ugh..." she swallowed her saliva unconsciously, "Just looking at it makes me hungry... But, let's wait for Layla to finish bathing."
She suddenly looked down, her face slightly gloomy.
"I have to... apologize to him for going to bed too early, not waiting for Layla to come back."
At that moment, the bathroom door opened.
Layla walked out.
Her hair still had a few drops of water on it, her left hand had been wrapped with a new, thicker bandage.
A loose white T-shirt and simple sweatpants, but her face was a bit pale, her eyes still had tired circles.
"Everyone eat first. I cooked early because... I saw that no one was still dreaming."
She smiled lightly, but her voice was a bit hoarse.
The other four immediately ran over.
Sara was the first to grab Layla's hand:
"Layla... we're sorry. We... went to bed too early yesterday. I didn't know you'd come back so late…"
Jennifer nodded:
"We should have waited for you."
Lilia hugged Layla from behind:
"You cooked and worried about us. But who's worried about you?"
Serena crossed her arms, her face serious but her eyes red:
"If you don't tell us next time, we'll be really angry."
Layla chuckled, her voice trembling slightly:
"It's okay… I just came back late. Everyone is tired, it's right to go to bed early. Don't apologize anymore."
She waved her hand:
"You're going to have breakfast cooked by the 'national wife' and you're still making things difficult for her."
The whole group burst into laughter. The atmosphere gradually warmed up, like an early summer morning.
Vex laughed loudly, clapping his hands lightly.
"Layla… are you the 'fourth sister' or the 'nameless mother' of the kids?"
"Knowing how to hurt yourself, knowing how to hide your pain, but still worrying about every meal for others. Tsk, the more pitiful… the better."
The entire ASTRIX group fell silent.
Julian shook his head slightly, his eyes glued to the image of Layla pouring water for each person:
"She is both weak... and admirable."
Rayden spoke softly, almost in a whisper:
"She lives like a candle, shining for others, but she herself wears away little by little."
Lucas sighed:
"I don't know whether to love or hate her for living for others like that."
Elio nodded slightly:
"But... I admire her."
Damien still didn't speak.
He sat still, his eyes cold. But his heart... shattered into pieces.
"Why... do you always choose to suffer alone?"
He looked at Layla, she was smiling. But he knew, that smile could shatter at any moment if no one caught it in time.
05:28 AM, at the BABYQUEEN dining room
The whole BABYQUEEN group gathered around the dining table. The smell of grilled ribs, fried eggs, and broken rice spread throughout the room, dispelling the long tiring night.
Lilia exclaimed while eating:
"Oh my god, it's so delicious! If Layla quits being an idol, she can open a Vietnamese restaurant~"
Serena nodded:
"Little Layla's broken rice is so awesome, she'll probably cry after eating~"
A cheerful laugh rang out.
Sara was taking a bite of the fried egg when her phone vibrated slightly.
Sara suddenly picked up the phone, leaning slightly to one side:
"Hello? Elio? Why are you calling me at this hour?"
Elio's voice rang out from the other side, gentle and a bit sad:
"Sara, are you awake? Hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Yes, we are. The group is having breakfast, Layla cooked."
Elio chuckled into the phone:
"Ah... Layla. I knew it. Listen, at 6am this morning, we – ASTRIX – will come to the dorm to pick up BABYQUEEN to the set. We'll start setting up the scene and shooting the new album, then shoot the first shots."
"Really?" Sara jumped up.
"So we'll be filming together from this morning? Okay okay! I'll let everyone know~"
"Yeah, see you later. Remember to save your energy."
Sara hung up the phone with a bright smile.
"Hey everyone!! ASTRIX will come pick us up to the set at 6am! We'll start shooting the album and shoot the first shots this morning!"
Lilia exclaimed:
"Really?! Oh my gosh, I'm so excited!"
Serena rested her chin on her hand, her eyes shining:
"If we take pictures with Julian, we probably won't need filters~"
Jennifer smiled lightly, her eyes following each person.
Everyone was excited, except Layla.
She was still sitting there, picking at her rice slowly. Her eyes were a little sad, light but enough to make the atmosphere around her calm down. No one noticed… until Jennifer frowned slightly.
"Layla… what happened to your hand?"
All eyes immediately turned to her.
Sara was startled:
"That's right, when did you start wrapping your hand in a bandage?"
Layla paused for a second.
Then she smiled slightly, very lightly:
"Ah… it's nothing. While grilling the meat this morning, I… accidentally cut myself a little."
"No need to worry, really."
Serena frowned:
"You know we're not the 'don't worry' type, right?"
Lilia was silent, her eyes seemed to ask more.
But Layla just smiled, her hands clenched under the table.
She didn't want to talk about last night. Not now. Not before a meal.
Vex sat cross-legged in front of the screen, his eyes shining with delight. He laughed loudly, clapping his hands lightly:
"Ha... that's Layla. Never letting others see her weakness."
"Using a 'strong' mask as makeup every day."
Julian clenched his fists:
"She was injured but still cooked for the whole group. And smiled as if nothing had happened."
Rayden nodded slowly:
"That's the type of person... who chooses to suffer alone, to keep others at ease."
Lucas looked at the screen, mumbling softly:
"I really don't know whether to blame her... or pity her."
Elio closed his eyes, sighing:
"Layla... she's sacrificing too much."
Damien stood there. Silent.
His eyes looked at Layla who was smiling at the BABYQUEEN group, even though her hand was bandaged, even though she was clearly in pain.
His face was cold as ice.
But inside... he was in turmoil.
"You make me angry... and proud."
"If you're tired... why don't you let someone... like me, help you a little?"