At BABYQUEEN's shared house, late afternoon after the press conference.
Sofia entered with her suitcase, her expression slightly uneasy.
Sofia (gently, a little shy):
"I'm really grateful for everyone's welcome. But since the shared house is a bit cramped, and I don't have my own room yet, I'll… temporarily stay at a nearby hotel for a while, okay?"
The BABYQUEEN members looked at each other, then all smiled, and the atmosphere turned warm.
Jennifer (cheerful):
"Sofia, don't be so polite! We can arrange for you to share a room with me or one of the other girls!"
Lilia (holding Sofia's hand comfortingly):
"That's right, the shared house is our home! Don't be shy!"
Sara (smiling softly):
"Living together means being close, not staying apart!"
But Layla stood quietly to the side, her eyes only looking at the floor, saying nothing.
Sofia stopped, looked directly at Layla, her tone lower:
"If you don't like me, just say so. I'll ask President Lee for permission to leave the group immediately."
The room suddenly went silent, everyone looking at Layla.
Layla finally raised her head, her eyes gentle but firm:
"I have no reason not to welcome Sofia. I know I'm quiet and not very talkative, but that doesn't mean I don't care for everyone."
Serena (nodding):
"Layla's right. Everyone has their own personality, what matters is that we respect and understand each other."
Jennifer (smiling):
"Exactly, you don't have to always be close to be friends."
Sofia looked at everyone, her eyes lighting up:
"Then I'll temporarily stay at the hotel as I said."
Lilia stepped forward, pulling Sofia's hand:
"No! Our house must always be happy and united!"
The whole BABYQUEEN group nodded in agreement.
Layla also smiled faintly:
"That's right, the shared house is not just a place to sleep, but a place to share."
Sofia looked at Lilia and asked softly:
"Then who will I share a room with?"
Lilia innocently replied, surprising everyone:
"You can sleep with me!"
Everyone burst out laughing, the atmosphere becoming lighter and more cheerful.
Layla stood in a corner, still with a thoughtful look, but a spark of hope glimmered in her eyes…
---
At Vex's underground base.
The green glow of dozens of scanning screens stretched across the room, reflecting on Dr. Vex's cold face. Behind him, the members of ASTRIX stood in a line, eyes fixed on the live feed from a hidden camera inside BABYQUEEN's dorm.
AI Assistant (voice soft as a whisper, yet clear):
"Lilia has invited Sofia to share a room… An unexpected move, but… interesting."
Julian frowned, tilting his head toward Vex:
"Sir… was this part of your plan?"
Vex turned his chair around, his sharp eyes sweeping over each ASTRIX member.
"Plan?" he chuckled lightly, the smile lingering like he was savoring a fine play. "Do you think I need to interfere with every little detail?"
Damien stepped forward, his voice low and suspicious:
"Wasn't Sofia the piece you planted to divide BABYQUEEN?"
Vex didn't answer immediately. He gestured to the AI assistant, and instantly, the screen showed Layla standing still, watching the group welcome Sofia without saying a word.
AI Assistant (smiling):
"Look… her emotions are starting to waver."
Vex rested his hand on the chair arm, his eyes gleaming in the green light:
"I neither confirm… nor deny. But Sofia's arrival…"
He paused, his lips curling into a dangerous arc:
"…will make this play infinitely more interesting."
The room sank into silence. The steady hum of cooling fans filled the air, but within each ASTRIX member, an indescribable unease was growing.
---
Seoul night, year 2100.
The city still glowed like daylight, but Layla's room was lit only by the warm yellow of a desk lamp over her small workspace. From the window, the autumn breeze slipped through the curtain gap, carrying a slight chill, making her pull her cardigan tighter over her shoulders.
In front of her, a hologram screen displayed the beat mix for BABYQUEEN's first comeback song… with six members. Layla placed her fingers on the touch keyboard, tapping a few beats, softening the drop to be less harsh, and adding a vague synth for a dreamy feel. But no matter how much she adjusted the melody, her heart still felt restless.
"Why… do I feel so uneasy?"
She stopped, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes unconsciously gazing out the window. Outside, giant billboards kept flashing Sofia's smiling face, standing confidently , exactly the image of a "Center" the media was praising.
Layla exhaled slowly, tapping the desk to bring up the news feed. The headline read:
"BABYQUEEN officially debuts as a six-member group, Sofia goes viral on social media."
She knew she shouldn't read the comments. But sometimes, curiosity outweighed reason.
Her finger scrolled down the lines:
"Sofia really is the fresh breeze BABYQUEEN needs."
"Layla's fine, but Sofia feels more like a 'goddess.'"
"Looking at the new lineup… BABYQUEEN seems much stronger."
"Not an anti, but I think Sofia deserves center."
She blinked several times. No malicious words, none of the familiar insults from anti-fans. Instead, gentle comparisons… yet still heavy enough to weigh down her heart.
"And yet… why does it hurt this much?"
Layla opened the fanbase statistics app in DYG's internal system. A rotating 3D chart appeared before her. Global fans had surpassed 25 million. She should be happy, but in the corner, the number of anti-fans was also clearly displayed: 7.8 million.
She smiled faintly, but it wasn't a happy smile.
"Nearly eight million people… ready to hate me, or anything I do. And those who love me… do they really love Layla, or just the 'image' I present?"
The demo track still played from the speakers, but she barely heard it anymore. Leaning back in her chair, Layla's fingers gently grasped the thin silver necklace , the debut gift the BABYQUEEN members had bought together. The cool metal seeped into her skin, reminding her of the time when the group had only five members… when everything was harder, but so much simpler.
"Six people… means a new balance. But it also means someone will be pushed out of the spotlight…"
Layla closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
She didn't hate Sofia. Truly. But a small corner of her heart feared… feared that one day, the stage lights would no longer seek her out.
---
Lilia's room, 11:45 PM.
The warm glow of the night lamp spilled onto the cozy tiled floor. Lilia sat cross legged on the bed, holding a cup of warm milk, while Sofia giggled, telling behind the scenes stories from that morning's press conference.
Sofia:
"You know, when I was standing next to Layla, there was this male fan waving a 'Ship Sofia and Layla' sign non stop, and I almost burst out laughing right there on stage."
Lilia (laughing along):
"Yeah, but you know, if Layla heard that, she'd be so embarrassed. She's not good at reacting to teasing like that."
Sofia:
"Really? I find her kind of… mysterious. Feels like she always keeps some distance from everyone."
Lilia (smiling softly):
"Not exactly. Layla just… takes time to open up. But once she does, she'll protect you no matter what."
The two kept chatting , from training, to food preferences, to funny online rumors. Laughter filled the room, easing the day's fatigue.
Finally, Lilia yawned, stretched, and lay down:
"Alright, it's late. Let's sleep, tomorrow's schedule is packed."
Sofia turned off the light and got into bed. The room sank into silence.
…
Some time later.
The ticking of the wall clock. Lilia had fallen asleep, her breathing steady.
Sofia's eyes slowly opened, her gaze icy , completely different from the gentle smile earlier.
She turned to look at Lilia… her lips curling into a smirk, her eyes glinting coldly, as if assessing prey.
---
Vex's underground base.
The cold, dark space. A large hologram screen showed Sofia lying next to Lilia. Astrix stood still, brows furrowed.
Lucas (doubtful):
"Vex… is this your plan?"
Rayden (clenching his fist):
"Based on Sofia's activities and behavior… I'm certain she's not the human DYG claims. She's a robot disguised as a human."
Julian (stepping forward):
"Is it… to destroy BABYQUEEN? Is this part of your plan?"
Vex leaned his head back and laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the steel room. The AI assistant stood beside him, wearing an emotionless smile.
Vex:
"That's right. Sofia… is my secret creation. A sharp blade hidden in a perfect sheath. Her sole mission… is to destroy BABYQUEEN."
Astrix froze. No one spoke, but their eyes were filled with worry.
Vex stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with malice:
"But not yet. Damien… Layla… might get a play written just for them. A performance for two."
Damien (frowning):
"A play…? What do you mean?"
Vex didn't answer , only smiled with deep implication.
The scene closed on the image of Sofia on the screen, still smirking in the dark, next to the sleeping Lilia…