The knock came again. Harder this time."Monarch? Four minutes!"
Panic sliced through the room like a blade.
Kai's voice pitched high. "We are so screwed. They're gonna open that door, see this mess, and it's over."
EO was already shoving scattered lyric sheets into his bag with trembling hands. His voice cracked. "We can't—cameras—if they see any of this—"
"Shut up," Zayn snapped, though his own pulse was pounding in his throat. He scanned the wreckage: shattered mirror glass glittering across the tile, scorch marks trailing up the wall like claw marks, the faint smell of sulfur that refused to fade.
It wasn't just a mess. It was a crime scene.
Min stood frozen in the corner, his hand still shaking as he pressed it against his chest. His voice was small, almost childlike. "They'll know something's wrong. They'll… they'll see it on us."
"No," Jiwon said firmly. "They won't."
The leader's voice cut through the chaos like steel.
Zayn spun toward him, eyes narrowed. "And what, exactly, do you suggest? We can't just—"
Yul moved. Calm. Unhurried. Like the chaos bored him.He knelt by the jagged glass and ran a finger over one shard. It sizzled, and then—It melted into nothing, dissolving like sugar in flame.
The room fell silent.
Kai whispered, "Holy shit."
One by one, Yul walked the room. His golden eyes glowed faintly as his hand passed over scorch marks, broken edges, even the faint curl of black smoke clinging to the air. With each touch, the evidence erased itself. The walls smoothed. The mirrors stitched back together. The smell of sulfur was replaced with something clean, sharp—ozone and rain.
When he finished, the room looked… normal. Like nothing had ever happened.
Zayn's fists clenched at his sides. "Don't you dare act like this fixes anything."
Yul only smiled, glancing at Jiwon. "Fixed enough, wouldn't you say?"
Another knock. "Two minutes, Monarch!"
Jiwon's chest was tight. His blade was still warm in his palm, and Yul's words clung to him heavier than the smoke had. But he forced the weapon away, tucking it back into its hidden sheath.
"Everyone," Jiwon said, his voice clipped but steady. "Change. Get your game faces on. When that door opens, we smile like nothing happened."
Kai was already scrambling to swap his sweat-soaked shirt for a fresh one, muttering, "Game face, game face, game face—"
EO shoved his bag under the couch and splashed water on his face from a bottle, shaking out his curls.
Zayn gave Jiwon a long, cutting look—questions written all over his face—but said nothing.
And Min… Min looked at Yul. Really looked at him. His lips parted like he was about to speak, then he quickly dropped his gaze, pulling his jacket tighter around his shoulders.
The handle of the door jiggled."One minute, Monarch!"
Yul stepped back into the shadows, his body blurring at the edges. Within seconds, he was simply… gone.
Only Jiwon felt the heat of his presence still lingering.
The door burst open. Staff poured in with clipboards and headsets, smiles plastered on their faces."Ready? Time to shine, boys. Cameras are waiting!"
And just like that—The five of them were Monarch again.