The arena lights were muted at first, a soft hum of anticipation vibrating through the packed stadium. Thousands of fans held their phones aloft, tiny stars floating in the darkness, waiting for Monarch to appear. The energy was tangible, like a living thing, pulsing and eager.
Backstage, Monarch stretched, checked microphones, brushed through hair and jackets.
Kai leaned against the wall, grinning. "Guys, this is it. No rehearsals, no do-overs. Let's burn the sky."
Zayn adjusted his in-ear mic, his gaze flicking toward Jiwon. "You ready, leader?"
Jiwon's jaw was tight, but his eyes held that same steely calm he always carried. He nodded once, voice low: "Always."
Min closed his eyes briefly, centering himself. EO bounced lightly on the balls of his feet. The pre-show nerves were there, but it was excitement, pure and bright.
A hush fell over the stadium. The intro lights flickered, then dimmed entirely.
Then: a single spotlight.
It landed on Jiwon, center stage. The LED backdrop rippled like liquid starlight. Fans screamed, a tidal wave of sound.
The music kicked in: soft, haunting piano chords blending into a rhythmic synth, building slowly.
Kai launched the first verse, voice sharp, precise, commanding the space:
"Fell from the sky with a starlight grin,Didn't ask why, just let you in…"
EO's falsetto danced above, Min's harmony weaving like a ribbon around the melody. Each handoff, each pivot, was crisp, choreographed perfection.
The camera cut to Jiwon, stepping into the spotlight. His voice—oh, his voice—rose: deep, pure, layered with a warmth that made the crowd shiver.
"밤하늘 속에 나를 봐,숨겨진 마음 여기 있어."
Translation: "Look at me in the night sky,My hidden heart is here."
Fans gasped, whispering translations on live chat:"He's singing… about hidden hearts??""Jiwon… it's like he's speaking directly to us."
The choreography built around him. Zayn swept in, guiding spins and leaps, Kai's rap breaking through like a comet:
"Crash through the shadows, break the chains,No more whispers, only flames…"
Mid-performance, Jiwon's secret solo emerged—a line meant only for Yul, layered into the song's bridge, English and Korean fused:
"I keep this flame in my chest,너만을 위해, 숨겨둔 love."
Translation: "I keep this flame in my chest,Hidden love, for you alone."
The arena went silent for a heartbeat. The energy was electric. Fans caught every note, every flicker of emotion in his eyes. Even EO, Kai, Min, and Zayn felt it—the intensity of what Jiwon carried silently.
The chorus hit, all five moving in perfect orbit around each other, every gesture sharp yet flowing, forming constellations with their bodies. Jiwon's voice soared, carrying both the power of the song and the weight of his secret:
"Dive with me, no goodbyes—just stardust, just starlives."
The LED backdrop exploded into supernova golds and purples. Jiwon's final note lingered, trembling in the air like fire suspended. Fans erupted, screams and cheers deafening, replay buttons already being hit on streaming apps.
Backstage, Min clutched his hands to his chest. "He… he poured everything into that. Every secret, every feeling…"
Zayn's jaw was tight. "We all saw it. He's… unstoppable."
Kai's grin was uncontainable. "We're next. Let's make them feel everything too."
Jiwon stepped off stage for a breath, letting the applause wash over him. His chest was pounding, but his eyes—still scanning the crowd—had caught a familiar golden glint in the VIP seats. A promise, a memory, a secret known to only one other person.
Tomorrow, the world would talk about the song. But tonight, in the arena, Monarch owned the sky. And Jiwon's secret love, hidden in lyrics and gestures, had finally spoken aloud.
Backstage, Monarch was buzzing. Sweat and laughter mingled with the sharp scent of stage makeup and cologne. EO was bouncing on his toes, replaying clips on his phone. Min leaned against the wall, still trembling from the intensity of the performance. Kai was filming chaotic victory selfies, and Zayn clapped Jiwon on the shoulder.
"You killed it out there," Zayn said, low and steady, eyes scanning Jiwon's face for cracks. "But… something's off. You're quiet."
Jiwon smiled faintly, brushing it off. "Just… soaking it in. The crowd, the song… everything."
But behind that calm exterior, a chill slid down his spine. The air backstage seemed to warp, heavy and cold. The laughter and chatter around him dulled into white noise.
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward. Tall, lean, with eyes like blackened steel, and a grin that made Jiwon's gut twist.
"I wondered when I'd catch up to you," the man said. His voice was velvet, honeyed but venomous.
Jiwon's hand twitched near his belt, near the edge of his hidden blade, instinctively poised. "Who are you?"
The man stepped closer, and the crowd noise backstage seemed to fade entirely. "Call me… the one Yul fears. You know me, Rex. Or do you?"
Jiwon's jaw tightened. The memories Yul had whispered to him—the fear, the terror, the past that Yul had fought to escape—flared in his mind.
"You should listen carefully," the man continued, circling Jiwon like a predator. "Yul… he's not who he says he is. He's hiding things. Betrayals. Secrets you'll never understand unless you're ready to lose everything."
Jiwon's pulse spiked. "You're lying," he said, low, venom in his tone. "Yul… he wouldn't—"
"Wouldn't?" the man interrupted, stepping closer, face just inches from Jiwon's. "You saw him tonight. Singing to a crowd, smiling, radiant. But that's the mask, isn't it? He laughs, he charms, he glows… and you fall for it. But behind it? He's golden-blooded, dangerous. Even to you."
Jiwon's chest tightened. Part of him wanted to slash, to silence the shadow of fear creeping into his mind. Another part—darker, quieter—wanted to listen, to know the full truth about Yul.
"Don't listen to me," the man whispered, leaning so close Jiwon could feel the cold of his breath. "Listen to your heart. Or your betrayal will be the death of you."
And just like that, he stepped back, blending into the darkness as if he had never been there.
Jiwon exhaled, hand dropping from his belt, knuckles white. He pressed a palm to his chest, steadying the storm inside.
The rest of Monarch noticed his sudden stillness. Zayn stepped closer. "Rex? You okay?"
Jiwon forced a small, tight smile. "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine. Just… a lot tonight."
But deep down, the seed of doubt had been planted.
And as the crowd's cheers from the arena below still hummed in his ears, Jiwon knew one thing: the past Yul had fled from wasn't done with him. And now, it had found a way to touch Jiwon directly.