The glass walls of Monarch's penthouse stretched high above the sleeping city. Seoul glittered far below, neon pulsing like veins of light. But inside the suite, the atmosphere was still, heavy, suffocating.
Yul sat on the low leather sofa in the center of the room, head bowed slightly, strands of black hair falling into his eyes. The others spread out in a loose circle around him — Monarch and Equinox, two groups who should've been rivals, now bound by something stranger than fame.
No one wanted to speak first.
The silence wasn't peaceful. It pressed in like the echo after a scream, stretching until every breath, every shuffle of clothing, every crack of the ice melting in someone's glass sounded deafening.
Kai was the first to fidget. He leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, arms folded, trying to keep his expression casual. But his knee bounced. His eyes kept flicking back to Yul.
EO curled on the arm of another couch, chewing at his thumbnail. Min stood, restless, pacing a few slow steps before stopping again. Zayn leaned against the kitchen counter, jaw tight.
Only Jiwon stayed steady, planted near Yul with his arms crossed. His expression was unreadable, but his gaze never left the man on the couch.
Finally, Rien broke the silence. His voice was low, even, but there was a weight in it."Tell us what happened, Yul."
Yul lifted his head slowly. His eyes caught the light — gold, fractured, as though a flame burned behind them. He smiled faintly, too faintly."I told you already," he said. His voice was smooth, careful. "I suppressed him. Vatu's gone quiet."
"You're lying," Min said, sharper than he intended. His voice cracked, but he didn't back down. "I saw him. I… I felt him."
Yul's gaze slid toward Min. For a second, something else looked out through his eyes — something ancient, hungry. Then it was gone, and the faint smile returned."Visions can be deceptive."
EO shook his head quickly. "No. No, Min doesn't just… imagine things. Not anymore." His voice trembled, but he forced himself to meet Yul's stare. "You're different. Right now. I can hear it."
"Enough." Rien's tone sharpened. He moved closer to Yul, crouching so their eyes met at the same level. His hand rested on the arm of the sofa, steady but firm."Yul. Stop trying to shield us. You don't have to."
Yul's jaw tightened. A ripple moved through his shoulders, a twitch, like he was restraining something just under his skin. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, rougher, like two voices tangled."You don't understand. If I give him space—he grows stronger. If I resist—he digs deeper. There's no winning."
Jiwon finally stepped forward, his shadow cutting across the coffee table. His voice was calm, but every word carried the edge of command."Then we adapt. That's what hunters do."
The room shifted, everyone turning their attention toward him. For a second, the old Jiwon—the hunter trained from childhood, the boy turned into a weapon—flashed through his stance. Not just an idol, not just a leader, but something older.
"Tell me," Jiwon said, fixing his eyes on Yul. "What does he want?"
Silence. Yul's lips parted, but no words came. His breath caught on something invisible. And then—
The air thickened.
It wasn't imagination. The temperature dropped. The lights overhead flickered, shadows deepening in the corners of the room.
A laugh slipped through Yul's mouth. But it wasn't his laugh.
Low. Cruel. Familiar.
"Finally," the voice rasped, layered over Yul's. "You ask the right question."
EO flinched. Kai swore under his breath. Rien's hand curled into a fist against the sofa.
"Vatu," Jiwon said flatly.
Yul's body shifted, stiff and unnatural, like a puppet moved by unseen strings. His head tilted back, his golden eyes burning too bright. The smile that stretched across his face was too wide, too sharp.
"You think this body is yours," the voice said, dripping with amusement. "But it was always mine. He's just a vessel. A memory that refuses to die."
"Bullshit," Zayn snapped, pushing off the counter. His voice was steady, but the vein in his neck stood out. "Yul is stronger than you. He's here. We're here."
The laugh came again, rattling the glassware on the shelves."You don't understand. I don't need to win. I just need time. Time to wake the hunger in your precious idol's veins. Time to turn every screaming fan into a faithful servant."
The mention of fans twisted everyone's stomach.
Kai stepped forward, his voice breaking in. "You're going to use the stage." His eyes widened as the realization clicked. "You're going to use the music."
Vatu's grin stretched wider through Yul's face."Every song is a spell. Every rhythm is a chain. They'll chant my name before they even know it."
Min's chest tightened. He could feel his blood vibrating, a resonance like static humming in his bones. He stepped forward impulsively. "Stop using him!" His voice cracked, but he shouted over it. "Yul isn't yours. He isn't!"
For a flicker, Yul's own eyes broke through — strained, desperate, glowing wet with unshed tears. His lips moved, fighting the weight inside him.
"…help me…"
The plea was so faint only those nearest caught it.
Rien's throat tightened. He grabbed Yul's shoulders, voice breaking for the first time."We will. We're not leaving you to him. Do you hear me? Never."
Jiwon stood closer now, almost nose to nose with Yul's distorted grin. His voice was like a blade, cold but steady."If you want to turn this city into your empire, you'll have to go through me first."
For a heartbeat, everything froze.
Then Yul's body convulsed. His hands clutched at his temples. A strangled sound escaped his throat. The lights above them popped, plunging the room into half-darkness.
And just as quickly—silence.
Yul slumped forward, gasping, sweat streaking his temples. When he lifted his head again, his eyes were dimmer, gold fading back toward human warmth. His voice was hoarse but his own.
"…he's getting stronger."
Rien steadied him, but his expression was grim.
Across the room, Monarch exchanged glances — worry in Kai's eyes, determination in Zayn's, unease flickering through EO and Min. Jiwon, though, didn't look away. His stare locked onto Yul, as if silently promising: I won't let him take you.
For now, the room was still again. But every idol in the penthouse knew the truth: Vatu wasn't suppressed. He was waiting.
And time was running out.