After DG's Words
The room slowly thawed after DG's dismissal. Trainees shuffled into groups, staff barked orders, and the buzz of nervous ambition filled the air again. But for Seong Min, the silence lingered.
His violet eyes stayed steady even as DG vanished up the stairs with Aru Lee in tow. Blank pathways, endless void—that memory pressed into him harder than any bruises Tom Lee had left behind.
"Come," Crystal's voice cut through the noise. Her notebook was already tucked under her arm as if orientation was a nuisance, not an opportunity.
Seong Min followed without question.
Meeting Aru Lee
The hallway outside the lounge smelled faintly of perfume and stage makeup, the air-conditioned chill carrying a thin undertone of nerves. Staff bowed as Aru Lee passed, her copper-blonde hair gleaming under the lights, jewelry chiming with every step.
She was smiling. Always smiling.But the moment her eyes landed on Crystal, that smile thinned.
"Crystal Choi," Aru said, voice honeyed yet sharp. "You didn't tell me you'd be bringing company."
Crystal didn't rise to the bait. She gestured once, cool and precise."Seong Min. my white tiger and also my CrystalTV's recommendation."
as he heard CrystalTV's he turn his head to crystal for a moment then return indifferent, crystal also saw the sudden change but choose to ignore it as he didn't say anything about it.
Aru's gaze flicked over him. First the bruises hidden under his collar, then the steady posture, then those eyes—violet, unblinking.
For just a second, her smile faltered.
But arrogance was second nature. She recovered instantly, lips curling wider as she stepped closer. "Welcome to PTJ, Seong Min." Her tone dripped with practiced warmth, the kind that fooled fans and melted sponsors. "Any friend of Crystal's is a friend of mine."
She extended a hand, rings glittering under the fluorescent lights.
Seong Min glanced at it. And then, without a word, walked past her.
The silence cracked like glass.
Aru's Mask Slips
Aru's hand lingered in the air for a beat too long before she withdrew it, smile stiff at the edges. The trainees nearby whispered, eyes darting between them. No one ignored Aru Lee. Not staff, not fans, not anyone.
But he had.
Crystal's lips curved faintly, almost invisible. She didn't look smug, didn't gloat. She simply continued walking, as though she had expected nothing else.
That was worse.
Heat burned Aru's chest, hidden beneath her fashionable coat. She fell into step beside them, her voice still sweet, but her eyes glinting like knives. "You'll find PTJ… demanding. But don't worry—I always look after the ones who shine."
Seong Min didn't answer. Didn't even look at her.
Indifference. That was worse than contempt.
Crystal stopped at the end of the hall, turning just slightly so her gaze met Aru's. Calm. Detached. Like someone observing ripples in a glass of water.
"He doesn't need looking after," Crystal said evenly. "He climbs on his own, that how he is."
The words weren't loud. But the way they landed—clean, final—cut deeper than shouting ever could.
Aru's nails dug into her palm, hidden by the glitter of her rings. She laughed, high and airy, masking the tremor. "Of course. But even climbers fall. And when they do, someone stronger has to catch them."
Behind the mask of her smile, heat twisted sharp in Aru's chest. Crystal. Always Crystal.
That perfect composure, that elegance, that air of being untouchable — it made Aru furious. Every time she stood near Crystal, she felt smaller, cheaper, like all the money and makeup in the world couldn't polish her enough to compete.
And then there was him.
Seong Min .He didn't look at her the way others did. He didn't try to flatter, to win favor, to bow under her smile. He didn't even care.
That indifference burned worse than insults. Because if she could make him look at her — really look — it wouldn't just mean winning him. It would mean breaking Crystal.
Her lips curved wider, the picture of idol-perfect sweetness. Inside, her vow sharpened: I'll take him from you, Crystal. And when I do… you'll finally learn what it feels like to lose.
Her eyes slid toward Seong Min, lips curving wider ."And I've always had a soft spot for strays."
Crystal's expression didn't change. But her silence was an answer in itself.
Seong Min's Indifference
The two girls' voices curled around him like smoke, testing, circling, waiting for him to react.
But Seong Min didn't.
His gaze stayed forward, steps steady. Their tension didn't interest him. Their rivalry wasn't his wall to climb.
To him, Aru was noise. To him, Yui was noise. To him, even Crystal—calculating, watchful Crystal—was just another shadow on the path.
He had seen the void in DG. That was the wall. That was what mattered.
And so he kept walking.
Aru's Spark
Aru stopped in her tracks, staring at his back as he moved on without so much as a glance.
Her smile was still painted on, perfect for the staff who passed. But her thoughts twisted, dark and sharp.
You think you can ignore me? Fine .I'll make you mine. And when I do… I'll crush Crystal with you.
The fake sweetness on her lips never wavered. But her eyes hardened for just a flicker before she turned away, laughter spilling from her throat like poisoned honey.
Crystal caught it. She said nothing. But her hand tightened briefly around her notebook, then loosened.
She knew what was under her smile .
The three of them moved deeper into PTJ's halls under the glow of banners promising fame and fortune.
Aru smiling too wide. Crystal silent as ice. Seong Min unmoved.
And above it all, DG's earlier words lingered like a ghost:
"Let's see if you shine… or shatter."