[Kei]
The article wouldn't go away.
Kei stared at his phone, thumb hovering over the screen as if that would somehow make it disappear.
It didn't.
Of course it didn't.
"Mysterious helper."
He let out a quiet scoff, dropping his head back against the couch.
"…seriously?"
His manager had already called him twice.
His stylist texted him three times.
Even the group chat—muted for months—was suddenly alive again.
All because of this.
Because of her.
His fingers shifted unconsciously, brushing lightly against his chin.
Right there.
That spot.
He stilled.
"…tch."
Annoying.
That's what this was.
Just annoying.
The way his mind kept going back to it—
to her—
like it had nothing better to do.
He sat up, dragging a hand through his hair before tossing his phone onto the table.
"Forget it."
It was nothing.
Just a girl.
A random girl.
Didn't even know who he was.
Didn't act like she cared.
Didn't stay longer than she had to.
Didn't ask for anything.
…
That part bothered him more than it should have.
Kei frowned slightly.
"…weird."
Most people—
No.
Everyone—
reacted.
They stared.
They whispered.
They recognized.
But her?
Nothing.
Just—
"You're bleeding."
He let out a quiet breath, something almost like a laugh slipping under it.
"…yeah."
She really said that.
Like it was the most obvious thing in the
world.
No hesitation.
No awkwardness.
Just— straightforward.
His gaze drifted back to his phone.
The article was still open.
Still there.
Still talking about her like she was some kind of mystery.
"…mysterious helper," he muttered under his breath.
If they only knew.
A pause.
His expression shifted slightly.
More thoughtful now.
Less amused.
"…hospitals didn't find anything, huh."
Of course they didn't.
She didn't take him anywhere.
Didn't ask questions.
Didn't even seem curious.
Just helped—
and left.
Like it didn't matter.
Like he didn't matter.
…
That—
he didn't like.
Kei clicked his tongue softly, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees.
"…who even does that?"
No name.
No reason.
No second glance.
Just—
gone.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…and why do I even care?"
Silence.
The room felt a little too quiet.
A little too still.
His fingers tapped once against his knee.
Then stopped.
Because he knew the answer. He just didn't want to admit it
Another sigh left him as he grabbed his phone again, scrolling mindlessly—
comments flooding in.
"Who helped him??"
"Is there like...A GIRL?!!"
"And no hospital records found ANYTHING??"
"OMG I'M SO HYPED TO FIND OUT!!!"
Kei snorted.
"Good luck with that."
They wouldn't.
Couldn't.
Because he didn't even know where to start.
A street.
A moment.
A pair of eyes that didn't look at him like everyone else did.
…
His scrolling slowed.
Stopped.
"…eyes."
For a split second—
something clicked.
Faint.
Unclear.
But there.
His brows furrowed slightly.
"…have I—"
No.
That's stupid.
He shook his head, dismissing the thought almost immediately.
But it didn't fully go away.
It lingered.
Just enough to be annoying.
Kei exhaled slowly, locking his phone and tossing it aside again.
"…whatever."
He stood up, grabbing his jacket from the chair.
He had practice.
Schedules.
Things to do.
Things that actually mattered.
Not this.
Not her.
Not—
His hand paused on the doorknob.
Just for a second.
Then tightened.
"…if I see her again."
A small pause.
Barely there.
His expression shifted—just slightly.
Something sharper.
More certain.
"…I'm asking her name."
And just like that—
he left.
☆☆☆
The studio lights felt harsher than usual.
Kei stood at the microphone, one hand loosely holding the stand, the other resting at his side.
The backing track started—soft at first, then building.
"Again," his vocal coach said from behind the glass.
Kei nodded once.
He inhaled.
And sang.
The first line came out clean.
Controlled.
But halfway through the phrase—
his focus slipped.
Just slightly.
The note wavered for a fraction of a second before he corrected it.
"…reset," the coach said immediately.
Kei exhaled through his nose.
Again.
This time he tried to lock in harder.
He focused on the rhythm.
The breathing.
The pitch.
It worked.
Mostly.
But in between the lyrics—
something else kept slipping in.
A memory.
A voice.
"You're bleeding."
Calm.
Unbothered.
Like it wasn't even a big deal.
Kei's next note came out late.
Silence.
"Kei."
He clicked his tongue softly.
"…I've got it."
But even he could tell—
he didn't sound fully present.
"Stop for a minute," the coach said after another attempt.
The music cut.
Kei lowered his head slightly, wiping sweat from his neck.
"You're off today," someone said behind the glass.
"I'm fine."
No hesitation.
Too quick.
A pause followed.
Then—
"Again."
But the next run wasn't better.
It was worse.
Not in accuracy.
In focus.
His body remembered the vocal lines—but his mind kept drifting away in between.
To an alley.
To dim light.
To hands that didn't shake while treating a stranger.
Kei frowned slightly.
"…tch."
Annoying.
Finally—
"Break."
He didn't wait.
"I'm leaving early."
His coach turned.
"What? Kei—"
"I'm not feeling well."
A lie.
But not completely.
He grabbed his jacket and left before anyone could argue.
Outside, the air felt too sharp.
Too real.
Kei paused.
Then exhaled slowly.
"…what am I even doing."
His fingers brushed lightly against his chin again.
Same spot.
Same feeling.
"…ridiculous." It was his favorite word.
But he still started walking.
And didn't stop.
☆☆☆
The city felt louder the longer he walked.
Kei pulled his cap lower, hands in his pockets, moving through quieter streets that slowly turned less quiet the further he went.
He wasn't sure where "here" even was anymore.
Just… somewhere away from the studio.
Somewhere he could think.
But thinking didn't help.
It made things worse.
A passing reflection in a shop window caught his eye.
For a second—
he thought he saw her.
Kei paused.
Then clicked his tongue.
"…not her."
Of course not.
He kept walking.
"Isn't that—"
A voice.
Then another.
Kei didn't stop.
He already knew.
Too late.
"WAIT—IT'S REALLY HIM!!"
Footsteps.
Fast.
Approaching.
Too many.
Kei sighed under his breath.
"…seriously?"
He turned slightly, already reaching for his cap again—
but it was pointless.
They had seen him.
And once they saw him— they didn't stop seeing him.
"KEI!!"
There were more now.
Two. Then five. Then more spilling from the corner of the street like they'd been waiting for a signal.
Phones out.
Shouting.
Running.
"Oh my god it's actually Kei!"
"Why is he here alone?!"
"Kei look here!!"
He took a step back.
Then another.
"…Shit."
But it didn't matter.
They were already closing in.
Kei turned sharply into a side alley.
Fast.
Footsteps followed immediately.
He clicked his tongue.
Of course they did.
"Wait!! Kei!!"
Flash.
Camera lights.
He frowned.
This was getting annoying.
He picked up his pace.
Not running.
Just—
leaving.
But they weren't letting go.
More voices now.
Echoing.
Calling his name from behind.
"Please just one picture!!"
"I love you!!"
"Kei, I've been your fan since—!"
He exhaled sharply.
"…I said no."
Still calm.
Still controlled.
But his patience was thinning.
He cut through another turn.
Then another.
Trying to lose them.
But they multiplied.
Somehow.
Always more.
Always louder.
Kei stopped briefly in a narrower alley, turning his head slightly.
Too many.
Too close.
He clicked his tongue again.
"…this is ridiculous."
A girl stepped forward, phone shaking in her hands.
"Kei… just—just please—"
"I'm sorry." He forced a small smile
Immediate.
Final.
But the desperation didn't disappear.
If anything—
it grew.
He stepped back again.
The voices kept stacking on top of each other.
"KEI!! OVER HERE!!"
"PLEASE JUST ONE PHOTO!!"
Flash after flash cut through the narrow street.
Kei exhaled slowly, adjusting his cap lower as he took another step back into the alley.
Not a dead end.
But close enough to be annoying.
"…seriously."
He turned slightly, scanning for an exit.
Too many people behind him.
Too loud.
Too close.
His patience was already thin.
Then— movement.
At the edge of his vision.
Someone stepped out from a side path across the street.
Small figure.
Paused.
Watching.
Kei barely registered it at first.
Just another passerby.
But then—
she moved.
Fast.
Direct.
Kei didn't even have time to react properly before she crossed the street, grabbed his wrist— and pulled.
"—hey—"
Before he could finish, she yanked him sharply into a narrow side space between buildings.
Hidden.
Just out of sight.
The noise instantly dulled.
The crowd's voices became muffled echoes.
Kei froze.
"…what are you—"
"Shh."
Her voice.
Low.
Controlled.
Familiar in a way he couldn't place immediately.
She peeked out for half a second.
Then pulled back.
The fangirls rushed past the main street, still calling his name, unaware he had disappeared entirely.
Kei exhaled slowly.
Only then did he look at her properly.
Cap low.
Eyes sharp.
Focused.
She wasn't panicked.
Wasn't startled.
Just… calm.
Like she had done this before.
"…you again," he muttered under his breath.
She didn't look at him immediately.
Still watching the street.
"Don't move," she said simply.
He blinked once.
"…I wasn't planning to."
A beat.
Silence settled in the small space between them.
Too close.
Not like before.
Not accidental this time.
Intentional.
Kei's gaze drifted slightly.
Her hand was still near his wrist.
Where she had grabbed him.
He noticed it.
Then quickly looked away.
"…you're good at this," he said quietly.
"At what?"
"Stealing people."
That earned a faint scoff from her.
"I'm saving you from being chased."
"Same thing."
She finally glanced at him.
Just briefly.
Enough.
And in that second— Kei felt it again.
That strange familiarity.
Not loud.
Not clear.
Just there.
"…do I know you?" he asked before he could stop himself.
No-Ah paused.
For half a second too long.
Then looked away again.
"..."
She poked her head out a little to check if those fangirls were gone.
Outside, the voices slowly faded.
The crowd moved on.
Passed them completely.
Silence returned.
No-Ah finally stepped back slightly, letting go of his wrist.
Distance returned.
But something about it—
felt different now.
"…you should be more careful," she said.
Kei let out a quiet breath.
"…I was fine."
"You were cornered."
"That happens a lot."
"That's not something to be proud of."
Then, unexpectedly—
Kei let out a small laugh.
Soft.
Real.
"…you're really annoying."
She didn't react.
Just turned slightly as if preparing to leave.
But Kei didn't move.
Just watched her.
Again.
That feeling in his chest returned.
Same place.
Same weight.
"…hey," he called softly.
She stopped.
Didn't turn.
"…what's your name?"
A pause.
Longer this time.
Then—
"Kim No-Ah." No-Ah replied without looking at him.
Simple.
Clear.
Like it had always been there.
Kei repeated it in his mind once.
Then nodded slightly.
"…No-Ah."
"...I finally got your name."
☆☆☆