Chapter 79 — Jet-Lagged Silence
The 48-hour broadcast had ended with a quiet exhale. No dramatic final line, no sweeping orchestral score. Just a soft, tired wave from Rin and the image of the seven members collapsing into their dorm's floor cushions like dominos.
Millions had tuned in. Fans praised the group's honesty, their natural chemistry, their rare silences. But all of that was just noise outside the quiet hum that had settled over Jaeheon.
He hadn't spoken much. But he had smiled.
And even that was enough to set the internet ablaze.
#JAHEONSMILED
#BEHINDTHERHYTHMENDING
#WILLWEEVERMEETHER
The questions came in droves. Every frame analyzed. Every pause scrutinized.
But the truth remained untouched.
No one knew.
No one would know.
A Day Later — Incheon Airport, Private Gate C17
Manager Lee yawned as he rolled his luggage behind him, muttering, "You'd think with private charters, they'd let us sleep a full day."
"Hyung, we did sleep," Sungchan mumbled, eyes half-closed beneath his bucket hat.
"Three hours isn't sleep," Minjae replied. "It's a nap in slow motion."
Rin walked ahead, earbuds in, black coat sweeping behind him like he was leading an indie movie cast. Hyunjae quietly filmed everything for the vlog, pretending to be casual but catching everyone's faces like a documentarian.
But Jaeheon?
He walked at the very back of the group. Quiet. Sunglasses on. Hands in his coat pockets.
He hadn't spoken all morning.
Their First International Tour Stop: Milan, Italy
The city unfolded like a dream soaked in golden light.
Ancient cathedrals framed by modern glass.
Narrow alleyways that whispered secrets.
Cafés spilling over with the scent of espresso and fire-roasted olives.
It was their first full concert tour stop since debut.
Everything should've felt electric.
And for the most part—it did.
AUREUS' arrival at Milan Linate Airport caused a flash storm of media. European fanclubs screamed their names. Signs were raised in Korean, Italian, English, and even Latin for fun. One read:
"GILD US IN GOLD, AUREUS!"
Manager Lee kept them moving like a well-oiled machine. No pauses. No off-script interactions.
But Jaeheon…
He felt something.
A weight.
A shift in the air the second they landed.
He looked out the van window as they drove through the city, his gaze locked on the way the sunlight hit the riverbanks.
Something about it reminded him of that night.
Of her.
The Hotel — 10:42 PM
Their luxury suite was massive. Every member had their own room. There was a private chef on standby and handwritten welcome cards from the concert organizers.
But Jaeheon didn't unpack.
He stood on the balcony, overlooking the lights of Milan, his phone in hand.
The chat still had no reply.
None of them ever did.
He typed anyway.
"Arrived in Milan today. Streets are made of gold light. I think you'd like the river. It reminds me of the way your hair glowed in the garden light."
He paused.
Deleted that last line.
Typed again.
"We have a concert in three days. I'll write a song here. Maybe two. I wonder what you're building right now."
He sent it.
Then locked the screen.
No one saw him. No one would ever ask. Not even the members.
They had long since learned that some things—especially those wrapped in six years of silence—were not theirs to untie.
Anastasia's pov : Elsewhere, Unseen
Across the city, a woman stood in front of a high-rise window, dressed in muted tones.
She was looking at a photo.
Seven young men arriving in Milan.
Her expression didn't change.
But her fingers hovered over her phone.
Just briefly.
Then dropped it back onto the table.
The moment passed.
Back at the Suite
Inside, the group was laughing at something on TV.
Minjae and Sungchan had started fighting with pillows again. Hyunjae had recorded it. Rin was sipping espresso and pretending not to watch.
Manager Lee looked toward Jaeheon's closed balcony door and sighed.