Time flew by, and the deadline finally arrived.
August's parents did exactly what they promised — they hired two reputable lawyers to examine every line of the contracts they'd been given. Both lawyers came back with nearly identical reactions: the contract looked too good to be true based on the usual standards of the idol industry… and yet, there were no hidden clauses, no traps, no fine-print trickery. Everything was written plainly and honestly.
It was legitimate.
The couple immediately relayed the news to their son. They watched him burst into tears — not from fear this time, but from relief — as he hugged the contracts to his chest like they were his lifeline.
August had carried a broken heart since the survival show. Something in him had dimmed, the brightness he was known for flickering into something small and painful. His parents had seen it all. They'd mourned silently with him.
But now?
Now their sunshine was back.
Excitement glowed in his eyes again. His smile reached all the way to his ears. And right then and there, with trembling but determined hands, August signed the contract.
Fortunately, his pneumonia wasn't severe, though he needed two weeks of rest. By the end of the month, he was discharged. He packed his things, hugged his parents tightly, promising to return someday as a man they could be proud of.
On his way to the airport in a taxi, August pulled out his phone and began typing.
"나의 사랑하는 선샤인 여러분,오거스트입니다. 드디어 퇴원했어요.여러분의 응원과 따뜻한 메시지, 전부 다 받았습니다.정말 감사합니다. 여러분 덕분에 다시 일어설 수 있었어요."(To my dear sunshines, this is August. I've finally been discharged. I received all your warm messages and support — thank you. Because of you, I was able to stand up again.)
"조금 슬픈 소식이지만… 저는 곧 아주 멀리 떠나게 될 것 같아요. 얼마나 오래 걸릴지는 모르겠지만, 너무 슬퍼하지 마세요.반드시 돌아올게요. 그리고 돌아올 때는, 여러분이 자랑스러워할 수 있는 사람이 되어 있을게요."(It's a little sad to say, but I'll be leaving soon — somewhere very far. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but please don't be sad. I promise I'll come back, and when I do, I'll be someone you can be proud of.)
"이건 안녕이 아니에요… 그냥 잠시 동안의 '나중에 보자'예요.사랑해요, 선샤인들."(This isn't goodbye… it's just a 'see you later.' I love you, my sunshines.)
He posted it on his official Z account — selfie included — looking like the main character of a melancholic music video as soft sunlight washed over his skin.
And of course, the post exploded.
Sunshinebaby: What do you MEAN you're leaving?! Where are you going?! TAKE ME WITH YOU PLEASE 😭😭😭😭
Augustday1fan: Don't worry about us—we'll be waiting for you, pookie bear 🥹🫶
augustsleftpinkie: I'm so happy you're healthy again, Augie! But WHERE are you going? Sir please explain!!
unhingedfangurl420: If this man disappears for more than 48 hours I'm breaking into the sun and dragging him back myself. Don't test me. 😭🔥
Bangbangboom: 오거스트야… 어디 가는 거야? 우리 버리고 가지 마… 진짜 울어…(August… where are you going? Don't leave us… I'm really crying…)
Augiebaby: 건강이 먼저야. 많이 힘들었지? 우리가 항상 기다릴게.(Your health comes first. You must've struggled a lot. We'll always wait for you.)
stanUnnie: 아니 근데… 택시 셀카 왜 이렇게 잘생겼어? 나 울면서 설레는 중임😳🔥(Okay but… why does your taxi selfie look THAT good? I'm crying and flustered at the same time 😳🔥)
Thirsty4August: If he leaves looking THAT fine again I swear to god… sir come back immediately and ruin my life.
Upon arriving at the airport, August spotted a tall foreign man waiting near the entrance, holding a sign with his name on it.
August headed straight toward him — honestly, almost skipping like the happiest bunny alive.
"Hello, I'm August. Are you Mr. Salazar Dra-drag-drag… Sorry, I don't know how to pronounce your last name," he said sheepishly, though his smile was bright enough to power a small city. His English was decent, just flavored with that distinct Korean lilt.
"It is alright, Mr. August," Salazar replied with a gentle smile. "Shall we head in?"
"Yes!" August nodded, practically bouncing.
Salazar guided him to the VIP lounge — they still had time before boarding.
The moment August stepped inside, his eyes went wide with wonder. He spun around slowly, taking everything in like a child seeing Disnee land for the first time. Then he froze.
"Hyung!"August launched himself at Ahn Jae so fast the poor man staggered.
"왜 네가 캐스팅된 걸 보는데 하나도 안 놀랍지?"(Why am I not surprised to see that you were scouted too?) Ahn Jae laughed, hugging back the human sunbeam crushing him.
"아아아… 진짜 보고 싶었어, 형!"(Aaaah… I'm so happy to see you, hyung!) August squealed, still clinging to him and bouncing like he had caffeine for blood.
"나도 반갑다, 아기."(I'm glad to see you too, Augie.) Ahn Jae chuckled, gently prying him off before he got motion sickness from August's enthusiasm.
Through the excitement, August suddenly spotted Iliyana standing behind Ahn Jae — and froze again.He looked at Salazar.Then at Iliyana.Then Salazar.Then Iliyana.Rinse, repeat.
"Ummm… Are both of you… maybe vampires? Do you guys drink blood?" he asked with pure fascination, eyes sparkling like he was begging for a supernatural plot twist.
"바보 같은 소리 하지 마. 그냥 평범한 사람들이야. 그래도 네가 왜 그렇게 생각했는지는 알겠다."(Don't be silly. They're normal people. Though I get why you'd think that.)Ahn Jae said, ruffling August's hair with the kind of fondness that could melt mountains.
"아니, 트와다크 영화에 나오는 뱀파이어들이랑 똑같이 생겼잖아."(But they look like the vampires from the Twidark movies…)August whispered — except his whisper was only a whisper in theory. Salazar and Iliyana heard everything and laughed softly at his innocence.
"Hello. My name is Iliyana Bosconovitch. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. August," she said warmly, extending her hand with elegant grace.
"Yes! Nice to meet you too!" August bowed politely — then blurted, "wow… you're really pretty…"
"Thank you," Iliyana replied with a charming smile.
Not long after, another otherworldly-looking person stepped into the VIP lounge — with a familiar young man following behind him.
The moment August spotted him, he charged like a linebacker with zero regard for physics.
"사일라스 형! 형도 왔어요!"(Silas-hyung! You're here too!) August shouted, full of pure unfiltered excitement.
Thank God and every ancestor Silas worked out, because otherwise he'd be a pancake on the VIP floor.
"…August?" Silas blinked in shock — then glanced up and froze again."안재 형?"(Ahn Jae-hyung?)
"사일라스, 진짜 반갑다."(Silas, it's so great to see you.)Ahn Jae walked over with a bright smile and hugged him — very briefly, because August was still wrapped around Silas like a clingy little koala.
"혹시 너희도—?"(So you guys were also—?) Silas started, still trying to process the situation.
"응, 우리도 캐스팅됐어."(Yup, we were scouted too.) Ahn Jae confirmed.
"…이상하게 전혀 안 놀랍네."(Why am I… kinda not surprised?) Silas said with a small laugh.
"맞아요! 안재 형도 똑같은 말 했어요!"(Right! Ahn Jae-hyung said the same thing!) August added proudly, finally unclinging from Silas.
Then August saw Seth.
His eyes widened.He whipped around to Ahn Jae like he just uncovered ancient forbidden truth.
"내가 말했잖아요! 흡혈귀 맞다니까! 흡혈귀 진짜 있어요!"(I told you! They ARE vampires! Vampires exist!)August declared triumphantly, as if he'd solved world hunger.
Seth blinked at Iliyana and Salazar with a confused-but-amused look.They both quietly chuckled — the kind of chuckle that said, Just roll with it. He means well.
Seth approached August and Ahn Jae, offering a polite hand.
"Hello, I'm Seth Volkov. It's a pleasure to finally meet both of you."
"Nice to meet you too!" August chirped, shaking his hand with enough enthusiasm to cause structural damage.
"Nice to meet you too…" Ahn Jae echoed in English — trying (and hilariously failing) to mimic August's bright tone.
Scanning the VIP lounge, Silas let out a soft, disappointed sigh.
"아… 얘는 아직 안 왔네…."(So, he's not here yet…) Silas muttered.
"누가요?"(Who's not here yet?) August asked, curious as ever.
"강이안."(Kang Ian.)
Both August and Ahn Jae snapped their heads toward him, completely stunned.
"강이안 형도 오는 거예요!?"(Kang Ian-hyung is coming too!?)August practically exploded from excitement.
"음… 확실하진 않아."(Well… I'm not really sure.) Silas admitted."같이 캐스팅됐는데, 이안이가 오퍼 듣고 바로 사기라고 생각하면서 거부반응을 보였거든…."(We were scouted together, but he had a really bad reaction to the offer, thinking it was a scam…)
"맞아요. 우리 부모님도 변호사 두 명 불러서 계약서 검토했어요. 너무 좋아서 의심된다 했지만, 숨겨진 조항도 없고 진짜 계약이라고 했어요."(Yeah, my parents hired two lawyers to check mine. They said it looked too good to be true, but legit.) August added, calmer now.
"나도 삼촌이 변호사라 보여줬는데 똑같이 말했어. 삼촌이 동료 변호사들한테도 보여줬는데 다들 똑같은 반응이었대. 결론은 하나, 진짜 계약."(Same. I showed mine to my uncle — he's a lawyer — and he said the same thing. He even showed it to his colleagues. Everyone agreed it was legit.) Silas shared."그래서 내가 이안이 말리려고 몇 번이나 설득했는데… 계속 문 닫더라."(When I found out the contract was real, I tried convincing him multiple times… but he kept shutting me out.)
"왜 그랬을까…?"(I wonder why…) Ahn Jae murmured, worried and a bit regretful.
"나도 진짜 이유가 궁금해…"(I'd really like to know too…) Silas sighed."아무튼 오늘이 계약 갱신 마감이라… 올지 안 올지 모르겠다."(Anyway, today's the deadline for contract renewal… so I don't even know if he'll show up.)
"이안 형 안 오면 너무 슬플 것 같아요…."(It'd be really sad if Ian-hyung doesn't come…) August said quietly.
But time kept moving, and soon boarding began — with no sign of Kang Ian.
The three felt that sharp little ache of disappointment…but they couldn't stay sad forever.
Especially when they were told they'd be flying first class.
Not business.FIRST.CLASS.
The three had already been walking toward the economy boarding gate when Salazar gently guided them toward another hallway. They were confused — until they passed a sign.
"FIRST CLASS."
"어… 우리 정말 일등석으로 가는 거예요…?"(Uh… are we seriously going into first class?) Ahn Jae asked, wondering if this was a fever dream.
"맞아요."(Correct.) Iliyana confirmed with a warm smile.
"세 분께는 최고의 시설만 제공하라는 지시를 받았습니다."(We were instructed to provide only the finest accommodations for the three of you.) Seth explained politely.
"헐, 미쳤다…."(Holy shit…) Ahn Jae breathed, stunned.
"씨발…!"(Holy fuck…!) Silas echoed, completely overwhelmed.
"씨발 예!!!"(FUCK yeah!!!) August yelled — so loudly Ahn Jae nearly dislocated a shoulder covering the kid's mouth before airport security could smite them on the spot.
The three couldn't believe it.This was beyond anything they'd ever dreamed of.
The moment they stepped into first class, August began bouncing like a human pogo stick, unable to contain the excitement bursting out of his very soul.
And just like that — the three of them flew in absurd comfort toward their brand-new beginning.