chapter 5: the hidden melody and the chase begin

The room was quiet—too quiet.

Jungkook’s hands trembled as he pulled them away from the piano keys. The sensation of the strange place still clung to his skin, like an echo trapped in the space between dreams and reality.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

Then, RM exhaled. A slow, deliberate breath, as if grounding himself back into the real world.

“We need to talk about this,” he said, voice firm.

Yoongi leaned against the wall, rubbing his temples. “Talk about what exactly? The fact that we just slipped into another dimension? That a voice told us our song is some kind of key?” He let out a dry laugh. “Or maybe that we’re losing our minds?”

Jimin shivered. “We all saw it. Heard it. That wasn’t just in our heads.”

J-Hope tapped his fingers against his thigh, his usual bright energy dimmed by unease. “But why us? Why now?”

A sharp knock at the door made them all jump.

They exchanged wary glances before Jin stepped forward and pulled it open.

A woman stood there, dressed in dark jeans and an oversized blazer. Sunglasses hid her eyes, but the set of her jaw spoke of urgency.

“BTS?” Her voice was smooth, calculated. “My name is Seo Hana. I need to speak with you.”

Namjoon folded his arms. “And you are?”

She slipped her sunglasses off, revealing sharp, intelligent eyes. “Someone who can explain what’s happening to you. But we don’t have much time.”

Jungkook’s pulse quickened. “Time for what?”

Hana’s gaze flickered to him.

“For them to find you.”

The room turned ice-cold.

“The Silence,” Taehyung murmured.

Hana nodded. “They know what you’ve done. And they’re coming.”

For a long moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the distant murmur of the stadium staff outside the dressing room. But inside, the air was thick with tension.

Jungkook felt a cold weight settle in his chest. “What do you mean they’re coming?”

Hana shut the door behind her, her voice low. “The Silence has been watching artists for centuries—musicians who stumble upon melodies that were never meant to be heard.” She glanced at the piano. “You’ve awakened something with Moonlit Echo. That’s why they sent a warning. But now that you’ve ignored it, they’ll try to erase you.”

Jin scoffed. “Erase us? We’re not just some unknown group. We’re BTS.”

Hana’s expression didn’t waver. “And that’s exactly why you’re in danger.”

RM’s jaw tightened. “How do you know all this?”

A shadow flickered across her face. “Because I used to be one of them.”

The air turned heavy.

Jimin swallowed. “One of them?”

Hana nodded. “I was recruited into The Silence years ago. Trained to track and neutralize musicians who found songs like yours. But I left when I realized the truth—music isn’t just sound. It’s history, memory, power. The Silence doesn’t want to protect the world from these songs. They want to control them.”

Yoongi narrowed his eyes. “Then why help us?”

“Because you’re different.” Hana took a step closer. “Most artists barely scratch the surface of what music can do. But you…” Her gaze swept over them. “You have the ability to break the Silence’s hold completely.”

Jungkook’s hands curled into fists. “How?”

Hana hesitated. “I don’t know yet. But I do know you won’t have time to figure it out if we don’t leave. Now.”

A sudden knock rattled the door—louder this time.

A voice followed.

“Bangtan Sonyeondan?”

But it wasn’t a staff member. The voice was too deep, too controlled.

Hana cursed under her breath. “It’s them.”

The doorknob twisted.

Namjoon moved first. “Back door. Now.”

Jungkook didn’t hesitate. He grabbed his bag and followed the others as they bolted toward the emergency exit.

The door burst open behind them.

Shouts. Footsteps.