Chapter 8: When Dreams Begin to Tremble

The venue glowed like a dream.

Thousands of lightsticks swayed like a galaxy of stars, each one glowing in support of Dreamer’s first-ever fan meeting since their debut. The excitement was electric—cheers, screams, signs, and heartfelt tears from fans who had waited for this moment. To them, it was magic. A celebration. A moment frozen in time.

But behind the curtains, Lia’s heart pounded for a very different reason.

The man with the camera.

The one who hadn’t come for Dreamer—but for her.

He hadn’t shown up since the press event, but the feeling of being watched had only grown stronger. Every shadow felt heavier. Every unfamiliar staff member made her pause. She’d beefed up security. Kai was on high alert. Even Ren had given up sleep to keep tabs through the hidden surveillance system built by Zero.

But none of it settled the unease growing in her chest.

And tonight, in this dreamlike setting, something about the calm felt... wrong.

Backstage Butterflies

“Lia, you okay?” Jae-hyun asked gently, adjusting his mic as they waited backstage.

She looked up from her tablet, where she’d been checking fan questions. His voice softened her edges, like it always did.

“I’m good,” she lied with a smile. “Just making sure everything runs smoothly.”

He tilted his head, not quite buying it. “You’ve been tense since the press event.”

“I’m always tense.”

He stepped closer, his hand brushing her arm just slightly. “You know you’re not alone in this, right?”

She gave him a quick glance. There were people around. Staff, stylists, backup dancers. Too many eyes.

But her heart fluttered anyway.

And then came a whisper in her ear—so soft, only she could hear it.

“If you get scared, just look for me in the crowd. I’ll be right there.”

Lia turned her face slightly toward him. Their lips almost touched.

She smiled. “You’re not even subtle anymore.”

Jae-hyun grinned. “Not when it comes to you.”

The Dream Begins

The lights dimmed.

The screen came alive with a breathtaking intro video. The fans roared as Dreamer stepped onto the stage, looking every bit like the legends they were becoming.

Each member took their turn speaking—Ren, calm and eloquent. Kai, playful and hilarious. Leo, poetic as always. Han, the surprise charmer. And then Jae-hyun, the leader.

He spoke of dreams and hardships. Of how the fans had given them wings.

But when his gaze flicked to the side of the stage—where Lia stood—his voice caught just slightly. No one else noticed. But she did.

“I think,” he said, “some people are meant to cross your path. Not to save you—but to make you want to save yourself.”

The crowd cheered, touched by his words.

But Lia’s heart twisted.

Was that message... for her?

Ren’s Choice

Backstage, Ren stood with his arms folded, watching the fan meet from the side. His gaze kept flicking to Jae-hyun. To Lia.

He’d seen the way she looked at the leader now.

He wasn’t blind.

And it hurt.

But it didn’t make him bitter.

Jae-hyun was like a brother to him—someone who had pulled him from his darkest times. And Lia... she was something else entirely. A light he never knew he needed until it was too late.

He smiled faintly, whispering to himself, “Guess it’s not my story to live.”

But it was his story to protect.

Because no matter what, he would stand by them. Even if his heart ached in silence.

The Stalker in the Crowd

He was here.

Hidden in plain sight.

Dressed like a regular fan, camera around his neck, passes clipped to his lanyard. But his eyes weren’t on the stage. Not really. They scanned backstage entrances. Side curtains. Corners where Lia might appear.

And then—

He caught a glimpse of her. Just a flicker. Her silhouette beside the stage.

He lifted the camera.

Click.

Click.

Click.

He didn’t know her name. Not yet. But he knew there was something beneath her polished mask. Something powerful. And dangerous.

And he wanted to be the one to uncover it.

Collision of Hearts and Lies

The event continued with games, live songs, surprise dance covers, and even a fan Q&A.

Lia had planned everything to be magical.

But her focus was slipping. She felt the gaze like a thread tightening around her throat. And then—

“Let’s call someone special on stage,” the MC said cheerfully.

The fans buzzed in confusion.

“Someone very important to Dreamer’s success... their manager!”

Lia’s eyes widened. No.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the spotlight swung to her.

Jae-hyun smiled like it was part of the plan.

She stepped forward slowly, her smile practiced, her heart racing.

The moment her foot touched the stage, a flash went off from the crowd.

And in that flash, she knew.

He was here.

Watching.

Recording.

And worse—he might have recognized her.

The Confession That Changed Everything

Later that night, long after the fan meet ended and the team returned to the dorms, Jae-hyun found her on the rooftop.

Just like always.

Only this time, she didn’t look at the stars.

She looked at him.

“I think someone’s getting close,” she said.

He didn’t ask who. He just stepped closer.

“I don’t care what you’re hiding, Lia. I don’t care who you used to be.”

She finally looked at him. Her voice was a whisper. “You should care. Because if you knew everything...”

“I’d still choose you.”

Her breath hitched.

“I love you,” he said, voice steady, eyes locked on hers. “Not the version you show everyone. You.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Jae-hyun...”

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

And for the first time in so long, she didn’t feel like she had to run.

But Somewhere Else…

The man with the camera reviewed the pictures on his laptop.

Zoomed in.

There she was.

A face he thought he recognized. From years ago. From files not meant to be opened.

He grinned darkly.

“So that’s who you are.”

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