After returning to Busan from Seoul, everyone became busy again.
The semester had barely begun, yet the pressure at university was already exhausting. Assignments, attendance, presentations—everything suddenly felt overwhelming.
Even though the memories of Seoul were still fresh in their hearts, reality had quickly pulled them back into their routines.
Jeon J already knew the girls were back in Busan.
He had even texted once or twice to ask if they had settled in properly. But with TBS's packed concert schedule, endless rehearsals, and preparations for their upcoming performances, they hadn't been able to meet again.
And today…
Busan itself felt different.
Because tonight was the TBS concert.
From early morning, the entire city seemed more alive than usual.
Posters and banners covered the streets. Excited fans filled cafés and sidewalks, carrying lightsticks and wearing TBS merchandise. Everywhere they went, people were talking about the same thing.
The concert.
Even the university atmosphere had changed.
Normally, classes dragged on until evening, but today the administration had released students early. Everyone knew that with TBS performing in Busan, the entire city would practically turn upside down.
The roads would be crowded.
The cafés would be packed.
And honestly, the students were far too distracted to concentrate anyway.
So, for once, the university had given everyone an excuse to leave early.
And the moment the girls stepped inside their shared house after classes, the peaceful atmosphere disappeared.
Chaos took over.
"Girls, hurry up!" Ruhi shouted as she rushed toward the wardrobe. "We've already wasted enough time at university!"
Hana dropped her bag dramatically onto the couch.
"It's not my fault the professor suddenly decided to revise the entire syllabus today."
Minji laughed softly as she removed her earrings.
"Honestly, even the professors looked distracted. Half the class was secretly booking concert taxis."
Sophia walked over to the windows and pulled the curtains open.
Golden evening light spilled into the room.
Outside, distant music and the excited voices of fans could already be heard drifting through the streets.
The city was preparing for TBS.
And so were they.
Ruhi stood in front of the mirror, staring helplessly at three different outfits spread across the bed.
"I swear this is stressful. Why does choosing concert clothes feel harder than exams?"
"Because your priorities are questionable," Hana replied from the floor, where she sat cross-legged while fixing her hair.
Ruhi ignored her.
"Main-character energy takes effort."
Minji shook her head with a smile before opening her own closet.
Her outfit was simple yet elegant—the kind of effortless style that somehow made her stand out even more.
Meanwhile, Sophia noticed Ruhi staring at her shoes again.
"Wait."
She walked over and picked up a pair of grey sneakers.
"You should wear these."
Ruhi frowned.
"These? Really?"
"Yes. They'll look perfect with your outfit, and you'll survive the concert without crying about your feet."
Hana immediately burst out laughing.
"Please wear comfortable shoes. We're going to a TBS concert, not a wedding ceremony."
Ruhi narrowed her eyes.
"You people never support me emotionally."
"We support you physically," Minji replied calmly. "By preventing you from falling in front of thousands of people."
The room instantly filled with laughter.
For a moment, the stress of university, assignments, and their busy schedules disappeared completely.
Tonight wasn't about deadlines.
It wasn't about presentations.
It wasn't about responsibilities.
Tonight was about TBS.
"Zoya isn't coming?"
Hana suddenly stopped while adjusting her bag and looked toward Minji and Sophia.
Since the three of them were classmates, they had all returned from university together.
Except Zoya.
She was supposed to come with them.
Sophia glanced at her phone.
"I don't know. She said Ji-ho sent her an address. She went there for a job interview."
Hana's expression changed immediately.
"She shouldn't be going alone like that. Ji-won still hasn't been arrested."
Ruhi, who had been fixing her bracelet, looked up seriously.
"I spent the whole day in classes checking around… making sure he wasn't anywhere nearby."
Hana sighed and folded her arms.
"But we can't keep sitting in fear either."
Minji finally spoke.
Her voice was calm, but there was something thoughtful behind it.
"And stopping Zoya from going out alone just because we're scared…" She looked between them. "That would be like making her helpless."
She paused.
"She's trying to stand on her own. We can't take that from her."
Ruhi nodded slowly.
"That's true… but we still shouldn't be careless."
A brief silence settled over the room.
Then Minji looked toward the door without even realizing it.
"Since she came back… haven't you all noticed that she's different?"
Sophia raised a brow.
"Different?"
"More confident."
Minji's voice softened.
"It's been five days since we returned from Seoul, and every single day she's gone out looking for jobs. She's trying so hard to build something with her own hands."
A small smile touched her lips.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
She looked at the others.
"Shouldn't we let her?"
Hana suddenly smirked.
"Yeah… we know she's been going out alone for job searching for the last five days."
Minji looked at her suspiciously.
"But it's funny…" Hana continued, "how every time Zoya leaves the house, someone else leaves at almost exactly the same time."
Ruhi immediately covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
"And somehow," Hana added dramatically, "five minutes after Zoya comes back… that same person returns too."
Sophia slowly turned toward Minji with a knowing smile.
Minji visibly stiffened.
"Guys—"
"So it was you."
Hana crossed her arms triumphantly.
"I knew it."
Ruhi laughed.
"You were following her?"
"I was not following her."
"Minji."
Minji sighed.
"…I was just making sure she was okay."
Hana's grin widened.
"Exactly."
Minji looked away, suddenly very interested in fixing her bag strap.
Because it was true.
For the past five days, Zoya had gone out alone every morning.
And every time…
Minji had quietly followed.
Not too close.
Never close enough for Zoya to notice.
Because Minji didn't want to damage the confidence Zoya was trying so hard to rebuild by making her feel watched or protected every second.
But deep inside…
Minji was still afraid.
Afraid Ji-won might try to hurt Zoya again.
Afraid she might arrive one second too late.
That fear had never really left her.
And the worst part?
Zoya had found out.
Today.
Before leaving, she had firmly stopped Minji.
"Don't follow me this time."
Her voice had been soft…
but serious enough that Minji couldn't ignore it.
And right now, Minji couldn't risk upsetting her.
Not today.
Not after Zoya had looked at her with that steady expression—as if she wasn't asking Minji to protect her.
She was asking her to trust her.
So Minji stayed silent.
Trying to look calm.
While inside…
the worry still refused to leave.
"I'm calling her. Hurry up—the cab is here."
Minji stepped outside first, the others following closely behind.
The evening streets were already crowded with fans heading toward the Asiad district.
Purple banners.
Glowing signs.
Lightsticks everywhere.
Busan was fully alive tonight.
Minji immediately called Zoya.
The line connected after a moment.
"Hello?"
"Zoya, where are you?" Minji asked the second she heard her voice.
At the bus stop, Zoya adjusted the strap of her bag and looked up at the station sign.
"I'm at the Sports Complex Station bus stop… near Exit 9."
Minji instantly looked up.
Hana, Ruhi, and Sophia moved closer.
Ruhi blinked.
"She's here?"
Minji looked toward the road leading to the station.
"You're nearby."
"I know," Zoya replied. "I just got here."
"Then don't go back home."
There was a pause.
"What?"
"Meet us on the way," Minji said as she opened the cab door. "You're literally next to the arena. Why would you go home alone?"
"But I don't even have a ticket."
Zoya was clearly searching for a reason not to go.
Sophia leaned closer to Minji and whispered something into her ear, looking almost ready to cling to her shoulder.
Minji shot her a sharp look.
Sophia immediately bit her lip and gave her an apologetic little smile.
"Jeon J already arranged everything," Minji said.
Zoya went quiet.
Minji continued.
"He told Jae earlier that if we came, she should hand us the guest passes."
"Guest passes?" Zoya repeated softly.
"Yeah!" Hana called loudly enough for her voice to reach the phone. "Wow, our protocol tickets are basically waiting for us."
Ruhi grinned.
"And if you try going home alone right now, we're dragging you back ourselves."
That finally made Zoya laugh.
A real laugh.
Minji felt her shoulders relax slightly.
"Where are you?" she asked.
Zoya looked toward the approaching bus.
She had already decided.
Why upset the people she loved when they were only trying to include her?
Maybe, just this once, she could let them take care of her.
"We'll be there in two minutes," Minji said.
"Okay."
By then, the bus had arrived.
The doors opened.
People stepped forward one after another and climbed aboard.
But Zoya remained where she was.
She watched everyone get on.
Then the doors closed.
And she let the bus leave without her.
Because tonight…
she chose her friends.
Friends who had done everything for her.
Friends who protected her in ways they thought she didn't notice…
but she always did.
Minji—
who quietly followed behind her every day but never walked beside her, afraid that being too obvious might break the confidence Zoya was trying so hard to rebuild.
Hana and Ruhi—
who kept finding excuses between classes to leave their department and circle around the area, simply to make sure Ji-won wasn't nearby.
After all, Ji-won had been their classmate too.
And Sophia and Minji—
who filled their time in class with random little conversations whenever they noticed Zoya becoming lost in her thoughts, trying to pull her back into the present.
So why would she leave behind people this precious?
Why keep pushing them away?
A soft breath escaped her lips.
No.
She would go.
Wherever they asked her to go.
She would go with them.
And from now on…
She would laugh with them.
Live with them.
Actually let herself breathe.
There had already been enough tears.
Enough sleepless nights.
Enough pain carried in silence.
She couldn't spend the rest of her life crying.
Happiness belonged to her too.
Yes…
Some things never came back.
Some things were never meant to stay.
But the things she had been given—
the people who were still standing beside her—
those deserved gratitude.
And she wanted to hold onto that.
No more looking only at what she had lost.
No more forgetting the blessings she still had.
And no more allowing pain to make her ungrateful.
Her eyes softened as she looked toward the sky.
A quiet prayer settled inside her heart.
She didn't want to disappoint Allah by drowning forever in sadness.
She wanted to trust.
To be thankful.
To keep walking forward.
And for the first time in a long while…
that didn't feel impossible.
So when Minji's cab finally turned the corner—
Zoya smiled softly…
and stepped toward them.
The entire Asiad district looked almost unreal.
Fans crowded the sidewalks.
Street vendors sold drinks and unofficial banners.
Large digital screens surrounding the stadium displayed TBS visuals.
Zoya's bag still hung over one shoulder.
Her hair moved gently in the evening breeze.
She looked tired after spending the entire day running around for interviews…
But she was happy.
Ruhi opened the cab door first.
"There she is!"
Hana stepped out right after her.
"You seriously thought we'd let you go home?"
Sophia reached Zoya and gently fixed a loose strand of hair.
"And miss this concert? Impossible."
Zoya smiled.
But Minji noticed the exhaustion still lingering in her eyes.
She stepped in front of her.
"You okay?"
Zoya nodded quietly.
"The interview went well."
"That's good."
Minji held her gaze for another second.
"And now, no more going around alone."
Zoya smiled faintly.
"Minji—"
"I'm serious."
Ruhi dramatically interrupted them.
"Please continue this protective emotional conversation later because if we're late, I will personally cry."
The tension broke immediately.
They all laughed.
By the VIP guest entrance, Jae was already standing near the side gate, checking his phone.
The moment he saw them, he lifted a hand.
"There you are."
He reached into a black pass holder and handed them five official guest lanyards.
"Jeon J told me earlier that if Minji and the others arrived, I was to give these to you immediately."
Ruhi stared at the pass in her hand as if she couldn't believe it.
Sophia smiled.
Hana looked ready to scream.
And Zoya stopped for half a second.
Her eyes fell on Jeon J's name printed across the backstage guest card.
Jae noticed.
A knowing smile appeared on his face.
"He made sure you'd all get in safely."
The lights around the stadium suddenly brightened.
A massive wave of cheering rose from inside.
TBS was about to start.
Minji looked at the girls.
Then at Zoya.
"Ready?"
Zoya smiled softly.
"Minji… I'm here with all of you, but I don't want to go inside the stadium."
Minji looked at her.
"I have assignment work to finish. If it's allowed… can I sit backstage?"
Minji gave her a look—slightly strict, slightly worried.
But she didn't force her.
Instead, she turned toward Jae.
Jae nodded.
Yes.
Zoya could stay backstage.
Minji exhaled.
"Fine. Go with Jae. We'll go to our seats."
The group slowly started moving toward the entrance.
Jae walked beside Zoya.
Then, after a few steps, he held out his hand.
"Give me the pass."
Zoya looked at the lanyard still in her hand.
"What will you do with it?"
"Nothing. It's useless now," Jae replied casually.
Zoya frowned slightly.
"And if someone else uses it instead?"
Jae looked at her, confused.
Zoya didn't explain.
Instead, she simply said,
"Wait here. I'll come back."
Before he could react, she turned around and walked back outside—
toward the same road they had just come from.
Jae immediately followed.
Outside the Busan stadium, the atmosphere was even more intense.
Lights flashed everywhere.
Fans rushed toward the entrances.
Security tightened as the opening time approached.
Jae stayed a few steps behind Zoya, watching as people around them began recognizing him.
Whispers spread.
That was Jeon J's PA.
But Zoya ignored everything.
She kept looking around.
Five minutes later, she returned.
But this time…
She wasn't alone.
A young couple stood beside her.
They looked nervous and shy, holding hands tightly.
Jae's eyes widened.
Zoya leaned closer and spoke quietly.
"They're newly married. It's their honeymoon."
She glanced at the couple.
"The husband wanted to bring his wife to the TBS concert as a gift, but he couldn't afford the tickets."
Then she looked at Jae.
"So I gave them the guest pass."
Jae froze.
His mouth fell slightly open.
"You… gave Jeon J's guest pass to them?"
Zoya nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Jae immediately shook his head.
"We can't take them inside like this—"
Zoya's eyes became firm.
"Why not?"
"It's a single-pass system. You brought two people—"
"The pass is mine."
Her voice was calm.
But there was no room for argument.
"I decide what to do with it."
Jae stared at her.
Zoya continued,
"Stop making excuses. The opening announcement is starting."
She glanced toward the stadium entrance.
"Let them in."
The couple stood silently, confused but hopeful.
Jae hesitated again.
"Zoya… Jeon J—"
"I'll talk to Teahun later."
That stopped him.
For a moment, Jae simply stared at her.
Then he let out a stressed breath.
Finally, he gave in.
He took the couple toward the entrance.
Zoya stayed behind for a moment.
Then she called after him.
"One more thing."
Jae stopped and turned.
Zoya looked at him seriously.
"Where exactly can I sit backstage?"
She lifted her laptop slightly.
"I need to finish my assignment."
Jae stared at her.
"Wait a minute."
Then he followed the couple inside.
A few minutes later, he returned.
He motioned toward a side corridor.
"Follow me."
The moment Zoya stepped backstage, the atmosphere completely changed.
The deafening roar of the crowd became distant.
Staff members rushed through the corridors wearing earpieces, checking schedules and communicating with one another.
Lights.
Cables.
Screens.
Equipment.
Everything felt like controlled chaos.
Jae guided her through several restricted corridors until they reached a quiet side-stage viewing area.
It wasn't the dressing room.
It wasn't part of the main artist area.
Instead, it was a small production-side balcony overlooking part of the stage—
and, most importantly, a passageway where the artists would walk during entrances and exits.
Jae stopped.
"You can sit here."
Zoya looked around.
A small table.
A chair.
Quiet enough to work.
Perfect.
She nodded softly.
"This is fine."
Jae still looked worried.
"Don't move from here."
Zoya had already opened her laptop.
"I won't."
Then, without even looking up, she casually added,
"And I need tickets for the next two days too."
Jae froze mid-step.
"…What?"
Zoya continued typing.
"Minji and the others will come again."
She glanced up briefly.
"So I'll need access."
Jae stared at her in disbelief.
Before he could say anything—
a deafening sound erupted from inside the stadium.
The opening announcement began.
The crowd roared.
The lights dimmed.
TBS was about to appear.
Jae exhaled sharply and finally left.
Zoya remained backstage.
Calmly.
She opened her laptop again.
And started working.
Then—
the stage lights exploded.
The crowd screamed.
TBS appeared on stage.
From where Zoya sat, she couldn't see everything clearly.
But she could hear it.
The screams.
The cheers.
The thunderous energy rolling through the stadium.
For a moment, her fingers stopped above the keyboard.
She looked toward the stage.
A small smile slowly appeared on her lips.
"So this is what everyone was waiting for…"
And for the first time that evening…
She simply listened.
To be continued…
Regards,
ZK💌