Chapter 20 – The Dare Beneath the Silence
LIVE BROADCAST – "Behind the Gold: AUREUS Unfiltered" – Episode 2 BeginsCurrent Viewership: 31.6 million
[INTRO – STUDIO LIGHTS UP]
The LED panels flash. Gold confetti graphics swirl on screen.A new banner stretches across the screen:
"Episode 2: TRUTH or DARE – Choose Your Poison"
Jeon Mira is standing now. The energy has shifted—faster, brighter, trying to shake off the ghost of last episode's final answers. But even now, a hum of something unspoken lingers beneath the laughter.
Jeon Mira:"Welcome back to Behind the Gold: AUREUS Unfiltered! If you're still emotionally recovering from Episode 1, same. But today—we play dirty. That's right. Truth or Dare. Each member will pick. Each answer gets harder. No skips. No lies. No mercy."
The audience cheers.The members exchange glances—nervous, amused, a few visibly very suspicious.
[LIVE CHAT – TRANSLATED IN REAL TIME]@aureus_armory: THE DARES BETTER BE UNHINGED@kingshadow_jae: I need Jaeheon to pick dare. Just once. For science.@urhighnessminjae: If Minjae lies I will riot
[ROUND 1 – TRUTH OR DARE: RIN]
Jeon Mira: "Rin, you're up first. Truth or Dare?"
Rin: (grinning)"Dare."
Jeon Mira laughs and pulls a card from the new "DARE" deck."Text your last crush and say, 'I still think about you at midnight.' Screenshot or it didn't happen."
The crowd explodes. Rin turns pale.
Rin:"…Why did I choose dare."
He pulls out his phone, hesitates, groans, and then—
Rin:"Hyunjae-hyung, please look away."
Hyunjae:"What the—WHY?!"
[AUDIENCE REACTION – WILD LAUGHTER]
[ROUND 2 – MINJAE]
Minjae: "Truth."
Jeon Mira:"If you had to eliminate one AUREUS member from the group, who would it be?"
The air freezes.
Minjae: (deadpan)"Jaeheon. So he can finally sleep. Or feel something. Or get therapy."
Jaeheon: (without looking up)"Fair."
[LIVE CHAT]@minminxtruth: MINJAE IS SO REAL FOR THAT@ghostnote_harmony: why does this feel like a cry for help@shadowlacedgold: i volunteer as Jaeheon's therapist
[ROUND 3 – HYUNJAE]
Hyunjae picks dare. Ends up singing the chorus of their title track while doing chicken dance moves. The nation howls.
[ROUND 4 – SUNGCHAN]
Truth.
Jeon Mira:"What's one lie you've told the fans?"
Sungchan blushes.
"…I said I eat three meals a day. I don't. I forget. Sorry."
@sungsolstice: I KNEW IT@eatchanplease: WE'RE SENDING RICE COOKERS
[ROUND 5 – JAEHEON]
Jeon Mira clears her throat, card in hand. The mood is still reeling from the last answers. But she smiles, bright and steady, trying to anchor the room.
"Jaeheon. Truth or dare?"
The camera cuts to him.
He doesn't blink.
"Truth."
His voice is low. Smooth as still water. Unmoving.
Jeon Mira reads:
"What's something you wanted, but never had?"
A beat of silence.
Then, with no hesitation—
"Her."
That's it.
Just one word.
The kind that lands like a stone at the bottom of a well.
LIVE CHAT – TRANSLATED IN REAL TIME@glitchinggold: i literally stopped breathing@paintedobsession: "Her" — he's not even trying to be mysterious anymore@silverlinedshadows: he said it like it was the only answer possible
IN-STUDIO – PAUSE
Then laughter. Not mocking. Just stunned.
Soft, disbelieving chuckles ripple across the other members.
Minjae shakes his head, biting back a smile.
Eunjae: "Why'd you even ask that question?"
Rihan smirks, arms folded. "Yeah. Everyone already knows."
Yeonwoo: "Come on, he only has one answer. Ever."
Sungho (grinning): "Next time just say 'besides her,' or it doesn't count."
Even Jeon Mira can't help it. She snorts with laughter, covering her mouth.
Jeon Mira: "Okay, yeah—note to self: don't ask Jaeheon questions where 'her' is the only logical answer."
Minjae: "That was too easy. You handed him that one."
Jaeheon says nothing.
Just sits, silent and composed, the faintest shift in his gaze the only sign of thought. As if he's already drifted somewhere far away — back to the memory of her.
Back to the moment he never had.
[CAMERA – CLOSE-UP]
The gold lights dim behind them.
The air shifts.
And just like that, Episode 1 comes to a quiet, devastating end—with a single word:
Her.