The city was quieter here, just a sleepy corner of Seoul tucked behind a row of shops that smelled like sweet bread and roasted chestnuts. Jaerin had taken me to some little rooftop café—hidden away, too pretty, too soft—like he knew I needed to breathe.
We sat cross-legged on a plaid blanket under string lights, half-drunk on sugary drinks and sun-warmed strawberries. The cicadas buzzed somewhere far below, but it didn't matter. Not with the way his fingers brushed mine on the blanket between us. Not with the way he kept looking at me like I was still a question he wanted to spend forever answering.
His pinkie curled around mine—just barely.
I pretended not to notice. Then I did.
He didn't move it away.
"You know," he said, voice lower now, "I wasn't avoiding you."
I didn't say anything.
"I mean—I was. But not because I didn't want to talk to you. That night..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I panicked."
"You ghosted me for two days."
"I know."
My heart was too full. My hands were too still.
He exhaled, letting his pinkie slide forward until his hand was wrapped fully around mine. "I thought maybe you hated me for it."
"I didn't," I said, and I meant it. "But I could've."
His laugh was quiet, relieved, and he looked down at our hands like he still couldn't believe I hadn't let go.
A breeze swept through the garden. I wanted to lean into him. He was close enough that I could count the moles on his neck, the flutter of his lashes as he looked up.
"You were gonna kiss me," I said.
"Yeah," he whispered.
And for one heartbeat, we leaned closer.
But then my phone rang.
The sound shattered everything—too loud, too sharp—and I jumped like I'd been caught stealing something sacred.
Cecil's name glowed across the screen.
My stomach dropped.
"Sorry," I said, squeezing his hand once before letting go. "It's my mom."
I stepped away from the blanket and answered.
"Mom?"
Her voice was shaking. "Dwyn—baby, you need to sit down."
I was already sitting.
"What happened?"
"It's your father." Her breath caught. "He's been poisoned."
I couldn't breathe.
"What?"
"He's alive. But it's bad. We think it was deliberate. We don't know who—"
My blood ran cold. "I'm coming."
"Dwyn—"
"I'm coming home."
I ended the call and turned around slowly.
Jaerin was already on his feet.
"Dwyn."
"I have to go."
"I'm coming with you."
"No—" I crossed the space between us. "No, you can't."
"Why not?"
You're in TROJAN, Jaerin. You leave now and you'll put your members at risk, your company—your contract—your concert in two days."
"I don't care."
"Well, I do," I snapped, louder than I meant to.
He froze.
I stepped closer, gentler now. "I do care. You don't have to prove anything to me."
"I don't want you to go alone."
"I won't be alone. I have my mom. I have my sisters."
"But—"
"I need you to stay."
We stared at each other, too close, too charged, like the moment would crack open if either of us moved wrong.
He leaned in again—closer, closer—and my heart climbed into my throat, but at the last second, I turned my head, pressing my forehead to his instead.
His breath hitched and I wrapped my arms around him as he folded into me like we'd done this a thousand times before.
When I pulled away, I smiled, even though my eyes were burning.
"I'll come back," I whispered.
"You better," he said, voice barely steady.
Then he kissed my hand—quick, soft, just above the knuckles—and I knew I'd be thinking about it the whole flight home.
------------------------
The elevator ride felt longer than it should've been. My heart hadn't stopped racing since the call, and my fingers still tingled faintly from where they'd been wrapped in Jaerin's just minutes ago. His scent still clung to me—peppermint and clove, familiar now in a way that made my chest ache.
I couldn't afford to think about him right now. Not with my dad... not with what Mom had said.
Poisoned.
The elevator dinged and the doors slid open to the top floor. The company building was quiet this late in the day, but a few staff members lingered—familiar faces I usually greeted with playful banter. Today, I gave them only nods. They seemed to understand from my expression not to push.
I knocked once on the door to Director Song's office before stepping in.
"Dwyn?" He looked up from his desk, brow furrowing. "You okay?"
I didn't sit. I couldn't.
"No. I need to request emergency leave. I just got a call—my dad's been... he's been poisoned. He's in the ICU back at hme."
Director Song leaned back, mouth pressed in a tight line. He'd always been decent to me, even during my short but rough trainee period. "Is he going to be okay?"
"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "But I need to be there. For him. For my mom."
He nodded slowly, rubbing his jaw.
"What about the schedule? The fansigning next week, the Inkigayo stage—"
"I'll be back before comeback promotions begin. I promise. Just... I need a few days."
For a moment, he hesitated. And then: "You've never asked for time off since debut. I'll clear it with the board. We'll reschedule what we can. Take care of your family, Dwyn."
My throat tightened. I bowed deeply, fists clenched at my sides.
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
As I turned to leave, I felt the weight of his gaze on me. "Tell your group personally. They'll want to hear it from you."
---
Back in the practice room, the other girls were still lounging on the floor, exhausted from rehearsal. Camille was scrolling through her phone, Naveah reading a BL manhwa I recognize as Jinx, Lulu humming absently, and Aya playing with an empty water bottle. I stood in the doorway, and all heads turned.
I didn't even get the words out before Rhea noticed the look on my face.
"Something's wrong," she said, standing. "What happened?"
"My dad's in the hospital," I said quietly. "He's been poisoned. I need to fly home tonight."
Gasps, quick intakes of breath. Yuna, stood too, eyes already glistening. "What do you need from us?"
"Just your support. I already talked to Director Song. He's handling the schedule."
"You'll keep us updated?" Aya asked.
"Of course."
We gathered in a circle—tight, warm, the way TITAN always was when things got hard. Yuna pulled me into a hug. "Family first, Dwyn. We'll cover for you till you're back."
I nodded, swallowing the burn in my throat.
As I left the room, I pulled my phone out and typed a quick message to Jaerin:
Leaving tonight. I'll call once I land. Thanks, for earlier. We should do that again sometime.