CHAPTER 45 — BACK WHERE SHE BUILT HERSELF
The mansion felt alive again.
—
Not just loud.
Not just busy.
—
Alive.
—
Jae walked through the hallway slowly, her suitcase already taken upstairs by staff.
—
Min-jae, Jisoo, and Sora were still talking behind her.
Arguing, actually.
—
"You literally ignored three calls—"
"I was busy—"
"You're always busy—"
—
She smiled faintly.
—
Same.
Nothing changed here either.
—
"…Stop fighting," she said without turning.
—
They didn't stop.
—
"See?" Sora pointed. "She agrees with me."
—
"I didn't say that."
—
Jae turned slightly.
"…I said stop."
—
Silence.
—
"…Okay," Jisoo muttered.
—
Min-jae smirked.
—
"…Still scary."
—
She rolled her eyes.
—
"…You missed it."
—
"…I didn't," he said quietly.
—
That stayed.
—
She didn't respond.
—
Just kept walking.
—
—
Later—
Her room.
—
Clean.
Minimal.
Exactly how she left it.
—
But something felt…
different.
—
Not the space.
—
Her.
—
She dropped onto the bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
—
Her phone buzzed.
—
Keifer.
—
She didn't hesitate.
—
"…Hi."
—
"…You landed?"
—
"…Yeah."
—
"…How is it?"
—
She looked around.
—
"…Same."
Pause.
"…But not really."
—
He understood that.
—
"…Good?"
—
"…Yeah."
—
A small pause.
—
"…I miss you."
—
She didn't even think before replying—
—
"…I know."
—
"…That's all?"
—
She smiled slightly.
—
"…I miss you too."
—
Silence.
—
Comfortable.
—
Then—
"…Did they come?" he asked.
—
"…All of them."
—
"…Of course."
—
She let out a quiet breath.
—
"…I'll call you later."
—
"…You better."
—
—
She hung up.
—
But didn't move.
—
Because everything was shifting.
—
Not breaking.
—
Just…
aligning.
—
—
The next morning—
—
There was no slow start.
—
No easing into it.
—
Because the moment Jae walked into the studio—
—
everything snapped into place.
—
"Finally."
—
Jisoo handed her a file.
—
"Schedule's packed."
—
Sora added—
"Interviews start tomorrow."
—
Min-jae leaned against the console.
—
"…You ready?"
—
Jae didn't hesitate.
—
"…Always."
—
—
Hours passed.
—
Recording.
Editing.
Rewriting.
—
She wasn't distracted.
Not even once.
—
Focused.
Sharp.
—
Different.
—
At one point—
Min-jae stopped watching the screen.
—
And watched her instead.
—
"…You've changed."
—
She didn't look up.
—
"…Everyone keeps saying that."
—
"…Because it's true."
—
She paused.
—
Then continued writing.
—
"…Good."
—
—
CHAPTER 47 — LATE NIGHT CALLS
That night—
—
The mansion was quiet.
—
Too quiet.
—
Jae sat by the window again.
Phone in hand.
—
She didn't text.
—
She called.
—
"…You're calling first now?"
—
"…Don't get used to it."
—
He laughed softly.
—
"…How was your day?"
—
"…Busy."
—
"…Good busy?"
—
"…Yeah."
—
A pause.
—
"…You sound tired."
—
"…I'm not."
—
"…Liar."
—
She smiled slightly.
—
"…Maybe a little."
—
Silence.
—
Then—
"…I wish you were here."
—
The words slipped out.
—
She didn't take them back.
—
On the other end—
he didn't speak immediately.
—
"…Say that again."
—
"…No."
—
"…Jae."
—
"…I said I wish you were here."
—
A quiet breath.
—
"…Soon."
—
That one word—
—
felt like a promise.
—
—
Days passed fast.
—
Too fast.
—
Schedules tighter.
Crowds bigger.
—
And one night—
—
Jae finally slowed down.
—
Just for a second.
—
Sitting alone in her room.
—
Phone in hand.
—
Not calling.
Not texting.
—
Just…
thinking.
—
A knock.
—
Min-jae.
—
"…You okay?"
—
"…Yeah."
—
He didn't move.
—
"…That wasn't convincing."
—
She sighed.
—
"…I'm fine."
—
He stepped in anyway.
—
"…You've been pushing yourself."
—
"…I have work."
—
"…You're human."
—
She looked at him.
—
"…I'm okay."
—
A pause.
—
"…Does he know?" Min-jae asked quietly.
—
She froze slightly.
—
"…Know what?"
—
"…Everything."
—
Silence.
—
"…Yeah."
—
He nodded.
—
"…Good."
—
That was it.
—
No tension.
—
No jealousy.
—
Just…
The next day—
—
Interviews.
Lights.
Cameras.
—
"…So, what inspires your music now?"
—
Jae smiled.
—
"…Life."
—
"Any special someone?"
—
A pause.
—
She didn't say his name.
—
But she didn't deny it either.
—
"…Maybe."
—
The internet would explode.
—
She knew that.
—
But she didn't care.
—
—
Later—
Her phone buzzed.
—
Keifer:
maybe???
—
She laughed.
—
shut up
—
Keifer:
so it's me
—
don't be confident
—
Keifer:
too late
—
She shook her head.
—
But she was smiling.
—
—
Night—
—
Jae stood on her balcony.
—
City lights below.
—
Everything moving fast.
—
But her thoughts—
clear.
—
Her phone buzzed.
—
Call.
—
"…Hi."
—
"…I saw the interview."
—
"…Of course you did."
—
"…'Maybe'?"
—
She smiled.
—
"…Did you want me to say your name?"
—
"…Yes."
—
"…Too bad."
—
He laughed.
—
Then—
silence.
—
"…When are you coming back?" he asked.
—
She looked out at the city.
—
"…Soon."
—
A pause.
—
"…Good."
—
Another silence.
—
Then—
"…Jae."
—
"…Yeah?"
—
"…This—us—"
—
He didn't finish.
—
He didn't need to.
—
"…I know."
—
Because she did.
—
No confusion.
No hesitation.
—
Just—
something real.
—
—
She leaned against the railing.
—
"…Wait for me."
—
"…Always."
—
—
The line didn't end anything.
—
It started something.
—
And this time—
—
neither of them was walking away.
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So sorry for the short chapter by chapter 50 I'll end it