Lingering Tension

As the security guard led Hana away, her mind raced with the realization. She had been dragged out of a restricted area by none other than Kai, the same guy she'd encountered last night under strange circumstances. And now, the dots were connecting: he was one of Lumina's members.

But there was no time to dwell on it. The guard wasn't letting go, and Hana's patience was wearing thin.

"Excuse me!" she called out sharply, trying to twist out of his grip. "I can walk just fine on my own!"

The guard, clearly used to handling eager fans, didn't slow down. They were already nearing the exit when, from around the corner, a voice cut through the hallway.

"Hana?"

Hana's head whipped around, spotting Soojin weaving through the crowd, her face flushed with excitement. The moment she saw Hana in the guard's hold, her smile faltered.

"What's going on? Why are you with security?" Soojin gasped, rushing over.

Before Hana could answer, Kai appeared at the hallway's end, walking in long, deliberate strides with Min-soo trailing behind. Hana felt a wave of heat rise to her face. This was already mortifying enough without her friend's idol crushes watching the whole scene.

"Hana, are you okay?" Soojin asked, her voice filled with concern. She looked over her shoulder, noticing Kai approaching. "Wait, isn't that Kai?"

Hana groaned. "Yes, yes, I know who he is now. I just need to get out of here."

Kai stopped a few feet away, his unreadable gaze fixed on Hana. The guard hesitated, sensing the tension in the air. Min-soo, ever the diplomat, stepped forward with a small smile.

"There's no need to call security," Min-soo said, glancing at Kai with a raised eyebrow. "She just wandered into the wrong area, right?"

Kai's jaw tightened but he nodded slowly, waving the guard off. The security officer released Hana's arm and stepped back.

Hana rubbed her wrist, glaring at Kai. "Thanks for making things way more complicated than they needed to be."

Kai met her glare with an impassive expression. "You shouldn't have been there."

Soojin, however, had other concerns. "Oh my gosh, Hana! You met Kai? And Min-soo? This is crazy!" She was practically bouncing on her toes, looking between her friend and the idols. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it wasn't intentional!" Hana snapped, flustered. "I just got lost after the performance, and then this happened." She threw an accusatory glance at Kai.

Min-soo let out a soft chuckle, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "It sounds like a misunderstanding. Kai can be a little intense when it comes to rules."

Soojin nodded rapidly, stars practically shining in her eyes. "He's just doing his job! Right, Kai?"

Kai shot Soojin a brief glance, the corners of his lips twitching slightly, but he said nothing. Hana, however, wasn't amused. She crossed her arms, eyeing Kai with frustration.

"So what now? Are you going to drag me out in handcuffs?" she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Min-soo raised his hands in mock surrender. "No need for that! How about we just call it even? You head back to the auditorium, and we forget this ever happened."

Soojin gasped, clutching Hana's arm. "Oh, yes! That sounds perfect. Let's go, Hana. I can't believe this—what a story we'll have to tell!"

Hana sighed, shooting one last look at Kai before turning to follow Soojin. As she walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the last time she would cross paths with Kai.

Behind her, Min-soo leaned toward Kai, his voice low but teasing. "Looks like you made quite the impression on her."

Kai's expression remained stoic, but his eyes flicked briefly toward Hana's retreating figure before he turned away.

"Let's get back to rehearsal," he muttered.

As Hana followed Soojin back toward the auditorium, she could still feel the heat of Kai's stare burning into her back. She bit down on her lip, still fuming over how easily everything had spiraled out of control.

"Hana, you just met Kai and Min-soo in person! Do you realize how crazy that is?" Soojin chattered excitedly beside her. "You don't even know how lucky you are!"

Hana let out a frustrated sigh. "Lucky? Seriously, Soojin? I got dragged by security and almost kicked out. I wouldn't call that lucky."

Soojin waved her off, eyes still glowing with excitement. "Oh, come on! You've met them now— how many people can say that? Plus, Kai! He's usually so distant from fans, and you got him to talk to you! I mean, he was serious, but still…"

Hana raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Yeah, well, I'm not a fan of Lumina, remember? So this whole thing is more annoying than exciting."

Soojin paused mid-step and stared at Hana in disbelief. "I know you're not a fan yet, but after this? How can you not be interested now? They're talented, good-looking, and obviously mysterious!" She nudged Hana with her elbow. "Come on, admit it. You're curious about them now, aren't you?"

Hana rolled her eyes, crossing her arms defensively. "Curious, maybe. But I'm not about to join the fan club just because of this."

Soojin frowned slightly, but a sly smile played at her lips. "We'll see about that. You can pretend not to care, but I know you, Hana. I bet you're going to look them up when we get home."

Hana scoffed. "I doubt it. One awkward encounter doesn't mean I'm suddenly interested in their music or their lives."

As they reached the crowded entrance to the auditorium, the loud chatter of fans filled the space, drowning out their conversation. Soojin tugged on Hana's arm, pulling her through the throng of people as they found their seats again.

The lights were dimming, signaling that the next part of the show was about to begin. Hana sank into her chair, relieved that at least the chaos from earlier was over. Yet, as much as she tried to relax, her mind kept drifting back to Kai's intense gaze, his strange reaction to her, and the undeniable fact that he knew something about her.

"What was that about last night?" Hana whispered to herself, remembering Kai's cryptic words. She couldn't recall meeting him before, and it bothered her that he seemed so certain they had crossed paths.

The stage lights flared on, and Soojin immediately perked up, ready for the next performance. Lumina was set to come back out soon, and the air was thick with anticipation. Hana, on the other hand, tried to focus on anything else, refusing to let her thoughts linger on Kai or the rest of Lumina.

"Enjoy the show, Soojin," Hana muttered, leaning back into her seat as the music started up.

But despite her best efforts to ignore it, a nagging curiosity began to gnaw at the edges of her mind.