Chapter 9: Rumors Begin

[POV. Naina]

The day started like any other.

I woke up to the soft hum of my phone vibrating on the nightstand. Groggy, I reached for it, rubbing my eyes as I glanced at the screen. My notifications were going crazy—messages, missed calls, social media alerts.

My heart skipped a beat. What was going on?

Still half-asleep, I unlocked my phone. And then—

I froze.

There, right in front of me, was a blurry photo.

A tall guy in a hoodie and mask walking beside a girl. Their faces weren't fully visible, but anyone who knew Kilin well enough would recognize his posture, the way he carried himself. And the girl…

Was me.

A sharp chill ran down my spine as my eyes darted to the headline.

"Eclipse's Kilin Spotted on a Secret Date? Who is the Mystery Girl?"

No. No, no, no.

I shot up in bed, my heart pounding in my chest as I scrolled through the comments. Each one was worse than the last.

— "Who is she???"

— "This better not be what I think it is."

— "Kilin wouldn't date. He loves his fans too much."

— "Maybe it's his cousin?"

— "She looks foreign… a trainee, maybe?"

— "She better stay away from him."

My fingers trembled as I tightened my grip on the phone.

How did this happen?

We had been careful. We always made sure no one saw us, avoided crowded places, stayed in the shadows. Kilin always wore a mask and a cap. I never called him by his name in public.

But somehow… someone had caught us.

And now, the entire world was watching.

I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting.

This wasn't just a simple misunderstanding. It was a full-blown scandal.

My hands felt clammy as I typed a message.

Naina: Kilin… have you seen it?

I waited. No response.

I bit my lip, anxiety gnawing at me.

Maybe he was asleep? Maybe his agency had already confiscated his phone? Maybe…

No. I shook my head, pushing away the worst thoughts. I needed to stay calm.

I tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail.

I clenched my fists, my mind racing. What should I do? What could I do?

Because right now, it felt like the entire world had turned against me.

[POV: Kilin]

My phone had been buzzing nonstop since morning.

I knew even before looking.

The damage was already done.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the screen as messages flooded in. My agency had already sent multiple texts, demanding I come in immediately.

I could imagine it now—my manager pacing back and forth, higher-ups arguing over how to handle the situation, PR teams working on a statement.

And the fans…

I opened social media, and my stomach dropped.

Thousands of comments.

Anger. Confusion. Betrayal.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling shakily.

I knew this would happen one day. I always knew. The life of an idol meant no privacy, no personal relationships. One mistake, one photo, and your entire world could crumble overnight.

And now, I had dragged Naina into it.

My phone buzzed again. A message from her.

Naina: Kilin… have you seen it?

I stared at the screen, my fingers hovering over the keyboard.

What could I even say?

I hesitated before finally calling her.

She picked up on the first ring.

Her voice was small, nervous.

Naina: "Is this… really bad?"

I sighed, rubbing my temple.

Kilin: "Yeah. It is."

Silence.

I could hear her breathing on the other end. I hated this. Hated that she was being dragged into this mess. Hated that I couldn't protect her from it.

Naina: "What do we do now?"

I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my voice steady.

Kilin: "My company will handle it."

It was the only answer I could give. Because the truth was, I didn't know what to do.

There was no way to make this disappear completely. No way to undo the damage. The only thing we could do now was wait and see how bad it would get.

And I had a feeling it was about to get much, much worse.

[POV. Naina]

Hours passed.

I tried staying off my phone, but the temptation was too strong. Every time I checked, it was worse. More people had seen the photos. More rumors were spreading.

And then, a new post surfaced.

"Kilin's agency responds: 'The person in the photos is just a close acquaintance. Kilin is focusing on his career.'"

I stared at it.

Close acquaintance.

So this was how they were handling it. Deny, downplay, dismiss.

I should've expected it. I should've known they wouldn't admit to anything.

And yet… something about those words stung.

I shouldn't care. I really shouldn't.

But a small part of me whispered… was that all I was to him?

I shook my head, pushing the thought away. No, I knew the truth. Kilin was just doing what he had to do to survive in this industry. This wasn't about me. This was about protecting his career.

Still, it hurt.

A new notification popped up. A private message from an unknown account.

"Stay away from Kilin."

My breath hitched.

Then another.

"Who do you think you are?"

"You're ruining his life."

"We'll find out who you are. Just wait."

I felt a chill crawl down my spine.

I had seen fan obsession before, but now… now it was directed at me.

I wanted to cry. To disappear. To go back in time and stop myself from ever meeting him.

But then—

Another message appeared.

From Kilin.

Kilin: Don't look at the comments. Don't let them get to you.

My eyes burned as I stared at his words. He knew. He knew what I was going through.

And even now, even with the world crashing down on him, he was still thinking about me.

I took a deep breath and typed back.

Naina: I'm scared.

A few seconds passed before he replied.

Kilin: Me too.

I closed my eyes, gripping my phone tightly.

Whatever happened next, I knew one thing for sure.

This was just the beginning.

And I had no idea if we would survive it.