Chapter 4: The Quiet After

As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Asiya let out a slow breath she hadn't realized she was holding. The apartment was quiet again, save for the faint hum of the fridge and the ticking of the clock on the wall. She stood there for a moment, just breathing.

A strange mixture of relief and something else stirred inside her.

It wasn't that she hadn't enjoyed the conversation—it had been oddly natural, with Kian acting like a person rather than an idol. But she had been on edge the whole time—her mind cycling through the what-ifs. A stranger, a celebrity, suddenly in her space. She wasn't used to that.

She locked the door carefully, checked it twice, then wandered back into the living area. The empty plate and spoon sat on the table. She gathered them with a sigh and brought them to the sink, rinsing them under warm water.

Now the house, once filled with the warmth of conversation, felt eerily quiet. Asiya let out a small breath. She found herself observing the space, noticing how empty it felt now. Not in a bad way, but... lonely. She didn't think much about it at first, but now that he was gone, the silence seemed louder than before.

He's just another person, she thought, her mind replaying what Kian had said about running from fans. He didn't have the luxury of normal interactions like everyone else. He didn't get to just walk around. It was something you heard about, something you read, something you saw in the news. But seeing it firsthand—seeing the toll it took on someone... that felt different.

The weight of the realization settled in. She sat at the table, running her fingers along the edge. Her mind lingered on what he'd said about wanting to be normal, about wanting a break.

That must be hard... She bit her lip, feeling a pang of sympathy.

It wasn't something she had thought about while they were talking, but now that he was gone, she couldn't ignore it.

He couldn't just live a normal life, free from the noise and expectations.

Asiya stood up and shook her head, trying to shake off the thoughts. Enough. It's not my problem.

She walked to the living room, turned off the lights, and headed upstairs.

"I need to sleep. Tomorrow's another busy day, and I still have so much to do before the girls arrive".

With that, she closed her eyes and let the quietness take over.

Meanwhile – Kian's Return

Kian walked into the dorm, exhausted, hair messy under his cap. The lights inside were dim, and a couple of voices floated from the living room. His members were scattered around, casually chatting.

"There you are," Seo Han jae said, glancing up from the couch. "You're late."

"Where were you?" yu jin's voice rang out. "You missed all the fun."

Kian didn't waste any time kicking off his shoes, a tired sigh escaping his lips. "I was just out."

"You okay?" Shion asked, raising an eyebrow. "You look beat."

Kian ran a hand through his hair, trying to shake off the tension, and flopped down beside them, catching his breath. "Yeah. Was just... hiding from some fans. Had to disappear for a bit."

"They chased you all the way here?" han asked, his voice tinged with worry.

Kian smiled a little but didn't elaborate. "No, I hid in a place until they were gone. Found a quiet spot."

The members glanced at each other, then back at him. Kian could feel their eyes on him but chose to stay quiet.

"You sure you're okay?" Hyun woo asked.

Kian nodded, stretching. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

No one pressed further. They were used to it—fans catching them in random places, the chaos of hiding in plain sight. It was the life they had signed up for. It wasn't the first time one of them had to go through something like this, and it wouldn't be the last.

But none of them knew where he had actually been.

He didn't mention anything about Asiya. A small part of him wasn't sure what to make of it, but for now, he kept it to himself.

After a few more casual comments, Kian excused himself and went to his room. He quickly undressed, took a shower, and let the water wash away the tension from the night.

As he lay down in bed, the silence of the room enveloped him. His thoughts drifted back to Asiya—the way she looked at him, the quiet conversation they had shared. There was something different about her. He couldn't quite place it, but it felt... refreshing.

And then something hit him.

He didn't even know her name.

Kian blinked through the steam, lips parting slightly as he realized the truth. He had spent an entire hour in her home, eaten her food, listened to her talk about sunshine and olives and family...

And he didn't know her name.

A small laugh escaped him—surprised, a little frustrated, and weirdly intrigued.

"Seriously?" he muttered to himself.

He was sure of one thing—he wouldn't forget her face anytime soon.