* * *
The dorm was a spacious, south-facing apartment in the heart of Seoul, the kind of place that consistently broke records for the highest transaction price in the city.
Early in their debut, the members had shared rooms in a cramped space near the company—the same one they used as trainees.
However, I understood they moved here immediately after their first album became a massive hit. The interior was sleekly finished, featuring five rooms to accommodate everyone.
With its top-tier security, it was a popular residence for various celebrities.
Seunghyun’s room was the largest, complete with a private walk-in closet and bathroom.
Initially, this layout was likely a gesture of respect for the leader, but now that he was the only Omega in the group, having an internal bathroom felt like a stroke of luck.
“Just leave the bags there; I’ll unpack tomorrow.”
“Forget it. I’ll do it.”
Yijeong gave a small smile and closed the door as he stepped out.
“Alright, then please get some rest.”
No matter how large the living room was, it was only a few steps from the sofa to Seunghyun’s room.
Despite that, Yijeong had insisted on carrying Seunghyun’s luggage all the way inside.
Yijeong didn’t leave until he stubbornly confirmed that Seunghyun had safely changed his clothes. Talk about overprotective.
Now that he was out of the hospital, he felt at a loss wondering how long he’d have to endure this kind of treatment.
Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated.
Light leaked through the shattered screen.
Another short vibration followed, and a new message appeared.
It was from an unsaved number, asking how he was doing.
After a moment, the glowing screen went dark.
He wasn’t in the mood to reply.
He still wasn’t sure what kind of face he should make when facing Han Kangwoo.
With a “whatever happens, happens” mindset, Seunghyun tossed the phone onto the bed and flopped down.
‘The excuse that my phone is broken should be enough.’
The room was filled to the brim with gifts from fans.
It wasn’t messy, as everything was organized neatly, but the storage cabinets lining the walls were packed tight to accommodate as many items as possible.
Most of the gifts filling the room were handmade by fans.
However, Joo Seunghyun had never once revealed his room to the public.
‘Why?’
It was certainly nice enough to show off.
Cherishing fan gifts like this would have surely earned him points as an idol.
‘So his love for the fans wasn’t just for show.’
Did he think it didn’t fit his clean, refined image?
Or did he simply not want to appear overly obsessed with the fans’ affection?
Come to think of it, Joo Seunghyun used to be very sensitive about the other members entering his room.
Well, that didn’t matter much to the current Seunghyun.
Rolling onto his side, Seunghyun reached for a framed picture sitting preciously by the bed.
It was fan art meticulously depicting all the members of Halo.
It wasn’t very large, but the immense effort put into it was obvious at a glance.
Seunghyun stared blankly at the frame.
He had been swept along by the chaos and ended up in the dorm, but as for following in Joo Seunghyun’s footsteps and being an idol… well.
Pitying the man was one thing; Seunghyun living as an idol was another matter entirely.
He hated to admit it, but Seunghyun was someone who feared change.
However,
‘Why is this frame so polished? Just how much did he stroke it?’
That didn’t mean Seunghyun was the type of person to easily throw away a career that someone else had cherished so deeply.
The news of Seunghyun manifesting as an Omega, the sasaeng attack, and the resumption of Halo’s activities kept the entertainment world buzzing every day.
The members began warming up for full-scale activities by handling postponed schedules, but Seunghyun’s daily life was boringly repetitive.
Trips to the hospital three times a week were his only outings.
The pheromone issue was resolved, but because his broken body was still recovering, he had to attend consistent rehabilitation sessions.
Whenever he climbed into the van with trembling legs after rehab, a manager and at least one member would be waiting for him.
Every time they asked, “Did it go well?” with sparkling eyes, he felt uncomfortable at the obvious expectation.
The expectation of wanting to stand on stage together soon… that was a kind of emotion Seunghyun felt he couldn’t repay.
‘I really have no intention of being an idol or anything.’
There was no way the soul of a thirty-year-old worker who had lived a rough life could accept such a fate. He still hadn’t adapted to the soft, gentle tone that naturally came out when he spoke, often followed by the urge to swear—so he usually kept his mouth shut.
Among the things he couldn’t adapt to was his physical condition.
When living on daily wages, he was often called for manual labor.
Thanks to manifesting as a tall and physically superior Alpha in his previous life, he had never found physical work difficult. And yet!
Seunghyun stared blankly at the water bottle in his hand.
“…….”
He had heard it wasn’t a matter of strength, but rather a neurological issue caused by the pheromones.
Every time he tried to apply force, his fingertips tingled.
As he struggled to open it, Eunwoo, unable to watch any longer, unscrewed the cap and handed it to him.
“Why? Hyung, is something wrong?”
“……No.”
To think he had to exert himself just to open a water bottle.
This body was pretty, but it was trash.
Feeling annoyed, Seunghyun gulped down the water and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
As soon as he returned, Seunghyun flopped onto the bed with his newly purchased phone.
He spent most of his remaining time searching for traces of Joo Seunghyun’s past.
-Extremely late Halo fan sign review feat. Joo Seunghyun is… guilty.. ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
-When will Seunghyun return? Honestly, Seunghyun probably wants to see us more than we want to see him.
Things like that.
He had seen Joo Seunghyun’s love for his fans with his own eyes, so he thought looking through the fans’ perspectives on the internet might reveal something new… but surprisingly, he felt nothing.
He simply felt like he was observing the life of a stranger he had no interest in.
What would Joo Seunghyun have thought?
Seunghyun stopped scrolling at the thought that crossed his mind.
“Sigh…”
It wasn’t easy to stop thinking about him.
He felt as if he had already assimilated with the man to a significant degree.
He felt awkward being himself instead of ‘Joo Seunghyun,’ and unconsciously kept trying to fit everything into the original owner’s mold.
Gradually, he began to think, judge, and act based on the other man’s standards.
Because of this, those around him didn’t seem to notice anything strange beyond the idea that his “memories were a bit confused due to the medication’s side effects.”
A sudden chill ran down his spine.
Joo Seunghyun was already dead.
Then what about himself?
‘If I truly become Joo Seunghyun, then what happens to the real me? …Will anyone even remember me?’
A vague fear made him feel like he was suffocating.
Even when he searched his own name on the internet, all he found were things about the idol, Joo Seunghyun.
Since he hadn’t used social media in his original life, there were no records left behind.
Strength drained from his hand.
Thud.
The phone fell to the floor with a dull sound.
‘It’s all futile…’
The screen, facing upward, stayed lit for a long time.
It was filled with comments worrying about and cheering for Joo Seunghyun.
Lucky bastard.
He believed that Joo Seunghyun must still remain somewhere inside him.
Otherwise, there was no reason to keep feeling this way.
“Are you watching? So many people are rooting for you.”
He wanted to show this to the man who had feared his fall from stardom more than death itself.
Even if his end had been lonely and painful, he hoped he could at least take the love he received with him.
‘Seunghyun-ah, you must always be happy. Let’s be happy for a long time, more than anyone else.’
The last comment he saw flashed through his mind.
His chest throbbed at the words of a faceless stranger wishing for his happiness.
As if that were a signal, emotions that didn’t belong to him began to surge.
‘Eh?’
His cheeks grew damp.
When he reached up to check, his hand came away wet with tears.
‘Joo Seunghyun’ was crying.
Seunghyun murmured softly.
“……Fine, just cry.”
And he let the tears flow.
* * *
