The sun slowly dipped, nearly hidden behind the towering skyscrapers. In a bustling, noisy city, a young man with black hair sat at a bus stop. His eyes were shut, oblivious to his surroundings. A black mask covered part of his face, earbuds plugged into his ears, and a matching cap completed the look of someone who was once a star. His light faded as briefly as the twilight.
His chest still burned. He didn't know when it would end. He was sick of the media circus, the betrayals from every direction, and a trust that now felt hollow.
He unlocked his phone, which had been vibrating from countless notifications—anonymous accounts sending him message after message. He'd been ignoring them for days, even after sending a text to a former teammate. Messages from Chan Hee—and Darren—were left unopened.
Amidst the storm, he tried to keep his routine as a private dance teacher, just to survive. That evening, he was returning from a small, new studio he had rented on the outskirts of Seoul.
Once, as the leader of Dream Night, he had also taken pride in being the group's main dancer. Performing breakdance routines in the middle of concerts, or captivating solo stages—many had admired his talent—once.
He glanced at one of the notification bubbles. His chest wasn't strong enough to endure another negative article about Dream Night. Yet, among the messages, he unintentionally read one.
["Kyun Bin-ah, prove to us that you're still the leader of Dream Night. Say you won't go anywhere, even when the storm is swallowing you whole. If there's still a part of us in your heart, I'll never leave a single member behind. I believe in Jae Min Hyung, you, and Darren!"]
10:20 KST.
The last message from Chan Hee.
After reading it, Kyun Bin's hands trembled. Despite all the rumors, deep down, he still trusted Darren. He knew Darren better than the filthy media that had tarnished the name once shining alongside Dream Night.
He knew the situation had turned chaotic since the one-sided disbandment of Dream Night. The public had been served scandalous news about Darren with no clear source. Kyun Bin had even seen leaked photos of Darren visiting the DC building after the group's disbandment.
Kyun Bin took a deep breath.
From his Instagram feed, the algorithm showed notifications about posts from former members—since they all still followed each other. Kyun Bin accidentally tapped one of them. In the next second, a familiar voice played.
A voice once foreign, now returned. A voice that once lit the stage during Dream Night's concerts. A voice that used to call him Hyung in Kakao group voice messages when he couldn't join in their silly chats.
"Hi, this is Darren Hwang, who used to be known as the main vocalist of Dream Night..."
Kyun Bin didn't turn off his phone as Darren's voice echoed in his head and from the speaker.
He was watching a livestream by the maknae. His expression was blank, but his heart stirred. He remembered the way he used to treat Darren.
In a small room—no spotlight, no shooting—just Darren alone, sitting on a small chair with a cup of warm tea on the table before him.
His appearance, as well-groomed as it tried to be, looked messy to Kyun Bin's eyes.
"I'm not seeking sympathy. I know the world hates me ever since the news about Dream Night's disbandment broke. But I never intended to disappear. I thought staying silent was the best solution, but it only made it harder to breathe." Darren said softly. Kyun Bin listened to his voice, watching Darren's weary face trying to look perfect.
A face from the past—their trainee days.
"I'm… I'm not a criminal. I never did anything that dirty. Dream Night never had any scandals before the disbandment news. If people believe we're the villains, then they should know where the real roots lie. If you think we're the ones to blame, then find out who's really pulling the strings..." Darren's voice trembled—not out of fear, but from the rage buried deep in his chest.
His eyes reddened, yet he continued.
"This was always a game for the agency. We were formed by them. But our singing—that was born purely from the hope in our hearts. Again, I'm not asking for sympathy. I just want to speak the truth and fiercely deny all the false narratives out there."
Kyun Bin saw tears falling from Darren's eyes—subtle, but painfully clear to him.
The video had been watched by thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands. Those hungry for scandal pounced on Darren repeatedly. Jae Min, too, silently watched the livestream—saying nothing.
***
At Darren's place, the stream ended with one final reaffirmation, a line Darren himself had repeated unknowingly.
Behind the camera, Chan Hee stood frozen, torn between awe and worry.
Chan Hee cried in silence—tears without sound—which Darren only noticed afterward.
"Hyung?" Darren called, rising from his seat and walking toward him.
Chan Hee looked away, avoiding Darren's eyes as he shook his head.
"Are you crying?" Darren asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"No… It's nothing."
A bitter smile was drawn on Chan Hee's lips. Darren said nothing. He understood.
After a pause, Darren finally spoke.
"I know DC won't stay silent. They'll respond to what I just said."
"But the most important thing is… I hope Jae Min hyung and Kyun Bin will hear your words. That's the only way they'll believe again." Chan Hee added. Darren nodded slowly.
Darren's name trended everywhere. The livestream sparked various reactions. Many defended him. Others claimed he was nothing more than a fake actor playing a cheap role. Old incidents were dragged out in an attempt to confirm their accusations.
Even international fans flooded DC's official Instagram and Weibo accounts with curses.
Those who still believed in Darren kept trying to put out the fire consuming his name—even though it seemed impossible.
For the first time, the dark side of the K-pop industry came into the light.
Several idols showed support for Darren and Dream Night. Those close to the members never stopped encouraging them.
This made Darren feel slightly better. Because he realized… this wasn't the end.
It was the beginning—of a truth long buried.
And Darren… would no longer stay silent.
***
Rain fell quietly in the middle of the night in Seoul, soaking the streets and wrapping the city sky in a thin fog. Kyun Bin stood in front of his apartment window—a small room with a large glass pane overlooking the street from the fifth floor.
His hand wiped away sweat, not just from the physical training earlier that day, but also from the wave of emotions that hit him after watching Darren's live broadcast. Darren's red eyes, his trembling yet resolute voice, still lingered vividly in Kyun Bin's mind.
"He really spoke up..." Kyun Bin muttered softly.
Suddenly, his phone rang. The name that appeared made his heart pound. Choi Jae Min.
After a few seconds of hesitation, he answered.
"Did you watch Darren's live earlier this afternoon?" Jae Min's voice was heavy, as if holding back a sigh.
"Yes..." Kyun Bin replied.
"I can't believe he had the guts to do that. His words sounded more like self-defense than a clarification," Jae Min added.
"I feel sorry for Chan Hee. He insisted on helping to clear Darren's name, but he seemed ready to let himself be dragged down with him," He continued.
"Do you believe all of that?" Jae Min asked over the phone.
"I... don't know, Hyung," Kyun Bin answered. His eyes turned toward the view of Seoul's busy night. Cold dew clung to the apartment window's surface in the rain, making the outside world appear blurred and hazy—just like his life.
At that moment, he felt uncertain and confused. He didn't know who to trust. He also wanted to defend himself, but he was already buried too deep under the weight of countless media narratives pointing fingers at Darren. And he had been one of the people who blamed Darren and believed he was the root of the problem.
"Kyun Bin-ah!"
"Hey. Kyun Bin-ah!"
Jae Min's voice rang through the phone. Kyun Bin pulled the device away from his ear without ending the call. He tossed the phone onto the sofa. His gaze grew blank. He got up from where he stood and walked toward the bathroom.
Standing in front of the sink, a mirror fogged up with steam reflected the image of a young man who was once cheered for his support, now shouted at because of rumors and scandals—things they never even did.
"If DC really wants to destroy Dream Night..."
"Then what's the point of all this?" Kyun Bin muttered. His messy head tried to think of something while continuing to speculate.
***
The rain outside was growing heavier. But for Darren, it was nothing. He had almost grown used to the sorrow that came choking him out of nowhere lately. Staring out the window, his head felt heavy, but his mind was clouded with all the issues—especially the fake scandals about him that kept surfacing.
After he went live on his personal Instagram account just to talk, the hot topic surrounding him exploded once more. Many media outlets began to take notice, hearing the honest voice of Darren Hwang—a voice they once frequently listened to on major music platforms.
People started drawing connections between his situation and DC's latest announcement. Amid the chaos of scandalous news surrounding their former artists, DC suddenly revealed they would be debuting a new seven-member boy group.
Burning with frustration, Darren held a strong suspicion. He was convinced that the news of the new group was nothing but a distraction tactic—to keep people from attacking DC as Darren's name continued trending.
But many also began comparing the upcoming idols under DC to their former group—Dream Night—in terms of talent and debut quality. Some said Dream Night was superior, though there were still those who remained firm in their dislike of the group and shifted their attention to the new idols.
The previous scandal was too powerful to be overturned by one person alone. Without the backing of major media outlets, Darren was a nobody.
He reopened the email he had received from a U.S. label—a solo career offer with an exclusive contract, sent after news of Dream Night's disbandment reached Western media.
It might be the only thing that could save his reputation as a singer.
But he didn't want to abandon Dream Night just like that. He just didn't want that name to die because of the word "disbandment."
He hadn't had the chance to make a decision yet. He even left the email unread, like a missed call that remained unanswered.
***