Idol of the Heavenly One - Chapter 65.1
They spent the rest of the day inside, doing nothing in particular, just eating, sleeping, and lounging around as they had on the first day. When it was time to return to the dorm, my father gave Baek Jae-heon and me a ride, bringing our short vacation to an end.
One by one, the members returned to the dorm. The luggage they carried piled up in a corner of the living room, and the long-lost sound of laughter filled the space again. Finally, when Go Hee-min arrived from Chungcheong Province and stepped through the front door, it felt as if the last puzzle piece had fallen into place.
“Now everyone’s here.”
The manager, who had been sitting in the living room waiting, rested his hands on his knees and looked around at us. His expression was tense. Once everyone had taken a seat on the sofa or the floor, he took a breath and began to speak.
“Before you all went on vacation… there was a strange woman who tried to break into the dorm when only Jae-heon and Myeong-hyeon were there.”
“What?”
The air froze. Everyone’s eyes widened as they turned toward me and Baek Jae-heon. From the way we tensed up the moment the topic came up, the others must have realized this wasn’t a joke. The room went silent as they waited for the manager to continue.
“We reported it to the police and checked, but it doesn’t seem easy to track her down.”
The manager spoke with a grim expression.
“So from now on, even when you order food delivery, make sure to check the intercom before opening the door. And when you go to the convenience store nearby, never go alone. Always go in pairs. Got it?”
“…Yes.”
The members answered cautiously, but clearly. Heads nodded one after another. The voices were tight with tension, but it was a moment when everyone shared the same heavy feeling.
After the manager left the dorm, the remaining members immediately came over to Baek Jae-heon and me.
“Hey, is that for real? Who was it?”
“Did you see her face?”
“What the hell, that’s creepy.”
Voices full of curiosity and fear came one after another.
“She was a woman. I didn’t see her face clearly, but she wasn’t normal.”
A small gasp rippled through the group. I didn’t go into detail, afraid it might make Jae-heon recall the incident, but even that much was enough for them to realize how serious it had been. No one pressed for more.
“Wow… who could it be?”
“That’s scary. She tried to break in?”
As the others rubbed their arms at the chill, Jae-heon sat quietly, his expression unreadable. But I noticed his fingertips sticking together slightly, a small tell that the manager’s words—“hard to find her”—still lingered in his mind like an aftertaste of unease.
Then Kwon Ji-hak spoke up.
“But… How did you end up going to Myeong-hyeon’s family home, Jae-heon hyung?”
For a moment, I wasn’t sure how to answer. Then I decided to just tell the truth plainly.
“Because of that woman. I didn’t feel right leaving Jae-heon alone at the dorm, so we went together.”
Everyone nodded, saying things like, “Ah, that makes sense.” But then, Go Hee-min opened his mouth without thinking.
“Then… Jae-heon didn’t go to his family home?”
The air froze again. Everyone’s gaze snapped toward Go Hee-min. They had all wondered the same thing, but none of them had planned to actually ask. A short silence followed.
Then, unexpectedly, Baek Jae-heon, who had always been quiet and detached, slowly spoke.
“My parents aren’t around.”
His voice was low, but it filled the living room. Everyone held their breath, eyes widening in surprise. I turned to him with the same expression.
Jae-heon lowered his gaze, choosing his words carefully before continuing.
“To be exact… they’re both alive.”
“…”
“But my mother left, and… I filed a restraining order against my father.”
The air grew heavy. The phrase “restraining order” echoed in my head several times. I couldn’t even imagine what kind of weight those words carried. I had never heard this before.
No one could bring themselves to speak. Only the sound of breathing lingered in the silence. Then Jae-heon spoke again, his tone calm.
“I didn’t think this was something you’d be curious about. That’s why I never said anything.”
“…”
“But… this time, I felt like I’d regret it if I didn’t.”
After saying that, he stood up and walked to his room. None of us said a word. We just watched his back as he disappeared down the hall.
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