As the truth slowly surfaced, Valerie's past came into the open, unraveling years of silence and misunderstanding. Her family finally revealed what had really happened that night—the wildfire that tore their home apart and changed all of their lives forever. It wasn't an accident, nor was it fate. The fire had been caused by the actions of Jiyoo's parents, a detail that had been buried to protect reputations and avoid consequences. In the chaos and flames, Valerie was separated from the Lockhart family, disappearing amid the smoke and confusion while everyone believed she had been lost for good.
Her friends were stunned as they listened, the weight of the revelation settling heavily over the room. Everything they thought they knew about Valerie's disappearance shifted in an instant. The distance she carried, the guarded way she moved through the world, and the pain she never fully explained all began to make sense. Realizing that her separation from her family was the result of someone else's wrongdoing—not choice or coincidence—left them reeling, especially as the connection to Jiyoo's family became impossible to ignore.
For Valerie, having her story finally acknowledged felt both relieving and devastating. The wildfire was no longer just a distant memory—it was the moment her life fractured, the beginning of years spent without her family, her identity, and her sense of belonging. As her friends absorbed the truth, they understood that Valerie hadn't just survived loss; she had lived through betrayal, displacement, and silence, carrying the consequences of that night long after the flames had died out.
Valerie's phone rang repeatedly that afternoon, breaking the uneasy silence around her. When she finally checked the screen, she saw missed calls and messages from Eugene, Bryan, Kain, and several members of K-East. One by one, they reached out, their words urgent and insistent. We need to talk. Please come. It's important. The repeated mention of the same location made her pause—the mansion.
Eugene was the first to get through when she answered. "Valerie," he said carefully, "we need to meet. All of us. There are things that can't stay unsaid anymore."26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEag9nutqYY
Bryan followed soon after, his voice steady but tense. "This isn't an ambush," he assured her. "We just want everyone in one place, where we can finally be honest."
Kain's call came last, his tone firm yet restrained. "You deserve answers," he told her. "And this is the only way we can make sure nothing gets twisted."
Later, messages from the K-East members appeared on her phone, echoing the same request. "Please come," one read. "Let's settle this together."
As Valerie stared at the screen, the weight of their combined voices pressed down on her. The mansion wasn't just a meeting place—it was a crossroads. Whatever waited for her there would force the truth into the open, whether she was ready for it or not.
Meanwhile, away from Valerie, the K-East members and the Narrow squad gathered in a quieter room, the tension between them softened by shared history. Some leaned against the walls, others sat in a loose circle, their conversation drifting back to the chaos they had faced a year ago.
"It's strange," Byung-seok said, breaking the silence. "A year ago, everything felt like it was falling apart. We didn't even know if we'd make it through."
Jason nodded. "We handled it badly at first," he admitted. "Too much pride. Not enough honesty."
The room buzzed with overlapping conversations as the K-East members—Ryung, Taeyun, Jaesang, Min-jun, Joon-woo, and Hwan—stood together with the Narrow squad: Byung-seok, Beom, Max Lee, Luke Wong, Woonjae, Julong, Moonki, Henry, Sunghoon, and Yuki. Their discussion was steady and subdued, shaped by shared history and unspoken understanding.
"It's been a long time since all of us talked like this," Jaesang remarked quietly.
"Yeah," Woonjae replied, nodding. "Too much happened between then and now."
Ryung exhaled. "And somehow, it all keeps circling back to the same person."
A short distance away, Bryan, Sally, Ava, Eugene, and Kain stood huddled in a corner, their voices lowered. Bryan glanced toward the door before speaking. "Valerie's been through too much already."
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Eugene's expression was tense. "She doesn't trust easily anymore."
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"That's why we need to be careful," Sally said softly.
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Kain crossed his arms. "When she comes in, we don't push. We let her speak."
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Ava nodded. "This is her story, not ours."
While the larger group talked among themselves, the smaller circle carried the weight of concern. Everything now revolved around Valerie, and everyone in the room seemed to feel that whatever came next would depend on how she chose to face them.
The conversation between the K-East members and the Narrow squad slowly shifted from casual reflection to something far more focused. Voices lowered, expressions tightened, and the air grew heavy as they began revisiting the chaos that had torn through their lives a year ago. They stood in a loose circle, piecing together fragments of memory that had never fully made sense on their own.
"Back then, everything felt too coordinated," Ryung said, breaking the silence. "Like someone was always one step ahead of us."
Byung-seok nodded in agreement. "We blamed each other because it was easier," he admitted. "But looking back, there were too many things that didn't add up."
Taeyun leaned forward slightly. "Orders came from nowhere. Information leaked at the worst times."
"Exactly," Max Lee added. "Someone was feeding us half-truths—just enough to make us turn on each other."
Min-jun folded his arms. "We thought it was internal sabotage, but what if it wasn't?"
Luke Wong exchanged a glance with Beom. "There were people pulling strings we never saw. We were reacting, not controlling anything."
Joon-woo frowned. "And every time we got close to the truth, something distracted us. A fight. A misunderstanding."
"That's not a coincidence," Hwan said quietly. "That's manipulation."
The realization settled over the group like a shadow.
"So the real question," Moonki said slowly, "is who benefited from us falling apart?"
No one answered right away. Sunghoon looked away, Henry clenched his jaw, and Yuki finally spoke. "Whoever it was," he said, "they're still out there."
The group fell into uneasy silence, united by the same unsettling thought: the chaos from a year ago hadn't been random—it had been carefully engineered, and the true culprit had yet to be exposed.
The room fell into stunned silence as Valerie stormed through the door, the heavy stomp of her boots echoing sharply across the floor. Every eye followed her as she moved with fierce determination, her gaze fixed on Ryung. Without hesitation, she marched straight toward him, her anger radiating from every step.
Then, in one swift motion, she lifted her hand and slapped him across the face. Ryung remained completely silent, his expression unreadable, frozen in shock as the sharp sting of the blow registered.
Valerie's chest heaved as she glared at him, her voice tight and trembling. "Now... care to explain yourself?"
Around them, the other K-East and Narrow squad members exchanged uneasy glances, while Eugene, Bryan, and Kain remained tense in the corner, aware that the buried resentment between Valerie and Ryung had finally exploded, leaving nothing unspoken.
The air in the room thickened with tension as Valerie's eyes bore into Ryung, her body trembling with a mixture of rage and anguish. Every muscle in her frame was taut, every breath sharp as she spoke, her voice cracking under the weight of long-suppressed pain. "Do you even know what I went through?" she demanded, her words cutting through the stunned silence. "Do you know what it was like to wake up in that hospital, knowing someone wanted me dead? Chul-Duri... the doctor... the nurse... all of them are trying to end me!"
Her hands shook as she gestured toward Ryung, the anger in her eyes nearly blinding. "And you! You were part of it! How could you—how dare you—let any of that happen to me?"
Ryung stood frozen, silent, his face unreadable, and that only fueled her fury. Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't allow them to fall. "I was supposed to be safe! My family... everything I had... nearly taken from me! And for what? So you could watch and do nothing?"
Eugene and Bryan exchanged grim glances, sensing the magnitude of her pain, while the rest of K-East and the Narrow squad members leaned in, silent, the weight of her words sinking into everyone present. The room felt smaller, charged with raw emotion, as Valerie's accusation pierced the years of secrets and lies. "I could have died! Do you understand that?!" she shouted, her voice shaking with both terror and fury, the memory of that night still vivid in her mind.
The silence that followed was deafening, Ryung still wordless, as Valerie stood there, trembling but unyielding, the truth of what she had endured finally spilling out for everyone to see.
The room was heavy with tension, the air thick as the K-East members and Narrow squad members sat in stunned silence, unable to find words. Jiyoo and Jaesang exchanged confused glances, their brows furrowed in disbelief. "How... how could all of this be Ryung's fault?" Jiyoo whispered, voice barely audible over the charged silence.
Ryung finally broke his calm exterior, his voice steady but edged with disbelief. "Who told you that it was me?" he asked Valerie, searching her eyes for answers.
Taeyun stepped forward, his expression firm. "I did," he admitted, taking responsibility for revealing the truth. Bryan moved closer as well, his presence grounding the tense room.
The revelation hit even harder when it became clear that Taeyun had known Valerie's true identity—Yonhae Lockhart—the entire time. Jiyoo and Jaesang's jaws tightened, shock and confusion written across their faces. Jiyoo turned to Taeyun, disbelief coloring his voice. "You knew her this whole time, and didn't even tell us?"
Taeyun met his best friend's gaze evenly. "I'm not able to tell you," he said quietly, his tone heavy with the weight of secrecy. "It's confidential."
The room fell silent again, the shock of the revelation settling over everyone. Questions hung in the air unspoken, and the tension deepened as the realization sank in: there was far more beneath the surface than anyone had imagined.
Jiyoo shook his head at his best friend, Taeyun, the disbelief etched across his face. He couldn't fathom how Taeyun had known the truth about Valerie's identity as Yonhae Lockhart all along and yet hadn't come to him first. "I just... I don't understand," Jiyoo muttered, his voice heavy with frustration and hurt. "You knew everything... and you didn't even tell me?"
Taeyun's expression remained steady, but his eyes carried the weight of the secret he had been forced to hold. "I couldn't," he said quietly, his tone measured. "It wasn't something I was allowed to reveal."
Jiyoo's shoulders slumped slightly, the disbelief giving way to a mix of betrayal and confusion. Around them, the other K-East and Narrow squad members watched silently, the tension thick in the room, realizing that the revelation of Valerie's true identity had not only shocked them but also shaken the bonds of trust within their own group.
Ryung slowly turned his back to the group, a subtle smirk forming on his lips. At first, it was just a quiet chuckle, but it quickly deepened into a dark, malicious laughter that echoed through the room, sending chills down everyone's spines. He pivoted sharply, eyes glinting with sly amusement as he surveyed the stunned faces before him.
The phrase hit like a blade. It wasn't surrender. It wasn't remorse. It was a calculated provocation, a psychological strike designed to undermine every ounce of confidence the team had just regained. In those few words, he twisted their assumptions against them—mocking the very notion that they had cornered him.
"You thought you were in control," Ryung continued, his lips curling into a sly, almost taunting smile. "You believed you had me figured out. But the truth... the truth has always been mine to wield."
Gasps of disbelief rippled through the room. Even the seasoned members of the Narrow squad were momentarily frozen, struggling to process the sudden and cruel shift in momentum. One of their own—someone they had trusted implicitly—had orchestrated a betrayal so swift, so perfect, that there was no time to react.
Taeyun stepped forward, trying to rein in the chaos. "Ryung... what are you talking about?" he demanded, his voice firm but laced with tension.
Ryung's smile widened. "Talking?" he said, his tone mocking. "No, Taeyun... I'm showing you. Every step you thought you controlled, every plan you thought was safe... it's all been under my hand."
The weight of the words settled over the group like a dark cloud. Jiyoo, Jaesang, and the others stared at him, wide-eyed, unable to comprehend the magnitude of the betrayal. Trust that had taken years to build crumbled in an instant. The room, once filled with tense anticipation, now trembled with the shock and fear of being blindsided by one of their own.
In that moment, it became clear: Ryung hadn't just slipped through their fingers—he had been playing them all along. And the consequences of underestimating him would be catastrophic.
Valerie's hands trembled, her voice sharp and unwavering as she stepped closer to Ryung. "You considered me a slanderer," she spat, her eyes blazing, "when I haven't even said a word."
Ryung's sly smile didn't falter, his eyes glinting with malice. "Oh, Valerie... it wasn't about what you said," he replied smoothly, his tone cold and calculating. "It was about what you knew... and what you could do with it."
The words struck the room like thunder. K-East and Narrow squad members froze, their shock deepening, while Jiyoo and Jaesang looked between Valerie and Ryung, unable to fully grasp the scope of what was unfolding. Valerie's accusation hung in the air, sharp and unyielding, cutting through the layers of deception that Ryung had carefully woven.
Valerie's chest heaved as she continued, her voice trembling but fierce. "I didn't speak, and yet you distrusted me. You doubted me. You... betrayed me!"
The intensity of her words made even the seasoned members of the team flinch. Ryung's smirk remained, but the fire in Valerie's eyes made it clear: she was no longer just a victim—she was confronting the betrayal head-on, and nothing he said could silence her.
Ryung paused at the doorway, the weight of the room pressing heavily behind him. Slowly, he turned his head, his gaze settling on Valerie with an eerie calm that made the air feel colder. A crooked smile tugged at his lips as he spoke, his voice smooth but unsettling.
"Nice seeing you again, Ms. Yonhae Lockhart," he said quietly, each word deliberate. "I'll make sure that you are alive and well."
The implication behind his words sent a chill through everyone present. Valerie's eyes hardened instantly. She took a step forward, her voice low but razor-sharp. "If you ever dare tell him where I am," she warned, "I swear... I will not let you even breathe for a second."
For a brief moment, silence hung between them—thick, suffocating. Then Ryung let out a soft chuckle, unfazed, his eyes glinting with something dark and knowing. "Oh, don't worry," he replied calmly. "I'm not even going to..." He tilted his head slightly, the smile returning. "Since he'll find out anyway."
The words struck like a final threat disguised as certainty. Ryung turned away at last and walked out of the conference room, leaving behind a stunned group and a chilling realization: even in his exit, he was still in control of the fear he had planted. Valerie stood rigid, her heart pounding—not just with anger, but with the haunting sense that this confrontation was far from over.
The room went cold the moment the truth hit: Henry, one of their own, had betrayed the Narrow squad and sided with Ryung. Gasps of disbelief and murmurs of shock rippled through the team. Years of trust, camaraderie, and shared struggle seemed to crumble in an instant.
"Henry... what are you doing?!" Byung-seok shouted, his voice sharp with anger and betrayal.
Henry's expression remained calm, almost indifferent, as he glanced around at the stunned faces of his former allies. "I'm doing what needed to be done," he said quietly, his tone unnervingly steady. "Ryung has the advantage... and I'm not blind to it."
Beom's fists clenched, his eyes blazing. "You turned your back on us... on everyone! After everything we've been through!"
Henry's calmness only made the betrayal sting sharper. "You think loyalty always means sticking together?" he asked coldly. "Sometimes survival means choosing the side that wins."
The shock was palpable. Even the most experienced members of the Narrow squad struggled to process that one of their own—the person they had trusted, counted on, and fought beside—had stabbed them in the back, leaving them vulnerable and blindsided by Ryung's calculated move. The momentum of the confrontation had shifted completely, and the team now faced the bitter reality that the enemy was no longer just Ryung—it was one of their own.
Even the seasoned members of the Narrow squad felt the shift in the room's energy, a sudden ripple of unease that made their stomachs tighten. They had thought the team had gained the upper hand, that their enemies were finally cornered—but all of that illusion shattered in an instant.
An unexpected betrayal had occurred. One of their own, someone they had trusted implicitly, had turned against them. The strike was swift, calculated, and merciless, leaving no time for defense or reaction. Shock rippled through the squad like an electric current—eyes widened, jaws tightened, and hearts pounded as the full weight of the treachery hit.
For a moment, it was as if the entire room froze in disbelief. Years of camaraderie, strategy, and mutual trust had been undone in the span of a heartbeat. The team's morale, their sense of security, and their belief in one another had been shattered, replaced by a raw, bitter realization: betrayal could come from the closest of allies, and its consequences were devastating.
Valerie's hands trembled, and she shook her head, her chest rising and falling with the weight of anger and disbelief. Without another word, she turned on her heel and made her way toward the exit staircase, her boots echoing sharply against the floor as she moved. The tension of the confrontation still clung to her, each step fueled by frustration and the need to distance herself from the chaos.
Jiyoo, unable to let her leave alone, quickly followed. "Valerie, wait!" he called softly, his voice tinged with concern. He caught up to her on the staircase, his pace quick but careful to match hers.
She didn't look back, her grip tightening on the railing. "I need some air," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, though the anger behind it was unmistakable. She stood outside the balcony and everyone else walked and stood near the glass window, watching them talk to each other. The cold wind was hitting across their faces as well as her hair.
Jiyoo fell into step beside her, keeping a careful distance but determined to stay close. "You don't have to go through this alone," he said gently, trying to reach past her fury and fear.
Valerie's eyes remained fixed ahead, but the smallest flicker of hesitation in her step betrayed the storm of emotions raging within her. The two descended the staircase in silence, leaving the heated confrontation—and Ryung's betrayal—behind them, at least for the moment.
Jiyoo stood in front of Valerie, his shoulders tense, his voice heavy with remorse. "The result of my actions caused you so much pain and sorrow that I almost drove you to go insane," he said quietly. "If only I could turn back time and change it, I would—because I always blame myself. I regret what I did to you before, and I carry this heavy burden every single day."
Valerie said nothing. Her silence was sharper than any response, her eyes fixed on him, unreadable.
Jiyoo swallowed hard and continued, desperation creeping into his tone. "Let's face it. Taeyun is a much better person than I am. Listen—I was an asshole to you. I accused you of all the bad things that happened to us, okay? I know why you've been so angry at me... at everyone. And you have every right to be."
Unbeknownst to them, every word was being captured—Kai's voice-monitor audio device quietly recording the raw truth unfolding between them.
Jiyoo let out a bitter breath. "In life, even if we choose the ones we love... it usually doesn't make sense."
That was when Valerie finally reacted. She looked at him with open annoyance, shaking her head slowly, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "It doesn't make sense?" she repeated sharply.
Jiyoo hesitated. "...."
Her voice rose, disbelief turning into fury. "Choosing someone you love doesn't make sense to you? Are you serious? You left because you thought it would be cool—because being popular and famous mattered more to you." Her eyes burned into him. "You loved the attention so much that you were willing to risk someone else's life over yours. Is that what you're trying to prove?"
"No, I—" Jiyoo tried to interject.
"Then what?" Valerie cut him off, her words shaking with restrained pain. "Ever since that night—when I was out searching for my cat—I knew something was wrong. And then I found out that you and your so-called friends had to murder her." Her voice cracked. "That's beyond cruelty."
Jiyoo's face fell. "I know it hurts you," he said desperately. "And I wish I could've turned it back. But there's still a way—"
"I'm tired, okay?!" Valerie snapped, her composure finally breaking. "I'm so tired... tired of being the one who has to accept their immorality. Why should I be the one to adjust to everybody, huh? No one is ever going to believe me."
Jiyoo shook his head, trying to calm the situation. "It's not something you should take so seriously. I've made mistakes—and it has nothing to do with you—"
"Yes, it does," Valerie shot back without hesitation. Her voice was firm now, resolute. "I took it personally because I would never do the same thing to you." She stepped closer, her eyes unwavering. "How can a man normalize hiding his agendas from a woman he claims to love—or even from someone he calls a friend?"
Silence followed—heavy, suffocating, and filled with truths that could no longer be buried. The recording device continued to hum softly, capturing the moment when denial finally gave way to accountability.
Valerie's mind suddenly snapped back to a memory, a sharp sting of anger flooding her senses. Her voice tore through the night as she yelled at Jiyoo, her words laced with fury and pain. Jiyoo froze, shocked by the sudden outburst, but instinctively reached out, catching her in his arms. The faint scent of her hair hit him, grounding him in the immediacy of the moment.
Valerie struggled against him, pushing with all her strength. That's when he noticed just how cold she felt, a barrier of ice around her despite her rage. She tried to fight back, using the moves she had trained in over the years, but Jiyoo was no stranger to combat—his earlier training in his teens allowed him to anticipate her movements and counter effectively.
Anger boiled over inside Valerie, and she lashed out violently, striking at him with desperation. Her fury, her fear, and her unresolved pain fueled her every motion. When she finally broke free, she bolted, racing toward the exit of the building and spilling out into the empty streets.
The Narrow squad arrived just in time to witness the chaos. They froze, puzzled, as Jiyoo ran after her, calling her name and trying desperately to apologize. Their approach slowed, eyes tracking Valerie as she ran until, suddenly, she tripped and twisted her ankle on the uneven pavement.
Without hesitation, Jiyoo dropped to his knees, reaching for her hand to support her. "Valerie... wait, please!" he pleaded.
She shoved him roughly, but he was stronger, steadfast. Before she could react, he enveloped her in a firm embrace. "Argh! Let me go!!" she screamed, flinching, eyes narrowing as she lashed out, beating his chest with frantic strikes.
Jiyoo held his ground, breathing heavily, the intensity of his grip both protective and unyielding. He leaned closer, pressing light, careful kisses around her neck in an attempt to soothe her, but Valerie's resistance was fierce. She shut her eyes tightly, writhing and trying to break free, her hands clawing at his chest.
Eventually, the fight drained from her, replaced by an overwhelming tide of sorrow. Memories from high school and the traumas she had endured four years ago came rushing back with full force. Her body shook as she sobbed uncontrollably, curling her hands to her chest as if trying to hold the pieces of her shattered heart together.
Tears began to swell up in her eyes until they fell across her cheeks and started sobbing.
Jiyoo, still holding her, remained silent, letting her grief flow freely. He felt the weight of her pain, each sob, each tremor, each heartbeat close to his own. Though she was physically trapped in his arms, emotionally she was adrift, drowning in memories and anguish that no apology could instantly heal.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWnWbavMP8
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