LIANG MANOR
The room was quiet, the night pressing against the windowpanes. Lily sat on the edge of her bed, still trembling slightly, her hands folded over her lap. Han paced behind her, face tight with fury, but there was a tension in the air — a storm coiled and ready to strike.
"He kissed her," Han muttered, almost to himself, voice low but sharp, teeth grinding. "Right there in front of you! In front of the entire family! Do you even realize what kind of insult that was?"
Lily's hands twitched. Her lips lifted in a faint, bitter smile. "I know," she said softly, voice small.
Han whirled, throwing his hands in the air. "You know?! You know?! If I'd been there…" His jaw clenched. "I… I might have just—well, killed him Or—ugh, I don't know."
Lily snorted quietly. "Calm down Han."
"How do you expect me to calm down when he has done something so outrageous…" Han's voice dropped conspiratorial, leaning closer, "I could send a hitman after him. He wouldn't know what hit him."
For a moment, Lily's laughter bubbled up, tentative but real. The absurdity, the ridiculousness of Han picturing ways to kill Lihyun, was almost enough to push the pain back.
Han noticed her softening expression and pressed his advantage. "And then, if he is still alive…" He leaned closer, whispering as if revealing a secret, "…I'd probably throw in a second slap. For style points. And then a lecture. Oh, the lecture would be epic."
Lily laughed a little louder this time, but the sound was brittle. Inside, her chest still ached. The betrayal, the shock of seeing her fiancé kiss another woman… it was still raw, still burning.
Han's grin faltered for a fraction of a second. "I know… I know you're hurting. And I get it. But," —his tone shifted, sharp again, voice edged with warning— "if he ever thinks he can walk over you, Lily… I will not just imagine slaps. Do you hear me? I will make him regret it."
Lily's laugh turned soft, then quieter, almost a whisper. She looked at him, her eyes glimmering. "I… I know you would. I know."
Han's hand found hers, gripping it firmly. "I'm serious. But…" He hesitated, glancing toward the door, then back at her. His expression hardened. "…you need to see it too. How far he's willing to go. Not just for that girl… but for anyone he thinks he can control. This isn't just about humiliation. This is… manipulation. And I don't trust him for a second."
Lily's chest tightened. Something flickered in her mind — a thought she had buried under layers of polite smiles and laughter. "Maybe… maybe I am just done being a pawn in this game anymore." she said quietly, almost to herself.
Han froze. His eyes, dark and intense, locked on hers. "What are you saying?"
"I mean…" Her voice gained strength. "…if he wants a game of control, if him and his girlfriend wants to humiliate me, then let him. But I'm not going to sit there and take it. I can play too. I can fight back. Strategically. Carefully. But I won't just… cry quietly anymore."
Han's jaw tightened, then slowly, a small, approving smile tugged at his lips. "Now that I like. Finally, my sister is awake. And if anyone dares cross you again…" He trailed off, clenching his fists, his whole body radiating lethal energy. "They'll wish they'd stayed far away."
Lily let out a soft laugh, more genuine this time, shaking her head. "I think… I think I might need your help with that."
Han leaned back against the desk, mock serious. "Oh, don't worry. I already drafted a plan. Step one: slap him in my imagination. Step two: long, strategic glare. Step three…" He trailed off, smirking, "…we'll see. Depends on how dramatic we want it."
"Just a side note" Han growled "You probably won't be getting that red lingerie set for your wedding. Not with that bastard marrying you."
Lily's laughter this time was full, releasing some of the tension. But beneath it, a spark had ignited — a resolve. The hurt was still there, yes, but it no longer had the power to paralyze her. And with Han by her side, furious, protective, and utterly ridiculous… maybe, just maybe, she could face whatever came next.
Soon after Han left the room. The door closed with a gentle click behind Han.
"Goodnight, Lily," he'd said.
"Goodnight," she'd replied, smiling faintly.
But the moment his footsteps faded down the corridor, the silence came creeping back. It filled every corner of her room like fog, thick and unkind.
She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the dim glow of the bedside lamp. For a while, she tried to convince herself she wasn't lonely. That she was fine. That this still, quiet night didn't bother her. But then she got a message from the event manager of yesterday's shoot.
"You're Fired"
Just great. Her day couldn't have gotten any better. She needed a new job. She had expected this somehow, after skipping a day at work as a newbie She was bound to get fired.
But then, uninvited, a name whispered through her mind.
Jinhai.
Her heart gave a small, traitorous flutter. She would never get to see him again.
"Ugh," she muttered, dragging a hand down her face. "You really need to stop thinking about him, Lily."
Still, the thought lingered. Maybe what she needed right now was someone to talk to — someone who actually listened. Jinhai had been that once. Steady, kind, infuriatingly patient.
"But he's probably off doing some photoshoot in Paris or something," she told herself with a sigh. "And here I am… talking to my lamp."
She reached for the TV remote on the nightstand, flicking it on half-heartedly. The screen burst to life, bright and noisy. She scrolled through the list until something familiar caught her eye.
ASTRIX: Season 1 – The Making of a Star.
She blinked, her thumb hovering over the play button.
"Oh no," she whispered to herself, a tiny smile curving her lips. "I'm not seriously doing this…"
A second later, she clicked play.
The opening music filled the room — flashy, dramatic, full of energy. The screen cut to a sprawling outdoor set packed with contestants, all shouting and cheering. A younger Jinhai appeared on screen — sun-kissed, confident, dressed in a plain white T-shirt and cargo pants.
"Welcome to ASTRIX!" the host announced. "One hundred participants, one winner, one chance at stardom!"
Lily hugged her pillow, eyes glued to the screen. "One hundred? Geez, and he actually made it?" she murmured, half in awe, half in disbelief.
The first task began: a grueling obstacle course under the blazing sun. Contestants slipped, fell, cursed, and laughed. But Jinhai — he was different. Focused. Calm. Every time someone stumbled beside him, he paused to help them up.
"That's so him…" Lily whispered, smiling despite herself.
A flashback clip showed him joking with the camera crew, grinning despite a bleeding scrape on his arm.
"Doesn't it hurt?" one of them asked off-screen.
"Nah," he'd said, winking at the lens. "Pain's temporary. Good impressions are forever."
Lily laughed softly, shaking her head. "You smooth idiot."
When Jinhai's name was called among the top ten finishers of the first episode, she found herself clapping. Alone. In her room.
"Oh my god," she groaned, realizing what she was doing. "He's officially turned me into a fangirl."
Her phone buzzed suddenly on the nightstand. She glanced at the screen — a message from an unknown number.
Unknown: Still awake?
Her heartbeat stuttered.
She blinked. Then, hesitantly, she typed back.
Lily: Who's this?