Chapter 29
The night had settled gently over the Seo mansion, wrapping the vast estate in a quiet elegance that seemed almost too perfect for the heaviness in the hearts of its owners. The city beyond the tall glass windows glittered like a field of distant stars, but inside the bedroom, the atmosphere was subdued, intimate, and filled with unspoken worry.
Mrs. Seo sat on the edge of the bed in her silk robe, her posture graceful even in distress. She was still every inch the famous model the world admired, still the polished CEO of a branch of the Three Women Fashion Company, still the woman whose name carried influence in the fashion industry. That same Sunday night, her company had showcased its designdresses, and the event had been a success. The gowns had flowed beautifully under the lights, the models had looked radiant, and the audience had applauded with admiration.
Yet none of that could ease the ache in her chest.
Mr. Seo stood near the wardrobe, loosening the cufflinks from his shirt with the calm precision of a man who had built his empire through discipline, intelligence, and power. As a billionaire car dealer and partner to Mr. Kim and Mr. Lee, he was used to solving problems, closing deals, and making decisions that affected entire industries. He was a man who rarely looked unsettled.
But tonight, even he could not hide the shadow in his eyes.
Mrs. Seo glanced up at him. "The dresses were beautiful tonight," she said softly, trying to keep her voice light. "The collection was elegant. The women looked stunning."
Mr. Seo gave a small nod, though his attention was elsewhere. "They did. Your branch always knows how to make an impression."
She smiled faintly, but it did not reach her eyes. "That should make me happy, shouldn't it?"
He turned toward her then, reading the concern she had been trying to hide all evening. "But it doesn't."
Mrs. Seo exhaled slowly and looked down at her hands. Her manicured fingers rested against the silk sheets, still and tense. "No," she admitted. "For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was not uncomfortable. It was the silence of two people who had shared years of marriage, success, and sacrifice. They understood each other without needing many words. Tonight, however, the unspoken worry between them was too heavy to ignore.
Mrs. Seo finally lifted her gaze. "It has been more than a month."
Mr. Seo's jaw tightened.
"No calls," she continued, her voice growing quieter. "No messages. No public appearance. No contact at all."
He walked slowly toward the bed and sat beside her, the mattress dipping beneath his weight. "I know."
She turned to him, her eyes glistening with the kind of fear only a mother could carry. "Joon has never gone this long without reaching out. Not once. Even when he was busy with schedules, even when the BVS king promotions were at their peak, he always found a way to call. Even if it was just for a minute."
Mr. Seo rubbed a hand over his face, the exhaustion finally showing. "He is not the type to disappear without reason."
"That is exactly why I am worried," The name Seo Joon hung in the air between them like a fragile thread. Their only son. Their pride. Their beloved child. The one who had grown up under the weight of their wealth, their expectations, and the constant attention that came with being the son of a famous model and a billionaire businessman. Yet Seo Joon had carved his own path. He was not merely the son of the Seos. He was one of the BVS king K-pop idols, adored by millions, admired for his talent, his charisma, and his striking presence on stage.
To the public, he was untouchable. Bright. Successful. Always smiling.
But to his parents, he was still their son.
And right now, he was missing from their lives.
Mrs. Seo pressed her lips together, fighting the emotion rising in her chest. "I have called his manager. I have called the company. I have asked the staff. No one gives me a clear answer. They all say he is 'resting' or 'unavailable' or 'working on private matters.'" Her voice sharpened with frustration. "Private matters for oneNo," she said. "It is not."
He leaned back against the headboard, folding his arms. "I have also made inquiries."
Mrs. Seo looked at him quickly. "And?"
"And nothing useful," he said grimly. "No one is saying where he is. No one is saying who he is with. And no one seems willing to explain why he has cut off all contact."
Her heart clenched. "Do you think something happened to him?"
Mr. Seo was silent for a long moment.
That silence was answer enough to make her breath catch.
"Don't say that," she murmured, though her voice trembled. "Don't even think it."
"I am not saying it did," he replied carefully. "I am saying we do not know."
Mrs. Seo looked away, blinking back tears. She had spent her life in front of cameras, in front of flashing lights, in front of people who expected perfection. But in this room, with her husband beside her and her son absent for too long, she no longer felt like a celebrity or a CEO. She felt like a mother whose heart was quietly breaking.
"I keep remembering the last time I saw him," she said. "He was smiling, but something felt different. He was distracted. He kept checking his phone, then putting it away. I asked him if everything was fine, and he said yes." She swallowed hard. "I believed him."
Mr. Seo reached for her hand and held it firmly. "You are his mother. You were right to believe him. But if something is wroOutside, the wind moved softly against the windows, and somewhere far below, the city continued its restless life. But in the Seo bedroom, time seemed to pause. The luxury around them could not soften the ache in their hearts. Their wealth could buy security, influence, and access, but it could not buy peace of mind.
Mr. Seo squeezed her hand. "Tomorrow, I will speak to Kim and Lee directly. If the company is hiding something, I will know."
Mrs. Seo looked at him with tired gratitude. "And I will call again."
"You have already called enough."
"I will call until someone tells me the truth."
He gave a faint, weary smile. "That sounds like you."
She almost smiled back, but the worry returned too quickly. "He is our only son."
"I know."
"He should not be out there alone."
Mr. Seo's gaze softened. "He is stronger than we think."
"That is not what I mean."
"I know what you mean," he said quietly. "And I agree."
Mrs. Seo leaned back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling. "I hate this feeling."
"So do I."
For a while, they remained in silence, their fingers still intertwined. The room was peaceful, but their hearts were not. The success of the evening's fashion showcase should have been enough to fill them with pride. Instead, it only reminded them of the one person who should have been there, smiling in the front row or sending a congratulatory message afterward.
Seo Joon had always been their joy. Even as he rose into fame, even as fans screamed his name and cameras followed his every move, he remained the boy who once ran through their home with laughter in his voice. The boy who had once fallen asleep in his mother's arms after a long day. The boy who had once sat beside his father in the garage, asking endless questions about cars, engines, and business.ng, we will find out." month?"she whispered.It doesn't."
*****
Morning came quietly, bright and warm, spilling sunlight across the polished floors of the house. The air felt different that day—too still, too watchful. Lucy stood near the front entrance with her shopping list in hand, ready to leave for the supermarket.
But she was not alone.
Kim Jo, Seo Joon, and Lee Dae were standing in front of her, blocking the way.
Lucy narrowed her eyes. They looked off that morning. Not like themselves. Their expressions were too careful, their movements too controlled, and the silence between them felt strange. It was as if they were worried about something, or as if they believed something would happen if she stepped outside.
Lucy folded her arms. "What is it? Whatever is going on, you men should tell me."
Kim Jo smiled slightly, though the expression looked forced. "Where are you going?"
"To the supermarket, young man."
Seo Joon glanced at her, then at the others, but said nothing.
Lee Dae shifted awkwardly before speaking. "Then let's go together."
Lucy blinked at him, surprised by how quickly he had volunteered.
After a few moments of silence, she nodded.
"Okay."
Then she looked at them again. "Who is driving?"
"I'll drive," Lee Dae answered, already moving toward the counter to grab the car keys.
He ran to take them before anyone else could, and Lucy watched him with a suspicious expression. The boys were clearly hiding something, but she decided not to push further—for now.
Seo Joon opened the door for her. "After you."Lucy stepped outside, and the three young men followed her to the car.
The drive to the supermarket was quiet. Lucy sat in the back seat with her list, while Kim Jo sat beside her, Seo Joon in the front passenger seat, and Lee Dae drove. Every so often, Lucy noticed them exchanging glances in the mirror, as though they were silently communicating something she was not meant to hear.
She finally sighed. "You boys are acting like I'm going to vanish if I go outside."
No one answered immediately.
That alone made her more suspicious.
Seo Joon turned slightly in his seat. "We just want to make sure you're safe."
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Safe from what?"
Silence.
She stared at them, but they all looked away.
By the time they reached the supermarket, Lucy had already decided that something was definitely wrong. Still, she focused on her shopping and began checking items off her list. She picked up vegetables, fruits, rice, seasoning, milk, bread, and a few other things for the house.
The boys stayed close, helping her reach items and carrying the heavier bags.
At first, everything seemed normal.
Then the whispers began.
A woman near the fruit section stopped and stared. Another shopper turned her head. A young girl holding a basket froze in place.
Lucy frowned.
People began to recognize the boys—not as the actual BVS kings, but as men who looked so much like them that it was impossible to ignore. Their features were striking, their presence naturally attention-grabbing, and in a crowded supermarket, they stood out immediately.
Soon, several people were approaching them.
"Excuse me," one woman said nervously, smiling at Seo Joon. "Are you related to the BVS kings?"
Seo Joon gave a polite smile. "No, ma'am."
But the woman only looked more convinced.
Another fan stepped forward, eyes bright with excitement. "Can we take a picture with you? You all look so much like them!"
Kim Jo exchanged a helpless glance with Lee Dae.
Lucy, standing behind them with her basket, watched the scene with growing amusement. The boys were clearly not prepared for this kind of attention. They were trying to remain calm and polite, but the crowd kept growing.
"Are you their brothers?"
"Are you trainees?"
"Why do you look exactly like them?"
Lee Dae gave a nervous laugh. "We get that a lot."
That only made the fans more excited.
Lucy shook her head. "This is becoming ridiculous."
Still, she could not help smiling a little. The boys were handling it better than expected. Seo Joon remained composed, Kim Jo was polite and quiet, and Lee Dae tried his best to keep everyone calm while also helping Lucy with the groceries.
After a few photos and a lot of excited chatter, the crowd finally began to thin out. The fans left smiling, still whispering about how much the boys resembled the famous idols.
Lucy resumed shopping, though now she was more By the time they finished, the cart was full and the boys were carrying several bags each.
As they headed back to the car, Lucy glanced at them. "You see? Nothing happened."
Lee Dae gave her a sideways look. "That depends on what you call nothing."
Kim Jo chuckled softly.
Seo Joon, however, remained quiet.
Lucy noticed immediately. She looked at him more closely. "You're still thinking about something."
He met her gaze briefly, then looked away. "I'm fine."
Lucy did not believe him, but she let it go.
They loaded the groceries into the car and drove back home under the morning sunlight.
At the same time, across town, another scene was unfolding
Ga Eul had just climbed down from the car, still wearing her school uniform. The neat fabric moved lightly in the breeze as she adjusted her bag. She had barely taken a few steps when Yi Jung approached her with a warm smile.
He looked as though he had been waiting for her.
"Going to school?" he asked gently.
Ga Eul nodded. "Yes."
Yi Jung smiled and walked closer. "Then I'll walk with you."
She blinked, a little surprised, but did not refuse. There was something comforting about his presence, something steady and familiar. Without saying much more, they stood side by side and then reached for each other's hands.
Their fingers intertwined naturally, as though it was the most ordinary thing in the world.
Then, together, they walked toward the elementary school.
The morning around them was bright and peaceful. Children's voices could already be heard in the distance, and the school gates stood open, welcoming the day. Yi Jung and Ga Eul moved slowly, hand in hand, their steps matching as they crossed the street.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence between them was gentle this time, unlike the tense quiet Lucy had felt earlier at the house. This silence was warm, comfortable, and full of things left unsaid but deeply understood.
Yi Jung glanced at her and smiled. "You look beautiful in your uniform."
Ga Eul laughed softly, a little embarrassed. "You're saying things like that for the first time"
"Because they're true."
She shook her head, though her lips curved into a smile. "You're impossible."
"And yet you still walk with me."
Ga Eul looked up at him then, and for a brief moment, the world around them seemed to soften. The school gate was just ahead, children were running in the distance, and the morning sun lit the path before them.
They stood in front of the elementary school, still holding hands.
Then, together, they went in.aware of the attention they drew
The attention spread quickly.