My idol's dark secret

I don't remember doing that

Eunha's hands trembled as she scrolled through the notifications, the grainy image of Kai frozen in that impossible pose over the man's collar burned into her mind like fire. "No… no, this can't be real," she whispered, her voice barely audible, almost like she was afraid saying it louder would make it true, "Kai could never do something like this, he would never, no matter what anyone says, no matter how bad the rumors get!"

Chaeyoung leaned forward, her elbows digging into her knees, eyes glued to the screen as her mind raced through possibilities, her heart hammering against her chest. "Eunha… look, calm for a second," she said, her voice low but urgent, "we don't know everything. Maybe… maybe it's a setup, maybe someone's deliberately trying to frame him. You saw the way the photo was taken—it's grainy, shadowed, and barely shows his face. There's no proof that's actually Kai."

Hyunwoo, usually the calm one, now had his eyes darting across multiple news feeds, his fingers flying over his phone as he tried to piece the puzzle together." Whoever posted that picture might be twisting reality, but the fact that a body was found at the same river, the same night, and the victim matches the description… this is bad. Really bad."

Eunha's jaw dropped. "Do you understand what this means? Even if Kai didn't do it, fans, the media… everyone is going to believe he's involved. My Kai, the Kai I've been watching for years, the Kai who's always been calm, careful, perfect… they're going to think he's a killer." She paused, her voice cracking slightly as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "And what if… what if someone sees this and decides to confront him? Or worse… what if the police come asking questions before we can even explain anything?"

The commercials finally faded.

Soft music played as the camera slowly returned to the glowing studio of spotlight confession. The audience, which had been buzzing with whispers only moments ago, now sat in tense anticipation. Some fans still clutched their phones tightly, their faces pale as the news continued spreading across the internet like wildfire.

On stage, the members of Eclipse were seated exactly where they had been before the break. But the atmosphere had completely changed.

Jinwon adjusted the cards in his hand, his expression carefully composed as the red recording light flickered back on. He offered a polite smile to the audience, though the tension behind it was obvious.

"Welcome back," he said smoothly. "If you're just joining us, we're here today with Eclipse, who have recently made their long-awaited return after three years away from the spotlight."

The audience clapped lightly, though the cheers were noticeably quieter than before.

Jinwon continued, his voice steady but serious. "During our short break, something unexpected began circulating online that has quickly caught public attention."

The giant screen behind them lit up again.

The grainy photograph appeared once more. A man gripping another by the collar, his fist raised as if ready to strike.

A wave of murmuring spread through the audience.

Jinwon slowly turned his attention back toward the group. "As many viewers have likely already seen," he said carefully, "this image has gone viral across multiple platforms within the last fifteen minutes. Many online users are claiming that the man in the photograph resembles Eclipse's Kai."

The camera slowly zoomed in on the members.

Taeyong sat straighter in his seat, his jaw tense but his expression controlled.

Jisoo looked visibly uncomfortable, his fingers gripping the edge of his microphone.

Seoyeon leaned back slightly, watching Kai from the corner of his eye with a sharp, unreadable look.

Kai himself remained almost completely still.

Jinwon continued.

"What makes this situation even more complicated," he said, "is the breaking news that surfaced just moments ago."

The screen behind them changed again.

This time it showed the face of the dead man.

"Authorities have confirmed that a man named Lee Min Woo, who was reportedly seen near the Han River last night, was found dead early this morning. According to preliminary reports, there were signs of a physical struggle before his death."

A louder murmur rippled through the studio.

Some fans gasped softly.

Jinwon paused before speaking again.

"And because of the timing of this news, many people online have begun questioning whether the incident captured in this photo might be connected."

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Then Jinwon turned directly to Kai.

"Kai," he said calmly, though the question carried unmistakable weight, "as someone currently under intense public attention, I feel it would be unfair to ignore this situation completely."

Kai's eyes lifted slowly to meet his.

"So I'd like to give you the opportunity to respond." The cameras focused entirely on him now. "Were you anywhere near the Han River last night?"

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Taeyong subtly shifted in his seat, as if preparing to step in if things went too far.

Jisoo glanced nervously between Kai and the host. Seoyeon watched silently, his expression dark with curiosity.

Kai looked toward the screen behind them.

The image of the man gripping the other by the collar stared back at him.

Something flickered briefly in his eyes.

Then he lifted the microphone.

His voice, when he finally spoke, was calm… almost eerily calm.

"I was out last night," he admitted.

The audience stirred again.

"But I don't remember being involved in anything like that."

Jinwon tilted his head slightly. "You don't remember?"

Kai's fingers tightened slightly around the microphone. "I remember leaving the dorm to get some air," he said slowly. "After the concert, everything felt overwhelming. I drove for a while… and I ended up near the river."

Taeyong's head turned sharply toward him.

"But after that…" Kai continued quietly, his gaze drifting momentarily as if searching through fog, "things get blurry."

Jinwon's voice softened.

"Blurry?"

Kai nodded once. "I remember feeling extremely tired. I remember sitting in my car."

He paused.

"And then I woke up this morning with my phone filled with missed calls."

The studio was completely silent now.

Even the audience seemed afraid to breathe too loudly.

Jinwon studied him carefully.

"So to be clear," he said slowly, "you are saying that you do not remember the events shown in this photograph."

Kai looked once more at the image on the screen. The man raising his fist. The struggle frozen in time. His expression didn't change.

"Yes," he said quietly."I don't remember that at all." Behind him, Seoyeon let out a faint scoff that was barely picked up by the microphone. Taeyong shot him a warning look. But the damage had already been done. Because outside the studio…

Across social media…

Across news broadcasts…

Across millions of phones and screens—

The question had already begun spreading like wildfire.

If Kai truly didn't remember what happened last night…

Then who—

—or what—

had been standing at that river?

"Alright everyone," Jinwon said smoothly as the studio lights began to dim, his practiced smile returning as if nothing unusual had happened during the broadcast. "Thank you for watching Spotlight Confession. I'm Park Jinwon, and we'll see you again very soon."

The applause sign flashed.

The audience clapped, though the sound felt slightly forced after the tense interview.

Then the screen cut to black.

Backstage, the atmosphere was nothing like the calm ending viewers had just seen.

Eclipse's manager paced the hallway outside the dressing room like a man whose entire career was hanging by a thread.

His phone was pressed tightly to his ear, his free hand gripping his hair in frustration as he spoke in a low but furious voice.

"Find him," he snapped into the phone. "I don't care how you do it, just find the person who uploaded that photo and get it taken down before this turns into a complete disaster!"

He stopped walking and rubbed his forehead. "If this spreads any further the media will eat us alive," he muttered bitterly. "Three years of silence and the first thing people talk about is a murder rumor…"

He exhaled sharply.

"Damn it… I should have stopped Kai that night," he said under his breath before continuing into the phone again. "Just do whatever it takes. Contact the platform, threaten legal action, anything. I want that picture gone."

At that moment, the dressing room door opened. Kai stepped out first, followed closely by Taeyong, Jisoo, and Seoyeon.

The manager immediately ended the call and rushed toward them.

"Kai!" he said quickly, scanning his face with concern. "Are you alright? They didn't pressure you too much in there, did they?"

Kai shook his head slowly, his expression calm but distant.

"I'm fine," he replied quietly.

The manager let out a breath of relief.

"Good… good," he said quickly. "The car is already waiting outside. We need to leave immediately before the reporters start gathering here."

As if on cue, distant voices could already be heard in the lobby.

Cameras clicking.

Reporters shouting questions.

"Move," the manager said urgently.

The group hurried down the back hallway and slipped out through a private exit just as the first wave of paparazzi began flooding the front entrance.

Outside, their black van pulled away from the curb just in time.

Behind them, reporters ran toward the entrance, frustration visible on their faces.

"Damn it," one of them muttered while lowering his camera. "We just missed them."

Inside the moving van, silence filled the space.

The city lights passed in streaks outside the windows.

Kai sat near the back, leaning backwards his hands pressing against his temples as if trying to block something out.

Taeyong noticed immediately.

He leaned over slightly, his voice calm and reassuring.

"Don't push yourself too hard thinking about this," he said gently. "As long as you didn't do anything, the truth will eventually come out. Rumors like this flare up quickly, but they die just as fast."

Seoyeon let out a cold scoff from the seat across from them. "Rumors?" he repeated, his tone sharp. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees as he looked directly at Kai. "You're seriously telling me all of this is just some giant coincidence?"

The van grew tense.

Seoyeon continued, his voice laced with suspicion. "A photo of someone who looks exactly like you beating a man near the Han River… and then hours later that same man is found dead in the exact same place." He let out a humorless laugh. "And we're supposed to believe none of it has anything to do with you just because you 'don't remember'?"

"Seoyeon, that's enough," Taeyong snapped immediately, his voice firm.

"We all know Kai isn't capable of something like that."

Seoyeon leaned back slightly but didn't respond, his eyes still fixed on Kai.

Kai hadn't spoken a single word during the exchange.

His hands remained pressed against his head.

Then suddenly—

A sharp wave of pain shot through his skull.

"Ah—"

He gasped quietly, his body tensing as he gripped his head tighter.

Taeyong immediately leaned closer.

"Kai? What's wrong?"

Kai's breathing grew heavier.

Then—

A sudden flash.

A memory burst violently into his mind.

Dark metal bars.

The cold night air.

His hand gripping the top of a tall fence as he swung his body over it..The ground below rushing toward him. Kai's eyes widened.

What was that?

The image vanished as quickly as it appeared.

His heart began pounding.

Was that .... Me?

Another surge of pain struck his head.

Kai clenched his jaw, his fingers digging into his hair as he struggled to steady himself.

I don't remember doing that...

The memory had felt too real.

Too vivid.

Jisoo leaned forward anxiously from the seat beside him.

"Kai, try to breathe slowly,"he said softly.

Kai barely heard him. Because somewhere deep in his mind—

Fragments of that night were beginning to surface.

And the more they appeared…

The less certain he became that the person in that photograph wasn't him.