Chapter 166 - Sunny Daze (12): Conclusion

"Is this seat taken?" 

Jiwon looked up to see a tall, blonde boy a little older than him, standing in front of him.

"Uh, no," Jiwo said, scooting over. He had just been accepted as a trainee at Mystic Entertainment and they were all asked to wait at a dance studio. He was watching the other trainees carefully. They were all no doubt full of talent but for Jiwon, they were no real competition. 

He had literally changed time to get another chance at escaping the life he had grown to resent. He left behind a past which he was determined to keep shut as long as he lived to escape the pain and conflicts he had faced. The new timeline was his escape from the dark reality that had awaited him in another lifetime. This was his second chance.

"What's your name?" the blond guy asked.

"Jiwon," he replied. "Kwon Jiwon."

"Ash," the blond boy extended his hand. "Ash Park."

"You have an English name," Jiwon commented.

"It's a name I adopted a few years ago," Ash replied sheepishly. "My real name is Park Seungheon."

"Who gave you the name?" Jiwon asked.

"My mentor," Ash replied. "What will you use as your stage name?"

Jiwon pondered for a while before answering, "KJ."

"Sleek," Ash smiled. "Who gave you that name?"

"My mentor," Jiwon replied, not willing to say anything further. Thankfully, Ash did not probe anymore. 

"Which position will you be training for?" Ash asked. He was referring to the position of each member in the groups. In the idol industry, each member of a group had a position based on their merits. Some even had multiple positions based on their talents. The positions mainly consisted of: Main Vocalist, Main Dancer, Main Rapper, Lead Singer, Lead Dancer and Lead Rapper. Three subsidiary positions included: Leader, Visual and Sub-Vocalist/Rapper.

"I'm aiming for Lead Singer," Jiwon replied. "I'm not good with high notes but I have pretty smooth low notes and keys."

Ash looked at him thoughtfully. "Did you ever try rapping though?" he asked. "Your voice is quite deep. You should try it and see if you like it."

"Rapping?" KJ frowned. He had never tried it before since his classes were focused on vocals and dancing. He never gave rapping a serious thought. It was both of theirs first day at the studio and no doubt they were very nervous. Yet, Jiwon felt at ease talking to the older boy.

"Try it," Ash encouraged. "See if you like it."

"I'll...give it a try," Jiwon agreed. There was no harm in trying new things, he wondered.

"I hope we'll get to debut together in the same group," Ash said. "I've seen your audition. You're really good. I'd love to share the stage with you someday."

"Same here," Jiwon replied with a small smile. 

"Ash Park!" a voice called out. They saw one of the managers approaching them. "CEO Ahn is calling you. He'll review your rap piece again in a few minutes."

"I'll be right there," Ash answered. He turned back towards Jiwon.

"See you later," he said. "Keep my advice in mind."

"Yeah," Jiwon nodded.

Giving Jiwon a friendly wink, he walked away. Jiwon stared at the tall boy's back. For some reason, he looked familiar but Jiwon could not pinpoint where they might have met.

I wonder if we'll get the chance to debut together, Jiwon thought. He looked around, taking in the new life he had chosen. It was a small company and did not have much success with its earlier bands. The trainees who joined the company were merely there for experience. As soon as they get the chance, they would switch to a better agency.

But Jiwon was not there to switch. He was there to stay and change his fate.

No looking back, he decided. Later that day, he began to train for his first rap piece.

….

"KJ!"

KJ broke out of his reverie. He was in a place full of white walls. It took him awhile to realize where he was. It was the hospital.

"Take this," Sunye said, holding up a cup of coffee. They were at the VIP section of the hospital. Mirae and Somi were undergoing treatments at the ICU. Both of them were in critical states. Somi was out of danger after the doctors subdued her but they were worried about her mental health more since the shock she suffered stemmed from a trauma.

But Mirae's case was worse. As Sunye suspected, she miscarried. The fall she took on her way to save KJ along with the emotional blow at Ash's betrayal left her vulnerable and broken. It took a toll on her body. A team of the best gynaecologists were operating on her but they could not save the baby since it was already too late.

"She probably didn't even know she was pregnant," the doctor had said. Those words made him reflect on how the Mirae he knew in the original timeframe also did not know that she was pregnant until Jiwon had pointed it out. If only they had discovered it sooner…

"They've operated on her," Sunye went on. She was scrutinizing KJ's expression. Even though she was told that that he was friends with the woman who was admitted for her miscarriage, his expression betrayed him. He was not just friends with her; he was in love with her.

"She'll be fine," Sunye said. "But that is a big shock she had to endure. You'll have to support her."

KJ did not reply to her but merely nodded.

"After all, you two just lost a child," she said somberly.

That statement made KJ frown. Sunye was falsely assuming that KJ was the father of Mirae's child. But before he could reply, something distracted him. There was a movement right behind Sunye. It was for a split second but KJ was sure someone was there. He peered at that direction

"What happened?" Sunye frowned looking behind her.

"I thought there was someone," KJ muttered.

"There's no one there," Sunye frowned. KJ was about to go and check when the doctor came out of the ICU.

"She's stable now," he informed them. "But she's still unconscious."

"When will she wake up?" KJ demanded.

"Not sure, but she'll regain consciousness soon," the doctor said. He gave a reassuring pat on KJ's shoulder. "Have faith."

With that, he strolled off. KJ slumped on the seat when he saw Hyun Jung approaching him. 

"How's Somi?" he asked. There was no point in hiding anything anymore. Hyun Jung had already told him albeit privately that Somi was Heroine. He also narrated about his own relationship with Somi and what Teppei did to her.

If Mirae was not hospitalized, KJ would have been shocked at the revelation. But he felt a deep gratitude for Somi and was in awe of how well she held her head high after what she went through. 

"She'll be alright," KJ assured Hyun Jung. "We already got Teppei in our custody," he added in a lower voice so that Sunye did not overhear them. Hyun Jung did not say anything but gave a curt nod. He had unfinished business with that man.

"You should check up on the CEO," Hyun Jung said. Even though KJ had wanted to tell him about Mirae's real identity, Hyun Jung chose not to know. He would rather let Mirae reveal it to him on her own when she felt better. KJ gave him a reassuring pat and went inside Mirae's room.

She looked as if she was sleeping peacefully. Her skin was pale white, making her look ghostly. KJ gently stroked her head, as he watched her sleep.

This is all my fault, he thought. If only he had not been so reckless at that time. If only he had not changed the timeline and looked back. If only…

Jade quietly trotted inside the room. The doctors would not allow pets inside the hospital but the cat managed to sneak in.

"You gotta stop blaming yourself," he said. "What happened was fated to happen. You could not have done anything."

"It was my choice to change my fate," KJ said bitterly. "I chose to be blind with rage rather than support the only person who loved me with her heart. If I hadn't changed the timeline...she wouldn't have suffered this…"

"KJ, maybe it was a good thing that you changed the timeline," Jade reasoned. "If you didn't do that, you'd have never known about Ash's intentions. And you saved Mirae. Even if you had erased your relationship with her, you still saved her life. Whatever is happening now is tragic but necessary to keep her alive…"

"Yeah but at what cost?" KJ questioned. Jade had no answer to that. 

"What do you want to do?" the cat finally asked.

"I don't know…" KJ admitted. "I simply want her pain to go away…"

Jade looked from KJ to Mirae. In a different life, these two would have been his parents. But seeing them like this only increased his dilemma. 

"KJ...how far would you go for her?" Jade asked him quietly.

KJ looked at him in the eye before answering, "I'd change a thousand timelines to protect her from any pain. Even if it kills me."

"I can't change the timeline again for you," Jade said. "But if you really want her to be happy, then I can assist you in it."

"How do I keep her happy?" KJ lamented sadly.

"KJ…" Jade started. "I think it's time for you to win back your wife."