The Shadow Of A Trainee | Bang Chan ?

Mirae's P.O.V

The morning sun was barely peeking over the horizon when I stepped out of the dorm, a cold, biting wind nipping at my skin. The address sent by the unknown number was burned into my memory, and despite every instinct telling me to turn back, my feet carried me forward.

Every step was heavier than the last, fear clawing at my chest. The thought of putting the boys' careers—Chan's dreams—in jeopardy was unbearable. If there was even a chance to prevent that, I had to take it.

The address led me to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Seoul. The rusted exterior and broken windows were a testament to years of neglect. My heart hammered as I approached the entrance, the creaking of the old metal door echoing in the silence.

Inside, the dim light barely illuminated the space. My eyes adjusted, and there he was—the man I had hoped never to see again.

The former Stray Kids assistant.

He stood leaning casually against a stack of crates, but the malicious gleam in his eyes was anything but casual.

"You actually came," he sneered, pushing off the crates and walking toward me.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound brave.

"You," he said, smirking. "Or rather, your loyalty."

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

He chuckled darkly, circling me like a predator. "Oh, Mirae, you're so naïve. Let me make this simple. You either give me the money I'm asking for—five hundred million won—or you make Stray Kids hate you so much that they fire you. Either way, I win."

I blinked, stunned. "Five hundred million won? Are you insane? I don't have that kind of money!"

His smirk widened. "Exactly. Which leaves you with option two."

I swallowed hard, dread pooling in my stomach. "Why are you doing this? They never did anything to deserve this kind of hatred from you."

His expression darkened. "Didn't they? They fired me, Mirae. They ruined my reputation. No one would hire me after what they said. I was blacklisted. Do you know what that did to me? My wife left me. Took my son and never looked back. All because of them."

"They fired you because you betrayed them!" I snapped, my fear giving way to anger. "You were recording private videos and taking photos of them without their consent. You sold their personal moments to the media for money. You broke their trust!"

His eyes flared with rage, and he took a step closer, brandishing a knife I hadn't noticed until now. The blade glinted in the faint light, sending a chill down my spine.

"Don't lecture me," he hissed. "I lost everything because of them. Now it's their turn to feel the same pain. And you're going to help me do it."

I froze, my breath hitching. "I would never betray them."

"Oh, you will," he said, his voice calm but laced with menace. "Because if you don't, I'll ruin them. I have more than just that photo of you and Chan. I've been watching all of you. I have enough dirt to destroy their image. And yours."

Tears pricked my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "What do you want me to do?"

He leaned in, his voice a venomous whisper. "Make them hate you. Break their hearts. Do something so unforgivable that they'll never want to see your face again."

"What?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"Something simple," he said, his smile chilling. "Sabotage one of their performances. Leak their comeback track. Spread a rumor about Chan. You choose. But it has to hurt. It has to make them believe you betrayed them."

I shook my head, my voice trembling. "They'll never forgive me."

"Exactly," he said, his tone triumphant. "Just like they never forgave me. You see, Mirae, this isn't about ruining their careers. Their fans will stand by them, no matter what. This is about breaking them. Making them trust no one. Turning them into the same shattered mess they left me."

"You're a monster," I spat, my hands clenched into fists.

"And you're out of time," he replied coldly. "Do what I say, or I'll release everything. You have until the end of the week."

---

The walk back to the dorm felt like a blur. My mind raced with his words, his threats, the impossible choices he had forced upon me.

When I entered the dorm, the sound of laughter greeted me. The boys were in the living room, arguing over a game of Mario Kart.

"Noona!" Jeongin called out, his bright smile tugging at my heart.

"Hey," I said, forcing a smile.

Chan was the first to notice something was off. He approached me, his brows furrowed in concern. "Are you okay? You look pale."

"I'm fine," I lied, avoiding his gaze.

"Are you sure?" he pressed, his hand resting gently on my arm.

I nodded, pulling away. "I'm just tired. I'm going to bed early."

As I walked slowly to my room, guilt gnawed at me. The warmth, the trust, the love in their eyes—they didn't deserve what I was about to do.

But I had no choice. If protecting them meant sacrificing their trust, then I would bear the burden of their hatred.

Lying on my bed, I stared at the ceiling, tears streaming silently down my cheeks.

I had made my decision.

By the end of the week, they would hate me.

__________________________

A/N:

A bonus update for this week.
May you all have a nice day. xoxo