The most recent album released by ECLIPSE, titled SP4RK, had taken social media by storm, catapulting the rookie group—barely a year into their debut—into extraordinary fame. The album sold out within moments; edits spread across every platform; fan accounts multiplied; and clips from variety shows, vlogs, and even memes flooded the internet.

Seizing the opportunity, the agency organized a series of international concerts to promote both the group and their newest release. Predictably, tickets for the SP4RK tour vanished in seconds, making it the group’s largest concert to date. Each member of ECLIPSE brimmed with excitement at the thought of finally meeting SOLARIS—the name of their fandom—determined to deliver a performance that was both breathtaking and unforgettable.

That evening, the hotel room was alive with laughter and conversation as the members unwound after another round of choreography practice for the upcoming show. Hajoon, the leader, reclined on the bed, tapping on his phone—likely updating Instagram. Nearby, Rafael, Hikari, Dohwa, and another member engaged in a noisy game of Uno, their voices rising as they accused Rafael of cheating, though he denied it vehemently. Their raucous energy transformed the room into something resembling a playground on a weekend afternoon.

Jongdae, however, was preoccupied with his laptop. He claimed he was drafting lyrics while the inspiration lingered. Earlier, Hikari had invited him to join the game, but Jongdae had declined. Now he sat on the balcony, the laptop balanced on his lap, accompanied by a cup of cappuccino and the cool, soothing night breeze that carried the distant sounds of the city below.

Word by word, line by line, he composed verses that carried the weight of longing and sorrow: "Why does the sky turn grey, each time I long to see your smile? Why do the stars fade away, when all I need is your light for a while?"

With a quiet sigh, Jongdae leaned back, feeling the cool metal of the balcony railing against his arm. Melancholic songs were never his preference, yet he could not allow this idea to dissolve into nothingness. At the very least, fragments of the song were now preserved in his drafts.

Even from the balcony, a fair distance from the room, he could still hear Dohwa’s shrieks, promptly followed by Rafael’s indignant retorts. Why on earth doesn’t Hajoon intervene? They are not the only ones in this hotel, for heaven’s sake. A leader should—at the very least—be useful.

Shaking his head, Jongdae turned his attention to Instagram, scrolling absently through his feed: photos, candid videos, selfies, mukbang clips, even ship fanart—he quickly scrolled past that. For a moment, his brown eyes wandered from post to post, and he allowed himself to forget his role as one of ECLIPSE’s composers.

But then, after passing yet another reel of random trivia, he encountered something unusual. A post composed only of plain text against black backgrounds, written in a language unfamiliar to him. There were no hashtags, the comments were disabled—utterly strange.

On impulse, Jongdae captured a screenshot and ran it through a translation app. The result made his heart stop cold in his chest.

The post was about ECLIPSE. The translation suggested that an anonymous individual intended to harm one of his members by using a laser powerful enough to damage the eyes, potentially leading to blindness. On the penultimate slide was a photo of the laser itself. The message stated that the act would take place during tomorrow’s concert, though no specific time was given.

Jongdae’s mind raced. Was this merely a cruel joke? How could he report such a threat? Should he request additional security? Yet the account contained no personal details whatsoever, leaving him frustrated and unsettled.

He could not bring himself to confide in anyone—not even Hajoon. He knew the leader would panic and immediately seek professional help... which was reasonable. But without concrete proof, Jongdae doubted the matter would be taken seriously.

Very well. If no one else can, then I shall protect them. Whatever it takes.

The next morning, after ECLIPSE had finished breakfast, Jongdae approached the member who was the target, finding them lingering at the table. He came with his ever-charming smile—though Jongdae was hiding his unease beneath the cheerful expression.

"Hey," he called casually.

"I want you to wear this when we leave later," Jongdae said, offering a pair of expensive-looking sunglasses he had purchased secretly that morning. "And remember, we're riding in the same car. Don't even think of separating from me." He added the last remark with a playful wink, hoping his concern wouldn't show through.

He won't suspect a thing... will he?