Chapter: The Past Refuses to Stay Buried
Keifer's POV
The door closed.
The quiet that followed felt suffocating.
Keifer stood frozen in the middle of the hotel meeting room in Seoul, staring at the door Jae Rin had just walked through.
His chest felt tight.
Like something heavy had been placed over his ribs.
Ci-n exhaled slowly behind him.
"…That went worse than I expected."
No one laughed.
Because it wasn't funny.
Aries stood near the window, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were pale.
Angelo had sunk into a chair, rubbing his temples like a headache had just exploded in his skull.
But Keifer didn't move.
His mind kept replaying the same moment.
Her calm expression.
Her polite voice.
"My name is Jae Rin. Nice to meet you."
Like they had never met before.
Like eleven years of memories meant absolutely nothing.
Keifer let out a breath that trembled slightly.
"She remembers."
Ci-n looked up.
"What?"
Keifer finally turned around.
"She remembers everything."
Angelo frowned.
"How can you be sure?"
Keifer's jaw tightened.
"Because Jay was never a good liar."
He remembered the tiny flicker in her eyes when he said her name.
That moment of hesitation.
It lasted less than a second.
But he saw it.
She knew exactly who they were.
Which meant something else.
She had chosen to pretend they were strangers.
And somehow that hurt more than if she had screamed at them.
Keifer ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.
For eleven years he had searched for her.
Investigators.
Records.
Every possible lead.
Nothing.
It was like Jay had disappeared from the face of the earth.
And then suddenly the entire world started talking about someone named Jae Rin.
The mysterious singer who appeared out of nowhere.
The girl with the insane stage presence.
The one whose rap performances were going viral everywhere.
Keifer had watched one of her concert videos weeks ago.
The crowd of thousands screaming her name.
Her voice sharp and powerful as she rapped faster than anyone he had ever seen.
For a moment he hadn't recognized her.
But then she smiled.
That same small smile Jay used to make when she felt confident.
And his heart nearly stopped.
She had released hundreds of songs.
Multiple albums that topped global charts.
Won countless awards across Asia and the world.
Built a career so massive it was impossible to ignore.
And they had never been there to see any of it.
That realization burned deeper than anything else.
⸻
Angelo's POV
Angelo leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
The guilt he had carried for eleven years suddenly felt heavier.
He had expected anger.
He had expected accusations.
He had even prepared himself for Jay to slap him across the face.
But he hadn't expected this.
Indifference.
The way she looked at him earlier—
There had been no warmth.
No family recognition.
Just cold distance.
Like she had built a wall so high that none of them could reach her anymore.
Ci-n broke the silence.
"What if she actually erased us?"
Aries turned sharply.
"That's impossible."
Ci-n shrugged.
"People change."
Aries scoffed.
"She's just playing games."
Angelo sighed.
"Maybe."
But deep down he wasn't convinced.
Because the girl he remembered had once trusted them completely.
And they had destroyed that trust.
And he had done something even worse.
He had been the one who arranged her marriage with Yuri Hanamitchi to save his collapsing company.
He had told himself it was necessary.
That it was business.
But now, seeing her again after all these years…
It felt like he had sold his own cousin's happiness.
Maybe pretending not to know them was her way of protecting herself.
⸻
Aries' POV
Aries stared out the window at the skyline of Seoul.
The city lights reflected in the glass like thousands of stars.
His mind felt chaotic.
For years he had convinced himself that Jay didn't matter anymore.
That she wasn't his sister.
That she had brought shame to their family.
But seeing her today—
Seeing the confidence in her posture.
The power in her voice.
The way the entire world worshipped her.
Something uncomfortable twisted in his chest.
She had become everything people once said she couldn't be.
Successful.
Respected.
Untouchable.
A global icon.
Aries had heard the numbers.
Hundreds of songs.
Millions of fans.
International awards.
Concerts that sold out within minutes.
The little girl who once nervously sang in front of him had become someone the entire world admired.
And suddenly Aries realized something he had never admitted before.
Jay had never needed their approval.
She had built her own world without them.
But the thought brought another memory with it.
A darker one.
The night everything shattered.
His hand unconsciously moved to his side where the faint scar still remained.
The night Jay stabbed him.
Even now he could remember her trembling hands.
Her terrified eyes.
The way she kept telling him not to come closer.
At the time Aries had only felt anger.
Betrayal.
But now, looking back…
He understood something he hadn't before.
She hadn't been trying to hurt him.
She had been terrified.
Traumatized.
Broken by everything happening around her.
And instead of helping her…
He had pushed her away.
Distanced himself.
Pretended she wasn't his sister anymore.
Aries closed his eyes briefly.
Deep down, beneath the pride and anger he had carried for years…
He still loved her.
He just never knew how to face the pain between them.
His voice was low.
"She changed."
Ci-n nodded quietly.
"Yeah."
Aries shook his head slightly.
"No."
He corrected himself.
"She grew."
⸻
Keifer's POV
Keifer finally sat down.
His head felt heavy.
Ci-n dropped into the chair across from him.
"So what now?"
Keifer looked at the table for a long moment.
"I'm not giving up."
Ci-n groaned.
"Of course you're not."
Keifer looked up.
"Jay used to trust me more than anyone."
Ci-n raised an eyebrow.
"That was before you didn't believe her."
The words hit hard.
Because they were true.
Keifer rubbed the back of his neck.
"I know."
The memory of that day in school still haunted him.
The accusations.
The rumors.
The moment Jay looked at him like he was the last person who might defend her.
And he hadn't.
He had stayed silent.
That silence had cost him everything.
But he refused to believe the story ended like this.
Because the girl he loved—
The real Jay—
Was still somewhere inside Jae Rin.
And if she was pretending not to know them…
There had to be a reason.
⸻
Jae Rin's POV
Inside the car, the tension felt thick.
Jae Rin leaned her head against the seat and closed her eyes.
Yuna immediately exploded.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Sora tried not to laugh.
"You literally introduced yourself to them."
Jisoo shook her head.
"That was brutal."
Min Jae sat beside her quietly.
He had expected chaos.
But even he hadn't predicted that level of coldness.
Jae Rin opened one eye.
"They deserved worse."
Yuna blinked.
"…Fair."
Sora crossed her arms.
"Are you okay though?"
Jae Rin took a slow breath.
Her heart was still racing from the meeting.
Seeing them again after eleven years had felt surreal.
Keifer looked older.
Ci-n looked tired.
Aries looked just as stubborn as ever.
And Angelo—
Angelo looked like guilt had been eating him alive.
The memories threatened to resurface.
The classroom.
The betrayal.
The rumors that destroyed her.
The moment everyone in Section E turned their backs on her.
She forced the thoughts away.
"I'm fine."
Min Jae studied her expression carefully.
"You sure?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
But he noticed the slight tremble in her hands.
⸻
Earlier That Day
Before the meeting, Jae Rin had already made her decision.
She stood in the dressing room staring at her reflection.
Her long silky hair reached almost to her knees.
Her face looked calm.
But inside, a storm of emotions raged.
Min Jae stood behind her.
"You don't have to go."
She shook her head.
"No."
"They asked for a meeting."
"So they'll get one."
He leaned against the wall.
"You're planning something."
She smiled faintly.
"Of course."
"What?"
She turned to face him.
"I'm going to pretend I don't know them."
Min Jae blinked.
"That's… cruel."
"Not cruel."
Her voice was quiet.
"Safe."
Because if she acknowledged them as part of her past…
Everything would come rushing back.
The pain.
The humiliation.
The betrayal.
Min Jae nodded slowly.
"Alright."
Then he added with a small smile,
"I'll follow your lead."
⸻
Back in the Car
Yuna leaned forward from the back seat.
"So what happens next?"
Jae Rin looked out the window.
The city lights blurred past.
"I focus on my life."
Sora smirked.
"You mean the life where you're the biggest star on the planet?"
Jae Rin laughed softly.
"Something like that."
But deep down she knew the truth.
Today's meeting wasn't the end.
It was just the beginning.
Because people like Keifer didn't give up easily.
⸻
Keifer's POV
Later that night, Keifer stood on the balcony of his hotel room.
The cool wind brushed against his face.
The skyline of Seoul stretched endlessly before him.
Ci-n stepped outside beside him.
"You're still thinking about her."
Keifer didn't deny it.
"I saw something today."
Ci-n frowned.
"What?"
Keifer looked toward the distant lights.
"For a second… she looked at me the way she used to."
Ci-n sighed.
"You're imagining things."
"Maybe."
But the hope refused to disappear.
Because if Jay truly didn't care anymore…
She wouldn't have bothered meeting them at all.
Keifer turned toward the city.
A determined expression slowly formed on his face.
"This isn't over."
Ci-n groaned again.
"You're really doing this."
Keifer nodded.
"I spent eleven years looking for her."
"And now that I finally found her…"
He looked back toward the glowing skyline.
"I'm not letting her disappear again."
The night continued quietly over Seoul.
Two completely different worlds existed within the same city.
In one part—
Jae Rin sat in a car with the people who had helped her rebuild her life.
In another—
Keifer stood on a balcony wondering if the girl he once loved still existed somewhere behind the superstar.
Neither of them realized yet that the past wasn't finished with them.
Because some stories refuse to stay buried.
And some feelings—
No matter how much time passes—
Never truly disappear.
___________________
HEY LOVELY READERS!!!
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING IT THIS FAR INTO THE STORY. IF YOU'RE READING THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE, IT MEANS YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING JAE RIN'S JOURNEY, AND THAT HONESTLY MEANS A LOT TO ME. WRITING THIS STORY HAS BEEN SUCH A FUN AND EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWING THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY READING IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL.
THIS STORY IS INSPIRED BY THE WORLD AND CHARACTERS OF Ang Mutya ng Section E, BUT WITH A DIFFERENT PATH AND A LOT OF "WHAT IF" MOMENTS. I WANTED TO EXPLORE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF JAY DISAPPEARED AND CAME BACK YEARS LATER AS SOMEONE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT—STRONGER, SUCCESSFUL, AND A LITTLE MORE MYSTERIOUS. WRITING JAE RIN AS A GLOBAL STAR WITH HUNDREDS OF SONGS, AWARDS, AND A COMPLETELY NEW LIFE HAS BEEN REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE IT SHOWS HOW MUCH A PERSON CAN GROW AFTER GOING THROUGH PAIN.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS CHAPTER, THE PAST IS FINALLY STARTING TO CATCH UP WITH EVERYONE. KEIFER IS DETERMINED TO GET JAY BACK INTO HIS LIFE, ARIES IS STARTING TO REALIZE THAT DEEP DOWN HE NEVER STOPPED CARING ABOUT HIS SISTER, AND ANGELO IS SLOWLY FACING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CHOICES HE MADE YEARS AGO. AT THE SAME TIME, JAE RIN IS TRYING TO STAY IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION BY PRETENDING SHE DOESN'T KNOW THEM. BUT AS YOU PROBABLY SUSPECT… THIS PLAN WON'T STAY SIMPLE FOR LONG.
THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS ARE GOING TO GET MUCH MORE INTENSE. THERE WILL BE MORE CONFRONTATIONS, MORE EMOTIONAL MOMENTS, AND A LOT MORE BACKSTORY ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED DURING THE YEARS WHEN JAY DISAPPEARED. YOU'LL ALSO SEE HOW HER LIFE AS JAE RIN—THE SUPERSTAR—STARTS COLLIDING WITH THE LIFE SHE LEFT BEHIND.
ALSO… JUST A SMALL SPOILER: SOME CHARACTERS WHO HAVEN'T APPEARED YET MIGHT SHOW UP VERY SOON. AND TRUST ME, THEIR ARRIVAL WILL CHANGE A LOT OF THINGS.
NOW I NEED A SMALL FAVOR FROM YOU GUYS.
PLEASE COMMENT YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE STORY! I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHARACTERS, THE PLOT, AND EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR. YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK HELP ME IMPROVE THE STORY AND ALSO GIVE ME IDEAS FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO SHARE THEM. DO YOU WANT MORE FLASHBACKS? MORE KEIFER AND JAE RIN MOMENTS? MORE SECTION E DRAMA? OR MAYBE MORE OF JAE RIN'S LIFE AS A GLOBAL STAR? TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE NEXT!
YOUR IDEAS MIGHT ACTUALLY INFLUENCE WHAT HAPPENS IN FUTURE CHAPTERS, SO DON'T BE SHY ABOUT SHARING THEM.
ALSO, IF YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO COMMENT, VOTE, AND SHARE THE STORY WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO LOVE DRAMA AND ANGST FILLED STORIES. YOUR SUPPORT REALLY MOTIVATES ME TO KEEP WRITING.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR READING AND SUPPORTING THIS STORY. IT REALLY MEANS A LOT.
AND DON'T FORGET…
THE NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO BE TOM.
SO STAY TUNED.
SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! ✨