Chapter 6 : Home
Just as he expected, a wall of fans was waiting at the airport. Despite the exhaustion deep in his bones, Raiven bowed. It was a reflexive sign of respect, a habit instilled by his mother. She had always told him that respect was the currency of a loyal fandom,that if they felt seen, they would ride even harder for their idol.
As his guards formed a human shield to lead him through the rowdy, anxious crowd, Raiven felt the familiar weight of his own history. Before the survival show that birthed RE-draft, he had been a child of the industry. His mother had choreographed his entire life: instrument lessons, vocal training, music production, even rap workshops. He was a "jack of all trades" to the public, but to Raiven, he was simply a boy who had worked himself to the bone just to see his mother smile.
Sometimes, he wondered if music was a passion or just a symptom of a life spent with no other options.
He let out a quiet sigh as the screams of the fans finally began to fade behind the tinted windows of the van. He wasn't a prideful man; he truly respected the fans, but he also knew the sharp edge of their devotion. He had tried to use his platform for good,founding a charity for the handicapped, advocating where he could,but the pressure to remain "perfect" was a suffocating shroud.
He knew that if he showed even a single deadly flaw, the same people screaming his name would be the first to turn their backs. It was a constant, buzzing anxiety beneath his skin.
"Should we go to the company or the apartment?" Manager Kim asked, breaking the silence of the car.
"Apartment. I need to rest," Raiven stated, closing his eyes.
They drove through the glittering streets of Seoul toward Gangnam. His apartment was in a quiet, private complex,a place where neighbors didn't pry and he could exist in a vacuum. He liked the anonymity of it.
The digital lock chirped as he entered his passcode. The house was deathly quiet. He didn't expect a warm hug or a "welcome home," and the cold, minimalist interior reflected that perfectly. He went straight to the refrigerator, pulled out a beer, and sank into the L-shaped couch.
He cracked the can open and let his head fall back against the cushions. He just needed to be still.
Suddenly, his phone rang. He stared at it, hesitating. It cut off just as he reached for it, only to immediately start buzzing again.
"You shit, why didn't you tell me you were back?"
Raiven found himself smiling at the sound of her voice. He leaned back, the tension in his shoulders dropping an inch.
"Because I'm not an idiot," he retorted, taking a long gulp of the beer.
"Oh, come on. I could have at least let you rest for a few hours before bugging you."
"I just got in. I'm not going out," he stated firmly.
"That wasn't what I was going to say!"
"Sure."
"I missed you, so I thought I'd bring something over."
"What? More beer?"
"I eat food too, you shit," she grunted playfully. "My girlfriend is a chef, and as soon as she heard I was friends with you, she wanted to shower you with food."
Raiven paused, the beer halfway to his lips. "You have a new one?"
"Look at you, talking like you weren't balls-deep in someone, what, yesterday? I don't give a fuck about time differences, Raiven."
"How long have you two been dating for you to tell her you know me?"
"A month. You were so busy I didn't have time to tell you."
"Sure, blame it on me," he laughed softly.
Hae-rin was one of the few people Raiven could count on his fingers,the people he could actually be with. With her goth outfits, tattoos, and piercings, most people assumed she was antisocial, but she was a burst of unapologetic energy. She didn't care about the world's opinion, which was exactly why Raiven loved her.
"I'll deliver some of the food, or even better, you can come to her restaurant," she suggested.
"Is this a promotion tactic?"
"Yes. And I really like her. It wouldn't hurt if my favorite person liked her, too."
Raiven sighed, giving in like he always did with her. "Fine. I'll look for an opening in the schedule and let you know."
He was skeptical,Hae-rin's relationships rarely made it past the three-month mark,but her enthusiasm was contagious.
"You're the best!"
They talked for a few more minutes before hanging up. Raiven felt lighter, the practiced mask sitting a little looser on his face. He finished his beer and headed toward his bedroom. Sleep was a luxury he rarely got enough of, and tonight, he was going to claim it.