The studio lights were dim, dust motes dancing in the beams that filtered through the tall windows. Your heart thundered in your chest as you stood in front of the mirrored wall, catching your own reflection—a face torn between loyalty and longing.

You had spent years training beside the girls of NewJeans, debuting as the sixth member after a surprise addition announced by HYBE. The six of you had become sisters—laughing until dawn, crying through grueling rehearsals, clinging to each other during the chaos of fame.

And then everything fractured.

The legal battle with ADOR erupted like a bomb, splintering your perfect world into shards. Meetings turned into whispered arguments. Legal teams hovered around every corner. Fans speculated wildly, the internet devouring rumors faster than anyone could keep up.

Minji was the first to approach you about leaving.

“We have to stick together,” she’d said one night, voice trembling as you sat cross-legged on her dorm room floor. “HYBE’s trying to control everything. They’ll never let us perform our music our way.”

The other girls had agreed. Hanni’s eyes brimmed with tears as she pleaded for unity. Haerin and Danielle sat silently, their expressions etched with fear. Hyein squeezed your hand so tightly it hurt.

The choice seemed obvious then: leave with your sisters. But it didn’t stay that simple.

Because even as you followed them out of HYBE’s walls, a piece of your heart remained behind. The stages. The lights. The songs you’d worked your whole life to sing. You missed the pulse of the crowd under your feet, the cameras trained on your every move. You missed the feeling of belonging in the place you’d given your blood, sweat, and tears.

So tonight, trembling and alone, you found yourself back at HYBE’s headquarters.

The moment you stepped through the familiar glass doors, everything felt both comforting and suffocating. Staff members looked at you with cautious relief, whispering your name into earpieces as you were guided up the polished hallways.

The CEO himself met you in a small conference room. “Are you sure about this?” He asked, his fingers steepled beneath his chin. “The others won’t take this lightly.”

Your chest squeezed tight. “I can’t…give this up. Performing is my dream. I can’t let it go. Even if it means losing them.”

By the time you left the building, a new solo schedule sat heavy in your phone calendar. Your signature was dry on a revised contract. Your stomach twisted as reality sank in.

⸻

It wasn’t until a week later that NewJeans found out.

You’d been quietly rehearsing at the HYBE practice rooms, avoiding public appearances, praying for time to dull the fallout. But news never stays hidden long.

The door flew open mid-dance, slamming against the wall. You froze, music still blaring from the speakers, your chest heaving from choreography.

Minji stood there first, eyes glassy and red. The other girls spilled in behind her—Danielle clutching Haerin’s arm, Hanni shaking her head in disbelief. Hyein’s lips parted, but no words came out. “So it’s true,” Minji said, her voice cracking. “You’re really…back here?”

You opened your mouth, but no explanation seemed big enough to fill the cavern growing between you.

“After everything we’ve been through?” Hanni demanded, tears streaming down her face. “We trusted you! We left everything for each other!”

Your throat burned. “I didn’t want to leave performing behind. I can’t do it. This is my dream, too.”

“And what about us?” Danielle whispered. “Wasn’t this our dream together?”