Two weeks passed.
Life slowly returned to normal—or at least, as normal as life could be for rising K-pop idols.
LUNA5 was everywhere.
Their songs played in cafés across Seoul.
Their dance challenge continued to spread across social media, with millions of fans posting their own versions.
Every television station seemed to invite them for interviews, radio shows, and variety programs.
For the first time, Minji felt like she was truly living the dream she had worked so hard for.
Yet every night, before going to sleep, she found herself thinking about Project Starlight.
And about Jiho.
One afternoon, LUNA5 was invited to film an episode of a popular variety show.
The atmosphere was lively from the moment they arrived.
Comedians joked with the members.
The MCs asked funny questions.
The audience laughed constantly.
“Minji,” one host asked with a grin, “what’s the strangest thing you’ve experienced since becoming an idol?”
The members looked at one another.
Minji smiled.
“There are many.”
“But I think the strangest part is realizing people recognize me even when I’m wearing a mask.”
Everyone laughed.
Another host turned to Hana.
“Who spends the longest looking in the mirror?”
Hana didn’t hesitate.
“Definitely Yuri.”
“What?!”
The audience burst into laughter as Yuri dramatically protested.
For the next hour, the members laughed, played games, and shared stories from their trainee days.
Watching from backstage, Joon couldn’t help smiling.
Seeing Minji laugh so freely reminded him why he had always believed in her.
That evening, Jiho returned to his music studio.
His students were waiting eagerly.
“Teacher Jiho!”
“Can we learn the new song today?”
Jiho smiled.
“Of course.”
As the children practiced, one little boy raised his hand.
“Teacher…”
“Yes?”
“Is it true you know Minji from LUNA5?”
Jiho blinked in surprise.
“Who told you that?”
“My sister saw a picture online.”
Jiho laughed softly.
“We’ve been friends since we were children.”
The students gasped.
“Really?”
“Then can you ask her to visit us someday?”
Jiho smiled.
“I’ll ask.”
He didn’t notice the woman standing quietly outside the studio window.
She watched the children for a moment before walking away.
It was Lee Soo-ah.
It was from BTS’s company.
Aurora and LUNA5 had been selected for a special charity concert supporting young artists from low-income families.
The event was inspired by organizations that helped children pursue music and dance.
As Minji read the invitation, she smiled.
“It reminds me of Project Starlight.”
Hana looked over her shoulder.
“It really does.”
Their manager nodded.
“The organizers want idols to encourage children who dream of performing.”
“We’ll also meet some of the students before the concert.”
Minji’s eyes lit up.
“I’d love that.”
The charity concert took place the following weekend.
The venue was smaller than the festivals LUNA5 usually performed at, but the atmosphere felt warmer.
Instead of thousands of screaming fans, hundreds of children sat excitedly in the audience.
Many held notebooks instead of light sticks.
Some wore dance shoes.
Others carried violin cases or guitar bags.
Before the performances began, the idols spent time meeting the children.
One little girl shyly approached Minji.
“Unnie…”
“Yes?”
“I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“My audition is next month.”
“What if I fail?”
Minji knelt so they were at eye level.
“When I was a trainee…”
“I failed many evaluations.”
The little girl’s eyes widened.
“You did?”
Minji nodded.
“I cried.”
“I wanted to give up.”
“But every time I stood back up…”
“…I became a little stronger.”
She smiled gently.
“So don’t be afraid of failing.”
“Be afraid of never trying.”
The little girl smiled brightly.
“I’ll do my best!”
As she ran back to her seat, Jiho—who had been invited to accompany one of the children’s performances on piano—watched the conversation from across the stage.
He smiled proudly.
“You’re inspiring people now, Minji.”
After the concert ended, Lee Soo-ah finally approached Minji.
She was elegant, probably in her late forties, with kind eyes that seemed to carry years of untold stories.
“Minji?”
Minji turned.
“Yes?”
“My name is Lee Soo-ah.”
For a moment, Minji froze.
The name was instantly familiar.
“The archivist…”
Lee nodded.
They found a quiet meeting room backstage.
Jiho and Joon joined them.
Lee placed a thick leather journal on the table.
“I’ve protected this for twelve years.”
She carefully opened it.
Inside were handwritten notes from the founder of Project Starlight.
Letters from teachers.
Photographs of every child.
Original scholarship records.
Everything that had been thought lost.
She looked at Minji.
“The founder wanted every child to believe in themselves.”
“But before he passed away…”
“…he gave me one final request.”
“What was it?” Minji asked.
Lee smiled warmly.
“If any of the children ever achieved their dream…”
“…return these memories to them.”
She gently pushed the journal across the table.
“It belongs to all of you now.”
Minji carefully touched the worn cover.
It wasn’t just a journal.
It was the history of hundreds of dreams.
Suddenly, Lee’s phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Her expression changed instantly.
“What happened?” Jiho asked.
She slowly lowered the phone.
“The former administrator…”
“…has escaped police surveillance.”
The room fell silent.
“They don’t know where he is.”
Joon immediately stood.
“Does he know about the journal?”
Lee looked at him gravely.
“If he finds it…”
“…he could destroy the last evidence connecting him to the stolen scholarship funds.”
Minji looked down at the journal resting in her hands.
A few minutes ago, it had felt like a gift.
Now…
It had become something much more dangerous.
Outside, the rain began falling once again.
Across Seoul, a black SUV quietly pulled away from a deserted warehouse.
Inside sat a middle-aged man wearing a dark coat.
He looked at an old newspaper clipping featuring Project Starlight.
Then at a recent photograph of Minji.
He smiled—not with kindness, but with regret.
“I made mistakes twelve years ago,” he murmured.
“But I won’t let my family pay for them.”
He folded the newspaper and looked out at the rain-soaked streets.
His next destination…
…was Seoul.
And neither Minji nor her friends knew that the final truth was already on its way to them.