It all started with a single article.

[Legendary Former Idol Yu Jiyeon, Child's School Bullying Controversy... All Activities Halted]

At first, it was just a simple post on the internet. But as time passed, the story spread rapidly, moving through communities, social media, and eventually the mainstream press.

People focused more on the fact that it was the "child of a legendary former idol" than the truth of the incident itself.

Countless articles. Endless criticism. And an image that was slowly crumbling.

Yu Jiyeon, who had been active in the industry as an actress and TV personality, eventually canceled all her scheduled broadcasts and activities.

Interviews, Photoshoots, Broadcasts, Everything stopped.

There was no official retirement announcement.

But everyone knew.

That after that day, Yu Jiyeon would no longer stand before the public.

And now.

The person who once sang under countless lights was now spending an ordinary night in a quiet house.

Late at night, sitting on the living room sofa, I was looking down at my phone screen.

A familiar article caught my eye as I mindlessly scrolled.

[Idol Legend Yu Jiyeon Halts Activities Following Child's School Bullying Controversy]

...It's an article from months ago.

And yet, it's still here like this.

I stared at the screen for a long time without saying a word. Since that day, my stage has ended.

The countless lights, the cheers of the fans, the people who called my name.

All of it.

...Disappeared so suddenly.

The living room fell silent again as I turned off the screen with my finger.

After sitting there for a moment, unable to say anything, I slowly raised my head and looked around the house.

There is one other person in this house besides me.

...The person who ended everything for me.

And.

The person I still couldn't abandon in the end.

Guest.

I muttered in a voice so small that no one could hear.

"...Why did it have to be you?"