Next Morning – Rooftop Studio, West Hongdae
The sound of light rain pattered softly against the window of a tiny rooftop studio. Inside, Seo Mirae sat on the edge of her thin mattress, staring at the elegant card Jiwoo had given her the night before.
Aurora Creative Residency…
It didn't sound like a real place.
No contracts. No payment. No agency clauses. Just… space.
Her guitar rested beside her, strings worn from use and age. She ran her fingers along the frets absently.
The card still felt warm in her hands.
Something about that man's eyes—it didn't feel like a recruiter or investor. It felt like someone who listened.
And right now, she was tired of surviving.
She stood, pulled her hood over her head, and left.
---
Noon – Aurora Hills Estate
The rain had cleared by the time Mirae arrived at the gates of the estate. She half expected to be stopped, interrogated, or laughed at for even believing the invitation.
Instead, the gate opened with a soft chime.
A drone gently floated toward her and spoke in a soft, polite tone:
> "Welcome, Miss Seo Mirae. Please follow the lantern path to the artist house."
She walked, bewildered, through a winding path lined with softly glowing lanterns, bamboo trees, and the scent of jasmine in the air.
Eventually, she reached a sleek, glass-walled building with natural wood panels and a koi pond wrapping around the outside.
Waiting at the door was Jiwoo.
No suit. No guards. Just him in a cozy sweater, holding two cups of hot chocolate.
"You came," he said gently.
Mirae blinked. "I… thought it would be fake."
"Most good things feel that way after enough bad ones," he replied, handing her a cup.
She held it with both hands, warmth seeping into her fingers.
"This is the artist house," he explained. "There's a soundproof studio, recording equipment, instruments from every genre, a skylight for composing, and… space."
"For what?" she asked quietly.
"For silence. For healing. For you to remember why you create."
She stared at him for a long time.
"You're not asking me to produce anything?"
"No."
"No timeline? No collaboration demands?"
"None."
"…Then why?"
Jiwoo looked at the koi pond behind her.
"Because when I was at my lowest, I didn't need pressure. I needed someone to believe I mattered… even if I did nothing at all."
Seo Mirae set her cup down gently and whispered, "Then maybe… I'd like to stay."
> [Candidate 5 of 7: Seo Mirae has joined your Inner Circle.]
[Relationship: Tentative Trust – Level 2]
[Effect: Musical Resonance Aura Unlocked – All nearby Inner Circle members recover emotional energy faster.]
---
Later That Evening – Aurora Main Hall
The girls had gathered around the common living space for the first time.
Ha Yoori, always calm and thoughtful, offered tea.
Noeun Han sat curled on a soft chair, flipping through a new book in quiet comfort.
Eun Jihye, now dressed casually, leaned against the balcony, sipping warm barley tea as she watched the horizon.
Park Nayun had arrived earlier that day, curious but skeptical, and now sat cross-legged on the floor sketching with charcoal.
Seo Mirae entered slowly, clutching her guitar.
The room fell quiet.
"Is this… okay?" she asked, looking at Jiwoo.
He smiled gently. "You don't need to ask for permission here."
Yoori stood up, walked over, and motioned to a spot on the couch. "Come. We're just… breathing."
Mirae hesitated, then nodded and joined them.
> [System Update: Inner Circle Harmony Reached – Level 1]
[Group Effect: +10% Emotional Recovery | +5% Interpersonal Bonding]
Jiwoo watched from the hallway with a quiet satisfaction.
He wasn't building a harem of submission.
He was building a sanctuary of strength.
And slowly… they were becoming sisters, not just members.
---
Elsewhere – Gangnam, Soyeon's Apartment
Soyeon sat at her vanity, mindlessly brushing her hair, surrounded by expensive perfume bottles and designer handbags.
But her reflection looked… tired.
That same name kept appearing in her feed.
Aurora Hills.
Polaris Capital.
Whispers about a young unknown billionaire backing a peaceful revolution across Korea—art, education, housing, mental health. All without appearing in front of a single camera.
She opened a photo someone posted from afar: seven girls walking through a garden together, arms linked, laughing softly.
Her breath caught.
That girl… Yoori?
And… wasn't that Park Nayun? She dropped out of art school…
She gritted her teeth.
"It can't be him… It can't be Jiwoo."
But deep inside, she knew.
The way he had smiled that day at the flower shop…
It was him.
And she had thrown him away like a broken umbrella.
> [System Alert: Soyeon's Regret Level has reached 70%.]
[She is now one event away from attempting contact.]
---
Back at Aurora – Jiwoo's Rooftop Garden
Night fell quietly.
The girls now slept in their private rooms, comforted by silence and warmth.
Jiwoo looked at the stars and opened his golden notebook.
Now five names were inked in gold:
1. Ha Yoori – Calm Loyalty
2. Park Nayun – Gentle Curiosity
3. Noeun Han – Quiet Devotion
4. Eun Jihye – Unshaken Fire
5. Seo Mirae – Healing Song
Two circles remained.
Jiwoo smiled.
No noise. No revenge speeches. No armies.
Just quiet footsteps echoing through a mansion no one could reach.
And a life the world had no choice but to watch from the outside.
---