The house was silent, its emptiness accentuated by the month-long absence of any life within. Shadows stretched across the walls, undisturbed. I sank onto the floor in front of the couch, leaning back against it. My head tipped upward, and my gaze locked on the ceiling. Doing nothing felt like the only viable option.

That’s where she found me. Coco—the only other person with a key to my place. Her comings and goings had always felt second nature, as though my space was merely an extension of hers. She thrived on being informed, so I wasn’t surprised she knew I was back. Someone at the company had tipped her off; her network of informants rivaled any intelligence agency.

“Idol, what’s wrong?” she asked, kneeling beside me. Her designer bag lay carelessly discarded, as if its value was irrelevant. That ever-familiar floral scent surrounded her, grounding me. I had always associated that fragrance with her—constant and soothing.

“Did you kiss me? The night of the event before the tour?” The question left my lips quietly, my eyes trailing her movements as she froze.

Coco’s hesitation was brief. She pushed herself up onto the couch, choosing distance. Her dramatic persona dropped, replaced with her calmer, truer self.

I followed, sitting beside her, refusing to let her avoid my gaze. Her silence was confirmation enough. I had hoped Song had misread the situation, but I couldn’t cling to that delusion any longer. Tonight, I was losing something I hadn’t realized I still had—hope.

“Are you in love with me?” I asked, my voice steady despite the weight of the question. I already knew the answer. I had known for a while but avoided acknowledging it, cocooned in the safety of ignorance. The walls I had built crumbled after my argument with Song. Now, there was no refuge from the truth.

She didn’t answer, not with words. Instead, her long fingers grazed my neck, threading through my hair in that familiar, comforting way.

“Does it matter?” she whispered, her tone defensive. “It doesn’t change anything about our arrangement.”

“We agreed to fake this,” I reminded her, my voice firmer now. “No love. You said you wouldn’t fall for me.”

“And you said you couldn’t love.” Her response was calm but pointed. “I knew what I was getting into. I don’t regret it.”

“It’s not fair to you,” I said, defeated. “I should have ended this sooner—before it came to this.”

Straightening up, I locked my eyes with hers. “Let’s break up.” The words were deliberate and final. “Say it was my fault, that I cheated if you want. I don’t care how it looks.”

She didn’t meet my gaze.

“There’s more to this, isn’t there?” she asked, her voice trembling with restrained emotion. “I know you, Idol.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, my tone flat. She knew me too well, but I wasn’t about to let her bait me into an argument. Closure was all I could offer her now.

Then, she pinched my neck.

“Shit!” I hissed, swatting her hand away. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with you?” she shot back, her eyes blazing. “How long have we been friends? And now you’re keeping secrets? Stop being childish and just tell me what’s going on!”

I groaned. “Can everyone stop calling me a child already?”

She didn’t flinch, didn’t look away.

“How do you know you love someone?” The words escaped before I could stop them. I’d wrestled with the thought for months, searching for answers I was too afraid to confront.

Coco tilted her head, her expression softening. “You want to be with them all the time. You want to touch them, even just a little. Seeing them with someone else hurts like hell. And... you’d do anything for their happiness, even if it costs you your own.”

My mind went quiet. Yes, to all of it.

“What if they’re with someone else?” I asked, barely above a whisper.

Coco’s fingers returned to my hair, brushing softly. “If that’s what makes them happy, you let them go,” she said after a long pause.

I frowned. “Why can’t you fight for what you want?”

Her gaze met mine, unyielding. “Would you want me to fight for you?”

Point taken. Fighting for someone who didn’t want to be fought for would destroy everything, leaving behind only bitterness. The thought exhausted me.

“The only way to stay close to them is as a friend?” I asked.

“If they’ll have you, yes,” she answered gently.

I pulled her into a hug. “Thank you, Coco.”

She leaned her head against my shoulder. “Why didn’t you just tell me you’d found someone else?”

“I didn’t realize it until now,” I admitted.

“We’ll announce the breakup tomorrow,” she said. “Something simple—‘we’ve grown apart but remain friends.’ There’ll be rumors, but it’ll be manageable.”

Coco had always been more than a friend. She was a confidant, a protector, someone who understood me in ways others couldn’t. The decision to fake a relationship had been a shield, protecting us both from the chaos of the industry. But the shield had become a trap.

As we sat together, I promised myself I’d support her better—this time from the sidelines.

“Hey, Coco,” I said, a memory surfacing. “Why is God afraid of you?”

She laughed. “Because I chased off his last girlfriend. She was a gold-digger, and when she couldn’t charm him, she started eyeing you and King. What was I supposed to do? And, well, I may have reminded him who’s really in charge.”

“You’re terrifying,” I said with a chuckle.

“That’s the point.”

The laughter faded, and she leaned into me, quiet again.

“I think I’m done with singing,” she admitted softly.

I turned to her, surprised. “What?”

“I want to try acting,” she explained, a tentative smile on her lips. “Singing was never my thing, but it’s what they assigned me. My manager thinks I’d be good on TV.”

“If it makes you happy, I’ll support you,” I said, squeezing her shoulder lightly.

Coco sighed, a mix of relief and resignation. “You’re too soft, Idol. You make it hard to stay mad at you.”

“Better than kicking a dog when it’s down,” I teased.

Her fist landed lightly on my stomach. “Asshole.”

Despite everything, I smiled. Tomorrow, we’d announce the end of our relationship—not to win back what I’d lost, but to finally be honest. Loving someone wasn’t enough to abandon my dreams, but it was enough to let go of the illusion I’d clung to for so long.

The door to my heart was open now, though the screen remained closed. I could see what lay beyond, but stepping through would have to wait.