Chapter 9: 

Scope Part 2

The three months that followed blurred into a rhythm of Lena slipping into his life with ease. Her texts were frequent but never overbearing. Her laughter was quick to rise whenever they spent time together. She didn’t demand, she pursued by simply being present. And though V never crossed that line, he found himself steady in her company. She was warmth without fire, and sometimes that was enough to let him forget.

By the time the LMC gathered for an end of year charity party, Lena was a fixture by his side. She stood beside him as he greeted acquaintances, dressed in a sleek emerald gown that drew attention with every turn of her head.

“This is Lena,” V said when some of the LMC members were clustered together. “A new friend of mine.”

Soojin arched a brow, sipping her drink. “Well, at least you have a friend now in the industry. That’s progress.”

V only grinned. “What? I’ve always had friends.”

“Professional ones don’t count,” Hana teased.

Lena laughed softly, taking it in stride, her charm sliding neatly into their dynamic. Han was mid-story when Kaimin finally approached the group.

It was Han who drew Lena’s attention. “Ah—Lena, this is Kaimin Shin.”

Lena turned, extending a manicured hand. “A pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Shin.”

Kaimin’s gaze flicked to her hand briefly before landing on V. That pause was long enough to make V’s breath tighten, though his smile didn’t falter. Then Kaimin took her hand with his gloved one.

“Hope you’re enjoying the party, Miss Lena.” He muttered evenly.

“Of course,” she replied, her smile softening as she glanced at V. “I have good company.”

V returned the look, lips curving easily. “You flatter me.”

Kaimin’s eyes slid back to him for a fraction too long before he released Lena’s hand. “Good to know.” He gave the smallest nod, then excused himself, disappearing into the crowd with the kind of finality that left the air colder.

The moment he was gone, Lena let out a breath. “Omg. He makes me feel tense.”

Han chuckled. “That’s just how he is, Lena. Don’t take it to heart.”

The group dissolved into their own conversations, scattering to tend to guests. Lena was soon pulled into a circle of investors who knew her family, her laughter echoing in the background.

V tried to engage brightly where needed. But his eyes betrayed him. Again and again, they drifted through the glittering crowd, searching for a figure he swore he wasn’t looking for. When they found him—Kaimin standing near the balcony, head bent slightly as he spoke to a foreign investor, V’s gut twisted. He tore his gaze away with guilt and a bitter sting of self-hatred.

The party had finally thinned out. Music still pulsed faintly from the ballroom, but the hall outside was quiet, almost serene compared to the chaos inside him.

V and Lena were alone in the lounge exclusive for the LMC members, staff, and some important guests.

Lena’s driver had already arrived, waiting in the parking lot. V’s agency’s car hadn’t yet.

“You should just come with me,” Lena said, tugging her coat tighter around her shoulders. “Your car’s late anyway. And besides, I have better snacks.” She grinned.

V chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Tempting. But I don’t want your driver reporting me for mooching off your ride.”

“Please,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes. “He’d be thrilled I’m not alone. You’d be doing him a favor.”

Their banter flowed easy, like it often did now.

But then her tone softened. “V… have your feelings changed?”

The question hit harder than it should. V froze, his smile faltering for just a second. He opened his mouth but nothing came. For Lena, that silence was enough.

Lena’s shoulders sagged almost imperceptibly, though she forced a smile. “I knew it.” She exhaled, steadying herself, then tilted her head at him

“I’ve been curious, V,” she said softly. “Is there someone else?”

V was even more caught off guard by the directness. His chest tightened, a flicker of guilt and hesitation crossing his features. He looked away, letting his gaze drift forward, as if searching for an answer there.

He forced a small, controlled smile. “I… I don’t know how to answer that,” he said carefully, keeping his tone light but measured.

Lena whispered, “I see. That basically confirms it, you know.” She sighed. “What's the person like?”

“The polar opposite of me…,” V murmured before he could think straight. He bit his lower lip and watched Lena’s face carefully, gauging her reaction, feeling the familiar ache of being exposed by his own doing.

Despite caution, words spill from him like water from a dam that had been strained for decades and had finally gave in. “A presence that makes the world feel steady, even when everything else is… or was falling apart…”

He caught the faintest shift in Lena. Her lips parted slightly. Her hand hovered over the glass of water in front of her as if the act of touching it grounded her. He swallowed, trying to steady himself. Part of him expected her to look away but she stayed patient, letting him reveal his fracture without judgment.

“It’s not just that I cannot be with them,” he admitted, voice breaking ever so slightly. “It’s that I cannot imagine being with anyone else, because no one else could ever… measure up. Not in… in patience, not in the simple, unspoken understanding that I’ve squandered—” He closed his eyes briefly, letting the words tremble on the air and let out a humorless laugh. “I'm not even making sense.”

Lena leaned back just slightly, her gaze piercing yet gentle. “The heart wants what it wants after all.…” she whispered. Maybe to herself. Maybe to the both of them.

He exhaled, a sound heavy with relief and lingering pain. “I… I’m sorry, Lena,” he murmured with sincerity. “You… deserve someone who looks only at you, and I—” He stopped, shaking his head. His gaze flicked toward her. “I… I can’t.”

Lena gave a small, understanding smile, eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and sadness. “It’s… okay, V. I just… I wanted you to know, and I wanted to hear you say it. That’s enough for me.”

V’s chest tightened, a flash of gratitude mixing with his usual guilt. He realized, not for the first time, how he was surrounded by great people. The LMC. Kaimin. And now Lena. They carried themselves with purpose and a kind of quiet strength that felt radiant.

And then there was him. Bright, yes. Charming, yes. Hard-working, perhaps. But beneath it, he often felt like nothing more than a distraction, the glitter that caught the eye but never lasted when the light shifted. Especially since he got back, he felt like a black hole in a room full of constellations.

He finally managed a small genuine smile. “Thank you,” he said softly. “For… understanding.”

Lena nodded and took a sip of the water. The corners of her mouth curling faintly, a quiet acknowledgment of the truth he couldn’t offer beyond words.

When Lena put the glass back on the table, she asked, “Can I at least kiss you?”

V frowned. “Lena—”

“Not like that.” She laughed lightly, but her voice carried a faint tremor. “Just… a goodbye kiss. Closure. For me. We’ve kissed as co-stars before, right? It’s no big deal.”

V hesitated, but she wasn’t wrong. He had kissed plenty of people on screen, fleeting encounters off-screen too before Kaimin. What was one more?

“…Alright.”

Her hand slid up to his shoulder. She leaned in, the scent of champagne clinging faintly to her breath. The proximity sent a strange coldness through him, like ice pouring slowly into his chest. Still, V closed his eyes.

But before her lips brushed his, the images came unbidden: Kaimin’s gaze on him, fingers tracing his jaw, the taste of his mouth, and the residue of a smile as he whispered his name like it was the only thing that mattered.

It was all Kaimin. Always Kaimin.

V’s hand rose almost instinctively, pressing against Lena’s chest. His throat tightened. “I’m sorry, Lena—”

The door opened with a quiet click.

V turned. His breath caught.

Kaimin stood in the doorway, framed in the spill of light from the hall. His gaze flicked briefly at Lena’s hand still resting on V’s shoulder then cut to him once again. Something shifted there. Anger? Disgust? Disappointment? Or perhaps all three tangled into one brief flash, gone too quickly for V to be certain. Or perhaps he was reading between the lines where there were only spaces. Still the weight of it settled low in his stomach. Then Kaimin’s gaze shifted to the side table. Without a word, he reached for an item on the tray, then turned and left the room as silently as he had entered.

The absence of reaction hung heavier than any remark could have. Lena froze, lips parted as though she might speak but no sound came. V’s hand was still against her chest, caught in the act of refusal that now felt like exposure. They settled comfortably, now side by side.

Lena let out a small, incredulous laugh. “Wow… he’s… really something else.” She glanced at him and noticed whatever expression plastered on his face. Lena leaned a little closer. “Are you… okay?” she asked softly, her tone gentle but insistent, as if she could feel the weight he was carrying even without words.

V glanced at her, caught for a moment between instinct and honesty. He forced a small, controlled smile. “Yeah… I’m fine,” he said. “I’m sorry, Lena. I can’t—”

“It’s fine, V. You know, I never pursued anyone before. Though, it didn’t work out the way I want, at least I experienced it and I won’t regret anything,” she muttered and smiled. Though i allt never reached her eyes, V knew that Lena was genuine and he admired her for that.

Comfortable silence settled between them for a minute before Lena asked, “Does Kaimin Shin know about that person?”

“Yes,” V answered without hesitation. There was a bitter taste in his mouth.

Lena nodded, understanding he wasn’t going to elaborate, or perhaps accepting there was no space for her in his heart. And V knew that the subtle shift in his tone and the way his gaze lingered unconsciously at the closed door told her more than words ever could.