The vehicle pulled away. Through the tinted window, I watched Vancouver pass by. A couple walked hand-in-hand toward a coffee shop. Zero security. No cameras.
I imagined for half a second Griffin and me at a corner table, no credentials or handlers. Two people drinking coffee while the city moved around us as if we were ordinary.
The longing was sharp enough to hurt.
Taemin watched me. "Paranoia. Justified paranoia, but still."
I stared at my hands. Clean. Steady. Lying.
"He's in the front seat," Taemin said quietly. "He can't protect you from there."
"He can see me from there. That's enough."
Taemin turned his head to look at me. "You really trust him."
"Yes."
"Good, because I've been watching, and he's serious about keeping you safe. Scary serious."
The vehicle pulled up to Rogers Arena's loading entrance. We climbed out. I was almost steady again. Then
Griffin stood watching, tablet in hand. He'd thought about me. About the kiss. About someone entering my room while I slept and what it meant that he wasn't there to prevent it.
I wanted to close the space between us and say his name. I wanted his hands on me again.
Instead, I nodded once. He nodded back.
Soyeon guided me past him. It was like the aftermath of a lightning strike. The air itself burned away, leaving only restraint.
It made my desire for him more intense, not less.
I forced myself to keep walking.
In the dressing room, I stared at my reflection. The person looking back was Rune, with styled hair and careful composure. Somewhere underneath that, Yoon-jae was screaming, but I couldn't hear him through the glass.
Chapter seven
Griffin - Vancouver - May 8
The monitor station at Rogers Arena gave me clean sight lines to both wings and the house.
The rehearsal began with blocking. I tracked Rune's movement patterns while forcing my attention back to crew positions, counting credentials. My jaw ached from clenching. Someone had watched him sleep. Had been close enough to count his breaths. And I was supposed to stand here and pretend professional observation was enough.
I gripped my tablet hard. Released it.
Do the job.
The band arrived promptly at 1:00 PM. Jinwoo led, Taemin and Minjae flanking, with Rune slightly behind. Handlers orbited them with practiced efficiency.
Rune spotted me immediately. Brief glance. His shoulders settled.
I hated how much that mattered. Hated that his sense of safety had become dependent on my visibility. If someone wanted todestabilize him, they didn't need violence. They only needed to remove the person he relied on.
I pushed the thought away and watched the stage. Harsh work lights mixed with programmed cues.
Minjae had seen someone filming Rune during last night's blackout. Stage right equipment corridor. Close enough to see clearly. Too far back to have a legitimate purpose.
I'd pulled the venue security footage. Found nothing. Whoever it was knew where the cameras were.
