“Definitely great, and definitely busy,” I laugh. “And the brand launches in early August, so things will only get busier from here,” I say, thinking of the marketing materials I have to approve, and the launch-day interviews I have to prep for over the next month. “Not to mention all the group promos DB has us shooting.”

“Ah yes, you all have been going nonstop lately,” Yujin says with an eyebrow raised. “And I heard you moved back home with your family?” she adds, clearly noting the connection between my recent relocation and the sudden influx of group promos.

“Heard from DB, or heard from Reveal?” I cringe. “They’ve been running tons of bogus stories about me.”

Yujin sets down her coffee cup and leans forward, her face thoughtful. “Listen, Rachel, the world has its eyes on you. You know that, right? You know that’s why Reveal and all the other media outlets cover you so closely. Especially now with all the exciting things you have going on.”

I blush a little, feeling both pleased and embarrassed.

“And it’s great, you totally deserve all the success,” Yujin continues. “But if I’ve learned anything through my years of training, it’s that the internal competition within groups can breed some serious resentment. Especially once a group reaches a certain level. First you’re all working together, trying to reach the top. But once you do, it’s not uncommon for members to try to reach the top within the group. You’ve been together now, what? Five years?” Yujin asks.

“Six,” I say. “As of next month. But honestly, Yujin, things between the girls have been fine. Better even, since I moved out. You know how the media likes to spin things. They’re not happy unless there’s some big conspiracy to report on.”

Yujin looks unconvinced. “Speaking of which…” Her eyes narrow, pinning me under her gaze, like a trainee who’s been caught with a forbidden cell phone at rehearsal. “I understand you were with Eunji at a certain dinner?” she asks pointedly.

Her words hang in the air for a moment, and it suddenly dawns on me that maybe this isn’t just a friendly catch-up. Maybe Yujin’s been sent here by DB to deliver a warning. I take a long sip of my iced coffee before answering. “Yes,” I say slowly, “I was, but—” I pause, trying to choose my words carefully. As close as I’ve always felt to Yujin, the fact is, she’s still DB management. “You have nothing to worry about there, Yujin. I’m… handling things.”

Sure. If handling things means avoiding Alex altogether so I don’t have to actually deal with the enormity of this situation.