I thank Jongseok, hang up, and roll back into bed, relieved that I’m not missing another practice. But now I’m totally confused. What would the girls be doing at DB headquarters this late at night if they’re not rehearsing? I pull up the map again. Sure enough, there they all are—eight little avatars all clustered on Samseong-ro. Then again, Snap Map isn’t always accurate—half the time Alex’s avatar looks like it’s floating in Victoria Bay. The villa is pretty close to headquarters, close enough that the app might glitch and show the wrong location. They could be at the villa or even at Bar Nine-Nine right next door, where we’d sometimes go for drinks after a tough rehearsal.

It stings a bit to be left out of their hangout, but I take a breath and let it go. Sometimes you’re just not included. It’s happened to all of us at one time or another. I guess it’s just my turn. And besides, being left out isn’t the worst thing in the world, as long as we can keep the peace.

I switch off the lights, letting go of all my thoughts and drifting off to sleep. I need it more than ever.

But it turns out, my sleep is doomed to be cut short, because early the next morning, before I can even think about starting to pack for our trip tomorrow, I wake up to a text. And when I look at my phone, my stomach sinks.

It’s from Mr. Noh.

Mr. Noh: URGENT. Report to the boardroom at DB headquarters immediately. Please bring your mother.

This is the second time now that he’s texted me something like this, the first being when the news broke out about Eunji and Geonwu. I haven’t even had breakfast yet and I already feel like throwing up. They found out about me and Alex.

They must have. There can be no other reason for a text like this.

A million forms of panic and regret swoop through me, and I’m suddenly so dizzy, I worry I am going to pass out.

I take a few deep breaths. I scoured the internet for photos after Switzerland and found nothing. So I thought we got away without a trace.…

I must have been wrong.

I cringe as I quickly check my news feed and Google alerts. But there’s no mention of me and Alex in the press. I breathe a sigh of relief, though that doesn’t mean there won’t be a piece coming. I will probably enter Mr. Noh’s office to see photos from another tabloid and threats to break it off if I don’t want to risk the photos being printed.…

But I’m not going to be blackmailed into a breakup. I’m just not. It’s me and Alex against the world. We will figure it out.