A little over a year and Jiwon has changed more than I can comprehend. He had gone from a somewhat thin stature to having thicker arms and chest. To be truly accurate, Jiwon never resembled more of a fighter than now on that screen before me. And that wasn’t the only thing – the student who didn’t like attention on him was now facing the cameras head on. That characteristic was simply startling.

And there behind him stood Mr. Kim and Hanbin, mentioned as his trainers and simultaneously answering the mystery of why they had disappeared.

“That is Jiwon, isn’t it?” Aunt Dara also found it hard to believe it was truly him even when she was staring right at his face. 

I couldn’t offer any response. The situation was still sinking in and I saw how opened to say something else, but she couldn’t get over her own shock.

My ringing phone in my bedroom temporarily steals my attention. Forcing myself to look away from the TV screen, I went inside to go grab it off my desk. “Jinhwan, you have no idea what is going on – “

“I’m watching it right now. We have been wondering about where he had gone all this time and this was it? He was off training somewhere? For a whole year?” 

“I – “ I didn’t even know what to say.

“Another student made it big.” Jinhwan continues. “Who would have thought.”

Well, definitely not me.

But, when did he even become a student of Mr. Kim’s? I stared around my room, feeling an imminent mental crash.

“Seon?”

“So, they have planned this the entire time.” While I was busy wondering where he had gone. While I was worried about what Mirage and Mr. Kim was up to. 

“Seon, but isn’t this good?” He questioned. “He’s back.”

***

So…he’s back.

To be very honest, I didn’t know how to feel about that yet. At the sounds of students closing their laptops and books, it pulls me back to reality. The professor had finished her lecture and my last class of the day has ended. 

Looking down at my watch, I had a bit of time before I needed to get to Cosmos to help Aunt Dara. Leaving the lecture hall, I went to my usual spot outside to wait for the bus. 

“Bobby? His real name is Kim Jiwon.” The female student passing by says to her friend beside her, successfully capturing my attention. “I used to go to school with both him and Hanbin…they had always been good looking.”

My eyes followed after the pair – I guess people have started to take notice of the fame Jiwon and Hanbin were beginning to experience.

The bus comes to a stop and I quickly slip on. Taking my seat, I looked out the windows at the passing roads and businesses. Heading down the familiar street, I debated whether or not I should get down. With a hesitating hand, I reached for the button to stop the bus. Getting off, I made my way carefully down the sidewalk. Searching for the shop, I halt just outside the large window.

Just yesterday, it was empty and completely covered in dust –

Today, it was buzzing with people. The window glass was wiped down so carefully from corner to corner that not a single speck of dirt could be found. Almost as if this was the very state it had been in all this time.

I took a single step