Epilogue - Luca
Two years later
The arena is packed. Sold out in under ten minutes. Again.
Eclipse is doing better than ever. Bigger stages, bigger crowds, bigger everything. We’ve headlined festivals, dropped two more albums, and somehow managed to keep the band intact through all the chaos. Harry still grumbles about “creative differences,” but even he can’t argue with the numbers.
I stand backstage, watching the lights sweep over the screaming crowd, when Kai slips up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist.
“Ready to go out there and remind them who we are?” he murmurs against my ear.
I lean back into him, smiling. “Always. You gonna let me kiss you on stage tonight, or are you still pretending to be shy?”
Kai huffs a laugh and nips at my earlobe. “Keep pushing, and I’ll kiss you so hard the front row will need therapy.”
Michael appears beside us. “You two are disgusting. Save it for after the show, or I’m going to start charging the fans for the pleasure of seeing you two sickenly in love.”
Min-ho walks up quietly, adjusting his in-ear monitor. “Leave them alone. It’s cute.”
“Cute?” Michael groans. “It’s obscene. I need hazard pay for sharing a tour bus with these two.”
Kai flips Michael off without letting go of me. “You’re just jealous no one wants to make out with you on stage.”
“Actually,” Michael says, grinning, “Harry’s got me lined up for that ‘win a date with a star’ promo next month. I’m the lucky winner. Pray for me.”
Min-ho raises an eyebrow. “You’re demi. You hate that stuff.”
“Yeah, well, tell that to the label,” Michael mutters. “They think it’ll boost numbers. I’m already dreading the awkward small talk. What do you even talk about on a date?”
I chuckle. “You’ll survive. Just don’t fall in love with the first person who asks all the deep questions.”
“One date would never be enough to fall for someone,” he replies. “Unlike Min-ho…” He nudges him, and he shakes his head, looking away.
Min-ho’s gaze drifts toward the side of the stage where Rafe, our head bodyguard for the past six months, is standing with his arms crossed facing the crowd. Rafe glances toward us at almost the same time and gives Min-ho a small, subtle nod. Min-ho’s ears turn pink before he quickly looks away.
Interesting.
The lights dim. The roar gets louder.
We step out together.
The set is electric. We move through the songs with the kind of easy chemistry that only comes from actually having friendship and love between all of us.
During the bridge of one of our slower tracks, I pull Kai close, forehead resting against his for a moment while we share the mic.
The crowd loses it; I’m not sure they will ever grow bored of the little touches. Phones light up the arena like stars.
After the final encore, we do the usual meet-and-greet for a small group of super fans who won the VIP package.
One girl, maybe nineteen, steps up with wide eyes and a shaky smile.
“I just wanted to say…seeing you two together has meant everything to me. Thank you for showing the world what real love looks like.”
Kai glances at me, then back at her. His hand finds mine without hesitation.
“We’re lucky,” he says simply. “Really lucky.”
She beams. “I hope I’m that lucky some day. Can I get a photo?”
We pose with her, arms around each other.
As she walks away, I catch sight of Min-ho talking quietly with Rafe.
It’s strange to see Min-ho being so open to someone new.
I think it took him longer to talk to me when I first joined the group, and we were on stage together every night.
Rafe says something, and Min-ho’s ears turn pink again.
“Do you think there’s something there?” I ask Kai.
His eyes follow mine, and he nods. “I’d bet on it. Just don’t let Harry get wind of it, or Min-ho will be his next target for promo. Nothing sells more than falling for a bodyguard, right?”
We laugh, and I lean into his side as we watch the room.
“Still happy you stuck around?”
Kai turns to me, eyes warm and bright. “Every single day. Are you happy I did?”
“Absolutely. Unraveling your control every single night is something I plan on doing for the rest of our lives.”
Kai’s smile softens. “For the rest of our lives?”
I bite my lower lip, holding back a smile, and then I pivot away from him…
pulling out a small box from my pocket at the same time I go to one knee.
His eyes go wide with shock as I open the box, revealing a white gold band that will match his other rings but belongs on the finger that says we are a forever thing.
I swallow, suddenly nervous. “Kai…”
“Yes, holy shit, yes.”
“Hey, I didn’t ask yet.”
He drops to his knees in front of me, his hands going to my cheeks. “You don’t need to. I’m ready for forever with you.”
“God, you and your control. Just shut up for a minute.”
He grins and mimes zipping his lips. His eyes are shining with happiness. It’s a look I want to keep on his face for the rest of our lives.
“Stand back up,” I order.
He laughs and climbs back to his feet. We have the attention of every single person still backstage and more than a couple phones recording the moment. At least we will be able to look back at it.
I take a breath, my pulse loud in my ears, and take his left hand in mine.
“When I joined the group…I wasn’t sure I’d stay,” I admit. “You were my complete opposite, and we clashed on just about everything. From what early for practice actually meant to what song line up we would have for a show.”
His smile fades into something that looks more vulnerable.
“But I didn’t leave,” I continue. “I stayed. And sparks flew between us. Even when we thought we hated each other, there was some kind of connection between us. And somewhere along the way…you became the one person I can’t imagine my life without.”
My fingers squeeze his, grounding myself.
“You keep me steady when everything else around is absolute chaos. You remind me who I am when the spotlight tries to turn me into someone else,” I let out a quiet breath. “And yeah…our nights together…they don’t hurt any of this.”
A few people laugh around us, but I don’t look away from him. Tears shine in the corner of his eyes.
“But it’s more than that,” I say. “I want every version of you. The controlled one. The reckless one. And the one who looks at me like I might be the best thing to ever come into your life.”
I inhale a slow breath.
“I want a life with you. All of it. The quiet parts, the loud parts, and everything in between. So, Kai…will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?”
He nods rapidly, happy tears falling down his face. I slide the ring onto his finger. It fits perfectly.
Kai stares at it for a second, then looks at me with that soft, flirty smile I love so much.
“You’re stuck with me now,” he says.
“Best decision I ever made,” I reply, pulling him in for a kiss.
The room erupts in cheers and applause. We laugh against each other’s mouths, foreheads pressed together. This is one moment I want the world to see. Because from here on out, Kai is completely mine.
Later that night, back at the hotel, I’m flipping through channels while Kai showers. A late night talk show host is talking to the camera, and then a movie trailer comes on—some romantic comedy starring Whitney.
When it ends, the camera focuses on Whitney and her co-star on the couch. She looks happy, glowing, arm in arm with her new co-star turned real-life partner.
I watch for a second, a small smile tugging at my lips.
I’m glad she moved on. Truly. Two years ago, she was hurt and angry, and I know I played a part in that. But seeing her like this, living her own story, finding her own love, feels like closure.
The bathroom door opens. Kai steps out in just sweatpants, hair damp, towel slung over his shoulder.
He catches me smiling at the TV.
“What’s got you looking like that?” he asks, climbing onto the bed beside me.
I mute the TV and pull him close, kissing his temple.
I nod at the TV. “Whitney and her new boyfriend are talking about her new movie. She looks really happy.”
Kai rests his head on my shoulder, fingers tracing lazy patterns on my chest.
“Good,” he says softly. “I’m glad she found someone.”
“Me too.” I turn my head to kiss him properly, taking my time until the usual sparks start to light me up from the inside out. “Makes me even more grateful I found you.”
Kai smiles against my mouth. “Sap.”
“Your sap,” I murmur, rolling so I’m half on top of him. “And you love it.”
He laughs, arms wrapping around my neck to pull me down.
“Yeah,” he says between kisses. “I really do.”
We still have the rest of our lives ahead of us. And I can’t wait to spend every single day of it with him.