Chapter 38 – The Silence He Left Behind
Behind the Gold: AUREUS Unfiltered – Episode 2
End of Truth & Dare Segment
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The studio was quiet.
The second episode of Behind the Gold: AUREUS Unfiltered had ended with neither fireworks nor final laughter—only a silence that felt heavier than anything they could script.
The last two dares, originally meant for Jaeheon, had been intercepted.
First by Minjae, who'd stood up with a grin too wide, too fast. "I'll take it. Give me the next dare. He's done enough."
Then Rin, calm and unreadable, placing a single hand on the card before it was drawn. "I'll take the last one."
They played them off like jokes. Something about dancing blindfolded. Something else about calling an ex. Loud, funny, distracting.
But nobody really heard.
The studio crew barely caught the shots. The audience didn't really laugh.
Because Jaeheon had written I love you 138 times.
And they all knew—it could've been 200. 500. Infinite.
He hadn't stopped because he ran out of love.
He stopped because the paper did.
[IN THE GREENROOM – POST-FILMING]
Minjae collapsed onto the couch, sweat beading his forehead. "What the hell did we just film?"
Rin didn't answer. He simply pulled off his jacket and tossed it aside, eyes flickering toward Jaeheon, who sat quietly in the corner, still composed.
The rest of AUREUS filtered in. No one said much.
Hyunjae tried to lighten the mood.
"Bro… I've known you since debut and I didn't know you could write in Sumerian."
Jaeheon didn't look up.
But he finally spoke, voice low, quiet.
Jaeheon:
"…Thank you."
The members paused.
He didn't thank people. He didn't even say good job after stages.
Minjae blinked. "For what?"
Jaeheon's gaze lifted—sharp and steady.
Jaeheon:
"For taking my dares."
There was no mockery. No sarcasm.
Only an acknowledgment.
Rin tilted his head. "You looked like you needed space. So we gave it to you."
Yeonwoo added, "That wasn't a dare anymore. It was a ritual."
The silence returned—but this time, it felt mutual. Safe.
They didn't ask about her.
They didn't push for answers.
But the weight of what he had done lingered. Even the staff walked more softly around him now, like he might shatter the room if disturbed.
[ONLINE – GLOBAL REACTION CONTINUES]
@justmarryheralready: does he even want her to love him back??? or is he just... devoted? @kneelingkings: the 138 languages were a prayer. not a confession. @hebelongsinhershadow: he's not in love. he's faithful. @queenknows: if she's real… and she sees this… how can she not feel something?
[IN THE AUREUS DORM – LATE NIGHT]
Jaeheon sat alone in his studio.
The lights were dim.
The paper—the same one from the studio—lay on the desk beside him.
He didn't reread it.
He didn't need to.
He'd written those words before. Over and over. In silence. In shadows. With blood. With ink.
He reached for his phone.
Paused.
Instead, he opened a hidden folder on his computer.
The video. The ball. Her voice. Her face. Her rage. Her blade.
She had looked like judgment itself.
And he had smiled.
His finger hovered over a button.
A new composition. A draft of a song.
Title: "Oblivion, If You Will"
Lyric Note: She doesn't need to remember me. But I remember enough for both of us.
He didn't press play.
He just closed his eyes.
And let the silence answer.