𓍯37𓂃

Minho's

Backstage was a mess of rushed whispers, muffled instrument tuning, and the occasional panicked performer running around. But none of that mattered right now. Megan, Hyejin, and I stood near the side, eyes locked on her.

Stella stood there in full performance attire, arms crossed, looking at us like we'd just accused her of committing a war crime instead of, you know, potentially poisoning someone.

"Are you kidding me?" she scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder with an exaggerated flick. "You think I would do something so reckless? So stupid?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Well -"

"I care about my reputation," she cut me off, glaring. "Why would I do something so trashy? Do you think I'd risk everything I've built here just to sabotage some girl?"

Hyejin crossed her arms. "You have been weirdly competitive with Dove for a while."

Stella let out an incredulous laugh, placing a hand on her hip. "Competitive? Sure. But poisoning her? That's beyond low." She narrowed her eyes at me specifically. "I might be ambitious, Minho, but I'm not a complete idiot."

I kept my face unreadable, but my gut twisted. Damn it. I had wanted it to be her. It would've been easy. Stella was already shady, and she had the motive-jealousy, competitiveness, whatever. But she was right. This? It was messy.

It's too messy for someone like her.

Megan must've realized the same thing because she exhaled sharply. "If it wasn't you, then do you have any idea who it could be?"

Stella rolled her eyes but leaned in slightly, voice dropping. "All I know is that whoever did it wasn't trying to scare Dove. They were trying to hurt her."

That sent a chill down my spine. I exchanged a look with Megan and Hyejin.

If it wasn't Stella, then we were back to square one. And whoever did this was still out there.

I narrowed my eyes at Stella, my gut still churning with suspicion. Something about her-her confidence, her irritation-felt too easy. Too rehearsed.

"So you didn't do it?" I asked again, watching her carefully.

Stella let out a sharp, amused laugh, shaking her head like I was a lost cause. "Minho," she sighed, her lips curling into a smirk. "Think whatever you want. But it wasn't me."

She took a step back, flipping her hair over her shoulder with practised grace. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a performance to give. Some of us still have reputations to uphold."

And with that, she turned on her heel and strode toward the stage, leaving me standing there, jaw tight.

I didn't know if I believed her. But if she was telling the truth, then that meant one thing-

The real culprit was still out there. And we had no idea who it was.

"Who could it be then?" Hyejin asked as Megan shook her head.

"It's weird... cause... Stella is the only person we know who would do something like this. Is there anyone else who despises Dove?" Megan thought as I sighed and looked around.

"Who else might have something against Dove?" I said and thought for a while when Kitty appeared.

"Hey guys." Kitty greeted as Megan nodded and waved while Hyejin smiled.

"Hey." Hyejin said as I also greeted Kitty.

"Hey, Kitty. Did you, by chance, see anyone sabotaging Dove besides Stella?" I asked as she gasped.

"Oh, right, Dove! I remembered something. Yesterday, before Dove got sick, I saw Eunice bump into Dove in the cafeteria."

My eyes snapped to hers. "What?"

Megan and Hyejin looked equally surprised.

Kitty nodded. "Yeah. It was right before Dove drank her drink. I thought it was just an accident at the time, but... what if it wasn't?"

Before I could process that, the backstage door swung open, and in walked Eunice, completely unaware of the conversation she had just walked into. She was in full performance attire, adjusting the sleeves of her outfit as she made her way toward the dressing area.

I felt my jaw tighten.

Megan leaned in. "She's performing next, right?"

Hyejin nodded. "Yeah."

I exhaled slowly, my mind racing. Stella might have been a dead end-but now we had another name.

And this time, we wouldn't let the opportunity slip by.

I didn't waste a second. The moment I saw Eunice, I moved. Megan and Hyejin followed close behind, and I could tell by the way Eunice's shoulders tensed that she noticed.

She turned, her eyes widening slightly as we stopped in front of her. "Uh... Minho?" she asked, her voice cautious. "What's up?"

I crossed my arms, watching her closely. "Kitty said she saw you bump into Dove yesterday. Right before she got sick."

Eunice visibly stiffened, her grip tightening on the fabric of her sleeve. "I-" she glanced around, like she was checking if anyone else was listening. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Megan raised an eyebrow. "You did bump into her, though. Didn't you?"

Eunice let out a nervous laugh, stepping back slightly. "Okay, yeah, I bumped into her! But it was just an accident. I was in a rush, and she was standing there -"

"Right before she consumed her drink," I cut in. "The drink that made her pass out."

Eunice swallowed, her eyes darting toward the stage, where Stella's performance was in full swing. "Guys, I really don't have time for this," she said, trying to move past us. "I have to get ready -"

I stepped in her path. "Not until you tell us the truth."

She froze, her face pale.

Yeah. We were onto something.

Eunice let out a nervous chuckle, shifting on her feet. "Look, I really don’t know what you’re getting at, but I have nothing to do with what happened to Dove," she said, shaking her head. "I just bumped into her—by accident. That’s it."

Her voice was firm, but her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, and I didn’t miss the way her eyes darted toward the exit.

Megan crossed her arms. "Then why do you look like you’re about to bolt?"

Eunice scoffed. "Because this is ridiculous! You’re accusing me of—of what? Poisoning her?" She let out a dry laugh. "Do you even hear yourselves?"

Hyejin stepped forward, her gaze sharp. "We just want to know what happened. You were there. You bumped into her. Right before she got sick."

Eunice’s jaw clenched. "I told you it was an accident. I have nothing to do with this." She took a step back. "And honestly? I don’t have time for this interrogation. I have a performance to get ready for."

And with that, she turned and walked off, shoulders stiff, leaving us standing there.

I exhaled sharply, my hands balling into fists. "She’s hiding something," I muttered.

Megan nodded. "Definitely."

Hyejin glanced at the stage where Stella’s performance was wrapping up. "So what do we do now?"

I watched Eunice disappear around the corner. My gut told me this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

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Ooo, I smell something brewing.

I kinda wanna get the finding the culprit done quickly, so... I might make them find out quickly.