Chapter 14 – Live Questioning: Question 8
LIVE BROADCAST – "Behind the Gold: AUREUS Unfiltered" – Episode 1 (Continued)
Current Viewership: 27.2 million
The golden studio lights pulse softly as the host picks up the next card with a slower, gentler motion this time. The mood in the room has shifted; the energy is quiet now, thoughtful. The audience isn't just watching anymore—they're holding their breath.
Host Jeon Mira (softly):
"Alright, this one's simple—but maybe it'll cut the deepest."
She reads the card aloud, voice calm, delicate.
"What's something you wish someone knew?"
LIVE CHAT – TRANSLATED
@velvettruths: oh god this is gonna hurt
@sevenstar_mine: someone hold Jisung, he looks like he might cry
@jaeheonwatch: I feel like Jaeheon's gonna destroy me again
The members shift in their seats. The question feels too close, too real.
Minjae (exhales):
"I wish… my parents knew I'm happy. That I don't regret choosing this path. Even when it's hard. Even when I miss home."
Jisung (quiet, almost inaudible):
"I wish someone knew I'm not as strong as I act."
Rin (rubbing his ring finger):
"I wish my old vocal coach knew I kept going. That I never quit, even when I thought I would."
Taeyang (serious):
"I wish the fans knew that I read everything. Every letter. Every comment. I just… don't know how to say thank you properly."
Hyunwoo:
"I wish my brother knew I looked up to him more than anyone. I never said it. I never will. But I do."
Sori (slow, deliberate):
"I wish someone knew I wasn't always this cold. There was a version of me who used to laugh a lot. I don't know where he went."
All eyes turn, inevitably, to the center.
Jaeheon.
His profile is lit in sharp gold and black, like something carved from old obsidian.
Jeon Mira (gently):
"Jaeheon?"
There is no hesitation this time. No slow breath, no cautious buildup.
He answers simply, his voice as steady and clear as a knife's edge.
Jaeheon (low):
"I wish she knew that I like her."
Silence falls. Not confusion, not tension—just silence. The words ring like a bell, cold and clear in the stillness.
Jaeheon (calmly):
"She doesn't know. Maybe she never will. But that's all. That's all I've ever wanted her to know."
Jeon Mira (curiously):
"Would you want to tell her, one day?"
Jaeheon (tilts head slightly):
"It's not about wanting. I don't deserve to. And… I wouldn't want to burden her with it."
Minjae stares at him with a strange look. Somewhere between concern and awe.
Rin (under his breath):
"You're really something else…"
Taeyang whispers something to Hyunwoo. Neither smile.
LIVE CHAT ERUPTS
@heknowswhatloveis: bro he said "I wish she knew I like her" like it was a hymn
@shatteredsymphony: HOW can a man with no warmth sound more romantic than all the love songs ever written
@hauntmepls: this isn't love this is legend
[BACKSTAGE – PRODUCER ROOM]
"He did it again. That line's going to be on every fan account in ten minutes."
[MEDIA BUZZ – ARTICLE DROP]
Headline: "'I Wish She Knew I Like Her' – Jaeheon Confesses Without Confessing on Live TV"
Excerpt: The most emotionally distant idol in the industry continues to bare quiet, breathtaking truths in full view of the nation—and yet, keeps the heart of the mystery untouched. Who is she? No one dares ask anymore.
Trending Hashtags:
#JaeheonConfession
#WhoIsShe
#IWishSheKnew
#GildedShadowsEp1
[FAN POV – @secretdiarylines]
"He doesn't need a spotlight. He doesn't even want the world to remember him. He just wants her to know. And that makes his love feel bigger than all the noise."
[IN-STUDIO – HOST WRAPS UP]
Jeon Mira (with a faint smile):
"Well… that question went straight through the heart."
She flips to the next card, her expression sobering.
Jeon Mira:
"We have only two questions left. And if everything so far has been this raw, I can't even imagine what's coming."
She turns toward the camera, her voice hushed.
Jeon Mira:
"Stay with us. We're not done with the gold, and we're not done with the shadows either."