The Villain couldn't resist his HERO

Chapter 6: The Determined Kpop fans vs. Internet Faceless Mobs

Seokjin, still buzzing from his stolen moments with Jungkook in the library, navigated the school corridors with a lightness in his step. The hero's smile had lingered in his mind, a beacon of hope in the storm of his secret life.
But his happy bubble burst as he approached his usual study spot in the library. Lily, his fellow bookworm and resident K-pop enthusiast, sat hunched over her laptop, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Lily? What's wrong?" Seokjin asked, concerning etching lines on his forehead.
Lily sniffled, her face scrunched up in distress. "It's Jaehyun," she choked out, swiping at the screen with trembling fingers. "These new rumors... it's just awful."
Seokjin frowned, peering over Lily's shoulder. The screen displayed a flurry of headlines, each more sensational than the last, accusing Jaehyun, a member of the popular K-pop group NCT 127, of dating a secret girlfriend. There were blurry photos, fabricated texts, and anonymous sources of spewing venom.

Lily, a devoted NCTzen, worshiped Jaehyun with the fervor of a thousand suns. Seeing him dragged through the mud, victim of what seemed like blatant cyberbullying, had broken her heart.
Seokjin, understanding the sting of false accusations all too well, felt a pang of sympathy for Jaehyun. He knew the power of rumors, the way they could twist reality into a grotesque caricature.
"Hey," he said gently, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder. "Don't jump to conclusions. These things can be so fake. Remember what happened..." He trailed off, almost revealing his own brush with infamy.

Lily sniffled again. "But what if it's true? What if Jaehyun..."
"Then that's his life to live," Seokjin interrupted softly. "We don't know the whole story, and judging him based on these rumors will only hurt you."
He knew his words were hollow, a mere balm on a festering wound. He, of all people, understood the pain of being judged without a voice, the sting of whispers and accusations. But in Lily's tear-filled eyes, he saw not only the hurt of a fangirl, but also the potential for an ally.
"Lily," he said, his voice firming. "Let's find out the truth, not from these faceless online mobs, but from Jaehyun himself. NCTzen has a voice, remember? We can use it to support him, not tear him down."

Lily's eyes, red-rimmed but gaining a spark of determination, met his. A flicker of a smile played on her lips. "You're right, Seokjin. Jaehyun deserves better than this. Let's show him NCTzen's true strength."

And so, a new mission was born. Lily, fueled by her love for Jaehyun and Seokjin's quiet empathy, became a beacon of positivity. They gathered other NCTzens, united not by blind adoration, but by a desire for truth and justice. They sifted through the noise, debunking rumors, spreading facts, and creating a wave of support for Jaehyun on social media.
Seokjin, the villain who danced with heroes, found himself leading a different kind of rebellion. He wasn't fighting corporate greed or exposing lies, but defending a fellow soul from the clutches of online cruelty. In the process, he discovered a new strength, a voice that could rise above the din and fight not just for Jaehyun, but for the truth itself.

The battle against the faceless mob was long and arduous. But with each debunked rumor, each message of support, the tide began to turn. Jaehyun, finally able to speak his truth, expressed his gratitude to his fans, his voice hoarse but his spirit unbroken.
As the dust settled, Seokjin realized he had become more than just a villain. He was a protector, a voice for the voiceless, a testament to the power of empathy and truth in the face of online darkness. And in the corner of his heart, a small hope bloomed – perhaps, just perhaps, this act of unexpected heroism would find its way back to Jungkook, another melody in the waltz of their hearts.

"You're right, chasing down faceless cyberbullies online is no easy feat." Seokjin and Lily's initial optimism collides with the harsh reality of the situation. The evidence is flimsy, the trolls elusive, and frustration gnaws at them. Seokjin, still grappling with his own double life, feels his hope waning.

Lily, however, refuses to be deterred. Her determination burns bright, fueled by her unwavering love for Jaehyun. She scours the web, analyzing comments, tracking IP addresses, and building a meticulous profile of the hate group. She even manages to contact other NCTzens who have faced similar harassment, forging a network of support and shared intelligence.

Meanwhile, Seokjin watches, his heart torn between his desire to help and his fear of exposing his secret. He admires Lily's tenacity, her refusal to give up in the face of adversity. He wants to help, to be her shield in this digital battlefield, but the thought of donning the mask of Jin, the villain, fills him with dread.

The turning point comes unexpectedly, almost like a cruel twist of fate. One day, Lily, venting her frustration to Seokjin's parents, inadvertently mentions the hostage taking incident, a mere blip in the news cycle for most. Her mother's eyes widen, a mischievous glint in them.

"Hostage taking, you say? Sounds like a job for...

The Word Wide Darkest Fiend, Jin. He'll never stop until the Bangtan team falls into the darkest void especially, he really needs the attention of his Golden Boy..." He clearly had his throat. Seokjin recalls that he's doing this for Lily.

The seed is planted. Seokjin, initially stunned, sees a glimmer of possibility. He could use his skills as Jin, not to terrorize, but to create a diversion, a smokescreen for Lily's investigation. He proposes a daring plan – he would kidnap Jaehyun, not to harm him, but to draw the attention of the haters, forcing them into the open.

So, under the cover of night, Seokjin resurfaces. Not as a villain wreaking havoc, but as a puppet master pulling the strings of a grand, dangerous charade. The stage is set for Act II, a dance between truth and deception, a waltz with the lives of two idols and the hearts of two friends hanging in the balance.