before you love me | jjk

chapter forty-nine

━━━༻ ˚✩‧₊ march 2021₊‧✩˚༺━━━

It was the tenth of March, the day before Narae's birthday and day two of her London special. As planned months prior, she was switching things up for her segment. For the show two nights ago, she had brought out Stormzy as a surprise special guest to perform their song together, as well as a few of his own popular tracks to the delight and joy of the crowd. This time, she had decided to perform songs exclusively from the ECLIPSE catalogue as a mini-tribute to her fans that had really been there from day one.

Narae stood in the middle of the stage as she prepared to sing their farewell song, feeling the lyrics even more deeply being that it was so close to her birthday. For the first time since they had met, Narae would be spending her birthday without any members of ECLIPSE beside her. Sol and Haneul were once again busy with their respective careers, and even Asa, who was usually the person she could count on to be available, was stuck in the middle of a production project in America, and wouldn't be able to see her for a couple of weeks.

She closed her eyes as she listened to the opening notes through her in-ears, and began to sing the first few lines (a/n: can play song here).

When the curtains close and close
And all of the lights go down
Safe to say I'll stay
I will always stick around

The song always had made her emotional. All members of ECLIPSE had contributed to the lyrics and when they had done the first recording, none of them had been able to get through it without crying.

It was a song for them, but it was also a song to their fans, a promise that no matter what, they'd always be together, even if it wasn't in the physical sense. As Narae opened her eyes to  look around the stadium, she marvelled at the thousands of lights blinking in the night sky. No matter how many times she performed, it was always a shock to see just how many people supported her. A small, tiny part of her sometimes felt like she didn't deserve all the love, but she always tried her hardest to drown that part out with her efforts.

As she was preparing to begin the second verse, the lights suddenly cut out, leaving only the glow from the light sticks to illuminate the stadium. Confused, she whirled around as a spotlight highlighting a figure standing on the far left side of the stage suddenly appeared.

The crowd erupted into loud cheers as a very familiar voice echoed around the walls.

Remember the day
When we finally found our wings
It changed our lives
Gave us power to do anything

Once Narae recognised just who that voice belonged to, her jaw dropped open in shock.

No way. This is not happening.

But it was happening. An auburn-haired figure was walking towards her, a smile on their face as they sang along to the lyrics. 

Narae still hadn't regained her bearings when another voice picked up the next part.

And every time they try break us down
Hah, we bounce back every track, hit you back
So you'll never be in doubt.

The stage was slowly lighting up again as a taller figure made her way from the opposite end of the stage, her steps fluid and practised as if she had been born on a runway.

"Unnie?" Narae questioned out loud, not realising it was picked up by the mic, still unbelieving the sight before her. It just didn't make any sense.

Damn we got history
In all these sweet melodies
Lived every victory
Yeah we got synergy
If they hurt you they're hurting me
Yeah that's just the way it is