Siren Song | KNJ ✅

Chp. 44: Run, Beautiful, Run

Ari's POV 🌸

It feels like Lily has asked me a million times over if I am sure I'm going to be okay seeing Namjoon; she keeps reminding me I don't have to assist her at the award show she is performing live with Joon, but I keep telling her I'm fine. In my heart, I want to run away from this situation, but Tae has made sure I've been meeting with my therapist and talking through my anxiety and feelings, and I feel like I need to just face it head-on no matter how at odds my head and my heart feel. I just tell myself that I can go home and cry when it is all over, just like I've been doing every night since things fell apart.

We are backstage at the award show, and Lily looks gorgeous in a long black dress with cap sleeves. It looks modest until she reveals a long slit that runs high up her left leg to reveal a black faux leather strap she has fastened around her upper thigh. A matching strap is around her upper right arm.

"What do you think? Hobi helped me put it together," Lily asks while a makeup artist quickly touches up her face.

I look her over; her strawberry locks flowing over her shoulders. The way the straps hint at danger, she's taken that "spy" theme from the music video and found a way to nod at it without it being a literal translation.

"Oh, Lily, you look beautiful," I let her know.

I can see her chest rising and falling while she takes deep breaths, and it's the first time I've genuinely seen Lily seem scared of something. I've always heard that she is often terrified to perform on stage, but it never really sunk in until I see our fearless queen shaking before me.

My concern for Lily's anxiety makes me push aside my own fears of seeing Joon. It's a reminder that today is not about me and that I just need to concentrate on Lily's needs today.

It's not long before it's almost time for Lily to go onstage, and we are met with Namjoon and his assistant for a moment. He looks so handsome in an impeccably tailored black suit that compliments Lily's dress and reminds me of a timeless throwback to James Bond movies. I purposely don't make eye contact with Joon. I can't; it hurts too much and would only add fuel to my already frayed nerves.

As a sound manager and I ensure Lily is all set with the monitors in her ears and her microphone, Namjoon tells Lily she looks beautiful and thanks her again for performing with him. It makes my stomach turn in knots.

When the stage manager comes by and asks Lily and Joon to go take their places on stage, I'm relieved; I wish Lily a good performance as they stroll away.

Keep breathing, Ari. This day will soon pass.

💜

Namjoon's POV 🪴

Lily and I take our places across from each other on stage. I can see she is shaking, and I'm starting to regret asking for such a big favor from her. This show is live, and we are waiting to come back from a commercial break. Maybe I should have chosen a pre-taped show to perform with Lily instead of putting so much pressure on her.

What was I thinking?

In true Lily style, though, she forces out a smile. "Let's get it," she whispers with a little nod, and I nod back. I'm glad I can just concentrate on these moments instead of my thoughts drifting to Ari, who is outback. Seeing Ari made my heart feel like it was crumbling all over again.

Now that I've had time to calm down, I know there is more to the story with Ari, but I let my Hyungs know they are not to talk to me about her in our group chat. When I'm ready, I'll learn more, but for right now, I just need to concentrate on my work and getting through this performance. I can't focus on my shattered heart.

In my ears, I hear the team tell us we are coming back from the commercial break, and Lily cranks her neck to the side for a quick moment and then tries to relax. The hosts announces us, then the pre-taped music track comes on, and Lily and I wait to begin our song.

A few beats before the cue comes for Lily to start singing, the music track cuts out, and the entire crowd reacts. I can only hear the muffled reaction over my earpieces, and Lily's eyes widen. We're live out here on stage, with no music, and there is no way to "rewind."

I realize nothing is coming through my monitors anymore, no messages from my sound engineer... nothing. I can't hear anything, and I can tell Lily hears nothing at all either, just by the panic in her eyes, but then it's like a light goes on for her, and I watch her with shock as she takes the monitors out of her ears and casually runs a finger over her microphone. A slight noise echos out, and I realize she is casually testing to see if her microphone still works.

She nods subtly at me, and her eyes dart to my ears, I follow her cue and remove my earpieces, and then Lily places her hand on my chest, and I realize she is lightly tapping the beat for me so we can be in the same place and then she begins to sing and it is powerful.

Her voice is bluesy perfection, cutting through the silence, filling the room. Her eyes close; I place my hand gently over hers and let her know I'm here and I'm following her lead. I see her casually move her leg forward; a long slit reveals up her leg, a black cuff around her thigh. She's drawing people's attention away from the technical mistake and more into the performance. Her professionalism and quick thinking are smart and sexy, and it's not long before it's my turn to rap, and I just unleash, giving my whole body and soul into this performance.

We go back and forth, trading our parts, and in all my years of performing, this is the single most powerful moment I've ever experienced on a stage -there is no music, no dancing, just our voices, and I listen as this incredibly talented woman carries the bridge as we make our way towards the end of the song.

When we finish, she lays her cheek on my chest and looks at the audience seductively, and the crowd begins clapping wildly.  I'm taken aback as they begin to stand up, providing us with a standing ovation. I take Lily's hand and bow to her and then to the audience, and Lily smiles as I lead her off the stage.

This is the person I fell in love with years ago. This remarkable woman, who never lets people down!