Perfect

Promise me

Jin studied his reflection in the mirror, his brow furrowed. “Everything is all set, right?” he asked his manager. His fingers traced the subtle curve of his waistline as he twisted, inspecting himself from every angle. “I’ve gained weight,” he muttered, half to himself, half to his manager.

His manager’s response was immediate. “You look healthier for a person now,” he said with a smile, trying to alleviate Jin’s worries. “You’ve got a rehearsal in thirty minutes, then the show in three hours. You know the routine. And by the way, you’re the showstopper tonight. But you’ll be sharing the spotlight with another model.”

Jin’s eyes narrowed slightly, his interest piqued. “Another model? I thought it was just going to be me.”

His manager’s smile didn’t waver. “You’ll meet him at the rehearsal.”

Something about the manager’s casual tone unsettled Jin, but he couldn’t quite place why. Even the stalker who had been a persistent, unsettling presence seemed to have disappeared out of the blue. Pushing the thought aside, Jin shrugged, following his manager into the communal space where the pre-show buzz was already starting to build.

During the rehearsal, Jin finally met the other model. His name was Do-hee, and according to the whispers circulating, this was his debut. Yet something about him felt eerily familiar to Jin. The name didn’t ring any bells, but there was something in Do-hee’s eyes, his posture, that triggered a sense of déjà vu. Jin dismissed the feeling, rationalizing that it wasn’t uncommon for someone to seemingly appear out of nowhere in their world, polished and backed by a sponsor. But as he watched Do-hee move with a confidence, the unease in Jin’s chest only deepened.

After the rehearsal wrapped up, Jin was in the middle of gathering his thoughts when his manager approached him, his voice lowered to a near whisper. “Seokjin, I have to tell you something.”

Jin, half-expecting trivial remark, rolled his eyes and leaned in, signaling for the manager to speak directly into his ear.

“Taehyung is coming to your show,” the manager whispered.

“What?” Jin nearly shouted, his voice echoing in the room turning around heads. Realizing the attention he’d drawn, Jin quickly cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. “Why? Why is he coming here?” His voice dropped to a whisper.

The manager sighed, guilt evident in his eyes. “He threatened me into making arrangements. I’m sorry. He’s coming for you.”

Jin sighed, “You know it’ll be distracting for me to have him here. Turn him away,” he demanded.

“I can’t now. It’s too late. Besides, it’s already in the news,” the manager replied.

Despite the frustrated reaction, Jin couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement in his chest at the thought of Taehyung being there, though he would never admit it out loud. “Bring me my phone. I need to talk to him.”

“There’s no time,” his manager said firmly, guiding him back to his chair. “You need to get ready for the stage. Focus on the show, Seokjin.”

Reluctantly, Jin allowed himself to be pushed back into the flow of the preparations.

Jin tried to focus on the show, but his thoughts kept drifting to Taehyung. He couldn’t help but smile to himself as he got ready, imagining Taehyung’s reaction to seeing him on the runway for the first time in real life. The anticipation bubbled inside him, making it impossible to sit still. He was the last to walk, so as the show began, he was backstage, his legs bouncing nervously.

“I’m going to the restroom,” he suddenly announced to his manager, who looked up at him with a deadpan expression.

“Is it important?” the manager asked, clearly unimpressed.