Shadows Of Stardom

Chapter 18

We both stood up from the couch, needing a moment to catch our breath. My hair was likely a tangled mess, and my makeup was probably smudged, but none of that mattered. I was with him, and that was all I could concentrate on.

Just as I was lost in the joy of the moment, a message from Rosé snapped me back to reality. She reminded me to get ready, as the show was about to start in just fifteen minutes.

"Tae, I have to go," I said, trying to pull away from him, but he held on, reluctant to let me go.

"Just one more minute," he murmured, still nestled in my arms.

"Get off me," I shot back, and he raised both hands in a playful gesture of surrender.

"I'll have an answer for you soon," I assured him, giving him a quick kiss. He looked at me, bewildered.

"Wasn't that supposed to be the answer?" he stammered, confusion clear on his face. I looked away and turned toward the door, a smile spreading across my lips. What a lovable fool he was.

I hurried back to my dressing room, knowing I was about to give the stylist some extra work.

"Oh my gosh, what just happened?" Jisoo asked, her makeup artist busy perfecting her look.

"Was that a quickie?" Lisa whispered conspiratorially in my ear, and I playfully pushed her away.

"Jungkook's been looking for you," I whispered, careful to keep my voice low so the staff wouldn't hear. Jungkook always had a way of getting under her skin, but thankfully, he was my secret weapon to keep Lisa quiet when I needed it.

Just hearing his name made her scowl deepen. I found it amusing that those two never seemed to get along, especially since they were practically identical in every way.

Just a minute later, we were called up to the stage for our performance. I was in a great mood today, feeling so happy that the thought of tripping in my heels while performing didn't even enter my mind. Sure, I had been worried about that happening, but not today.

As our theme song began to play, we launched into our performance. The stadium, the largest in the country, was packed with thousands of eager fans ready to see my best friends and me take the stage. These people weren't just fans; they were a significant part of my life. Without them, I wouldn't be Jennie Ruby Jane. I smiled at the crowd before diving into the performance, but I took a moment to glance at my brothers, friends, and my love... yes, he was mine, now and forever.

"WHAT'S UP SEOUL CITY?? ARE YOU READY FOR TONIGHT???" I shouted into the microphone with a raspy voice, igniting the crowd into a frenzy.

"LET ME HEAR YOU FUCKING SCREAM!" The roar from the thousands of fans was enough to shake the ground.

We started our performance with all the energy we could muster. The girls and I poured our hearts out on stage, and the electrifying response from the fans showed just how well we were connecting. As Rosé sang, "Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane," we kicked off an exhilarating dance routine. The crowd erupted with chants of "BLACKPINK!" as we moved with intensity.

When the familiar instrumentals of our anthem, "Kill This Love," began to play, the audience's excitement soared. I felt a surge of adrenaline as I launched into the first verse. Even though this song wasn't part of our current album, we wanted to surprise our beloved BLINKS with a performance, knowing how much they cherished it.

As the night progressed, the arena transformed into a breathtaking sea of pink, illuminated by countless lightsticks. This sight always brought tears to my eyes; it was truly stunning.

In the midst of my solo performance, something caught my attention-a cardboard sign held up in the crowd. It was perfectly positioned at my eye level, and I couldn't help but take a quick look at its message as it came into view.