between the spolight - purinz ✧

prologue.

the lights dimmed, the stage quieted, and all eyes were on huh yunjin. she stood at the center of the arena, the roar of thousands of fans echoing through the venue. with one effortless breath, she hit the final note of her performance, her voice soaring through the air, flawless as always. the crowd erupted, chanting her name in unison, a sea of lightsticks waving in devotion. this was her world—her stage.

after years of tireless work, countless awards, and hit after hit, yunjin had become one of the biggest soloists in the industry. everything she touched turned to gold. she was the company's prized possession, the face of their success, untouchable in her artistry and presence. yet, in the quiet moments backstage, away from the adoration and flashing lights, there was an emptiness yunjin couldn't quite shake. she was at the top, but the weight of staying there pressed harder with every performance.

as she wiped the sweat from her forehead, her manager approached with a gleam in his eye. "yunjin," he said, barely able to hide his excitement, "you'll be mentoring someone new. a fresh soloist, kim chaewon. the company thinks she's the next big thing."

yunjin stiffened. the next big thing. how many times had she heard that before? another rookie eager to take a shot at the top, someone who didn't know the price of staying there.

kim chaewon stared at the studio doors in front of her, nerves bubbling beneath her calm exterior. today marked the first step of her solo debut, something she had dreamed about for years. the rehearsals, the vocal lessons, the endless hours of practice—it had all led to this moment. but debuting under the same company as huh yunjin came with its own pressure.

yunjin was a legend, an idol chaewon had once admired from afar. now, they were about to share the same stage, the same company. and no matter how much she tried to block it out, the whispers were already starting—comparisons, expectations, questions about whether chaewon could ever stand in the same light as yunjin.

chaewon straightened her posture, determination hardening her features. she wasn't here to be anyone's shadow. this was her time, her shot. whatever it took, she would carve out her own place in this industry—even if it meant going toe-to-toe with the woman she once idolized.

the first time their eyes met, the air seemed to crackle with tension. yunjin's gaze was sharp, assessing, while chaewon's was steady, refusing to back down. two soloists, two worlds colliding under the same roof, bound by the same stage.

neither knew it yet, but this rivalry was only the beginning.