between the spolight - purinz ✧

the weight of the crown.

yunjin's pov —

i leaned against the door of the practice room, letting out a breath i hadn't realized i was holding. kim chaewon. so, that was her. the rookie everyone's been talking about, the one the company's been pushing as "the next big thing." i wasn't impressed. not yet, at least.

i pushed off the wall and started walking down the hallway, my footsteps echoing faintly. chaewon was good. no denying that. she'd kept up during practice, but there was something in her eyes—a fire i hadn't seen in a while. not since i first started out. i could almost admire it if it wasn't so... irritating. rookies always come in with that kind of energy, like they have something to prove. and maybe they do. but what they don't know is how heavy it gets—being on top. staying there.

i'm tired. i don't show it, of course. that's not part of the image. to everyone else, i'm huh yunjin, the untouchable soloist, the one who never cracks, never falters. and that's fine. it's what's expected of me. but sometimes, i wonder how long i can keep this up. the endless rehearsals, the tours, the constant pressure to be perfect.

i reached the end of the hallway and paused in front of a large window. outside, the city stretched out in front of me, busy and alive. sometimes i felt like a ghost in it, passing through it all without really being a part of it. everything was so loud—fans, media, even the company. everyone wanted something from me, and i gave it to them. that's what i signed up for, after all.

but now, there's chaewon. the company isn't even subtle about it anymore. they're grooming her to be the next me. i know how this works. there's always someone younger, hungrier, waiting to take your place. part of me almost welcomes it. almost. but i can't let go just yet. i've worked too hard to get here. to be who i am. and i'm not going to let some rookie take that away from me. not yet.

i crossed my arms, leaning my forehead against the cool glass. chaewon, though. she was different. i'd seen a lot of new soloists come and go, but none of them had that same spark she did. she didn't back down, not even when i tested her. i could see it in the way she looked at me—determined, defiant. it was almost... amusing.

she probably thinks i'm some kind of villain, the obstacle standing in her way. fine. let her think that. it'll make things easier in the long run. i'm not here to be her friend. i'm here to stay on top, to remind everyone why i'm still the best. if she wants to keep up, she'll have to work harder than she ever has.

but still, as i replayed our practice in my head, i couldn't shake the thought that she might actually make it. she had something. i could feel it in the way she moved, the way she didn't flinch when i pushed her. i haven't felt that kind of challenge in a long time, and i didn't realize until today how much i've missed it.

but that doesn't change anything. she's still just a rookie, and i'm still huh yunjin. and no matter how talented she is, she has a long way to go before she even comes close to touching my throne.

i pushed away from the window, straightening up. no more thinking about her. i had my own practice to get to, my own preparations to make. i wasn't about to let her—or anyone—distract me from what i needed to do.

as i walked back toward my own studio, i caught sight of my reflection in the glass doors. flawless, composed. the image i've worked so hard to perfect.

but even as i turned away, i couldn't help but wonder how long i could keep this up. how long before someone—maybe even chaewon—found the cracks in my armor.

but not today. today, i was still untouchable.

and tomorrow? well, tomorrow would be another fight.