Shadows Of Stardom

Chapter 27

"Are we there yet?" Jin asked for the hundredth time, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him. He was so annoying.

"No, no, and no! Why don't you just rest your mouth and conserve your energy for walking?" San replied from up ahead, clearly trying to resist the urge to throw something at Jin, who was lagging behind.

We were all on our way to the lake to spend some time there. It had been a while since our last visit, but Kai insisted he remembered the way. He had come with us a few times when his parents were away on business trips, and he even shot a music video here not too long ago, using the house as a bckdrop.

"Jisoo doesn't like it when guys complain," I whispered to Jin, and that seemed to silence him. I wondered why I hadn't thought of that sooner.

"Jennie?? COME HERE REAL QUICK!!!" Kai called out excitedly, and I hurried over to see what he was up to. When I arrived, I spotted a familiar tree, and Kai nodded, confirming my thoughts. I brushed my fingers over the carving on the tree and smiled as nostalgia washed over me.

The inscription read "Kai + Jennie forever," enclosed in a heart shape.
"But you didn't keep your promise," Kai said, glancing back at me. "What do you mean? You're still my best friend" I replied, playfully punching his arm.

"And you never tell me anything," he shot back, making me roll my eyes.

"Well, there's nothing to tell," I argued, but he raised an eyebrow in question.
"For example?" I challenged.

He immediately responded, "You never told me you liked me." I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me.

"I didn't mention it because I thought you didn't feel the same way, and I didn't want things to get awkward between us," I admitted, rolling my eyes at him for bringing up the past.

"Why were you so sure I didn't feel the same?" he asked, catching me off guard. "I don't know, why are you bringing this up now?" I replied, and he shrugged. "Well, I miss us," he said, prompting me to roll my eyes again.

"Alright, if you always have milk-flavored ice cream, I guess I'll be stuck with you forever," I said, extending my pinky finger. He smiled and linked his pinky with mine.

"Look, they're gone. Let's get moving," I said. But before I could take a step, he stopped me by grabbing my wrist, and I unexpectedly found myself pressed against him.

"Sorry," he murmured, releasing my wrist as if he had been shocked. "It's alright," I responded, and a moment later, a smile appeared on his face as he reached into his backpack to retrieve something.

When he pulled it out, my eyes widened at the sight of the stunning crown adorned with flowers. A smile blossomed on my face as I admired it. Just as I was about to grab it, he gently placed it on my head.

"I think this is a better gift which by the way, I made with my own hands" he said. I took it off to examine the crown more closely, and I loved it so much that I put it back on my head.

"Thank you," I said, and he smiled, brushing off my gratitude.

We walked to our destination, and when we arrived, I noticed a few of our friends were in the water while San and Taehyung were busy grilling meat. Jisoo was chatting with Jungkook, and I caught Jin giving his friends a fierce glare; it was clear Jungkook was just teasing him. Lisa was also in the water, and I spotted Mingyu, Yoongi and Jaehyun, who seemed to have cleared their schedules as well.

My gaze landed on a familiar figure, and a smile spread across my face when I recognized her. As she turned around, a smile lit up her face too, and we both ran towards each other, crashing into a tight embrace.