between the spolight - purinz ✧

between us.

chaewon's pov —

the stadium buzzed with excitement as fans filled the seats for my sound check. the stage lights were already on, casting a soft glow over the sea of banners and light sticks. i could feel the energy radiating from them, and it gave me the boost i needed to shake off any pre-show nerves.

this sound check was special because fans were allowed to interact, ask questions, and share the moment with me in a more intimate setting. it was always fun, hearing their thoughts, their excitement, and their questions, even though sometimes, things got a little personal.

i adjusted my mic, glancing toward the back of the venue. i knew yunjin was watching from backstage. but lately, things between us had been strained, her usual distance feeling even further than before.

after running through a few songs, the question portion began. fans eagerly waved their hands, hoping to get their chance to ask something. i smiled, pointing at one of them in the front row.

"chaewon, are you and yunjin close?" they asked innocently, though the question caught me completely off guard.

my breath hitched, and for a split second, i didn't know what to say. the fans didn't know the reality behind the scenes—how distant yunjin had been, how hard it was to get through to her lately. i tried to keep my expression light, offering a smile, though it felt more strained than usual.

"yunjin and i..." i paused, choosing my words carefully, "we're close, but you know, things can be busy with work and all. so we don't see each other often."

rhe fans cheered in response, satisfied with my vague answer. but even as i moved on to the next question, i could feel the weight of the words hanging over me. were yunjin and i even close anymore? lately, it felt like we were miles apart.

i continued answering questions, doing my best to keep the mood upbeat, but the thought lingered in the back of my mind. yunjin had been so distant, pushing me away every time i tried to reach out. and now, standing here in front of hundreds of fans, i realized just how much i missed her presence.

after the sound check wrapped, i made my way backstage, wiping the sweat from my brow. i hadn't been expecting the question about yunjin, and it left me feeling unsettled. just as i was grabbing a bottle of water, i felt a presence behind me.

i turned around and found yunjin standing there, her expression hard to read, but there was something in her eyes—something sharp, frustrated.

"yunjin? hey, what's—"

"can we talk?" she interrupted, her voice tight. without waiting for an answer, she motioned for me to follow her down the hallway. my stomach twisted. i'd seen this look on her before, and it rarely led to anything good.

we ended up in an empty room, the door clicking shut behind us. the tension between us felt suffocating, and i didn't know why. i stood there awkwardly, trying to figure out what had set her off.

"what's going on?" i asked cautiously, taking a step toward her.

yunjin crossed her arms, her gaze locked on me. "what was that out there?"

"what do you mean?" i asked, genuinely confused.

"the question about us," she said, her voice low but full of restrained anger. "when they asked if we were close."

i frowned. "i just said we're close... i don't get why you're upset."

yunjin let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "that's the problem, chaewon. you keep pretending everything's fine between us, like we're just two idols working together. but we're not."