SHADOWS OF TRUTH (JENNIE KIM FANFICTION)

3. A scene for the cameras

The piercing ring of her phone shattered the quiet stillness of Jennie's apartment, cutting through her attempt to focus on the glossy magazine spread laid out before her. The soft lighting bathed her in a warm glow, but the peaceful atmosphere was abruptly interrupted by the insistent sound of her ringtone. With a heavy sigh, she glanced at the screen. It was her manager.

"Great," she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes as she reluctantly answered the call. Jennie braced herself, mentally preparing for the inevitable wave of irritation that followed such conversations.

"Jennie, we need to talk about your dinner with Y/N tonight. We expect a few paparazzi to be present," her manager's voice came through, clipped and businesslike.

"Of course you do," Jennie replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she crossed her arms defensively. "Is this really necessary? I'm sure people are dying to see me eat." The words dripped with irony; the thought of herself as some kind of spectacle felt absurd and demeaning.

"Absolutely. This is crucial for both of your images," the manager continued, unfazed by Jennie's sarcasm. "You both need to appear engaged and friendly. It's important to project a sense of normalcy for the public."

Normalcy? The word cut deep, a bitter reminder of everything that had unraveled in her life recently. She thought of Taehyung, of their laughter, their quiet moments spent together that now felt like a distant memory. The anger simmered within her, rising as she pictured him—his warm smile, the way he would tease her, and how he always knew just what to say to brighten her day. Now, it felt like she was being ripped away from him, tossed aside for this ridiculous charade.

"Make it convincing. Can you handle that?"

Jennie felt a surge of irritation bubbling just below the surface, and she could almost sense her manager's dismissive attitude through the phone. "Sure, because pretending to date someone is just my favorite thing to do," she shot back, her voice laced with bitterness. The notion of faking a relationship—of plastering a smile on her face for the cameras while her heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice—was infuriating.

A heavy silence lingered on the other end, and Jennie could imagine her manager shaking their head, treating her feelings like they were an inconvenience. With a frustrated huff, she hung up, the click of the call ending echoing in the now silent room.

Staring out of the window, she watched as the sun began to set, casting long shadows across her living room. The vibrant colors of the sky did nothing to lift her spirits; instead, they deepened her sense of despair. What am I even doing? The thought of dating Y/N, someone she barely knew and didn't even like, felt like an unbearable weight pressing down on her.

Her heart raced at the memories of Taehyung, the love they had shared. They had been together long enough that the thought of dating someone else—especially someone like Y/N—felt like a betrayal, a slap in the face of everything they had built together. She could almost hear his voice, a mix of hurt and confusion, asking why she was doing this. The guilt clawed at her insides like a relentless beast.

Jennie closed her eyes, squeezing them shut against the rising tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. This isn't me. The familiar face staring back at her in the darkened window felt more like a mask than her true self. With every moment spent in this ridiculous arrangement, she felt herself slipping further away from who she was—who she wanted to be.

Determined to pull herself together, she picked up the magazine again, but the words swam before her eyes. The photos, the smiles, the perfect lives portrayed within those glossy pages—all of it felt like a cruel joke. Couldn't anyone see through the facade?