Shadows Of Stardom

Chapter 34

I found myself in front of a wall of mirrors, the bright lights sparkling like stars, while the deep bass echoed through the studio, perfectly matching the rhythm of my racing heart. The atmosphere was electric-my fellow Blackpink members, buzzed around with vibrant energy, while the EXO crew prepared their setups. Today was the last day of our music video shoot for this amazing collaboration, and I was thrilled to see the end results of everything we did.. I hoped it came out perfect.

I watched Kai closely as he practiced his moves. I let out a soft sigh realising i had been staring a bit too long, my fingers brushing against the fabric of my outfit, trying to shake off the unease that was creeping in. Why did everything have to feel so complicated?

"Jennie, you okay?" Rosé asked, her eyes filled with concern as she looked me over.
"Yeah, I'm fine" I replied, but when she noticed Kai approaching, her smile broadened into that familiar expression that screamed, "I know something's going on between you two!" before she hurried away.

"Hey, Jen" he said, flashing that signature smile of his that always brightened the room.
"Hey, Kai" I responded, acutely aware of the curious stares from the staff and our CEOs. Why were they watching us so closely?

"I wanted to let you know that I might be able to convince the directors to switch my position with the others if you're feeling uncomfortable... I really don't want you to..." he began, his concern clear.

"It's fine, I'll feel more comfortable with you here" I responded, noticing the tension in his shoulders relax.

"I'm sorry" he said softly, taking my hands in his. "I'm sorry for making things complicated, I'm sorry for upsetting you, and I'm really sorry for being late. I should've -" His eyes met mine, filled with genuine remorse.

"Kai... we shouldn't..." I started gently taking my hands away from his, but he interrupted, fully aware of what I was thinking. He knew me too well, perhaps even too well for his own good.

"I know what you are going to say,..." he responded to my thought with a light laugh, though I could see the hurt behind it.

"I understand... I'll be your best friend for now and I'll keep quiet about it" he said, forcing a smile that quickly returned to the familiar Kai I knew.

"Let's get going" he said, taking my hands as we headed to the set.

"Why were they staring at us?" I asked, knowing he understood who I meant.

"I'm not sure, probably plotting something to get their stocks high, typical CEO behavior," he replied. Once we arrived at the set, we both had our makeup touched up.

"Let's nail this" he said, and I nodded before we did a fist bump and my brother wishing me Goodluck

As the music began, I took my position, trying to harness the vibrant energy of the song. It seemed to work, as I noticed the joyful expression on Mr. Yang's face. I liked making him proud of me

I found myself dancing with genuine enthusiasm, moving in perfect harmony with the rhythm. Next to me was Kai, his striking features effortlessly drawing attention. We were the center for both groups, and under that spotlight, I felt the weight of every gaze-crew members and others in the background watching as I twirled and spun, fulfilling my role.

Before long, we all settled into our spots, singing and dancing with enthusiasm. Finally, we wrapped up filming, and as soon as the shoot ended, applause and laughter erupted.

"Great job, everyone!" our director announced, clapping his hands

Lisa, Rosé, and Jisoo rushed over to envelop me in a big hug, and I certainly wasn't complaining.