The All-Rounder || Karina X Male Reader

5. The IT Girl

The night of the party was buzzing with energy, and the atmosphere was electric. The crowd was packed, and as I took my place on stage with Locked/In, I could feel the anticipation building. Jihoon was tuning his bass, focused but flashing his usual smirk to the crowd. Daehyun was setting up his drums with a look of quiet determination, while Sanghoon gave me a quick nod as he adjusted his guitar. This was it—our moment to show everyone what we had.

As the spotlight hit, I leaned into the mic, scanning the sea of faces, and started with a familiar opening riff. Locked/In was in full force, each of us in sync, pouring everything we had into the performance. By the time we were halfway through our set, I could feel the crowd moving to our rhythm, shouting and clapping along. We were owning the stage, and for a few minutes, nothing else mattered.

When we wrapped up our last song, the applause was deafening. The four of us exchanged grins, high-fiving as we headed offstage, adrenaline still pumping.

As I made my way through the crowd afterward, a familiar figure caught my eye—Wonyoung, lingering near the edge of the room. Her normally composed expression was softer, and I noticed right away that something was off. Her eyes met mine, and she gave a small, slightly unsteady smile.

“Jaeyoung!” she called, her voice slurring a little as she stumbled toward me.

I moved quickly, reaching her side as she swayed. “Hey, are you okay?”

She giggled, brushing her hair back but still looking a bit unsteady. “Oh, I’m fine. Just… maybe had one drink too many.” She laughed, but her laugh was weaker than usual, and her eyes held a tired, vulnerable look.

“Come on, let’s get you some air,” I said, gently guiding her outside to the quiet back patio. The cool night air seemed to help a bit, and she leaned against the railing, letting out a long sigh.

“Thanks, Jaeyoung,” she murmured, glancing over at me. “Guess I’m not as… untouchable as everyone thinks, huh?”

I shook my head. “No one’s expecting you to be perfect all the time, Wonyoung. Even the ‘IT Girl’ has to breathe.”

She laughed, the sound softer and more real than usual. “You know, everyone sees me as this… image. But sometimes, I don’t even know if that’s who I am. Like, it’s a mask that everyone expects me to wear.”

I leaned beside her, trying to understand. “Maybe that’s why it feels like such a big deal—because everyone’s so used to the image. But I think you’re more than that. And you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”

She smiled, her gaze softening. “Thanks, Jaeyoung. That… means a lot.” She paused, looking down as if searching for the right words. “You know, people like you—you’re different. You just… show up as yourself. No masks.”

I shrugged, feeling a bit self-conscious. “Guess I don’t know any other way. And honestly? Maybe more people could learn from that.”

She was quiet for a moment, as if taking in what I’d said. “You make it sound so easy.” Her voice was almost a whisper.

“Maybe it could be, if you let it.”

Before I could say anything else, the door opened, and Jihoon stepped out, calling over to me. “Hey, Jaeyoung! You’re missing the party, man!”

I turned back to Wonyoung, giving her a reassuring smile. “Want me to stick around?”

She shook her head, her smile faint but real. “No, go ahead. I think I’ll be okay.”

I hesitated but eventually nodded, squeezing her shoulder lightly. “Alright. But if you need anything, just let me know.”

As I joined Jihoon and headed back into the party, I couldn’t shake the memory of the look in her eyes—a mix of vulnerability and strength. Wonyoung wasn’t just the “IT Girl.” She was something else entirely, and for the first time, I felt like I’d seen the real her.