SHADOWS OF TRUTH (JENNIE KIM FANFICTION)

16. Cheers and Heartbeats

Y/N stirred as the first light of morning trickled through the curtains of her hotel room, bathing everything in a soft, golden glow. She blinked a few times, feeling the usual morning grogginess quickly give way to the excitement bubbling up in her chest. Today was it—her first international show in Tokyo. Sitting up, she stretched, letting the reality of the day sink in, the excitement beginning to buzz in her veins.

Before she even left the bed, Y/N instinctively reached for her phone and tapped out a quick message to Jennie: "Good morning! Woke up in Tokyo for our first show and it still feels unreal. Can't wait for tonight!" A grin spread across her face as she added a funny selfie, her bed hair tousled in every direction. She hit send, wondering if Jennie would reply soon or if she'd still be asleep back in Seoul.

Minutes later, her phone chimed with a response, and she eagerly opened Jennie's reply: "Look at that bedhead! Adorable, though. Good luck today, rockstar 💫 Can't wait to hear all about it."

Feeling the warmth of Jennie's message, Y/N couldn't help but smile as she typed back, "You mean 'adorable, though' or 'adorable... always?' 😉" She laughed softly to herself, shaking her head at her own flirtatiousness before tossing her phone aside and getting up to get ready.

After throwing on some comfortable clothes, she met the rest of her group downstairs in the hotel's breakfast lounge. The spread was incredible, with a mix of Western and Japanese dishes, and the LE SSERAFIM girls were already animatedly chatting about the day's plans, their nerves blending with excitement. She grabbed a tray, eyeing the dishes, and as she reached for a bowl of rice, her phone buzzed again.

It was Jennie: "Let's go with 'adorable always,' but don't get too cocky 😉 Good luck today, babe. I know you'll kill it."

Y/N chuckled, her cheeks warming as she quickly typed a reply before putting her phone in her pocket. But not fast enough, as Yunjin, who was already sipping on her orange juice, raised an eyebrow, watching Y/N with a knowing grin.

"Oh, so who's the lucky girl making you all smiley first thing in the morning?" Yunjin teased, nudging her.

Y/N rolled her eyes, trying to play it cool. "Just... catching up with a friend. You know how it is."

"A friend, huh?" Kazuha chimed in, clearly entertained. "The kind of friend who texts you first thing in the morning and makes you look like that?"

"You guys are terrible," Y/N laughed, but her cheeks betrayed her as they turned a faint shade of pink.

Sakura looked over with a smirk. "Come on, Y/N, we all know who you're texting. Should we say hi to Jennie, or is this top secret?"

Y/N could only shake her head as her bandmates laughed, though she felt a warmth in her chest. She could hardly deny the effect Jennie had on her, especially when just a single message could put her in such a good mood. To indulge them, she pulled her phone out and said, "Fine, fine. Let's say hi."

With everyone leaning in, she recorded a quick video of the girls sitting around the table, their faces lit up with playful grins as they waved at the camera. She angled the camera towards herself and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Good morning from this cute breakfast squad. Wishing you were here to see the chaos." She sent it with a message: "This is your breakfast crew for the day! Look at what I deal with every morning 😂"

As soon as she hit send, Eunchae leaned over, peeking at her screen. "You're gonna spoil Jennie with all this attention," she teased, playfully nudging Y/N's arm.

"Yeah, what are you guys texting about anyway?" Chaewon asked, raising her brows, feigning innocence. "Is it all 'good luck' or is there something else?"