Between Spotlight and Shadows (NJZ x M!Reader/OC)

Chapter 6 - Spotlight

so, i've been away for a little bit, oops, but this chapter is kind of a make up for being away for so long.

anwyays, will talk more after

as always, any and all feedback is welcome :)

9.4k words

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October 23rd, 4:00pm @SBS Inkigayo! - Taejin POV

The air backstage was electric, buzzing with anticipation, the muffled roars of the audience could be heard through the stage entrance, only serving to increase our nerves. We watched the monitors as the MC's were introducing today's lineup. Barely audible over the whirlwind of activity around us—stylists making last-minute touch-ups, Jihoon-hyung checking we all had our mics, and other groups moving in and out like clockwork.

I glanced around at my members, all seven of us stood in a circle. Minho-hyung's steady presence kept us grounded, even as the adrenaline started to course through our bodies. Sungjin was practising vocal runs under his breath, his eyes focused but betraying the nervous energy bubbling under the surface. Ryu leaned against the wall, his usual calm demeanour masking the subtle way his foot tapped against the floor. Jaeyoung, being the mood-maker he is, was bouncing lightly on his heels, trying to inject some his infections energy into the group. Hyunwoo was standing slightly apart from the group, his eyes fixated on the stage entrance. His arms were crossed loosely over his chest, but I could see the subtle tension in his shoulders and the way his jaw clenched.

Next to me, Jisoo had a staff member helping adjust his in-ear monitor, his lips pressed into a thin line as he mouthed the words to CROWN. I wasn't sure if it was nerves or excitement—or maybe both—but it mirrored exactly how I felt.

"Taejin," Minho-hyung said, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts. He motioned for me to step closer, his gaze steady and reassuring. "You've got this. You've been a rock for us throughout this process. Let's make this count."

I swallowed hard, nodding. "We all do," I said, my voice steady despite the butterflies in my stomach. "This is the moment we've been working for. Let's show them who SOLANIS is."

Jihoon-hyung, appeared beside us, clapping his hands. "Alright, you're up next. Head to the stage entrance, and remember—deep breaths. Channel all those nerves into the performance."

Minho motioned for us to huddle together. "Alright, one last time," he said. We all placed our hands in the center of the circle, the familiar ritual grounding us.

"SOLANIS on three," Jaeyoung said, his usual playful grin tempered with a seriousness we didn't often see from him. "One, two—"

"Three!" we shouted together, our voices blending in a chorus that felt like a promise to each other.

As we started walking toward the stage, the lights grew brighter, the sounds sharper, and the cheers from the audience louder. It felt surreal, it felt like every step was taking us further into a dream we'd all been chasing for so long.

flashback :p

October 13th, 5:30pm @EDICTA ENT Meeting Room - Taejin POV

It'd been a few days since our teaser photos had released on the company website, and they quickly spread like wildfire. Yunjin had been non-stop talking about how my teaser photo was making the rounds at HYBE—everyone saying that HYBE had lost out letting me go. I'd even gotten a few messages from some ex-IZ*ONE members congratulating me on making it into the debut lineup. The most notable of them was Wonyoung, who started texting me a lot more after that. It was a breath of fresh air to have someone outside the group and Yunjin to talk to and her texts always seemed to energise me for the day.