Under the Spotlight

Chapter 5: Echoes of the Spotlight

The next day, the four of them arrived at the company building early, as usual, for a packed schedule. Between vocal training, choreography tweaks, and a recording session, the hours blurred together in a whirlwind of activity. By the time they reached the media training room in the late afternoon, they were all visibly drained.

A staff member greeted them with a tablet in hand. "You've all been trending," she said, swiping through social media posts. "Mostly positive. But..." She hesitated, her finger hovering over the screen.

"But what?" Aeri asked, leaning forward in her chair.

"There's been some... speculation," the staff member admitted, turning the tablet so they could see. A few images from their recent public appearances flickered on the screen—specifically, candid shots of Jimin and Minjeong walking closely, laughing together, or exchanging subtle glances during interviews.

Underneath the pictures were comments:
"Minjeong and Jimin seem really close lately 👀"
"Best friends or something more?"
"Jimin protecting Minjeong during the fan event... they're so cute together!"

Jimin's stomach tightened as she exchanged a glance with Minjeong. The air in the room grew heavy.

"It's harmless for now," the staff member said quickly. "But we'll need to be careful about how we present the group moving forward. Fans are already dissecting every interaction, and if they think there's favoritism..." She trailed off, her meaning clear.

Minjeong looked calm, but Jimin could see the tension in her jaw. "We're just friends," Minjeong said simply, her tone measured. "They're reading too much into it."

"Of course," the staff member said, smiling tightly. "But perception matters, especially with a comeback around the corner."

When the meeting ended, Jimin and Minjeong stayed behind while Aeri and Yizhuo went to grab snacks from the cafeteria. Alone in the empty practice room, Jimin paced restlessly, her arms crossed.

"Jimin, stop," Minjeong said gently, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor."

Jimin sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's just... this is the last thing we need right now. I don't want to jeopardize the group because of rumors."

"You're not jeopardizing anything," Minjeong said firmly. "They're just fans speculating, like they always do."

"But what if it escalates?" Jimin pressed, her voice low but urgent. "What if—"

"Jimin." Minjeong cut her off, her voice soft but steady. "Look at me."

Jimin stopped pacing, her gaze meeting Minjeong's. The intensity in her eyes made her breath catch.

"You're overthinking again," Minjeong said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "We're fine. The group is fine. This isn't the end of the world."

Jimin's shoulders sagged slightly as she exhaled. "I just... I don't want to mess this up."

"You won't," Minjeong said confidently. She stood and stepped closer, her hand brushing lightly against Jimin's arm. "You're a great leader, Jimin. You care about all of us. That's what makes you so good at this."

Jimin's heart fluttered at Minjeong's words, the warmth in her voice seeping through the cracks in her doubt. She managed a small smile. "Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Luckily," Minjeong said, her smile widening, "you don't have to find out."

For a moment, the world outside seemed to fade away. The rumors, the pressure, the noise of their lives—it all disappeared, leaving only the quiet closeness between them. Jimin wanted to say something more, something she couldn't quite put into words, but before she could, the door burst open.

"Are you two always sneaking off together?" Aeri teased, holding a bag of chips in one hand and a soda in the other. Yizhuo followed behind her, smirking.

"Not sneaking," Minjeong replied smoothly, though her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. "Just talking."

"Talking about how amazing I am?" Aeri quipped, flopping onto the floor beside them. "Because honestly, that's a conversation worth having."

"More like how annoying you are," Yizhuo said, sitting down and tossing a chip into her mouth. "Which is equally worth discussing."

"Careful, Yizhuo," Aeri said, leaning closer with a playful smirk. "I might think you're flirting with me."

Yizhuo rolled her eyes, but her faint blush didn't go unnoticed by Minjeong or Jimin. "In your dreams," she muttered, though her tone lacked its usual bite.

Jimin exchanged a knowing glance with Minjeong, who raised an eyebrow as if to say, See? I told you something's up.

Later that evening...

Back at the dorm, Jimin found herself sitting on the balcony again, the cool night air brushing against her skin. She hadn't expected Minjeong to join her, but when she heard the familiar sound of the sliding door, her heart lifted slightly.

"Couldn't sleep?" Minjeong asked, sitting down beside her.

"Just thinking," Jimin replied, her voice quiet.

"About the rumors?" Minjeong guessed.

Jimin nodded. "And everything else. The comeback. The group. You."

Minjeong blinked, surprised. "Me?"

Jimin hesitated, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "I just... I don't want to make things harder for you. If the rumors get worse—"

"Jimin," Minjeong interrupted gently. "You don't need to protect me from this. We'll handle it together, like we always do."

Jimin looked at her, her gaze searching. "You're not worried?"

Minjeong shook her head. "Not about that. I'm more worried about you overthinking yourself into a spiral."

Jimin laughed softly, the sound easing some of the tension between them. "You really do know me too well."

Minjeong smiled, her hand resting lightly on Jimin's. "Someone has to."

The touch was brief, but it lingered in Jimin's mind long after they returned inside.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen...

Aeri leaned against the counter, scrolling through her phone while Yizhuo rummaged in the fridge. The quiet was comfortable, but there was a subtle tension between them that hadn't been there before.

"You're always in the kitchen," Yizhuo teased, pulling out a carton of juice. "Do you even like the food, or is this your excuse to hang out with me?"

Aeri looked up, caught off guard by the comment. "What makes you think I'd need an excuse?"

Yizhuo raised an eyebrow, her smirk playful. "I don't know. You tell me."

Aeri's cheeks flushed faintly, and she quickly looked back at her phone. "You're imagining things."

"Sure I am," Yizhuo said, her voice light but knowing.

As she poured her drink, Aeri stole a glance at her, her thoughts swirling. Maybe Minjeong and Jimin weren't the only ones struggling to figure out their feelings.

🤭🤭