Shadows of the Spotlight

Chapter 25

The next morning air was crisp as we gathered in the hotel lobby, ready to head to the airport. The crew was bustling with energy, packing the last of their things, laughing and chatting amongst themselves. The hotel staff moved around efficiently, gathering our luggage to take it downstairs to the waiting car. I could feel the familiar sense of anticipation building up as we prepared to leave, the rush of being on the move again.

Arc, ever the calm presence, was leaning against the wall, engrossed in his phone. The rest of the team was chatting animatedly about the next leg of the tour, and Jihoon was making sure everyone had their passports and tickets in order. I took a final look through my things, double-checking that I hadn't left anything behind, when suddenly, someone jostled me from the side.

"Ah!" I exclaimed, stumbling forward as a glass of coffee splashed across my chest. The dark liquid spread rapidly, creating a large stain on the front of my shirt. I froze, staring down in disbelief at the dark splotch soaking into the fabric.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" the person stammered, looking mortified. But I could only nod, too caught up in the situation to respond. I turned to Jessica, who was standing nearby, and quickly explained that I'd head to the washroom to see if I could salvage the shirt.

In the washroom, I frantically tried to rinse out the stain, dabbing at it with wet paper towels. My heart sank as I realized that it wasn't going anywhere; it was too large and only spreading further. To make matters worse, the fabric was now soaked, clinging uncomfortably to my skin.

As I stood there, still trying to blot out the mess, Ji-hye walked in. She took one look at my shirt and raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

I sighed, explaining the coffee incident. Ji-hye shook her head, sympathetic yet amused.

"You can't wear that to the airport," she said, glancing pointedly at the wet, stained fabric. I looked down, finally realizing just how unpresentable I looked.

I looked at Ji-hye, uncertain. "What should I do?"

She thought for a moment, then dug into her backpack. "I have an extra top that should fit you," she said, pulling out a black top. She handed it to me with a reassuring smile.

"Oh, thank you, Ji-hye! You're a lifesaver."

"Don't mention it," she replied. "I'll let the team know to wait for you in the parking area." With a quick nod, she left the washroom, leaving me alone with my new wardrobe dilemma.

I entered one of the cubicles, peeling off my damp shirt and slipping into Ji-hye's spare top. As I pulled it over my head, I realizing it was too short for me. It was a cute style, Ji-hye was shorter than me, and the shirt would fit her perfectly. But at 5'6", the hem ended higher than I was comfortable with, leaving my stomach exposed. The curve of my waist was now fully visible, and I couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious about how much skin I was showing.

I took a deep breath, smoothing down the top. It would have to do; I didn't want to keep the team waiting. I adjusted the top one last time and made my way toward the parking area, hoping I didn't look as flustered as I felt.

As I stepped into the parking area, I spotted Arc near the van, his attention still on his phone. But as his gaze shifted toward me, his eyes flickered briefly over the cropped top, lingering just a bit too long before he looked away. His expression tensed, and he pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Isn't that... a bit much?" His voice was quiet, almost as if he was reluctant to voice his discomfort.

Already feeling self-conscious about the sudden wardrobe change, his remark stung. I crossed my arms over my stomach instinctively. "I didn't have a choice," I replied, trying to keep my tone steady but failing to mask the irritation in my voice. "It was either this or delay the whole crew while we dug through the luggage to find my bags for a new shirt."