Shadows of the Spotlight

Chapter 49

After composing myself, I left the audio room to join the rehearsal.

From a distance, I spotted Arc deep in conversation with the choreographer, Xavier. Even without hearing their words, I could tell things weren't going as Arc had hoped. His expression was tight with frustration, his hands moving animatedly as he tried to explain something. But the more he gestured, the more it became clear that the language barrier was making things difficult.

Xavier glanced up and immediately sighed in relief when he saw me.

"Lila, thank god you're here," he said. "Arc wants some changes in the choreography, but the stage is too small for what he has in mind."

quickly translated Xavier's words to Arc, and he nodded, his frustration melting into a focused expression.

"What I'm trying to say," Arc explained in a calm tone, "is that we need to adjust the choreography to fit the space. I want to use Stages B and C for extra dancers, so the audience near those areas will also get a good view of the performance."

I relayed his explanation to Xavier, who immediately began nodding in agreement. The tension in the air eased slightly, and the conversation shifted to how they could make the changes work. Jihoon soon joined us to help work with the stage director to implement it.

As we continued discussing the choreography adjustments, I heard someone calling my name. I raised my hand to get the staff's attention, pausing the conversation momentarily.

The crew member quickly approached and handed me a small parcel. "Delivery for you," they said before turning and heading back out of the room.

I glanced at the package, slightly puzzled. It wasn't something I was expecting. As I opened the brown bag, I found a cup with a chocolate smoothie inside, its creamy surface tempting me. I was just about to take a sip when I felt Jihoon's hand gently grip my wrist, stopping me.

"Do you know where this is from?" he asked, his voice low but firm.

I looked up at him, confused. "No, I didn't order this," I replied, my gaze flicking between the cup and his serious expression.

"You shouldn't accept parcels from unknown sources," he said, his tone more concerned than scolding.

I hesitated, still holding the cup in my hand. "But it looks harmless..."

Jihoon's grip on my wrist tightened slightly as he replied, "It may look harmless, but don't take the risk. You don't know what intentions someone might have. If you don't know the source, it's better to throw it away than take a chance."

Jihoon was about to take the parcel from my hand when Arc suddenly spoke up. "If you have a doubt, why don't you check the receipt?"

His suggestion caught me off guard. Normally, in a situation like this, Arc would have been the first to stop me, not encourage me to check the receipt. It struck me as unusual, and I felt a flicker of suspicion. Still, I decided to take a look at the receipt.

At first glance, everything seemed normal, until my eyes landed on the order details. It read, Chocolate Banana Split with a shot of espresso. A small laugh bubbled up in my throat as I realized who had ordered it.

I looked up at Jihoon and said, trying to hide my amusement, "It seems like I ordered it and just forgot about it. I'm probably a little groggy from the flight."

Jihoon's gaze was still sharp, but he didn't seem entirely convinced. "Are you sure?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

I nodded, offering a reassuring smile. "Yeah, it's my go-to drink when I need energy. No one else knows about it. I placed the order when I finished the sound check—see the time stamp? I must've forgotten about it while we were talking about the choreography."