The Clandestine Us

Forty-eight

───── ❝ Jennie's POV ❞ ─────

The holiday season is the happiest yet the fastest time of the year. And in its last few days before a new year begins, it is also the time when people pause and reminisce about everything that happened during the year. The good and the bad. The happy moments and the sad ones. The fulfilling days and the ordinary ones that quietly passed.

I went home to spend the holidays with Mom.

Unlike before, our celebration was simpler this time. No big gatherings, no extravagant dinners, no loud parties. Just the two of us sitting across from each other at the dining table with warm food, soft music playing in the background, and a small Christmas tree glowing quietly in the corner of the living room.

We exchanged simple gifts.

Mom gave me a scarf she said reminded her of me. I gave her a small jewelry piece she had been eyeing months ago but never bought for herself.

Mom always said the best holidays were the quiet ones. And this year, I finally understood what she meant.

Still, we couldn't fully appreciate the warmth of the season without remembering someone who was missing.

Kai.

Our first dog had already made his way to the rainbow bridge earlier this year. His absence was painfully obvious around the house. The usual sounds of his paws running across the floor were gone.

Even his little brother, our Pomeranian, Kuma, seemed to feel the loss.

Kuma used to follow Kai everywhere. Now he wandered around the house more slowly, often stopping near Kai's old bed like he was waiting for him to come back.

It broke my heart every time I noticed it. Mom noticed it too. So we gave Kuma extra attention during the holidays. More cuddles, more treats, and longer walks in the morning.

Even though the loneliness was there, we still managed to make the most of the few rest days that Mom and I both had.

For a while, it felt peaceful. Like time slowed down just enough for us to breathe.

But once the holiday season ended, work schedules quickly started lining up again, just like every year. And like always, it was both fulfilling and exhausting.

Our Asia tour officially began.

New campaigns were announced and launched. New magazine features were released. Fashion events appeared one after another on my calendar.

Every week felt like a blur of airports, rehearsals, stage lights, and hotel rooms.

And still, the biggest moment of the first month of the year arrived not long after.

The public announcement.

We already knew it beforehand, but hearing it confirmed in front of the whole world made it feel even more real.

BLACKPINK would be headlining Coachella.

It would be our second time performing there. But this time, we weren't just supporting acts. We were headliners.

The pressure was enormous, but so was the excitement. It pushed all four of us to work even harder. Every rehearsal felt more intense, and every detail of the performance was carefully planned. We wanted to give the audience something unforgettable.

By the second month of the year, my schedule became slightly more manageable. Not totally easy, but manageable.

I had a bit more time to travel for short vacations between tour dates. Not the kind where I could fully explore and relax, but enough to step outside the routine for a few days.