The city lights of Seoul stretched out before them, glittering like a thousand tiny jewels as Jimin leaned against the practice room window. Late-night rehearsals had stretched well past midnight, leaving the room in a quiet stillness that made every small sound echo. Minjeong was sprawled on the couch behind her, her long hair sticking to her damp neck, but she didn't seem ready to leave.
"You're spacing out again," Minjeong teased, her voice soft but bright as always. She sat up, wiping sweat off her brow. "What is it this time? Fans? Choreography? Or..." She tilted her head, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "Are you thinking about tomorrow's snacks in the break room?"
Jimin huffed a small laugh but didn't turn around. "Neither," she replied, her voice quieter than Minjeong expected. "I'm just wondering how much longer we can keep this up."
Minjeong's teasing grin faded as she stood and padded over to Jimin. She didn't like seeing her usually composed leader so unsure. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice soft. "Our comeback is already trending. The fans love us."
"It's not that," Jimin said, shaking her head. Her reflection in the window looked almost fragile against the sprawling cityscape. "I just... Sometimes I wonder if we're actually living our own lives or if we're just playing characters. Do you ever feel that way?"
The vulnerability in Jimin's voice stopped Minjeong in her tracks. She hadn't expected this side of her—Jimin, the perfectionist, the pillar of strength who held them all together. Slowly, Minjeong walked up to her and leaned against the glass beside her.
"I mean..." Minjeong's voice softened as she searched for the right words. "Yeah, I get it. But I think... the person you are onstage can still be a part of who you really are. Like..." She hesitated, biting her lip. "Like a brighter version of yourself, you know?"
Jimin turned to face her now, the soft fluorescent light of the practice room casting shadows across her sharp features. Her gaze was intense, piercing in the way that always made Minjeong's breath hitch. "And what about offstage?" Jimin asked. "Who are we then?"
Minjeong shrugged, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush under Jimin's unrelenting stare. "I don't know. Just two girls trying to figure it out, I guess."
Jimin let out a small, humorless laugh and shook her head. "You make it sound so simple."
"Well, maybe it doesn't have to be as complicated as you think." Minjeong smiled, leaning her head against the cool glass. "You're overthinking again, Jimin."
"That's my job, isn't it?" Jimin quipped, a hint of a smirk tugging at her lips.
"Your job is to be the perfect leader," Minjeong teased, nudging her gently. "But that doesn't mean you have to be perfect all the time. It's okay to let someone else help carry the weight."
Jimin stared at her for a moment, her expression unreadable. Minjeong had always been like this—effortlessly candid, unshakably grounded. Jimin envied that about her, the way she could stumble through a dance sequence and laugh it off like it was nothing. She made everything look easy.
"I envy you sometimes," Jimin admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're so good at just being yourself. The fans love how carefree you are."
Minjeong blinked, taken aback. "Carefree? Have you seen me trip over my own feet during choreography? That's not carefree—that's clumsy."
Jimin smiled despite herself, a small, fleeting curve of her lips. "You know what I mean. You're... real."
"And you're not?" Minjeong asked, tilting her head as her hair spilled over one shoulder. There was a genuine curiosity in her voice, as if the thought of Jimin being anything but authentic was unfathomable.
Jimin hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I don't know. I think I've forgotten how to be."
Minjeong's heart ached at the raw honesty in those words. Without thinking, she reached out and took Jimin's hand in hers. Her grip was warm, steady, grounding in a way Jimin didn't know she needed. "Hey," Minjeong said, her voice gentle. "You're more real than anyone I know. You work harder than anyone else in this industry, but you still care about everyone around you. That's real, Jimin. That's you."
Jimin stared at their intertwined hands, her mind racing. The warmth of Minjeong's touch was steadying, and for a moment, the weight pressing on her chest felt a little lighter.
"Thanks," Jimin murmured. She didn't pull her hand away.
Minjeong grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "What would you do without me?"
Jimin's smirk returned, softer this time. "Probably trip over my own feet during choreography."
They both laughed, the sound ringing out through the empty practice room. It was a small moment, but it felt monumental in its simplicity. When the laughter faded, Minjeong leaned back against the glass, still holding Jimin's hand.
"You know," Minjeong said, her voice softer now, "you don't always have to have everything figured out. It's okay to just... be."
Jimin nodded, her heart feeling a little less burdened. "You make it sound so easy."
"It's not easy," Minjeong admitted, her thumb absentmindedly brushing over the back of Jimin's hand. "But it helps when you've got someone by your side."
Jimin's gaze lingered on Minjeong, her eyes searching for something she couldn't quite put into words. The city lights outside blurred into a wash of color, and all she could focus on was the quiet closeness between them.
"Minjeong," Jimin began, her voice barely audible. "Do you ever feel like... this, right here, is the only real thing we have?"
Minjeong's breath caught, but she didn't look away. "Maybe," she said softly. "But isn't that enough?"
Jimin didn't respond. She didn't have to. In the stillness of the night, with Minjeong's hand in hers and the world outside far away, she felt, for the first time in a long time, that it just might be.
Hey everyone hope you guys liked the first chapter of the story. Im sorry if the story is bad this my first time ever writing a story please keep that in mind😣. I would also really love if you guys could give me feedback on each chapter anyways thank you guys hope you all enjoy and stay for the whole ride 😊😊
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Under the Spotlight
FanficIn the cutthroat world of K-pop, the pressure to succeed can be blinding, but for Jimin, Minjeong, Aeri, and Yizhuo, the stage is only part of their journey. As perfectionist leader Jimin struggles to hold the group together under mounting expectati...