Under the Spotlight

Chapter 2: Fading Masks

The morning sunlight streamed through the practice room windows, cutting sharp angles across the floor as the group gathered for choreography rehearsal. Everyone was feeling the weight of the upcoming comeback—late nights, early mornings, and endless criticism from the choreographer. The atmosphere was heavy.

"Jimin, can we run that part again?" the choreographer called out, her tone clipped. "You're still a little behind on the transition."

Jimin nodded tightly, her hoodie pulled over her head like a shield. She moved to the center of the room, adjusting her posture as the music restarted. Her moves were precise, yet something felt off. The usual energy that made her a mesmerizing performer wasn't there.

On the other side of the room, Minjeong stretched lazily against the mirrored wall, her gaze flicking toward Jimin. The memory of last night lingered in her mind—Jimin's raw vulnerability, the way she'd admitted to feeling lost. Minjeong wanted to reach out again, but the presence of the other members and staff made the air feel too crowded.

"Aeri, your timing's off too," the choreographer barked.

"What?" Aeri blinked, spinning around mid-step, clearly caught off guard. "I thought I was perfect as always."

Yizhuo snorted from her corner of the room, sitting cross-legged on the floor and sipping from a water bottle. "You, perfect? Maybe in your dreams."

"Excuse me?" Aeri shot back, pretending to be offended. "I've seen you trip over your own shadow, Yizhuo. Let's not throw stones."

"Girls, focus!" The choreographer clapped her hands, cutting through their banter. Aeri rolled her eyes but got back into formation, and Yizhuo smirked, clearly unbothered.

Jimin, however, was silent, her focus glued to her own reflection in the mirror. Her movements had grown stiff, her shoulders tense. Minjeong noticed immediately, her stomach twisting as the music continued.

When the sequence ended, the choreographer sighed and shook her head. "It's not there yet. Take five."

As the others scattered, Jimin stayed rooted in place, her jaw tight. Minjeong approached cautiously, the usual brightness in her steps replaced by hesitation. "Jimin," she said softly. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Jimin replied curtly, not meeting her eyes.

"Doesn't look like it," Minjeong countered, but before she could say more, Aeri swooped in, throwing an arm around both of them.

"Why so serious?" Aeri asked, grinning. "If we don't laugh at ourselves, we'll cry. And I don't know about you two, but I can't afford puffy eyes right now."

Minjeong chuckled despite herself, the tension easing slightly. "We can always count on you to lighten the mood, huh?"

"It's my job," Aeri said, giving them a mock salute. "Someone has to keep this group from falling apart."

"Are you sure you're not the one making it fall apart?" Yizhuo chimed in as she walked over, tossing a towel at Aeri's head. "Pretty sure you were the one who started the domino effect of mistakes in the last run-through."

"I'm just here for comedic relief," Aeri shot back, catching the towel and dramatically draping it over her shoulder like a royal cape.

Minjeong smiled at their antics, but her eyes drifted back to Jimin, who still hadn't spoken. The leader's silence was unsettling, a stark contrast to Aeri and Yizhuo's usual chaos.

"Hey," Yizhuo said, her voice softening as she nudged Jimin. "You don't have to be so hard on yourself. We're all a mess today."

Jimin sighed, finally looking up. "I just don't want us to embarrass ourselves. This is too important."

"Jimin," Minjeong interjected, stepping closer. "You're not the only one responsible for this group. You don't have to carry all of it on your own."

"She's right," Aeri added, surprising everyone with her serious tone. "We're a team, remember? You've got us."

"Yeah," Yizhuo chimed in, her usual cheekiness replaced with sincerity. "We're pretty amazing, in case you forgot."

For a moment, Jimin's expression softened as she looked around at the three of them. Aeri's confident grin, Yizhuo's quiet encouragement, and Minjeong's unwavering gaze—it was like they were reminding her of something she'd forgotten.

"Thanks, guys," Jimin said finally, her voice quiet but genuine. "I'll try to remember that."

"Good," Minjeong said, her lips curving into a small smile. "Now, let's get through this rehearsal so Aeri can stop complaining about her imaginary puffy eyes."

"Imaginary?!" Aeri gasped dramatically, clutching her face. "I'll have you know I am under so much stress—"

"From what?" Yizhuo cut in. "Texting your crush all night?"

The room erupted into laughter, the tension lifting as they teased Aeri mercilessly. Even Jimin cracked a smile, the weight on her shoulders easing just a little.

Later, after rehearsal had ended, the four of them sat sprawled across the practice room floor, eating snacks from a convenience store down the street. Jimin leaned back against the wall, her legs stretched out as she watched her members joke around.

"You know," Aeri said between bites of a rice ball, "we should do this more often. Bonding over cheap food is the key to teamwork."

"Who says we're bonding?" Yizhuo teased. "I'm just here for the snacks."

"Sure, sure." Aeri waved her off before turning to Jimin. "Feeling better, leader-nim?"

Jimin nodded, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Yeah. Thanks to you guys."

Minjeong caught her eye across the room and gave her a small, knowing smile. Jimin held her gaze for a moment longer than necessary before looking away, her cheeks warming.

In that quiet moment, Jimin realized that no matter how heavy the weight of the world felt, she didn't have to carry it alone. Not with them by her side.

What do you guys think so far 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ do we like it or do we think I need to work on it more