leejuen
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- Parts 33
The stage was empty now. The cheers from the award show had faded into a muffled echo through the arena walls. Lisa stood in the middle of it, hair damp from the performance, chest still rising and falling from adrenaline. The world outside was still screaming her name, but in here, it was quiet.
Soft footsteps echoed behind her.
"I thought you'd be gone by now," Irene's voice was calm, almost teasing, but her eyes carried something fragile - relief.
Lisa turned, a small, tired smile tugging at her lips. "And miss my ride home?"
Irene stepped closer, the glow from the backstage lights painting her hair in gold. "Your ride is standing right here," she said softly, almost like a confession.
Lisa's chest tightened. They had survived months of secrecy, countless near-exposures, the crushing weight of schedules, and the suffocating fear of what people would say if they knew.
Yet here she was. Here they were.
Without a word, Irene reached for her hand. Her fingers were warm despite the cold air that seeped through the empty hall. "No more hiding," she whispered, the words trembling but sure.
Lisa's throat felt tight. "No more hiding," she repeated, squeezing Irene's hand like an anchor.
In the far distance, camera flashes lit up through the door cracks - fans still waiting, still watching. But neither of them let go.
And when they finally walked out together, hand in hand, the noise outside swelled, but for Lisa, it was just a blur. The only thing real was Irene's grip, steady and sure, pulling her forward into whatever came next.
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