“I need you to do this for me.”

Laughing incredulously, you shook your head. “Nina, this is absurd.”

“I really like this song, Y/N,” she said with a whine, holding onto your hand. “So, we’re doing it together.”

“Of course we are,” you said, biting down the sharp pang in your heart that accompanied the thought of your upcoming performance.

You did love the song. It was everything you had hoped for in your first duet. It was as if all those months ago spent in Boah’s studio had led to this moment in time. Your dedication to each other’s voice back then had manifested in this one song in your career that you loved so much that you hated it.

Hated that you wouldn’t sing it on stage by Kihyun’s side.

However, you were grateful that things with Nina were back to how they had been. If anything, she had been too accommodating lately and rather needy.

Like right now.

“I will be backstage, remember? There’s no need for me to be trying on any dresses today.”

Nina rolled her eyes dramatically. “I want you to shine. This is your baby with Kihyun. If I have to be on stage in your place, you should at least look beautiful for the moment too. I won’t have it any other way! I told Melody so, and she reluctantly agreed. Don’t make me lose this edge. Please!”

“It sounds ridiculous, but I’ll humour you.”

“Good because I already prepared you a dress!”

You laughed. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“I’m close with the stylists. They were all too happy to fulfil my princess moment.”

“Princess moment?” you echoed, suddenly concerned. “Nina, I don’t know. Maybe I—”

“I requested only the softest of fabric. And it’s fully sleeved. Come on!”

Allowing the redhead to drag you further into the dressing room, you found yourself in a bit of a daze as you took it all in. Outfits for all different types of events and both genders filled every section of the room. Racks upon racks were organised by season, fashion type, and even by the artist. It was a walk-in catalogue of the past and future of Starship idols. And since you had no need to enter here before, you were now out of your depth.

Nina giggled. “I was like you the first time I came in here. But come on! We haven’t got a whole lot of free time, and Susi will need a few days to make any alterations.”

“Huh?” you breathed out, blinking several times.

You hadn’t thought of clothing much since the accident. Hoodies, baggy tees, and leggings were your usual pick. They were comfortable, and the fabric was usually soft enough to endure. Some of the dresses you walked by were dazzling, and yet you could tell the textile would irritate you to no end.

Still, you felt a strange urge to want to play dress up. Even if your skin rebelled afterwards.

After being shoved into a changing cubicle, Nina left you there with the instruction of stripping down to your undergarments. Had you not resolved your issues, you’d be worried about obeying her orders. However, you trusted this wasn’t a moment to showcase any of your weaknesses, and you slowly removed your layers, waiting somewhat vulnerably in the cubicle.

“I’m coming in!” Nina chimed a moment later, pushing open the curtain over the door and carrying something…

“Nina, no.”

“‘Nina, this is absolutely beautiful, and I cannot wait to put it on,’ is what you truly mean, right? Come on, arms up! I’ll help it over your head.”

Stunned, you lifted your arms, and the taller girl helped you into the grey gown. As she promised, the material felt slinky and soft against your skin despite the overlayer of sparkly tulle. You watched the mirror in front of you as Nina did up the back of the dress, her eyes shining brightly in the reflection.

Yours were wet. “I look…”

“Like a beautiful sparkly dark star,” Nina offered, her smile widening. “Fit for someone who should shine even in the shadows.”

“Thank you,” you whispered, blinking several times to steady your emotions as you gripped the hand she towards you for comfort. You then looked at your bag. “I should take a photo so I can send it to—”

“Nuh-uh. This is a secret. Everyone you want to see it can on the performance night.”

You frowned. “How? I’ll be backstage.”

“We’ll take photos together. You don’t even have makeup on.”

You laughed hoarsely. “I suppose that would complete this look.”

“You’re beautiful, Y/N. Don’t let anyone tell you that your worth is only your voice. I’m… I’m sor-”

“You’ve apologised enough. It’s fine, Nina.”

She nodded stiffly before embracing you again. “I cannot wait to perform this song with you now.”

You had to admit you were looking forward to it a little more now too.

It was more chaotic than usual on the day of your duet performance. Nerves were high between staff and performers, and you had barely spent enough time with Nina or Kihyun once you arrived on set. They had been going over the stage setup for the showcase whilst you had been in vocal rehearsal. Now that you were here, you had been pulled this way and that, some staff not knowing who you were and directing you into the wrong departments until you had enough and sourced out Nina and Kihyun yourself.

Terry was present when you found them, and you settled with a soft smile in Kihyun’s direction before hugging Nina quickly as she got her makeup applied.

“How’s your voice?” Terry asked, tone strained. He kept checking between the phone and tablet he held, barely lifting his gaze in your direction.

“I’m prepared.”

“Good. Don’t do much talking until you’re ready to go up.”

Kihyun snorted. “Talking isn’t going to tire out her vocal cords.”

“My singer, my rules,” the producer bit back before lifting his phone to his ear and walking off whilst yelling into the receiver.

You cringed. “He seems pleasant today.”

“There’s been some sort of scandal that he’s been dealing with – unrelated to us – and so he’s been like that all day,” Nina informed with a roll of her eyes. “How long until the showcase starts?”

Kihyun checked his phone. “An hour.”

“Perfect. Y/N, I’ll have plenty of time to help you before I go up on stage.”

“Oh, you don’t—”

“And Kihyun will be a doll and leave us to our girly time until then, right?” Nina continued, surprising both you and your boyfriend with how confident she was acting.

“Do I get a say?” Kihyun edged, giving you a confused look, and you shrugged back at him.

“No. But I promise you’ll be happy that you do as I say,” the youngest announced, and you laughed softly. She truly was coming out of her shell over these last few weeks.

“Okay, I’ll trust in you, so long as the girly time doesn’t eat into your practice of how to let yourself go into that high note. You’re basically perfect but—”

“I’ll get it done. Kiss your girlfriend and be gone, won’t you?” Nina cut in with a clap of her hands, and Kihyun’s eyes were nearly as wide as yours were with surprise. Nina giggled. “This is too much fun!”

“Shouldn’t you be more careful about what you say?” you asked, your nervous gaze shifting to the makeup artist.

The staff member smirked lightly but didn’t answer.

Nina huffed dramatically. “One look at the pair of you, and everyone could figure it out.”

“I suppose I am that obvious,” Kihyun answered with a grin, reaching over to ruffle the ends of Nina’s hair playfully, leaping away before her hand could strike as she shrieked at him.

You grinned. It was nice to see how close they had gotten with their time together practising.

Kihyun moved to take your hand, pulling you over to the far wall to have some privacy. You smiled up at him as he reached to cup your face. “You doing okay?”

“Yep.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed, and you rolled your eyes. “I hate that it’s not how we want this to go.”

“I’m happy with the situation,” you answered truthfully. You had made peace with it earlier in the day and knowing that Nina had messaged you earlier with a picture of your dress bag had you almost forgetting about the fact you wouldn’t be up on stage tonight. At least when Kihyun came backstage, he’d get to see you in the most beautiful dress you’d ever wear.

And that was worth what you had to sacrifice in order to sing together.

“I better go and leave you and Nina to this girly time as she called it.”

“I suppose you should.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?”

“Not at all.” Stretching up to peck his cheek, you then cringed at the taste of his skin.

Kihyun laughed heartily. “I have a pound of stage-ready makeup on.”

“Go before you laugh that pound of makeup off.”

“With my skills, nothing will remove it,” the makeup artist announced proudly from across the room, and you flushed with colour.

Kihyun returned the kiss, laughing at your scrunched expression when he wiped at your cheek playfully. “I’ll see you after we’re done on stage. Hurry up and practice, Nina!”

Once he was gone, you returned to Nina, her eyes glinting with mischief. “He’s so bossy!”

“So are you today. And what’s with that look?”

“It’s time to play dress-up, Y/N!”

“Is this going to be uncomfortable?”

“Not with Viviana and I here. We’re going to make you a showstopper.”

“I doubt that’s what anyone needs me to do today,” you replied, looking between them whilst Viviana pushed you towards the changing room with your dress bag against your chest.

Once in the dress, it was a flurry of arms and tools. Makeup was applied, your hair was styled and at some point, Nina had disappeared altogether. You looked around yourself for her when Viviana was done. “Where did Nina go?”

“Out to practice with Kihyun. Didn’t you hear her say that?”

You cringed softly. “I guess I was a little lost in all of this.”

“You know, you have beautiful skin,” Viviana told you, and you almost laughed at the irony. “You’re not like other idols who have enough skin concerns that I have to work my magic over scarring and blemishes.”

“Isn’t it a good thing that I’m not an idol who has to endure all this makeup often,” you murmured, staring back at yourself in the mirror again.

You weren’t normally vain. Aside from scrutinising your faults, you often refused to take more than a glance in anything that reflected you.

But tonight, you were different. This is how you imagined yourself to look when you stood on stage singing your songs. You were blemish-free, and somehow, with the makeup, hair, and dress, you looked every part of the singers you watched on TV or from backstage.

You wished that tonight the limelight would get to see you like this. Just once.

“Starlet is on in ten,” a stage manager called into the dressing room, and you jumped up, reaching for your microphone case and in-ears.

“Thank you, Viviana,” you said before leaving the room, not quite seeing the way the makeup artist was looking at you as she rushed you out of the door.

You found Melody waiting backstage for you a few minutes later, her eyes wide with concern. You looked down at yourself and laughed awkwardly. “I look ridiculous just to sing back here, I know. But it was Nina—”

“She’s missing.”

“What?!”

“Nina has gone somewhere, and no one can find her. Kihyun’s already up on stage talking with the host for tonight, and the stage will begin in five minutes.”

“We need to find her!”

Melody nodded, though her gaze swept over you again. “Did Nina and you come up with a plan?”

“For?”

“Never mind. Stand here and wait for me to return with her.”

You nodded. Looking around yourself, you started to panic. Perhaps Nina was in the bathroom. Or she was just getting some fresh air. She had been worried about doing this song live for the past couple of days now and was jittery all last night too.

Maybe you should have spent the last hour talking her up instead of being made over.

Or perhaps there was something more happening here. Something that you only clicked onto right before the phone in your hand buzzed to confirm it. Glancing down at the screen, you read over the message Nina had sent you.

And before you could run away or find someone to delay the performance, the staff around you started calling for Starlet to prepare to go up on stage.

I need you to step out there in my place tonight. Out of the shadows, just like the title of the song. Please don’t let me down. This is for you.

You are more than just a voice.