three: songs at twilight

strange bedfellows
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03

songs at twilight

 

 

The sky was a dark velvet, illuminated faintly by fluorescent streetlights scattered across the almost-empty carpark. Jaehyun’s black sedan was the only vehicle left, its owner tapping his gaunt knuckles against the leather steering wheel.

He guessed that Seulgi was still at practice. It was fine – anyway, the dead of the night was the only time they could meet. Blame it on their ridiculous sixteen-to-eighteen-hour schedules and all the persistent tabloids reporters lurking at every street corner in broad daylight. Not that they ceased to exist at night – their pictures were just fuzzier. No good pictures, no good story.

Over the years, Jaehyun had accumulated his fair share of scandals. Every time he was out and about with a lady, the tabloids would somehow spin it into a romantic dalliance, even if the woman in question was genuinely, just a friend. It would then spiral into a full-blown scandal that would involve company action, various changes in schedules, and a sharp dip in his popularity. He had grown accustomed to dealing with such instances, but being familiar didn’t mean he liked it. Seulgi never said a word about how meetings were limited to ungodly hours or how tinted his car windows were, mostly because she understood how a lack of precautions could morph into inconvenient situations. It was second skin to her, as it was to him.

Seulgi: Be there in five. Sorry, I owe you.

He chuckled. He could not give her his daylight, and so she was also allowed to be late. That was their mutual understanding.

Jaehyun: You do. We have the whole night for you to make it up to me.   

 

 

“What’s that?”

They were huddled in his car, munching on some cold veggie kimbap that Jaehyun had quickly whipped up hours before, parked near the edge of the vast, glimmering Han River. A soft pulse of light had crept over what seemed like a book splayed on Jaehyun’s dashboard, distracting Seulgi from her food.

Jaehyun followed her gaze. “Oh, that,” he said. “Screenplay of a drama serial I’m auditioning for.”

Seulgi turned to him, interested and mildly impressed. Sometimes, it slipped her mind that Jaehyun had made a foray into acting. Not everyone was a one-trick pony, like her. “Wow. What’s it about?”

“A ballet dancer and her journey to stardom,” he smiled. He wiped a grain of rice from her lips, chuckling softly. “Quite the poignant story, really.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Let me guess,” she said amusedly, “she meets another dancer who shares her dreams and aspirations, and they fall in love and live happily ever after, post sixteen episodes of tribulations.”

“Yes and no. She does meet another ballet dancer, and they do fall in love, but they don’t live happily ever after.”

“Oh, that’s sad.” Seulgi recoiled, wearing a small pout. She popped another kimbap into . “Although, I don’t really see you as a melancholic ballet dancer. Seems like quite a stretch, no offense.”

His chest shook with a rumble of laughter. He had to agree. “None taken,” he chortled. “That’s why I’m not auditioning for the male lead.”

“You’re not?”

“Nope,” he replied. “I’m trying to be the ballet company's CEO, the second lead who helps her on the sidelines. At the end of the story, the female lead realizes that the other guy fits better into her life than the male lead does. Sometimes a passionate romance isn’t everything – it’s the person who fits seamlessly into your life that matters.”

Seulgi nearly spat at him, choking back peals of laughter. Jaehyun sported an exaggerated expression, holding his hands up and pretending he was some kind of profound prophet. There were times she truly thought he was one of the strangest and most amusing people she would ever encounter in the entertainment industry.

Jaehyun rushed to pat her back and offer her his bottle of water. “Christ, Seulgi,” he laughed.

“I’m sorry! You’re just so ridiculous.”

He grinned. “Well, if I can make you laugh, I think I’ve won half the battle.”

His smile was wide and incandescent, shining brightly in the darkness. When she saw that smile, she could see why he made for such a scene-stealer. There was always something iridescent about Jaehyun, whether he was a charismatic idol on a grand stage or a shy trainee in a small practice studio. Being an actor just seemed like a natural progression.  

“Did you always want to go into acting?” she asked.

“No.” He shook his head. “I just fell into it.”

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colormecandy
Sorry for the delay in updates, I've been taking this week off SB to focus on "in the name of love", expect some SB updates next week :) In the meantime, if you'd like, please also check out "in the name of love"! :)

Comments

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Jang_Chaeri
#1
Chapter 28: Just re-read the chapters all over again and it still makes me feel all giddy like the first time :'))
pinkypn #2
Chapter 28: I hope you update soon
peachwanda #3
I'm just so curious, who is Youngran? I mean is she a real tv personality? I'm not aware huhu
peachwanda #4
I'm just so curious, who is Youngran? I mean is she a real tv personality? I'm not aware huhu
peachwanda #5
I'm just so curious, who is Youngran? I mean is she a real tv personality? I'm not aware huhu
candypark #6
HIII CANDY! I came to stop and just re-read this whole amazing fic again <3 can't lie I really miss this story but no pressure thoo. I'm willing to wait for another update. This is the first story that got me hooked in you haha. Also, the character felt so real and so close. I hope you can find the time to continue this, but again, no pressure. I still love ITNOL updates and your other stories. Although for sure I'd be the happiest person if you decide to update this storyy <3
Jang_Chaeri
#7
Chapter 28: How is it possible that every character feels so real 💗? I wish I had found your fics sooner.
It's heartwarming and heart-wrenching at the same time. I've always been a fan of SMTown and reading the part where they come together to support Seulgi makes me miss their concert interaction so much.
Jaehyun who's willing to take all the blame and Seulgi who refused to let him fall alone, my heart swells 💗💗 I'd never known that Jaeseul is the new OTP I need.
Thanks so much for your amazing fic, authornim. Keep up your great work! Stay healthy and stay safe 😘
kaistalee #8
Chapter 28: When are you gonna update authornim? 🥺
luv_kero
2415 streak #9
Chapter 28: Highkey, if I were in Seulgi and Jaehyun's situation, I don't think I would be able to stop myself from reading comments. ^^; Even though I know they'd be harsh, the urge to KNOW would make me keep refreshing those comments sections (and probably instantly regretting them, knowing how savage netizens can be OTL). At the very least, I'm glad that Seulgi has such a strong fanbase and I think her reputation as such a passionate, friendly, hardworking idol really helped keep the general public from turning on her as well. She and Jaehyun are braving this together, and that sets my heart at ease knowing they have each other. :)

And omg, the little kiddos are so sweet and funny, and I see that Doyoung and Joy have begun their own little romance now. :P And we're getting hints of Yeri and Jaemin too, hehe :D NCT really is sweeping the RV girls, sans Irene, off their feet. XD But awww, Youngran is such a sweetheart and it's nice to see her parents make up for her. ^^ Obviously things aren't over yet, since this is just a temporary little bandaid over some relatively deep problems, but gotta enjoy the calm before the eventual storm that takes place. :')

Gah, Krystal is such a complex character and my heart really goes out to her, because she's just trying to do the best she can in this crazy world we call life. Taking the unconventional road of doing things isn't easy, but I think it'll be rewarding in its own way in the future, even if it may not seem like that right now. She's got a lot of pride, but also a lot of affection and loyalty, and this combination drives her actions in ways that people wouldn't automatically expect at first. And that makes her all the more intriguing to learn more about!! :D

Also, Jaehyun's gift to Seulgi is SO sweet and my heart just feels so FULL, knowing what they've been through to reach this point. Can't believe it's been over a year, because what a rollercoaster it's been and I know there's much more to come!! Jaehyun and Seulgi moving in with each other will probably be that next evolution of obstacles they'll have to overcome as a couple, since dynamics do change once you're actually living together, so very curious to see how that'll turn out!! In the meantime, I'm just gonna enjoy the fluff and good vibes, hehe x ]
luv_kero
2415 streak #10
Chapter 26: Ahhhhhh, this beginning made me SO emotional!! SMTown is such a huge yet incredibly tight-knit family, and this is why I love these groups and their interactions so so much!! <3 And knowing how much Seulgi is loved by everyone makes my heart sing, because she deserves the world by her side and SMTown is that world. x]

And that conversation between Kai and Seulgi was so heartwarming as well. They've finally leapt over that hurdle that's been standing between them for so many years, and Seulgi being so staunch in her convictions makes me SO proud of her. :D She and Kai have been through a lot, and I'm glad that one positive that's come out of this situation is their friendship gradually rebuilding itself. Really gives a message of hope that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how bleak things may seem at times. :)

And ahhhh, the fact that Jaehyun is willing to sacrifice himself for Seulgi shows how much she means to him, and Seulgi refusing to let him fall shows how much he means to her. And my heart is just flip-flopping everywhere because there's so much LOVE and I love Seulgi's response about continuing to work to show the public that they're serious about their jobs. She loves the stage, but she also loves Jaehyun, and she's going to make it work somehow. She's really grown into such a proactive person and I'm just so happy that they're tackling this together, because I don't know if anyone else could do it like they do. :') Such a feel-good chapter all-around and I'm so excited for what's to come!! x]