Strings Attached ➤ Jay

|| Broken Notes

We moved slowly, Minhee ahead, me clinging to the edge of the wooden railing, ears straining for any sign of movement or sound. The further we went, the more I felt the tension coil around my chest like a steel wire, tight and unyielding. I could hear the faint murmur of voices ahead — and then suddenly, I froze.

It was unmistakable. The soft, warm laughter that belonged to Nari... and the low, amused chuckle that belonged to Jay. My heart jolted, skipping a beat. Something in the tone of their voices — intimate, light, teasing — made the knot in my stomach twist tighter.

I took another step forward, just enough to peek around the corner of the hallway. And then I saw it.

Nari's soft, innocent face — the girl who had always been gentle, sweet, harmless — was pressed against Jay's. Her lips moved against his, slow and deliberate. Jay's hand rested lightly against the small of her back, pulling her closer. There was no doubt. There was no misunderstanding. They were kissing.

Time seemed to warp around me. The noise of the backstage area faded into nothing, and all I could hear was the sharp, rapid beat of my own heart. My throat went dry. My fingers clenched around the guitar strap so tightly it bit into my skin.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I could only stare, feeling the world tilt slightly as if gravity itself had shifted beneath my feet. The girl I had confided in, the one who had laughed and joked with me, who had been my quiet companion through long days at the shop — was now the one standing between me and the person I wanted to confess to more than anything in the world.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. I wanted to curl into myself and disappear. But I couldn't. I was frozen, caught in a moment that seemed to stretch endlessly.

Minhee's voice came from beside me, soft but firm. "Byeol... are you okay?"

I blinked rapidly, shaking my head as if to clear it. "I... I... I didn't expect..." My voice faltered. My thoughts collided in a chaotic jumble. This can't be happening. Nari? She would never—why? How? He... I was going to...

Minhee's hand found mine, gripping it lightly, steadying me. "Hey, breathe. Just breathe. Let's step back for a second."

I swallowed hard, tears threatening at the edges of my eyes. I didn't want to cry here, not in front of Minhee, not in this narrow backstage hallway. Not now. I shook my head, forcing a bitter laugh. "I... I can't believe it."

"She's... she's not doing it to hurt you," Minhee said softly. "Maybe... maybe she didn't know how you felt. Maybe she... just... didn't think."

I laughed bitterly, though no sound came out. "Didn't think. Of course. Didn't think." My fingers fisted the strap of my guitar case as if I could pull myself together through sheer force. But my chest ached. It wasn't just jealousy. It wasn't just surprise. It was betrayal, confusion, disappointment, and the strange, hollow feeling of hope collapsing in slow motion.

I could still see them, lingering in the hallway ahead. Nari's lips pressed against his, her hands tangled lightly in his hair. Jay, who I had imagined sharing a laugh with, sharing a glance with, sharing a confession with... Jay, who had promised to watch my song tonight, who had smiled at me in that way that made my chest flutter, was here instead, pressed against someone else.

I wanted to yell. I wanted to march forward and demand explanations. I wanted to collapse on the floor and cry. But I couldn't. I only watched, frozen and helpless, as my world shifted in a way I hadn't anticipated.

Minhee's grip tightened slightly. "Hey... come on. Let's step back. We'll figure this out later."

I nodded, my vision swimming with tears I refused to shed. I took a step back, then another, my legs heavy as lead. Each movement felt like I was pulling myself through quicksand. I kept my eyes on them, though my mind screamed at me to look away.

"I... I just... I can't believe it," I whispered again, almost to myself.

"You'll get through this," Minhee said firmly, almost commanding. "You've faced worse than disappointment, haven't you? This... this is just... unexpected. That's all."

I let her pull me further down the hallway, away from the scene, my chest tight, every nerve alight. My guitar case pressed against my side like a small comfort, a tangible piece of reality I could hold onto.

And yet, in the back of my mind, I knew the ache wouldn't fade easily. Tonight, the showcase — the performance I had poured my heart into — had been overshadowed by something I had never expected. Someone I had trusted, someone I had imagined sharing a confession with, was suddenly unreachable. And the girl I thought I could count on, my friend Nari, had become the obstacle I never saw coming.

I shook my head, fighting back the swell of emotions. Minhee's grip on my hand was steady, grounding me, but the sting in my chest remained. I wanted to scream, to confront, to demand answers — but for now, all I could do was step back, breathe, and keep moving.

Because there was still a showcase. Because I had still poured everything into my song. Because, no matter what, I had to keep standing, keep breathing, keep playing.

And even though the hallway felt suffocating and betrayal stung, there was a tiny, stubborn ember of something else: resilience.

I would figure this out. I would survive this. And I would play.

⚡︎⚡︎⚡︎

A/N: sorry..