Strings Attached ➤ Jay

|| Bitter Notes

🎸

Vampire Empire -

˖ ݁♬⋆"Well, I walked into your dagger for the last time
It's like trying to start a fire with matches in the snow".˚𝄞.

⚡︎⚡︎⚡︎

The hum of applause and excitement from the Echo Room still lingered faintly in my ears as Minhee and I approached the table where Jay and his friends had been sitting. My legs felt leaden, weighed down by the lingering adrenaline from performing, and yet each step toward them felt heavier than the last. The guitar case pressed against my side like a small anchor, grounding me in the chaos of my emotions.

When we arrived, they were all seated again, Jay included. The sight of him there — smiling, relaxed, casual, as if nothing had happened — twisted my insides. Nari sat beside him, her posture unnaturally stiff, and my chest constricted at the sight. She had never looked so composed in a moment like this. She had always been soft, sweet, someone I could confide in without hesitation. And now... this.

Jay's friends noticed us first, and their faces lit up in genuine admiration. Sooah's eyes widened as she grinned, "That was amazing, Byeol! Seriously! Your voice, your guitar... everything was incredible!"

Harin leaned in with a wide smile. "Yeah, I didn't expect that kind of performance. You've got real talent. Your guitar playing alone is insane."

I offered a small, polite smile, my lips twitching into what was probably the faintest ghost of happiness. "Thank you," I murmured, my voice catching slightly. "I... really appreciate you all coming. It means a lot."

The warmth of their compliments should have lifted me, and for a moment it almost did. Almost. But my eyes kept flicking to Jay and Nari, and the gnawing sense of betrayal returned with a vengeance. Every flicker of light, every laugh, every small gesture between them seemed amplified, amplified into a cruel reminder of what I had just witnessed.

Minhee, sensing my hesitation, tilted her head and asked lightly, "So... Jay, Nari...what did you think of the performance?"

Immediately, their composure faltered. Jay's hands twitched nervously on the table, fingers drumming lightly as if searching for the right words. His gaze darted toward Nari, and her own fingers twisted the edge of her sleeve. Their voices stammered out something barely coherent, mumbled and hesitant.

That was it. That was the final spark that ignited the storm inside me. Every ounce of composure I had clung to since seeing them together backstage shattered like glass. My chest tightened painfully, my hands trembled, and I realized that I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"You know what?" My voice was low, steady, sharp — full of controlled fury. I let my gaze sweep across the table before locking onto Nari. "I saw you. Backstage. Making out with Jay. So you don't have to lie and say that I did great because I know you didn't see."