Chapter Text
2 YEARS BEFORE THE INCIDENT
Jennie always knew what she wanted, and would always stop at nothing until she got it.
She was a precociously talented young girl, always gathering admiration and attention from people her own age and older. She loved every second of it, and loved being loved. Who doesn’t, really? As she grew older, her appetite for love and admiration grew, which is how she found herself in a dingy waiting room behind the Inkigayo stage, her eyes watering slightly from the glitter in her makeup, looking up at her seniors, Exo, as she greeted them with her group mates.
“Hello! We are blackpink! Nice to meet you!” All of Blackpink said in sync as they bowed low. Jennie’s voice came out slightly hoarse from the tears, but nobody would notice as it blended with her group’s cacophony. Or at least she hoped nobody did.
Exo seniors bowed back and smiled warmly. They all seem very nice! Handsome too! She remarked to herself, reminding herself to share her thoughts with the members once they left.
The groups exchanged albums with each other, and Exo good naturedly made small talk with the clearly nervous juniors. But Jennie’s eyes were elsewhere.
Kai - Kim Jongin - center and main dancer of Exo, was staring at her. It wasn’t a lewd stare like the ones she had grown accustomed to, but one of concern.
She tried valiantly to avert her gaze; once, twice, more times, but her eyes eventually found his. He’s the best looking out of them, she concluded to herself.
When it was time to leave, they all bowed to each other again, and she unknowingly released a relieved sigh. She trailed behind the other members who were busy in their own conversations when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she jerked it off involuntarily. Slightly irritated, she looked behind immediately to see who it was.
Kai.
He didn’t seem hurt by her shaking his hand off, but apologetic. “I-I’m sorry. I just wanted to say, I know it gets difficult but hold on. I’ve seen you guys’ performances and you’re great in them.” He rambled. “You looked like you had been crying and I-”
Jennie couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing. “Sunbaenim , it’s nothing. Really. I’m just a little allergic to the makeup.” she clarified. She looked at him earnestly. “I’m sorry that I worried you.”
He gave her a relieved smile. “That’s good to know. But still, if there’s anything you need to talk about, regarding the performances of course…” he slid a piece of paper in her hand.
She studied him for a moment. She couldn’t really see anything beyond his sharp cheekbones and that pretty smile.
They both bowed to each other and when she turned to return back to her own waiting room, she found the girls hadn’t moved an inch since she last saw them. In fact, Rose and Lisa looked like they’d seen a ghost. Jisoo just looked amused.
“I’ll tell you about it after we’re done. I promise.” she said as she gathered the complaining bunch by the shoulders and stuffed them in the waiting room.
***
The next day, she added his number to her Kakao. The next week, they met for coffee. They did not, in fact, talk about the performance.
6 HOURS AFTER THE INCIDENT
Seulgi had rolled out of bed at 6 AM that Sunday particularly tired and exceptionally reluctant to practice.
She groaned and moaned about her sore ankle and the new episode of the 3rd season of her favourite show to Irene, the leader of Red Velvet and her darling girlfriend of 5 years as she pushed her out of the door, reminding her the comeback is only a month away, and she will join her an hour later.
At least Seulgi had that going for her.
She shuffled into the SM Center 3 building yawning in a way that would absolutely bring shame to her 9 year old career as a girl group idol. She was about to make a beeline for the practice room immediately, but decided that she couldn’t do without a coffee. The best thing, therefore, was for her to go to the pantry room.
She put the coffee pod into the coffee maker, yawning again. Was this her 3rd yawn since she got here? 4th? Did anyone even care?
She sighed, rubbing her eyes as she poured her coffee out in a cup. SM’s management was horrible, but the coffee, she couldn’t lie, was great.
She sipped her coffee idly, walking towards the back window to open the blinds. It was only 7 AM, the janitors and custodians would only come at around 10 as it was the weekend.
She shoved open the blinds, the bright sunlight hitting her face, waking her up slightly more. She looked around at the high Seoul buildings slowly waking up, when something dark on the floor outside the window caught her eye.
She opened the back door to investigate, and was immediately hit with a nasty smell. Did the cleaning crew forget to take out the trash yesterday?
A dark brown, almost brown spill on the floor revealed itself as she closed the door behind her. For some reason she couldn’t tell, the hair at the nape of her neck had stood up.
Casting the sinking feeling in her spine aside, she slowly made towards the source of the spill. Something in her gut was telling her to go back inside, where it was warm and pleasant, but she advanced forward anyways.
She froze as she saw what it was. The sound of her coffee mug shattering against the grey concrete woke her up to the reality of what she was seeing, and she screamed so loud her ears rang.
Her best friend Jongin lay dead on the floor.
His body was contorted in a horrific way she couldn’t bear to look anymore. She ran inside fast. She found Irene’s name in her recent contacts and frantically made the call, rib-shattering sobs threatening to erupt.