2x14storyuntold

[2x14storyuntold]

After You, Before Me - Prologue

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Genre: Romance, Drama, Coming-of-Age, Bittersweet

The lights are blinding, the air heavy with anticipation. You're sitting at a table in the front row, the sound of murmurs and clinking glasses filling the grand hall.

All around you, the glittering faces of the industry’s biggest stars are watching, waiting. The room is packed, people in tuxedos and gowns, some laughing, others looking around, eyes scanning for the next big name.

And then, the spotlight shifts. It's time. The moment everyone has been waiting for.

The host steps up to the podium, microphone in hand. The music quiets down. You can feel the tension in the air; the nerves, the hope, the quiet prayers. The crowd is waiting for this announcement, and you’re holding your breath too.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the host says, his voice smooth and confident, “the award for Best Actress of the Year goes to…”

Your heart skips a beat. You’re almost too scared to hear your name, but then—your name.

“Y/N!”

The applause erupts.

You stand up slowly, almost in disbelief. The cheers feel like they’re coming from far away, the noise almost muffled as you step toward the stage.

Your feet are moving on their own as you walk, your body on autopilot. The moment feels surreal, and as you approach the podium, you blink to refocus. The lights are blinding, and your heart is racing so fast you almost can’t catch your breath.

You take the award, the golden statue feeling heavier in your hand than you thought it would. The microphone feels foreign, like something you’ve never held before, but you smile.

You have to smile. Your face, your public face, is all that matters right now.

“Thank you so much,” you say into the mic, your voice steady, but your mind is still reeling. "This… this is for everyone who believed in me, who helped me get here. For my team, my manager, and most importantly, my fans. You all make this possible, and I can’t even put into words how much this means to me."

Your speech comes out easily, words you’ve practiced in front of mirrors and during sleepless nights. But as you finish, a sudden wave of dizziness hits you.

It’s subtle at first, a flicker in your vision, a quiet thud in your chest. But it grows quickly, like a storm on the horizon. Your stomach churns, but you ignore it.

You have to finish. You have to be perfect.

You take a deep breath, hold the trophy tighter, and give a final smile. “Thank you, thank you all. I’m so grateful.”

The applause drowns out the buzzing in your ears as you step back, your legs slightly unsteady. The lights are too bright, the sound too loud, and your body feels like it’s floating in slow motion.

You head backstage, keeping your back straight, acting like everything is fine.

Backstage is a whirlwind of people—a blur of assistants, producers, and journalists. Everyone’s congratulating you, talking over one another, all with smiles on their faces. You give them the same smile, your expression perfect, a mask that hides what’s really going on inside.

Your manager walks up to you, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Amazing! This is everything we’ve worked for. The press is waiting for you. They want interviews, Y/N. You’re going to shine even more tonight!”

You nod, trying to keep your composure. You can’t show them you’re faltering, that something’s off. You can’t let them see. “I just need to use the bathroom first,” you say, your voice a little shaky but still strong enough for them to buy it.

Your manager hesitates, his eyes narrowing. “Alright, but hurry back. They’ll be waiting.”

You give him a reassuring smile and walk off toward the bathroom. The further you go, the more the dizziness increases, and by the time you reach the bathroom, you can barely hold yourself upright.

Once inside, you lock the door and lean against the sink. Your body feels like it’s betraying you. Your breath is shallow, your head spins, and before you can stop it, you bend over the sink and vomit. But it’s not just nausea—it's blood.

Your heart drops.

Panic surges through you. You try to steady yourself, turning on the faucet to drown out the sound, hoping no one outside can hear. The cold water splashes on your face, but the dizziness doesn’t go away. It only gets worse. You grip the edge of the sink, trying to hold yourself together. You know you should be calling for help, but you can’t. You can’t be weak, not here, not now.

︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶ ୨♡୧ ︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶ ୨♡୧ ︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶

Jungkook was bustling around the bar, clearing empty glasses and dirty plates. He wasn’t paying much attention to the chatter around him—just the routine of his shift, helping Seokjin behind the counter. The usual hum of the bar and the clinking of glasses was a comfort, something steady in his life that helped him forget about everything else.

But then, a group of people at a nearby table caught his attention. He heard their voices rising above the others, and one of them laughed in disbelief.

"Wait, isn’t that Y/N? She just won Best Actress, right?"

The others chimed in, “Yeah, she’s from Gongan, right? she is from our town! Wow, she just won Best Actress!”

Jungkook’s steps faltered, and his heart skipped. He turned toward the TV in the corner of the bar, almost on instinct, and saw you gracing the stage in all your glamor.

A rush of emotion hit him, and his breath caught in his throat. He stood frozen, watching you smile brightly as you accepted the award for Best Actress.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away, the image of you so different now—so far from the girl he had once known.

“Jungkook?” Seokjin’s voice was calm, but there was a hint of worry. “You okay, man?”

Jungkook didn’t answer right away. His gaze was still locked on the TV, watching you.

Seokjin stepped closer, his eyes narrowing in on Jungkook. “Jungkook, what’s going on?”

Jungkook finally tore his gaze away from the screen, his jaw tightening. He grabbed a cold beer from the counter, opening it with a quick motion. His hands were shaking slightly as he raised it to his lips, drinking deeply, trying to numb the tightness in his chest.

“I am fine. I need a break,” Jungkook muttered, his voice low and flat, but Seokjin wasn’t buying it. He knew something was wrong.

Seokjin took a step closer, but before he could say anything more, Jungkook pushed past him, walking toward the door.

Jungkook stormed out of the bar, leaving Seokjin standing there with a furrowed brow. He glanced at the door for a moment, his mind swirling with unanswered questions. He hadn’t seen Jungkook like that in a while. Something had shifted, but what?

Shaking his head, Seokjin turned back toward the TV, the screen flashed once more with the image of you smiling brightly.

Seokjin let out a small sigh and shook his head slowly. As he watched you on the screen, Seokjin muttered to himself, more to the air than anyone else. "It’s high time he should move on."