in which they became MCs together
When K-pop's rising star Lena Bae from Celestia and TXT's charismatic leader Soobin are paired as MCs for Music Bank, sparks fly both on and off the stage. Navigating the pressures of fame, the challenges of live ho...
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≡;- ꒰ °twenty four꒱
It had been a couple of weeks since Lena's demeanor had changed, and Soobin noticed. Her once distant, awkward behavior had transformed into something far more professional, almost cold at times. She was still kind, still the Lena he knew, but something was undeniably different. It gnawed at him in the quiet moments, but he didn't want to push.
Soobin sat in the practice room, his fingers lightly drumming against his knee as he absentmindedly scrolled through his phone. TXT had just finished a grueling practice session for their upcoming performance, but his mind wasn't entirely focused on their own work. Every time he opened social media, Celestia's comeback teasers seemed to be everywhere.
The Baddest. Celestia's first hip hop album.
Soobin had already seen the teasers-a sharp contrast from the dreamy, ethereal vibes of their previous work. Lena, Minnie, and the others looked fierce, powerful, and untouchable. There was an undeniable excitement buzzing around the K-pop community about this comeback. Fans were already calling it a new era for Celestia, a game-changer.
As he scrolled through the latest posts, his thumb paused over a new teaser image of Lena. She was dressed in all black, her gaze intense, lips slightly parted. The photo exuded confidence, and Soobin couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest. She looked different-not just in her style, but in her entire presence.
He hadn't spoken to her much since she decided to focus on her career. When they did talk, it was surface-level, strictly professional. But seeing her now, as she prepared to take on this new image, made Soobin realize how far she had come in such a short time. She was evolving as an artist, as a performer. He admired her drive, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them, and he wasn't sure how to fix it.
"Dude, you good?" Beomgyu's voice snapped Soobin out of his thoughts.
Soobin glanced up, shaking his head as if to clear his mind. "Yeah, just... thinking about stuff."
Beomgyu raised an eyebrow, plopping down beside him. "You've been thinking a lot lately. Something on your mind?"
Soobin hesitated. He hadn't really talked to anyone about how he felt since the whole dinner fiasco weeks ago. He could barely remember what happened that night, but Lena's sudden change afterward told him enough. He had probably said something stupid, and whatever it was, it clearly affected her. The video from that night, where he had been tipsy and overly honest, kept replaying in his head.
"I don't know... it's just Lena," Soobin finally admitted, lowering his voice. "I think I messed things up with her. She's been acting different ever since... you know, that dinner."
Beomgyu leaned back, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So, what did you say to her?"
"I don't remember exactly," Soobin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "And that's the problem. There's a part of the conversation that wasn't recorded, and I've asked her what I said, but she won't tell me. She just says it's not important, but I feel like it is. Things haven't been the same since."
Beomgyu stared at him for a moment before giving a small shrug. "Maybe she's just busy? Celestia's comeback is about to be huge, and you know how crazy things get around comebacks."
"Yeah, maybe," Soobin muttered, though he didn't sound convinced. He wanted to believe it was just work keeping Lena distant, but something in the way she looked at him, the way she avoided lingering in conversations, told him otherwise.
As the days passed and Celestia's comeback inched closer, Soobin couldn't help but feel more and more disconnected from Lena. He watched as teasers for The Baddest flooded social media, and fan reactions poured in. Celestia's fans were buzzing with excitement, and even TXT's fanbase was paying attention. It wasn't often a group transitioned into such a bold new concept, and Celestia was pulling it off flawlessly.
TXT had a day off, and Soobin found himself at their dorm, flipping through channels on the TV. He landed on a K-pop show, where they were discussing Celestia's upcoming EP.
"The anticipation for Celestia's The Baddest is through the roof! Their teasers have been absolutely phenomenal, showcasing a darker, edgier side to the group. Fans are already dubbing this comeback one of the most anticipated of the year."
Soobin leaned back on the couch, staring at the screen as they played clips of Celestia's teaser videos. His chest tightened as Lena appeared on screen, delivering a sharp, fiery rap in one of the clips. Her eyes were fierce, her posture exuding power.
He barely recognized her.
The girl he had grown close to over the past year was still in there somewhere, but the idol standing before him now seemed almost untouchable. The distance between them felt bigger than ever.
His phone buzzed, and Soobin glanced down at the notification. It was from their group chat, Beomgyu sending a reminder about their next schedule, but as Soobin cleared the message, his finger hovered over Lena's name in his contacts.
Should he message her? They hadn't spoken outside of work for weeks now, and the thought of breaking that silence felt daunting. But a part of him needed to reach out, needed to see if there was still a way to fix whatever had gone wrong between them.
Taking a deep breath, Soobin typed out a simple message: Good luck with the comeback. I'm sure it'll be amazing.
He stared at the screen for a moment, his finger hesitating over the send button. Why was this so hard? It used to be so easy between them-talking, laughing, sharing little moments between schedules. Now, it felt like walking on eggshells.
With a sigh, Soobin hit send and tossed his phone aside, feeling a weight settle in his chest. He didn't know what he was expecting, but the longer the silence stretched, the heavier it felt.
That night, as Soobin lay in bed, his phone buzzed again. He grabbed it, half-expecting it to be one of the members, but instead, Lena's name appeared on the screen.
Thanks. I hope you're doing well.
The message was short, polite, and it left Soobin feeling even more confused than before. There was no warmth, no familiarity. Just... formality.
He placed his phone back on his nightstand, staring up at the ceiling.
Lena had moved on-he could feel it. She was focused on her career, on Celestia's success, and he couldn't blame her. She had worked her whole life for this moment, and now it was her time to shine. But as much as Soobin tried to be happy for her, a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that he had lost something important-something that might never come back.
