The First Cut
Room me silence itna heavy tha jaise hawa ne apna weight badha liya ho. Namjoon ke words, Yoongi ka gaze… dono ek hi cheez demand kar rahe the — choice.
Kajal ka throat dry ho gaya. Usne deep breath li.
"Yoongi…" uska voice barely audible tha. "Main yeh project nahi chhod sakti."
Yoongi ka expression freeze ho gaya. Uske lips thoda open hue, jaise usne suna hi nahi. "Kya?"
Namjoon ke face pe ek barely-there smile aayi.
"Main tumhe samjha sakti hoon," Kajal ne jaldi se add kiya. "Yeh ek moka hai… mera career—"
"Career?" Yoongi ne ek cold laugh diya. "Toh main sirf ek distraction hoon jo tumhe slow kar raha tha?"
"Main yeh nahi keh rahi—"
"Par tumne choose kar liya," Yoongi ne interrupt kiya.
Room ka temperature jaise suddenly drop ho gaya. Yoongi ne Kajal ki aankhon me ek last glance dala — hurt, disbelief, aur woh dard jo words me fit nahi ho sakta. Phir bina aur kuch bole, wo turn hua aur studio ka door slam kar ke chala gaya.
Namjoon’s Quiet Victory
Yoongi ke footsteps ke echoes khatam hote hi, Namjoon ne deep breath li aur calmly bola, "Tumne sahi decision liya."
Kajal ne uski taraf dekha, aankhon me anger aur guilt ka mix. "Mujhe pata nahi yeh sahi hai ya nahi… bas itna pata hai ke tumhare liye yeh ek game nahi hai."
Namjoon ne thoda sa head tilt kiya. "Game? Kajal… jab tum kisi ki life me aati ho, tum uske rules badal deti ho. Aur main… rules likhta hoon."
Kajal ne kuch reply nahi kiya. Wo mic ke saamne khadi ho gayi, lekin uski voice me woh warmth nahi thi. Har note ke beech me uske mind me sirf Yoongi ka expression flash ho raha tha.
Later That Night – Yoongi’s Perspective
Yoongi hostel ke terrace pe tha, hands me cigarette, lekin usne light nahi ki. Uska phone vibrate hua — Kajal ka naam screen pe flash hua. Usne dekha, par answer nahi kiya.
"She chose him."
Ye thought baar-baar repeat ho raha tha. Yoongi ke liye ye sirf jealousy nahi thi… ye betrayal tha. Usne Kajal pe trust kiya tha ki wo unke beech ka bond samjhegi, par usne ek career move ko usse upar rakha.
Kajal’s Sleepless Night
Kajal bed pe leti thi, par neend ka naam nahi. Har baar jab usne aankhein band ki, Yoongi ka hurt face saamne aa jata.
Usne phone uthaya aur ek long message type kiya:
"Yoongi, please samjho. Yeh sirf ek project hai, main tumhe hurt nahi karna chahti thi. Tum meri life me important ho, par yeh chance ek baar milta hai…"
Wo send karne wali thi, lekin phir delete kar diya. Kya fayda? Words ab kuch fix nahi kar sakte.
Two Weeks Later – Public Fallout
Project ka teaser release hua. Namjoon aur Kajal ka collab trending me aa gaya. Social media pe log unke chemistry ki tareef kar rahe the — interviews, fan edits, hashtags.
Lekin iske beech, Yoongi ka ek cryptic tweet viral ho gaya:
"Kuch log fame ke liye apne sabse kareeb rishton ko bhi trade kar dete hain. Congrats."
Fans ne immediately speculate karna start kar diya — kya ye Kajal ke liye tha? Kya unka breakup ho gaya?
Kajal ne post dekha, aur uske andar ka guilt lava ki tarah upar aaya. Usne phone uthaya, par call nahi ki.
The Face-to-Face Aftermath
Ek shaam Kajal music festival me perform karne aayi. Backstage area me crowd tha, lights flash ho rahi thi. Wo apna set prepare kar rahi thi jab usne ek familiar voice suni.
"Stage ke baad mujhe milna."
Wo turn hui — Yoongi khada tha. Uska face blank tha, par aankhen dangerously calm.
Performance ke baad, Kajal uske paas gayi.
"Yoongi… main—"
"Bas," Yoongi ne haath uthaya. "Main tumhe blame nahi kar raha ke tumne apna career choose kiya. Main blame kar raha hoon ke tumne mujhse jhoot bola. Tum keh rahi thi yeh sirf kaam hai… par tum jaanti ho tumhare decision ka matlab kya tha."
Kajal ke lips tremble hue. "Main tumhe lose nahi karna chahti thi."
"Par tumne already kar diya."
Yoongi ne itna keh kar walk away kiya. Kajal usse rokna chahti thi, par words freeze ho gaye.
Closing Scene – Namjoon’s Shadow
Us raat Kajal apne dressing room me baithi thi, make-up mirror ke saamne. Door halki si knock hui, aur Namjoon andar aaya.
"Main tumse ek baat kehna chahta hoon," usne softly bola.
Kajal ne mirror me uska reflection dekha. "Kya?"
Namjoon ne uske shoulder pe haath rakha. "Har choice ka ek price hota hai, Kajal. Tumne apna pay kar diya. Ab tumhe bas yeh decide karna hai… ke tum mujhe apna reward samjho, ya apni punishment."
Agli shaam, Namjoon ne Kajal ko ek upscale rooftop restaurant me bulaya. Hawa thandi thi, city lights niche sparkle kar rahi thi. Table pe candle thi, lekin vibes professional dinner ki tarah nahi… kuch aur hi.
"Toh… tumhe pata hai tum trending ho?" Namjoon ne casually poocha, glass me wine ghumate hue.
Kajal ne awkward smile di. "Main sirf apna kaam kar rahi hoon."
Namjoon ne forward lean kiya. "Aur tumhe pata hai tum sirf kaam nahi kar rahi. Tum narrative create kar rahi ho. People are talking — ‘Namjoon and Kajal’s chemistry,’ ‘New power duo.’”
Kajal ne spoon table pe rakha. "Mujhe yeh game pasand nahi."
Namjoon ne smirk kiya. "Game toh tumne start kiya tha, jab tumne choose kiya… mujhe."
Uska voice itna smooth tha ki Kajal ke andar ek shiver gaya. Ye sirf ek collab partner nahi tha… Namjoon kuch aur chaahta tha.
Meanwhile – Yoongi’s Silence Breaks
Do hafte ka silence finally toot gaya. Yoongi ne apne close friend aur producer, J-Hope ke saath ek track drop kiya. Song ka naam tha — Glass Lies.
Lyrics sharp the:
"You smiled when you cut me / Called it mercy when it bled / But I know the truth / Your crown is stolen lead"
Fans ne immediately link bana liya — ye Kajal ke liye tha. Social media par #GlassLies trend karne laga.
Kajal ne song suna, aur uska stomach twist ho gaya. Har word ek dagger tha.
The Backstage Confrontation
Ek industry award show me, teeno ek hi jagah pe the — Namjoon, Kajal, Yoongi.
Kajal backstage coffee le rahi thi jab usne apne peeche ek familiar presence mehsoos ki.
"Song pasand aaya?" Yoongi ki voice low thi, lekin venom bhari.
Kajal ne turn kiya. "Tum… tumne directly mujhe target kiya?"
Yoongi ne thoda sarcastic huff diya. "Main toh bas apne truth ko melody me daal raha tha. Tumne apna truth kaise paint kiya? Red carpet smiles ke saath?"
Namjoon kahin se aaya, aur directly Yoongi ke paas khada ho gaya. "Tumhare lyrics ache hain… lekin tumhara audience ab hum hai."
Yoongi ne uski aankhon me dekha. "Tumhe lagta hai tumne jeet liya?"
Namjoon ke lips pe ek dangerous curve aaya. "Jeetna? Main toh sirf start kar raha hoon."
Kajal’s Discovery – The Twist
Us raat Kajal hotel wapas aayi, mind me Yoongi ke words echo ho rahe the. Usne apna laptop open kiya, aur accidentally ek email thread open ho gaya jo Namjoon ne pehle forward kiya tha.
Thread me ek clause highlighted tha:
"Collaboration exclusivity – Artist Kajal cannot engage in any other feature project for 18 months post-release, without written consent of RM Entertainment."
Kajal ka dil doob gaya. Ye sirf ek song deal nahi tha… ye ek trap tha. Namjoon ne usse sign karwa ke indirectly uske career ke options lock kar diye the — aur Yoongi ke saath kaam karna legally impossible bana diya tha.
Confrontation – This Time With Namjoon
Agli din Kajal directly Namjoon ke office gayi.
"Yeh tumne mujhe bataya kyun nahi?" usne papers table pe throw kiye.
Namjoon ne casually pen down kiya. "Tumne contract sign kiya tha. Main sirf terms follow kar raha hoon."
"Tumne mere career ko manipulate kiya. Tumne mujhe Yoongi ke against khada kiya deliberately."
Namjoon ne ek slow, deliberate smile diya. "Kajal, tum ek artist ho. Artists ko muse chahiye hota hai… aur mujhe tum chahiye thi. Yoongi tumhara heart ho sakta hai… lekin main tumhara stage banunga."
Kajal ne uski aankhon me dekha — aur realise kiya, Namjoon ke liye yeh sirf music nahi tha. Ye power ka game tha.
