This chapter is purely inspired by events that were staged by actors and are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real incidents or individuals is coincidental and not intended to spread or encourage rumours.

The Price of Fame

"In a world of whispers and shadows, only the truth of our hearts can guide us home."

---

Author's POV

The sun shone brightly over Paris, casting long shadows on the cobbled streets where Taehyung, Lisa, and Bo-gum walked together, dressed impeccably for the grand event of the year—the Paris Fashion Week. 

Their outfits gleamed under the flashes of cameras, as they strolled confidently toward the venue, each a representative of the fashion powerhouse *CELINE*. 

The energy was intoxicating, with the three celebrities exchanging smiles and nods as fans screamed their names from behind the barricades.

Back home, however, You sat in your dorm room, your mind wandering as you scrolled through your phone. 

It had been a couple of days since Taehyung left for Paris, and although both of you had exchanged sweet goodnight texts and check-ins, you couldn't help but miss him.

 You sighed and tossed your phone onto the bed, lying back and staring at the ceiling.

Your roommate, Sarah, glanced over from her desk, raising an eyebrow. "Missing him?" Sarah asked, a knowing smirk on her face.

"A little," You admitted. "I just... I don't know. I trust him, but it's weird not having him around. Especially when he's in such a glamorous place, surrounded by other celebrities." 

Sarah shrugged. "Well, he's a celebrity too. You knew that going into this. But he's your man, Y/n. He adores you. He wouldn't do anything to jeopardize what you two have."

You smiled faintly but couldn't shake the little knot in your stomach. It wasn't jealousy, exactly. Just a feeling of unease you couldn't quite place.

---

That night, Y/n's world turned upside down.

Sitting with Sarah in their dorm room, eating dinner and watching a random show, You absentmindedly checked your phone again. Your feed was exploding.

Tweets, Instagram posts, news outlets—it was all the same story: "Breaking: Taehyung Spotted with Blackpink's Jennie in Paris".

 ° Note : Used for only fictional purpose.°

Your heart dropped. You stared at the screen, your hands shaking slightly as she scrolled through the photos—grainy images of Taehyung walking through Paris at night, Jennie walking beside him. The captions were ruthless:

"Parisian Romance?"

"K-pop's newest power couple?"

"Dating in Paris?"

"Are Taehyung and Jennie Together?"

Sarah, noticing your sudden shift in mood, quickly grabbed your phone. Her eyes widened as she scanned the headlines.

"Oh... Y/n. Don't believe this. You know how the media works. They'll take one picture and run with it. They could have just bumped into each other."

But Y/n wasn't listening. Your mind raced, heart pounded in her chest. Taehyung hadn't mentioned anything about walking with Jennie. Why hadn't he told her? Was this really what it looked like?

You tried to reason with yourself. "It's probably nothing," you whispered under your breath, though doubt gnawed at your mind. Maybe he just forgot to tell about it to you? Maybe it was a coincidence.

But the pictures didn't look like coincidences. The way they were smiling, the ease with which they walked side by side... Your heart broke a little more with each new picture she saw.

She felt like a toy—a temporary thing in Taehyung's world. Had he just been playing with her?

Sarah saw the pain in your eyes and wrapped an arm around her. "Hey, don't jump to conclusions, okay? Just call him. Or wait for a statement. There has to be more to this."

---

For the next two days, You were a wreck. You didn't call Taehyung. You didn't respond to his messages, which started casually but grew increasingly concerned.

Taehyung's Text Messages :

"Hey, everything okay?"

"Y/n, why aren't you responding?"

"Y/n, I've seen the news. Please let's talk."

You stared at your phone but couldn't bring yourself to answer.

It felt like her world was crumbling, and no matter what she told herself, the photos kept haunting her. She wanted to believe him, but every news outlet ran the same story: "Taehyung and Jennie: The New Power Couple?"

It felt like a betrayal.