Sun and Moon

Part 2: My First BTS Concert (Chapter Eighteen)

The screen lit up on a white room with all of the BTS members, including Hope, looking very sexy in platinum hair again and in all white, sitting at a table. The stadium burst into screams just seeing the seven men, and again, I was amazed at how much energy and excitement Hope's group commanded. I'd never seen this reaction to any band or artist I'd ever seen perform before and I was completely awestruck.

As the screen focused on each member in turn, screams erupted from different parts of the crowd. I assumed this meant some fans had favorite members in the group. When Hope showed up, his look seductive and an earring in his ear, a loud cheer erupted from some girls behind me, with one shouting, "I LOVE YOU, J-HOPE!" at the top of her lungs. I turned around briefly to catch a glimpse of her jumping up and down and brandishing a picket of his face on which he was smiling serenely. Stifling a giggle, I turned back and focused on the screen again.

Soon the video was ending and the crowd went crazy again. It died down a little as a loaded, buzzing silence commenced for a few seconds before the first notes of a song rang out. I watched in awe as a box with PERMISSION TO DANCE stamped across it in bright lights started to lift and underneath was a cage with many people dressed in white inside. As the song's opening notes continued and a drumbeat started, dancers clad in white began jumping the cage and the screen showed each BTS member in turn, behind the cage bars as the crowd started screaming again with all of their might.

My breath caught when the camera landed on Hope. His gaze fierce and clad in a white jumpsuit which perfectly accented his dancer's body, he stared out at the crowd with intensity. I felt desire burn low in my belly. The feverish gaze on his face was the same one which he'd fixed me with more than a few times over the past two days. I willed myself to breathe.

The cage lifted and soon the beautiful soprano of one of the members rang out, beginning the song. I was astounded at all of it, just trying to take it in. The showmanship and presentation of the song, the way the members' voices seemed to compliment each other perfectly, and the synchronization of their dance moves. I'd never seen anything like it.

Mesmerized, I watched Hope bounce around the stage, dancing seductively and hyping the crowd. It was incredible to witness. It was clear he was a born performer. His solo in the song came on and I held my breath, watching as he danced, his voice low as he rapped his verse, his face in a snarl. Warmth was radiating through me at the sight and I found myself wanting to pull him backstage and slowly unzip that jumpsuit to touch what I already knew to be a fabulous body inside of it. It seemed the girls behind me felt the same as they screamed with all their might when he danced. I wriggled uncomfortably. I could understand why they felt that way but it still felt weird to see other girls openly lusting after my...my...what? My boyfriend? He wasn't that...it had only been a week, after all, crazy as it seemed...I pushed these thoughts down and concentrated on the concert. Now was not the time to try to analyze our brief relationship. I wanted to enjoy this. But I couldn't suppress the jealousy creeping up in my breast nearly as easily.

Next they did a few more really uptempo songs called Fire and Dope. I watched and listened in fascination, seeing everyone dance and wave their light sticks to the beat around me. The songs were honestly amazing. Catchy, with melodic surprises and even gritty in parts. I couldn't believe I hadn't heard them before. Obviously BTS was insanely popular, since they sold out four nights at SoFi, but how had I not heard a single one of their songs before now?

I was also impressed with their use of the cameras and large screens, especially during the song called Dope. They were so good at making every person in the crowd feel like a part of the performance and engaged by holding the cameras up to their faces during their individual singing parts. I noticed when members weren't singing, they would go to different areas of the extended stage to engage with the crowd. It was like watching masters at work.