𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 | 𝙠𝙢𝙜

The Music Bank building buzzed with energy, the air thick with anticipation as idols and staff moved hurriedly through its narrow corridors. It was comeback season once again, and Y/N found herself weaving through the chaotic halls alone, the absence of her group members making the experience all the more daunting.

She checked her phone, rereading the message that had been sent minutes ago.

I'm on the 3rd floor, just look for the nameplate.

A grin tugged at her lips as she read the floor number. Perfect. It had taken what felt like an entire leg workout to get there, and she really hoped it wasn't all for nothing.

Yet, there was a small problem-he hadn't mentioned a specific room number, leaving her to cautiously navigate the unfamiliar halls, eyes scanning for any sign that might help her. She could ask a staff member, but the idea of unnecessary social interaction made her think otherwise.

Then, she stopped.

A large waiting room came into view, and her eyes immediately landed on the nameplate.

"Seventeen"

Y/N blinked.

Hesitantly, she reached for the door handle and pushed it open.

The first thing she noticed was him.

A tall, built figure stood in the center of the room, his stage outfit accentuating his broad shoulders and long legs. He towered over her effortlessly, his presence both intimidating and impossible to ignore.

"Oh, hello," he greeted, his voice smooth yet tinged with curiosity. "Do you need something?"

Before Y/N could even attempt to respond, a familiar voice called out from the couch behind him.

"Y/N!"

Relief flooded through her as she spotted Soonyoung lounging comfortably, an easy grin on his face.

"Hey, Soonyoung!"

She quickly brushed past the intimidating figure, making her way toward the only familiar presence in the room. However, her sudden appearance had clearly caught the attention of the rest of Seventeen, who were now looking at her with curious expressions.

"Did you bring it?" Soonyoung asked eagerly.

"Of course, of course," she teased, mirroring his grin as she reached into her pocket. She pulled out a flash drive and handed it over.

"Thank you, thank you, Y/N-nie!" Soonyoung beamed, pulling her into a quick side hug.

"Alright, I'll be off-"

"Hey, Soonyoung, who's this?" A deep, husky voice interrupted.

Y/N turned, her gaze landing once again on the striking figure she had passed earlier.

It was him.

Now that she got a proper look, she felt her breath hitch slightly. His sharp features, deep-set eyes, and effortless confidence were enough to make anyone flustered. But it was the way he was looking at her-direct, unbothered, and completely unfazed by her presence-that sent an unexpected chill down her spine.

"Oh, right!" she blurted out, realizing she had yet to introduce herself. "I should probably introduce myself."

She turned to the rest of the members, who were now watching the scene unfold with evident curiosity.

"Hello, I'm Y/N L/N from the group G/N. Nice to meet you all."

As she lifted her head from her polite bow, her eyes immediately found his once again. He hadn't looked away. Not even for a second.

The other members clapped in acknowledgment, returning her greeting, but Y/N barely registered it.

"Wait," one of the younger members suddenly spoke up, bringing her attention back to reality, "aren't you the one who helped choreograph Rock With You?"

Y/N had been too distracted by the intense eye contact she was receiving to process the question right away. A sudden tap on her shoulder pulled her back.

"Oh-um, yeah," she admitted, letting out an awkward laugh.

"Mhm! My Y/N-nie is the best!" Soonyoung proudly declared, throwing an arm over her shoulders.

Y/N smiled, playfully rolling her eyes, but as the moment played out, she could feel a pair of eyes still on her.

She stole a glance at the tall member again-only to catch him looking away quickly, as if he hadn't been staring.

Oh? He wasn't doing that before...

Sensing the odd tension in the room, Y/N decided it was her cue to leave. "Oh, Hosh, I gotta go!"

Soonyoung blinked, then nodded. "Right, yeah." He removed his arm from her shoulders and flopped back onto the couch.

Y/N turned on her heels, heading toward the door.

"Call me!" Soonyoung called after her.

"Will do!" she responded, flashing one last wave before disappearing out the door.

The moment she stepped into her own waiting room, she was met with chaos.

"Thank goodness, Y/N!" her manager practically shouted. "You barely have six minutes-get moving!"

She was immediately ushered toward the stage, her manager walking ahead before stopping abruptly.

"Okay, I'm gonna go ahead, so take your time," they reassured her, before adding, "but also, you have four minutes now. Don't take too much time!"

With that, they rushed ahead, leaving Y/N to walk at her own pace.

As she turned a corner, still lost in thought, she collided-hard-into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she blurted out, realizing she had been completely distracted.

"It's no problem," came a deep, familiar voice.

Y/N looked up, and sure enough, it was him.

The tall Seventeen member from earlier.

"I'm Mingyu, by the way," he introduced with a small smile before his expression quickly turned serious. "What's your relationship with Soonyoung?"

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the sudden interrogation.

"We're cousins," she clarified, watching as his expression faltered. "I help him with choreography sometimes. Hence the flash drive."

Mingyu visibly relaxed, and Y/N smirked.

"Ah," he muttered, clearing his throat and shifting his posture awkwardly. "It's nothing, then. Are you performing next?"

She nodded, highly amused at how fast the conversation had turned.

"I'll be watching," Mingyu said, his voice softer this time. "You got this."

Despite how casual the words were meant to be, something about them sent an unexpected rush of warmth through her.

Now, it wasn't just Soonyoung watching.

It was Mingyu.

And likely, the rest of Seventeen after that little scene in their waiting room.

Feeling a sudden wave of nervous excitement, Y/N smiled to herself before hurrying toward the stage, a newfound motivation pushing her forward.