❛ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞. 𝗌𝗄𝗓 𝖺𝖽𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋

❛ :: 𝗅𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗏𝗆𝖺𝗌

CHARLIE HAD NEVER WANTED to jump out of a moving vehicle so much in his entire life. The deep desire to escape the situation and hide away from the world heightened closer the car got to the venue.

The venue where Charlie would be sat in one large room breathing the same air as some of the most legendary celebrities in the world. People he had grown up admiring were only a few steps away, and what was even more remarkable was that they were there for the same purpose as him. The sheer magnitude of the situation left Charlie awestruck; it felt like something out of a dream.

He wasn't the only nervous one, even Chan looked like he was inches from throwing up and Charlie was almost certain he looked drunk—had he downed a bottle of alcohol when nobody was watching? If so, Charlie would be livid as he hadn't been given the chance to dull his own nerves with alcohol. He would've killed for twenty shots of the strongest stuff available.

"We need to be on our best behaviour when we get there, this is a huge step for our careers but it's unfamiliar territory, so no one run off or separate. If you need to go somewhere, buddy up."

The pep talk transported Charlie back to his school days when his teacher would give the agonising warnings on a school trip.

The car slowed, and Charlie's heart sped up from the sheer anxiety that pumped through his body. In just a few hours, they would be potentially the winners of a VMA and it was utterly unfathomable. At this point, he wasn't even sure if he was living in reality. It all just felt like a fever dream.

As the car door opened and they spilled out into the bright light, Charlie was almost blinded by the flashes of cameras and the sound of raucous cheering. The flurry of activity was a lot to take in, but he quickly regained his focus. He remembered that as the eldest member it was his responsibility to help take care of Chan too. As always, he took point at the front leading the boys while Chan stayed in back to make sure no one got lost.

A woman gestured towards the pink carpet, indicating it was time to take pictures and do interviews. He glanced at Chan and gave him a nod of assurance before taking his place at the end of the line. Like clockwork, Stray Kids lined up - Charlie at one end and Chan at the other - with all the boys in between them.

'Just smile. It'll be over soon. Just smile, Cheolmin. Am I smiling? I wonder how pretty I look...I really hope this is over soon. Okay. Smiling too long, change the pose. Uh-straight face. Just stare ahead—smoulder. Are we smouldering? Wait- is that a hand against my butt? I wonder if they have food here.' Charlie's thoughts were scattered.

Once the photographs were taken, it was onto the part that Charlie feared the most. The interviews. He was able to understand English quite well, but speaking it proved to be a challenge for him. Charlie was petrified of making a mistake.

"You're fine, you don't even have to talk," Felix assured him, sensing the discomfort which was practically radiating off the eldest. In return, Charlie offered him a tight lipped smile and shuffled to get into position.

He wanted to be out of the way as much as he could to avoid that microphone being pointed anywhere near him. Glancing to his right, he found Lee Know who was practically hidden behind Han. He nodded at Charlie, a silent gesture for him to do the same.

Amazing idea. Charlie thought, though he wouldn't admit that out loud. The last thing Minho needed was ego heightening. Before he could dive into his plan, the interview started leaving him no choice but to shuffle behind Changbin and hope for the best.

He bent his knees and tried to lower himself, unaware that it was completely obvious to everyone at home what he was trying to do. Crouching behind the smallest person may not have been his best course of action, but he had limited time and had no choice. His only hope now was that he wouldn't be immortalized in an embarrassing meme.