when they reached the studio, the usual crowd of cameras awaited, eager to capture every moment. to avoid the flashes and ensure Daeun's safety, they opted for the back door.
Mark carried Daeun in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. "stay close, everyone," he instructed as they navigated through the maze of hallways leading to the studio. the boys walked closely around them, shielding Daeun from any prying eyes or cameras that might have slipped through.
once inside, they were greeted by the familiar buzz of studio activity. staff members hurried about, preparing for the day's schedule. as the boys settled in, Daeun looked around with wide eyes, taking in the new surroundings.
"angel, you okay?" Jaemin asked, kneeling beside her.
she nodded, still clutching her toy and coloring book. "mm! it's veeryy big"
"it is, isn't it?" Jaemin smiled. "should we go there?"
they found a cozy corner with a sofa where she could comfortably watch them. he handed her a snack, and Jeno set up her coloring book and crayons on a small table nearby.
after a while, they needed to head to the set to shoot some content and left her under the care of the stylists who'd gladly wanted to help.
--
by the time they needed to move to the next studio, Daeun was full of giggles. Mark was called to discuss something with the choreographer, so Haechan came over to her.
"it's time to go, cutie. appa will meet us at the next studio in another car," Haechan said, lifting Daeun into his arms.
they exited through the back door to avoid the crowd, with Daeun still giggling and playing with Haechan's hair. Jisung and Jeno followed closely, making sure everything was smooth and secure for their little girl. as they reached the car, Haechan carefully buckled Daeun into her seat, and they set off for the next location.
her excitement was palpable, and the atmosphere in the car was filled with laughter and chatter as they made their way to the next studio.
--
Daeun exited the car as they arrived, face still hidden, holding Mark's hand with her Barbie in the other. they entered a large room bustling with stylists, hairdressers, makeup artists, and studio employees, all preparing the idols and organizing the set.
Daeun felt lost in the rush of people. she clambered onto Mark's lap, about to get upset until she caught sight of a huge mirror with lights all around it, her appas reflected along its length.
"appa? what's this?" her eyes lit up as she almost dropped her Barbie.
"it's just a big mirror, sweetheart. like the one in your room but with lights." Mark chuckled seeing the excited little girl.
"appa, let's play?"
"later, i promise. but for now, i need you to hop down, okay?" he smiled as she pouted when he plopped her on the nearest sofa.
"Jaemin appa?" she asked, looking hopeful.
"i will come to you later angel," Jaemin said with a sympathetic pout.
Daeun, disappointed, called for Jeno.
"Jeno appa?"
"princess, Jaemin appa is right.. later, okay?" she turned to the back wall, pouting as she gently placed her Barbie on the table. the studio was filled with staff members setting up equipment, other performers warming up, and the NCT Dream members getting ready for their next performance.
despite the chaos, she remained patient, her eyes following every movement with curiosity.
-
later, Jaemin was cooking dinner with help from Haechan while Mark sat on the floor next to Daeun. he brought her coloring things down from her room, feeling sorry for leaving her out earlier.
"wahh, what are you up to?" Jisung asked as he sat next to her. his presence instantly comforted her, making her happy.
"i'm helping appa.."
"oh, really? good job, Daeun. hyung, what's this for?" he asked Mark.
"like nametags? so she doesn't get confused at night when she's trying to find anyone."
Jisung nodded, looking at the colorful papers and markers spread out in front of them. "ahh right, right. she's doing a great job."
Daeun beamed at the praise, holding up one of the name tags she had decorated with stickers and bright colors. "this one is baba's!" she said proudly.
Mark smiled, ruffling her hair. "that's beautiful, baby. baba will love it."
as they continued working on the name tags, the delicious aroma of Jaemin's cooking filled the air, making everyone's stomachs rumble. Haechan and Renjun occasionally peeked over from the kitchen, offering encouragement and compliments to Daeun.
"dinner's almost ready!" Jaemin called out, his voice full of warmth.
"okay, let's finish up few more and then we can eat," Mark said, helping Daeun gather the completed tags into a neat pile.
once they were done, Mark stood up and stretched, lifting Daeun into his arms. "alright, let's go wash our hands and then we'll eat, okay?"
Daeun nodded eagerly, wrapping her arms around Mark's neck. as they headed to the bathroom, the other members set the table and brought out the delicious dishes Jaemin had prepared.
the dinner table was filled with laughter and chatter as they enjoyed the meal together. Daeun, sitting between Mark and Jeno, happily ate her food, occasionally offering bites to her appas, who accepted with playful smiles.
after dinner, they all gathered in the living room, where she proudly showed off the name tags she had made. each member took their tag with a heartfelt thank you, making sure to hang them on their doors right away.
