when they got back home, Jisung immediately took Daeun to his room for her afternoon nap. she was so exhausted from the day's activities that she fell asleep almost instantly, her mouth slightly open as soft snores escaped from her recharging little body.
when she stirred in her sleep and woke up, she found herself on the sofa in the living room with something fluffy resting on her arm. blinking her eyes open, she saw Daegal, snoozing peacefully beside her.
Chenle hadn't been around the dorm for a few days due to his basketball training, but he had brought Daegal along today just so Daeun could play with her after a week of missing her fluffy companion.
"Lele appa... Daegal's hungry," Daeun said, carrying the little dog over to Chenle, who was chatting with a few members at the kitchen island.
"oh really? it told you, huh?" Chenle laughed, knowing it was her who was hungry. "good job, kitten. come here, i brought noodles from your favorite restaurant."
Daeun's eyes lit up, and she eagerly sat down as Chenle started feeding her. "say 'thank you for the food, Lele appa'"
"thank you for the food, Lele appa," she repeated, and her mukbang began. she ate with such gusto, completely unaware that the Dreamies had slowly gathered around, amused by how focused she was on her meal. when she finally paused to drink some water, she noticed seven pairs of eyes watching her, all smiling with amusement.
-
"angel, you have to look good, come onnn," a frustrated Jaemin called, trying to get her to wear the outfit for today's schedule. the group had been invited to a talk show with JaeJae, and Daeun had to come along. she was in her best mood now that she's fed and napped.
Mark was waiting downstairs when he saw Jaemin carrying Daeun down the stairs, dressed in a white lacey dress that made her look even more delicate. Renjun had styled her hair into pigtails that perfectly complemented her outfit.
"cheerios," Mark said with a smile, gently brushing her fringe out of her eyes while offering her snacks.
"chiiros," she echoed, flailing her right arm. everyone chuckled at her mispronunciation, finding her cuteness irresistible.
as they arrived at the talk show venue, Daeun whispered, "appa... many people..." while clinging tightly to Mark's shirt.
"it does seem like that, baby. i think they're here to see you but don't worry, appa's here," Mark reassured her with a warm smile. as they stepped out of the car, surrounded by the others, he picked her up, and she buried her face in his shoulder, feeling shy with all the attention.
the boys crowded around Mark, forming a protective shield around Daeun from the flashing cameras and clicking shutters as she seemed scared of them. she peeked out just in time to see the stage and the host as she announced, "and here to perform for us live is NCT Dream!"
"go, appas, gooo!" Daeun whispered encouragingly. before heading on stage, each member lined up for their good luck kiss from her. Mark had her pink scrunchie tied to his belt loop, a little token from his daughter.
as she stood by the stage, holding Jaemin's stylist's hand, Daeun watched them perform, energetically dancing and singing along. the host, JaeJae, kept glancing over at her, catching glimpses of the little girl dancing in the wings.
the performance ended, and the boys joined the host on the sofas, breathless but looking satisfied. throughout the interview, the host kept stealing glances at Daeun, who was now hopping anxiously from foot to foot backstage.
"i can't help but notice you have one fan who's particularly proud of you guys," the host smiled. the boys all turned to see Daeun giving an enthusiastic wave from behind the curtains. they waved back, making her giggle.
"so, is that the daughter we've all heard so much about?" the host asked, a warm smile on her face.
"yeah. she's our energetic little princess," Jeno responded proudly.
"right, she certainly looks like it. does she want to come out here?" JaeJae asked, laughing lightly. Jisung, sitting closest to the edge of the sofa, quickly jogged over to Daeun.
"do you want to come out, munchkin?" he whispered softly. she thought for a while before nodded, and he gently picked her up, carrying her out onto the stage to a round of applause.
Daeun gave a nervous glance at her appas, but their calm smiles made her feel at ease. the host continued chatting with the boys, steering clear of any heavy questions, keeping the conversation light and fun.
after the show, they left via the back entrance to avoid the cameras, as Daeun was beginning to feel tired and cranky. they decided to stop for dinner on the way home, eating in the car so she could go straight to bed when they arrived.
it had been a long, exciting day, and as soon as they got home, she was tucked into bed, already half asleep as she murmured goodnight to her appas.
