FATE

3.

**Hae-won POVs**

Hae-won paced nervously backstage, his reflection a jittery mess in the mirror. Today. The day. Their debut music video is going live any minute. Months of practice, sleepless nights, and endless choreography all culminated in this single moment. He scrolled through his social media. The pre-release teasers had garnered positive comments, but what-ifs gnawed at his mind.

What if it wasn't enough? What if the views fell short of expectations? The weight of their dreams, not just his but all six members, pressed down on him. Eun-hee, the oldest, sat beside him, a hand resting gently on his shoulder. "Hae-won-ah," he said softly, "we've come too far to worry about 'what-ifs' now. We put our heart and soul into this."

"Hey, leadernim! Save the worrying for the next comeback, okay? We're going to crush it!" Taehyun said.

Seo-hoon offered a reassuring smile. "Remember, Hae-won, we're a team. We win or lose, we do it together."

Riki, the youngest, his eyes sparkling with excitement, bounced on his feet. "Let's go viral, hyungs!"

Si-woo, held up his phone, showing a trending hashtag on social media – their debut song title. "Look! We're already getting noticed!"

A calming hand settled on his shoulder. Hae-won turned, finding Jeong, looking at him with a reassuring smile. With his unyielding optimism, Jeong held Hae-won's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Won," Jeong said, "we practiced for months. It's going to be amazing."

Hae-won forced a smile, the gesture feeling brittle. He glanced at the others --Taehyun and Seo-hoon bouncing with nervous energy, and Riki and Si-woo lost in the world of their phones, probably reading fan comments.

As the clock ticked closer to release time, Hae-won felt his anxieties rise. His gaze flicked back to the mirror, and this time, he saw the leader they needed him to be – the strong, dependable Hae-won who held them all together. He straightened his shoulders, took a deep breath, and let the familiar fire of determination flicker in his eyes.

Suddenly, the manager's voice cut through the tension. "Five minutes, everyone!"

The room crackled with a renewed energy. Taehyun and Seo-hoon launched into improvised dance moves, mimicking their choreography with exaggerated goofiness. Jeong and Hee joined in. Hae-won watched, a smile slowly spreading across his face. He had the best darn group a leader could ask for.

"Alright, guys," Hae-won said, his voice surprisingly steady. "Let's do this."

A chorus of agreement echoed in the small room. Then, silence descended. Phones flickered to life, screens displaying the countdown to their debut. Anticipation hung heavy in the air, a shared heartbeat between the seven of them.

The view count was climbing steadily. Nervous smiles blossomed on the faces of all the members. As the seconds ticked by, the numbers rose, exceeding their wildest expectations. Comments flooded in, overwhelmingly positive.

Tears welled up in Hae-won's eyes. Not tears of fear, but of relief and overwhelming pride. He had looked at his reflection and seen his doubts. But in the faces of his group, he saw their shared dream, their unwavering belief, and the unbreakable bond that held them together. The road ahead might be challenging, but with these six by his side, he knew they could overcome anything. He turned to the group, a grin splitting his face.

"Alright everyone," Hae-won announced, his voice thick with emotion. "The future's looking bright."

Exhaustion eventually settled in, but sleep wouldn't come. Hae-won lay in his bunk bed, looking at the ceiling. Hae-won finally looked at his phone, not with worry, but with a wide, proud smile. The numbers weren't just good – they were exceeding their wildest dreams. The "what-ifs" vanished replaced with a new question: "What's next?" His mind wasn't filled with doubt but with gratitude. Gratitude for his amazing members, for the journey they had taken, and for the future that stretched before them, filled with the sweet sounds of success. This was just the beginning.