when the live broadcast drew to a close, the members waved goodbye, promising to work hard and deliver an unforgettable concert experience. "thank you for tuning in, we can't wait to see everyone at the concert," Chenle said, giving a final wave. "and remember don't skip a meall," Jaemin added, blowing a kiss to the camera.
after the live broadcast ended, the members gathered in a circle, discussing their plans for the rest of the day. Jisung took the opportunity to bring up the hate comments he had noticed earlier.
"hyungs, did you see those hate comments during the live?" Jisung asked, his tone serious. Mark nodded, his expression turning thoughtful. "yeah, i saw them too. at first i thought it's okay like i can let that one pass but it's gradually getting worse and more frequent"
"we can't let it slide. it might be just a few comments, but it can still affect us and the fans who read them," Renjun added, his voice firm. "let's talk to the management about it tomorrow. we should ensure that our socials are safe for everyone, especially for Daeun."
the members all agreed, deciding to bring it up in their next meeting with the management team. for now, they focused on keeping the mood light and positive, not wanting to dampen the joy of the day.
-
it's the day when they attend their fancalls schedule on a bright Wednesday morning. Daeun was still deep asleep despite Jisung had been carrying here everywhere, from coming out from the car, until they arrived at the room.
the place was relatively quiet until the noise maker started to stir. Daeun sat up on the sofa, rubbing her eyes and scanning her unfamiliar surroundings. Panic set in as she realized she was alone. the little girl's heart raced, thinking her appas had left her somewhere intentionally. her breathing quickened, and tears welled up in her eyes.
in the next room, the Dreamies were busy setting up for their fancalls, unaware of the growing distress of their youngest family member. Chenle, who had been in the midst of preparing his space for the call, suddenly felt a pang of concern. he instinctively knew something was wrong.
"i think Daeun's awake," he said, interrupting the others. "i need to check on her."
just as she was about to cry, the door to the adjoining room opened, and Chenle walked in, a surprised look on his face as he saw her standing there alone. "kitten, you're up?"
"Lele appa!" she cried, running to him and wrapping her arms tightly around his leg. "why everyone left me..."
he quickly picked her up, cradling her against his chest. "no no, sweetheart. we would never leave you. we were just next door, working. come on, let's go see everyone." he carried her to the room where the rest of the Dreamies were, all of them sitting at their tables, ready for the fancalls. the moment they saw her teary-eyed face, they all cooed in concern.
"what happened?" Jeno asked, coming over to gently stroke her hair.
"she thought we left her," the younger explained, rubbing her back soothingly. Mark reached out to take her from Chenle, holding her close. "we're right here, little one. always."
Daeun buried her face in Mark's neck, still sniffling but beginning to calm down. Jisung handed her a small plushie from his bag, and her grip on it tightened as she started to feel more secure. they took turns holding her mid breaks, making sure she felt included and loved.
"she's not like herself today? or is it just me?" Mark curiously asked to no one in particular, seeing his daughter went to the toilet with their manager. she wasn't as bright as she usually does.
"i think she still scared," Renjun replied, his voice tinged with concern. "we've always been around whenever she wakes up. so this time, it probably triggered something in her, knowing she was alone" Chenle nodded in agreement. "yeah, she looked really panicked earlier."
Mark sighed, feeling a pang of guilt. "i hate seeing her like that. she's usually so happy and full of energy."
"maybe we should talk to her about it," suggested Jeno, always the practical one. "let her know that we will never leave her and that she can always find us." as they discussed, the manager returned with Daeun, holding her hand. her eyes were still a bit red from earlier, but she looked calmer now. Jeno immediately walked over to her, crouching down to her level.
"hey, princess," he said softly. "are you feeling better?" she nodded, but her expression was still a bit unsure. Haechan joined them, placing a comforting hand on Daeun's back. "how about we get some ice cream after this?"
her eyes brightened a little at the suggestion. "the one that uncle Tyong bought?"
"sure," Jaemin chimed in, smiling warmly. "we'll get the biggest, yummiest ice cream you want."
Daeun's mood lifted slightly, a small smile creeping onto her face. they collectively sighed in relief, happy to see her spirits starting to rise.
to say that she was sticking to Haechan all the time was an understatement. she had followed him anywhere he went, like a duckling following it's mother, Daeun refused to let them out of her sight again. "5 secs, babygirl. i got to pack my things- okay let's get the ice cream"
by the end of the day, Daeun was back to her usual self, chatting endlessly and holding hands with whoever near her. Mark and Haechan had a few content shoots scheduled with NCT 127, so they decided to crash at Haechan's place for the night. going separate ways late at night would be a hassle, and Daeun would feel safer having them both by her side.
