ꜱᴄᴀɴᴅᴀʟᴏᴜꜱ - ʜᴇᴇᴊᴀᴋᴇᴋɪ

✦ ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ-ꜰᴏᴜʀ ✦

Jake - May 7th, 2026

It's been about an hour since we all arrived at the venue, and it was safe to say that the conversation we had in the limo put my mind at ease. Sunoo and Jungwon's apologies seemed genuine. For now, at least.

I wish I had the chance to talk to Heeseung just one last time. I want him to know that I really cared about him, and I still do.

I love him.

But we hurt each other, and it seems like neither of us are sure if we can move on from the pain.

On the bright side, his two friends were being way more friendly with me now, as if a switch had been flipped.

"You've really never been to a concert?!" Jungwon shouted over the chattering crowd with disbelief. The preliminary bands had just finished with their performances, so now it was time for the real group.

"Nope," I chuckled over the cheers, receiving a dramatic nod in return.

"It's always so surreal," Sunoo giggled, his eyes darting between us and the stage. "I just love seeing- oh, there they come!"

Our eyes shifted as the three men strode onto the stage, waving at the screaming crowd as they came closer and closer.

It was so odd seeing them up on that stage, I didn't even register what the three of them were saying to the crowd. My eyes were fixed on Niki, realizing the reality of his work.

I knew he was popular, but I had no idea he was this famous. To easily have packed arenas like this at nearly every city was an obvious feat, but I never recognized the weight behind that.

With all of this fame, Niki could easily be what his bandmates formerly were; slutty and flirtatious. Why was he different?

The sudden blast of music made me wince, my ears ringing at the assault. I hadn't been paying attention in the slightest bit. But even as the music vibrated through my legs, I gazed around the arena. The hundreds of fans held signs and photos of the trio, all screeching the lyrics of the songs and some even convulsing with excitement.

And then I looked back at Niki, seeing the way he genuinely smiled as the crowd sung along with him. He had so much more power under his fingertips than I'd realized.

Each and every person here in this crowd would do anything for the group's attention.

I wasn't excited to be here like I thought I'd be. I felt out of place. I wasn't like the others here; in fact, I barely even knew that this band existed.

The arena was stuffy, and somehow claustrophobic. Even as my head whipped around for an exit, all I saw were the faces of cheering strangers.

But with a sudden instinct, I weaved my way through the people and managed to make my way to a door. Without a glance behind me, I bolted out and rushed right for the nearest bathroom. The building felt like a mapless maze, a puzzle before I finally found the men's room.

As I finally made my way into a quiet and somehow clean stall, I slid to the floor. My heart was heavy against my chest, as if I was drowning.

I struggled for air as my head collapsed into my knees. And as I tried to calm myself, images of Niki up on that stage flashed in my head. He looked so perfect on his platform, like he was where he belonged.

The sight of his silky white hair draped over his eyes as he rasped into the microphone made my heart race faster. What is happening to me?

For the longest time I only had these kind of feelings for Heeseung. How did I have this magnetic attraction to Niki already?

Either way, it was nauseating to acknowledge that I'd might have caught feelings once again. And those feelings were for a man that would be even more challenging to obtain.

But maybe it wouldn't hurt to try?

.   .   .   .   .

Niki - May 7th, 2026

"I don't know what happened," I grumbled, throwing my jacket onto my stool. The concert had just ended moments before, and we gathered back in our dressing room. "I looked away for a fucking minute and he was just gone."

"Maybe he got overwhelmed or somethin'," Jay shrugged, pulling out his typical cigarette from the box in his pocket. "It was his first time, you know."

"Whatever," I sighed, grumpily crossing my arms across my chest as I started to pace around the room.

"It's not a big deal," Sunghoon shrugged, stealing one of Jay's cigarettes. "You said he tried not to come anyway."

"That was for another reason. I just don't get why he would-"

A loud knock at the door halted our talk, and I was the one who unlocked it for the two men who stepped inside. "Uhh...have you guys seen Jake?"

"Weren't you guys supposed to watch him?" Niki raised an eyebrow.

"We weren't babysitting him!" Jungwon protested, seeking comfort within his boyfriend's arms. "We were watching you guys, and he suddenly was gone."

"Are you serious?" I groaned, slumping into the seat beside Jay, dropping my head onto the makeup table in defeat.

"I'm sure he's fine. I mean, he works in the middle of the night with drunk people in New York City. I think he knows how to protect himself, at least-"

Yet another impeccably timed knock interrupted Sunoo's speech, to which we all looked up when Jake poked his head inside. "Oh, I guess I'm late, huh?"

His casualness made me burn inside. "Where the fuck did you go?"

"Um," Jake stepped inside shyly, allowing the click of the door to sound before he went on. "I really wasn't feeling very well. I just got kinda dizzy and stuff, so I went to the bathroom."

"And you stayed there?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah? Why are you so upset?"

"That is pretty normal, Niki," Jay chimed in, making sure to be extra annoying, I guess.

"Never mind," I sighed, choosing to be relieved rather than angry with him for the moment. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Well, anyways," Jungwon rolled his eyes, cuddling close into his boyfriend's lap without a care. "What did you think of what you saw, at least?"

"I don't know," he mumbled. "I kinda felt out of place, I guess. I didn't realize you guys were that famous."

"Ah, did you get jealous?" Sunoo teased, prodding his elbow into Jake's arm with a grin. "That's what my first concert was like too!"

"Pfft-" Jake frowned dramatically, "what's there to be jealous of anyway?"

"That's for you guys to sort out privately," Sunghoon chuckled as he patted me on the shoulder, his eyes gleaming knowingly as he stared between us. "I guess we'll find out later."

. . . . .