Syncing Dream [Aespa x M!Reader]

25. First Stop

The streets surrounding the Seoul concert venue were buzzing with excitement. A seemingly endless line of fans snaked around the block, each one clutching banners, light sticks, and posters of their favorite members of aespa. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the eager crowd as they chattered excitedly, awaiting the doors to open.

Synk Road: Parallel Line officially started today.

Inside the venue, it was a whirlwind of activity as the crew prepared the final touches on the stage. Meanwhile, backstage, Giselle was in full vlogging mode, camera in hand, narrating her behind-the-scenes tour for the aespa YouTube channel.

"And here we have the dressing room, where we have our lovely members getting ready!" Giselle said, her voice upbeat as she swung the camera around to capture the chaos inside. Karina was having her hair styled, Winter was warming up her voice in the corner, and Ningning was staring at herself in the mirror, trying out various expressions.

Like a hawk just found its prey, Giselle eyed a certain person near the catering table at the corner. Giselle panned the camera dramatically to Y/n, the culprit, clearly eyeing a bowl of chips.

"Caught in 4K!" Giselle announced loudly, zooming in on Y/n. "We have our manager on the scene!"

Y/n froze, hand halfway to the chips. He turned slowly to face Giselle and the camera, his expression one of pure guilt. "Uh... this isn't what it looks like, MYs."

"Sure, sure," Giselle teased, laughing as she zoomed in further. "We've been working all day, and this is what our manager does while we prepare to perform?"

"I was just... checking the for poison," Y/n said defensively, grabbing a handful of chips and stuffing them into his mouth. "Manager duties, you know?"

Giselle laughed, flipping the camera back to herself. "Our manager, everyone. Hard at work!"

She signed off the vlog with a wink before joining the others to continue getting ready. Y/n, still munching on his chips, shot her a playful glare. "You're going to make me look like a slacker to millions of people."

Giselle shrugged innocently. "Aren't you tho?"

"Kim Aeri, of course not." Y/n humped.

-

A few minutes later, Y/n gathered the group for their pre-show pep talk. The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and nerves, but they were more than ready. The girls stood in a loose circle, already in their stage outfits, their energy vibrating with anticipation. Y/n, still with a mischievous chip crumb on his shirt, cleared his throat, bringing the room's attention to him.

"Alright, children," he began, leaning against the wall casually. "First of all, ignore the chips incident. Let's focus on the show."

The girls laughed, and even Y/n couldn't help but crack a smile. Once the laughter died down, he shifted into a more serious tone.

"This is a huge moment, well for me at least. You guys already had your first world tour already-"

"We know what you meannn" Ningning groaned. "Stop justifying yourself!"

"Jeez, just clarifying." Y/n continued, looking at each of them in turn. "We're about to kick off a world tour, and it all starts here in Seoul. Everything you've worked for—every long night, every practice, every practice session—it's all about to pay off tonight. You're going to show the world why aespa is one of the best out there."

Karina nodded, her usual calm confidence shining through. "We've got this."

"We absolutely do," Y/n agreed. "But I also want to remind you guys that, no matter what happens out there, have fun. This is what you've dreamed of. Don't let the nerves or pressure get to you. Just... enjoy every second."