Fate part 2

Chapter 223

Mina's P.O.V.
"I wonder what ATEEZ has in store this year."

"You'll know soon enough, Foxy. Remember last year?"
Damn right, I did!

"You covered my eyes when San took his shirt off."

Don't worry, Namjoon's hyung wasn't third-wheeling. "Really Joon? Cheap shot. I'll cover your eyes if any woman takes off a piece of clothing."
Then, he turned to me. "Lee Youngji's performing tonight. I think you'll like it."

Oh, really? "I'm excited then! She's so pretty. I love her stage presence too."

"See? It's not the guys you have to worry about."
I'm so glad we settled things before the awards started. We just went to our seats. Less drama that way.

At least.. not from the outside.
"Hyung! I was just teasing her. There's nothing wrong with finding other people charismatic and attractive. I get to kiss her everyday."

"What did I say about being sweet? It's sickening. Stop that."
He'd stop soon enough.

I had to go back there to get ready for the unexpected.
"I'm gonna let you bicker like a married couple for 20 minutes and I'll be back."

They had to have doubts when Sanha and I nudged eachother as we headed backstage. They should.
"Thank you for performing this with me."
It took him years to record a solo version of that song.
"I didn't want a random person, you know?"

"I get that. I'm happy to do so. I'm just gonna need help from the staff to tape the wire to my back after I get changed."

No questions, at all. From practice to today. Except a you need it to perform? Okay! "Me too! Taking it off is a pain too. They'll help you, no problem."

"I'll be right back then."
We practiced at his apartment quite a few times before going to the studio. He asked me about it back in May as a personal project. I watched their dance practices so many times to make sure to catch any subtle hand movements.. and admire how good of a dancer Moonbin was.

This stage wasn't what was planned in the beginning, but it made him so happy. In my stage outfit, set-up on, but off, we made our way to the stage's wings.
"Ready?"

Sanha's grin. "So ready."

Namjoon's P.O.V.
"Did she work for Sanha's comeback?"

I shook my head. "No, but maybe someone couldn't make it for that performance?"
Turns out, I was right about that. She did perform with Sanha for his new popular B-side track, in black suits. It made me think of his songs from 2022, his duets, if I remembered correctly.
I proved myself right when I heard Madness start. He made a solo version? Oh, he was the only one singing. But the dance? It was a duet. My Moonie unbuttoned her blazer to reveal what was only peaking out in the first performance, an emerald green corset top. It meshed beautifully with her auburn hair that appeared red under the stage lights. Their performance was amazing for their chemistry. By that, I mean how much fun they were having, exchanging grins camouflaged as smirks to fit the song. Let me say this.. Each of her performances proves that she has a style, a type, an energy she's known for. BIBI, Jessi, Mamamoo, Hwasa, Moonbyul, Sanha, Le Sserafim, Enhypen.. I'm surprised that she didn't perform on a solo stage with Jimin or Jungkook yet. Let's be honest, my more recent music clashed, but Min always had Mono or Indigo playing when she was working at home.. It was what these albums were made for. I'm getting side tracked.

I never expected Sanha to do any songs from that time, like we were surprised and touched when SHINee started performing their songs without Jonghyun sunbaenim again.
Where Moonbin's solo was, Sanha stood at the front left of us to sing it, but nothing else in the choreography changed. It brought back memories of our talk over coffee after we went to the museum together on the day we met. We spoke about music, of course, the bands we liked and why.
She saw Astro debut. Sanha was the first idol close to her age that she knew in 2016. She loved their bubbly debut and every single comeback after that. The members loved each other so much, and she could tell. Their vocals, their rap, their dances.. She loved them all. It makes it easy to understand why she staned the groups she did. The respect she had for Sanha, debuting so young.. Like Jungkook. It made it easy for me to ask him to come to her 25th birthday. Him coming was quite a happy surprise to me, but they got along so well..Like Jake, Yeonjun and Soobin, Leedo, and my bandmates.
Know what else made me smile? The ending of that number. The stood next to eachother, and he put his arm around her shoulders. Her attention went to him, both flashing a wide smile. It must've been her favorite performance of the season..

Why was I teary-eyed? This was not the moment to feel like that. Was it? Min took her seat back, twenty minutes later.
"Sorry, Yoon-ah and I ended up chatting.-"
I didn't care that it might be caught on screen. Good then! I kissed her.

I kept it decently short. "Please tell me there aren't any more surprises like this. I don't think I can survive another."

"Please.." Min rolled her eyes.
"I'm not that entertaining."

"I beg to differ." My hand wrapped herself around hers.
"I'm sure your friend is happy to have done that song justice with you."

She had that kind smile on her face.
"Thank you. It was the point."

"Did you keep that corset?"
I received a slap on my thigh.
"What? It looked good!"

Min's amused chuckle made me smile. "Maybe I can negotiate with his company to keep it."
PLEASE.
"Not right now! Keep watching the show, jeez."
.
.
.
When she left again, my hyung and I got to talking.
"You know.. I didn't mean to make the guys panic with what I said about the next comeback."

"Namjoon, you say something, we do it. If you don't want to have comebacks as often, we won't argue. We'll work on more solo projects. We're not stuck. It's okay."

"Do you think it'll change our dynamic?"

A grin. "Our band or your couple?"

Honestly.. "Both?"

"We're family. We won't change. We'll still happily come over for dinner at your place. Laugh at the maknae line, Meg and Min's out of pocket comments when we watch something. It's never gonna change."
A sigh watching the stage getting cleaned.
"For your relationship.. I can't say it won't change, but I know she'll be by your side through it. The lack of dance practices, the usual hours in your studio. You won't alter what you're doing day to day, but you won't go to work together as often. You won't perform together unless you plan it. She's aware she's won't automatically work with us if there is a choreography to be done, but it might be a good thing."
Yoongi cleared his throat.
"It'll make it special. You'll get more surprises like today because she didn't work with us this season."

Min will be able to focus on what she used to do, write and make art.
"We'll see eachother more often."

"See? Think the guys and I are mad about spare time? You're mistaken. It'll be great."
A pause.
"If you want, I can leave you two be tonight and come back just to sleep."

I HAD to laugh. "Hyung. It's your room too. Sure, Hobi hyung might sleep with Moonbyul noona, but I can assure you that Min will sleep on her own. We're leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow morning."

"You mean that YOU are leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow morning. Our dongsaengs are not performing, and I am not nominated there."
Right.. Enhypen and Le Sserafim are not on the list of the next show.
"SHINee's performing though."

That means.. "Am I the only one there tomorrow?"

"No! No." Was there worry on my face?
"The maknaes are coming, I'm sure everyone is sitting at the same table."
Thank goodness!
"Think Kookie will finally walk the carpet with his girlfriend? For someone who is nominated so much, he's not really present."

Trust me, if my partner wasn't working.. I would not be here either. "I totally get it."
After tomorrow, the last 13 days of December are ours.