Through my eyes||Dino

-6-

The concert had just ended, and the hum of the excitement still buzzed through the arena. Dino wiped the sweat off his forehead, his muscles sore but energized from the performance. The rest of the members were gathered near the backstage exit, chatting amongst themselves, their energy a mix of exhilaration and relief.

'Hey Chan,' called out Mingyu, slapping him on the back. 'You look... different today. Happier, or am I imagining things?' Chan shrugged, offering a nonchalant grin. 'Just a good concert, Hyung.'
But there was more to it. Chan's mind kept drifting back to Sara. Since their last interaction, something about her had lingered with him, like an unfinished melody that refused to go away.  He hadn't expected it, but there was something about her that made him feel... lighter , more intrigued, more alive than he had in a long time.

The band continue their chatter, but Chan's focus had already slipped away from their banter. He had spotted her then--Sara, standing near the catering table checking her phone. She hadn't seen him yet, and he seized the opportunity. Without a word, he excused himself and slipped away quietly toward her.

He wasn't the type to chase after anyone, certainly not with his track record of easy flings and casual interactions. But Sara was another case. And today, he wanted to spend more time with her. 'Hey,' Chan greeted, his voice casual as he leaned in just slightly, trying not to draw attention. 'You busy?'

Sara looked up, startled, then relaxed once she saw who it was. 'Oh hey Chan,' She set her phone down and gave him a polite reserved smile. 'Yeah just grabbing a snack,' she said, then glanced at the catering table. 'You guys did great tonight, by the way.'

Chan smiled, leaning against the table. 'Thanks. But I'm actually here to invite you to dinner. The team is going out, and, well...' he hesitated, realizing how odd it sounded. 'We would love for you to join us. If you are free, of course.'

Sara blinked, clearly taken aback. 'Uh, dinner? With you guys?' She glanced around her brows furrowing slightly. Chan's smile faltered for a second, but then he quickly recovered, his voice dropping to a more pleading tone. 'Yeah, I know it's kind of random, but... we'd love to have you. It'd be fun.'

Sara paused, looking at him for a long moment, clearly unsure. But Chan knew how to push without crossing a line. 'Please?' He added, with just a hint of playful sincerity. 'I promise we won't bite.' There was a brief moment of silence before Sara sighed, her resolve crumbling. 'Alright, alright. Fine. I'll come.' She smiled, shaking her head as if she couldn't quite believe she'd agreed to this. "Awesome," Chan grinned, his heart giving little jumps. I'll let the guys know. Thank you Sara, seriously.'

-•-

The dinner location was a low-key K-bbq restaurant just a few blocks from the venue. Since it was close, they decided to walk to the restaurant. As soon as Chan and Sara walked in, the twelve members greeted them, the group immediately erupting to a mix of curiosity and surprise.

Sara saw her nerves return as she entered the room with Chan, her gaze flicking nervously over the group. All of Chan's roommates (Dk, Vernon, and Jun) had been in on Chan's budding interest in Sara, but the rest of the group had no clue. They were just as confused as Sara was. 'Yo, Dino' Dk said with a grin spotting him. 'Did you bring a guest? This is new.' Chan nodded, with his hands on his pockets, trying to play it cool. 'Yeah this is Sara, She's uh-- our makeup artist.'

'Nice to meet you.' Hoshi stood and reached out his hand .' Any friend of Chan's is a friend of our, Welcome.' The other followed suit, greeting her with friendly smiles and handshakes. Seungcheol smiled warmly at Sara and gave a slight nod. 'If Chan invited you, then you must be fun. Welcome to the team dinner.'

Sara felt herself blushing slightly under their attention but smiled back, a bit more relaxed now. 'Thanks for having me. I wasn't sure If I should have--' 'Nonsense,'  Seungkwan interjected.'You're here now, and that's all that matters.' They all introduced themselves and Sara did her best to remember their names.

She laughed awkwardly, her nerves slowly dissipating as the members began to make her feel included. The extroverted ones, like Dk, Seungkwan, and Hoshi, especially made an effort to draw her into conversation. 'So where are you from Sara' asked Hoshi. She shifted in her seat when everyone started looking at her. 'Oh I'm actually from New York City, I've lived there my whole life, this is my first year in South Korea.' She said and Dino looked at her surprised. 'Vernon is also from New York, I'm from LA' said Joshua in English.

'Oh it's refreshing meeting people that are also from the States' she said in English, while smiling. After that they all started chatting and for the first time in a while, Sara felt like she truly belonged. Chan sat beside her, his presence a quiet reassurance. He'd made it clear that he wanted her there, and the others seemed to accept her just as easily as he did.

As the evening wore on, Sara began to loosen up . She found herself laughing at their stories and joking along with them. Chan occasionally shot her a playful glance and she found herself doing the same thing. She had no idea why, but something about him made her feel more comfortable than she had with anyone in a long time.

By the end of the dinner, everyone seemed to be in a good mood, the energy light and fun. Chan stood up, ready to leave, and Sara followed him outside. 'Need a ride?' Chan asked casually, half-smile playing on his lips. Sara looked at him, trying to see if he was joking or not. 'You do realize we walked here and theres only one van for you and your members?' Chan laughed, " I forgot about that. But I can call you a taxi if you want. I don't want you to go there all by yourself." Sara laughed and gave in, 'Okay, a taxi would be great' she said, feeling a bit embarrassed but grateful.

Chan motioned to the driver, who had been waiting nearby, then pulled off his jacket and handed it to her. 'Here. Take it. It'll warm you until your taxi arrives.' Sara nodded, her cheeks turning red, wrapping the jacket around herself as they both stood outside in the cool night air, waiting in silence. When the taxi finally arrived, she gave him a soft smile. 'Thanks, Chan, for everything. I had a great time.'

He smiled back, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer than usual. 'Anytime, Sara, anytime.' As the taxi drove off, Chan watched it disappear down the street before turning back to the venue. His mind was a bit clearer now, a little more settled than before. He didn't know what would happen with Sara, but he found himself looking forward to seeing her again.