17 DAYS TO GO | KWON SOONYOUNG

41

Kang Hana

The backstage area was chaotic. But if there's SEVENTEEN, there needs to be chaos.

Stylists darted around with last-minute fixes, the faint scent of hairspray clinging to the air. Technicians checked mics, adjusted in-ears, and called out instructions as the stage lights flickered. SEVENTEEN was up next.

I was in the middle of it all, blending in as part of the team, helping with costumes, fixing makeup, and making sure they looked their best.

“Hana-yah, my eyeliner is smudged again!” Seungkwan whined, tugging at my sleeve.

I sighed, grabbing a tissue. “Maybe if you stopped rubbing your eyes, it wouldn’t be.”
“But it’s itchy.”
Mingyu, adjusting his jacket nearby, snickered. “You’re just nervous.”

Seungkwan shot him a glare. “And you’re not?”
“Of course not. I was born to be on stage.” Jeonghan rolled his eyes. “Says the guy who tripped over a speaker last time.”
Mingyu gasped in betrayal while the rest of the members burst into laughter.

For a moment, I laughed along, but my gaze inevitably drifted toward the quiet figure in the corner.

Soonyoung.

Unlike the others, he wasn’t joking around. He was staring at his hands, shoulders slumped, eyes distant. He looked… lost. My chest tightened.

Stay with me, Soonyoung. Don’t go to that dark place.

“Oi, Hana!” Chan called, pulling me back to the present. “Can you fix my collar?”
I nodded, forcing myself to focus. “Yeah, come here.”

As I worked, an all-too-familiar chill ran down my spine.

Havoc was here.

I refused to look. But I felt him, lingering just beyond my vision.
A whisper brushed against my ear, his voice laced with amusement.

“You’re running out of time.”

I clenched my jaw.

“You can’t save him.”

I swallowed hard, pushing down the rising panic. Not now. Not in front of everyone.
Instead, I walked over to Soonyoung, crouching down in front of him.

“Hey.” He blinked, startled. “Oh. Hey.” “Nervous?”
He chuckled weakly. “A little.”
I reached for his jacket, smoothing the creases. “You’ll be great. Like always.”

He hesitated before whispering, “Hana-yah…”
I met his gaze, and for a split second, all his pain was there, raw and unfiltered. I squeezed his hand.

“I’m here,” I said firmly. “No matter what.”
He exhaled slowly, nodding.
“Five minutes till showtime!”

Soonyoung let go, standing up. He turned to me with a small smile. “Wait for me after the performance, okay?” I nodded.

But deep down, I wasn’t sure if I’d be waiting for a celebration… or a goodbye.

The auditorium buzzed with excitement as the stage lights dimmed. The crowd cheered wildly when SEVENTEEN’s introduction played on the speakers.

I sat in the front row, my hands gripping the edge of my seat.

The music started.

As soon as the first beat dropped, the energy in the room shifted. They moved in perfect synchronization, their voices harmonizing effortlessly. I found myself grinning, cheering louder than anyone else.