You Made a Mark : Book 2 (Mark)

Chapter 45 - Debut (Part 3) : Independent

I left the car with high hopes, although at this point I really shouldn't be hoping for anything. There were already a ton of cameras flashing their lights, hoping they would at least get a blur of their artist. There were a lot of IGot7s waving at Jackson, and he kindly waved back. I was being cautious because my last run in with the fandom didn't end well.

I felt my walking speed increase. Clearly I didn't have any fans yet, which was understandable, but it made a big difference between Jackson and me. I just wanted to get inside before I possibly ran into an anti-fan, but I slowed down when I saw a particular person in the crowd.

She was holding a nameplate with my name on it and a camera around her neck looking around in the crowd. But I recognized her face. I walked up to the barricades. Half the fans standing behind the barricade ignored me, the other half tried to touch me because I was still considered a "celebrity".

"Hey Miss?" I said in the crowd. The girl screamed in joy and pushed her way to the front of the barricade.

"Eli!!" She smiled from ear to ear. "We've met before, do you remember me?"

"Of course I do. I'm surprised to see you here." I held her hand, and she was just jumping up and down.

"It feels like a dream!" She still squeaked. "I can't believe I'll be seeing your debut stage!"

I remembered her because she was the first one to ask for my autograph... back when I ate dinner with Hyunseung-sunbae. I was coming back from the bathroom, and she approached me. She was delighted to see me and asked me to sign a napkin for her.

She handed me a small bag wrapped with a ribbon on top.

"It's for you! My friends and I gathered as much as we could to buy you this. They aren't here right now but they'd be just as excited to see you as I am!" She said. "I'm even going to open a fansite for you!. How does dELIghted sound?"

"I.." I was at a loss for words. This was what it felt like to be doing something you love for the other's enjoyment. "It sounds great. Thank you so much."

"I'm just glad you remember me."

Jackson came and patted my shoulder.

"Come on, we should go." He noted.

I shook hands with the fan one more time and entered the building with Jackson and Jiwoo. Once we entered, the staff led us to our dressing room where all three of us would get ready.

"You lucked out." Jiwoo laughed. "Rookies usually don't even get rooms."

"I remember they just put up a couple of walls and covered the entrance with curtains for new artists." Jackson lied down on the couch. "It was so stuffy and the old air conditioning would break down half the time. But thanks to Sungjae and my popularity, we got you a room."

"Wait seriously?" I said.

"He's partially joking. This might be Jackson's third time having a room." Jiwoo shook her head in disapproval. "BtoB is a pretty well-known artist, so Sungjae's popularity got us a room."

"You didn't have to tell her that." Jackson rolled his eyes, and I laughed. "What's that?" He pointed at the bag I was holding.

"The fan I was talking to earlier gave it to me." I said.

"Wow receiving gifts since Day 1. Look at you Ms. Popular." Jackson teased.

Right before our dry rehearsals, Sungjae joined us with his band members.

"Hey!" Minhyuk said first.

"We are leaving to Japan before the live broadcast so we came to celebrate early." Eunkwang explained.