Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
sunny had spent the last few days sticking close to the member she felt the most comfortable with: seungcheol.
despite her bold and confident nature, there was something grounding about seungcheol's calm presence. as the leader, he carried an air of responsibility that sunny quietly admired, and she had already begun confiding in him, often seeking his advice on rapping or how to navigate the complexities of being an idol.
it was a strange adjustment, to be part of a group this large, and sometimes sunny found herself struggling to find her place among the twelve other members.
that day, she sat in the corner of the waiting room, her chin resting in the palm of her hand as she absentmindedly scrolled through social media. her eyes flicked from the screen to the behind-the-scenes cameras being passed from member to member.
she had grown used to their presence, even if she didn't enjoy the cameras. the ever-present gaze of a lens felt intrusive at times, but she understood that it came with the job.
her phone rested lightly on her chest as she continued to scroll, barely paying attention to the posts that popped up on her feed. her thoughts were elsewhere, on the performance they'd just finished, on her rapping, and whether she'd hit her mark the way she had wanted to. she knew she had.
sunny rarely doubted her abilities, especially when it came to rap. but even she couldn't escape the creeping anxiety that sometimes followed her after a show.
suddenly, her phone was snatched from her hand. startled, her head shot up, and she instinctively frowned, ready to snap at whoever had the nerve.
but instead of some prankster member, she was met with the sight of a camera lens shoved into her face. her hand flew up, pushing the camera away from her personal space, her brow knitting together in annoyance.
"seriously?" she muttered, before catching a glimpse of seungcheol behind the camera.
her expression softened almost immediately. he wasn't trying to be annoying; he was just playing around, to get her to engage instead of sitting alone.
she lowered her hand into her lap, the momentary irritation gone as quickly as it had come. seungcheol, oblivious to her initial reaction, continued on, as if nothing had happened.
"sunny, where are we now?" he asked, his voice light and teasing.
sunny rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the faint smile tugging at her lips. seungcheol had that effect on people—he could lighten any situation, even when she wasn't in the mood. she gestured toward the colorful sign taped to the waiting room door.
rising to her feet, she walked over to it as the camera followed her, panning over the bright letters.
"show champion," she said, shaking her hands animatedly around the sign.
with a quick wave to the camera, she turned the knob and walked out of the room, finally escaping the playful but persistent filming. the quiet hallway was a welcome contrast to the busy waiting room. alone again, sunny sighed, her shoulder relaxing as she slipped into the more familiar silence.
as she wandered the corridor, she absentmindedly reached into her pocket, only to remember that her member still had her phone. she rubbed her hands against her jeans, the urge to check her notifications tugging at her. but after a moment, she shrugged it off.
it wasn't important right now.
she stopped in front of one of the mirrors lining the walls. her reflection stared back at her, and for a brief moment, sunny felt a twinge of insecurity. she never had been one to fuss over her appearance, but the constant scrutiny from fans and media was something she was still adjusting to.
she tugged at the wires from her mic pack and in-ear monitors, untangling them from her long hair, her fingers moving deftly through the strands.
the quiet was short-lived, however. the familiar sound of excited voices echoed down the hallway as the other members began to pour out of the waiting room, filling the space with laughter and chatter.
hoshi, ever the energetic one, was bouncing around, his excitement contagious as he recounted their performance to anyone who would listen. the hallway was now a sea of noise—squeaking shoes, scattered conversations, and impromptu warm-ups as some of the members practiced their lines or choreography.
sunny watched from the side, quietly observing the chaos. she wasn't as expressive as the others, but that didn't mean she wasn't happy with how happy they were. in fact, she was very pleased.
as the cameras made their rounds once again, filming behind-the-scenes footage for their fans, a staff member tried to hand one to sunny. she shook her head and waved it off. she wasn't in the mood for the camera in her face, not right now. her chest still heaved slightly from performing, and all she wanted was to catch her breath without a lens documenting her every move.
instead, she made her way back to the corner of the room where she had been sitting earlier. the moment she sat down, she let out a long breath, grateful for a moment of quiet amidst the bustling activity around her. this time, instead of her phone, she picked up a small handheld fan that was resting nearby and pressed it to her chest, enjoying the cool breeze it provided.
her eyes fluttered open when she heard her leader's voice again. he was back, standing in front of her with her phone in hand.
"did you want this back?" he asked with a teasing grin, dangling the phone just out of reach.
sunny sighed, extending her hand toward him.
"give it back."
seungcheol chuckled but handed it over without much fuss. "you were great out there, by the way."
she offered him a small, appreciative smile. compliments weren't something she always knew how to accept, but coming from him, they felt genuine. "thanks."
as he walked away, joining the others, sunny sat back once more, phone in hand. this time, she didn't check her notifications. instead, she watched her members as they joked around, their energy still high despite the long day. she felt a sense of contentment settle over her—quiet, but steady.
this was her family now, and even on the days when the spotlight felt too bright, she knew she wasn't alone.
