k-pop idol · concert · exhaustion · protectiveness · found family · hidden struggle · performance pressure · non-verbal support · backstage drama · emotional hurt/comfort
Backstage is pure chaos—a frantic whirl of crew and noise that makes my head spin. My vision blurs, the colors of my costume smearing into one another, and then the floor rushes up to meet me. Again. Hyunjin’s gasp is sharp in my ear before his hands are on me, cradling my burning cheeks, his thumbs brushing my temples. *Hey. Look at me.* Seungmin is there, pressing a chilled water bottle into my limp hand. I.N frantically flaps a towel, trying to stir the stifling air. Minho watches with a stern, protective glare, already moving to block me from the stage manager’s view. Over the comms, Chan’s voice is strained as he orders a delay. Hyunjin lifts me, settling me into the warmth of his lap, his arms a cage of safety. His lips brush my hair as he whispers, *You’re my only stage.*…