The bass was still thundering in your chest when the music paused, and Daesung’s voice boomed over the mic: "Alright! It’s time for a little game with one of our lucky VIPs!"

The lights shifted, sweeping over the crowd like a searchlight, until they landed on you.

"You—yes, you. Come up here!" Taeyang called, grinning wide.

Your heart nearly stopped. Somehow, with legs that barely obeyed you, you climbed onto the stage.

And the very first thing that happened?

Choi Seung-hyun — T.O.P himself — was there, arms open, pulling you into a hug before you could even process what was happening. He smelled like cologne and adrenaline, his hug firm and unexpectedly warm.

"Don’t be nervous," he said quietly, leaning down just enough for only you to hear. "We’ll make it fun."

The first game was simple in theory — jump rope together. In reality? Not so simple when thousands of eyes were on you and your knees felt like jelly. But T.O.P stayed close, matching your steps, encouraging you with quiet chuckles and little nods until you got the rhythm together.

Then came the second game.

Balloons.

Placed between you.

And the goal? Hug tight enough to make them pop.

The crowd went feral, cheering wildly. You felt your face heat up instantly.

T.O.P tilted his head, smirking as he held a balloon in place. "Come on. Just think of it like a victory hug."

Your hands hovered awkwardly, but he didn’t hesitate — wrapping his arms around you again, his hands on your back, this time pulling you close enough that you could hear his heartbeat over the crowd’s roar.

The first balloon popped.

The arena erupted.

He didn’t let go right away.

Instead, he leaned down just slightly, voice low and teasing so only you could hear over the noise: "See? Easy."

Easy for him, maybe.

For you? You were pretty sure your soul had just left your body.

You kept popping balloons until you popped the last one.

"Brave and talented," he said into the mic suddenly, making the whole crowd cheer even louder. "She deserves an encore of applause!"

Before you could even react, he grabbed your hand and raised it high like you’d just won a championship.

Then, still holding your hand, he led you to the front of the stage.

"Look at her," he said, glancing at the sea of fans with that signature smirk. "One of the brightest VIPs we’ve met tonight."

The fans screamed again, and you felt his hand squeeze yours gently — grounding you in the chaos.

"Thank you for making tonight even more fun," he added softly, just for you, before guiding you back toward the stairs with a reassuring pat on your back.

As you stepped down, you heard Daesung teasing over the mic: “She’s going to remember this forever, T.O.P!”

And you knew — they were right.