That night's stage wasn't Heeseung's first, yet his heart still beat like he was brand new. LED lights struck his skin, making his figure glow among the other dancers. The music hadn't even started, but the crowd's excitement was already roaring, pressing into his chest with a sweet kind of tension only those who truly love the stage could understand.

On the right side of the stage, just a few meters away, stood a girl now known to the public. The idol. The girl who had been his training partner nearly every night for the past two weeks. They often stood in dim-lit practice rooms, facing a wall-length mirror, dancing without speaking much. Never overstepping boundaries. Never staring too long. Never showing signs that they were more than just coworkers.

But Heeseung knew. From the very first day he stood behind her, he knew he was one of her quiet fans. Not the obsessive kind collecting photocards or tracking her personal schedule, but the kind who notices the little things. Her smile that only appeared when she felt confident. Her breath that caught slightly when choreography became too intense. The way her fingers would tremble just a little when exhaustion crept in after long rehearsals. Heeseung noticed all of it, from the shadows.

And tonight, she stood there glowing with confidence. Her dress flowing gently, her hair tied high, and something in her gaze that never appeared during practice. This wasn't just another performance. This was her moment. Heeseung took a deep breath. He knew his place. Backup dancers aren't meant to shine. They're meant to support. But when the music burst through the speakers and the stage lights swirled, his body moved with a force even he didn't expect. He matched every move with hers. Not to steal the spotlight. But to blend into it. To make this stage feel like it belonged to both of them, just once.

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Some even screamed out names that didn't belong to the main performer. "Who's that male dancer?" he could hear faintly in the crowd. But Heeseung just gave a small smile. He knew this would happen. It always did.

He wasn't a trainee. He didn't want to be. Because if he became a trainee, he'd lose this freedom. He wouldn't be able to stand here, tonight, as the background to someone he secretly admired. He wouldn't be able to feel this strange feeling, dancing with everything he had, for someone who didn't know she was the reason. Backstage, sweat still rolling down his skin and his breath not fully steady, he glanced over at the girl laughing between her groupmates. He stood far away. But in his heart, he felt close. And while wiping his face with a small towel, Heeseung whispered to himself,

"If I looked like I was glowing behind you, it's only because you're the only light I ever wanted to follow."

**[ WELCOME TO AU ENHYPEN! LEE HEESEUNG IS HERE! HAVE A GOOD TIME<3 ]**