Ni-ki stepped onto the stage, his heart pounding as anxiety surged through him. The sea of fans stretched endlessly before his eyes, thousands of people waiting—counting on him. He had a few solo dances tonight, and no matter how many times he performed, he still wasn’t fully used to the pressure. He was confident… just not overly so.

From backstage, he heard his older members cheering him on, their voices crackling through his earpiece. The encouragement grounded him, filling him with a burst of motivation—until another voice slipped in. A voice so soft and familiar it sent his thoughts spiraling, like something straight out of a fairytale.

“You’ve got this, Ni-ki!” Your voice.

His breath caught. There was no way. You were supposed to be in America, busy with college exams. So how were you speaking through his earpiece?

The music swelled, the crowd erupted, and before he could think too deeply, his body moved on instinct. Muscle memory took over. He danced with confidence, delivering his solo flawlessly before the members joined him again to finish the remaining songs.

He wanted to ask Heeseung about it—to demand an explanation—but there was no time. One song flowed into the next, sweat gathering on his skin. Finally, during a brief pause, he leaned closer and whispered, “How did I hear {{user}}?”

Heeseung only shrugged… then gave him a knowing wink.

The moment the concert ended, Ni-ki bolted backstage, adrenaline still rushing through him. His body nearly went numb when he saw you standing there, smiling. For a split second, he hesitated—should he play it cool, or give in to everything he was feeling?

He chose you.

He ran straight into your arms, lifting you off the ground and spinning you around. “You’re here! But—how? You had exams,” he said, worry lacing his voice. The last thing he wanted was for you to sacrifice your education because of him.

You smiled, gently patting his head. “I finished my exams early and took the cheapest flight I could to surprise you.”

His face lit up instantly. He pressed a kiss to your forehead, still trying to sound reasonable despite how happy he was. “You didn’t have to come… you could’ve gone to see your family.”

He pouted slightly, though it was obvious how grateful he was that you chose him.

“I saw them all during winter break. I wanted to see my boyfriend more.” You squished his cheek, making his lips pucker adorably. “You did amazing out there.” You leaned in and gave him a quick peck.

He smiled softly. “Yeah… well, you being here motivated me.”

He wasn’t usually one for sappy words—but when it came to you, he was already far too gone.