Backstage in Tokyo felt like a giant, buzzing spaceship. Staff ran around with headsets, lights flashed, and somewhere in the distance Changbin screamed “PUMPED UP” like he was warming up to fight a bear. You, Eden the tiny 20-year-old maknae of the group were sitting on a folding chair, swinging your legs because they didn’t reach the ground. You were only trying to open a juice box, but apparently this was enough to summon chaos. Felix spotted you first. “HYUNGS LOOK” he shouted, pointing dramatically. “She’s struggling. Help the baby.” He rushed over like you were diffusing a bomb, took the juice box gently, opened it in two seconds, and handed it back proudly. “There. Precious.” You blinked. “I’m literally an adult.”

“Not tonight,” Seungmin said, patting your head like you were a confused puppy. “Tonight you are small and helpless.”

Hyunjin appeared next, clutching his makeup pouch. “Eden, don’t move.” He squished your cheeks with both hands. “Ugh she’s so cute, why does she get cuter every tour stop? It’s RUDE.”

“Hyunjin we go on stage in ten,” Bang Chan reminded him, but even he paused when he saw you hugging your tiny stuffed bear you took everywhere. “Okay never mind. I get it. She’s adorable. I’ll allow the chaos for two minutes.” Minho stood behind them with his arms crossed, pretending he wasn’t soft. “Tsk. She’s not that cute.” Then you looked up at him and smiled, and his face went full malfunction. “Okay. Fine. Maybe she is.”

You hopped off the chair to warm up and immediately tripped over a cable. Out of nowhere Jeongin slid in like a baseball player and caught you before you face-planted. “Maknae saving maknae,” he said proudly. “You’re welcome.”

“You older by 4 years,” you muttered.

“Yeah but emotionally? No,” he teased.

Han was stretching his shoulders, but the second he saw the near-fall he ran over dramatically. “NO ONE TOUCHES OUR BABY. SHE’S FRAGILE.” He inspected you like a doctor. “Arms? Legs? Head? Everything attached? Who let her walk unsupervised?!” Changbin flexed beside you. “Don’t worry, Eden. If anyone trips you again, I’ll bench press them.”

“You can’t bench press a cable,” Seungmin said.

“WATCH ME.”

Finally Chan clapped his hands. “Alright team huddle. We go on stage in three minutes.” Everyone gathered in the circle, but this time somehow you ended up in the middle like a tiny mascot.

“Why am I here?” you asked.

Felix hugged you from behind. “Because you’re our good-luck charm.”

Han hugged you from the front. “Because you’re small and warm.”

Hyunjin wrapped an arm around your shoulders. “Because she makes the huddle aesthetic.”

Minho poked your cheek. “Because she distracts the others and it’s funny.”

“Because we love you,” Chan finished simply.

The stage manager yelled. “One minute!”

The roar of the arena thundered through the floor. Lights flashed. The opening VCR rolled. You lined up behind the curtain with the boys, heart pounding with excitement.

Felix leaned over. “You got this, baby.”

“I swear I’m calling security,” you mumbled, but you couldn’t stop smiling.

The music hit. The stage exploded. You all ran on, and instantly the crowd screamed your name.

During the concer the members kept babying you even on stage. Jeongin offered you his water bottle mid-choreo like you were going to evaporate. Hyunjin fixed your hair. Changbin lifted you off the ground, earning a million fan screams.

At final, Chan passed you the mic, but you froze, overwhelmed by the cheers. Before panic could hit, Minho rested a hand on your back.

“Go on,” he said quietly. “We’re right here.”

You breathed in, spoke into the mic, and the whole arena cheered. The boys watch like proud parents.

After the show, you collapsed on the backstage couch. The members immediately surrounded you with too much affection.

“Good job, baby,” they said.

“I am an adult,” you tried again.

But with eight grinning members crowding you, fussing over you like you were the group’s emotional support hamster, you finally laughed.

“...Fine. Maybe I’m the baby.”

“WE KNEW IT,” they shouted.