Chapter Text
Blinding lights shot through the hotel room window, piercing the early morning haze. As you lay there, cocooned in the soft, luxurious duvet, the events of last night played vividly in your mind. The warm embrace of Chris and Binnie still lingered on your skin, their presence a comforting memory that made your heart flutter.
The duvet's high thread count caresses your skin, making you feel like a fairy tale princess wrapped in elegance and warmth. The room was filled with a serene stillness, the world outside waking slowly with the gentle chirping of birds. It was a welcome melody, a peaceful prelude to the day ahead.
But the tranquillity was abruptly shattered as the alarm on your phone blared, cutting through the calm like a jarring reminder of reality. With a sigh, you reached out to silence it, savouring the last few moments of warmth and memory before the day demanded your attention.
You found yourself reaching for your iPad to check the day's schedule. A TV appearance this morning, a photoshoot this afternoon—it would be a long one. As you scrolled through the appointments, a sudden realisation hit you like a ton of bricks: you would have to face the group of boys again today.
"Oh god…" you muttered to yourself, panic rising. Had they all talked about it? And Seungmin!? How could you forget about him? The memories of last night were hazy and fragmented. Did you drink that much? Surely not. Yet, the sinking feeling in your stomach suggested otherwise.
Panic gripped you tighter. Last night had been a whirlwind, but now it seemed like the most unprofessional thing you'd ever done in your career. The thought of facing them today was unbearable. There was no way you'd keep your job after this.
"sh*t," you whispered, dread pooling in your gut. The iPad screen blurred as you tried to focus, wondering how you'd navigate through the day—or if you'd even have a job to navigate at all. A welcome knock came to the door.
“Ms. Y/N, breakfast is set out in the next-door suite.” Billie’s voice said, reassuring you that at least your staff had been retained for the morning. You managed a quick “Thank you” before reluctantly pulling yourself out of bed.
Standing in front of the mirror, you braced yourself for the worst. To your surprise, the marks on your body weren’t as awful as you had feared. With a sense of cautious relief, you stepped into the shower, letting the warm water cascade over you, washing away the remnants of last night. The steam filled the bathroom, creating a cocoon of calm as you tried to collect your thoughts and prepare for the day ahead.
The hot water helped to clear your mind, each droplet a soothing balm to your frazzled nerves. As you lathered shampoo into your hair, you replayed the events of last night, trying to piece together the fragments. The laughter, drinks, and warmth of Chris and Binnie's embrace mixed with the dread of facing the consequences today.
You finished your shower, and the clarity of the morning routine provided a small comfort. Wrapping yourself in a plush towel, you felt more like yourself, ready to tackle whatever awaited you. As you dressed, the familiar sounds of the bustling hotel seeped through the walls, grounding you in the present.
Stepping out of the bathroom, you took a deep breath, ready to face the day, whatever it might bring.
Gently knocking on the suite door, you pushed it open, hoping and praying it was empty so you could eat your breakfast in peace. Unfortunately, you were greeted by eight pairs of eyes, all turning to you as you entered. Your heart raced, and it was hard to gauge their emotions—though that might have been your anxiety clouding your perception.
“Good morning,” you said, striving to sound level-headed. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Really? You mentally kicked yourself. Small talk about the weather? Real discreet. Seungmin, Chris, and Binnie exchanged tiny, smug smiles barely contained on their lips.
“Good morning!” Felix's cheerful voice broke the unspoken tension. “Come get some breakfast.”
You nodded, scanning the room for a spare seat. Naturally, the only available one was between Chris and Binnie. f*ck.
With a deep breath, you walked over and settled into the seat, feeling the heat of their presence on either side of you. The aroma of fresh coffee and warm pastries filled the air, starkly contrasting the cold dread knotting in your stomach. Chris leaned in slightly, his voice teasingly low, “Sleep well?”
Binnie chuckled softly, adding, “Yeah, you seemed pretty comfortable last night.”
Your cheeks burned as you forced a smile, focusing on the food before you. “Thanks for breakfast,” you mumbled, hoping to steer the conversation away from last night’s events.
Sensing your discomfort, Felix launched a story about his latest cooking adventure, giving you a momentary reprieve. You appreciated the distraction, even as the weight of Chris and Binnie's gazes lingered.
As you picked at your croissant, you couldn’t help but wonder how you would survive the rest of the day. The tightrope walk of maintaining professionalism while dealing with the aftermath of last night was going to be a daunting challenge.
After the very uncomfortable breakfast, you realised with some relief that you were not about to lose your job. The energy towards you wasn’t as hostile as you had feared. Everyone had been sharing stories about their antics at the club last night around the breakfast table, and you quietly excused yourself to prepare for the upcoming schedules.
Grabbing Billie and William on your way back to your room, you all sat down and went through the day's events. This morning's TV appearance was in order; the presenter would ask questions that needed looking over and clearance. The photoshoot this afternoon was pretty much put together, but there was an issue with Felix and Hyunjin’s stylist that would require your attention later that morning while the boys were in the studio.
“Your stylist will be here any moment,” Billie said, checking her watch.
“Again?” you protested. “I’m not even going to be on TV!” you groaned.
“It’s an instruction from the boys' manager. Nothing we can do,” she shrugged back at you.
You sighed, slumping back into your chair. The memory of last night's embarrassment was still fresh, and the last thing you wanted was to sit through hair and makeup for a camera you wouldn't even be facing. However, protocol was protocol, and you had to comply.
As you waited for the stylist, you couldn't help but reflect on the breakfast conversation. Despite the initial awkwardness, it had been a relief to hear everyone laughing and joking about the previous night's escapades. They were willing to let bygones be bygones; maybe you could, too.
The knock on the door jolted you back to reality. The stylist breezed in, a whirlwind of energy and tools. “Good morning! Let’s get you ready for the day!” she chirped.
You forced a smile, settling into the chair. “Good morning,” you replied. You mentally ran through the schedule again as she worked, focusing on each task. The TV appearance questions, the photoshoot logistics, and the stylist issue with Felix and Hyunjin would be a busy day, but you felt a renewed sense of determination. You could handle this. You had to.
As the stylist finished up, you glanced at your reflection. Professional, polished, and ready to face whatever the day would throw at you. With a final nod to yourself, you thanked the stylist and headed out, Billie and William in tow.
“Third car down.” Billie pointed to your vehicle, where Theo was waiting outside, acknowledging your arrival with a nod. “You’re traveling with management; we’ll meet you at the studio. I’ve organized for a desk to be available on your arrival so you can go over the afternoon appearances in peace.”
You felt gratitude toward Billie for understanding your need for some alone time. You gave her an appreciative smile before clamouring into the car to greet the management team.
Settling into the backseat, you exchanged brief greetings with the management team, who were already immersed in their preparations for the day. The car hummed with quiet efficiency as it pulled away from the hotel, the cityscape blurring past the windows.
As the car navigated the bustling streets, you allowed yourself to breathe and collect your thoughts. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on the leather seats. The murmured conversations of the management team served as calming background noise, letting you focus on the tasks ahead.
You opened your iPad and reviewed the questions for the TV appearance, ensuring everything was in order. Each question was a potential landmine, and you wanted to be prepared. As you scrolled through the list, you made mental notes on key points to highlight and possible answers to tricky queries.
“Over here!” The press had gathered outside the studio, their cameras flashing and voices calling for attention. You were suddenly thankful for the makeup artist’s work this morning; the polished look gave you an extra layer of confidence.
Theo acted as your shield, expertly guiding you through the throng of reporters and fans. The group of boys ahead of you had created a temporary barrier, and you weaved in behind them, trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible. Chris glanced over his shoulder, his eyes filled with concern, acutely aware that this was probably your first time facing a crowd this intense. You gave him a reassuring nod, signalling that you were okay, even though the blinding flashes made it hard to see.
Within minutes, you found yourself inside the studio building, the noise and chaos of the crowd left behind. Chris was the first to rush over to you, with Changbin following closely after.
“Are you okay?” they asked in unison, their voices laced with worry. They hadn’t anticipated the gathering crowd to be so overwhelming.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” you assured them, though your heart was still racing from the unexpected frenzy outside. “Thank you for checking.”
Seungmin and IN had taken their concerns to management, their voices carrying over as they scolded them for not having better crowd control measures. The studio staff looked apologetic, scrambling to address the oversight.
Chris placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. “We didn’t think it would be this bad. I’m sorry.” His touch set your body alight again, and you had to ground yourself quickly.
“It’s okay,” you replied, offering a small smile. “Just part of the job, right?”
Changbin nodded, his expression softening. “Still, we should’ve been better prepared. Next time, we’ll make sure it’s handled.”
