#kpop day6

[kpop]

K-Pop Spotlight: DAY6

Come one, come all to a K-Pop Spotlight that is sure to dazzle and delight ’til the final curtain. This week, all eyes are on DAY6 following the release of their eighth mini-album, Fourever, and brand new title track, "Welcome to the Show." We caught up with the band to discuss their goals as they approach their 10th anniversary and their ever-growing connection to their fans through their music. Check out our full interview below!

Tracks like “Welcome to the Show,” “The Power of Love,” and “Get The Hell Out” seem to have very different themes. Can you tell us a little about how these songs relate to each other and what aspects make this album cohesive?

SUNGJIN: As we pursue the idea of being a 'band that sings every moment,' it seems like our albums, including the recent one, prioritize diversity in songs and situations rather than unity. Consequently, our albums contain various genres and narratives. However, there seems to be a commonality in most songs, depicting situations that everyone has either gone through or might experience.

Young K: First and foremost, I would say this album is a compilation of the best songs we could create. There's definitely a theme of love running through it. "Welcome to the Show," "The Power of Love," and "Get The Hell Out" all talk about the concept of love.

What goes into creating titles for DAY6 songs and albums, especially those that don’t come directly from your lyrics? Do you find it hard to condense the intentions and themes of a song into a title?

Young K: While there have been cases like that, all the songs on this album came from the lyrics. Sometimes, when choosing a title, we select the one that best describes the song—other times, we choose to give it a twist or make it more intriguing.

WONPIL: Naming songs involves a lot of deliberation. We often contemplate which title will catch the eye and capture the song's essence. Usually, we try to take it from a verse in the chorus. This can be a challenging part of the songwriting process.

Is there a creative project you’ve always wanted to work on but haven’t gotten the chance/found the time?

SUNGJIN: I'm very curious, and have a principle of "trying to experience as much as possible." There are so many things I want to try musically and personally, especially among the things I know but haven't tried yet.

DOWOON: I hope we can have a song that we can collaborate on with My Day, like a choir.

What does your work/studio setup look like? Where do you feel the most creatively inspired?

DOWOON: We try to keep the studio as tidy as possible and make it comfortable for practice sessions.

WONPIL: When working on songs, we talk a lot. We get inspiration from little conversations, joking around, sharing stories, and listening to music from various eras regardless of genre while giving opinions. We also try to build emotional connections with the songs. There’s a lot of communication going on. The songwriting process takes place in the studio of our long-time collaborator, composer Hong Jisang, with whom we've been working together since our debut.

How do you want to evolve as a musician/producer?

Young K: I want to be eagerly anticipated and awaited as an artist. Without those who wait for us, we wouldn't release or even step onto the stage. So I’m always thankful for My Day.

WONPIL: My biggest goal is to make good music for My Day and the public, so I think I'll continue to ponder. When working on songs, I pour my sincerity into them. I constantly strive to express this sincerity musically, fully capturing the emotions I want to convey. I hope to create songs that can still be listened to even after 10 or 20 years.

Design your own Tumblr blog: choose an aesthetic, a blog name, and would you be a frequent poster or lurker?

SUNGJIN: I think I’ll use it to catch up on friends' updates. For the blog name, THUMB BLUR sounds good to me. I might end up being a lurker who never posts.

DOWOON: Maybe a blog for plants? I think I'll post it like a diary.

Want more DAY6? Check out their new mini album Fourever and the music video for the title track “Welcome to the Show,” both out now!

[yoohyeon]

Kpop polls : Songs with the same names !

[cooochilo]

day6(데이식스) 녹아내려요 (Melt Down)

[eleni-cherie]

Twitter

[dearly-somber]

mini-series

t o t a l . w o r d c o u n t. 23,227

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c r e d i t. @samspenandsword

Sharp Teeth | w/c. 23,227

wolf shifter!jungkook x human!reader (f)

sum. Jungkook—a love struck puppy pining for Y/N’s affection. Y/N—an oblivious, hard-headed tsundere too thick to realize a shifter likes her. What could go wrong?

genre. slow burn, unrequited love, one-sided pining, mutual pining (🤭), fluff, f2l (friends-to-lovers), teenage angst, high school!au, university!au, suggestiveness, eventual romance, eventual smut, (eventual) established relationship, found family

overall rating. 13+

More under the cut!

WAYO | w/c. 3,310

bang yedam x reader, watanabe haruto x reader

sum. You’ve loved Yedam for a very long time, so when Watanabe Haruto sneaks his way into your heart and subsequently pushes him to the side, it’s only natural for him to regret not holding on to you a little longer… Right?

genre. angst, teenage drama, love triangle, (non-sexual) cheating, unrequited love, one-sided pining, song-fic inspired

overall rating. 13+

title | w/c.

pairing

sum.

genre.

overall rating.

[noona-clock]

Fourever 🍀 The Power of Love

Genre: Small Town!AU, Florist!AU, Fluff

Pairing: Young K (Brian) x You

Words: 3,154

Welcome to the Show 🍀 Happy 🍀 The Power of Love 🍀 Get the Hell Out 🍀 Sad Ending 🍀 Let Me Love You 🍀 Didn't Know

Isn't it incredible? A power to erase the feeling of hopelessness Finding the way you lost and Makes you look forward to the future even more Isn't it wonderful? A power that gives you a courageous force that was not there before Makes you push out the fear and makes you run with open arms

A feeling of complete satisfaction washed over Brian as Jae left, the soft jingle of the vintage bell above the door filling the flower shop and signaling yet another happy customer.

It was Jae's fourth wedding anniversary, and since the traditional fourth-anniversary gift was flowers, Brian had sent him home with a unique yet incredibly lovely bouquet of tulips, carnations, and peonies.

"Well, I was thinking roses," Jae had said when he'd first come in. "Don't roses symbolize true love?"

Brian had almost rolled his eyes, but he'd stopped himself -- barely.

"Roses symbolize romance and passion," Brian had corrected him. "Which is totally appropriate in your situation, but... come on. Roses are -- I don't want to say cliche because that's not always bad, so I'll just say that roses are like 'Flowers for Dummies.' Flowers 101. And you want to show your beautiful, fascinating, perfect wife of four whole years that the two of you are way past that, right?"

Jae's brow had furrowed deeply, and he'd nodded. "Absolutely. So, what should I get?"

Of course, Brian had picked out the perfect flowers as soon as Jae had walked in. He'd simply been waiting to hear that question: what should I get?

"I would recommend a bouquet of peonies to symbolize beauty, carnations to symbolize fascination, and tulips to symbolize perfection."

A smirk had slowly overtaken Jae's lips. "Beautiful, fascinating, and perfect," he chuckled. "I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down, my friend."

Brian had simply raised his eyebrows before turning around and getting to work.

And now, twenty minutes later, Brian could savor that incredible feeling of helping someone express their true, intricate feelings. The complex, powerful feelings of love.

Of course, Brian didn't actually know what the complex, powerful feelings of love felt like. He'd never been in love before. But he had a pretty good imagination, pretty high emotional intelligence, and after working as a landscaper and eventually florist for years, a pretty high confidence that he knew what he was doing!

So, for the time being, he was quite content with his part in the equation: helping other people express their love.

At least, that's what he told himself, and when he was at the flower shop during the day, it was easy enough to believe it.

It's when he walked up the stairs at the back of the shop and entered his empty apartment that reality liked to kick in.

I was walking weakly And in pain every time I fall Tears that are about to trickle down Holding on to my heart For you You need the power of love Power of lovе It will be all good if it is that Like the light pushing out the darkness A feeling of bliss Oh, in the name of love Name of love I believe it will change for you You're going to get it back The smile you lost With the power of love

Brian frequently asked himself why he stayed here in this small town. What were the chances he would find true love in a place like this? But when he thought about the shop he'd so painstakingly and lovingly built up and all of his loyal customers and the quiet, gentle way of life here, he knew deep in his bones he wouldn't be happier anywhere else. Even on the nights he felt so lonely that he cried, his head told him to just keep pushing. Just keep waiting and doing what he loves, and everything will work out.

"Good morning!"

The greeting interrupted Brian's thoughts, and honestly, thank goodness. He had been going down one of his negativity tunnels, and it was only 10 in the morning! He lifted his head from his tablet screen (though he hadn't been doing the accounting he should've been -- see: negativity tunnel), a soft smile tugging at his lips when he saw you.

"Morning, Y/N," he replied, setting the tablet down on his desk and heading out of his office and up to the cash register. "What can I do for you?"

You let out a sigh as you laid your hands down on the counter. "So, here's the thing."

Brian narrowed his eyes and tilted his head curiously. "Should I be scared?"

"No!" you chuckled, shaking your head. "No. At least I hope not. I was talking to Wonpil about my lawn."

That made sense because Wonpil was your next-door neighbor. You'd just moved here about a year ago, and you'd been spending most of that time renovating the quaint home you'd inherited from your great-aunt. Apparently, you'd finished everything on the inside of the house and were now moving onto the outside.

"He mentioned that before you owned this shop, you worked for a landscaping company?" you said, your voice trailing up at the end so it sounded more like a question than a statement.

Brian let out a soft chuckle and began nodding his head slowly. "And you want me to help you redo your lawn."

"Well, not help, really!" you assured him swiftly. "I can do all the work, I just have no idea what work I need to do. Y'know? I would appreciate some guidance and knowledge from an expert."

"I don't know if I would necessarily say I'm an expert," Brian refuted.

"I beg to differ. If I wanted some nice flowers for my kitchen window, I would go to the supermarket. But if I wanted the perfect flowers for a special occasion, I would come here. And if you think that only applies to me, then you're way more obtuse than I thought."

"Hey!"

You then stuck your lower lip out into a pout and brought your hands up, clasping them underneath your chin. "Please? I just want you to help me decide what to do to make it look... unique. I'll do everything, you won't have to lift a finger!"

Brian pursed his lips at you. "First of all, I am not obtuse. Second of all..."

Even though he'd had every intention of offering to help you with the design and accept your proposal to not do any of the work, something stopped him.

He realized that he actually wanted to do the work. It had been so long since he'd worked for that landscaping company, and while he couldn't deny owning this flower shop was a dream come true, a part of him missed being out in the sun, getting dirt under his nails (and everywhere else, honestly).

"Second of all, yes, I will help you. With everything. It'll be much easier to get everything done with two people."

Your eyes widened slightly, your mouth forming a small 'O' of surprise. "Really?!"

"Why are you so surprised?" Brian asked in mock offense. "I used to do landscaping for a living. I'm no stranger to manual labor!"

"No, no, no, I'm just really grateful," you explained.

Before you left, you set up a time to meet and come up with a plan for your lawn, and Brian waved a good-bye as you walked back out through the door.

Surprisingly, your unexpected request had really lifted his spirits. He hadn't ever thought about going back to landscaping simply because he'd moved on from that time in his life, and he enjoyed owning his own business and putting a smile on his customers' faces. But thinking about doing this project with you made him smile.

And, in a weird way, it gave him hope. Hope that life wouldn't always be just the same old routine. Even if you lived in a small town and saw the same faces day in and day out, things could still change.

Nothing is impossible The power that helps you step forward Turns even the dull world, fancy To the point of spectacle You whose shoulders are weary On the verge of collapse With exhausted facial expressions For you You need the power of love Power of love It will be all good if it is that Like the light pushing out the darkness A feeling of bliss

Brian impatiently tapped his fingers on his desk as he waited for you to pick up your phone -- honestly, the three rings felt more like thirty!

"Hey," you answered with a smile in your voice.

Ignoring the small flip his stomach did, he replied, "Guess what just got delivered?"

You immediately gasped. "The hydrangeas?!"

"Bingo," Brian grinned. "And they kind of need to be planted in the next day or two, so... how do you feel about starting now? I mean, if you can."

"Now is perfect! Come over whenever," you told him. "Oh, this is so exciting!"

Unfortunately, Brian couldn't ignore yet another stomach flip at your words, and he knew he was dangerously close to admitting (at least to himself) that he was developing feelings for you.

Or maybe already had?

Since your great-aunt had lived here for many, many years -- longer than Brian, certainly -- he had met you a few times growing up. You'd spent a week or two with her during the summer almost every year up through your teens, and while the two of you hadn't exactly become friends, he had still known exactly who you were the first day you came into the flower shop after moving into your newly inherited home.

It was more than fair to say that a friendship had blossomed (pun intended) after you'd become a permanent resident in the town, but after working with you so closely on your lawn...

You were optimistic, extremely hard-working (as evidenced by the entire renovation of your aunt's house), intelligent, witty, compassionate. And now you were seemingly getting excited about flowers! What more could Brian want?!

But he stuffed all those thoughts back into the deepest drawer of his mind as he heaved the hydrangea plants into the back of his truck, even though he knew they wouldn't stay buried for long since he was on his way to see you.

He tried to distract himself from thinking about you by turning the radio up and singing along as loudly as his voice could stand.

As soon as he turned into your driveway and saw you, though, his heart jumped up into his throat. You were already outside in your work clothes, and you waved enthusiastically with your gloved hand.

Brian lifted one hand off the steering wheel briefly to wave back at you; a somewhat goofy smile had appeared on his lips without realizing it, but he quickly wiped it off once he noticed. Although, since you were still looking at him, he didn't want you to think anything was wrong, so he pretended to cough to cover it up.

...What was he doing?

Had he really just faked a cough to explain why he had suddenly stopped smiling at you?

Good grief.

When he stopped his truck, before he even turned off the engine, you dashed to the bed to look at the hydrangeas.

"Oh, they are gorgeous," you exclaimed as he turned the key and got out. After closing the door, he shuffled back to the bed, coming to stand opposite you. "So worth the wait. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Brian felt a flush growing on his cheeks, so he moved away, heading to open the tailgate without acknowledging your words.

Thankfully, planting the bushes was hard enough work to divert his thoughts away from you and his feelings, but that didn't mean the two of you didn't have a good time doing it.

Brian had almost forgotten how much he enjoyed being outside and, for all intents and purposes, playing in the dirt. It seemed like you felt the same way -- in fact, you'd remarked several times during the past few weeks that all of the yard work energized you, which is exactly how he felt.

Of course, the energy only lasted so long.

A weary grunt escaped from Brian's throat as he collapsed onto the grass. The last bush had been successfully planted, and with the work done, he could let himself rest -- if only for a short while before he had to head back to the shop.

"Yard work," you sighed as you landed right beside him. "So satisfying and so exhausting."

"Exactly," Brian chuckled weakly.

"Have I said 'thank you' for all of your help?" you asked.

"Yes," Brian replied without hesitation. "Many, many, many times, and I'm pretty sure I told you last week that you don't have to thank me for anything for the next ten years."

"Right, right, I forgot about that," you sighed. "I have some lemonade in the fridge. Would you like some?"

Brian felt as if he knew you well enough by now to know this was just another way for you to say 'thank you.'

But... how could he say 'no'?

"I would love some," he replied, yet another grunt leaving his lips as he got up.

He held his hand out for you, and you readily accepted, allowing him to haul you to your feet.

That was mistake number one. When you stood, you ended up so close to Brian that he could smell your shampoo. It was truly a wonder that he could smell anything besides dirt and sweat (truly, he did not want to think about how he smelled), so he could only conclude that your shampoo was magical.

Or maybe it was just you?

Mistake number two came after you'd led him inside, poured him a glass of homemade lemonade, and offered him a bar stool to sit and enjoy his refreshment. After he plopped down, he shrugged one shoulder up to his ear and groaned as he felt how tight the muscle was.

"Here," you murmured as you moved to stand behind him. "You drink, I'll -- Is it okay if I...?"

You gently set your hands on his shoulders, and before his brain could yell at him that this was a very bad idea, he hummed and nodded.

"Great," you said as you gripped his shoulders and began to knead his muscles with your thumbs. "My dad worked in construction, so I got really good really quickly at giving shoulder massages."

Brian was about to ask more about your family, but you hadn't been joking -- you were really good at this. The firm pressure of your fingers almost instantly relaxed his shoulders, and all coherent thoughts left his brain.

Actually, he still had one coherent thought. The image of you massaging his shoulders at the end of a long day while he had dinner cooking in the oven. The feeling of your lips on his neck as you pressed kisses to his skin while you worked out the knots. Then the two of you would sit at the table to eat, talking about your days and playing footsie like two lovestruck teenagers. After dinner, Brian would return the favor and massage your shoulders as you did the dishes. And, finally, after a relaxing night of watching TV or playing a game or simply talking, the two of you would get ready for bed and have a wonderful night's sleep next to each other.

In other words, the one coherent thought in his brain at the moment was: Bliss.

It's called love Feel the power Don't hesitate Don't doubt it Don't you worry, try it now You need the power of love Power of love It will be all good if it is that Like the light pushing out the darkness A feeling of bliss Oh, in the name of love Name of love I believe it will change for you You're going to get it back The smile you lost With the power of love

Brian felt like an idiot.

A scared, bumbling fool, even.

He'd had the perfect opportunity to confess his feelings for you, and he'd totally blown it.

After your shoulder massage, and after the two of you had sufficiently caught your breath, you had gone outside to admire the finished product. The hydrangeas had been the final piece of your new landscape puzzle, so once those had been planted, that had been it!

You had commented that everything looked absolutely perfect, and even though Brian had told you that you hadn't needed to thank him again, you had -- just once more. You'd told him that working with him had been an absolute pleasure, and hopefully, you could consider him a friend?

See what I mean about 'the perfect opportunity'? He should've said 'Actually, I don't know if I want to be just friends.'

But no!

He had simply agreed with you, said goodbye, and left!

He sighed deeply and shook his head just thinking about it.

The jingle of the bell above the door broke into his belittling thoughts, and he stopped cutting the stems of some freshly arrived daisies to look up and greet whoever --

Oh.

It was you.

"Hey," you said, a smile tugging at your lips. And if Brian didn't know any better, he'd think it was actually a shy smile.

"Y/N, hey," he replied. "What can I do for you?"

You sidled up to him, reaching out and gingerly touching one of the daisy petals. "Did I ever tell you that daisies are my favorite flower?"

Brian's brow immediately furrowed. "No, I don't think you did. Why didn't you want to plant any in your yard?"

"I love hydrangeas, too," you explained. "And I wanted to -- this is going to sound silly -- I wanted to keep daisies special. It's like how you might have a favorite kind of chocolate, but you only buy it for yourself on your birthday because if you eat it every day, it might not be your favorite anymore."

"That's not silly at all," Brian assured you, shaking his head. "I think it makes sense."

You looked quite pleased that Brian understood what you meant, but then you quickly shook your head. "Sorry, that was so not what I came in here for."

Brian chuckled softly, taking a daisy out of the pail and handing it to you wordlessly. "Then what did you come in here for?"

You took the flower as a soft tinge of pink bloomed (pun intended) on your cheeks. "I... thank you, by the way. For the flower. Just now. But, I -- um -- well, you see, I -- There's the county fair coming up, you know, and I was wondering..."

A wide grin forced its way onto Brian's lips, and when you trailed off, he said, "You were wondering if... we could go? Together?"

You let out a very short exhale and then nodded. "Yes. That's exactly what I was wondering."

Okay, here was his chance. He had completely fumbled it last time, so now he had to make up for it.

"Well, that depends," he answered.

You frowned at him. "Depends on what?"

"It depends on whether or not it's going to be a date. Are you asking me just as a friend? Or... more than?"

He took a step closer to you, hoping that his facial expression (a soft smirk and sparkling eyes) and body language (leaning toward you, hands at the ready to reach out and take yours) made it more than clear what he wanted your answer to be.

Thankfully, you took a step closer to him, too, and the smell of your shampoo wrapped around him like a comforting blanket.

"More than," you confirmed, your voice quiet but confident.

"Okay, just one second," he murmured. Hastily, he darted over to a corner of the shop, grabbed the perfect flower, and made his way back to you.

"Oh, a lilac," you grinned as he handed the flower to you. You bundled it with your daisy, bringing both up to your nose to savor the beautiful scents.

"I would love to go to the fair with you," Brian said.

And he wasn't sure if he'd ever felt more... well, just more. Not only was he experiencing these romantic feelings for the first time, but they were everything he'd ever hoped for and more. Plus, he'd even been able to express his emotions with the perfect flower.

The purple lilac symbolizes new love, after all.

[maximura]

DAY6 | Park Sungjin

[luvkyu]

wadduh it me again but anon version😈 dowoon x 5th member male reader where dw has the biggest crush on reader (im delulu) and literally admires him during mv filmings, photoshoots or even just normal shit SO the other members notice this behaviour and teases him about it HAHAHAHAHAHA

so let's love ( yoon dowoon )

dowoon x male!reader

dowoon can't hide his definitely-not-platonic love for his bandmate.

content : 0.4k words, fluff, idol!dowoon x 5th member!reader

( a/n ) MMMMMM DAY6 ( i'm obsessed ) this is rly short im sorry,, i rewrote it like three times and im still not that satisfied with it but its FINE

"he's doing it again.." sungjin mumbled toward wonpil beside him.

"huh?"

"dowoon," sungjin clarified, "he's doing it again."

wonpil looked over at dowoon, who was a few feet away on the photoshoot set. the group was currently taking concept photos for their next album, and dowoon's gaze was stuck rather obviously on y/n.

"i don't know what else you expected," wonpil replied. "he's obsessed."

"who's obsessed?" younghyun chimed in after just getting his makeup touched up.

"dowoon."

"oh. with y/n?"

wonpil and sungjin nodded.

"then yes," younghyun agreed.

y/n continued to change poses and expressions in front of the camera. dowoon felt mesmerized. he was supposed to go after y/n, but he didn't know how well he'd do in front of the camera after watching y/n. he might as well have fallen in love all over again.

"yoon dowoon!"

dowoon snapped out of his trance. he looked over at the rest of his group with raised brows. the color on his face turned to a deep red as he realized they'd been watching him stare at y/n. sungjin waved him over, but dowoon almost felt like ignoring him. he knew the three were bound to tease him.

dowoon walked over to them after taking one more glance at y/n, who finally met dowoon's eyes and sent him a quick smile before looking back at the camera. dowoon felt his heart skip in his chest. he looked down at his feet as he walked before stopping in front of his friends.

"so when are you guys gonna kiss?" younghyun asked.

"never, at this point," wonpil answered.

dowoon blinked, "what?"

"tsk. you and y/n. we're waiting for you and y/n to finally get together," sungjin explained.

dowoon looked back at y/n one more time.

"what do you mean?"

small sighs and groans of disappointment sounded from the others.

"you suck at being subtle dowoon. make a move on y/n already," wonpil urged while sungjin and younghyun nodded along.

"i don't think he sees me that way," dowoon protested a bit shyly.

"shut up, you two are basically each other's favorites."

"there's no way he doesn't like you too."

"dowoon, respectfully, open your fucking eyes."

dowoon continued to watch y/n as his bandmates talked. he really hoped they were right.

[shivsjay]

PSYCHOLOGISTS HATE THEM! Header; BoyGroups e GirlGroups

[rvnclyd]

that smile you have enables me to hang in there again ~ 🎶🍀☃️

[prplocks]

✧❁ wallpaper 〴 idols birthday ˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

reblog if you save ➳

༶•┈┈┈┈┈┈୨♡୧┈┈┈┈┈•༶

[junohhhh]

Good night I’m off to think of fake scenarios of my favorite kpop idol to put me to sleep💗

[eleni-cherie]

[sewooonz]

day6 <bandaid> concept film (x)

[noona-clock]

Fourever 🍀 Welcome to the Show

Genre: Bookstore!AU, Fluff

Pairing: Dowoon x You

Words: 1,659

Welcome to the Show 🍀 Happy 🍀 The Power of Love 🍀 Get the Hell Out 🍀 Sad Ending 🍀 Let Me Love You 🍀 Didn't Know

I'm so moved by the stage That I won't be alone any longer Among all of the possibilities Thank you for choosing me The future that you're welcoming with me might be risky But there might also be tear-filled impassion

Dowoon let out a shaky exhale as he anxiously tapped one drumstick against his thigh. His gaze flitted around, and seeing all of the familiar bookshelves and cozy chairs actually did a lot to calm his nerves. The only other thing that could help would be seeing you, but if he so much as peeked around the curtain next to the small stage in the back of the bookstore, he would see everyone else in the audience, too. And that would most decidedly not help.

It had taken him years to get to this point, and chickening out now would disappoint not only himself but you, too. You wouldn't tell him you were disappointed, but he knew you would be deep down.

Suddenly (or maybe not so suddenly), the urge to see you was almost overwhelming. He knew you were out in the audience, probably not even ten feet away from him at this very moment -- the bookstore wasn't a huge place, after all. All he really wanted was to say 'thank you.' Up until tonight, Dowoon had been too scared to even think about drumming in front of other people, but you had gently pushed him to share his talent. He didn't have to ever go on stage again, not even at the bookstore's Open Mic night; just once would be enough.

And, eventually, Dowoon had fallen so deeply for you that he agreed. The smile on your lips and the squeal his acquiescence had elicited from you had warmed his heart and quelled his nerves.

So, if he could only see you for just a minute right now, just to say 'thank you for believing in me' and wrap you in a quick but tight embrace, he knew he would be able to get up on that stage without a care in the world.

Even so, if you won't let go of my hand If so (If so) Then let's go (Let's go) Welcome to the show I promise you this much I'm going to give my all So, the look in your eyes won't be shaken I'll be standing and looking towards you

Alas, just as Dowoon was reaching into his pocket to send you a text, the emcee for the Open Mic night (the manager of the bookstore) announced the next act -- Dowoon's band.

Technically, it wasn't his band. It was a local band he'd joined a couple of months ago after their drummer moved away. But still.

"And some of you may recognize the drummer," the manager said, her grin apparent in her voice. "He's been working here at The Pagemaster for almost four years -- our very own Dowoon!"

Dowoon's stomach dropped down to his feet. His cheeks almost instantly flamed. He should've known this was coming since his manager, Hanna, had been delighted when she'd heard the news.

But, still? Had it been necessary to point him out like that?!

Somehow, Dowoon followed his bandmates out onto the small stage, though he kept his eyes glued to his shoes rather than look out in the audience. When he sat down behind his drum set, though, he kind of had no choice but to face the audience, so he swiftly found you -- the only person in this bookstore right now (and maybe in the world?) around whom he didn't feel nervous. His anchor, his rock, his home.

A wide, radiant grin appeared on your lips the second your gazes met, and Dowoon imagined the feeling of your hand in his. He imagined you standing right in front of him, blocking out every other person so it seemed as if he were only playing to you.

As the band's frontman was introducing their first song, you discreetly formed a heart with your fingers and mouthed 'I believe in you.'

Honestly, that was all he needed. As soon as the guitarist turned around to give Dowoon the signal, he lifted his drumsticks into the air and counted them off to begin.

Let's go.

I know your decision was not easy It's my part to make you not regret it If you're willing to go to the end together Still holding onto your hand Even on the day that the curtains come down So that we can say to each other That I was happy because it was you

You were so proud of Dowoon that you almost started crying tears of joy. But you could still see the anxiety on his face, and if he saw you crying, it certainly wouldn't help things.

So, to distract your mind, you began thinking of how you and Dowoon met all those months ago...

You had just moved to town not even a week before you walked through the doors of The Pagemaster, a locally-owned bookstore about a five-minute walk from your new place. The stress of moving and unpacking had gotten to you, and you'd decided to notch out some time to unwind with a new book -- escapism and retail therapy. What better ways to cope, am I right?

It hadn't been one of those meet-cutes where you'd seen Dowoon across the room and were pulled by the Universe to go speak with him. You had interacted with him on that first visit, yes, but things had happened gradually. In fact, it had taken you about two months to realize you were visiting The Pagemaster at least once a week not fully to buy or browse new books, but more to see a certain dark-haired, soft-spoken employee.

And then, on your first date a few weeks later, Dowoon had mentioned that he played the drums.

"Wait, how did I not know this already?" you'd gasped, your brow furrowed. "Are you playing at Open Mic Night next weekend?"

Dowoon had immediately shaken his head and murmured, "No, it's just a hobby."

"So? Open Mic Night isn't just for professionals. Actually, that's the whole point! You should sign up and play something!" you'd assured him, reaching out to rest a gentle hand on his arm.

"Nah... I don't think so."

It had taken a bit of delicate prodding to find out Dowoon had just been scared to play in front of people. A classic case of Stage Fright!

So, you'd made it your mission to find a local band in need of a drummer so he wouldn't have to be on the stage by himself.

And now here you were! Many, many dates later, and you were finally watching your boyfriend play drums at Open Mic Night. You were doing your best to catch his eye as often as possible so you could smile encouragingly and quietly clap for him -- he had been nervous for at least a week, and you didn't want him to regret doing this. Even if he never did it again, you wanted him to be glad he'd done it at least once.

Honestly, though, you would absolutely be disappointed if he decided to never drum again after tonight because boy did he look cute doing it!

I promise you this much I'm going to give my all So, the look in your eyes won't be shaken I'll be standing and looking towards you

At first, when Dowoon had seen you stand from your chair and politely squeeze by the people sitting in your row, he'd panicked. The final song was almost over, but he had a drum solo near the end, and he didn't think he'd be able to get through it if you weren't in the audience!

But then he realized you were simply making your way to the side of the stage so you could be there to greet him when the band's set was done.

Thank goodness.

Your closeness gave Dowoon that extra boost of courage, and when his drum solo came around, he really gave it all he had. He clamped his eyes shut so he could just feel the music.

And when the bookstore filled with applause before he was even finished, his eyes flew open and landed on you. He could see from here that there were tears in your eyes, but you were smiling so widely and clapping so enthusiastically that he knew they were tears of joy. Or maybe... pride?

He was certainly proud of himself for overcoming his stage fright, and if he was being honest, if the roles were reversed, he would probably be overflowing with emotion, too.

The applause was still going strong as the band's frontman thanked everyone and then turned to leave the stage. Dowoon swiftly stood, slid his drumsticks into his back pocket, and practically leaped over his cymbal stand to get to you.

"You were amazing!" you whisper-shouted the second he reached you, flinging your arms around his neck.

A shy smile tugged at Dowoon's lips as he hugged you back. He could hear you sniffling above the noise of the crowd and his manager introducing the next act, so he discreetly reached up to take your arm and began to lead you back to the corner of the store where the cozy mystery section was.

"You were so so amazing," you repeated softly once Dowoon had turned to face you again.

He lifted his hands to delicate cradle your face, using one of his thumbs to wipe away a stray tear.

"I'm so proud of you," you whispered as you moved to press your forehead to his.

"I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for you," he reminded you. "So... thank you."

You let out a soft chuckle before kissing him chastely. "You're welcome."

Dowoon searched your face -- your absolutely beautiful, beaming, slightly tear-stained face -- and maybe it was the adrenaline rush from performing on stage or maybe it was your overwhelming emotions transferring to him or maybe... it was just his true, honest feelings coming to the surface, but he felt the words bubbling up and couldn't do anything to stop them.

"I love you."

Your eyebrows raised slightly, but that was the only indication you gave that he'd surprised you. You didn't hesitate even for a second before saying "I love you, too."

He pulled you into his arms then, wrapping them firmly around you as he buried his face in your sweetly scented hair.

No matter what happened from here on out -- if he never performed in front of people ever again or if he joined the band in earnest and became a full-blow musician. If he quit working at The Pagemaster tomorrow or if he worked here for the rest of his life. Dowoon wasn't worried or anxious or afraid about any of it because he knew you would be by his side, and he would be by yours.

Welcome to the show.