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miorrtae · 2 months ago

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NEWS FLASH ᥫ᭡ TAEYEON SMAU

NF 15

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The final chorus of our last song echoed through the arena, harmonizing with the chants and cheers of thousands of fans. The energy was electric, the light sticks glowing in a sea of color that stretched as far as I could see. I stood center stage, my chest heaving as I caught my breath, feeling the adrenaline of the performance pulsing through me.

As the music faded and we struck our ending poses, the arena plunged into a momentary hush, the stage lights dimming. Then, like clockwork, the massive jumbotron above us lit up, bringing the crowd to life again with its fan cam, panning over the audience.

I watched with a smile, waving lightly to the fans who popped up on the screen, their faces filled with joy. The camera swept from row to row, capturing everything from cheering fans to waving banners. It was always one of my favorite moments, seeing their happiness magnified tenfold.

But then, the camera stopped.

And there she was.

Taeyeon.

Her image filled the entire screen, seated gracefully in the VIP section. She held a serene yet unmistakably proud smile on her face. Her gaze was steady, fixed directly on me, and it was like the entire world tilted off its axis.

The arena erupted.

The screams were deafening, as if the crowd had collectively lost its mind. Taeyeon’s name rippled through the audience, the chants growing louder with every second.

“Taeyeon! Taeyeon! Taeyeon!”

My body froze. My heart dropped, then soared, and for a moment, I thought I might actually forget how to breathe. She was here. She was actually here.

I couldn’t look away, even though I knew I had to. My lips parted slightly in disbelief, and for a second, it felt like time had slowed to a crawl. Taeyeon raised her hand, giving a small wave, her smile widening just enough to make it impossible for me to focus on anything else.

The camera stayed on her for a few more seconds as the audience’s cheers turned into thunderous applause. My pulse raced, and I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, threatening to turn me bright red.

I forced myself to snap out of it.

Lifting the microphone to my lips, I took a shaky breath and chuckled lightly, trying to mask the storm of emotions brewing inside me. “Well,” I said, my voice steady despite the chaos I felt, “it looks like you guys really like Taeyeon seonbae.”

The crowd roared even louder, if that was even possible, their excitement nearly shaking the walls of the venue. I laughed softly, shaking my head to compose myself.

“She really knows how to make an entrance, huh?” I added, earning another round of cheers and laughter from the audience.

I turned to glance at my groupmates, who were all exchanging grins and knowing looks. They’d clearly caught my reaction, and judging by their smirks, they were enjoying every second of my flustered state.

The show wrapped up with our final bows, and I forced myself to stay in the moment, addressing the fans and thanking them for their support. I smiled, waved, and spoke with as much enthusiasm as I could muster, but my thoughts were elsewhere. My heart was still racing, and every fiber of my being was focused on one thing: getting off that stage and finding her.

As the lights dimmed and we exited to the deafening applause of the crowd, my mind replayed the moment over and over. She had come. Despite everything, she had made it. And she hadn’t just slipped in quietly—she had let the entire arena know she was there.

The walk backstage felt endless, but the second I pushed through the door into the green room, my breath hitched.

There she was.

Taeyeon stood in the center of the room, holding a bouquet of flowers I’d hadn’t seen on the jumbotron. She looked radiant, her expression a mix of pride and something softer—something that made my chest tighten all over again.

I didn’t say a word. I couldn’t.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I crossed the room in a few long strides and pulled her into a hug. It wasn’t a casual hug, either—it was one of those tight, desperate embraces where you pour all your emotions into the gesture because words just won’t cut it.

Her arms came around me almost immediately, and I felt her laugh softly against my shoulder. “Surprised?” she murmured, her voice warm and teasing.

“You have no idea,” I whispered, my voice muffled against her.

The tension I’d been holding in all night melted away in her presence. I could feel her smile as she pulled back just enough to look at me, her eyes filled with something that made my heart ache in the best way.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” she said softly.

I barely had a second to pull myself together after the hug before the girls came storming into the green room, their laughter bouncing off the walls like they’d been plotting this moment for hours.

“Oh, look who’s here!” Karina said immediately, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “Taeyeon seonbae, huh? No wonder Y/N’s been all smiles.”

“Right?” Natty chimed in, crossing her arms and mock-pouting. “So this is why you’ve been ignoring your wife.”

“Wife?” Taeyeon echoed with a chuckle, raising a brow as she glanced at me.

“She’s delusional. Don’t listen to her,” Y/N said quickly, though the tips of their ears were red.

“Delusional? Wow, is that how you treat me after everything we’ve been through?” Natty shot back dramatically, earning laughs from everyone.

Karina smirked, leaning against the wall. “You’ve got some explaining to do, Y/N. But hey, at least you’re consistent. First, you embarrass yourself on stage, and now this.”

“Can you not?” Y/N groaned, though there was no real heat in their voice.

Eunchae giggled, nudging Chungha. “I think we need to give them some privacy. It’s getting spicy in here.”

Jisun, ever the responsible leader, finally stepped in. “Alright, that’s enough, guys. Leave Y/N alone.”

“But this is the best part of the night!” Natty whined, though she backed off.

Chungha laughed, nudging Eunchae, who was giggling so hard she had tears in her eyes. “I’m not gonna lie; that hug was kind of legendary,” Chungha said, trying to keep a straight face. “You looked like you were about to melt.”

“I was not about to melt,” I shot back, crossing my arms.

“Oh, you were totally melting,” Eunchae said between laughs. “We all saw it. Don’t even try to deny it!”

“Okay, enough,” Jisun said sharply, cutting through the teasing like a mom stepping in to stop the chaos. She gave the others a pointed look. “Let Y/N have this moment without all of you acting like clowns.”

The room fell into a brief silence, though Karina’s smirk lingered like she wasn’t quite done yet.

“Thanks, Jisun,” I muttered, grateful for the reprieve.

Jisun sighed, but her lips quirked into a small smile as she looked at me. “You owe me for this one. Big time.”

“Noted,” I said with a chuckle, and then glanced back at Taeyeon, who was watching the whole exchange with amused eyes.

“So, uh,” I started, scratching the back of my neck, “we’ve got a company dinner planned for after this.”

“Oh?” Taeyeon tilted her head slightly, her curiosity evident.

“You should come,” I blurted out before I could second-guess myself.

The room erupted again, though this time it was Chungha who was the loudest. “Taeyeon sunbae at our dinner? You’re really trying to win today, huh, Y/N?”

“She has to come now,” Natty added, winking at Taeyeon. “We need more material to tease Y/N with later.”

“Seriously, can y’all stop?” I groaned, though my face was definitely red.

“I’d love to,” Taeyeon said, smiling at me like the teasing didn’t faze her at all.

That shut everyone up for a split second, which was honestly a miracle.

As we wrapped up and got ready to leave, Taeyeon and I ended up walking side by side, the bouquet still in her hands. The others trailed behind us, still whispering and giggling, but I tuned them out.

When we stepped outside through the front entrance, the fans waiting outside erupted into cheers. The cool night air hit my face, but it did nothing to cool down the heat spreading through me as Taeyeon reached for my hand.

Her fingers brushed mine as we walked out of the venue, and for a split second, I felt my pulse quicken. Taeyeon’s hand was warm, and though it wasn’t quite a tight grip, there was something about the touch that made everything else feel distant. The flashing cameras, the screams from the fans, it all seemed to fade into the background as I focused on the sensation of her fingers against mine.

The night air hit us as we stepped outside, the cool breeze doing nothing to cool the heat creeping up my neck. Fans lined the front, waving signs and shouting our names, but none of it mattered. All I could focus on was Taeyeon, her calm demeanor in the midst of all the chaos, the way she didn’t seem rattled by any of it, and how she didn’t let go of my hand.

“You know,” I started, glancing over at her, “they’re probably going to be talking about this for weeks. You know, seeing you here with me and all.”

Taeyeon smirked, glancing down at our hands before looking back at me. “Let them. Not like I’m trying to hide.”

There was that spark in her eyes again. The one that always made my heart skip a beat. But I couldn’t let myself get too lost in it. We were just friends, after all. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

As we neared the curb where both of our cars were waiting, Taeyeon slowed her steps and turned toward me. Her eyes scanned my face, and she tilted her head slightly. “So,” she said softly, “are you riding with them?” She gestured toward my groupmates, who were already piling into their van with our manager. “Or do you want to come with me?”

Her question caught me completely off guard. My group mates were still chatting, not paying us much attention, though I could hear Natty’s faint laughter echoing from inside the van. I glanced between them and Taeyeon, my mind racing.

“I—” I hesitated, trying not to let my nerves show.

Taeyeon smiled knowingly, her expression calm but patient, like she wasn’t in any rush to hear my answer. “No pressure,” she added, though the playful lilt in her voice said otherwise.

I glanced back at my van one last time, where Natty was making exaggerated gestures that I was sure were meant to tease me later. Then I looked at Taeyeon again, her presence grounding me in a way I couldn’t explain.

“I’ll come with you,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

Taeyeon’s smile widened, and without another word, she led me to her car, her hand brushing mine again. The fans’ cheers grew louder as they realized what was happening, but I barely heard them. All I could focus on was the way Taeyeon held the door open for me, her steady gaze making my heart race in a way I couldn’t ignore.

As I slid into the backseat next to her, her manager took the front, giving us space but not entirely ignoring us. Taeyeon leaned back slightly, her shoulder brushing mine, and the quiet hum of the car engine was the only thing filling the silence between us.

The car pulled away from the curb, the hum of the engine blending with the muffled sounds of fans still cheering outside. The tinted windows shielded us from the chaos, creating a bubble of calm inside the car.

I leaned back in my seat, glancing over at Taeyeon, who was casually scrolling through her phone. The glow of the screen highlighted her face, and for a moment, I let myself stare, trying to figure out how someone could look so effortlessly good doing nothing.

“Something on my face?” she asked without looking up, her lips twitching into a small smirk.

I huffed, crossing my arms. “You’re annoying, you know that?”

“Am I?” She finally turned her head, raising a brow. “You’re the one staring.”

“Was not,” I muttered, though the warmth creeping up my neck betrayed me.

Taeyeon chuckled softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re cute when you get flustered.”

I turned my head sharply to the window, trying to hide my face. “You’re doing this on purpose.”

“Maybe.” She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping just enough to make my heart do a flip. “But you make it too easy.”

I turned back to her, narrowing my eyes. “One day, I’m going to figure out how to out-tease you.”

“Sure,” she said, her tone playful. “I’ll wait for that day.”

Her manager glanced at us through the rearview mirror but didn’t say anything, her face betraying no reaction.

“So,” Taeyeon started, breaking the brief silence. “You’re really going to drag me to this company dinner, huh? What’s the menu? Or is this one of those places where I have to pretend I’m fine eating something I can’t even pronounce?”

I laughed at that, the tension in my chest easing. “Honestly, I wouldn’t know. Our manager picked the place. Could be fancy, could be a pizza joint. It’s always a toss-up.”

“Great,” she said, leaning back and letting her head rest against the seat. “At least I’ll have you to suffer with.”

“Who said I’m suffering?” I teased, nudging her lightly with my elbow.

“Good point.” She turned her head slightly to look at me, her eyes softening. “You’ve been smiling a lot tonight. I like that.”

Her words caught me off guard, and I felt my cheeks heat up again. “What, do I usually look miserable or something?”

“Not miserable,” she said, her gaze unwavering. “Just… guarded. It’s nice seeing you relax.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I stayed quiet, letting her words sink in. She had this way of disarming me, of making me feel seen in a way that was both comforting and terrifying.

“What about you?” I asked after a moment, my voice quieter. “You seem pretty relaxed yourself. Doesn’t all this”—I gestured vaguely, referring to the fans, the cameras, the constant attention—“ever get to you?”

She tilted her head, considering the question. “It used to. But I’ve learned to tune it out. Focus on the parts that matter.”

“Like what?”

Her eyes met mine again, and for a split second, the air between us felt heavier, charged. “Like this,” she said simply, her voice steady.

I blinked, caught off guard by the weight of her words. She didn’t elaborate, and I didn’t ask her to. Instead, I let myself sit in the moment, the quiet hum of the car and the closeness of her presence enough to fill the silence.

“You know,” she said after a beat, her tone lighter, “if they’re serving something weird at dinner, you’re ordering for me.”

I snorted, grateful for the shift in tone. “Oh, so now I’m your personal food taster?”

“Obviously,” she said with a grin. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “Right. Friends.”

But as her hand brushed mine again, lingering just a second too long, I couldn’t help but wonder how long we could keep pretending that was all we were.

The car rolled to a stop outside the restaurant, and as soon as I glanced out the window, I groaned. A crowd of fans had somehow found the location, their phones already flashing like a swarm of fireflies in the night.

“How do they always know?” I muttered, leaning back in my seat.

Taeyeon smirked beside me, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to my rising annoyance. “They have their ways. It’s almost impressive, honestly.”

Her manager turned from the front seat. “We’ll head in quickly. Security’s already waiting by the entrance.”

“Great,” I sighed, glancing at Taeyeon. “Ready to make a scene?”

She chuckled, smoothing her jacket. “Always.”

The car door opened, and immediately, the fans’ cheers and shouts filled the air. Taeyeon stepped out first, moving with the kind of effortless grace that made her seem untouchable. I followed close behind, the noise hitting me like a wave.

Before I could think twice, Taeyeon’s hand brushed mine again, and this time, she laced her fingers through mine, giving a reassuring squeeze.

I shot her a look. “You really don’t care, huh?”

“About what?” she said, her voice calm even as cameras flashed wildly. “I told you, I’m not hiding.”

Her words settled something in me, and together, we pushed through the crowd, security clearing a path for us. Fans called our names, their excitement palpable, but Taeyeon’s hand stayed firmly in mine until we reached the restaurant doors.

Inside, the atmosphere was much quieter, the warm lighting and soft chatter of the restaurant a stark contrast to the chaos outside. My group mates were already gathered at a long table near the back, the buzz of conversation and laughter filling the space.

As soon as they saw us, the teasing started.

“Wow, Y/N,” Karina said with a grin, her voice loud enough to draw everyone’s attention. “You really brought her to dinner, huh?”

“She’s bold now,” Natty added, winking at me. “I love this new side of you.”

“Y’all are insufferable,” I muttered, sliding into a seat near the middle of the table. Taeyeon followed, sitting next to me with an amused smile.

“Don’t mind them,” she said softly, leaning closer. “They’re just jealous.”

“Of what?” I shot back, raising a brow.

She shrugged, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Of how good we look together.”

I groaned, burying my face in my hands as the table erupted in laughter.

The evening carried on, the food arriving in waves as everyone settled into easy conversation. Taeyeon fit in surprisingly well, her sharp humor and relaxed energy making it impossible for anyone not to like her.

At one point, Jisun stood up, raising her glass. “Alright, everyone, shut up for a second. I wanna make a toast.”

The table quieted, all eyes turning to her.

“To us,” she began, her voice steady and warm. “To an incredible concert, to all the hard work we put in, and to the memories we’ve made along the way. I’m so proud of every single one of you, and I can’t wait to see what we do next.”

We all raised our glasses, cheers erupting around the table.

“Also,” Jisun added with a smirk, her eyes flicking to me, “a special thanks to Y/N for bringing Taeyeon sunbae tonight. You’ve officially made this the best company dinner ever.”

The laughter and clinking of glasses that followed were almost deafening, and though I rolled my eyes, I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face.

Taeyeon leaned closer, her voice low enough for only me to hear. “I think you just became the company favorite.”

“Thanks to you,” I replied, nudging her lightly.

“Anytime,” she said, her smile soft and genuine.

And for the first time in a long while, I felt like everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.

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