All The Colors Of You || Bang Chan

Chapter Twenty Seven - Perrie

I do as Duke told me.
I tell the nice people behind the counter my name and almost immediately a lady in jeans and a blazer appears.
A laminated card hangs around her neck and a mask covers her face.
"Perrie, so good to meet you," she says as way of a greeting and waves for me to follow her, "We've secured amazing seats for you in one of the lower boxes. Great view, I tell you, right next to the stage. It'll feel as if you're standing on stage with them!"

The boxes are small, only big enough for eight seats with lots of leg space,  and all of the seats are already taken except for one.
Mine.
"Thank you so much," I tell the staff and she grins, though I can only see her eyes squint.
She waves her hands and says, "Enjoy the show! I'll see you afterwards!"

I get a slushee and a pack of candy from one of the stands before returning to my seat.
I should go to the bathroom but I'm scared of missing the beginning of the show.
So I stay put and take out my phone.
I bend away slightly from the girl sitting next to me, her perfume strong but lovely, and open the chat with Chan.

Is there a break between songs somewhere in the show or should I go to the bathroom right now?

Chan's answer arrives seconds later.

Best to go now, lol
Are you excited?

Extremely, I answer him, I can't wait to see you in your element ;)

Then I add quickly, Thanks for the gifts.
I send him a heart.
Chan answers with a blushing smiley.

I put the phone away and store my snacks beneath my chair, hoping it'll all still be there when I come back from the bathroom.
It is.
There is a collected high pitched scream, followed by low humming, a special sort of vibration settling over the crowd, as the screens across the stage flicker up once and then die back down.
I shift in my seat, leaning forward in anticipation.
The staff lady was right, this is the best possible seat.

I can overlook the entire stage.
I wonder how much a ticket for this box must cost.
I take out the lightstick and the Bang Chan fan, holding each item in either hand and try to calm my breathing.
"Are you a Bang Chan bias?"
I turn my head.
The girl next to me with the sweet perfume points to the fan and then to her phone case.
"I'm a Lix bias," she says as she shows me the photocard in the back of her clear phone case, "I've been waiting a year for this concert. I am so excited! Are you from here?"
"Yes," I answer and then add, "And I am a Chan bias! He's so dreamy!"

The girl giggles with me and I feel like a spy working a crowd undercover.
My phone vibrates then, and I read Bang Chan's message.

I'll be on the lookout for you ;)

Then the lights turn on, and the stadium explodes with screaming.

My heart thumps like a wild beast in a cage when music starts.
Heavy drums, bass like a sledgehammer, and above it all screams.
I am screaming as well, though it feels more like supporting your best friend as they hold a presentation in class than watching a show of superstars.
Lights flash, the screens come alive.
And then the stage opens up in the back like a gate and they're here.

They walk out and almost immediately fall into place to start the first performance.
I get up off my seat along with the rest of the audience as the music starts and lights strobe.
An incredible feeling of ecstasy overcomes me as I watch the boys smash it on the stage, their incredible rhythm as a group falling into place like puzzle pieces.

When the starting song ends, the boys line up at the front of the stage.
Bang Chan is on the outside corner closest to us.
I doubt he can really see me in the sea of the thousand screaming faces, but he must know I'm here somewhere.
He keeps glaring around into my direction, so I raise both hands and wave.
The people in my box erupt in cheer as Chan turns to wave to us and throws a flying kiss into our direction.

"Oh, my god!" The Felix bias girl next to me grabs my forearm and shakes me. "Did you see that?"
I laugh and let her pull me into a jumping stomping tirade.
I'm just a fan.
This is just a concert.

"Hello, hello," Chan says now and his voice echoes from every corner of the stadium, "Welcome to the Straykids for You Concert! We are so incredibly happy to be here with you tonight and we're so grateful that you guys chose to spend your evening with us!"
"Tonight is a very special event," Seungmin continues, "Because all of tonight's profits will be given to three different charity organizations helping people across the globe! Thousands of people can get the help they need all because of you!"
He makes a wide motion across the room, encapsulating the entire stadium in one big sweep.

"Today is also special because we get to perform all of our favorites for you," Felix now says with his hands folded in front of his stomach like he's presenting the next new iPhone to the audience, "And amongst all our favorite things, music is at the very top of the list."
"Right," Chan taps in, smirking as he turns over his shoulder for a moment. It's almost as if he actually lays eyes on me, as he says, "Followed by favorite color, favorite flower, favorite animal and so on."
"Hey Chan, tell us about your favorites!"
Changbin puts his finger to his chin like a philosopher.

The boys start laughing, Hyunjin and I.N. slapping each other's backs, as Chan starts scratching his neck for a moment.
Beneath the lights, it almost looks like he's blushing.
"Well, I know Stay always think I love the color black more than anything," Chan starts, "But lately, I've really been into periwinkle."
I halt in my movements.
I grab the railing in front of me, my eyes are glued to Chan's face.
"Periwinkle is beautiful, you know," he continues, "As a color, you know, so fresh and light and.. makes me really happy, is all I'm saying. I've been really, really into it."

Thank God for all the lights and attention being on the stage, so no one could notice the suspicious redness creeping into my face.
Not that anyone would notice if the spotlight had been on me, the tumultuous crowd is far too energized as they watch Chan say, "My favorite flower is probably a rose, because it's beautiful like Stay. Roses remind me of Stay a lot, actually. And my favorite animal would be dogs, still. Shoutout to Berry, I miss you Berry!"
Chan throws a kiss to the sky, probably towards the direction of Australia.

My heart is beating at a thousand beats per minute, I don't know what to do with my hands anymore.
I'm really into periwinkle. Periwinkle is beautiful.
That's about as public of a confession about us as he can possibly give. Instead, it's a secret message just for me. A code. A language only him and I understand.
In my tentative little heart, I can almost pretend we could be public about our relationship. I can pretend that these screams are in joy about a blossoming love of two people.
I can pretend his fans could be happy for Chan.