ACOUSTIC LOVE ; kim doyoung

08 | shooting stars

You're not sure what you were expecting to see backstage, but it definitely wasn't this. Staff members are rushing about, technicians speaking rapidly in their headsets as they try to tidy up. Bags line the corridors, and you catch sight of several instant noodle cups sitting open on the tables.

The corridor is narrow, and you have to walk in a single file as Dahyun leads you to a more open space. Doyoung sits at the table next to Yuta and the other band members, and several other people you don't know the names of. Doyoung's ankles are crossed, and he taps his feet periodically against the ground.

"You're already drinking?" Dahyun asks in disbelief, catching sight of the half-empty soju bottles and the shot glasses on the table. Doyoung turns, but a little too slowly, and you can see that he's slightly drunk.

As you get closer, you notice that there are three men at the table that you have never seen in your life. Phoebe and Rhysal move closer to you, unsure if they're trespassing on a private gathering.

You grab hold of Dahyun's sleeve and whisper, "Do you want my friends to be here? They're not exactly... extroverts." In fact, only Phoebe is willing to expend her energy on social gatherings, and Johnny looks like he would love to go home.

Dahyun scans their facial expressions and shrugs. "They're welcome to stay if they'd like. Or maybe just ask one of them to stay with you, so you can get home safely."

You don't need to think about it, knowing that Phoebe is the only real option. You beckon her over and tell the rest of them that they can leave. Johnny heads over to bid goodbye to Doyoung, congratulating GenU:Ine on their first concert, before the three of them take their leave.

Dahyun invites the remaining two of you to sit, and Doyoung shifts over to make space for your chairs.

"This is Yeon-seok," Dahyun introduces. Yeon-seok's absolutely gorgeous, and he bears a little bit of resemblance to Doyoung, but then again, you might be imagining it. "He's our cousin." Okay, good to know I'm not imagining it. So this is the 26-year-old cousin Doyoung mentioned before.

Yeon-seok waves shyly and gives you a smile, and you smile warmly back. "Nice to meet you," he says, and you nod.

"I'm Donghyuck, and this is Na Jaemin. He's also Yeon-seok's cousin, but from his mother's side," the man next to him says. Your head feels like it's about to fall off from all the nodding you do, so instead you just smile at them, extending a hand for them to shake.

Donghyuck takes your outstretched hand between both of his hands, shaking it heartily. Extrovert, you assign him in your mind. Introvert, you assign both Yeon-seok and Jaemin.

You feel slightly out of place. The soju bottles have Korean script displayed on their sides, and when Jaemin begins to speak in Korean, Taeyong chimes in as well, leaving you feeling just a bit left out. Dahyun frowns, waving one hand at both of them, but Doyoung speaks first.

"Don't leave Y/n and Phoebe out," he scolds disapprovingly. Taeyong quickly nods and hurries to make amends, calling your name out and passing you a shot glass.

"Have you drunk soju before?" Doyoung asks, hand resting on the table. He taps his fingers against the table rhythmically, an easy tip-tap sound that threatens to lull you to sleep. Shaking your head to clear your mind, you mumble a "no", and Doyoung hums as he pouts his lips in concentration.

"I see." He lifts your glass to the light, pretending to inspect it, and a laugh escapes your lips when you see him acting so childishly. He frowns when you laugh at him, but it quickly turns into a smile when he sees you more at ease.

He takes an unopened bottle and shakes it before uncorking it and hitting the neck of the bottle. He wraps his palm around the body of the bottle, explaining, "Soju bottles used to be closed with cheap corks, so shaking the bottle makes the cork residue rise to the top, and hitting the neck of the bottle gets rid of the residue."