Say the name! 18?

Chapter 9 - A Giant Cup of Bubble Tea

In the following days, the group relaxed and hung out together around their dorms. Finally catching a break from their rehearsals, Seungcheol had forbidden anyone from going to practice and so the group slept for nearly 12 hours straight on first day.

One afternoon Y/n sat in a corner of the living room sofa curled up with a book in her hands. "Once Upon a Broken Heart" by Stephanie Garber, one of her favourite fantasy authors, her whimsical style is always capable of whisking her mind away on a fantastical journey to a land far far away. The rest of the boys had gone out to do some shopping for next week. Seungcheol who had stayed behind to finish some admin work, smiled as he walked into the living room and saw her sat upside down with her nose stuck in a book. Without thinking, he quietly approached Y/n with the giant cup of milk tea that he had just ordered.

"Hey Y/n"

Looking up at him, Y/n said "Oh hey Seungcheol-oppa. What's up?"

"Bubble tea?"

"For me? Thank you!" Y/n said reaching out happily to grab the giant cup and satisfyingly sticking the straw in with a clean pop. "Black milk tea, Tapioca, Grass Jelly, and coconut Jelly. 30% sugar and no ice! My favourite! Thank you, Thank you!" Smiling at Y/n's adorable reaction to a cup of bubble tea, Seungcheol chuckled to himself. He actually wasn't sure what had made him only order one cup – He's probably going to get sh*t from some of the boys for this later.

Noticing Seungcheol staring at her cup, Y/n held out the Boba "Want some?" Sitting down on the ground next to her, Seungcheol naturally took a sip through her straw, it was actually a pretty good combo.

Y/n smiled gratefully at the Boba and the weight of her secret was momentarily lifted by Seungcheol's understanding. They sat together, occasionally taking sips from the giant cup of bubble tea, and chatted softly. They spoke about her book, their pasts, Y/n's love for race cars, dancing, and music, and Seungcheol made her promise to take him to one of her games sometimes.

"Y/nie, you've been working so hard lately. We all have but you know, it's important to take care of yourself too. We wouldn't want anything to jeopardize our debut, especially not your health and well-being."

Y/n met his gaze, her eyes reflecting a blend of care and worry. "I appreciate your concern, hyung. It means a lot to me, and I really just want everything to go smoothly for everyone."

Unknowingly Seungcheol's hand found its way to hers, a gentle gesture of comfort. "We're in this together, Y/n. You know you never have to carry the weight alone. So if there's anything on your mind. You can always share it with me." Y/n's heart warmed at his words, the sincerity of their connection weaving a subtle thread of understanding between them.

The extra care and Seungcheol's gestures didn't go unnoticed by the other members, who exchanged knowing glances as they watched them from the doorway having just returned. Neither Seungcheol nor Y/n noticed as they were deep in conversation.

--- A while later ---

Over the next few days, Seuncheol and Y/n often found little moments together amidst the chaos of preparations. A shared glance and during a particularly challenging dance routine, a slight comforting touch when fatigue and sleepiness threatened to envelop them like a giant blanket – each interaction, slowly but surely deepened the connection between them.

During an afternoon dance practice, Dino, the second youngest of the group, who grew up as the elder brother, was perceptive with a penchant for teasing his hyungs. So he couldn't resist commenting during one of their breaks. "Seungcheol, are you and Y/n planning a secret duet or something?" playfully he added "I've never seen you SO attentive."

Seungcheol chuckled, glancing at Y/n from across the room with a warmth that didn't escape the notice of the others. "Just looking out for our secret weapon here. We want our little maknae to be feeling her best for the debut right? Plus she's so determined I'm a little worried about her sometimes..."

Feeling Seuncheol's gaze from across the room, she quickly lifted her head and couldn't help but blush a little when her gaze met those warm caring, beautiful eyes. Appreciating the lighthearted way Seungcheol deflected the attention. The group, however, exchanged knowing smiles recognising a subtle undercurrent of care that seemed to be blossoming between their leader and adored maknae.

So as their debut concert drew near, the unspoken connection between Seungcheol and Y/n became a source of curiosity and gentle teasing within Seventeen. Little did they know that amidst the harmonies and melodies of their music, a quiet melody of romance was beginning to unfurl, adding a new layer to the shared dreams that they were about to unveil to the world.