"I can't believe what I just watched" I tell NaEun who sits beside me finally after all the dancing and jumping throughout the concert. "They're absolutely crazy" I tell her laughing.
"You're just getting to know them darling, they're wild! Put them on stage and; well you just saw what happens" she tells me and I laugh getting excited with all the adrenaline rushing through me.
"We need to get to the backstage" she tells me and takes me along with a manager accompanying us. We walk around and enter the backstage and see the members greeting some idols or celebrity guests that had attended the concert. NaEun and I wait in a side for the crowd to leave. Seventeen soon shoot their after concert message for their fans and NaEun and I walk towards them.
As NaEun walked over to Scoups and received a warm hug from him, it was clear that they shared a close bond. Their interaction was adorable, and I couldn't help but smile at their genuine connection.
Meanwhile, my attention was drawn to Dokyeom, who had spotted me. His eyes lit up with excitement as he rushed toward me, seeing his energy I could tell his adrenaline was still pumping from the electrifying concert. His smile was infectious, and it made my heart skip a beat.
With enthusiasm, Dokyeom enveloped me in a tight hug, and for a moment, it felt like the world around us disappeared. The chaotic backstage scene faded into the background as I embraced him back, feeling the warmth of his presence and the shared exhilaration of the concert and a little bit of sweat but then I was a bit sweaty too.
"Thank you for coming," he said with a wide grin, his eyes sparkling with genuine appreciation.
"Who are you?" I asked laughing "That was crazy! You have so much energy."
Dokyeom chuckled at my playful response, still brimming with energy and enthusiasm from the concert. His charisma and charm were on full display as he replied, "I'm just Dokyeom that you met, but on stage, I become something else entirely. The energy fuels us, and we give it our all."
I couldn't help but admire his humility and dedication to his craft. Despite the transformation he underwent on stage, he remained down-to-earth and appreciative of the support from fans.
"I could see that" I tell him and we finally let go of each other.
"When we were doing the encore I could see your tiny figure jumping and dancing around, I even waved at you" He told me with a wide smile on his face.
"That was me, dumbass," NaEun said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Hearing this, Dokyeom's face falls into complete confusion.
"What? I thought it was you" he said, pointing at me with a cute confused face.
"Waving at our leader's girlfriend, you better watch out" Seungkwan speaks in a warning tone as he passes from behind us and goes to take a shower and Dokyeom looks at Scoups who's giving him a stern look.
"Hyung, I didn't wave at her" he says assuring his leader, "Tell him!" he says, swatting NaEun's shoulder lightly.
"They're kidding, you waved at me" I tell him finally and he breathes out of relief.
"Ah, I knew this brat wouldn't wave back at me that sweetly" He says, making an angry dramatic face towards NaEun.
"Exactly, why would I wave at you?" She added dramatically as they bickered.
"Leave it leave it" Dokyeom ends the argument with equal dramatics added to his tone. Considering how everyone was not reacting much this was pretty much normal to them.
After their bickering, Dokyeom walked towards me with a water bottle.
"Did you enjoy it? I wish I could have done a better job." he says and it surprises me.
"What are you saying? You were amazing out there, everything was so wonderful, I could see you did your best" I tell him honestly and sit with him and the members.
The members slowly get going to take showers, and I'm left with Scoups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun and NaEun while the others are busy taking a quick nap before leaving.
"Hana-ya" I hear from my side and look at Scoups.
"Yes?"
"This might sound rude to you but we wanted to talk to you about something." Scoups said with a carefulness in his voice.
"Oh, okay, go ahead" I tell him, cautious of what he's about to say. A number of scenarios run through my mind, about where this is going.
"What is going on between you and Dokyeom?" Scoups asked without beating around the bush. I took a deep breath, realising that they were genuinely concerned and not trying to be intrusive. Their straightforwardness was actually a relief, and I appreciated their honesty.
"We don't mean to be rude to you, we're just asking." Jeonghan reassured me.
"I understand," I replied, trying to be as honest as possible. "Dokyeom and I are getting to know each other, and while we're not officially dating, if that's what you're asking. We're more than just friends at this point, at least to me but I think he feels that way too . It's still relatively new, and we're exploring where all of this is going."
Scoups nodded thoughtfully, and Joshua gave a reassuring smile. Jun chimed in, "We're like family to him, you know. We just want to make sure he's happy and that everything is going well. He gets hurt really easily too."
I could sense their protective nature towards Dokyeom, and it touched my heart. "I appreciate your concern, really. Dokyeom has been nothing but wonderful to me, and I care about him a lot."
Vernon, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "That's good to hear. As long as you're both happy, we're happy too. We just wanted to make sure everything was clear. On both sides."
"Ah, I'm envious of Dokyeom now. He really has all of you to think about him. Even Mingyu talked to me about this a few days back." I say giving them a genuine smile.
Scoups placed a hand on my shoulder. "Well, you're welcome to join our crazy group anytime. We're like a second family to Dokyeom, and now you're becoming a part of that too."
Their welcoming attitude made me feel more at ease, and I realised that I was not only getting Dokyeom but a wonderful group of friends as well.
"Yah, if you guys are all getting at her with this might as well just tell her why you're asking. She must be questioning herself now because of you now." NaEun speaks up in a commanding tone and Jeonghan and Scoups share a look.
Joshua decides to speak up.
"His last relationship was a while back but it was a rough phase for him"
"What do you mean?" I am concerned, this topic was new, I felt like I was being let in on some secretive information.
"You know what he's like, he's kind and he wouldn't say 2 words to someone he likes, but his relationship was a bit rocky. His ex-girlfriend left him because she felt embarrassed of him, his actions, everything, everytime he did something she used to be there to correct him, it was so annoying to even watch. I don't know how Dokyeom heard it all for quite a few months."
I listened intently to Joshua's revelation, a mixture of surprise and concern washing over me. It was clear that Dokyeom had gone through a challenging relationship, one that had left its mark on him.
"That sounds really tough," I replied softly, trying to wrap my head around the situation. "I had no idea. He's such a sweet and caring person, funny too. What's to be embarrassed about?"
Jeonghan chimed in, "Yeah, it was really unfair to him. She couldn't appreciate all the wonderful things about him, and it took a toll on his confidence for a while."
Scoups spoke up, "Dokyeom is a sensitive guy, and he takes things to heart. He's been cautious about getting into another relationship since then. We just wanted to make sure you knew about his past and why we were a bit curious about your relationship with him."
Jeonghan added, "We care about him a lot, and we just want to make sure he's with someone who appreciates him for who he is."
Nodding, I replied, "I really appreciate you all sharing this with me. He's an amazing person, and I don't understand how anyone would want to change anything about him."
NaEun gave a satisfied nod, her commanding tone softened. "That's all we wanted to know. We just wanted to make sure you had all the facts."
As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this newfound transparency. It was clear that Dokyeom's members, more like brothers, cared deeply about him, and their concern for his well-being touched my heart.
Thank you for reading, please let me know your feedback <3
ps: I know the story is getting a little too long maybe, but we'll get to them dating soon