Once Maniac concluded, Venom began and Red Lights followed that. My face flushed as I realized the woman beside me was a mother with her child. I shyly nodded to her and pretended like their choreo wasn't the hottest thing I'd ever seen anyone do.
An extended instrumental of Charmer began playing next and Felix stepped forward to speak.
"At the intermission, we flashed the potential for a prize on the screen. I'll now let Hyunjin announce the winner!"
Hyunjin joined him at the front of the stage.
"Section 108," he began, and the entire area where Mana and I were sitting lit up. I stared at her wide-eyed.
"Row 4," he added.
The rest of the Section went dark except for the row that we were seated in.
"There's no way," I told her.
"Fingers crossed!" she replied.
"Seat Number..." he paused for dramatic effect, and the entire arena stomped their feet mimicking a drum roll.
"8!" he shouted and Mana flung herself around me.
"What did he say?" I asked in shock.
"8! That's you!" she cheered and embraced me.
My seat was the only one still spotlighted. I stared at the stage as Chan stepped forward. "After the show, please come forward towards the stage and a security guard will escort you backstage to retrieve your prize." He flashed a dimple in my direction and rejoined the group as they prepared for the next song.
I nodded and, though I was still delirious from
what had just happened, they began singing Charmer.
"What do you think it is?" Mana asked once my seat went dark again.
"It's backstage so maybe a meet and greet," I shrugged.
"See! I told you Chan would see your fit somehow."
I rolled my eyes and laughed as we watched them perform the rest of the setlist. They ended with LALALALA, and then the lights came up and the show was over.
"Wow!" I breathed as I sat down for the first time in hours. We'd been standing and cheering the whole show. My boots were not made for comfort. My feet definitely had blisters.
"Ready to see your prize?" Mana asked me excitedly as she remained standing and tried to grab my hand to pull me away.
"I'm feeling nervous. Why am I nervous?" Butterflies stormed my stomach, and I felt so anxious that I could pass out.
"Don't be! You've seen them in interviews! They're all super nice," she reminded me.
"I know. I know."
"Besides, maybe it's just a tour of the backstage or something. You may not even meet them."
"That's true," I said and stood up. "Okay, let's go before I chicken out."
"That's the spirit!" she smiled as she hugged my arm and dragged me down to the entrance of the pit. The security guard re-scanned my ticket to make sure it was the right seat number and then motioned for us to follow him.
He led us across the confetti-covered pit to the barricade that separated the fans from the stage.
He undid the metallic lock and stepped aside for me to enter. I walked in and Mana tried to follow, but he held up a hand. "Prize winners only beyond this point. Sorry."
"She can't come with me?" I asked.
"Ella, it's fine. I'll head back to the hotel and you can tell me about it later," she grinned as she waved me on without her.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! Have fun!" She embraced me across the barricade and headed back across the pit before I could change my mind.
"Come with me," the guard instructed. I took a deep breath and followed him despite everything in me telling me to just leave with Mana. I knew it was just my anxiety, but I hated that I was having to do this alone.
We walked under the stage, and the guard had to duck his head so that he wouldn't bump it into any of the metal beams that had been set up to support the performers.
We made it behind the stage and went up a ramp. I could see pieces of costumes hung up on a rack and the legs of the metallic spider used for the Venom set were being disassembled for transport.
"Wait there," he pointed to a green leather sofa in the corner. I nodded and went to sit as he walked down the hallway and into one of the rooms whose label I could not see.
My stomach was in knots as to what my prize would be. I attempted to distract myself while I watched all of the venue and Stray Kids's staff carefully load the items into the trucks for the next show.
I could vaguely hear people chatting down the hallway, and I wondered if it was more staff or if it was any of the Stray Kids members.
I folded my hands in my lap and my palms began to sweat as I waited. I considered leaving. Whatever the prize was could be given to someone else waiting for their tour bus to leave instead. I was just about to stand to go back to the hotel when I heard a door open and footsteps approaching from down the hallway.
I looked in the opposite direction and pretended to be really interested in the different shoes that were lined up against the wall.
"Ella?" I heard a deep voice say behind me and turned to see the guard. Beside him stood Felix. My eyes widened. I'd never met a celebrity in person before. I jumped up and nodded as I extended my hand.
"That's me, hi! It's so nice to meet you," I stuttered, and he shook my hand with an amused expression.
"Felix will take it from here," the guard told me, and he headed back under the stage, leaving me alone with him.
I watched him leave for a moment and then returned my gaze to Felix. His makeup was gone and his freckles were splashed across his face like stars in the night sky. He was a bit shorter than I would've guessed but nonetheless beautiful. He was prettier than most women I knew.
"Did you enjoy the show?" he asked me with a cute smile.
I giggled. I hated myself for it, but I giggled anyway.
"It was great," I replied nervously and blushed. He seemed to realize that I was anxious.
"Follow me," he told me and led me down the hallway. Each door we passed had the name of a different member on it.
Felix led me to his own room and told me to sit. He handed me a bottle of water from the mini-fridge on his counter.
"I bet you're wondering what your prize is," he said.
I looked around in confusion. "Is it not meeting you?"
He laughed loudly and my face turned redder.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you. It's just that I would've done a horrible job at being your prize by just offering you a water."
"Oh," I mumbled. I didn't have much else to say.
"I'm just here to make sure you get to our hotel safely."
"Hotel?" The anxiety reappeared, and I sipped on my water.
"Yes! So you can hang out with one of us, have a drink at the bar... how does that sound?"
The idea of getting to spend time with one of them was shocking. Did they do this every night? I could barely speak to Felix let alone try to talk to a new stranger every night.
"Aren't you all tired from the performance?"
Felix gave me a soft smile. "Don't worry. We're fine."
The way he said it raised a flag in my head, but I ignored it and chose to believe him instead.
"Won't the fans waiting outside see me and get mad?"
"Oh, great question," he turned around and presented me with a green hoodie. "All of our staff are wearing these tonight. You'll blend right in."
I took it from him. "This is a lot of effort for a fan to have a drink with one of you."
Felix cocked an eyebrow.
"We enjoy it," he smiled warmly at me in reassurance, and I nodded.
"Felix it's time to go," someone called from the hallway.
"Coming!" he shouted back.
"Put that on, zip it up, and put the hoodie up."
I did as he told me.
"No matter what, keep your head down."
"Okay."
We stepped into the hallway, and I came face to face with Chan. My heart stopped as I looked at him. His face was perfect and his skin was smooth. His plump lips were pouty and his natural brown eyes scanned over me. He smirked when he saw my shoes.
"Hi," I whispered shyly.
"Nice boots," he eyed them again, and I could tell he was teasing me. I thanked him anyways. I couldn't think of any insult for him. He was dressed casually and wore Converse and baggy jeans with the same compression top he'd been wearing on stage. He looked good...really good.
"Chan's going to help you get onto the bus," Felix informed me. "He's a little broader so he's a bit easier to hide behind."
Chan gave a sarcastic, flat smile and held out his hand.
"I could just leave out the front door. I don't want you all having to go through this much trouble."
"It's fine," Felix reassured me again.
"No, really. My hotel isn't even that far. I can just go," I explained to them. I'd seen footage of their tour bus walks. It looked dangerous and stressful.
"He said it's fine. Now come on," Chan grabbed my hand and began leading me towards the exit.
"Remember, keep your head down," Chan warned me and pulled my hoodie down as far as it would go over my face.
I nodded, and he opened the door.