One Thing After Another

I focus so well in school. Even with just five hours of sleep. I’ve had years to hone my energy and conserve it when I needed it. But today was different. All I could think of was Seventeen. “You’re going to manage them?! You’re so lucky! You’ll be so close to them!” My friend wailed out after I had told her my new job switch.
“I hope not, or else i’ll have to get a new job with another group,” I said realistically though I was just afraid of the truth. I was their fan and yes, I was going to be nervous around them. The bell suddenly rang and I flicked my head towards the clock. 10:10. Even the clock was reminding of Seventeen…
I grabbed my hair in anxiety, pulling it slightly. I could do this, but I couldn’t convince myself that that was true.

The walk after school to the Pledis building was hard. Every step feeling my knees weaken in nervousness. If I don’t faint in front of them, I'll consider it a good first meeting. Finding myself at the front door I paused, staring at it.
I can’t do this.
Yes I can.
“Haeun?” A voice from behind me said. I spun around in slight fright to see a familiar old face.
“Jaehwa sunbae! Hello,” I bowed when I realised it was her. As I stood up after my bow, I noticed another face standing next to her. Dohyun sunbae. I gulped a little as I made eye contact with his sour-looking eyes. He still looked at me disapprovingly as he did a few years back.
“Are your ready to meet Seventeen?” Jaehwa asked with kind eyes. Jaehwa sunbae was always the kind to give me criticism when I was younger even though I was only three years younger than her. I nodded slowly feeling all sorts of tummy twists possible in my stomach at once. I turned around and opened up the door and let them through before me, feeling Dohyun’s glares already digging into me. I followed them to the practise room where we were to meet Seventeen. As we arrived there my heart beat grew in speed. I started worrying about my appearance. I wasn’t wearing much makeup since I came from school and P.E at school had made my once straightened hair, messy. As I was about to fix my hair, Jaehwa sunbae had opened the door already. My whole body pausing a little in both excitement and nervousness, then I started to walk in behind Dohyun sunbae. The music that was once playing, had stopped as they noticed us come in. The greetings and bowing began. As I stepped in the overwhelming sight of all thirteen of them in the same room made my eyes widen a little. I bowed quickly, and multiple times as to not look impolite. The boys lined up in a semicircle with us three managers on the other side. “We’re excited to have new managers aboard our team, and we hope we’ll get along,” the leader of the group, S.Coups announced to everyone. Standing like this in front of them made me feel so exposed. I felt so ugly next to them. The members bowed as their leader said this. I bowed in response. I scanned the line of boys naming them in my head. That’s Seungkwan, and Dogyeom.
“It’s nice to meet you all and I hope to get to know you better. I’m Jaehwa, and i’ll be managing the Vocal team,” she introduced herself in her strong assertive voice. The voice I wish I had. As she bowed the boys clapped enthusiastically.
“I’m Dohyun, and i’ll be managing the Hiphop team,” Dohyun stepped forward and announced slightly obnoxiously. Then I realised I had to speak. I was so busy rehearsing what to say in my head I missed my timing, and everyone was staring at me waiting to begin.
“Oh, right sorry. Umm… hey guys. I’m going to be managing the Performance team. My name’s Haeun by the way.” I bowed once again. They clapped and laughed a little which made me feel like i’d just ruined the entire meet and greet situation. I sighed in defeat, fiddling with my fingers.
“Let’s have a small break guys before we get back into it. You can meet the managers,” S.Coups announced looking around the semicircle making sure everyone was listening and hear what he said. After that they scattered and I saw a couple of members heading in my direction. “Wah, she’s pretty~” Jun openly said as he walked up to me with The8 next to him. Placing his arm onto The8’s shoulder, he shot me a cheeky smile. I could feel my cheeks rise in temperature. Looking around and seeing Jaehwa introduce himself to the Vocal team, and Dohyun introduce himself to the Hiphop team, I caught a stray pair of eyes coming through the door of the practise room. We looked at each other for a while, him stopping in his tracks. I knew Dino well, I mean he was an amazing dancer, but seeing him in person was another thing. He was a lot taller than I thought, and his eyes seemed so much deeper than I had ever seen them through a computer screen.
“Oh! Airplane girl!” I switched my head to my right to see Hoshi. I smiled a little at the nickname and nodded. Feeling slightly calming after seeing his warming face.
“Eh? Airplane girl?” The8 said with his iconic confused look on his face.
“I met her before on the plane here,” Hoshi explained to Jun and The8, as Dino appeared on my left. Making quick eye contact, I looked back at Hoshi to avoid his look. Hoshi bent his knees and pretended to sit in a seat next to me, “we sat next to each other.” I laughed a little at his smiling face. At least he’s here.
“Haeun, come over here,” Dohyun’s stern voice rang from across the studio. Shit. It’s beginning already.
“Yes sunbae! I’m coming,” I replied with sadness in my voice.
“Is he your sunbae?” Hoshi asked me in a quiet voice as if he was going to get in trouble for asking. I looked back to him on my right and nodded with a slightly pouty face.
“I gotta go but I’ll be back hopefully. Nice meeting you three,” I said to the other three members around me. I bowed and left for Dohyun on the otherside of the studio.
“What took you so long?” Dohyun said as soon as I reached him. I looked at his face wondering why he was so tense. He always was like this.
“I was still introducing myself to them,” I slowly replied gesturing to the other side of the room I had just come from.
“I need you to get these things,” he immediately replied, thrusting a paper towards my face. I grabbed it and stared at the list of things. It was an expensive list by the look of it.
“Where’s the money for it?” I questioned Dohyun as I added the estimated costs for each item.
“You can pay. You’re their manager after all,” he blinked at me almost as if it was obvious. I mean, of course. Why wouldn’t I spent all my non-exsistant money? I had a sudden urge to raise my voice and fight back at him, but I was too weak.
“I’ll be right back then,” I sighed out and turned towards the performance team to see them looking over at me with hope in their eyes. I smiled a little and jogged over to them, tucking in the list into my pocket.
“Sorry guys, I umm… can’t stay around long today. Dohyun sunbae has me running errands it seems,” I scratched my head awkwardly, still not sure how I should speak to them. The four members looked as if they were actually sad.
“But the others didn’t even get to introduce themselves,” Hoshi pouted slightly at me, hunching his back to show his disappointment. I smiled at how cute his pouting face was.
“Oh, don’t worry Hoshi, I know who you guys are. I’m a fan,” I informed them, slowly feeling more relaxed around them all.
“Wah~ A Carat!” The8 exclaimed smiling at me. I laughed a little, feeling slightly nervous about my every action.
“I’ll see you guys tomorrow if I don’t get back today. It was nice meeting you all,” I bowed and left the studio as the four members waved.

“I’m back with the-“ I rushed through the door with bags of drinks Dohyun had asked me to get for the boys. But all I see as I step into the dance studio is one member standing in an empty, quiet room. Meeting Dino’s eyes, we both awkwardly looking around. “Where did everyone go?” I asked him looking around the room as I walked up to the chair next to the stereo.
“They’ve gone home I think,” he said breathing deeply. He must still be practising. I sat down in the chair with a thud, and a clank of the bottles in the plastic bag on the floor.
“Then I bought these for nothing…” I sighed as I rested my head in my hands, with my elbows on my knees in defeat. This was the last straw. I had been out all afternoon and evening for Dohyun’s stupid list, and I had homework waiting for me at home.
“Hey, don’t be so sad,” Dino crouched down in front of me so our eyes were at the same level. Lifting my head up to see him, I saw the glistening sweat on his skin. Even with dripping sweat he managed to look attractive as hell. It seemed like he was leaning in for a minute, with his eyes locked on mine. My heart skipping a beat. Then the rustling of the beg next to me woke me from my trance, and I realised he was going for the drink. I mentally face-palmed myself for even thinking so wrongly in that situation. With one look into my eyes, Dino had almost caught my professionalism off guard. He grabbed a bottle out, “thank you for the drink~” he said smiling at me while shaking the bottle slightly. I smiled back feeling my heartbeat build in speed. His eye smile seemed so much more vivid in person.
“Well at least you’re drinking them,” I said giving myself hope. I grabbed a drink out of the bag, deciding I deserved a little break before heading home.
“Can you turn on the track it has on the stereo for me?” Dino asked pointing at the stereo next to me while making his way to the middle of the room. I modded as I took a sip of water, turning to the stereo and finding the play button. As the music began, Dino started to move to it. With sharp movements that seemed to be so effortlessly smooth. Watching him dance, I got so hypnotised by his every movement. When he finished I out my bottle down and clapped furiously. He turned his head to me seeing me clapping, and smiled. He walked towards the stereo and sat down in front of me heavily breathing and flapping his shirt to fan himself.
“Dancing must be so nice for you,” I said looking at my bottle lying in my lap.
“You don’t like dancing?” He asked opening his bottle looking at me questioningly. I looked at him still breathing heavily, and somehow saw a part of him that looked a little lost.
“I just don’t dance very well. I enjoy it though,” I confessed smiling embarrassingly at him. He nodded at every word I said and listened very carefully.
“If you enjoy it, don’t worry about the other stuff", he said casually, standing up again and starting a song on the stereo. The english song being recognisable to me. Dino walked backwards slowly to the dance floor gesturing his hands for me to join him.
“Oh no, Dino I can’t,” I shook my hands and head at him taken aback a bit.
“It’s just me! Don’t worry!” He said adamant on getting me dancing. He walked back towards me, grabbing my hands softly. Back and forth we argued on me dancing or not dancing. Somehow he hoaxed me onto the dance floor and started dancing around me as encouragement. My face turning pink and every moment I felt I could let go and dance, I held back instead. As the song picked up, I still hadn’t danced.
“Dino i’m too embarrassed,” I covered my face with my hands as my inner self fought. Of course I would love to be friends with Dino, but my professionalism side had come out, reminding me that I was a staff member, not an actual member of the group. His hands found my hands over my eyes and brought them down and into his hands. Heart beat escalating, I could feel my cheeks suddenly warmed up and I looked at our hands. I could of pulled away my hands but something about the way Dino looked at me, and how he spoke to me made me freeze.
“Hey,” he said softly bringing my attention on his face, “trust me.” Those two words seem to make me forget all the shit the Dohyun had given me. He smiled slowly seeing me convinced, swaying my hands side to side. Slowly I got into the beat and kept looking at Dino’s grinning face which made me feel more and more comfortable with dancing. I even started giggling and skipping around, and it was as if for a minute all the worlds worries and gone. It was just me and Dino getting high off each other’s smiles and laughs.
BANG!
The sudden noise turning my head towards it, I stopped dancing in my tracks. Seeing Dohyun sunbae standing in the doorway with his arms crossed made my heart drop in my chest. Shit.

Notes

Trying to cram in writing this and studying at the same time!
This chapter I wasn't sure about because HOW DO EXPLAIN MEETING SVT?! There's a lot more I could've talked about...
Thank you for those that have already viewed the fanfic! I wish I could thank you guys in some way! *bows through the screen* 감사함니다~! <3