bloom.
it’s odd how sejun can remember when it all started. promotions were always whirlwinds of high energy and fast paced movements. they seemed to move like clockwork and he probably should have gotten used to them a long time ago. but it seemed the first few weeks of a new song always brings with it a rush of nerves that takes up residence in the pit of his stomach and refuses to move or fade. the staff adjusts easily to his habits, ignoring him when he paces around the room while his members enjoy the downtime. instead sejun runs through the dance movements countless number of times in the empty hallways, earphones placed firmly in his ears. sometimes it’s these little things, the extra practice to ensure a perfect performance that works the best to ease his nerves.
there are times, unfortunately, where it doesn’t help though. where the worry of making a mistake on stage weighs too heavily on his shoulders and he just can’t sit still at all. it’s during those moments he takes to wandering the halls of the network buildings. this is how all of this started. he remembers the weird way his headphones cord catches on the edge of a doorknob, jerking suddenly out of his ears. he remembers it pulls his phone out of the pocket of his jackets, the sound of it clattering to the ground loud in the hallway. he remembers kneeling down to grab it, relieved to see the screen still in tact and standing to find the empty hallway was now filled with another group returning to their dressing room. it was was here his eyes caught hers in a brief moment in the hallway, she smiled at him and his heart started to thump impossibly fast in his chest. his cheeks grew hot and he awkwardly covered them, a small smile stretched across his face before he ran away down the hallway.
perhaps it was fate, or just some small moment that seemed to affect him more than he thought it would. but he remembers returning to the dressing room, the makeup artists worrying about the flush covering his cheek, asking him if he was sick. sure, he felt different but he definitely didn’t feel sick. in fact, he recalls feeling perfect after that. the nerves from their first comeback of the year fading away in that moment. the performance they put on afterwards is perfect and earns them high praise from their managers and sejun isn’t completely convince this wasn’t fate tugging at his heartstrings.
slowly but surely he learns more about her, mentions from different interviews and snippets of variety shows he catches in between schedules. it slowly but surely begins to change, from a slight brush of interest in a moment of panic into something else, something a bit warm and exciting. the industry feels huge but small all at the same time. sejun begins to run into her from time to time, exchanging smiles at every turn and still his heart races uncontrollably when he spots her. he’s nothing but jittering hands and flushed cheeks. it’s his friends that help him put a name to it. it slips out easily as they pat him on the back and laugh loudly, congratulating him on his crush. crush, a word that elicits a strong feeling to bloom in his chest, one that continues to grow at every interaction. he tries valiantly to try and hide it but it makes itself known in the most obvious of ways.
@idlina
