Amazing (Stray Kids 1 of 2) 139 Dreams



☾ ⋆･ﾟ:⋆･ﾟ: ⋆.:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ:. ☁

The first time you met Chris was when you were ten years old. Your parents had just uprooted your entire life because they saw you as a 'problem child' and believed that moving to a new country meant a new start and a new you. Because you had been held back at your last school, you had to repeat a grade. This is where you met eight-year-old Chris, the only kid in your class who made an effort to befriend you. He went out of his way to talk to you and get you to play with him no matter how many times you rejected him. Through his persistence and kindness, he earned his place within your heart as your first and only best friend and once you started to open up to him, the two of you became inseparable.

You trusted him wholeheartedly and would honestly do anything for him, so when he approached you one afternoon with the news that he was moving to South Korea to become a kpop idol, you were flabbergasted, to say the least. He was your only friend, your family, your precious baby brother. And now he was moving to another country to be an idol ? You always knew Chan would go far in life and you truly were happy for him, but a part of you was in turmoil. At this point, you had become so dependent on him that you didn't know if you could live without him.

Fortunately for you, Chris felt the same way.

"Will you go with me?" he had asked you hopefully. "To Korea, I mean."

"Yes." You didn't even have to think about it.

And within just a couple of weeks, both of you found yourselves on a plane with the whole world in front of you and an uncertain future on the horizon.

"Are you nervous?"

You remember the question clearly because his voice shook when he asked it. Of course, you were - you were moving to a foreign country and had barely managed to memorize the Korean alphabet. Even so, you were excited for Chan and you knew as long as he was by your side, you could survive anything. "Yeah," you breathed out in reply, sliding your hand into his. "But it's okay as long as I have you."

He had returned your smile, giving your hand a squeeze to let you know that he felt the same way.

The first few months were hard on both of you but you knew Chan had it harder because he was trying to adjust while also training to become an idol. This was one of the scariest periods in your life because he was always busy, leaving you alone in the apartment. You knew how busy idols were and that terrified you. Would you end up alone in this strange country, forgotten by your best friend? He seemed to sense your fears and every time you started to panic, he would appear like magic with food and a movie. He rarely made it halfway through the movie before falling asleep on your shoulder but you didn't mind. Even if he was asleep, he was still with you.

His hard work finally paid off when he got to debut with seven other boys in a group called Stray Kids. You didn't want to meet the other members knowing that you generally didn't like other people, but Chan wanted you to meet them so how could you possibly refuse? When you met them, you didn't have any particular thoughts about any of them one way or another. They seemed nice enough and you were grateful that they were looking after Chan when you couldn't. You had no intention of befriending them, though, but one of the members had other plans.

Felix was drawn to both you and Chan because you not only spoke English but also understood his struggle to adjust to a new country. He was like a ray of sunshine that found his way into your heart before you even had a chance to put a stop to it. Because of your connection to these two, you found yourself spending your days with them, watching them practice, keeping them company, and running errands when needed. Their manager wasn't happy about this arrangement at first, believing that you would just be a distraction for them, but you made it a point not to bother them when they were practicing, choosing to sit quietly against the wall just observing them or playing on your phone. After a while, their manager came to accept your presence and even felt grateful to have an extra pair of hands.

Before you knew it, it was no longer just you and your best friend Chan. Your family had grown considerably.

☾ ⋆･ﾟ:⋆･ﾟ: ⋆.:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ:. ☁

The sound of a piercing alarm jolted you from the nice dream you were having and you groaned, sticking your head under the pillow to block out the sound until Chan could wake up and turn it off. A minute passed, then two. Why wasn't he turning it off? You slowly lifted your head, squinting at the darkness of the room. Chan's bed was empty. Your eyes flickered to the bedside table where his phone sat, the alarm still chiming loudly. You reached your arm out but it was too far, making you groan. Just as you were about to force yourself up, the door opened and Chan walked in, rubbing a towel across his damp hair.

"Chan~" you complained, pathetically pointing to his noisy phone.

"Sorry," he chuckled, turning off the alarm before sitting on the side of his bed.

" Finally some peace," you muttered, rolling over to go back to sleep but a heavy weight settled on top of you before sleep had a chance to reclaim your mind. "Get offa me, you're heavy."

He hummed, wrapping his arms and legs around your body like a koala. "You can't go back to sleep. Today is a big day!"

"For you, not me."

"My excitement is your excitement and your excitement is my excitement."

"If you say excitement one more time, I'm gonna yeet you off a cliff."

"You wouldn't do that because you love me and you'd be lonely without me."

You hated that he was right.

He placed a dramatic kiss on your cheek before rolling off of you. "Come on, wake up!"

"What time even is it?"

"4:25 am."

"Nope." You tugged the covers over your head but he yanked the blanket away, tossing it onto his bed. "Chris!"

"No more sleeping for you. Your best friend needs you."

You sighed deeply, knowing you were fighting a losing battle so you just gave in, holding your hands out to him. With a smile, he took your hands gently before pulling you up and off the floor.

"Everyone's already had their shower if you want to take one."

You grunted, pulling out a change of clothes before shuffling out into the hallway. While you didn't officially live with Stray Kids, you spent more time at their form than you did at your own apartment. If their manager knew, he chose to pretend he didn't. You grabbed the doorknob of the bathroom but it wouldn't open so you jiggled the knob.

"Just a minute!" Han called from the other side of the door.

"Of course, it's you." With a groan, you leaned against the wall beside the door.

His voice was less polite and he scoffed. "And what that's supposed to mean?"

"It means you're a primadonna. Now, hurry up." You slapped your palm against the wood a few times. "I've got to pee, man."

"Hm. Well, if I'm such a primadonna, I better take my time and make sure I look perfect."

"Yah, Han!" You went to slap the door again when it suddenly swung open, your palm making contact with his face. "Oh."

He scowled at you, hand over his nose. "You're always so violent, even in the morning. Like a feral rat."

"I was gonna apologize but rats don't know how."

Several tense minutes passed by as you just stared each other down, eyes narrowed with challenge. Neither of you wanted to back down and show weakness and if given the chance, the staring contest would last for ages. Bang Chan knew that better than anyone. He shook his head as he leaned against the doorway of his room, watching the two of you. As the leader and your best friend, it was his job to break it up when the two of you started.

"Come on, guys, it's too early for this."

Both of you huffed before brushing past one another, continuing about your day. Chan shook his head, pushing away from the door frame. While you and Felix had bonded quickly, it was the opposite for you and Han. Chan didn't understand why but the two of you were constantly bickering over the smallest of things. He knew you didn't hate each other but he worried it might get to that point if the two of you kept on this way, though he wasn't sure how to fix it. And even if he did, he couldn't fix it if neither of you were willing.

After your shower, you stepped in the living room where the members were gathered, sitting stiffly. While the younger members were talking and trying to dispel some of the tension, the older members were quiet. The air was so thick it made you nervous. Stray Kids were usually so chipper and chaotic, it was rare to see them in such a serious mood. Your eyes fell to Chan who sat in the center of the couch, elbows on his knees and fingers laced. His gaze was focused on his phone that sat on the table, the screen black. You took a step into the room, catching Felix's eye.

He smiled kindly at you, scooting over before patting the empty spot between him and Chan. You stepped carefully over Seungmin who was lying on the floor, wedging yourself between the two boys. With Minho and Hyunjin on the other end of the couch, it was a tight fit but none of you minded. Felix moved closer to you, hugging your arm and resting his head on your shoulder. Chan sent you a nervous smile as he slipped his hand into yours.

It almost felt wrong to break the silence but you did so anyway. "So... did you guys not win the lottery or something?"

Almost like magic, the tension popped and the boys shifted in their seats as if relieved.

"You didn't tell Y/N?" Felix wondered, his eyes on Chan.

"I was going to..." Chan replied with a sheepish look, rubbing the back of his neck. "But every time I tried, something came up."

Your first thought was a negative one. 'They've decided they're tired of me and they're going to ask me to leave...' Your heart picked up speed at the thought and Felix took notice of how your shoulder tensed beneath him.

He had come to know you quite well and knew how your mind worked. "Y/N," he called softly, shifting so that his body was facing you, his hand slipping into your free one. "We decided to try out for Kingdom and the results come in today."

"Kingdom? What's that?"

Han sent you an exasperated look from his armchair. "It/'s one of the biggest kpop survival shows. How can you not know this?"

"Hey, Han," you called, meeting his gaze. "Do you think you're the group's visual?"

"Of course," he replied confidently and without hesitation, prompting a fit of giggles from Hyunjin, the official visual of the group.

"You're delusional because Hyunjin is the visual," you replied in a mocking tone. "How can you not know this?"

"Yah!" He jumped up, fully prepared to start arguing with you when Chan's phone suddenly rang, the loud volume scaring a couple of the members. The tension quickly returned and the group seemed to freeze up, staring at the phone as if they didn't know what it was or how it worked.

You looked between the eight boys before huffing, pulling your hand free from Felix so you could answer it. The boys protested comically, watching you with wide eyes. As soon as you pressed the phone to your ear, though, they went as silent as the grave. "Hello, this is Bang Chan-ssi's phone... Ah, yes, hello. I'm afraid he's tied up at the moment but he asked me to take his calls. Is this about Kingdom?" You could feel all of the boys staring holes into you as they leaned closer unconsciously, trying to hear what was being said on the other end of the line. Chan was squeezing your hand between both of his own. "Yes... oh, yes, I see... that's unfortunate..."

"Unfortunate?" Han whispered to Hyunjin, his brow furrowed. "What's unfortunate?"

Hyunjin just shrugged and Chan brought a finger to his lips, silently telling the boys to be quiet. He tried leaning his head against yours to hear the other side of the conversation but the woman was speaking too low.

"Right, I understand. I'll make sure to let them know... yes, thank you very much. Goodbye." You ended the call, setting the phone back on the table. "Man, I'm starving." You tried to stand up but you were yanked back down by Chan and met with loud protests from the other members. "What?"

"What's unfortunate?" Han demanded, nervousness clear in his tone.

"Oh. Her cat is sick," you replied simply, struggling to keep a straight face when they released a collective sigh, though you weren't sure if it was out of frustration or relief. Probably a bit of both.

"Why would she tell you something so random?" Seungmin complained, pausing for a moment as he sat up. "Feel better soon, goyangi-ssi."

You had to smile at how cute he was. "Dunno, but I guess she was just stressed out."

"But what did she say about us ?" Hyunjin questioned.

"Ah, yeah," you hummed, tapping your chin. "What did she say again?"

"Y/N, please ," Chan groaned, throwing his arms around you before leaning back on the couch, bringing you with him. "You're being a sadist."

You snickered at him, patting his stomach. "Congratulations, you're now participants on Kingdom."

A beat of silence passed before they started screaming, jumping up and down like crackheads. Chan released a shaky breath, resting his face against your neck, tightening his arms around you. The tension melted from his body and you smiled warmly, ruffling his hair.

"Congratulations, Chris," you told him softly. "I'm so proud of you."

He choked out a laugh, his smile wide. "Thank you, Y/N."

☾ ⋆･ﾟ:⋆･ﾟ: ⋆.:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ:. ☁

You held back a yawn as you sat down in the cafe, trying to appear as professional as possible despite not wanting to be there. Today was the second day of filming for Kingdom and you decided that instead of sitting around at home waiting for them to return, you would try and find a job. So far, Chan had been supporting you but you felt like a burden because of this. You were older, after all, if anything you should be supporting him which you knew was impossible. He was a global idol and producer, no job you were capable of getting could come close so you settled for just supporting yourself. The problem is that you hated people and listened to enough horror stories to know how terrible customer service jobs were.

And yet here you were, sitting across from the cafe manager as you waited for him to start speaking.

He was silent as he looked over your less than impressive resume. When he finally looked up at you, his expression was passive, giving away nothing he was thinking or feeling. He folded his hands beneath his chin. "Tell me, Y/N-ssi, why do you want to work here?"

'Because I'm desperate and you're the only place within ten miles that's hiring.' You gave him what you hoped was a pleasant smile. "I visit this cafe often and I always feel relaxed here. It's a nice environment with friendly staff."

He hummed, his eyes never leaving yours. It honestly made you uncomfortable as if he was looking into your soul. "And why should I hire you? Your work history is, quite frankly, appalling."

Back in Aus, you had secured a slew of part-time jobs growing up but you never lasted more than eight days. Most of them you had been fired from for giving the customers a piece of your mind and the rest you had quit. And now as an adult, you still hadn't found steady work. "I understand, but if you just give me a chance, I -" A loud chime cut you off and you frowned, looking around for the source only to realize it was your phone. You gave him a strained smile as you fumbled to pull your phone from your pocket, declining the call without glancing at the caller ID. "I apologize."

He sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "Continue."

"Right. As I was saying, if you give me a cha -" Your phone chimed again and you cursed, declining the call before putting it on silent.

"Perhaps you should answer."

"Ah, no, don't worry. It's probably just... my younger brother," you lied smoothly. "He can be a bit clingy sometimes."

He did not look impressed.

"Right... to answer your question -" The phone vibrated in your lap but you ignored it, hoping he wouldn't notice. "You should hire me because I'm loyal and a good worker." buzz buzz "I learn quickly and own up to my mistakes." buzz buzz "I also have lots of free time, so -"

He held his hand up and you stopped talking, frowning at him as he stood up, gathering his papers. "Let's try this again when you're not in such high demand, hm?"

"Yeah..." You ran a hand through your hair in frustration, getting up and stepping out of the cafe. The small, green awning protected you from the rain, not that you minded either way. For a moment, you just stood there listening to the soft pitter-patter as the rain fell to the earth. It was peaceful and calming, helping you forget about your flubbed interview. A couple of minutes passed by before you decided to check your phone.

Five missed calls - two from Chan, two from Changbin, and one from Seungmin. 'They should be filming right now... did something happen?' You were about to call Chan when the phone started to ring and, to your surprise, it was Han. He never called you. With your heart hammering in your chest, you brought the phone to your ear. "Hell -"

"Where are you?" he cut you off.

"Uh, at the cafe a few blocks from the dorm. Why? What's -"

"I'm sending you an address. Get here quickly."

"Oi, what's going on, Jisung?"

You never used his real name and he realized you were probably thinking the worst, but there was no time to explain. "Felix needs you. I'll explain when you get here."

Your heart skipped a beat in panic as you took off into the rain. "I'm on my way."

As soon as the call ended, Han sent you the address.

☾ ⋆･ﾟ:⋆･ﾟ: ⋆.:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ:. ☁

"Thank you!" you told the driver hastily before running out of the car and up the stairs. You had already texted Han to let him know you had arrived but he hadn't responded. Surely you couldn't just walk in... but you tried anyway. Taking a deep breath to calm yourself, you straightened your back and walked with confidence as if you belonged. You even waved at the security guard sitting behind his desk and he waved back. 'Yes, it worked!'

"Hold it." The guard slowly stood up, peering at you over his glasses. "You don't look familiar. What's your name?"

'Remain calm, stay confident.' You smiled, turning to face him with a hand on his hip. "You really don't remember me? That's hurtful."

He faltered a bit and you caught on to that.

"I guess people are right when they say I have no presence..." you spoke softly, lowering your head as you frowned.

"A-Ah, no, that's not true at all!"

'Gotcha.'

"You must forgive an old man. My memory's not what it used to be."

You sniffled, bringing your fist to your mouth to hide your smile. "It's okay, I'm used to it. I really must be going, I'm already quite late for my meeting."

"Of course! Have a good day."

'Huh, maybe I shoulda been an actor.' You grinned, feeling proud of yourself as you reached the elevator but then you realized something - you had no idea what floor Stray Kids were on and you could feel the guard's eyes on your back. You pressed the call button before pulling out your phone. Han still hadn't replied. 'Damn it, Han. Where the hell did you go?'

The doors squeaked open and you came face to face with the man himself.

"Speak of the devil."

He quirked a brow at you before grabbing your wrist and tugging you into the elevator. "What took you so long?"

"Traffic. What's going on, man?"

"Our introduction stage performance starts soon and everyone is super nervous but Felix is starting to panic."

You nodded slowly, looking up at the numbers as they slowly ticked up. "Why is this damn elevator so damn slow?"

Han scoffed. "How are you supposed to calm down Felix if you're this nervous?"

"Shut your face, Han."

"Are you five?"

Your reply was cut off by the ding of the elevator as it reached the correct floor. As soon as the doors opened, you rushed out, heading down the left hallway.

Han stepped out after you with an exasperated sigh. "You're going the wrong way, babo ."

You ignored the insult but turned on your heel, going the right way down the hall until you found your way backstage where your boys were getting ready for their performance. You scanned for Felix, finding him sitting on the steps with his elbows on his knees and his head lowered. He looked so small and upset and it honestly pierced your heart. You darted toward him, dodging employees that crossed your path. "Lix!"

He lifted his head, eyes widening when he saw you. "Y/N?"

You threw your arms around him, gently running your fingers through his bleached hair. He wrapped his arms around your waist, head resting against your chest so he could hear your heart beating - it was comforting to him.

"I'm so scared, Y/N," he whispered softly, his voice trembling.

"What's got you scared, Lixie?"

He hesitated, fingers tugging at the back of your shirt. "During practice, I kept messing up. I stepped too hard on Seungmin and made Han hyung fall. What if I hurt them? I was a total mess..."

You could feel his confidence fading with each word and it broke your heart. You hummed softly, your hand rubbing up and down his back. "The more you stress over it, the more likely you are to mess up. I know it's hard, but I believe in you. Do the very best that you can, enjoy yourself, and leave behind no regrets. No matter what happens, I will always be so proud of you."

Felix took a few deep breaths before pulling away, looking up at you with pleading eyes. "Will you stay and watch over us?"

"Of course," you grinned, cupping his cheeks so you could press a kiss to his forehead. "You're going to do great out there."

He nodded, a grateful smile on his lips. "Thank you, Y/N."

You helped him to his feet, brushing the hair from his eyes. "Now, go break the competition's legs!"

Changbin pecked you on the cheek as he passed by. "Watch us closely, Y/N."

Even Han brushed against your shoulder, giving you a grateful look.

" Clear the set, please, " a male voice came over the PA system. You honestly didn't know where you were meant to be so you wouldn't interfere with the performance so you asked someone, letting them know that you worked for the group.

"You can watch their performance in their waiting room over there," the woman pointed toward a hallway behind you before scurrying off.

You hurried along, not wanting to miss the beginning of the performance but the hallway was lined with doors. Where were you supposed to go? A door opened ahead of you and a pink-haired guy stepped out, dressed in all black. "Excuse me?"

He turned around, looking at you curiously. "Yes?"

"Can you tell me where Stray Kids' waiting room is? I was told to wait there so I could watch their performance."

"Ah, yeah, no problem. It's this way." He smiled politely at you before leading you toward the end of the hall, stopping in front of the door on the right. "It's here."

"Thank you, uh...?"

"San. Nice to meet you." He bowed, a shy smile on his lips.

"Y/N. Nice to meet you, too. Thanks again!" You returned the bow.

"Enjoy the show." San excused himself, entering the room a few doors down across the hall.

You slid into the room, settling down on the couch and focusing your attention on the flatscreen TV as the host announced the start of their performance. The lights in the studio dimmed and you grinned, excited to see them perform live.

When the performance ended, you rushed from the waiting room to congratulate them on their incredible performance, hugging each boy and telling them what a good job they did. Felix was last, his smile bright and eyes shining with pride. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders and he was back to being his usual fluffy self. You held out your arms and he didn't hesitate to close the distance, hugging you tightly.

"You were so amazing, Lixie," you smiled, combing your fingers through his sweaty hair. "I told you that you'd kill it."

He nodded, smiling widely at you. "You're gonna stay with us, right?"

"If you want me to."

"I do," he pecked your cheek.

Chan came up behind the two of you, his arms wrapping around your upper body. "I'm glad you're here. I felt so much more at ease knowing you were watching."

You kept one arm around Felix, bringing your other hand up to rest over Chan's arm. "Sorry I declined your calls."

He clicked his tongue in mock annoyance. "You had me worried. Were you busy?"

Your lips parted to reply but you caught yourself. If you told him that you were trying to get a job, he'd be upset and complain that you weren't letting him take care of you and that wasn't a conversation you wanted to have right now. You wanted to keep the focus on him and the other boys. You leaned back against him with a sheepish smile. "I was watching a Pirates of the Caribbean marathon."

He blinked, pulling away so he could look at you properly and then he choked out a laugh as the words sunk in. "You ignored your best friend for a movie?"

"The best movie," you corrected.

Felix giggled. "You really love those movies, don't you?"

"So much. They are true masterpieces."

"Unbelievable," Chan shook his head, unable to hold back his smile. "I'm glad you could find the time for us, though."

You hummed. "It was tough, but I managed." The two of them started for the hallway and you tried to follow them but you felt a tug on the back of your shirt, halting you mid-step. You glanced over your shoulder at Han. "What?"

Han shifted nervously, running his hand through his raven locks. His brow was furrowed as he tried to gather his thoughts. It was honestly unnerving to you because he had never been without some type of remark toward you.

"What's this? Han's at a loss for words? Guess the apocalypse is coming."

His eyes regained their confidence, a fire in them as his nervous demeanor melted. "The day the apocalypse happens will be because you made another stupid decision. I'll be the hero, cutting you down to save the world." He turned to the side, thrusting his hand out as if he had a sword in it.

" You, the hero ? Not even in your dreams," you scoffed, waving your hand at him. "The story would end in chapter one because you dropped the sword through your foot."

"I'm quite skilled with a sword, thank you very much."

"Kitchen knives aren't swords, idiot ."

"Yah!"

"Alright, that's enough," Chan interrupted, giving you both a tired look. "What are you even bickering about now?"

"Y/N isn't a Stay," Han replied quickly, pointing an accusing finger at you.

Changbin shook his head. "That's not true. Y/N is our number one Stay. Right?" His eyes met yours and you quirked a brow.

"I don't remember signing up for that."

He gasped dramatically. "What? How could you?"

You clicked your tongue, sending Han a dirty look. "How could I be a Stay when that means stanning this guy?"

"That's just hurtful," Han faked a hurt look, hand over his heart. "For shame."

You rolled your eyes before addressing Chan. "I'm only part of Chan's fanclub."

There was a round of protests from the other boys but you just snickered, brushing past them toward their waiting room. Chan shook his head, amusement dancing in his eyes as he followed after you, swinging his arm around your neck.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ:. ☁

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