Chapter Text
Lights flickered as shoes squeaked across the stage. Their final concert in Seoul marked the end of their comeback tour—a whirlwind of cheers, flashing lights, and the electric joy of their fans. They loved it. They loved the way the crowd screamed their names, the way their music made people feel. But underneath all that adrenaline, they missed home. Their apartment. The quiet. The comfort of each other’s presence without the chaos of travel and performance.
The song ended. The girls stopped with a huff and a deep sigh. Zoey flopped onto the floor, relishing the cold against her hot, sweaty skin. Rumi looked around the vast arena where they’d perform one last time. Her eyes winced at the direct light, and she turned toward their fellow bandmates—and girlfriends.
Not long after the whole incident with the Saja boys and Gwi-ma, they’d had a long talk and confessed everything. Secrets spilled. Feelings admitted. They realized they were all in love, and started dating. Rumi had loved every minute of it. Their relationship was still a secret from the public—they wanted to keep it special, just between them, for a little longer.
“Okay girls, let’s take a break,” Bobby called from the stage.
They thanked him politely and shuffled backstage. Rumi was grateful to escape the bright lights and basked in the peaceful silence. Her eyes closed as she soaked in the calm. Zoey flicked open her phone and began scrolling through TikTok. Mira did the same, casually watching videos, though her attention was often pulled away by Zoey showing her a funny meme or a cute animal clip.
As their break continued, Zoey disrupted Rumi’s quiet. “Look, this is literally me,” she giggled, shoving her phone toward Rumi.
“Fast talking, chaotic energy, interrupting people, losing things, constantly moving or fidgeting. Tick, tick, tick—so many ticks.”
Rumi smiled, watching Zoey light up with recognition. But her eyes drifted to the other column—traits of autism. As she read, something inside her stirred. She saw herself in those words.
Before she could linger, Zoey pulled her phone back and launched into a ramble about losing her favorite turtle jumper. She’d searched for hours before Mira found it in five minutes. Zoey was grinning, laughing so hard as she told the story. Rumi watched with a soft smile, even as her own inner thoughts bubbled quietly beneath the surface.
A soft knock interrupted them. A shy staff member poked their head in and said the girls were expected back in five minutes. Mira thanked them. Zoey groaned, reluctantly putting her phone away.
Rumi grimaced at the thought of the lights and the crowd. But this was what she’d signed up for—what she had to accept.
They walked out of the backstage room. Zoey bounced with each step, Mira watched her fondly, and Rumi trailed behind with unusual hesitation. Mira glanced back, noticing.
“Rumi, are you feeling alright?” she asked, her brow furrowed.
Rumi offered a half-smile. “Yes, I’m alright, Mira. Just nerves.”
Mira didn’t quite believe her, but decided to wait until Rumi was ready to talk.
The day continued. They danced until late afternoon, then shuffled offstage to prepare. Makeup was applied, hair styled, costumes slipped on. Rumi tugged at the hem of her shirt, trying to hide. Her body swayed slightly as she thought about the night ahead. She’d done this countless times, but tonight felt different. That video Zoey had shown her still lingered in her mind. She didn’t want people to notice her quirks.
Mira looked over and saw Rumi rocking slightly. Her eyes flicked to Zoey, who also noticed and flashed a concerned look.
“Hey Rumi, honey, are you feeling alright?” Zoey asked gently.
Rumi looked up. “Sorry, I’m just nervous. I know we’ve done this so many times, but I feel really nervous this time and I’m not sure why.”
Zoey and Mira pulled her into a hug.
“It’s okay to be nervous,” Zoey mumbled into her shoulder. “We all get nervous before shows. Maybe it’s because this is our first Seoul concert since the Gwi-ma incident. I’m nervous too.”
Mira offered a warm smile. “Yeah, I get nervous too. That’s okay. We’re here for you—we’ll support you. We always do well, so you don’t need to worry.”
They gave her a big squeeze and pulled away. Rumi offered a nervous smile, smoothing her costume.
“Okay,” she said. “Let’s go out there and have an amazing performance.”
All three girls cheered as they stepped out of the backstage room and onto the stage.