There’s a lot on Soonyoung’s mind now. What’s the freshest isn’t the dance moves or Seungkwan’s insanely loud cheering and poorly put together cheer routine that involves too much hand flailing.

He shouldn’t let it get on his nerves, but it still creeps up. Last year’s festival, and the two lines Jihoon managed to say to him before Seokmin appeared and dragged him to get lunch.

“Beginner’s luck is bound to run out some time. The Dance Club hasn’t moved forward, not one inch.”  

Jihoon probably doesn’t know it, but he’s put Soonyoung’s greatest fears about the festival in these two short lines. But he can’t let it affect him. Not right now, at least. Deep breaths, he can do this. Only ten minutes to make it work. 

Close his eyes and climb up the steps onto stage, feel the curious gazes on the stage. Hear the buzzing of the static from the microphones. The weather isn’t that hot, but he’s already sweating. Is it fear? Or is it desperation? He doesn’t know.

Under the cover of the night, it feels almost comfortable. On a familiar stage, ready to showcase one of the main works of the Dance Club. A renewal of some form. But there’s this gnawing at the pits of his stomach.

It’s been good thus far, but will it still be okay after the ten minutes on the stage?

He almost doesn’t want to find out. What if Jihoon’s right after all this time? What if the Dance Club’s always been lucky and it’s only downhill from here?

Beginner’s luck.  

Maybe it won’t last. And just when Soonyoung thinks that, it’s probably already gone wrong. Figures in the dark run around, low whispers about how the sound system isn’t working right. Panicked words exchanged as the backstage crew try to rig something up.

He’s glad that he doesn’t start facing the crowd. Because the uncertainty might just consume him even faster. And until the lights turn back on, until the music starts blaring through the speakers, he’ll never know. Sweat collects on his brow and he fights the urge to brush it away. But the bigger problem is how his hand is trembling.

And even though he really can’t afford it, Soonyoung is panicking. It’s like all his stress and anxiety over the festival has returned threefold. And it’s choking him quickly, tightening around his throat. An invisible noose slowly strangling him.

Minghao seems to feel something wrong, from the way he’s glancing over. Really, Soonyoung should control himself. He can break down later. The sound system will be fine. Even if it doesn’t work, they’ve practiced hard enough to do it by counting alone. He should have more faith, hold himself together.

How can he have the nerve to call himself the leader if he’s the first person to fall apart when things don’t go as planned?

But he can’t calm down. And the static from the microphone grows louder still. Even the buzzing can’t drown out the restlessness of the crowd.

It hasn’t even started and they’re already losing. Soonyoung should have known. The luck wouldn’t last. And of course it would run out at the most crucial time, right when the Dance Club needed it the most.

Right when his legs feel like they’re going to start shaking too, he sees a familiar figure dash across the stage. And almost immediately after the buzzing stops. A silent pause before the music starts playing.

The sound quality sounds a little grainy, like the one he downloaded onto Seokmin’s phone so they wouldn’t need to keep messing with the audio jacks in the Rooftop Shed.  Because of course Lee Seokmin is solving his problems, like a guardian angel with attitude and jerk disposition. But an angel who always saves him all the time.

And even though Soonyoung can’t actually see Seokmin, his darkened figure seems so reliable. Always when Jihoon tries to mess him up, there’s always Seomin behind him. Even when they weren’t on good terms with only a shared dislike for Ms Han. Even when they weren’t quite friends. Always a pillar he can fall back on, rest against when he gets tired.

Always when he falls, Lee Seokmin is there to catch him. 

So it’s going to be okay.

The trembling is gone, along with the uncertain feeling in his heart. And when the beat drops, Soonyoung turns sharply to face the crowd. A smile on his face, a strong fist thrown up to the air. A sizzle of excitement from the crowd when they recognise the song. 

The exact same song the Dance Club performed to last year. And you can eat that, Lee Jihoon. This time it’s actually choreography done by the Dance Club, choreographed by the other choreographer Kwon Soonyoung. 

He’s probably feeding off Lee Seokmin’s more vindictive personality, but it’s really perfect. Without knowing it what Jihoon said became reality one year later.

Because who said Soonyoung couldn’t? 

The Dance Club had loved it. And the crowd seems to enjoy it too, clapping and cheering as they dance. All the insecurity vanishes along with the rising mood. Jihoon nabbed himself a front seat hoping to watch them crash and burn, but sadly for him he’s not getting it today.

And they change to the second song. And the third. Performing a new version of the same three songs they did last year.The crowd is enjoying it, raising their hands and jumping. The most enthusiastic person still has to be Seungkwan, horribly conspicuous despite being in the fourth row. He’s hopping around like a madman and brandishing his banner like a blunt weapon.

“Lee Seokmin THE BEST!!!” it reads.

Well, Soonyoung can’t say that Seungkwan is wrong. Lee Seokmin is pretty amazing.

It’s over almost too fast. Soon the music comes to an end, and he’s trying to catch his breath while striking a finishing pose.

He did it.

And he can’t control it, the wide grin that spreads on his face and causes his eyes to scrunch up in pure happiness. He’s going to look so ugly in the photos, but right now he doesn’t care. He’s so happy right now. Nothing can spoil this moment.

The five of them move forward, holding hands as they take a deep bow. Soonyoung holds his down, finally letting his emotions well up. His eyes feel damp as they clear the stage, the heat from the stage lights gone as they ready the next set. 

Soonyoung does take Jihoon’s front row seat to watch Seokmin and the Rock Band perform. He isn’t that good a person to shun a petty victory. Besides, he really wants to watch Seokmin perform on stage up close.

Seokmin is really the best, from his handsome side profile to the way he he pours his emotions into his singing. Even better than his late night practices at the Rooftop Shed, but nothing has prepared Soonyoung for how different the last song sounds.

It’s one of the songs Soonyoung loves to poke fun at Seokmin for singing, another sad unrequited love song that he frankly has too many of. But today the emotions feel so real, so raw, so heartfelt. It makes Soonyoung’s heart break a little, like he feels exactly what Seokmin is singing about.

Even though it isn’t quite love, Soonyoung understands that empty feeling of hopelessness too well.

It suits so perfectly. The tears that are clouding his eyes are only partly from the adrenaline of the Dance Club performance. Because for some unknown reason some of them are for Seokmin.

Maybe it’s his emotions that are running high right now, but Soonyoung is genuinely sad that Seokmin isn’t loved back, doesn’t have some kind of guardian angel who solves all the problems he experiences in his life. Even though Seokmin is at least seven kinds of blessed, it’s almost unfair that he doesn’t have someone to be his pillar, backing him up on his every move.

“You know, when I was saying I wanted to make people feel something I didn’t mean I wanted to make you cry.” Seokmin says when they come down from stage.

“I know. You were great.”

Seokmin presses a still warm palm onto Soonyoung’s cheek, brushing away a stray tear. Cradles his face so gently, that Soonyoung feels like crying again. Why he feels like crying, that’s something he can’t understand. Even known he’s sniffling weakly.

“You’re supposed to be smiling and happy right now. Didn’t we agree to make this a competition of who got more cheers? I think you guys did.”

“We wouldn’t have done anything if you didn’t make the sound system work. And you made me cry. That’s a win in my books.”

“There, there. I wasn’t going to let Jihoon get away with hurting you again. You did so well, don’t cry.”

Seokmin is only a little taller than him, but when Seokmin ruffles his hair he feels like he’s at least two years younger, so small and safe in his arms. It feels so unfair that Seokmin doesn’t get this in return, get this kind of warm care and affection that he lavishes on Soonyoung.

And even though he can’t resolve all the injustice the world gives to Lee Seokmin, Kwon Soonyoung can try. So almost naturally, he wraps his arms around Seokmin.

The stage lights are still bright as some other group performs and item, but right now there’s only the two of them in this world. And strangely, Soonyoung likes this too much. This feels like home. Seokmin is like a life-sized, more handsome and less chewed up Mr. Fluffles.

“Congratulations. It was a brilliant performance.”

“You wouldn’t know. You only watched the back view.”

“I can imagine what it looked like from the front without taking out my video camera. I’m sure it was beautiful.”

Seokmin sounds so sincere. Once again, Soonyoung’s so glad it’s at night because the dim lighting is so good at hiding the red flush on his cheeks.

“Your performance was equally amazing. You are amazing.”

“Mmm.”

And they stand there, just enjoying the moment. The soft evening breeze, the distant festival sounds and the dim lamplight casting shadows on the grass. Soonyoung really won’t mind staying like this forever.

“Hey! We were looking around for you two to take photos- OHHHH.” Jeonghan says loudly, Dance Club and Rock Band boys trailing behind. Some unplaceable oohing and ahhing from the other members that’s really strange. What's so interesting? 

“Maybe we’ll just go we don’t want to disrupt anything!” Seungkwan’s voice is suspiciously sing-songy, the voice he uses when he has a guilty conscience. Which doesn’t make much sense because he didn’t do anything wrong. Except lift up the wrong banners at the wrong time. Hang on, that's a huge sin! 

“So noisy. You raised the wrong banner during our performance. Kwon Soonyoung you can do it, seriously? What kind of friend are you?”  

“No I made this banner for you it was really nice in sparkle foam and everything do you know how hard it was to make I’m a great friend both signs are equally nice-“

“You raised Seokmin’s one up during the Dance Club performance. What an awful bestie, I’m disowning you.”

Earnest nodding from Chan who testifies that he saw the Seokmin sign and knew it was a honest mistake. Devious nodding from Junhui who just want to see Seungkwan in more trouble. And a sweet Joshua trying to prevent Jeonghan from dishing out the photographic proof.

“You did mess up the signs. But I couldn’t stop you because you were way too enthusiastic.” His girlfriend whispers.

‘NOOOOOO.” Seungkwan wails, falling to the ground dramatically. Why does nothing ever go his way? First he messes up support for his friends and then he crashes in on some nice couple moments. The next thing you know he’ll be unsuspectingly helping Jihoon.

But when he looks up to see Soonyoung and Seokmin bantering about the best possible way to punish him, Seungkwan thinks he hasn’t messed up that bad.

And when his girlfriend shows him the group photos they took on the way home, he confirms this belief. Seokmin and Soonyoung are smiling so brightly next to each other, so happy next to each other.

Now all Seungkwan hopes for is that pledisplagiarisers doesn’t share videos to ruin it again. 

a/n: very excited for seventeen's comeback the tease pics are cute :>> hope you enjoyed? this chapter depsite all the angst I put you guys through