Chapter Twenty-Three

Your POV

"Get up, If not we're going to be late," I shouted, quickly making my way to all the room, slamming the door close and then opening the other. "Wake up! It's your comeback stage day!" I mentioned again, going to their beds to shake them sober so that they could get back their senses and realize how important today was and start getting ready. I walked into the last room―consisting of Baekhyun, Chanyeol and Xiumin. Xiumin was easy to wake up but Baekhyun and Chanyeol was the big problem. I blew air to my bangs as I tried to pull Baekhyun up. But he just fell back like nothing happened.

"Wake up―" I was about to pull Chanyeol next after I walked to his bed when someone held onto my wrist to prevent me from doing so. I turned around just to see Sehun, causing me to be aghast. "Wha―" He lightly pushed me out of his way as he stood beside Chanyeol's bed. "I'll wake him up, you can tell the others to prepare themselves," he said softly before grabbing his boster out of his clutch and hitting his head with the other end. "We have our comeback stage today hyung," he whispered to Chanyeol's ears, causing him to move around slightly before he shot his eyes open and sat up.

"Oh right! Our comeback!" He desperately said before rushing out of the room and sprinting to the washroom before the others. Baekhyun, too woke up scratching his head, making his hair even messier if it could even be. He looked like an innocent puppy for a moment as he narrowed his eyes while walking out, not before ruffling my hair and thanking me for waking him up. I was baffled for a moment as I felt blood rushed to my cheeks at his actions. Sehun was looking at me before he was about to leave the room too when I stopped him.

"Thank you..." I said, biting my lips as he didn't turn around. "For just now," I added before loosening my grip on him as he left the door with a nod from my words. I walked out afterwards too, seeing how all the members were busy wearing and dressing themselves up, some heading to the kitchen and coming out with a toasted bread in their mouth. After making my way to the kitchen, I wasn't surprised to find D.O already preparing the breakfast for them. He greeted me with a wide smile, showing his heart-shaped lips.

"Here's yours, our manager-nim," he smiled as he passed me a toasted bread too, with butter spread neatly on it. I munched on it as I chewed on the bread while sitting on the chair in the kitchen, watching how all of them run from one room to another. "Hyung, where's my snapback?" Hearing how they communicated, I couldn't help but stifle a laughter. They were running from one place to another, totally busy lending things from one another or finding things. They were messy and it wasn't unusual for this to be happening. "Why are you wearing my sweater?"

"Guys, you have a few minutes left. We're leaving," I said with a smirk as I looked at my watch, counting how the second hand ticks. They were even more shocked to hear my words as they started to work faster. I could even hear some screams from the corridoor when I said my words. After I finished the bread, I stood up. Time's up.

"We need to leave," I told them again  before walking to the door and unlocking it. All of us left the dorm and I locked the door before we went over to our respective vans again. The journey to M!Countdown was intense and nobody spoke in the van that I was in. Most of them had ear piece in their ear, probably hearing music to calm themselves down. It was an important day and they weere probably feeling super nervous about it. Even I was feeling nervous for them. When we reached, I got off the car and opened the door for the as they stepped out. I told them to move faster but it was drowned out by the screams and shouts of fangirls that were waiting at the entrance.

Most of the fangirls had already ran forward and crowd around the door of the van after I had opened it. I was pushed further away from the van but I managed to squeeze my way back after many difficulties. Some other staffs came out to help as they made way for them. The security was also called to ensure safety since the fangirls could get rough sometimes.

"Su Mi―" I heard Baekhyun's voice as he got pushed further away by the swarm of fangirls. I gestured for him to hurry and get in the company first because there were too many people crowding in the area. I was pushed back and forth and I gritted my teeth as it was hard to even move from the crowd. Their ear-piercing screams were also causing pain for my ears and my hands curled to fists. I managed to lift my hand out as I observed the time. We didn't have much time left.

"This is your waiting room, you guys should prepare in here." The staff in charge led us across the corridoor to a door that had a white paper printed 'Exo' stuck on the centre, with the M!Countdown logo at the corner. I thanked her before bringing all the members in. The Exo-M Members were also with us since they arrived just now and we met in the lobby. The waiting room was ordinary with all the mirrors and seats placed. It was neat and quite cosy too since there was some couch at the side. Sehun and Jongin went forward and slumped themselves down on the couch.

"We'll rest first, the others can do their make-up first." They said in unison, giving each other a high-five after speaking. I rolled my eyes at their behaviour as the other members bickered and groaned. Their make-up artists have also arrived and they were supposed to be prepared in half an hour time. When we were walking through the corridoor, many artists and staffs were busy brisk-walking since the performance was going to begin.

"Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Sehun, Kai, Suho and D.O―you guys will change first," I ordered them when some staffs came in holding onto their costumes wrapped in transparent bags to prevent damages. "Luhan, Kris, Xiumin, Lay, Tao and Chen―get your make-up done first," I added as they obediently obeyed without saying much. Sehun and Jongin slightly complained and whined before they followed the others to the changing room, knowing that we didn't have enough time.

After they were back from changing, the Exo-K members went to have a seat in front of the mirror as the make-up artists and hair stylists styled their hair and do their make-up. I went out of the room to find some other staffs in charge as they informed me that Exo is going to perform soon. When I got back to the waiting room, most of them looked up with a weary look and when they met my eyes, they knew that it was time. I brought them out of the waiting room as they followed me to the backstage. It was their first time performing their comeback song and I believe all of them were scared.

They were fidgeting around at the backstage as I tried to calm some of them down. "You guys will do great, trust me." I said again before they tried to loosen up by doing some exercises. They checked whether their mics were working as well while some of the stylists that followed helped to style their hair again. I bit my lips as I walked around in circles as well, as nervous as them. "Holy , I'm nervous." Jongin cursed as I patted his back. "You'll do fine,"

"Exo, your turn will be next." The staff mentioned again after coming down from the stairs that linked to the stage. They lined up in a line before trying to recall some moves of the dance. I chuckled as I watched them being worried. "I'll be watching you guys from here," I said, pointing to a monitor at the side that showed the stage at all angles. They did a cheer once again in a circle, Baekhyun asking me to join them before they went back to their line.

I caught Luhan shaking his shoulders as he blew out air. I walked to him as I grinned. "Didn't know you'll feel nervous?" I teased as he actually laughed, but I could feel how nervous he was with his stiff laugh. "It's okay, we'll do fine." he repeated again before I held onto his hands that were tightly curled. "Yes, all of you will do fine," I smiled at him. Realizing how Sehun was standing at the last of the line, back facing everyone, I trudged towards him as I tapped his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" I asked as he turned his back, eyes slightly widened to see me. "Y-Yea I'm fine. Just nervous," he croaked out. "It's okay, you're good to go. I've watched you practiced," I told him as he raised a brow at my words. I figured out how strange it sound after it left my mouth as I bit my cheek. Heck, he'll think that you're some creepy and weird manager, Su Mi! He actually chuckled in amusement seeing my expression.

"Exo, you're up!" The same staff that spoke before shouted as she waved a cue card, her fingers holding onto the mike beside her cheek. All of them tensed up after hearing those words as they started to walk to the stage. I gave all of them a 'fighting!' gesture before whispering "Do your best!" to the last few. I sort of blanket out when I saw Sehun's eyes that turned into crescent moons when he actually smiled at me before brushing past me. Or maybe I was just seeing things again.

I could hear the loud cheers of the fan from the backstage, causing my lips to stretch to a smile when I realized how many people in the world were by their side, supporting them. I walked to the front of the monitor with an eased expression as I folded my arms and observed their performance from the monitor. At first, the stage turned into pitch darkness before it lighted up again, with the members already standing in place, ready to perform. I gasped in awe as the song started and they started to move to the beat.

They were performing really well just like any of the practice they had in the studio and I couldn't help but be absorbed in their performance again just like how I was in their any other normal practice. Everything was perfect...

Until there was a loud ear-splitting sharp sound when the mic from Sehun's hands fell and crashed onto the ground.

Everything seemed to occur in slow motion because I clearly saw how Sehun actually slipped when it was his part of the song, his mic flying out of from his hands as it landed on the ground far away.