Chapter Text
The cheers of the crowd all over the arena is deafening, flowing through their veins and pumping their blood as the energy courses through their bodies and fuels their performance. The seven of them sing and dance with passion, jumping with the fans in the crowd and gazing out across the masses of waving light sticks that fills every corner of the arena, in awe at the vast number of people here to celebrate their debut anniversary together.
The song gradually comes to an end, and the lights wave around even harder as fans show their appreciation for the show. The strobe lights black out for a moment and the main stage lights come back on to reveal the set prepared for their fan meeting and seven bar stools set out for them to sit for the games and comments portion of the setlist. They slowly make their way there, taking big gulps of water and dabbing at their necks and foreheads with towels on the side of the stage.
“Alright!” Jungwon starts, his voice reverberating through the loudspeakers into the arena. “Did you enjoy the performance, everyone?”
Cheers erupt from the crowd in reply.
“We’re almost halfway through the fan meeting, and now we’re going to take some time to chat with everyone. How does that sound?” Heeseung calls out into his microphone, and the cheers go off again.
“Why don’t we go around and have each member share some thoughts about our anniversary today?” Niki suggests according to the teleprompter. “Jake hyung, would you like to start?”
“Sure, Niki,” the beta grins and turns to the audience. “Hi everyone! And hello to our fans online as well, I missed you all so, so much.”
Each of the members take the time to thank the fans and reminisce the time they’ve spent together as a group. They’ve come a long way since officially meeting on I-Land, going from young trainees to become a rookie group thrust into a tough industry that would bring them challenges that they’ve never faced before. From strenuous rehearsals and performances to demanding schedules and unrelenting scrutiny of the public, they’ve shaped and adapted themselves to face it head on as a group and as a pack. From where they stand on stage looking out into the sea of fans they’ve garnered over the years, Sunoo feels immense pride and gratitude for how far they’ve come.
Beside him, Niki has just finished up his comments, and the crowd claps and cheers him on at the end. The maknae gives them a bashful smile and allows Sunoo to take his turn last.
Sunoo moves his eyes across the arena at all the small waving lights that represent only a fraction of the many people out there who support them. He scans from one side to the other until his gaze lands on the six members standing beside him, all shining in the spotlight on the stage.
He can already feel a lump in his throat from being in this moment. He takes a deep breath and exhales, lifting his microphone to his lips. “It’s another year of our anniversary as Enhypen, and as a pack. As you know, we’ve each worked hard towards getting to be on this stage together in front of our fans like this, and it blows me away every time to believe that there are people out there who really love and support us this much. I have a lot to be grateful for towards our fans, and especially towards our members. The past year has been filled with a lot of new experiences, going on tour, going abroad, and—personally for me—coming of age. I’ve only been an omega for a little less than a year now.
“Honestly, not that much has changed in my life,” he chuckles, earning a laugh from a few of his members. “But I think, like I’ve said before, as a group and as a pack we’ve gotten a lot closer. I feel like I love our members even more than I loved them before, which I didn’t think was possible until now. I think it’s not just about becoming one with my wolf, but just going through life, there will come unexpected things that might throw you off or make you feel like less. But there are people out there, like my hyungs, and Jungwon and Niki, who love you and stay by your side to tell you that it’s okay to fall. The past year hasn’t been easy for us, but there have been a lot of good things too, and a lot of those good things are thanks to my pack who are always there for me.”
He makes it through most of what he wanted to say without causing a flood of tears, and now he feels the tears start to stream down his face uncontrollably. He lifts a hand to wipe them away uselessly as they keep coming. “As time goes by, I think our pack and our fans will only get closer and become stronger.”
Sunoo opens his mouth and tries to continue. He pulls the microphone away, taking a moment to get himself together. The rest of the members have left their spots and are surrounding him as he starts to cry profusely. They throw around a few jokes to lighten the mood, and he feels someone rubbing his lower back to calm him down. The fans are cooing at the heartwarming moment, and he can even see a few at the front tearing up with him.
He brings the microphone up again and hears his voice echo around the arena. “I just want to say that I’m very thankful for my members and all of our fans. We will continue to do our best and show you even cooler performances and content in the future. Thank you!”
They all gather into a group hug and scent each other briefly before going back to their seats to finish off the concert. Here with each of his pack members and their fans, Sunoo knows that he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.