~𝟳𝟭~

                                    

                                          
I looked up at Lee Know as we stood hand in hand behind the corner right next to the top of the stairs. He gave me a tender smile, his thumb brushing over my hand softly. I sighed and closed my eyes, steeling my nerves before stepping out onto the first step, Lee Know following. His hand remained clasped around mine as we made our way down the stairs. 
I noticed all the chatter dying down and saw some of the members come out of the kitchen to see what was going on. It was so quiet, the pounding of my heart against my chest walls was deafening. As Lee Know and I went to stand in front of the seven pairs of eyes, my stomach churned, and I suddenly felt lightheaded. I felt like backing out. Until I heard Lee Know's words echo in my mind.
We had just walked out of my room when he had taken my hand in his, interlacing our fingers and grabbing my attention. He pulled me closer to himself and spoke softly. Whatever happens, I'm by your side. And if you feel, at any moment, that you don't want to do this, just tell me and we can drop it, he had told me before pulling me into a tight hug. 
As I stood before the seven other team members, his words gave me strength. And managed to calm the raging storm of thoughts in my mind. I took a deep breath, feeling my light-headedness drift away.
"Lee Know and I have something to say. Something we've been meaning to say for a while now, actually."
I paused, looking up at the man who stood next to me. The man who had been my source of comfort and stability ever since we confessed to each other, maybe even before then. He gave me a slight smile which I returned before turning back to the members.
"We... we're dating."
The silence that followed after I spoke made me feel like I was being drowned. And I couldn't do or say anything because my nerves at the members' reaction left me frozen. The only thing that kept me from holding my breath was the gentle drag of Lee Know's thumb across the back of my hand in slow intervals, almost as if to help me keep track of my breathing. 
I was just about to snap and tell the members that it was a joke when I saw a smile spread on Han's lips. His smile grew until it was a full-fledged grin. I noticed some of the other members smiling as well, but Felix's smile was by far the biggest, his eyes forming crescents. Suddenly the room broke out in noise, the boys coming over to me and Lee Know, congratulating us and giving hugs to the both of us. I was so happy with the members' reaction until I noticed Chan standing quite far away. The room quieted down again and the boys made way for him. His expression was unreadable, but there was no sign of a smile. 
He walked over to me and Lee Know, and I reached out to the boy next to me, who by some freak accident was not as near to me as he was a moment ago, my hand gasping open air. But instead of Chan walking over to me like I expected him to do, what with me dating one of his team members, he walked over to Lee Know, staring him down before speaking. 
"If you mess this up, I will personally throw you in the pool in the middle of the night and lock you outside for a week. Understood?"
Lee Know just straightened up further, nodding curtly. I noticed a smile spreading on his lips, and I begged that he would just be serious in that moment. Until I saw the same smile spread on Chan's lips. He started laughing, roughly pulling Lee Know into a head lock and ruffling his hair before giving him a tight hug, patting him on the back. The boys and I started laughing as well at the two eldest team members' antics. Chan and Lee Know pulled out of the hug and both turned to me, their smiles turning soft and caring at the sight of me. Chan came over to me, embracing me softly. 
"If he ever does anything that upsets you, you tell me right away, okay?" he whispered in my ear, and I smiled.
"Of course. Always."