3. a dream come true

3. a dream come true

yumi sat at her desk, staring at the email for the hundredth time.

congratulations, yumi! you've been selected for seventeen's offline fansign event!

her hands trembled as she reread the message, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. she had made it. all the late night purchases, the careful strategy of buying just enough albums. she was actually going to meet them.

seventeen was more than just a group to yumi. they were a source of joy, of inspiration, of something that made the world feel a little bit brighter.

a small, disbelieving laugh escaped her lips. she quickly checked the email again, scanning through the details; the location, the time, the event rules.

venue: seoul design center, conference room b date: saturday, 10 aminstructions: please arrive 30 minutes early for check-in.

she felt a rush of excitement surge through her, mixed with anxiety. she had to make sure everything was perfect. her outfit, her posture, the way she spoke, everything.

"i still can't believe you got picked," hojin said as he walked into her office, taking a seat in front of her.

"i know!" she squealed. "i can't believe it. i'm so happy!"

"well, congrats!" he smiled. "i still think it's a waste of money, but if you're happy, then i am, too."

"i'm not just happy, i'm freaking out!"

"just don't embarrass yourself." he chuckled.

yumi rolled her eyes, though her heart fluttered with affection. he might not get it, but she knew he cared.

she needed to prepare. there was so much to do!

picking out her outfit, the perfect fan message, the photo cards she bought for the sign, she had a lot to do.

at lunch the next day, yumi sat across from hojin, her lunch untouched as she flipped through her fan notebook. she had written down a draft of her message to seventeen, practicing what she would say. would she be nervous? of course she would! but what if she made a fool of herself?

"you're overthinking this," hojin commented dryly as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"i'm not overthinking it," she muttered. "this is a big moment, hojin."

he raised his eyebrow, setting down his sandwich. "it's just a few seconds. they'll probably just sign something for you, you'll say 'thank you' and that's it. you're making a big deal."

"why are you like this?" yumi finally looked at him.

"why are you like this?" he answered back. "you're obsessed. it's unhealthy. i've been supporting you for a long time, but it's stupid."

"i don't care if you think it's stupid or not." she glared at him. "it's something that i love, something that makes me happy. you don't get to judge me for being myself. if you don't like it, then just, ignore it, maybe? since it's not affecting you in any way."

"whatever."

she ignored him and started eating her lunch. he kept stealing glances at her, but she completely ignored his existence. hojin knew she was right. it wasn't affecting him. but why was he mad?

the morning of the fansign arrived.

yumi woke up earlier than she had ever woken up in her life. her heart was racing, and her stomach felt like it was full of butterflies.

she got dressed in a simple outfit; a seventeen hoodie paired with high-waisted jeans and white sneakers. nothing too fancy, but also something that felt comfortable and true to herself. she looked in the mirror, fixing her hair one last time.

"you've got this," she whispered to herself. "it's just a few minutes."

with one final glance in the mirror, she grabbed her bag, packed with albums, photo cards and a carefully prepared note for her favorite member. she was ready.

at the venue, the energy was palpable. the seoul design center was buzzing with excitement as fans filed into the large conference room, each holding their albums with anticipation written across their faces.

she quickly found her spot in line, her nerves tingling as she looked around at the other fans—some were older than her, some were younger, but all of them shared the same love and excitement for seventeen.

and then, the moment arrived. yumi's hand trembled as she shuffled forward in line, getting closer and closer to the table where seventeen would be sitting.

and then, they were in front of her.

yumi froze, her breath catching in her throat as she stood before the group of idols who had once seemed so far away. but now, they were right here in front of her, smiling and laughing.

for a moment, time seemed to slow.

and yumi, who had spent years dreaming of this, couldn't help but think:

this is real.

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