Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Day 1 – Heartbeats and Teasing
The backstage of GMMTV LOL Fan Fest 2026 was alive with electricity. The distant roar of thousands of fans echoed through the walls, their chants vibrating in the air like thunder. Bright lights, rushing staff, and the smell of makeup and hairspray filled the space. It was the first day of the festival, and the pressure was real.
William stood in front of the large mirror, carefully adjusting the collar of his fitted black shirt. His heart was pounding so hard he could feel it in his ears. Even though he was a well-known individual singer and idol, performing with his closest friends — especially with his boyfriend — always made him nervous in the best way.
Est suddenly appeared behind him, wrapping his arms around William’s waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. Their eyes met in the reflection.
“Hyung, you look like you’re about to propose to me again,” Est teased with a playful grin.
William turned around slowly in Est’s embrace. He gently cupped Est’s face with both hands, his thumbs softly stroking his cheeks. His voice dropped into a low, affectionate tone.
“How am I supposed to calm down when you look this good?” William murmured, eyes locked on Est’s. “Every time you smile at me, my heart forgets how to beat properly. I keep thinking about pulling you close the moment we’re off stage… just you and me, away from all the noise.”
Est’s cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. He bit his lip, trying not to smile too obviously, but failing.
“William… you can’t say things like that right now,” Est whispered, clearly melting under the romantic attention.
William smirked and leaned in, pressing a light kiss on Est’s forehead. “Why not? I like seeing you blush before we go out there.”
A few feet away, Gemini leaned casually against a table with his arms crossed, looking effortlessly cool. Fourth sat on the table beside him, legs swinging nervously. Gemini reached out and intertwined their fingers, gently playing with Fourth’s hand.
“Gem, your boyfriend’s leg is shaking the whole table,” Pond called out from the black leather couch.
Pond was sprawled comfortably with Phuwin half-lying on his chest. Phuwin looked completely nonchalant, scrolling through his phone as if they weren’t minutes away from facing a massive crowd.
Gemini smirked. “That’s not nerves. That’s him remembering what I told him I’d do to him if we kill the opening performance.”
Fourth’s face turned bright red. “Gemini! Shut up!” He smacked Gemini’s arm, embarrassed but laughing.
Perth and Santa walked in together, both holding water bottles. Santa immediately grinned at the scene.
“Already throwing dirty jokes around? We haven’t even stepped on stage yet,” Santa laughed.
Perth wrapped an arm around Santa’s shoulders and pulled him closer. “Leave them be. William and Est are being disgustingly sweet again. Get a room, you two.”
Est laughed, still a little flushed from William’s earlier words. “He started it!”
“Yeah, and I’ll finish it later,” William replied smoothly, making Est hide his face in his chest.
“PondPhuwin being lowkey again,” Gemini teased, making air quotes with his fingers. “We all saw you two disappear for twenty minutes during soundcheck. Phuwin came back with messy hair and Pond couldn’t even look at us.”
Phuwin shrugged casually, his expression calm as ever. “We were just rehearsing.”
Santa grinned mischievously. “Rehearsing how to moan each other’s names without getting caught?”
“Santa!” Pond yelped, instantly turning bright red like a shy puppy. He buried his burning face deeper into Phuwin’s neck, trying to hide.
Phuwin smiled faintly and gently stroked Pond’s hair with one hand, a small but tender gesture. “Leave my puppy alone. He gets shy easily.”
The whole group burst into warm laughter. The teasing, the adult jokes, the love — it was their way of dealing with the nerves. They were young, close, and deeply connected. William, Perth, Pond, and Gemini — all confident tops in their relationships — balanced the group’s playful energy, while Est, Santa, Fourth, and Phuwin brought their own charm.
William looked around at his found family, feeling his racing heartbeat slowly steady. These seven people made everything better.
Est looked up at him and whispered, “You really are evil for making me blush before we perform.”
William smiled and kissed the top of his head. “Just reminding you who you belong to.”
The stage manager’s voice suddenly echoed through the speakers:
“Five minutes until opening!”
The eight of them gathered into a tight circle, arms around each other’s shoulders. Hearts beating fast with nervous happiness, excitement flowing through every touch and glance.
William looked at each of them — his boyfriend, his brothers, his everything — and grinned.
“Ready to give them a show they’ll never forget?”
“Ready!” they all shouted together, loud and full of energy.
As the lights in the backstage dimmed and the crowd’s roar grew even louder, the group moved toward the stage. Teasing, laughing, and loving every second of it.