Make Me STAY

Waiting For Us

ATEEZ had been a hard-working group. Hongjoong especially would spend hours in his studio, often late at night and sometimes even spending the night there. However, Rose was sure that no one was quite as dedicated as her soulmate.

Currently, it was gone midnight and Chan was in his studio with no signs of leaving. It was Sunday and he had just started his V Live. Rose felt sorry for all the fans that would undoubtedly still be up at this time, but she knew Chan was upset with himself for not having the time to do it earlier.

From an empty room nearby where Rose had set herself up, she watched Channie's Room on V Live. Unknown to the leader, she was staying at work with him in case he needed anything. While she told herself it was part of her job, truthfully, she just wanted to be there for him. She knew that he often forgot to eat, brushing it off as saying that he didn't have time. Now that she was around Rose was going to make sure that Chan ate and looked after himself properly.

When he started talking about relating to lonely songs because he had felt lonely without Stray Kids, it hit her deep. Rose had a similarly lonely childhood, spending her school days being teased and bullied. Only once she had moved to Korea and started working with ATEEZ had she finally learnt what it meant to have friends who genuinely enjoyed her company and cared about her.

Now we've found each other we never have to be alone again.

When it was approaching the early hours of the morning, Rose wearily made her way down to her soulmate's studio and knocked on the door. Chan was obviously startled when he opened the door to see her standing there. He was tidying up the food she had brought him earlier.

"Let me do that. Go home and get some sleep. You have interviews with America in a few hours. Don't make Felix do all the talking because you're too tired to think straight."

Chan didn't dare argue against Rose's no-nonsense attitude and thanked her before gathering his stuff and leaving. With a sigh, she cleaned up the small mess her soulmate had left behind and then she couldn't help but straighten out the rest of the room a little.

Looking at the time, she calculated that she wouldn't have enough time to go home before she had to come back again. Rose lived further away from the company than the boys did, and she liked to get in early to make sure everything was ready for the day. Sitting on Chan's studio sofa, she wondered if he would mind if she took a nap here. Just the thought was enough to send her to sleep.

They all had an early start the next day because of the time difference between Korea and America it was the best time for both sides to hold virtual interviews. When the boys arrived to get ready, Rose had made sure everything they and the staff would need was already set up.

"Noona, you look like Chan-Hyung after spending an all-nighter in the studio."

Unfortunately, there were some things that makeup couldn't cover-up, but her tiredness must have been really bad if it was that obvious.

"Thanks for pointing that out, Changbin. Just what every girl wants to hear."

"I didn't mean -"

"What Hyung meant to say was you look as beautiful as always, Noona."

"Thank you, Sweetie."

"How come Felix gets a cute nickname?"

"Is Jinnie jealous?"

Hyunjin swayed back and forth as he tried not to pout.

"No..."

"When you find your soulmate, they'll call you all the cute nicknames you want."