Spiderlove ~ Lee Know ✓

chapter 40 8D

As soon as I enter the auditorium, I feel a hand wrap around my wrist as I'm yanked deeper inside by none other than Hyunjin.

"You're finally here." he whispers over the girl singing up on stage, "What took you so long, we're about to go on."

"I didn't even take that long!" I protest.

"Shhhh!"

I promptly shut my mouth and allow Hyunjin to drag me towards a row of seats where the others are sitting. The eight chefs who have now removed their hats come closer into view, and it doesn't take me long to register that they are a little nervous.

I sit in the only available seat: right next to Minho.

"Are you nervous?" I whisper.

"Not really." he replies in a murmur.

His monotone voice and stoic face would support his statement, but I can see from the way he kicks his leg up and down and the way he fiddles with his already sweaty hands that he is, indeed, nervous. So I do the only thing I can think of to help him feel better.

I hold his hand.

He makes an inaudible gasp at the contact, but I hear no complaints as I lace my fingers between his. In fact, his breathing appears to slow down and his nervous actions slowly begin to cease.

"You're going to do amazing. I believe in you." I tell him.

He takes his eyes off the stage and turns to me. Even in the darkness, I can make out the subtle glint in those beautiful eyes, and I once again find myself lost in them.

"Thank you."

Just then, the soft singing from the stage stops and the audience breaks into applause. I join them, because from what I heard despite my late entrance, that was some of the most beautiful singing I have ever heard.

The clapping ceases as an MC walks onto the podium and takes out a script.

"That was a beautiful cover of Psycho sung by Lily. And now, we have an original song and choreography, called God's Menu. GIVE IT UP FOR STRAY KIDS!!!"

The crowd once again erupts into applause, and I watch as my eight friends get up from their seats and make their way onto the stage. My heart starts beating faster in anticipation for what is about to come. I have a feeling it's going to be crazy, and I'm all here for it.

The auditorium falls into complete silence as the eight boys stand motionless onstage. I stay completely frozen, sitting on the edge of my chair. We're all waiting.

And then it starts.

The song begins with some beats and the boys execute a complicated intro that has my eyes whirling all over the place, like an optical illusion. They must have practiced months for this because it's so perfect. It's the coolest thing I've ever seen, and it's just barely started.

That's when Changbin appears out of nowhere, and I gasp the second I hear it.

"Ne sonnim~"

Changbin's powerful rap verse starts and observing the eight performers dance perfectly in sync feels actually magical. But then, as I direct my attention away from the dancing and to the actual song, I'm hit with a shocking realization: They're live singing.