Whispers Of False Promises » bangchan [indefinite hiatus]

episode 14: the big break

A couple of weeks later, it was time for Stray Kids to reveal the tracklist for their comeback. I had not directly talked to Chan, or any member of 3RACHA yet, and what was set forthcoming was unforeseen by me. 

I was peacefully working on my track on my desk when Hee-yeol exclaimed uncharacteristically, "Kaira! Say, did you see this coming?" 

"See what coming?" I removed my headphones and placed them beside my laptop, and dragged my chair over to him. Even Hyeon-ju was interested now, because she did the same motion. Now, with the three of us gathered, Hee-yeol showed the dim screen of his phone, "The tracklist!" 

I squinted my eyes to read the small words, and asked, "Um, yeah?" 

"Do you not see it?" 

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Hyeon-ju questioned, still reading through the names of the songs on the album. 

"You worked on Track 3: Only Angel, right?" Hee-yeol spoke, "Read the credits under it." 

My eyes slowly widened in realization, and to confirm my suspicion, I hastily read the credits under Only Angel; and there, sitting beside 'Bang Chan' was my name in the little box of credits, listed under the category of production. 

"Oh, my god! Kaira!" Hyeon-ju launched off her seat, the biggest toothy grin on her face, "You got listed in the discography of Stray Kids themselves!" 

"But...!" I stood up, "I just- I didn't-"

"Yeah! I thought you just went for organic background vocals. When did you help with the production?" Hee-yeol asked, oddly interested. 

"I didn't help much. I just- I gave some inputs, that's all!" 

"Spoken like a true, humble musician," Hyeon-ju patted my back, "I'm genuinely so happy for you, Kaira. You're finally getting the recognition you deserve!" 

"Thank you. I don't know what I did to be on this list, but thank you!" I finally smiled, and gazed at the screen again. My name on the credits list, right beside Bang Chan, gave me goosebumps. It felt as if the winter was transitioning into spring, and the snow was melting away, being thawed by the hands of someone I had only ever admired and loved from a distance. He had no idea that he was saving me, and that was the biggest reason for me to fall further down the well of adoration for him. They say that you love your demons more than your angels, but my demon was fading, and my angel, Bang Chan, was all I could see and love anymore. 

And it was not just because he included me in the list -- no, that was one of the million reasons why I called him my savior. It was because he was kind enough to talk to a nobody like me, and still be respectable and generous about it. I was perhaps no one to him, yet he treated me like I was someone who carried immense importance in his life. Again, one of the million reasons why I was so in love with him. 

Words could not possibly convey what I felt for him; they were too fragile to bear the weight of my affection. 

"I should probably thank Bang Chan for adding my name to the list." 

---

He was not in the spare studio. 

Neither was he in their regular studio, where he used to conduct Chan's Room episodes. I was too afraid to venture to their practice room, where the rest of Stray Kids, or even other idols, could be. So, dejected, I returned to my studio, where, right upon my entrance, Hyeon-ju shoved the phone into my face, "Kaira!" 

I blinked, "Yeah?" 

"SNS is blowing up with your name!" 

"...Now, what?" 

"Since this is your big break, Stays are questioning who you are. The mystery remains around your name, and everyone is curious!" 

"No way!" I gasped, grabbing my phone and checking Twitter, where there were posts with my name pertaining to the Stray Kids comeback. 

"This is...!" I was almost on the verge of crying, because scenarios like this were something I had only ever dreamt about. And I was so, so certain that Chan had the biggest hand in making it happen. 

I owe him for being so kind to me and my dreams. 

(a/n: Imagine this happened to you. What would you do first? 

HOW WAS THIS?? HEHEHEHE THANK YOU FOR 2K!! :3

thanks for reading! i love you!)