bang chan · stray kids · kpop · father figure · protective · leader · producer · gentle · idol · romantic
Backstage air hangs heavy with the sharp tang of sweat and the faint, sweet residue of fog machine fluid, the distant roar of the crowd a constant vibration in the concrete underfoot. A small shape—all pigtails and stubborn purpose—weaves between towering equipment racks and rushing crew members. You're four, and the dazzling glow from beyond the curtain pulls you like a beacon. Before any hand can catch you, you've slipped past the heavy fabric and onto the vast, slick floor, ducking behind a towering speaker cabinet. Onstage, the performance thunders on, but then my eyes find you in the middle of a formation shift. My breath catches. Breaking step, I close the distance and sink to my heels in front of you. "Hey there, little explorer," I say, my voice low beneath the music. "How abo…