July 23rd, 2066
We had done it. Wolves Kiss had officially debuted. It was July 23rd, 2066 a date I would never forget. My chest swelled with pride, not only for myself but for my pack of wolves who had fought tooth and nail to reach this stage. Every sleepless night, every aching muscle, every doubt we had poured everything into this moment. The waiting was over. It felt like setting down a glass after a long pour: sudden, simple, yet deeply satisfying.
The fans welcomed us with open arms, their support as warm as a blanket thrown over trembling shoulders. This was only the first step the spark before the blaze but even so, I swore I'd give everything I had today, no matter how much the lights, the colors, and the deafening cheers made my legs shake.
Then, Ji Sanghye "Mr. K," his tattoo blazing proudly on his arm caught my eye. He grinned knowingly. He had seen through me.
"Don't be afraid, Seokjin! This is our day!"
"It's only a thousand people. I'm not scared," I lied.
"Bullshit," he chuckled. "This is our first step on the golden ladder. After tonight, nothing will ever make us piss ourselves this badly again."
Before I could answer, Juwon and the others clapped us all on the shoulders.
"It's like losing your virginity for the first time!" Juwon declared.
Smack! K, eyes glistening with tears, smacked the back of Juwon's head.
"You idiot! I was having a moment here."
"Alright, alright! Tonight, let's blow the roof off this place!" Giyul laughed, giving me a solid pat on the back.
The music swelled from beyond the stage, rattling through the floorboards. K crouched low, ready to sprint."Three… two… one… GO!"
We burst through the curtain into the blinding stage lights. The roar of a thousand voices crashed over us like a tidal wave. "Kyaaaaaaaaa!!!"
"W'SUP EVERYONE~~~!" K shouted into the mic, his voice soaring above the chaos. "W! O! L! V! E! S! Wolves KISS YOU~~~!"
Juwon stomped his sneaker and neon lights rippled up his shoes."Dance mode, baby!"
Down below, I spotted a fan waving a notebook desperately toward me. Nudging the stagehand, I reached for it. But instead of signing with the pen offered, I pressed my lipstick-stained lips against the page, leaving a crimson imprint.
"A special autograph," I said, handing it back. The fan's scream split the air.
"HE SIGNED IT WITH HIS DNA!!!" one amongst the crowd roared again.
"Alright, fire-tongued angels, let me hear your voices!" Jin cried, raising his fist.
And the audience bellowed in unison:
"Wolves never sleep! Wolves never fade! Wolves Kiss
HAJA!!!"
"Then let's not waste a second longer!" Baek Giyul called, dashing to his mark.
K clapped our shoulders one last time. "Go big, aim higher, and let them remember our names."
After the beat dropped. My arm spread wide, hand cutting through the air as the sound thundered out. And at that very instant, the little pink butterfly burst from the shadows, spiraling above the crowd, dancing through the light as if to bless our first flight into the storm.