The Shadow Of A Trainee | Bang Chan ?

Chapter 84.

The moment we stepped out, a wave of screams erupted from the crowd. The arena was filled with shocked gasps, some fans covering their mouths, others staring wide-eyed. I saw some of them clutching their banners, their expressions ranging from excitement to disbelief.

Panic bubbled in my chest. My heart raced as I kept my gaze low, afraid to look at the thousands of faces in front of me. What if they didn’t like me? What if—

Chan squeezed my hand.

I glanced up, finding him already looking at me with a reassuring smile.

When we reached the center of the stage, the rest of the members gathered around us. They didn’t say anything, but their presence made me feel safer.

Chan raised his mic again, his voice steady and full of emotion.

"For years, I struggled with hating myself. I faced a lot of problems, carried a lot of responsibilities, and honestly... I didn’t know how to breathe properly. The only thing that kept me going was music and my boys—Stray Kids. They’re my family, my brothers, the people who saved me."

I heard sniffles from the audience. Some fans were already crying, their love for Chan filling the room.

"But," Chan continued, his voice softer, "our lives were missing something. We were cautious, unsure of who to trust, just trying to survive in this world. And then..."

He turned to me.

My breath hitched.

"Then Mirae came into our lives."

The crowd gasped again.

"So many things happened after that," Chan said, chuckling lightly. "So many memories, so much laughter. And somewhere along the way, without even realizing it... I fell in love with her."

Tears welled up in my eyes. I stared at him, completely overwhelmed by his words. How did I get so lucky? To be loved by someone as wonderful as him?

The crowd had gone eerily silent, as if holding their breath. But when Chan suddenly grinned and said, "Why are you all crying? I’m happy, so don’t make me cry too," the arena erupted into cheers, laughter, and whistles.

Then, without warning, he handed me the mic.

I froze. My eyes went wide.

No. No, no, no, I wasn’t ready for this—

But when I finally gathered the courage to look up at the crowd, I saw something unexpected.

Smiles.

Some fans were still crying, but they were happy tears. Others were laughing, cheering, clapping. Their expressions weren’t filled with anger or hate. They were filled with warmth. Acceptance.

A tear slipped down my cheek, but this time, it wasn’t out of fear.

I brought the mic to my lips, my voice shaky at first.

"Hello... I’m Mirae," I said, bowing deeply. "Stray Kids’ ex-assistant and currently..." I took a deep breath, looking at Chan, who gave me an encouraging nod. "...Chan’s girlfriend."

The cheers were deafening.

I laughed through my tears, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. And before I could even process what was happening, Stray Kids surrounded me, wrapping me in a tight group hug.

Their warmth, their love, their acceptance—it was everything.

And for the first time, standing under the bright stage lights, holding the hand of the man I love, and being embraced by the people who had become my family…