The stadium roared with a thousand screaming voices, each one carrying a mixture of excitement, love, and pure adrenaline. Seoul's night sky was set ablaze with neon lights, and inside the massive arena, Slay Kids prepared to take the stage. Fans waved lightsticks high, creating a sea of swirling colors that danced with the music pounding through the speakers.
Among the crowd, stood Sherri, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.
This was it.
The moment she had dreamed about for years — standing in a real concert in Korea, watching her favorite group live. It felt surreal, like a scene pulled from one of her daydreams back home.
She clutched her lightstick tightly, her fingers trembling slightly. Around her, fans chanted in unison, shouting the group's name. "Slay Kids! Slay Kids!"
The energy was electric, almost too much to contain.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed. The crowd fell into a breathless hush.
Then — an explosion of fireworks — and the opening notes of "Firestorm" thundered through the air.
Sherri's breath caught in her throat as the stage lit up and the members of Slay Kids emerged one by one, dressed in sleek black and red outfits that gleamed under the spotlights. Their charisma was overwhelming. The way they owned the stage, every movement perfectly choreographed, yet brimming with raw passion, made her forget everything else around her.
Her eyes immediately found Hyunjin.
Even among eight dazzling members, Hyunjin stood out like a flame in the darkness. His silver hair shimmered under the lights, and when he smiled — that playful, slightly mischievous smile — Sherri felt something twist deep inside her. It was different seeing him in person, different from all the videos, interviews, and photos she had memorized over the years.
Beside Hyunjin, YoungBok moved with effortless grace, his rapping voice cutting through the heavy bass.
There was something magnetic about him too — the way he stayed close to Hyunjin during their parts, the little glances they exchanged, almost too fast to catch.
Sherri felt her throat tighten.
They were even more beautiful, more powerful, more real than she had ever imagined.
The performance swept her away — hit songs, solo stages, playful moments when the members joked with the audience. Sherri laughed, cried, screamed herself hoarse, letting the music carry her away like a wave.
For a brief, shining moment, she wasn't just a fan. She was part of something bigger — a shared heartbeat with thousands of others who loved Slay Kids just as much as she did.
Hours passed in a blink. The final song began — a soft ballad called "Promise You" — and the members gathered at the front of the stage, each thanking their fans.
Hyunjin stepped forward, holding the mic close, his voice a little shaky from exhaustion and emotion.
"We are here because of you," he said, his Korean clear and heartfelt. "We promise to keep making music for you, for as long as you'll have us. Thank you, always."
Tears welled in Sherri's eyes. She clutched her chest, overwhelmed by a fierce love she could hardly explain.
She had made the right choice, moving here. She was certain of it now.
As the final notes faded, confetti rained from the ceiling, drifting down like stars.
Sherri reached out instinctively, catching a piece in her palm.
It was gold, delicate, and light as air — like a symbol of her new beginning.
The lights came up. Fans began filing out, buzzing with post-concert joy.
Sherri stayed frozen for a moment longer, staring at the emptying stage, committing it all to memory.
Later that night, in the quiet of her tiny apartment, Sherri lay awake, the concert still replaying in her mind.
She stared at the ceiling, the piece of golden confetti resting on her nightstand.
Tomorrow, she thought, was her first real day at her new internship. A marketing position at one of Korea's top entertainment companies. She still couldn't believe her luck.
With a small sigh, she reached for her phone, the screen lighting up in the dark room. A new email sat waiting for her, marked "Welcome!" in bold letters.
Her heart skipped.
She opened it carefully, scanning the cheerful message from HR:
>"Dear Sherri,
Welcome to our family at SKY Entertainment! Your first assignment will involve supporting promotional activities for one of our top groups... Slay Kids.
We look forward to your passion and fresh ideas!"
Sherri sat up straight in bed, blinking at the screen in disbelief.
Slay Kids?!
Not just any group. The group she had watched perform just hours ago, pouring their hearts out on that stage.
Her mind raced with excitement and fear.
Was it even possible to stay professional around them? She had admired them from afar for years, cheering for their music, their struggles, and their victories.
And not just Slay Kids.
Sherri smiled to herself, thinking of her first real K-pop love — EXO.
It was EXO who had opened the door to this beautiful, crazy world for her when she was just a teenager. Their music had been the soundtrack of her twenties, getting her through late-night study sessions, heartbreaks, and moments of loneliness.
Now, at 31, standing at the edge of a brand-new chapter in Seoul, she carried those years of dreams with her — a heart full of hope, a soul that still believed in magic.
Maybe she was older than the average intern. Maybe she wasn't the typical wide-eyed rookie the company usually hired.
But she was ready.
Ready to work hard.
Ready to chase her dreams — even the ones she had been told she was too old for.
And somewhere deep down, even though she tried to silence it, there was a tiny voice whispering:
Maybe this time... something amazing is waiting for you.
She smiled softly, hugging her pillow close.
In a city where millions of hearts beat fast chasing love and dreams, she was just one more.
But maybe — just maybe — her story was about to begin.
.
.
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