Stray Kids were starting off their world tour with three nights in Seoul and Rose was trying to focus on her work rather than the fact that she would be meeting Chan's mother after the first show tonight. When Chan had first told her that his mother was coming over from Australia for the concert and would like to meet her, Rose's first thought was: she knows about me?

Not only had Chan mentioned Rose to his mother, but he had also told her that Rose was his soulmate. This surprised Rose since she and Chan didn't have the typical soulmate relationship. Yet, they had been getting closer recently and she might call them good friends. They spent many evenings together talking while she made sure that he ate dinner and ever since the movie night with the other members, they had shared more skin-ship.

Although she enjoyed the skin-ship with Chan, it also made things more difficult for Rose. The more affectionate her soulmate was towards her, the more her desire for a relationship closer than friendship grew. Every time he patted her on the head, she could feel her cheeks begin to turn red. Every time he hugged her goodbye, she desperately failed not to think about how his body felt pressed up against her. Every time she reminded herself that they were just friends, and he acted the same way with the members of Stray Kids.

Before the first concert, Rose was doing a final check on all of their first performance outfits. It had become routine for the boys to get a once over from her before they performed ever since the time that Minho had difficulties with his outfit.

"Shouldn't this be Chan's outfit, but without the t-shirt underneath?"

Rose was adjusting Changbin's jacket. It was very cropped with straps that wrapped around and tied up at the back, but he wore a black t-shirt underneath so that minimal skin was exposed.

"Yeah Chan, where's your crop top today?"

It was hard not to notice that Chan had been favouring cropped tops this comeback. Every stage performance they had done his outfit had consisted of a cropped top or jacket, allowing the leader to show off his abs easily and frequently.

"I thought Red Lights was sexy enough without showing some skin."

Smiling as she listened to some of the other boys tease their leader, Rose turned back to Changbin and ran her hands over his shoulders.

"It accentuates your broad shoulders, that's why. Comfy? You're all done."

The rapper looked as though he was going to say something more but changed his mind.

"Thanks, Rosie-Noona!"

Each time they came to change their outfits the boys stopped by Rose for a once over before heading back onto the stage. It gave her a nice feeling. She felt as though she was being accepted as part of the family, but also that they trusted her to look after them. It was also fun to be included in their antics.

"Noona, untuck Changbin-Hyung's shirt! Otherwise, how is he going to be able to show STAY his abs?"

"Yah! You little -"

For the last performance, Chan was wearing a particularly cropped jacket with a belt attached below the hem to provide the illusion of being fully covered. Rose felt her mouth go dry as she took in the sight of her soulmate.

"Chan, isn't this too much..."

Running her hands over the fabric to straighten it out, Rose brushed her fingers across the exposed skin of his stomach and felt the muscles beneath tense at her touch.

"You- You don't like it? Does it not look good?"

"No. No, it's not that... You look great. GO on, STAY is waiting for you."

Chan looked back as he walked away and saw Rose fanning her face with her hand. He cocked his head curiously but before he could think more of it, he was rushed back onto the stage.

After fanning herself for a minute, Rose grabbed a bottle of water and gulped it down. Collapsing into a chair, she wondered if working with her soulmate was the right decision. Every time he performed, she had to see him in these revealing outfits and the rest of the time he opted for sleeveless tops which showed off his bulging biceps.

Rose wasn't sure how much more she could take. While she was happy that she got to be around her soulmate, being close like this was torture. He was supposed to be hers. She wanted him, so why didn't he want her like that.

Once she had calmed down enough, Rose started to tidy up to distract herself. After the concert, she would be meeting Chan's mother and she was very nervous. When she had asked Chan what he had told his mother about her and their relationship he had said 'She knows that you're my soulmate.' Rose doubted that Chan had told his mother the details of how they met, so she was unsure how to act in front of her.

Will she be expecting us to act like traditional soulmates, a couple in love?

"Rose, it's so nice to meet you."

Rose bowed in greeting, hoping her smile didn't betray her nerves.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs Bang."

The woman ruffled her son's hair.

"Channie's told me so much about you. I hear I should thank you for looking after him."

"Well, someone has to since he refuses to take proper care of himself."

Chan received a light whack on the back of his head.

"You hear that, son. Everyone knows what you're like. If you won't listen to your own mother then I hope you listen to your soulmate. Now, Rose, tell me all about yourself."

Chan's mother linked her arm with Rose and chatted with her as they walked out to the car. The rest of the visit went surprisingly well. They went out to dinner but didn't stay out too late as the boys had their concert the next day.

The second concert went similarly to the first. The boys had forgotten the feeling of performing like this and they were getting hyped up at the thought of the rest of their world tour.

On day three, Rose was surprised when Chan told her she would be watching from the audience. She didn't take much convincing as while watching the past two nights on the screen backstage, she had wished she could see it with her own eyes.

The stage had looked impressive on-screen but seeing it in person was immense. As the show started and the crowd buzzed with excitement, Rose felt like she was just a fan again. Which is how she acted as the boys appeared. She screamed, shouted and sang along with the rest of the audience. The show was amazing.

When it came to the encore and things started to get emotional, Rose tried to hold it in as long as she could, but eventually, she started crying along with them. As she watched each of them begin to tear up, she wished that she could run to them and comfort them. Felix breaking down was hard to watch. Once the young boy started, he couldn't seem to stop sobbing even through the last few songs, and it broke her heart to see.

Although she knew that Chan could get angry and passionate, generally he was a rather calm person. She also knew that one of his main priorities was taking care of the other boys. So, when he began shouting that he would protect everyone - the members, the staff, and STAY - Rose made a promise to herself. She would protect the man who would protect those around him without a thought for himself.

Even though she tried to gather herself before she joined the boys backstage, they could tell that she had been crying too.

"Oh, Noona, you too?"

Rose smiled at Jisung but looked around the room for Felix, who had lifted his head at the mention of her presence.

"Come here, sweetie."

Rose stumbled back a couple of steps as the small but powerful Idol ran into her arms. Changbin caught her from behind and she smiled gratefully before focusing back on Felix. She hugged him tightly as he sobbed, and she couldn't stop a few more tears of her own from escaping.

She stroked the young Idols hair and kissed the side of his head before looking around the room. She spotted Hyunjin sitting on a chair with his head down. When he looked up Rose waved him over and after a moment's hesitation, he joined them.

Chan watched as his soulmate held two of the boys, whom he affectionately called his children, in each arm. Seeing her try to blink her tears away, he walked over and brushed them away. Wrapping his arms around all three of them, he kissed Rose on the forehead before looking into her eyes.

"I'll protect you too."