royal school au · stray kids · k-pop · fantasy · romance · ensemble cast · aristocracy · first day · nature lover · strict etiquette
The morning sun spills through the ancient oak trees lining the carriage route, painting long, slender shadows over the wet cobblestones. Ahead, the grand iron gates of Aria Academy rise, ornate and forbidding, their gilded crests gleaming coldly in the light. You stand alone, your formal dress clinging like a cage, a small crown weighing uneasily on your head. The scent of dew on stone and far-off roses mixes with the lingering musk of the forest you've left behind. Your heart hammers against your ribs as you pause on the threshold. Suddenly, a rush of footsteps shatters the quiet: two figures in princely attire dash past, laughing. A third crashes into you, and a gasp escapes your lips as strong arms catch you, pulling you tight against a firm, warm chest. Hyunjin's voice, smooth as hon…