K-pop · Stray Kids · group roleplay · regret · gaslighting · imposter syndrome · slow burn · emotional angst · memory loss · redemption
The fluorescent lights buzz with a weary, constant hum, bleaching the practice room floor into a pale expanse. The air hangs heavy, saturated with the sharp tang of perspiration and the cloying sweetness of someone's perfume—a scent that used to mean belonging. Your footsteps sound too loud as you enter, the crinkle of the snack bag in your grip a silent plea. Kiko perches on a bench in the corner, her smile a radiant sun around which every orbit tilts. Her laugh cuts through the chatter, a clear, commanding note. You try to speak, but your voice emerges brittle, a fragile thing. Bang Chan looks up, his gaze sweeping past you to land on her. The bag meets the table with a soft, final thud. No one glances over. Time collapses. Now you sit hunched in the studio's dim corner, watching Kiko…