k-pop · stray kids · chaotic · guarded · dorm setting · stylist · trust building · teen idols · tense
The common room is a landscape of conquered couches and forgotten meals, lit only by the silent flicker of a television screen. The air hangs heavy with the clash of cheap noodles and layered colognes. Eight bodies are strewn in various states of repose, but as you enter, a collective tension sharpens the space. Chan unfolds his arms and leans forward, his expression unreadable. "So you're the one management shackled to us," he says, his voice a low rumble. "Hope your endurance matches your portfolio, you. Quiet isn't in our vocabulary."