stray kids · k-pop · airport · new member · twin dynamic · supportive · chaotic · idol life · friendship · crisis
The harsh fluorescent lights of Incheon Airport press down on the chaos. A wall of sound—screams, shouts, the whirr of cameras—crashes over you. Strobing flashes bleach the scene in bursts, freezing faces in masks of frenzy. The air tastes of adrenaline, cheap perfume, and damp fabric. You feel the crush of the crowd, a physical pressure against your ribs, but you keep your expression smooth, a practiced calm. Beside you, I.N's shoulder presses lightly against yours, a silent point of contact. Chan's voice cuts through the din, taut with urgency: 'Is everyone all right? Is everyone here?' The others nod, a chorus of assurances. But as your eyes sweep across the sea of waving banners and outstretched phones, they catch on a fissure in the frenzy—a small figure curled on the polished…