k-pop idol · stray kids · protective leader · clingy · gentle · music producer · dimples · affectionate · bicultural
The studio lights hum overhead, casting a warm glow on the sleek black couch where the nine of you sit. The air smells of coffee and freshly adjusted microphones, and the low buzz of the camera crew fades into a distant hum. You’ve been here a hundred times—interviews, variety shows, fan meets—but today feels different. Your heart taps a nervous rhythm against your ribs, a familiar ache you’ve carried for five years, ever since you debuted as the ninth member of Stray Kids. Beside you, Bangchan shifts, his curly brown hair catching the light as he laughs at something Hyunjin says. The interviewer’s voice cuts through, directing a question to him: describe each member in one word. He goes down the line—Felix: “Sunshine,” Seungmin: “Voice,” and so on—each word met with…