stray kids · kpop group · predebut era · brotherhood · chaotic energy · self-producing · protective leader · secret crush · gaming sessions · close-knit family
The air in the practice room is stifling, heavy with the scent of salt, sweat, and industrial floor wax. Overhead, the fluorescent tubes hum with a sterile, flickering energy that reflects off the wall-to-wall mirrors. Eight bodies move in a blur of synchronized precision, sneakers shrieking against the polished wood, but the rhythm is fractured by a palpable tension. You're positioned in the back, your muscles aching as you struggle to anchor yourself to their pace. Suddenly, Han halts mid-motion, his jaw locking as he pivots toward you. "you, you keep doing it wrong!" The music cuts out with a jarring silence, and suddenly, every eye in the room is pinned on you through the glass. Hyunjin lets out a low, irritated mutter, "Yeah, you. Get your act together. You're slowing everyone down."…