"BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!" The shrill vibration of his phone alarm jolted him awake, cutting through the quiet of the apartment.

Another day, another chapter in his life in Korea. He groggily reached over to the nightstand, silencing the insistent noise with a groan. Begrudgingly, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, slipping his feet into worn slippers, and shuffled to the bathroom to start his newfound morning routine.

Living alone in the agency-provided apartment meant there was no one to remind him to eat properly, but cooking wasn't on the agenda for today. He quickly brushed his teeth, the minty freshness waking him up further, and moved on to dressing in his neatly pressed school uniform. His new life felt strange, almost like he was living in someone else's shoes. Yet, in moments like these, there was comfort in the familiarity of routine.
Once ready, he slipped on his school shoes by the door, grabbed his bag, and stepped outside. As part of his ritual, he headed to the convenience store just across from his apartment building. The glass doors slid open with a soft hiss as he made his way to the familiar sandwich aisle, where his favorite ham sandwich awaited him.

'Ham, as always,' he thought with a small, satisfied nod. A quick glance at the drink section left him slightly deflated-his favorite milk flavor was sold out. Letting out a small pout, he picked up chocolate milk instead. "Well, this'll have to do," he muttered, heading to the counter to pay.

The bus stop wasn't far, and as he arrived, he noticed it was empty. He unwrapped his sandwich, the crinkling plastic filling the silence, and took a bite, savoring the familiar taste. The chocolate milk was a decent consolation, the sweetness lifting his mood as he finished his quiet breakfast. Somehow, the simple meal left him content, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

After a while, the bus finally arrived, and Javier stepped on board. There weren't many passengers, so he easily found his preferred spot-the very back of the bus, by the window. He walked over and sat down as the bus began to move.

Unlike the others who kept their eyes glued to their phones during the ride, Javier gazed out the window, taking in the serene streets of his neighborhood. Though this wasn't his first time riding the bus to school in Korea, it still felt new in a way. He found himself drawn to the quiet charm of the early morning streets-the peacefulness of houses and shops passing by as the bus made its way through. It was a comforting routine, contrasting sharply with the bustling crowds he'd see on his way home. This sense of calm was a small solace in an otherwise unfamiliar place.

Javier barely noticed the time slip by as the bus rolled toward its destination. His thoughts were still lingering on the quiet streets he'd seen from the window, the calm morning atmosphere of his new life in Korea. Stepping off, Javier found himself standing before the school's towering gates. As the bus pulled up to the school, Javier stepped off with a feeling of awe, just like he had yesterday. The towering gates stood tall before him, a reminder that this was his new reality. .

Arriving early with time to spare before classes, Javier made his way to the sports track at the back of the university-the one Evan had mentioned during their campus tour, the one they hadn't had time to visit yesterday.

The track space stretched out before him, expansive and impressive. Javier had imagined a more performance-centered campus, but as he looked around, he could see ULU's strong commitment to athletics too. Meanwhile, not far from him, a group of students was busy rehearsing-a dance routine that was precise and well-practiced. Javier instinctively sat in the bleachers, still observing the group from a distance. He didn't want to intrude, but the rhythm and energy in their movements intrigued him. He looked around to take it all in.

At the far end of the track, Ren, Junho, and Yuuto practiced their routine, unaware of Javier's quiet presence. They were rehearsing the steps of their planned TikTok video, adjusting their formations and perfecting each move. Javier watched, intrigued by their fluidity and coordination. He couldn't help but wonder if they were all as talented as they looked. Their movements were sharp, yet their expressions showed a mix of focus and camaraderie that caught his attention. Curious but not wanting to intrude, he chose a seat in the bleachers-not too close but close enough to watch them clearly. They must've been at this for a while, he thought, noting the way one of them adjusted the others' formations with a quiet authority. He placed his belongings beside him and settled in, oblivious to the commotion his presence had stirred.

✨

Ren, Junho, and Yuuto were huddled on the sports track, perfecting a dance routine they planned to film for TikTok. They'd agreed to meet early to avoid too much background noise and interruptions. As the youngest, Yuuto naturally took the lead, adjusting their formations with precision.

"Junho-hyung, you should step forward a bit here. Then Ren-hyung can circle around us just after the chorus," he directed.

"Sure, sounds good," Junho said, following Yuuto's guidance.

Despite their efforts, something still felt off.

"I'm sure we've got the choreography down, but why does it still feel... off?" Ren asked, frowning.

Junho nodded, sharing his frustration. "I think it's because this dance works better with at least four people."

"We should've asked Evan-hyung to join us," Yuuto sighed, disappointment lacing his tone.

As they brainstormed solutions, Junho's sharp eyes immediately caught sight of the nametag on Javier's uniform. He froze, recognizing the boy from the group chat.

"Yah, yah, yah, look at that guy!" he hissed urgently, clutching Yuuto and Ren's shoulders.

"What guy?" Ren asked, confused.

Junho gave him a disbelieving look. "The guy Evan was talking about in the group chat last night! The one he tweeted about!"

The three of them turned to look at the unfamiliar boy sitting on the bleachers, now casually scrolling through his phone. After a moment, recognition dawned on Yuuto and Ren's faces.

"Wow, okay. What should we do?" Ren asked, glancing between the others.

"How about we tell him we're friends of Evan and ask him to join the dance?" Yuuto suggested.

Junho looked horrified. "What?! Wouldn't that make us seem weird? Like, imagine if a group of strangers walked up to you, claimed they knew you, and asked you to dance!"

Yuuto rolled his eyes. "Hyung, sometimes I wonder how you're older than me. We'll introduce ourselves properly. We're not going to scare him off. Who even does that?"

Ren stifled a laugh, nodding in approval at Yuuto's logic, while Junho pouted, muttering under his breath.

"Well, we won't find out his answer if you guys just keep arguing here, so let's go over to him," Ren said, waiting for the others to move. When neither Yuuto nor Junho made the first move, Ren sighed, grabbing both of their hands. "Alright, come on," he said, tugging them forward like a mom dragging her kids to a dance recital they didn't want to be in.

Junho hesitated, still shy around strangers despite being the one who suggested the idea. As they reached the guy, he was already watching them approach, confusion evident on his face. Ren offered a smile and broke the silence. "Hi, we were just wondering if you're Javier?"

The boy blinked in surprise but nodded. "Uh, yeah, that's me."

"Don't worry, we don't bite," Ren added quickly. "We just wanted to introduce ourselves since we're friends with Evan, and he told us about you."

Javier visibly relaxed at the mention of Evan. His smile warmed, and he introduced himself. "Oh, that's why. My name's Javier."

The group nodded along in greeting before Ren, Yuuto, and Junho took turns introducing themselves. They chatted for a bit, discovering they shared some classes. Javier, curious, asked how Evan had mentioned him.

Ren stiffened slightly, exchanging a quick glance with the others before replying, "Oh, he just brought you up, saying there was a new kid in his class."

Javier nodded along, accepting the explanation without question. The group exhaled quietly in relief. They'd managed to avoid mentioning the overly enthusiastic messages Evan had sent to their group chat. Ren suppressed a snort as he recalled the all-caps texts Evan rarely used unless it was serious business. As much as they teased him, they weren't about to out their friend to his crush.

Shaking off the memory, Ren refocused on the conversation. Yuuto stepped in to bring up the real reason they'd approached Javier. "Hyung, if you don't mind, we're missing a member for a dance challenge. Would you be up for it? No pressure, though-only if you want to."

Javier's eyes lit up with excitement, and he nodded almost enthusiastically. "Oh, I don't mind at all! What dance are we doing?"

The group broke into relieved smiles, their nervousness fading. "Alright, nice!" Junho exclaimed. He quickly explained the song and dance while Javier stood up from the bleachers. Together, they headed to the spot where the group had been practicing earlier.

✨

After a while of dancing, with a mixture of laughter, seriousness, and budding friendship, they eventually finished teaching Javier. Impressively, he learned the routine quickly and flawlessly, without missing even a tiny detail. What they had heard about him from the group chat-that he was more of a balladeer-now seemed surprising. The way he danced with such mastery left an impression, even earning praise from Junho, who was considered one of the best dancers among the third years.

"I'm telling you, bro, your lines when dancing are so good-not overpowering, just perfectly aligned with the music's direction!" Junho exclaimed, holding his head with both hands in an exaggerated display of amazement. The three found it funny, as his shocked expression made him look adorable, while Javier simply shrugged off the compliment.

"Sorry about him, Javier. He just can't stop yapping like that when he sees someone who actually dances well," Ren explained with a smirk.

"Yeah, I can see that," Javier replied, laughing along with the group, which only made them laugh harder. Even Yuuto joined in, adding his own enthusiastic comments about Javier's dancing skills.

Realizing it was almost time for their classes, they accompanied Javier to where he had left his things earlier. Since the others had already stored their belongings in their classrooms before meeting up, they walked with him down the hall. As they reached Junho's classroom, Ren stopped and said, "Oh yeah, we should exchange contacts before splitting up!"

"Right, I totally forgot!" Junho exclaimed, scrambling to retrieve his phone from his pocket. Ren and Yuuto followed suit, while Javier pulled out his phone to save their numbers.

Once done, they continued walking. Ren's classroom was on the second floor, and Yuuto's was the same, as they were classmates for the first period. That left Javier to head to his classroom alone. Despite this, he was in good spirits-he had genuinely enjoyed hanging out with them. Adding their contact information felt like a milestone; they were officially his first friends here in Korea.

As Javier entered his classroom, he couldn't help but smile. His classmates, who had noticed his cheerful expression, started teasing him. Laughing, he took his seat next to Evan, who was already there, greeting him warmly.

"Good morning," Evan said casually, leaning on the armchair and giving Javier a small wave.

"Hi! Good morning!" Javier replied with a wave, settling into his seat. However, he noticed that the room was unusually lively. Some students had formed small groups, chatting in circles, while others leaned against the windows, deep in conversation. He glanced at the time on his phone and saw that class was supposed to start any minute. Looking around again, he realized there was no teacher in sight.

"Hey, Evan, why are the students still wandering around? Do you know when the teacher's coming?" he asked curiously.

Evan grinned knowingly. "Ah, right, you're new. The instructor called in sick earlier, and it was too last-minute to find a substitute, so we've got the morning free."

"Oh," Javier said, nodding as he processed the information.

"I was waiting for you, actually. I wanted to ask if you'd like t-" Evan began, but before he could finish, someone called his name loudly from the doorway. Both of them turned to see a group of tall, handsome guys entering the room.

Evan's face immediately fell. "Oh no," he muttered, looking deflated.

The group didn't give him much of a choice-they cheerfully but forcefully dragged him out of the classroom, ignoring his protests. 'Yah! Why would you guys show up now? I was just about to-' Evan stopped mid-sentence, glancing back at Javier, who was trying hard to hold in his laughter at the whole situation. With a dramatic sigh, Evan shouted, 'JAVIER, LET'S EAT LUNCH LATER!' as he was pulled away. Javier couldn't help but laugh as Evan disappeared down the hallway, his voice still echoing. Evan shouted as his friends hauled him away. Javier nodded, still laughing, as Evan disappeared down the hallway.

Left alone with no one to hang out with, Javier decided to head back to the track where they had practiced earlier. Even though he had already mastered the dance, he wanted to practice some more. As he walked through the hallways, he noticed only a handful of students roaming around-mostly his classmates or others who had arrived late. The soundproofed classrooms, a feature he had read about in the school's Wiki, amazed him yet again.

Choosing to take the scenic route, Javier strolled leisurely down the halls on the second floor. Occasionally, he passed students still carrying their bags, likely heading to their rooms. He admired the peaceful atmosphere as he walked, eventually nearing the staircase to the first floor.

Just as he was about to turn the corner, someone collided with him, throwing them both off balance. The impact sent them stumbling, and Javier's heart sank.

"This is it. I'm going to die on my second day at this school," Javier thought, his heart racing. "Maybe I shouldn't have taken the scenic route after all," he added to himself, as he braced for the fall. He shut his eyes in preparation for the inevitable.

But instead of hitting the hard floor, he felt a hand slip behind his head, cushioning the impact.