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The dance studio at Dreamnote Academy buzzed with energy as a team of four gathered, their reflection bouncing off the tall mirrors that lined the room. The group—A-Team—consisted of Jungwon, Ni-ki, Sowon, and Felix. They had been working hard on their upcoming performance, an intricate choreography inspired by ITZY's "Imaginary Friend."

There was just one problem.

They needed outfits.

Not just any outfits—ones that perfectly captured the dreamy, ghost-like essence of their concept. Flowing fabrics, ethereal designs, and just the right amount of mystery. But none of them had the skills to bring their vision to life.

That was when Jungwon had an idea.

Without wasting a second, he pulled out his phone and texted his best friend, Sunoo.

Wonnie: 🐈‍⬛ Hey, we need a fashion designer for our showcase. You in?
Sunoo: 🦊 What's the concept?
Wonnie: "Imaginary Friend" meets ghostcore. White, flowy, soft but haunting.
Sunoo: Hmmm. Sounds like a challenge...
Sunoo: Ok, I'll do it. I need the extra credit anyway. Be there in five.

After sending the text, Sunoo looked up from his phone. He was currently sitting with his friend Jake, who gave him a knowing smirk.

"You're designing again? I thought you said you wanted a break."

Sunoo scoffed, flicking his bangs dramatically. "I did want a break, but I also need extra credit for my fashion design course. Plus, Wonnie needs me. So off I go~"

Jake laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, designer boy, go save the day."

Sunoo grinned and grabbed his sketchbook before heading to the dance studio.

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When he arrived, the first thing he saw was his sister, Sowon, standing next to a tall, Japanese-looking boy he didn't recognize.

Sunoo barely spared him a glance before calling out, "Oii, Stacy!"

Sowon turned her head, but so did the Japanese boy, his sharp, siren-like eyes locking onto Sunoo with a fierce gaze.

Sunoo froze.

Why was he looking at him like that?

For some reason, that piercing stare made him flustered, but he quickly composed himself, striding over to his sister and lightly smacking her arm in a playful, younger-brother way.

Sowon, being equally playful, pushed him back—but a little too hard.

Sunoo yelped as he lost his balance, tipping backward. Just before he could hit the floor, strong arms caught him effortlessly.

His breath hitched.

When he looked up, he was met with a smirk.

The Japanese boy was holding him, looking down at him with an expression that was both amused and... something else. Something unreadable. Something that told Sunoo he had just walked into something complicated.

Sunoo's face burned.

Quickly, he pushed himself away, standing up straight and pretending nothing had happened. He turned to Jungwon instead, flipping his hair dramatically.

"Wonnie," he said in his usual sassy tone, "I'm here. What do you need?"

Jungwon, who had been watching the whole thing with mild amusement, chuckled. "We need you to design our outfits. It's an ethereal ghost-like concept, so lots of white and flowy fabrics."

Sunoo nodded, regaining his composure. "Got it. I'll design a dress for Stacy and add flowy capes for you guys." He tapped his chin, already envisioning the designs in his mind. "I'll need everyone's measurements. If you have your old ones, they should work unless you've grown."

Everyone nodded in agreement—except for the Japanese boy.

"I don't have old measurements," he said, his voice smooth yet firm. "The ones I submitted before aren't accurate anymore. I need to be remeasured."

Sunoo blinked. "Wait, aren't you a new student? Weren't measurements required when you enrolled?"

"I did submit them," the boy replied, crossing his arms. "But I grew a lot. I'm eighteen now, you know."

Sunoo almost choked.

"Eighteen?!"

He stared at the boy in disbelief. He was eighteen and already this tall? Meanwhile, Sunoo, who was nineteen, had been praying to grow taller, only to remain stuck at his current height. Life was unfair.

Clearing his throat, he muttered, "So... erm... what's your name?"

The boy smirked again. "Ni-ki."

Sunoo frowned slightly at the cocky expression but decided to ignore it. "Alright, Ni-ki. When will you be available for measurements?"

"After practice, I guess," Ni-ki replied with a shrug.

Sunoo hummed. "Okay, I'll come over to yours, or are you coming to mine?"

"The latter."

Sunoo nodded. "Okay, deal."

Then, Ni-ki tilted his head slightly, his smirk growing mischievous. "Oh, and by the way, if you walk into my place and see two girls crying over Yeosang's fancam, don't be alarmed. Those are my sisters."

Sunoo laughed. "Got it. That sounds normal."

Before leaving, he turned to Jungwon one last time. "Oh, by the way, Wonnie—Jay was looking for you."

Jungwon immediately flushed pink but tried to mask it with a poker face.

Sunoo smirked knowingly before sauntering out of the studio.

As he walked down the hallway, he found himself thinking about that moment when he nearly fell. About the strong arms that had caught him.

And about those siren eyes that seemed to pull him into something he wasn't sure he was ready for.

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hey this is not a bloody update i just had a spark of motivation ill be fully back very soon but i like how this book is building up if you like the prolouge let me kn ow