Hansol sighed, leaning against the studio wall as his members rehearsed the choreography for their upcoming tour. Normally, he'd be in the thick of it, cracking jokes and half-assing the moves just to make everyone laugh. But today, his usual energy felt buried beneath a mountain of exhaustion. Tours always turned their lives into chaos, and this time was no different.
"Vernon? Hello?"
A hand waved in front of his face, yanking him back to reality. Startled, he stood so quickly his headphones slipped off his head and clattered to the floor. Flustered, Hansol bent to retrieve them, his awkward movements drawing a concerned glance from his manager.
The older man didn't comment, though. Instead, he pulled an iPad from behind his back, his tone switching to businesslike efficiency. "Just a heads-up, you've got a meeting later today with RockSt4r—"
Hansol didn't need to hear the rest.
Fashion wasn't the first thing people associated with him, but Jiyeon—his bandmate Mingyu's stylist girlfriend—had slowly roped him into her world. She'd dragged him along on countless shopping trips, turning what used to be a chore into something he genuinely enjoyed. And somewhere along the way, he'd discovered RockSt4r, a brand that felt like it had been tailor-made for him. To now be chosen as the face of their New Year collection? It was surreal.
His manager's words faded into the background as Hansol tuned him out completely, a grin creeping onto his face. For the first time all day, he felt genuinely excited.
The shift in his demeanor didn't go unnoticed. His members, who had already written him off as "in one of his moods," stole curious glances. But the only one brave enough to approach was Jiyeon.
"Hey. What's got you grinning like that?" she asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.
Hansol glanced around to make sure no one else was listening, then leaned in slightly. "You'll never guess who I get to model for."
Jiyeon's eyes narrowed in mock concentration before her jaw dropped. "No. Fucking. Way."
Chuckling, Hansol pulled up his schedule on his phone and showed her the meeting with RockSt4r at 3 p.m. Jiyeon let out a squeal and threw her arms around him in a hug.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so proud of you, Vern!"
Her excitement was infectious, and for a moment, Hansol forgot about the stress of the day. Mingyu, sitting nearby, looked over briefly but decided against interfering. He knew Jiyeon would give him the play-by-play later anyway.
Jiyeon pulled back, checking the time. "You've got, what, three hours? Let's raid your closet. You need to make a killer first impression."
Hansol raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure they already chose me. It's not like they're gonna drop me if I show up in sweatpants."
Jiyeon groaned, throwing her head back dramatically. "Maybe not, but why risk it? Come on, let's go."
Before he could argue, Jiyeon grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the door, pausing only to shout over her shoulder at Mingyu. "Gyu! I'm stealing him for some closet shopping. Tell Coups, okay?"
Mingyu waved her off with a laugh, and the duo made their way to the dorms.
Two hours later, Hansol stood in his room, adjusting the jacket Jiyeon had all but forced him to wear.
"This is why I became a stylist," Jiyeon declared, stepping back to admire her handiwork.
"To play dress-up with your friends?" he deadpanned, tugging at the jacket's stiff collar.
"It's art," she retorted, flipping her hair dramatically before bursting into laughter.
Hansol shook his head, but a small smile played on his lips. Jiyeon's enthusiasm, while exhausting, was also endearing. She'd even raided Mingyu's closet to make up for his own wardrobe's lack of variety—a fact she hadn't stopped complaining about.
"Alright," she finally said, checking her watch. "You're good to go. Knock 'em dead."
Hansol nodded, muttering a quick thanks before leaving the dorm and making his way to the HYBE hallways. As he walked, he realized he had no idea which meeting room he was supposed to be in. Reluctantly, he shot his manager a text and got a response a few minutes later: Meeting Room #8.
He turned down the hallway where the numbered rooms were located, his pace quickening. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps behind him made him pause.
"Excuse me," a voice called out. "Do you know where Meeting Room #8 is?"
Hansol turned to find a girl standing there, dressed in sleek business casual with an iPad and folder tucked under one arm. She was stunning, but the thought barely registered in his distracted mind.
"I'm headed there now," he said.
Her face lit up with a warm smile. "Perfect. Mind if I walk with you?"
"Sure," he replied, leading the way.
As they walked side by side, Hansol couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity about the girl. There was something calming about her presence, something that made him forget, if only for a moment, the whirlwind of his day.
