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nabi stood motionless in the far corner of the apartment, almost like she had no idea what was going on, like she had no idea where she was. the room had some sort of feeling that pushed her away. every inch of the space was covered in an unnatural glow, the staff members that bombarded the room set up harsh lighting in every corner, making the room feel unwelcoming.
like always, she played with the hem of her sweater in a way to comfort herself amidst of the chaos. she didn't know how to approach the others just yet. the other members sat about in the living room, while she stood stagnant in the kitchen, their laughter and chatter filled the air like a melody, one that she couldn't perfect or get on. 
her eyes focused on jeongin, the boy who sat cross-legged on the hardwood floor, while fiddling with a foot massager he had found tucked away behind the couch. felix hovered nearby, poking and prodding the youngest with playful jabs. their banter was light, not all too familiar, though. the atmosphere was a stark contrast to the tight knot forming in her stomach. on the other side of the living room, chan stood on a chair, awkwardly trying to fix the air conditioning vents that sat at a weird angle, broken from the last few nights the members had stayed there alone. and jisung, oh, ever the entertainer jisung. he serenaded the many cameras in the room with an off-key rendition of a made-up song, earning groans and laugh from the others around. 
the sound had almost been completely alien to nabi. she left her familiarity of laughter and friendship behind with the girls' team that she was taken away from too early. oh, how she missed them sometimes. the way she felt comfortable to be herself, to express herself, to talk loudly without feeling like a burden, she just wanted one more chance to feel that way before she had to be in this situation any longer. until now, she shared late night, conversations, whispered secrets, and blunts of uncontrollable laughter with her friends. now, she was trading all of that for a new chapter. . . a chapter that involved living with eight boys she barely knew. 
a sharp and harsh knock on the front door startled her, and she jumped back, her hand immediately flying to her chest as if her heart had stopped. she pressed her back against the cool countertop, trying to steady her breathing as chan called out to the newcomers that were behind the front door. a few minutes later the door swung open and the rest of the members filed in with their suitcases, each wheeling behind them and across the hardwood floor. 
she had wondered, each and every time she was with the boys, if they were really this loud every time they were together. she was a quiet figure, one who enjoyed the peace, and being shoved into a group like this one, she had no idea she would have to adjust to a loud environment that would envelope her for years to come.
nabi offered a polite bow, her head, dipping low in greeting, but her efforts went largely unnoticed. a few of the boys who had entered the dorm, greeted her briefly, with a look and a simple smile, and nothing more. others walked past her completely, ignoring her, not out of spite, not out of pettiness, just for the simple fact that they hadn't seen her quietly tucked away in the kitchen. no one stopped to ask why she was standing off to the side and no one bothered to invite her into their conversations. the weight of their friendship and how easy it was for them to be around each other wrapped around nabi harshly. she hoped that this bump in the road would pass by quickly and she would get along with them soon. 
