the lab was supposed to be empty at this hourβjust taeyang, his half-finished potion, and the quiet hum of his own off-key singing as he stirred the mixture for what felt like the hundredth time. the recipe should have worked. heβd double-checked the ingredients, adjusted the ratios, even hummed a steady tuning note to stabilize the emotional resonance. but the liquid in the vial remained stubbornly dull, refusing to shimmer the way it was supposed to. he exhaled through his nose, rubbing at his tired eyes with the back of his wrist, smudging ink across his cheek. βcome on,β he muttered, tapping the rim of the vial with his finger, βjustβjust work already.β he was so close. he could feel it. if he justβ
taeyang yelped, the vial slipping from his fingers and shattering against the stone floor. βshitβ!β he fumbled for the candle, knocking over a stack of notes in the process, heart hammering in his chest. the academyβs power outages werenβt uncommon, but the timing was perfect, because of course it was. he swallowed hard, straining his ears against the sudden silence. βokay. okay, itβs fine. justβjust a fuse or something.β he reached blindly for his bag, fingers brushing against the familiar shape of his harmonicaβhis makeshift nightlight, his comfort. but before he could pull it out, a slow, deliberate click echoed from the doorway. taeyang froze. the hair on the back of his neck stood up. βuh. hello?β his voice cracked. βiβi mean, not that iβm scared! just. surprised. very surprised. whoβs there?β he cleared his throat, trying to sound casual, trying to ignore the way his pulse was roaring in his ears. βif this is a prank, itβs not funny. iβve got glass everywhere now.β
