#the concept... the choreography... the vibes...

﹙🍰﹚ : VISUALS . . .

you are considered one of the visuals of your group.

pretty much everyone (even other idols) think you are gorgeous, cute, hot, handsome (whichever vibe you prefer).

cameras capture your visuals beautifully and you always look good in photos, videos and in real life.

you look good with any hairstyle, hair color, or outfit concept.

many idols, fans, and staff compliment your visuals

﹙🍎﹚ : CONCERTS . . .

during concerts you always have amazing energy from the beginning to the end of the show.

your performances feel natural and confident and you never have awkward moments on stage.

interacting with the crowd feels easy and fun for you.

people make fun signs for you during concerts

people always praise your live performances and stage presence.

fans leave concerts talking about how fun and impressive your stage was.

﹙🍰﹚ : MEDIA . . .

you always know exactly what to say during interviews and conversations.

you naturally avoid awkward or embarrassing moments during interviews or shows.

you often get invited to the most fun interviews, variety shows, and game shows.

your personality shines on camera and people enjoy watching you on shows.

you get amazing photoshoot opportunities with magazines like dazed korea and w Korea and many other magazines with creative and unique concepts.

brands love working with you and you receive brand deals you genuinely like.

you become the ambassador of your dream fashion brand.

your fancams always get a lot of views and attention online.

people make tons of edits on you on tiktok and gets lots of likes and views

many people use photos of you as their profile picture because they admire your visuals and style.

you get invited to fun streams, collaborations, and youtube videos with well-known creators and the interactions are always entertaining and enjoyable.

﹙🍎﹚ : REALATIONSHIPS . . .

you and your members get along extremely well and have one of the most genuine friendships in the industry.

you have fun and friendly interactions with other idols. you also become friends with many idols across the industry.

collaborations, dance challenges, and interactions with other idols are always enjoyable and positive.

you are allowed to date and maintain healthy relationships while being an idol. you are very good at keeping your relationships private and safe when you choose to.

you naturally end up in a happy relationship with your desired person and your relationship is loving, respectful, and stable.

if you choose to keep your relationship private, it remains completely secure and respected.

your personal life and relationships are always respected by fans, media, and the industry.

﹙🍰﹚ : CONCEPTS . . .

you always have some of the best stage outfits and wardrobes during performances and promotions.

your outfits match you perfectly and make your stage presence stand out.

your group always has the exact concept you love.

every part of your comebacks — the concept photos, music, choreography, styling, and promotion — matches your ideal vision perfectly.

your group’s marketing, music production, and comeback planning are always creative and high quality.

you never get compared to other groups.

﹙🍎﹚ : SAFETY . . .

your company treats you and other idols with respect, fairness, and professionalism.

your company supports your health, happiness, and growth as an artist.

you are always safe and protected from harmful situations.

you never receive unnecessary hate or harassment online.

you are never doxxed, stalked, or put in uncomfortable situations.

you feel safe and supported by your company, staff, members, and fans.

the kpop industry in your reality is welcoming and inclusive.

idols of any race, ethnicity, or background are fully accepted and respected.

people don’t judge idols based on their skin color or where they are from.

diversity in the industry is normal and celebrated.

﹙🍰﹚ : HEALTH . . .

your body is naturally healthy, strong, and energetic.

you are always at your ideal weight in a healthy and comfortable way.

you can enjoy food without stress or worry.

the food you eat nourishes your body and keeps you energized for performing and practicing.

you have great physical health that supports your career as an idol.

They all just assumed you meant soft guitar ballads or maybe kpop in the cute bubblegum sense. nobody pried. nobody expected.

Suzuka GP weekend, October 2025.

The f1 grid found out the truth.

Because Enhypen was performing the pre-race show.

You’d told the boys: “don’t be too much.”

They promised. which of course meant they were going to be the most.

Backstage, Heeseung flopped onto the couch. “Y/n, don’t trip in heels before you trip in the car.”

“Hyung,” you deadpanned.

“nah, he’s right,” jay chimed in. “imagine if you DNF on stage before you DNF on track.”

Jake, in his thick aussie accent, was bouncing. “Oi mate, reckon the grid’s got no bloody clue. they think you’re gonna come out strummin’ a guitar. They’re about to get WRECKED.”

jungwon adjusted his mic pack, leader mode on. “guys, focus. remember the choreo.” then he turned to you. “you okay?”

You nodded, smoothing down your dark stage outfit. Black lace, leather, just enough glitter to catch the lights. Enhypen’s vampire theme alive and well.

Ni-Ki leaned over with a wicked grin. “Y/N, are you ready to be bitten?”

“Don’t say it like that.”

But it was true — in the “Bite Me” performance, you were the centerpiece. the girl they circled, reached for, about to consume. Enhypen’s choreography walked that dangerous line between sultry and theatrical, and you had long since perfected being the prey that looked like she wanted to be caught.

Out in the paddock, the drivers filed in, not expecting much.

“Oh, this’ll be fun,” Charles said, sipping water.

“Maybe she’ll sing a ballad,” Pierre mused. “Something cute.”

Max shrugged. “She said she was a singer. Not a dancer.”

Then the lights dimmed. The screen blared ENHYPEN. screams erupted from fans. Their lightsticks waving around.

And you stepped on stage.

Black lace. Crimson lights. The bass hit like thunder.

“If you be my girl, i’ll be your man…”

You moved in sync with the boys, sharp, precise, eyes glittering under spotlights. The grid froze.

Lando’s jaw dropped. “holy—”

The chorus crashed.

“Bite me, girl, i want you, eat me up…”

Heeseung’s hand ghosted near your neck in choreo, Jake smirked as if about to sink fangs in, Jungwon pulled you close before shoving you away. the audience screamed.

Lewis hamilton, a man who had seen everything, stared wide-eyed. “Is this the same kid who was mumbling about pasta yesterday?”

George looked like he needed to sit down. “They’re going to— they’re pretending to bite her?”

“THAT’S NOT TAYLOR SWIFT,” Yuki shrieked.

The choreo ended with you in the center, the boys circling you like predators, fangs bared in the lights. Your expression? Utterly calm. Powerful. Stunning.

The crowd lost it. The drivers lost it more.

Backstage, drenched in sweat, you peeled off stage clothes and into your Porsche race suit. Enhypen high-fived you, Jake yelling, “oi you bloody legend!” while Sunoo dabbed at your face with tissues.

“Good luck,” Jungwon said, clapping your shoulder. “don’t crash.”

On track, you were all fire and precision. Suzuka demanded everything, and you gave it. Corners carved, overtakes clean.

Front row seats, Enhypen lost their minds.

Ni-ki stood on the seat. “GO Y/N GO Y/N GO Y/N!!”

Jay filmed everything like a proud parent. “Look at my kid, look at her—”

Jake was yelling aussie slang so incomprehensible the Japanese crowd around him laughed.

By the last lap, you were in third. Checkered flag. Podium secured.

The boys screamed like banshees.

On the podium, champagne spraying, you glanced down to see your bandmates losing their collective minds. Jungwon waving a massive Porsche flag. Sunghoon literally crying. Heeseung yelling, “THAT’S OUR GIRL!!” until his voice cracked.

The grid teased you in the cool down room.

Charles: “so…not taylor swift?” Lando: “you were literally about to get bitten on stage.” Max: “…how are you real?”

You just grinned, wiping champagne from your cheek. “i told you i was a singer.”

That night, twitter (well, X) broke.

@f1updates: enhypen performing bite me at suzuka >>>>> @gridchaos: the f1 drivers thought y/n was taylor swift. they just saw her get fake-bitten by six vampire idols. @engene4life: SHE PODIUMED AFTER PERFORMING. LEGEND.

And Enhypen, back in the dorms that night, shoved the podium trophy in the middle of the table. cake again. Coke spraying again.

“World’s first vampire idol racer,” Jay toasted.

“Our aussie duo did it,” Jake grinned.

You smiled, exhausted but glowing. “Nah. We did it.”

Because you never did anything halfway.

End.

They had heard of SIREN5 from both the internet, and their management who asked them to be here in the first place. They saw the teasers, the member introductions, the chaos that the group was starting to stir within people. In just a matter of 2 weeks, #SIREN5 trended in 6 countries and the amount of people curious about their music grew day by day.

Sophia led the pack, glancing down at her phone. “They rerouted us past Studio 7?” she wondered silently, never been to this side of the building before since their lounge was on the other side of the building.

The hallway outside felt too... ordinary for this building, where big things were always happening behind heavy doors.

But then the beat dropped.

A familiar drumline: KATSEYE’s own “Gnarly” started playing, from down the hall. The song started from the ending chorus, as if someone was rehearsing it. The echo sounded like someone else’s heartbeat. They paused, mouths open.

Lara blinked. “Is that us?”

The track shifted without warning, seamlessly into another beat, same rhythm, new vibe. The heavy chords of “Debut” cascaded in. The beat was the same, it was their voice they heard blasting through the speakers. The familiarity was coursing through them as they almost instinctively move to the beat, their choreography embedded so deep in them that they started moving as soon as they heard “la la la la la la la la” before they realized that it wasn't them that was supposed to be dancing.

That’s when they saw them.

Through the wide-pane glass of Studio 7, the silhouettes moved.

There were five. No, six? No, five, as expected. But they danced like the world floated around them. SYRE at the center, arms loose at her sides, eyes on something only she could see. Cami’s limbs wove around her. Hana stood as if planting the axis. Rina and Amara moved like light and flame, but it was SYRE who held them together. Silent but impossible to ignore.

The choreography matched KATSEYE’s song, but it surpassed it. It transformed it. The measures felt richer, deeper, more urgent. Seeing SIREN5 move to their music felt like watching an out of body experience, or maybe a body-swapped experience, it felt like they stepped into another universe.

Daniela realized she was tearing up, quiet tears, glistening at the corners of her eyes yet never falling. Not jealousy. Frustration maybe, but there was awe in her eyes. And a little competitive spirit started rising from the depths of her soul.

A young assistant halted in the doorway behind them, her expression a mix of apology and excitement.

"Sorry," she whispered, but didn't ask them to leave. "They... they've been using your tracks as warm-up music. 'Gnarly' and 'Debut' are like sacred practice rituals for them. They've been doing this since they got signed. They said they've been doing it for months."

"Months?" Sophia said under her breath, voice hushed. “That’s…”

"They come in earlier than everyone,” the assistant continued. “Leaves after lights-out. They're insane. But... so damn compelling."

They stood still. KATSEYE, icons in their own right, watching another group treat their music with devotion and mastery. It felt like respect. Challenge. Recognition. It was different compared to the dance covers they usually see on TikTok.

Lara huffed a disbelieving laugh. “Are we sure they’re rookies?”

That was when the atmosphere was broken by Cami's shrill scream.

“OH MY GOD! PLEASE I MESSED THAT UP! I'M SO SORRY MY LOVE, MY DARLING, MY GODDESS MEGAN” She damn near screeched, making Yoonchae flinch slightly

Lara blinked. “Wait… did she just say Megan?”

All five turned, slowly, toward Megan, who was standing stiffly by the door, wide-eyed.

“She - uh - she probably meant a different Megan,” Megan offered weakly.

“Nope,” Sophia deadpanned. “I think she meant our Megan.”

Daniela tilted her head, amused. “The goddess herself.”

Yoonchae nudged Megan’s arm. “You’ve got a fan.”

“A loud one,” Lara added.

“Pipe down, you overgrown bird.” Amara groans, sweat beading down her body.

“We need to wrap this up, meeting with KATSEYE is scheduled in 45 minutes” Hana remarked, passing each member their respective towels.

“I feel like I'm gonna have a nosebleed” You exclaimed, wiping your face gently

“Don't worry, I'll ask Daniela if she can sign your boobs.” Cami drapes her arm around you as you break out in an aggressive blush at the mere mention of the curly-haired idol.

Daniela froze.

Manon covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. “Oh.”

Yoonchae turned slowly. “Daniela.”

“I—” Daniela’s voice caught in her throat. “I… I am not signing anyone’s boobs.”

“Even when she’d let you?” Sophia teased.

“Don't do that Cami-” They hear Hana begin to warn before Rina cuts her off

“Yeah don't, she might spontaneously combust and then tattoo Daniela's signature on her boobs.” Rina pokes your cheek as you jab your finger into Cami's side which made her release you.

“I hate you both.”

Before the bickering finished, they walked away with the assistant with a chilling realization dawning on them

You were artists. Your group is thunder in human form. You were studying KATSEYE not to follow, but to leap from where they left off. Or maybe you guys are just a fan, they honestly don't know which is which.

Sophia glanced back at the window one last time. Her voice dropped into something like awe. “They’re not trying to be us.”

“No,” Daniela said finally. “They’re trying to be better.”

And the group fell silent.

Because in that moment, they all understood.

That meant they had to be better too.

It was barely nine, but the SIREN5 girls were already jittery like they drank six cups of coffee and trauma bonded over choreography. Which they did, to be honest.

You felt yourself standing oddly stiff, like you didn’t know what to do with her limbs. Cami looked five seconds away from climbing a wall. Hana was rechecking notes no one asked for, while Rina hovered behind her, whispering that her lip balm was uneven. Amara was just... pacing. Back and forth. Like a shark in sweatpants.

You’d cleaned up post-practice, sure, but the chaos still clung to you; a soft sort of adrenaline buzz that refused to wear off. Your group dynamic wasn’t rehearsed. It was lived in, granted that they've been training together for 4 years.

Then the door opened, and the air did this thing. Like it knew. It made your breath hitch, as if oxygen was suddenly gone.

KATSEYE stepped in, not loud, just there. They walked in like they owned the space. Sophia first, effortlessly beautiful and bright. Lara, sunglasses inside and her bindi shined as it caught the light, like a final boss. Megan gave a bright smile, her pink bangs bouncing slightly. Daniela had this quiet intensity, eyes sharp and unreadable. Yoonchae and Manon followed like rhythm and shadow.

There was a split second where SIREN5 forgot how to function.

“Oh my God, it’s them,” Rina whispered, visibly glitching.

Cami didn’t whisper. “Hi. Hello. I love you. Sorry.”

Daniela raised a brow. “Sorry for...?” Manon fought off a laugh as Dani replied

“Existing. Breathing near you. Being weird. Being in your space.”

You were simply frozen. Not nervous, exactly, just painfully aware of the fact that she was standing in front of the gorgeous women whose choreo you low-key cried over in your apartment at 3 a.m.

“Hi,” she said finally, and it came out soft. Small.

The KATSEYE girls could practically see phantom ears drooping down.

“SYRE, right?” Daniela asked, and somehow made eye contact feel like a dare.

You nodded. “Yeah.”

“You’re the one with the husky vocals?”

More nodding. Possibly excessive nodding.

“She sounds better live, you should listen sometime.” Amara threw in. “It’s unfair.”

Sophia folded her arms, giving SIREN5 a once-over that wasn’t judgmental, just sizing them up like a professional might do to a team of wild horses. She very much looked like their mentors when they were in Dream Academy, just a lot more…soft. “You’re... very high energy.”

“We’re nervous,” Hana admitted. “We’ve been fans for years.”

Megan grinned. “Years?”

“We trained for four” You said. “You were the standard. Been fans since Dream Academy.”

There was a pause. Not awkward, just surprised.

“Thanks guys” Lara said, in a weird tone that made Manon try her absolute hardest not to laugh.

Director Kim finally walked in, notebook under her arm. “Right. This is less of a ‘debut media thing’ and more of an informal welcome. SIREN5, meet your label sisters. KATSEYE, these are the rookies who’ve been trending for breathing.”

Cami muttered, “We trended because I tripped in practice and called SYRE mommy.”

Director Kim ignored her. “Over the next three months, you’ll be filming mentorship content. The show launches after SIREN5’s debut — training sessions, games, one-on-ones, maybe a performance collab if it flows naturally.”

“So we’re not roommates?” Sophia asked

“No. You’ll visit each other’s houses, drop in on practices. Light stuff. But make it honest.”

“Can I please touch your closet?” Cami asked Megan, with zero shame.

“You can borrow an outfit if you survive one day of my training,” Megan shot back.

“Hah! I dare you all to survive ours” Rina beamed proudly.

“I don't think you should be proud of our training Rina, it was quite literally abusive.” You mumbled, playing with the hem of your minecraft hoodie.

Amara leaned toward Yoonchae. “You guys are, like... scary pretty.”

“You guys are like five puppies on espresso. In, like, the best way.” Yoonchae replied, her korean accent coating her words which made Rina feral in awe.

Daniela’s eyes flicked back to you, who is now sipping water to avoid dying on the spot.

“You write music too, right?” Daniela asked.

“Y-yeah. I write for us,” You nodded. “Me and Hana built most of the coming EP tracks.”

“That’s cool.” A pause. “Looking forward to hearing from you.”

And that? That was the moment. Because you stopped breathing for half a beat, then smiled. Small, but real.

The room exhaled together, and then the chatter started again as the two groups slowly acclimated to each other. It was like the stars pulling the ocean back and forth.

Two groups. Not the same. Not meant to be.

But maybe, just maybe, something was going to grow here.

Something chaotic, maybe sisterly, maybe more.

Because your group isn't something that KATSEYE expected. They really thought you were all talk, and that their management overhyped the group too much. It was supposed to be just a small drop-in. A little sister-group visit before filming began. Shake some hands, give polite encouragement, maybe cringe through a clumsy run of half-memorized choreo.

No pressure. Just a sister group check-in.

But they hadn’t made it ten steps into the studio before the music hit and something shifted.

The bass rolled like distant thunder.

Inside the studio, the lights were low, moody blues and greens washing across mirrored walls, mimicking seafoam. The music had already started, a heavy pulse that throbbed in the concrete. “Your Idol” was halfway through its prelude when Sophia opened the door, quiet and slow.

They slipped in.

And paused.

On the floor, SIREN5 was already in formation, breath synced, backs glistening with sweat, eyes locked in some collective, predatory focus, it was like they manipulated light and air around them.

You stood dead center; shoulders loose, head low, already exuding that eerie calm that came just before a performance.

And then you moved.

Not rushed. Not theatrical.

But deliberate. Controlled. Every step like you meant it.

Daniela felt her jaw drop as she and Lara lock eyes, their eyes blown out wide.

This felt different for the 6 girls. It wasn't their tune your group was dancing to. There wasn't any familiarity, no similarities. The vibe felt different, dangerously different. They didn't know what to expect, yet their eyes widened with each step, with each beat their hearts pumped out more blood, with each echoing footsteps your group did they swear they could feel it thundering in their soul.

You weren't copying their legacy anymore, you were writing your own.

Behind you, Cami twisted like smoke in a nightclub. Amara's lines were fluid and slow, all restrained elegance. Rina burned in contrast; sharp, impulsive, fire barely held together. Hana, on the other hand, moved like a conductor, steady and precise, it's like she holds the invisible threads pulling the group all together.

You moved like five instincts wired to a single nervous system.

There was a split-second error near the second verse, a step early, a hand out of place.

KATSEYE saw it.

And then watched it vanish, they watched it get swallowed, devoured by sheer instinct.

Without missing a beat, Hana adjusted her position. Rina bent her timing. Cami’s hair flip distracted perfectly, and your gaze locked forward like you’d planned it all along.

It wasn’t perfect. There were some improvements here and there, but the fluidity and instinct you've built left your seniors gasping for air.

Daniela didn’t speak. She couldn’t take her eyes off you, or rather SYRE, especially now that you had taken the mic stand and leaned into it like it was the only thing keeping you tethered to earth.

“You're down on your knees, I'mma be your idol…”

Your voice was husky, low, like velvet burned around the edges.

It settled deep in the chest and it stayed there.

“Is that-” Megan started, then stopped herself. “That’s her real voice?”

“Why do they all sound like they ate sex appeal for breakfast?” Manon snorts at Lara's remark

Your final formation collapsed into a synchronized drop, on your knees, five bodies hitting the floor like thunder rolled in five parts.

Silence.

And then Cami wheezed like she’d just crawled out of war. “Tell my family I love them. Also I think my ass fell off.”

“You have an ass? Where is it?” Amara shot back, reaching for her water.

“Oh my god,” Rina whined. “I missed my cue again!”

“You did amazing,” Hana said gently, passing her a towel.

“Well…we all did something wrong,” Hana confirmed, still calm. “Cami stepped too far left during the first chorus. Rina’s breathing was inconsistent. Amara missed eye contact. I skipped a half count before the bridge.”

KATSEYE was in absolute awe as you all nodded, agreeing with Hana. It was rare to see a group who's actually self aware of their mistakes.

Dani's eyes flitted to you, like a moth to the flame.

You were still catching your breath, you tugged your shirt slightly down to fan your flushed skin, then pulled it up briefly, using the hem of your shirt to wipe the sweat that's gathering on your forehead. Your shoulders rose and fell, calm. Regal. Not a single drop of nervous energy in sight.

Daniela swore that she could hear bells ringing in her ears at the sight.

And then you turned around and saw KATSEYE in the doorway.

And just like that, SYRE was gone.

It was you again.

You blinked. Frozen in place for a split second.

Then you muttered rapidly as if you're not the lead vocal but the rapper.

“Oh my god I didn’t know you guys were watching. Please pretend I didn’t say that line about owning your soul. Or uh… breathe into your neck. I was possessed. That wasn’t me. That was a demon. A hot one. Who probably doesn't like bread. Which couldn't be me because I love bread.”

Daniela just stared.

And then burst out laughing along with the other girls.

“Holy shit,” Megan wheezed out. “She really is a loser trapped in a hot body.”

You willed the floor to swallow you whole, yet the floor remained unshaken.

The very next morning, the house lights flickered on one by one.

It was barely 5:50 AM, the skyline outside still dipped in gray-blue. A camera beeped softly as it flicked to life, the official start of SIREN5’s debut vlog series.

The footage opened on Hana.

No makeup, hair in a claw clip, tracksuit zipped up to her neck. Mug of black coffee in hand. She glanced sideways at the camera with the dry exhaustion of someone who’d been far too awake for far too long.

She didn’t say anything at first.

Instead, she motioned with her mug toward the hallway.

The camera panned.

Rina was already doing jumping jacks in the living room, still in pajama shorts, hair in a pineapple bun, singing some indie fairy rock song, whatever that means, at the top of her lungs.

Cami was half-dancing, half-fighting the kitchen rice cooker for her breakfast.

Amara was calmly putting on lip balm while scrolling through a digital planner.

All of them were awake, alive, running like well-oiled chaos.

Except you.

You were nowhere in sight.

At exactly 6:00 AM sharp, Hana finally sighed and addressed the camera.

“We’ve been training at 6 AM every single day for four years,” she began, eyes heavy-lidded but amused. “And Syre’s body still isn’t used to it.”

There was a loud thump offscreen.

Followed by a muffled groan and a barely coherent: “Why is the air so bright?”

Hana didn’t even look up.

“She’s the heaviest sleeper in the group. Yeah. She can’t hear her own alarm clock.”

The camera then flicks to Amara walking past the hallway with a toothbrush in her mouth and casually tossing a slipper at your closed door.

Another thump.

“SYRE, THIS IS YOUR FIVE MINUTE CALL,” Rina hollered.

“It’s 6:01!” Cami added, banging a spoon on a mug. “You’re late to being early!”

From inside the room came another groggy protest.

“Tell Geffen I’m dead. They’ll have to debut with four.”

“Girl, you wrote the debut song. What are you talking about?” Cami laughed, knocking on the locked door

“It’s what I would’ve wanted. Play my demos at the funeral.”

The camera crew was stifling laughter. Hana, as ever, remained composed.

“We’ll get her up eventually,” she said, sipping her coffee. “Just... not gracefully. Hopefully before KATSEYE gets here.”

Meanwhile, KATSEYE had been told to show up casual, no glam, no cameras, just a pre-filming house visit to SIREN5’s dorm. A bonding day. Team-building.

“Help them get comfortable,” their manager had said, sipping coffee like it was their own fuel.

So they showed up at 7:15 a.m. on a Friday. Thinking, they’ll probably still be asleep. We’ll be the early birds. Let’s bring iced americanos and look charmingly cool.

The sun was barely over the skyline, and they expected maybe, at most, a living room with throw blankets, quiet giggles, and sleepy-eyed hellos.

Instead, the moment the door opened, they were met with screaming.

“RINA I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU PUT THE COLD JADE ROLLER ON MY BACK ONE MORE TIME—”

Hana slammed the front door shut behind them and planted herself like a bodyguard in front of the girls. She was already in full leggings, hoodie zipped to her collarbones, hair in a military bun. Her smile was polite, her voice professional, and her eye twitch was barely visible. Barely.

“Good morning,” she said, bowing slightly. “Sorry for the mess. We usually train early, today was a late start.”

In the background, a pan clanged. Then Cami yelled something about hot oil and nipples. Which was followed by warnings from multiple publicists.

Megan blinked. “Did someone just— on camera?”

“Ignore it,” Hana said briskly. “You didn’t hear that.”

From the hallway, Amara appeared, brushing her teeth with one hand, holding a protein shake in the other. She looked KATSEYE up and down with her toothbrush still in her mouth and said, “Oh hey, the cool kids are here,” before disappearing into the bathroom like a cryptid.

Staff members were skillfully avoiding the groups mess as they prepare the house for filming.

Sophia tried to offer her americano to Hana. “Peace offering?”

“I appreciate it,” Hana said, taking a sip like it was morphine. “They’ve all been up for an hour, maybe two. Except Syre. She’s…” A pause. Her eyes flicked to the hallway. “…still powering on.”

“Still?” Lara echoed. “Isn’t it already-”

“She’s the heaviest sleeper among us,” Hana said, voice tight. “We’ve been training at 6 a.m. every day for four years. Doesn’t matter. Syre would sleep through the apocalypse if we let her.”

Just then, a loud THUD echoed from the back room.

“SYRE!” Hana bellowed, finally losing her cool. “GET UP. WE HAVE GUESTS.”

A muffled “FUCK YOU” came back.

“I said what I said,” Hana muttered, sighing deeply as if in pain. “Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

KATSEYE tried not to laugh. They failed.

Manon leaned closer to Sophia and whispered, “We’re chaotic, but this is... spiritual. Borderline insanity”

“It’s like four feral cats in a trench coat,” Sophia agreed. “And Hana is the trench coat.”

Daniela had barely stepped through the living room archway before a feathered headband flew past her shoulder.

Manon ducked.

Lara blinked as a tank top flew past her face and landed on a houseplant.

Daniela said nothing. She was too busy watching, absorbing the chaos like it was performance art, with her eyebrow quirking up ever so slightly.

Sophia blinked. “Is it always like this?”

“Yes,” Hana answered dryly. “But today’s tame.”

“Tame?!” Lara whispered, clinging to Megan’s arm like they’d entered a mythical beast’s den. “I just side-stepped a flying bra.”

Cami emerges from the hallway with glitter under her eyes, paused mid-step.

“Oh my god. Are we filming? Are we hot? Is that Megan in my house? IS THAT RISING GLOBAL POP STAR SENSATION LARA RAJ?!?! Is this a lucid dream or should I remove the bra from the lamp?”

Then it happened.

You stumbled out of your room, clearly just rejoining the land of the living.

Bedhead? Terminal. Fizzed and defying gravity in directions that shouldn’t be possible unless struck by lightning.

Eyes? Barely open, half-lidded and teary.

Onesie? Full-body angry penguin, feet and all.

You looked like someone who had gone to war in a dream and barely made it out alive.

A single slipper flopped against the floor with each step. You squinted at the living room, yawned hard enough to trigger an earthquake and your hand gripped a half-finished lukewarm energy drink like your life depended on it.

You squinted at the light, cursing it for ever existing. You didn’t notice the guests. You didn't notice the lights. You didn't notice anything.

Not until you scratched your belly, which looked ridiculous in a onesie, turned the corner fully into view, and stopped dead in your tracks.

Your eyes widened almost comically. There. On your couch. In your safe zone. Sat Daniela Avanzini. Gorgeous. Glowing. Wearing a smug half-smile and a hoodie like she invented the concept of leisurewear. Elbows on knees. Eyes locked on you. She looks like a fever dream with clear skin and smoky eyes.

Your jaw dropped.

You blinked. Then blinked again.

You looked down at your cartoon onesie like it had betrayed you. You wiggled your fingers. Whispered to yourself, “One, two, three, four, five…”

Then, louder: “Nope. Not dreaming. No fucking way. F*ck me gently with a chainsaw. ”

Cami was delighted, soaking up your shame and embarrassment

“She’s real, babe,” she sing-songed. “Keep up.”

“No. Nope. I reject reality, No.” you said with full sincerity. “I’m dreaming. I’m hallucinating. I drank too much electrolyte water. I can’t be seeing Daniela Avanzini on my ugly couch, where we dropped ramen broth last week.” you declared, turning around to escape.

You hear Hana sigh audibly behind you. “Don’t say that out loud, please.”

But you must've done something incredibly cruel in your past life as karma would have it, your foot tripped over Rina's damn bra that she had yeeted earlier across the floor, and you went down.

With a dramatic thud, you faceplanted into a convenient throw pillow and let out a muffled, soul-broken, groan. “I hate this timeline. I’ll just die here, Please don’t perceive me, I'm in the process of decomposing.”

“Are you okay?” Daniela was standing now, genuinely concerned, one brow raised and the tiniest hint of a smile tugging at her mouth.

“No,” you groaned into the cushion. “But please pretend none of this happened. Especially not the scratching. Or the counting. Or the internal breakdown. I’d like to start this day over and this time not emotionally detonate in front of my crush, uh… I mean a colleague. Industry peer. Company sister. Fellow idol. Woman I respect very respectfully.”

Daniela blinked once.

Then she laughed.

Full-bodied. Warm. Colorful. Like sunlight through a stained-glass window.

“She’s been in love with you since your debut. It’s kind of her origin story.” Cami smiled sweetly

“Stop talking.” you groaned into the pillow.

“She’ll reboot in ten minutes,” Rina added. “Maybe twenty if you smile at her.”

Daniela was definitely amused, you were crumpled into the floor, folding in on yourself as if you're willing yourself to melt into the floor. She then saw your head move, a tiny movement but it was noticeable nonetheless. She flicked her gaze to your peeking eyes, and smiled.

You instantly hid like a frightened squirrel and she swears she saw steam coming out of your ears.

Hana stepped over you, coffee still in hand. “Welcome to our home,” she told KATSEYE, like this was all normal.

Sophia looked around, then back to her group. “Should we… help?”

“God, no,” Lara replied. “I want to see what happens next.”

Rina then walked to the camera, whispering to the vlog, “This is SYRE by the way. Idol by night. Gay gremlin by morning. This is the girl you're making thirst edits of.”

“Jesus Christ, okay.” Hana muttered. “Manon, Sophia, Lara, Yoonchae, please sit down. You can have the couch. Would any of you like something? I’m trying to preserve what’s left of our dignity.”

Yoonchae, meanwhile, stood completely still, eyes wide as a deer. “This is a sitcom. We’ve entered a sitcom.”

Lara, bless her, just sipped her drink. “You know, I thought we were the unpredictable ones.”

“We are" said Megan. “I think we’ve met our match.”

And on the floor, finally dragging yourself up to a seated position, you glanced sideways at Daniela, who looked back at you like she knew.

You fixed your penguin hood, hiding under it as if it can shield you from your shame.

“Good morning.” you mumbled.

She smiled. “Morning, SYRE.”

THE SHOTS OF THE CAST BACKSTAGE AT THE BEGINNING??? BEFORE THE SHOW??? NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS???

andre/hermes greeting the ensemble and eury before they start

the fates blowing out the candle and eurydice having to relight it. also are the hadestown matches just ridiculously high quality or is eva just magic at lighting matches

the fates also full out cackle multiple times and they are so much more terrifying that way

one of the ensemble members giving eury the red cloth, only for it to be snatched away from her again a few seconds later

during epic i there's a really good shot of hades and persephone up on their balcony and persephone GIGGLES at something hades said.

right before she comes down the stairs, persephone kisses hades cheek and tries to have a nice moment with him before she leaves, but he's so caught up in his own grief and self pity he can't even look at her so she leaves with a frustrated wave and huff

livin it up is so fun, I was grinning the whole time. when persephone says "some may say the weather ain't the way it used to be" eurydices face literally goes 😬. hilarious. persephones first "anybody wanna drink?" is also directed towards the audience and idk if the section she looked at just had rancid vibes or if she was just messing around but amber made the funniest face at them. she really said 🤨😒🙄

orpheus looks so nervous when he starts giving his little speech because eurydice is watching him. wittol baby

the choreography for all I've ever known is still so. so. beautiful.

the train whistle blows, you can see persephones face fall. but she keeps watching orpheus and eurydice for a moment longer, like she can't let go of their hope quite yet

the persephone vs fates beef is incredible gimme 14 of em

eurydice sounds so defeated when orpheus ignores her. kind of like she expected it but let herself hope and regrets it

CHANT. OH MY GOD CHANT. the second hades and persephone come up, persephones face is DEVASTATING. she looks like she also had hope that maybe it wasn't any worse, maybe it was a little better, and all her hope was destroyed the second she set foot in hadestown

the struggle between eury and the fates was so much more intense than I remember. they are really taking everything from her and they are utterly ruthless

amber. mothafuckin. gray. the things this woman can do with her face. so confused and angry at what hadestown has become. tender and longing when she finally let hades touch her. she looked physically ill when hades said he'd find someone else.

and patrick page. he didn't just treat his injury like something to work around and pretend isn't there. he incorporated it into the character. the way he moves in hey little songbird especially is so sinister and predatory. he looks like a panther on its haunches, ready to pounce

the way eva was able to convey so much with no words while the fates sang when the chips are down was absolutely phenomenal

hermes really seemed so disappointed in orpheus for ignoring eurydice

when hermes talks about the guard dog of the underworld, the fates show up behind orpheus in a way that actually reminded me of Cerberus. I've never thought about the fates that way before but it's an interesting concept

I will say something controversial. wait for me has never been particularly impactful musically or lyrically TO ME PERSONALLY but the way it's lit and staged and choreographed is actually fucking brilliant and has made me say hooooly shit every time I've seen it

when hades and persephone cross paths before why we build the wall, she physically recoils away from him, like she can't stand to even be a few inches away from him

they ended why we build the wall with a much quieter, lower note than the obc recording and it gives it a new kinda eerie tone

persephone wipes a tear from her face after hades invites eurydice to his office. she looks at eury and you can't even see her face for most of it, but you can tell just from her body language she's pleading. and I think it's more begging eurydice not to do it for eurydice's sake. persephone knows what will become of eury if she goes behind those doors and she's much more concerned about that than any potential infidelity

ok. ok now I can talk about Our Lady. genuinely. I have never seen the likes of it before. I actually thought our lady would be the most like what I've seen before, I thought I knew what to expect. oh no. no no. this persephone is a new level of manic. she is drunk and high out of her goddamn mind. she is moving in ways I didn't think possible of the human body. she's doubling over and dry heaving. I don't know what on earth- or any realm- amber channeled for those performances, but it was spectacular.

eva noblezada, the woman that you are. she kept doing this thing where she'd cut her voice off halfway through a note, like she just couldn't keep going. she's curled up, sobbing, by the end of flowers. you can see the moment the memory hits her, the one thing she has left tying her to her mortal existence.

as always the "no, I walked. a long way." moment was so funny and adorable. reeve carney they could NEVER make me hate you.

when hades is talking to orpheus, two things happen that just confirm a theory I've had for a while. first, hades says "everything and everyone in hadestown, I own." and persephone snaps her head around to look at him so fast I swear I could hear it. then when he says "I only buy what others choose to sell. oh, you didn't know? she signed the deal herself." he glances to persephone. it's quick, but she's the only person standing in the direction he's looking, he's 100% looking at her. he's saying well, you married me willingly, so why are you complaining now?

the attack was terrifying and visceral.

it's always interesting to see how different groups of fates perform Nothing Changes. this trio took a lot of liberty with tempo, giving it a really dynamic feel

persephone looks so stricken for the entirety of if it's true. at the end, she and orpheus look at each other for a long time. he's begging her to use her power to do something.

and she does try. How Long? is so beautifully lit and shot. persephone almost kneels, she is trying so hard to appeal to hades. she's constantly physically reaching out, throughout the whole show, wanting to give what she can, and it's never more obvious than in this moment.

hades face when persephone shoots back "as long as I am your wife" is amazing. patrick page's acting doesn't get talked about enough. he's shocked and angry but also a little impressed? like yeah that's his badass wife who isn't afraid to tell him where to shove it when she needs to. he loves her.

he also says "it's the boy" in such a singsong way that's so different from the recording and I love it. he hasn't started to even take orpheus seriously yet.

and hades is a forced to be reckoned with in chant reprise. by the end, you can tell he is very sincere about putting orpheus out of his misery

it seems like amber and reeve adjusted their paces on the turntables to match patricks so they would all stay spaced correctly. beautiful little detail.

the little moment of preparation before epic iii is so precious to me

the visual parallels between the couples is sooooo good

there was also an incredible shot of hades looking over at persephone as she walks closer to orpheus. basically after his smartass "Oh its about me" line, he's visibly distressed the whole time.

the way persephone says "let him finish, hades" is painfully intimate. that is a wife speaking to her husband. and they have been married longer than you can even fathom. she almost murmurs it. she doesn't even look at him. she doesn't need to.

in contrast, when everyone starts singing the song, hades screams "NO!!" in a way that made my skin crawl a little.

when everyone starts singing, the workers peel off one by one, and for a split second, the camera focuses on two workers, embracing and smiling at each other, like they're old friends.

and at the end, when orpheus is singing his last verse, hades is doing everything he possibly can to keep from crying, and he can't. it starts getting really bad at "he keeps his head low". hades is just so exhausted and frightened and vulnerable in that moment, my chest ached.

hades looks back to make sure persephone is still there.

the little shocked, disbelieving laugh persephone let's out when hades pulls out the flower is honestly worse than if she just cried. at this point, shooting me would be nicer.

the dance. oh, the dance. only one bit of choreography was really changed that significantly. at the end, hades throws his cane and walks to persephone, who is basically weeping through a grin at this point. they press their faces together and when she wraps her arms around him, her fingers dig into his vest.

in promises eurydice goes up to each worker and shakes their hand. she is one of them, she knows them and their struggles.

there's also a shot from behind persephones shoulder at the "What about him?" line. hades eyes are closed and his cheek is resting on the top of persephones head. her face is hidden in his shoulder. cried.

and then persephone looks so betrayed when hades says "I don't know". when he says it, she's clinging to his arm, looking up at him with stars in her eyes. it's so painful to watch that light go out again.

I've said it before but, the hand holding meta is crazy. orpheus and eurydice hold hands for a split second in wait for me reprise, but hades and persephone hold on until the last moment. the camera focuses on their hands, the way they reach for each other as soon as they slip from each other's grasp, but they're already too far apart.

it's more obvious with the camera angles in his kiss, the riot, that hades is also talking about persephone when he says "beautiful, poisonous, lovely, deadly". which I've always thought is such an incredible way to show why hades loves her so much. she's not only the innocent Kore, picking flowers in her mother's garden, she is also Dread Persephone, Bringer of Death.

"hades, you let them go" is sooooo uuuggghhhhh. she's ripping my heart out and eating it.

doubt comes in is so unsettling. there's a slight effect on the fates voices, making them seem far away. it's already hard to see eurydice through most of the sequence when seeing it live just because of the lighting, but the camera makes it even worse. she completely disappears when she's not singing.

I've always loved that the platform starts lowering the second orpheus sees eurydice. it doesn't wait for them to say goodbye, to have closure, it just starts taking her back down.

the camera focuses on hermes shoes as he walks in to start road to hell reprise. that was a cool visual to me. of course, that was only a vague peripheral thought compared to. ya know.

tiny detail that idk if anybody else noticed. persephones flowers when she comes back up are different than the ones she had the rest of the show. the first ones are red and orange and kinda spiky. the last ones are pastels, yellows and blues and pinks and have round little petals. a detail they absolutely didn't have to include but it's so cool that they did.

it took patrick a little longer to get to his place for bows. the other three all waited for him and looked so lovingly at him when he stepped out.

and during we raise our cups, patrick is looking at amber truly the entire time. it made me think about when amber said the two of them had really learned to love each other. he just looked so proud and fond.