#additional ocs

[a-master-procrastinator]

New characters! (bc I don't have self-control)

(really wish zabraks could have more grayish skin color in game. and more hairstyles)

While I was writing an answer to a question involving Kerstes I tried to figure out her future, including if she'd have a partner or not. And answer quickly became 'yes', I just needed to decide who it would be. I had different ideas, but in the end settled down for just making a new character.

Born in nobility, Kaali never quite liked it - she always felt like her whole life has been chosen and planned for her (even when her parents tried to encourage her to do something she had shown interest in), and so at the age of 18 she left to live on her own.

She tried different paths, and after some time ended up trying bounty hunting, and found that she's pretty decent at it. Listening to a lot of gossip while growing up taught her how to find useful information among rumors, and self-defense training, paired with lessons she took from the guards when the parents didn't know, meant Kaali can hold her own in a fight.

At some point, the young mercenary tried to claim a bounty on Kerstes' head. Not out of malice, she simply wanted the money (and maybe a little adventure), and this bounty offered more credits than others. She, of course, failed, and the only reason she wasn't killed is that Kerstes wanted to know who put the bounty on her head. Kaali didn't know, but stuck around to help find the client in exchange for her life.

During the search, they got along pretty well, bonded over some stuff (for example, both growing up as nobility and wanting more freedom), and overall enjoyed each other's company (to Kerstes' surprise). By the time they found and dealt with the client, Kaali liked working with Kerstes and wouldn't mind doing that again, so she gave the Sith a way to contact her if needed.

And Kerstes did contact her shortly after surviving an assassination attempt. She hired Kaali to track Draahg (not to kill, she wouldn't stand a chance), and the mercenary agreed. She tracked him to Belsavis, where he set up a trap, and tried to warn Kerstes about it, but was caught and knocked out. Aftter he was dealt with, Kaali decided to travel with Kerstes to see her revenge through.

(I'm still deciding exactly how their relationship develops from there, so it's very rough, but I wanted to share)

And the second character is Anstinur, a Sith Lord who decides to help the Alliance and provide them the information on multiple Imperial operations, specifically those that Darth Nox is involved in.

This part will include some spoilers for 6.0 and any story after that, so be warned.

Since I'm now 100% sure that Jett's Alliance isn't going to side with either Republic or Sith Empire after Iokath and instead deals with other neutral factions, certain in-game events are not going the same way (for example, the Alliance isn't involved at all in preparations or the attack on the Meridian Complex in Onslaught). However, it seems that whatever is going to happen with Malgus' plan, it involves both the faction that captured him (in this legacy, it's the Sith Empire) and the Alliance, since they are the ones dealing with Heta (and she's now included in that plan), so I wanted to have a way for the Alliance to get the intel from the Sith.

As I said, in this verse the Sith Empire manages to capture Malgus, and now they are trying to understand his plan and stop it. Specifically, Auletta, as a member of the Dark Council, is heavily involved in this, and since Sith Empire and Alliance aren't working together, all intel about this is out of Alliance's reach. They didn't even think that Malgus was that big of a threat until their meeting with the Voss leaders.

Enter Anstinur, a Sith Lord who is respected for his contribution to the war effort in the second and third Great Galactic wars. Being on the front lines and witnessing imperial victories and losses firsthand, he understands the need for change, and he's been approving Acina's reforms. He also understands that Darth Nox is not embracing those changes sincerely, and her ambition and hunger for power are dangerous for the Empire. Anstinur suspects that she will claim all the glory from stopping Malgus and use it to challenge the authority of Empress Acina, so he reaches out to the Alliance, hoping that with his help they will be able to stop Malgus first. He's extremely careful with what information he shares (bc Auletta could track that), but in the end his intel gives the Alliance an edge.

(of course I need to see how the story goes in the game, so for now I'm waiting for future story updates, but I'm thinking about alternatives)

But there is more to his despise of Auletta than just disagreeing with her ways, it's more personal. See, at some point she pretty much ruined Emperor's Wrath's life, who just happens to be Anstinur's sister. His family put a lot of effort and risked a lot to make sure that Iressa would become a Sith despite her upbringing. They were very proud when she was named Emperor's Wrath, and to see all her successes stripped away because of Darth Nox was devastating. And Astinur wasn't going to let it go just like this.

[practically-an-x-man]

Additional X-Men OCs

Olivia Hart: Mira Hart's sister, younger by five years. She is a cisgender lesbian woman, a non-mutant, and middle-school level history teacher. Despite the tensions that rose between Mira and their parents once her mutation developed, she and Olivia remained close.

Anna Fischer: Rae McKinney's best friend. Born and raised in Germany, she was Rae's roommate in Berlin and they remained friends even after life threw a few wrenches in that plan. Anna is a caring friend with an outgoing, bubbly personality. She is a telepath with the gift of foresight.

Jessica "Jess" McKinney: Rae McKinney's older sister. She is a non-mutant, and lives in Lochcarron with her husband Harrison and son Andrew. She works as a nurse and is known as the most mature and rational of the three sisters. She is gentle and nurturing, though still maintains that characteristic zeal and spirit of the rest of the family.

Virginia "Ginny" McKinney: Rae McKinney's younger sister. She is also a non-mutant, and studies engineering at a university in Glasgow. She is similar to Rae in that she is fiesty, somewhat reckless, and spirited. She's a bit brisk, and doesn't enjoy long conversation, though she's very bright and academic when she finds the proper setting.

Malcolm and Catherine McKinney: Rae's parents. Malcolm's side of the family is native to Lochcarron and stems from a line of strong feral mutants. Catherine's side of the family is from Edinburgh and is largely non-mutant save for Catherine's mother, Ayla

Ayla Buchanan: Rae McKinney's maternal grandmother. She was very similar to Rae in her youth (spirited, daring, a risk-taker), and possessed the same ability to create energy shields. After her first marriage turned sour, she took a chance and moved to Lochcarron for a chance at safety. From there, she met her husband and built a family in Lochcarron. She passed away when Rae was roughly eight years old.

Frostbite/Ivan: the first mutant Warren battles during Friday Fight Night (within the context of the fic). Native to Siberia, he was kidnapped and sold to the fighting ring. He has the ability to survive and generate freezing temperatures, including exhaling plumes of frost and dropping his skin to frostbite-generating temperatures. He lost his fight, but was rescued before he could be killed and has since been off the grid.

Puppeteer: a notable enemy from one of Warren's Fight Nights. He is a mutant with the ability to control minds and compel people's actions, which generated quite a scare when he blackmailed Warren by using Rae as bait. Though he lost his original fight, he generated enough intrigue to be spared the execution, and became a repeat threat later in the story.

Alecia: a temporary ally and friend from one of Rae's and Warren's missions with the X-Men. She has the ability to see people's auras, with different colors symbolizing different core traits or stages of life. After breaking the X-Men's cover during a hidden mission, she chooses to help rather than ratting them out.

Clarity Mitchell: a young mutant with the ability to reverse physical trauma - though in reversing trauma, she also unintentionally wipes the person's memories. She is deafmute and uses ASL primarily to communicate. By using her ability in combination with Rae's mental shielding, they are able to restore Warren's wings to their natural feathered state without sacrificing his memory.

Clémentine: a young mutant recovered by Rae and Mystique on a mission to Normandy, France. She is an empath with the ability to sense and manipulate emotion, though she gives off an uncontrolled aura of magnifying emotion.

Jack: a friendly cameraman who assisted on an interview with Charles Xavier and a few of the other X-Men. Notably from the American South, and has a very outgoing and pleasant personality.

Alistair Harris: a snakelike mutant living in Lochcarron. He is 96, though appears no older than 70, and his skin is covered in russet-brown scales like a copperhead snake. He has sharp, venomous fangs and snakelike yellow eyes, though he has a short, stooped posture and wispy white hair. His personality is lighthearted and grandfatherly, and he acts as an honorary member of Rae's family. He runs a pie shop in Lochcarron.

Philip Olsen: Alistair's long-time life partner, a caribou mutant originally from Oslo, Norway. He is over 140 years old, and came to Lochcarron seeking safety after a lifetime of wandering. He is 6'4" and barrel-chested, with a large rack of antlers like a caribou. His skin is covered in a thin layer of brown-white fur, and his hands are somewhat hooflike. He is a painter by trade, and is soft-spoken and gentle in nature. It is implied that his past includes a mutant-fighting organization not unlike the one Warren was trapped in.

John Patton: a caretaker at the Worthington estate, who acted as more of a father figure to Warren than his actual father ever did. He is in his mid-sixties, though he dyes his hair black to appear younger. He is old-fashioned and chivalrous, though he has a paternal joking side around Warren.

Diane Worthington: Worthington Jr.'s second wife. She is in her mid-forties, and is friendly and chipper though not terribly sharp. At the time of the fic, she and Warren's father are coming up on a year of marriage.

Hazel Woodard: One of three triplets adopted as Madison's sisters. At the time of Smoke and Mirrors, she is thirteen. She is Black and wears her hair in a natural hairstyle. She has the ability to manipulate plant life. She is confident and protective, not unlike Madison, and often serves as the leader of her sisters.

Honesty Woodard: Another of the triplets. She, like Hazel, is thirteen at the time of Smoke and Mirrors, and also chooses to wear her hair in a natural style. She and Hazel look very similar, and it often comes down to their choice of clothing to distinguish them at a glance. She has the ability to sense when somebody is telling the truth, and later to compel them into honesty as well. She is quiet and observant, and often acts as a mediator rather than engaging in conflict herself.

Hope Woodard: The third and final of the triplets. She is thirteen at the time of Smoke and Mirrors. While she appears identical to her sisters in physical traits, she chooses to wear her hair in braids and is therefore easier to distinguish at a glance. She has the ability to heal someone by drawing the injury out of them and into another person, which works best when the injury can be spread across a large group of people. She is compassionate and empathetic though slightly naïve, and would do anything to find a peaceful solution to conflict.

Trevor Sly: the primary villain in Smoke and Mirrors. He has no corporeal form, and instead appears as a large cloud of thick greenish smoke. He takes various "hosts" to strengthen himself, though it ages and weakens them in a manner of months. Without a host, dispelling his smoke (such as with a strong gust of wind) would kill him. He is relentlessly driven and motivated, particularly when it comes to protecting his daughter, though this leads to him becoming cruel and not knowing where to draw the line.

Kimberly Sly: Trevor's daughter, roughly age thirteen. She is in the process of developing the same mutation as her father, and gradually loses her corporeal body as she instead becomes a bluish cloud of smoke. She refuses her father's plans to find her a host, though this doesn't stop him from trying. She is quiet and somewhat mournful, and regrets the carnage that has been caused supposedly on her behalf

Jonathan "Johnny" Douglas: Madison's older brother, two years older than her. He was on the football team and was a decent student outside it, and seemed to be on the fast-track to a bright future. His unfortunate death was what spurred Madison into running away.

Casey Crane: one of Johnny's football teammates in high school. He was crass and rude, and especially enjoyed making harassing comments towards Madison when he got the chance. One day he crossed the line, and it sparked the chain of events that led to Madison fleeing home.

Bravo: a wolfdog adopted by Madison in Smoke and Mirrors. He is one-half grey wolf, 25% husky, and 25% Bernese mountain dog. He is a very large animal, with mottled gray-brown fur, large triangular ears, a long and wolfish snout, and amber-brown eyes. He is very well trained, and primarily acts like an affectionate, spoiled house-dog - unless his "pack" is in danger, that is.

Yoda: a cat adopted by Robin Cassidy. He is a Cornish Rex with a black-and-white tuxedo coat. He is often aloof and shy around newcomers, as cats are, though affectionate towards Robin and Peter.

Six: a clone of Warren Worthington III, encountered when Robin Cassidy is captured by Trask's cloning organization. He appears physically identically to Warren, save for a much shorter haircut, though he showcases childlike wonderment and confusion at times. He has a blending of Warren's memories and some of his own, and sometimes experiences migraine-like "lapses" where he is painfully overtaken by Warren's memories. He is only a few months old, though artificially aged to adulthood.

Jay: a clone of Jean Grey, also encountered during Robin's capture. She is "fragmented", and cannot get a good grasp on her memories or telepathic abilities because of something that went wrong in the cloning process. She appears physically identical to Jean, though her hair is shaved down to a clinical buzz-cut. She is largely conflicted and sometimes shows genuine remorse and caring, though her need to follow authority gets the better of her.

Max: a clone of Peter Maximoff, encountered during Robin's capture. He appears completely physically identical to Peter, hair included, since he was intended to switch places as a means of infiltrating the X-Mansion. He was discovered as a few minor quirks were noticed by Robin, and the plan was halted. He is twitchy and restless, and devoutly follows Trask's orders, though he is not entirely badhearted.

Cindy Green: Robin's director at the operahouse. She is in her mid-fifties, and treats her operahouse and actors as her family. She is brisk and businesslike, a woman who has a very specific artistic vision and knows just how to achieve it, though she has a loyal and compassionate streak that comes through when Robin or another of her close-knit group of actors is in trouble.

[beebfreeb]

Louisiana Meshi!!!! Thistle will be at the crawfish boil.

[oobbbear]

Assignmentttttt

[kokii-omii]

Flexing their gains (or peyn's lack of)

[svt-luna]

𝜗℘ SOLDIER

❛ 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘪𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘪 𝘢𝘪𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯' 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯' 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦— 𝘪 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘪𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯. ❜

timeline: 2024

synposis: At his military training graduation, Jeonghan stands tall as a soldier— but it’s Luna’s surprise arrival that brings him to his knees in love all over again.

wc: 5.9k

warnings: cursing, slightly suggestive (very slight), fluff, flirting, pda, mentions of crying, more fluff, more flirting, more pda, JeongNa!in love, simp!Luna, military jargon i have researched (p.s. i made a few stuffs up with prior research!), mentions of sasaengs

this will be a short one, my loves! also, just a disclaimer! this will focus on Jeonghan’s military training graduation ceremony. and in the Luna-Verse he did his basic training his very first couple of weeks. so! this will take place a few weeks after Him & I (which means this is not Luna and Han’s first time seeing each other in a while!) so check that out if you haven’t already! don’t worry, i made sure i explained and wrote it in a way you guys would understand! happy reading, my loves! 🤍💚

part two: the smut aftermath - Candyman

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST ╰ ౨ৎ writings masterlist

There was not a single damn thing in the universe that could dampen Luna's mood today.

Not the weather.

Not the aching in her back from the twelve-hour flight.

Not the growing pounding in her head from the lack of sleep.

Nothing.

Not even her alarm— the one that usually earned a groggy groan and a violent swipe across her bedside table, managed to irritate her. For the first time in the history of that obnoxious, blaring ringtone, she was waiting for it. She was awake before it even went off, staring at the ceiling of her hotel room with a grin stretching lazily across her face.

"Come on," she whispered at the phone screen, which read 05:59 AM. "Come on, come on, come on-"

BZZZZZZZZZTTT BZZZZZZZZZTTT.

She snatched it off the table like it had personally offended her, but instead of silencing it, she just sat up, let it ring for a few more seconds like it was a chorus, and then grinned even wider. Her heart felt too full for someone who hadn't slept in what felt like decades.

And she didn't care.

She welcomed the exhaustion with open arms because exhaustion meant movement, and movement meant she was one step closer to seeing him.

The flight back to Seoul from Paris had been long, tight, and exhausting. The air felt stale, she had barely eaten, and her jet lag was knocking at her brain. But none of it touched her mood.

Not one bit.

In fact, she was surprised she hadn't offered to drive the damn plane herself. She had half a mind to march into the cockpit and ask the pilot to go faster. "I need to see my fiancé," she imagined herself saying, arms crossed, sunglasses down her nose. "And he's in uniform today. So either you move it, or I will."

Her team had barely kept up with her the moment they landed. Still in jeans and a trench coat, not even passing through home for a shower or change of clothes, she was already ushering everyone to the van with the kind of efficiency that only came with obsession.

Normally, the idea of heading somewhere else instead of home after a flight would've annoyed her to no end.

Home meant bed. Home meant peace. Home meant rest.

But not today.

In fact, home was the last place she wanted to be.

Luna didn't fly all the way back to Seoul just to fall face-first into her couch and scroll through Instagram.

No.

She flew home for him.

Even the unforgiving Seoul traffic couldn't kill her mood. Cars were barely moving. Her manager sighed for the fifth time in five minutes. “Jiyeon-ah, we should've left the airport earlier."

Luna just smiled, tapping her fingers on her knee.

"I'm not even mad," she said, voice smooth, eyes fixed out the window. "They can honk all they want. They're not the ones about to see their fiancé in a military uniform."

That shut everyone up real quick.

The sun was high and merciless by the time they arrived, the kind of heat that made you question all your life choices. Her trench coat was definitely a mistake, but again… it didn't matter. Her mood didn't waver. If anything, she welcomed the heat like it was part of the ceremony itself.

A little suffering made the reward all the sweeter.

Luna stepped out of the van, sunglasses slipping onto the bridge of her nose like armor. She walked across the training field like it was her own personal runway.

The gravel crunched beneath her chunky black boots, designer of course, and her outfit was the perfect blend of off-duty model and military fiancée— wide-leg dark denim pants, a fitted white tank top that peeked from under a crisp oversized khaki button-up, sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her her freshly blown-out hair, tucked behind her ears. A simple gold chain glinted at her neck.

Luna didn't want to be too loud, too visible, but… okay, she wanted to look good. She had to look good.

Behind her, her managers and Jeonghan’s managers hustled to keep up, muttering about security and whether they should've coordinated this better, but Luna couldn't hear them anymore. Her eyes were locked on the field ahead, where soon, rows of soldiers were being guided into place.

A sea of camouflage. Rows upon rows of them.

Somewhere in that sea was him.

Jeonghan.

She could barely stop her steps from breaking into a run.

Her lips twitched upward, the excitement nearly bursting out of her skin. "God," she muttered under her breath. "I'm surprised I'm not vibrating."

They made their way to the designated guests' seating area, and even as they moved, she could feel her pulse thumping in her ears like a war drum. Her legs were heavy with anticipation, stomach light with nerves, and still nothing could dampen her mood.

Because today was Jeonghan's basic military training graduation ceremony.

Her Jeonghan.

The same Jeonghan who, just weeks ago, was thrown headfirst into army life with a regulated sleep schedule just like that.

The same Jeonghan who barely survived without his face mist but wrote her long, sappy letters like they were living in a historical drama. The same Jeonghan who snuck in a few calls when he could, telling her to take care of herself and not skip meals, even when he was the one training in freezing weather or the grueling heat.

Luna adjusted her coat as she sat down, heart thudding in her chest. She hadn't seen him in two weeks.

Well… two weeks since the surprise.

That night in Goyang, during the opening concert of their Right Here tour, the lights dimmed and the screams had barely settled when Jeonghan showed up on the big screen like he had never left. Dressed in his usual all black, grin cocky as ever.

The fans lost their minds.

But no one lost it more than Luna.

They'd spent those two days glued to each other. Not even his aching arms or her packed schedule could separate them.

But then he had to go back.

“Just two more weeks,” he said.

And now, here she was.

Returning the favor.

Jeonghan knew her schedule. He knew she had Paris. He knew she had endless solo photoshoots and international press before they kicked off the U.S. leg of the tour next week.

He knew she wasn't supposed to be back until tomorrow.

So he won't be expecting her today.

She changed flights. Reorganized schedules. Pulled strings, called favors.

All of it, for him.

And not even the jet lag. Not even the heat. Not even the hellish traffic or the bleary 5AM wake-up could touch her mood.

Because in a few minutes, Yoon Jeonghan was going to step onto that parade ground and see her sitting there, front row, waiting for him.

And he wouldn't see it coming.

But for now… she had to wait. And as she does, she couldn’t help but feel the eyes on her.

Luna had never been a stranger to being looked at.

But there was something about the kind of attention she was getting now— subtle, restrained, like people were trying very hard not to be caught staring that made her lips twitch behind the safety of her sunglasses.

She could feel it, the heat of eyes on her skin, a current in the air buzzing just faintly louder than the cicadas whining under the summer sun.

The guests around her tried to play it cool.

Tried.

A few leaned into each other, whispering. One teenage boy kept glancing over his shoulder so much it looked like he was watching a tennis match. The ajumma two rows ahead was blatantly filming her with her phone, pretending to record the empty stage but angling it far too obviously.

And of course, by the back, there were two people who were definitely not supposed to be there, holding two very not discreet cameras: one pointed directly at the field, and the other fixed, no shame, right at her.

Luna didn't even try to hide the way she rolled her eyes. If anything, she was glad she had sunglasses on. She was pretty sure her pupils had hit the back of her skull.

She exhaled through her nose and adjusted her sunglasses.

"Don't engage," her manager muttered so softly only she could hear. "Let them get their little shots."

And still, not even that could touch her mood.

Because even with that click-click-click of camera shutters and the subtle gasps of "Is that Luna?" echoing in the air, she remained utterly, stubbornly euphoric.

The only thing that might actually kill her right now was the waiting.

She hated waiting.

Patience had never been one of her finer virtues. She could fake it for public events, press interviews, brand deals, maybe even the occasional family dinner.

But now? Sitting here, with her heart racing and eyes scanning the field like it held the holy grail?

Torture.

Her nails tapped a quiet, anxious rhythm against the denim stretched over her knees, too rhythmic to be casual, too restrained to be a full-blown bounce, which was exactly what she wanted to do.

Tap-tap-tap.

Pause.

Tap-tap-tap-tap.

She sighed and crossed her legs, then uncrossed them immediately because that made her more jittery. Her manager beside her handed her a small water bottle without a word.

She didn't even drink it. Just held it like it might distract her.

It didn't.

Finally, a voice came over the speakers.

The short welcome announcements began— brief, dry, and formal.

Luna straightened slightly in her seat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the basic military training completion ceremony. Please be seated as we begin."

A murmur of movement. A few last-minute guests shuffled in behind her. The heat settled heavy on her shoulders, but she didn't notice.

The announcer formally opened the ceremony with a clear, practiced tone. "We will now begin the graduation ceremony."

Luna's fingers froze mid-tap.

"Let us honor our nation. All guests, please rise for the playing of the national anthem."

The field turned solemn in an instant. Everyone stood. Some bowed their heads. Soldiers already stationed on the far ends snapped to a sharp salute.

Luna rose too, standing straight between her managers. She had heard the South Korean anthem a hundred times before, but this time it felt different. Grander. Louder. It hit her chest like a drumbeat.

Once the anthem faded, the announcer's voice returned.

"We now welcome the graduating class of the 25 Regimen, 11th Company, 4th Platoon, 3rd Squadron."

And that's when it happened.

Luna's head jerked up, body perking like someone had pulled a string in her spine.

Her entire posture shifted, her mouth parted just slightly. The tapping stopped. Her sunglasses were on but that didn't help. She pushed them up on top of her head in one smooth motion and scanned the field like a hawk.

Rows and rows of soldiers began to march in, each step measured, each line sharp. Boots hit the ground in synchronized thuds. They filed in perfectly, moving like one body.

Her eyes jumped from face to face, trying to pierce through the uniformity. Everyone looked the same from this distance, same camo fatigues, same buzzed heads, same stern expressions.

But he had to be here.

She could feel it.

She sat forward slightly, elbows on knees, ignoring the now even more aggressive stares she was getting for removing her shades.

Then…

A gentle nudge to her shoulder.

Jeonghan's manager.

He leaned in discreetly, pointed across the center left row of soldiers still filing in, and whispered low near her ear, "There. Fifth from the left."

Luna's head whipped toward the direction he gestured, breath caught in her chest— and there he was.

Yoon Jeonghan.

There was no mistaking him now.

Even in matching uniform, even under the rigid posture and lack of expression, he stood out like a firework in daylight.

His gait was slightly more fluid than the rest. His shoulders, broader than she remembered. His buzzcut? It was hidden under his beret but it was clearly short, shorter than she expected and somehow, it worked. His face looked sharper, clean and striking even from this distance. His jaw more defined, his skin glowed as if he wanted people to know where he was.

Luna's smile broke across her face before she could stop it.

Something in her chest twisted tight.

That's my fiancé.

There was a wild thrill building behind her ribs.

She hadn't seen him in uniform before. Not like this.

The photos he managed to sneak to her before were blurry, rushed, and never full-body. But now? Now he was right there, standing tall and proud, and looking like every boyfriend fantasy rolled into one.

Her stomach fluttered.

She tilted her head slightly, eyes dancing as she continued to admire him. The way he squared his shoulders. The way his eyes stayed locked ahead.

He didn't even know she was here yet. He didn't have a clue.

And that made it all the better.

He looked… strong. Disciplined. Different, but still so utterly him.

And Luna?

Luna loved it.

She couldn't stop looking at him.

Luna had seen Yoon Jeonghan in every stage of his life— barefaced, bed-headed, sulky at 4am, radiant on stage, sunlit and soft after showers, smug and teasing across practice rooms… but this?

This uniformed, serious, clean-cut version of him?

It wrecked her.

The way the military fatigues hugged his frame should've been a crime.

The standard-issue belt cinched his already tiny waist, the sleeves just barely pushed up enough to expose those forearms— those forearms, slightly tanned and taut from weeks of outdoor drills.

Even from this distance, she could see the way he carried himself.

Regal. Effortless. Shoulders squared, spine tall, chin slightly lifted like he was born for this.

And then his face… God, his face-stoic and expressionless, and yet she swore he still looked like he was plotting something.

Like he knew exactly what kind of effect he had on her.

And he hadn't even seen her yet.

She knew she wasn't supposed to be staring this hard.

The ceremony was still going. Someone was giving a speech she could hear the vague, muffled cadence of words echoing through the speakers.

Something about pride. Loyalty. Service. But Luna? Luna wasn't processing a single syllable.

It was all white noise behind the hum of blood in her ears and the sight of Jeonghan standing still, looking like he walked straight out of a fever dream in camo print.

He didn't stand out because she recognized him.

Not because he was her fiancé.

Not even because he was a well-known idol with a face that had graced billboards across the globe.

No.

He stood out because he was Yoon Jeonghan.

Because even if she hadn't known him, had never laid eyes on him before in her life, her gaze still would've found him. Her breath still would've caught. Something in her chest still would've paused, some ancient instinct whispering, There. That one. Him.

And oh, has she talked about the way he wore that uniform yet? (yes she has). She'd been teasing him for weeks over the phone, threatening to steal his uniform and wear it herself just to see his reaction. But now that she saw it in real life, tight in all the right places, slightly wrinkled at the waist, with his name embroidered neatly over his heart?

She didn't want to wear it.

She wanted him to wear it while standing between her legs with that exact same unreadable expression, only this time in her bedroom.

Woah… what?!

Luna let out a slow, silent exhale, blinking as if that would calm her thoughts. It didn't. She folded her arms and subtly pressed her thighs together.

God help her, she was having unholy thoughts in a military base.

She looked back at him, smiling softly, head tilted as she watched his jaw flex slightly while standing at attention.

He looked grown. He looked… strong.

And still, even beneath all that discipline and formality, she could see him, her Jeonghan, the one who pulled her into bed by her ankles, who always had a smug comment ready, who pressed kisses to the inside of her wrist when he thought she wasn't paying attention.

Luna was sure she had heart-eyes.

She must've been staring too hard. She knew she was.

The kind of stare that could set skin on fire, the kind of gaze that carved tunnels through distance and reason and logic because suddenly, impossibly, Jeonghan turned his head.

Right there, in the middle of formal military formation, as uniformed men stood stock-still in proud discipline with heads facing forward and backs ramrod straight, he turned his head.

And looked straight at her.

For a second, Luna's breath caught mid-inhale. Her body went rigid, the sound of the ceremony dulling beneath the roar in her ears.

Jeonghan didn't flinch. He didn't smile. Not right away.

He stared. Just stared.

And then, the corners of his eyes crinkled, barely perceptible, just enough for her to see.

A double take.

Subtle. Too quick for anyone else to catch— anyone but her. Because she knew every micro-expression etched onto that face like the back of her hand. She saw it.

First the stillness.

Then the slight flicker of disbelief behind his dark eyes. Then-

A twitch of his brow.

A small, slow widening of his eyes. Not by much, not enough for the stern commander two rows ahead of him to notice.

But Luna caught it. Luna felt it.

And then… there it was.

That smirk.

That trademark, godforsaken, infuriating Jeonghan smirk— lazy and lopsided, smug and amused, like he'd just caught the biggest secret in the room and tucked it under his tongue to chew on later.

His eyes didn't linger. He didn't gawk. He looked, smirked, and then turned his head back forward, shoulders still as ever, the corners of his mouth threatening rebellion even as the ceremony continued around him.

But his mood had shifted.

She saw it.

His whole posture had lightened. His shoulders rolled back more confidently. His chin tilted up just slightly. He looked taller. He looked pleased.

And even from where she sat, Luna could feel it, that familiar current of mischief crackling just beneath his skin. The one that meant he'd seen her, clocked her presence, and now planned to torment her with it in the most excruciating, unspoken ways until the moment they were alone again.

And Luna?

Luna almost melted into a goddamn puddle right there in her seat.

She felt her knees buckle even though she was sitting down. Her palms went clammy where they rested on her thighs, her perfectly-manicured nails now lightly indenting the soft fabric of her pants. Her throat constricted, mouth parting just slightly as her stomach did a violent somersault, like her body was fourteen again and her crush just called her pretty in the school hallway.

Her entire body buzzed with the weight of that look, like it had tunneled through her bones and planted itself somewhere near her spine.

She could hear her own heartbeat.

Goddamn him, Luna thought, eyes blinking rapidly as if trying to cool the blush creeping up her neck. She pressed her lips together, trying to fight the stupid grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. She even turned slightly away, burying her face halfway in her hand under the guise of adjusting her sunglasses on top of her head.

It was so stupid. So ridiculous.

But he always did this to her.

Only he could do this to her.

Because Luna, the Luna— top idol, composed, confident, always unbothered, was blushing like an idiot in public because her fiancé smirked at her. Because he saw her, like he always did, like he always would. And worse, he knew what it did to her. He could read her fluster like a goddamn map.

Luna exhaled slowly through her nose, shaking her head with a tiny, breathless laugh as she pulled herself together.

No one would know. No one saw that. That was between them.

But inside?

Inside she was screaming. Kicking her feet. Blushing down to her soul.

Yoon Jeonghan was the only person on earth who could make Luna feel like this.

And the worst part?

He absolutely knew it.

The ceremony continued, but for Luna, everything blurred at the edges.

She heard the voices of the commanding officers, distant and muffled, as though underwater. The echo of a patriotic speech rippled through the speakers, and everyone around her politely nodded, clapped, stood on cue. But Luna didn't move. Her hands were folded on her lap, her sunglasses still perched on top of her head, and her entire body tilted forward ever so slightly as her eyes stayed rooted on one person only.

Yoon Jeonghan.

Everything else faded. The banners, the salutes, the line of soldiers standing proud with their chin high and boots aligned to exact angles— it was all background noise to her. The sounds, the ceremony, even the scorching sun overhead-they were like static behind a single clear radio frequency locked on Jeonghan.

She admired how still he stood, how confident he looked in uniform, how the rigid posture suited him in a way that somehow still whispered of his playful nature. She had half the mind to laugh. How could a man in strict military attire still look like he was plotting something mischievous behind his eyes?

With a final salute and a crisp bow to the national flag, the ceremony officially ended.

Just before the chairs around them scraped and the rustling of families preparing to head down began, a tall figure in uniform approached them discreetly. He was a senior officer, lean and polite with a neutral face that softened slightly as he addressed them.

"Ma’am," he said with a quiet nod, eyes flicking to the two managers beside her. "We've been instructed to escort you to Private Yoon before the crowd goes down the field. It'll be less chaotic that way."

Luna blinked, straightening in her seat. She could feel her heart hammering.

"Right now?" she asked, rising slowly, brushing invisible wrinkles off her pants.

The senior officer gave a curt, respectful nod. "Please follow me. He's still in formation, but we'll intercept him quietly before the families approach."

Jeonghan's manager exchanged a quick glance with hers and offered a small smile. "Let's go," he said, nudging his head slightly for her to follow the officer.

Luna didn't need to be told twice.

She stood up, slid her sunglasses back over her eyes and began walking, her heeled boots clicking lightly against the pavement. Her pace was steady, her expression composed, but inside, anticipation pulsed like an electric current.

They followed the officer as he made his way across the small barricade and onto the side of the field, where the line of graduating soldiers remained standing in their rows.

As they reached the edge, the officer turned his head and called, firm but quiet, "Private Yoon."

Jeonghan, still standing in line, turned his head slightly at the sound of his name. His brow quirked in that familiar, instinctive way, curious, calculating, aware. His eyes scanned across the field, and then landed on her.

Luna.

Walking toward him.

Even with the sunlight behind her and the sunglasses obscuring half her face, he knew. The way his mouth twitched was all the confirmation she needed— he'd understood immediately.

Jeonghan's head dipped briefly in acknowledgment to the officer before he pivoted from his position, stepping out of formation with precise steps that somehow still looked relaxed. His walk was smooth, purposeful, confident, and as he made his way toward the back of the field, his gaze barely flickered from Luna's direction.

And hers, from his.

They were walking towards each other now. One measured step after another. It wasn't fast. It wasn't frantic. But the air between them thickened like it was laced with something electric, something magnetic, pulling them closer with every passing second.

And then…

At the far back of the field, where the crowd thinned and trees cast narrow strips of shade, Jeonghan veered right. It was quiet there. The kind of quiet they needed.

Luna didn't wait another second.

She jogged.

Boots clicking faster now, hair bouncing behind her, her grin uncontrollable and wide, she sprinted the remaining steps toward him, and when she reached him, she jumped.

"God, I missed you," she breathed with a giddy laugh as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Jeonghan caught her in one swift motion, his arm automatically slipping beneath her thighs, scooping her up like she weighed nothing at all. He didn't stop walking. Just kept moving, like carrying her was second nature, like she belonged there, with her body curled around his.

Luna giggled again, the kind that trembled slightly from relief and joy and disbelief. Her face tucked into the crook of his neck, arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, as if grounding herself in the fact that he was here and she was here and this wasn't a dream.

And Jeonghan?

He was smiling. Wide. Proud. Radiant.

Like she was the only person in the world that mattered.

Like this— her in his arms-was his prize for surviving the four hardest weeks of his life.

People were pointing. Filming. Whispering. Some were already reaching for their phones. And both of them saw it.

And neither of them gave a single damn.

Because when it came to moments like this, everything else faded.

All they saw was each other.

Once they reached the end and once the two sasaengs who unbeknownst to them had managed to sneak and follow after them were finally intercepted and escorted away by security— kicking, complaining, lenses still clicking in desperate vain, Jeonghan gently set Luna down onto her feet.

It wasn't particularly graceful. His arms lingered a second too long around her waist, and hers curled just a bit tighter around his shoulders before slipping down. There was a subtle hesitation in letting go, like gravity itself was annoyed at being reunited with them.

When Luna looked up at him, her smile was soft, but undeniable. The kind of smile that made breathing a little harder for whoever it was directed at. "Hello," she said quietly, brushing invisible lint off his chest, her fingers trailing just a little longer than they needed to.

Jeonghan's mouth pulled into that smirk, the one she'd recognize with her eyes closed, the one that warned trouble, flirtation, and safety all in the same breath. "Hi."

They stood close. Too close for public decency but far too far for the ache in their chests.

Luna's hands drifted up to his uniform without thinking, smoothing the slightly crooked edge of his collar, flattening the fabric over his chest. Her fingertips grazed the edge of the name tag, her thumb brushing the curve of the his embroidered name. She adjusted his beret next with delicate precision, even though it was perfectly fine.

Meanwhile, Jeonghan's hand moved with idle care along her arm, stroking up and down from wrist to elbow like he couldn't help himself. The pad of his thumb skimmed the sensitive skin just above her elbow, and he leaned in slightly, breath fanning the edge of her hair as his eyes drank her in up close.

"Sneaky girl," he murmured, tugging his beret off entirely and raking a hand through the minimal length of his buzzed hair. "You always surprise me when I least expect it."

Luna smiled, slow and teasing, head tilted as she let her gaze trace the slope of his jaw. "And yet somehow you still act like you knew I'd be here."

"I didn't." He grinned. "But now I'm wondering if I manifested it."

She blinked, one brow raised. "You manifest me a lot, huh?"

"Only every night."

She chuckled, biting her lip. Her hands, traitorous and sure, slid down from his collar and rested over his chest. "You look good, soldier."

Jeonghan raised an eyebrow and stepped closer, so close that the edge of her heels bumped the toes of his boots. "Yeah? You into this, Nana-ya?”

"I won't lie," she said, glancing at the collar again, then letting her eyes trail a little lower. "It's… doing… things."

"Good things?"

"Dangerous things."

His smirk stretched wider. "Should I keep it on later, then?"

"Only if you're okay with me taking it off."

"Oh, I was counting on that, baby."

A beat.

The kind of silence where everything else around them dimmed. A bird chirped somewhere. A camera clicked somewhere. Neither noticed. Neither would care.

They stared at each other.

Jeonghan's eyes dropped to her lips. Luna tilted her chin up, ever so slightly.

"Did you miss me?" she asked, voice soft but steady, like the question had been clawing at her throat for weeks and she'd only now let it free.

Jeonghan didn't speak. He didn't have to. He reached forward and caught her wrist in his hand, pulling her into him, close enough for her perfume to invade what little space he had left for air.

"Every second," he said lowly, eyes serious now, intense, fond. "I don't even know how I survived it."

"Four weeks," she whispered, her palm now flat against the firm rise of his chest. "I almost went insane, Jeongie.”

He grinned, playful again, like it had never left. "Did you cry?"

"I had wine."

"Same thing."

She laughed, bumping her forehead gently against his in affection, the moment so utterly theirs that it didn't matter the faint murmurs behind the fences or the guards pacing nearby.

"You're so annoying," she mumbled.

"You love it."

"I really, really do."

Then he kissed her.

There wasn't a countdown. There wasn't hesitation.

Just him leaning down and her rising up on her toes. His hand cradled the back of her head with such care it made her knees weak, while her fingers clutched at his collar, his chest, anything to ground herself as their lips met with the force of everything they hadn't said the past month.

It was slow and unhurried. But deliberate. Thorough.

The kind of kiss that says I missed you so much I almost lost my mind.

The kind of kiss that says You're home.

And nothing else existed.

Not the soldiers breaking formation in the distance.

Not the reporters being escorted further off.

Not the families and visitors running to greet their love ones.

Not the ache in Jeonghan's back or the jetlag in Luna's bones.

Just them— back in their orbit.

Eventually, when they pulled apart, breaths short and foreheads still resting together, Jeonghan sighed as though releasing the final weight of the last four weeks. His hand dropped to her waist and gave it a soft squeeze, grounding them.

"You're real," he murmured.

"You're sweaty," she murmured back.

He grinned. "Still turned on though?"

She rolled her eyes with a laugh, smacking his chest, but didn't step away. Instead, she reached up again and gently tucked back a strand of her own hair that had caught between them, only for Jeonghan to beat her to it, brushing it behind her ear and letting his fingers trail down the side of her neck.

"You like the buzz?" he asked, wiggling his brows.

"I'm… getting used to it," she admitted. "You're lucky your face is still handsome."

"Only still?"

"I'll give it a nine. Out of ten."

He scoffed, dramatically offended. "Jiyeonie."

"Okay, okay. Fine. An eleven."

Jeonghan leaned in, nose brushing hers. "Better."

"I'll shave your eyebrows next time though, just to test the limits… to see if your beauty will withstand.” Luna teased with a smirk.

"I'll marry you either way."

That made her pause, biting back the grin that threatened to consume her entire face. She blinked up at him, expression soft and betraying just how ruined she was by his easy charm.

"Yoon Jeonghan."

"Yes?"

"Stop flirting or I'll kiss you again."

"Not exactly the punishment you think it is."

And Luna did kiss him again— short, snappy, a soft peck to shut him up. She pulled back just as his hands gripped at her sides tighter like he didn't want to let her go.

"God, I missed you," he said again, breathless this time.

Before Luna could respond, Jeonghan’s manager stepped in with a slightly sheepish cough. "Sorry to interrupt the early honeymoon, but we've been told it's time to head out."

Jeonghan playfully groaned and joked. "One more minute."

Luna chuckled, brushing his hand but intertwining her fingers with his. "We'll make up for it later."

"Promise?" he asked, bringing her knuckles to his lips.

She smirked. "Better keep that uniform on just in case."

And with that, fingers still laced and grins still lingering, they followed their managers back toward the waiting van, the sounds of the crowd behind them faded into nothing more than a distant hum, as if the world had the decency to quiet down just for them.

Jeonghan’s grip on her hand stayed firm, his thumb brushing softly along her knuckles, while Luna leaned into his side like her body knew exactly where it belonged. Every step they took was unhurried, like neither of them was in any rush to let the moment go. Her head tilted gently toward his shoulder, and his chin rested briefly atop her hair.

It was nothing grand or dramatic— just the quiet, comforting rhythm of two people slipping back into each other like no time had passed at all.

And as they disappeared behind the tinted doors, the last glimpse of them was simple… a boy in uniform, and the girl who crossed oceans and showed up just to remind him he was always worth waiting for and that he was loved in every version, in every season, and in every wait.

[part two: the smut aftermath - Candyman]

ೃ⁀➷ comment or message me to be added to the tag list :)

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: ̗̀➛ requests are always open ♡ - selఌ

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[chalkrub]

so i remembered daily comic day this year and i am paying for it

[kenchann]

🤖♠ studying

[stardial]

(slides over)

ANETHIAAAA OH MY GOD???? I LOVE YOU? SHE LOOKS SO PRETTY OH MY GOD…… THANK YOU… OH MY GOD…… <3333333

[chamom1le-t3a]

school is so soooo mean to me (its been 2 days)

so have some tfp drawings cus WOW its been an eventful 24 hours..' [also pardon my fugly oc shes just a little guy ,, shes supposed to be an ex decepticon and somewhat a firefly (my dhmis moots will get the reference 😼)]

[filurig]

soo this little silly is kind of a thing i made cuz of a class in uni. but yes a silly lindwurm but they have been Realed... head and feet are 3d printed/painted with acrylics while the body is needle felted!

theyre not a super solid character or anything but actually they sort of are bcs they are a minor character in pareidolia. But i just thought it would be funny to make a lindwurm model especially with their weird long face

[haeoflii]

I drew three different doodles abt how I feel before my exam, after the first week and the end of my exam💔 (also persona reveal!!!!!!)

I don't think my hair could ever recover from such a loss 😭😭

[bloo-the-dragon]

Kofi commission for @crazedauthor! Eclipse from my sams mer au being bothered by his mer kids

[whimzycle]

Bunny taking care of a bunny

[svt-luna]

ʚིᵋ ⋆ NANA TOUR ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── episode 1-4.

Nana Tour with SEVENTEEN

synopsis: Episode 1-4! Something happened in their house. The travelers take breaks, but their fun never stops! SEVENTEEN must beat Guide Na in a game to win toiletries!

wc: 17k

i know, i know, i know and i apologize that this took so long. i have been so busy with my other works and busy with drama i never asked for, i completely ignored Nana Tour, so I’m sorry, my lovelies! anyway! this is the last part of episode one! after this will be the fan reaction tweets for all of episode one before moving on to episode two, specifically episode 2-1! hope you guys enjoy this! happy reading, my loves! 🤍

p.s. i also added the first 7 minutes of ep. 2-1 at the end to make this episode longer and to make up for taking forever to post this 🤍

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST

╰ ౨ৎ fan reactions ╰ ౨ৎ nana tour masterlist

[added captions are in brackets] ღ

bold dialogues are spoken in english ღ

The bus finally slowed to a stop on a quiet street, the gentle hum of the engine fading as the brakes hissed beneath them. The night was cool and the street was bathed in a soft yellow glow from the vintage lampposts. Outside, the narrow cobblestone road curved gently uphill, flanked by charming stucco buildings with wooden shutters and crawling ivy, their windows glowing with the warm light of evening residents.

[They have arrived… kinda]

Inside the bus, the SEVENTEEN members stirred, stretching and groaning softly, their bodies stiff from hours of travel. Just as a few hands reached upwards toward overhead compartments to stretch and others began adjusting their jackets to brace for the walk outside, PD Na’s voice rang through the bus like an announcement at school assembly.

“Seven-minute walk. Group yourselves— two groups of four people and one group of five people.”

A collective groan rose up in good-natured complaint.

“Seven minutes??” Dino whined jokingly from his seat, already slumping as if gravity had doubled.

[Yes.]

“I thought we were there,” Wonwoo muttered, rubbing his eyes behind his glasses.

But despite the exaggerated sighs and complaints, the energy was still light. They were in Italy. The exhaustion was real, yes, but the buzz of being somewhere new— somewhere this beautiful— kept their spirits alive.

The members slowly made their way out of the bus, stepping into the crisp air one by one.

The first to bounce out, unsurprisingly, were Jeonghan and Luna. They both looked like they had just escaped from captivity, heads immediately lifting to scan their surroundings, legs already moving before anyone could even call roll.

PD Na stepped out next and began counting. Jeonghan, standing beside him, helped in his own way— mostly by pointing.

“Okay… one, two, three, four, five,” PD Na and Jeonghan said almost in unison, gesturing to the first cluster: Jeonghan, Luna, Woozi, Dino, and Seungkwan.

[Grouped together due to the large amount of members]

“First group, go ahead,” PD Na announced, waving his hand like a traffic officer.

The five nodded, and just like that, the front group began making their way up the cobbled street, Jeonghan and Luna instinctively leading with brisk, determined steps.

[And they are off]

Behind them, the second group began assembling: Minghao, Jun, Wonwoo, and Hoshi. They exchanged glances, checking that everyone was ready before following the first group with a more relaxed pace, chatting among themselves.

Lastly, the final group brought up the rear: Mingyu, Dokyeom, Joshua, and Vernon. They trailed behind the camera crew and PD Na, who strolled alongside them while keeping an eye on the groups ahead.

Though they were exhausted— bags under their eyes, hair tousled from the flight, shoulders drooping— they were in Rome. And that fact alone kept everyone wide-eyed, pointing at the quaint balconies, the parked Vespas, and the small cafés still open late into the evening.

Minghao glanced at a hanging plant outside a window and whispered something to Jun that made them both laugh. Hoshi occasionally paused to point out something “cool” about the buildings.

Meanwhile, up ahead, Jeonghan and Luna had started to outpace their own group. Their strides quickened, not quite a run, but unmistakably a power-walk, almost as if there were a race to the Airbnb and they were neck-and-neck in first place.

[It’s every man for themselves]

“Are they speedwalking??” Woozi muttered.

[They are.]

“They’re gonna be tucked in before we even find the house,” Dino said under his breath.

The rest of their group chuckled, keeping a steady pace while watching the two sleep-deprived bunnies dart ahead, side by side.

Back with the last group, Dokyeom— hands shoved in his pockets, hair still ruffled from his bus nap— suddenly chuckled and lifted a finger to point toward the front.

“Those two are really something else,” he said with a laugh, nodding in the direction of Luna and Jeonghan, who were now about ten paces ahead of even their own group.

PD Na followed his gaze and let out a chuckle, amusement crinkling his eyes. The rest of the group followed his line of sight and instantly burst into laughter.

There they were— Luna and Jeonghan— marching like their lives depended on it, their silhouettes framed by the ancient walls around them, looking less like idols on a filming schedule and more like two classmates desperate to get to a sleepover first to claim the best bed.

“It’s like we’re not even here,” PD Na chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

“You have to excuse them,” Seungkwan piped up from the middle group, throwing an exaggerated glance back over his shoulder as he jogged to keep up. His voice was perfectly theatrical, like a translator explaining cultural context. “They are running on adrenaline at this point.”

[Team bunny is low on battery]

The members burst out laughing again.

Jeonghan and Luna were far ahead of the others now, their silhouettes cutting sleek outlines against the night, moving like a pair of escapees on a mission to conquer the bed first.

Behind them, the sounds of laughter drifted from the groups catching up, chuckles trailing like distant music.

“They think we can’t hear them,” Jeonghan snickered, tilting his head slightly without turning around, his voice low and laced with that signature drawl of mischief. His lips curled into a smug smile, pleased by the obvious attention they were getting from the peanut gallery behind them.

[Loves the attention]

Luna hummed in agreement, her steps slowing just a little, her eyes lazily blinking. Without a word, she reached out, wrapped her arms around Jeonghan’s, and hugged it close to her body. Her cheek pressed against his shoulder, the soft material of his shirt cushioning the side of her face.

[Battery saving mode]

Jeonghan glanced down with an arched brow but didn’t say anything. The smugness faded slightly, replaced with a soft amusement at her dramatics.

“I’m tired,” Luna mumbled, her voice muffled against his arm like a toddler ready to throw herself to the floor in protest.

Jeonghan, without missing a beat, looked straight ahead and deadpanned, “Then sleep here. I’ll tell Seungcheol you lived a good life.”

[Snitch]

Luna scoffed through a tired laugh, hitting his arm with the flat of her hand. “You’re so dramatic.”

“Says the one clinging to me like she’s being dragged out of a funeral,” Jeonghan quipped, not even flinching as she gave him another light smack.

She groaned exaggeratedly and dragged her feet even more for effect, her head still leaning against him like he was the only thing keeping her upright. “Can’t we just teleport? Isn’t that one of the SEVENTEEN perks?”

[Lack of sleep makes you want to have superpowers]

Jeonghan snorted. “You should’ve joined the performance team. I heard Hoshi’s been working on teleportation through dance.”

“That’s too much work,” Luna grumbled.

[Everything is too much work at this point for her]

“Exactly. That’s why you’re stuck walking like a zombie beside me.” He smirked and glanced down at her again. “You look like Cherry after she gets thrown across the bed.”

Luna paused and then let out a cackle. “Excuse me, Cherry always lands with style. She’s a survivor.”

“She’s in the pocket of your jacket right now like a hostage,” Jeonghan said.

[Peekaboo]

“And she’s sleeping better than both of us,” Luna shot back, eyes barely open now. “I should’ve been reborn as a plushie.”

“You kind of are one,” Jeonghan muttered.

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” he said, smile tugging at his lips as he looked ahead again.

Their pace had slowed to a gentle crawl now, like two elderly citizens taking a midnight stroll through Rome, except one was leaning all her weight on the other, and the other was just smug enough to make it look like he wasn’t tired at all.

From behind, the rest of the members could still see them, even from several meters back. Luna clinging onto Jeonghan like a toddler on a shopping trip, Jeonghan walking like he had the entire street reserved just for himself and the girl glued to his side.

The cobblestone echoed under their feet. Rome whispered around them. And ahead? The promise of warmth, of beds, of pajamas, and maybe— just maybe— some peace.

If they could survive the last few minutes without collapsing from chaos or each other.

The group had finally turned onto the narrow cobblestone street where their Airbnb was supposedly located. The air was colder now, carrying the scent of old stone, faint pasta from nearby restaurants, and a hint of jetlagged misery. Luna’s steps dragged behind Jeonghan’s, her arms still locked tightly around his, eyes nearly closed as if she could nap while walking.

Jeonghan slowed as they reached the edge of the quiet street, eyes scanning the buildings before his gaze locked onto a massive, ancient wooden door across the road. It looked like something out of a medieval RPG— arched, heavy, slightly weathered, and holding the kind of presence that whispered, secrets live inside here.

[Not castle doors… Airbnb doors]

“I guess it’s that one,” Jeonghan said, casually nodding toward the intimidating door.

Luna lifted her head slightly from where it rested on his shoulder, her eyes squinting at the direction he pointed. “Which one?” she asked sleepily, voice gravelly like she was seconds away from snoring.

“That one,” he repeated with a tired nod, gesturing across the street again, like he was pointing at a haunted castle.

“It’s here?” Woozi asked, his voice dry and a little skeptical, as he and the rest of their group caught up from behind.

“Wow, it’s here?” Wonwoo echoed, blinking as they all shuffled forward, bags hanging from their shoulders like battle-worn capes. The entire group stood outside the wooden gate, staring up at it like it might suddenly open on its own and welcome them with a butler and slippers.

Jeonghan, ever the oldest-child energy when it came to things like this, walked ahead and reached out with one hand. Luna stayed right beside him, standing upright for the first time in ten minutes as she eyed the door with suspicion.

He pressed his palm against it and gave it a push.

The door creaked open, slow and dramatic, as if it had been waiting for them for a century. Luna peeked in beside him, the hallway beyond dimly lit and lined with stone steps curling upward.

“Is this the right place?” Dino asked cautiously, his head leaning in from behind Jeonghan’s shoulder.

[Yup]

PD Na, bringing up the rear of the second group, looked at his phone and gave a confirming nod. “This is it. Go ahead.”

With that, like migrating penguins spotting their seasonal nest, the first group started filing in. Jeonghan led the charge, stepping through the old doorframe as if it were a portal into salvation. Luna walked beside him like she was entering a sacred temple.

Stairs. There were stairs. Of course there were stairs.

“Man, I’m tired,” Jeonghan muttered under his breath as he trudged upward, each step sounding heavier than the last.

“Tired,” Luna echoed in a hum, her tone flat like an automatic voice response, her hand gripping the railing like it might dissolve if she let go.

[Stairs will help with that!]

The others followed behind in clusters, their dragging footsteps echoing off the narrow stairwell as more and more SEVENTEEN members filled the tight hallway like clowns piling into a miniature car. Their sleepyheads— all bundled together in a sluggish swarm of idol exhaustion.

And they just. Kept. Coming.

[Takes them years to get inside]

“Oh, they keep on coming,” PD Na muttered under his breath with a soft chuckle, standing at the foot of the stairs as the tail end of the last group—Mingyu, Dokyeom, Joshua, and Vernon— filed in, their bags thudding softly against the walls as they tried not to trip over each other.

The staircase creaked beneath the weight of idol dreams and fatigue, but the energy was lighthearted, funny in that surreal “we’ve-been-awake-for-too-long” kind of way.

And even though they were practically zombies… the laughter and muttering never stopped.

They were finally home— for tonight, at least.

Once all thirteen members had made it inside, the door shutting with a collective thud behind them, the energy shifted instantly. Gone was the medieval castle aesthetic from outside— the heavy wooden door, the worn stone walls, and the echo of centuries past. Inside? It was a complete 180. White walls, soft yellow lighting, light wood furniture, cozy rugs and potted plants tucked in corners— it was clean, minimalist, almost Ikea-esque.

[Wasn’t expecting that]

“Oh?” Jeonghan blinked, eyebrows rising as he stepped further in.

“This is kinda cute,” Seungkwan muttered as he looked around.

The members instantly split off in every direction like kids who’d just been released into recess. Shoes thumped against the floor, travel-weary bags were dragged along, and the tiredness momentarily gave way to exploration.

“This is the two person room— two people is cozy,” Woozi announced, peeking into the first room. He opened the door wide, revealing a simple room with two single beds, white sheets, and a small window that let in the soft glow of a streetlamp.

“Four people room,” Jeonghan said as he opened the next door across the hallway. Inside, two single beds sat side by side with a double decker bed pushed to the corner. The walls were just as plain white, but a few small paintings gave it a tiny bit of character.

“This is a three person room,” Wonwoo said, gesturing to another door while stepping aside so the rest could peek in. The moment he opened it, the boys skillfully weaved between each other, craning their necks like they were examining rare Pokémon cards.

[It’s a full house]

“There are bunk beds! Bunk beds!” Dokyeom called out from the far side of the apartment. His eyes were wide, almost glittering. He might as well have discovered buried treasure.

“That’s cute,” Luna said, stepping into the three-person room with a slow, appreciative nod. Her voice was quiet but pleased. There was a soft sense of nostalgia in her tone.

“This is very nostalgic,” she murmured, walking her fingers along the metallic edge of the top bunk as if mentally placing herself back in their first ever dorm.

[Reminds them of the past]

“Right? They have bunk beds from the past. They have that,” Dokyeom echoed enthusiastically, practically bouncing on his feet. “Oh, I like it so much.”

“Is this the three people room?” Jeonghan asked as he joined Luna by the door, eyes scanning the space.

“Mhm,” Luna hummed in confirmation.

“It’s neat,” Dino said from behind.

“But how do we decide this?” Mingyu asked, turning back toward the rest with furrowed brows, his arms half-crossed as if already bracing for chaos.

“Just like how we always did back in the day,” Jeonghan replied, waving everyone to the dining table with a half-tired, half-playful authority.

And like that, all thirteen members gathered at the center dining table. The table wasn’t big enough for all of them to sit comfortably, but they made it work anyway— knees bumping, elbows knocking, loud voices overlapping.

[This is how 13/14 SEVENTEEN looks when they eat together]

Jeonghan, slipping into his natural oldest-hyung, vice-leader mode with the smoothness of someone who’d done this for over a decade, sat at the middle of the table.

“Okay,” he said, looked around at all of them. “Like we used to do before— pre-debut and rookie days style. We’re deciding rooms old school.”

The members nodded, some smirking knowingly, others already preparing to fight for bunk beds.

“As always,” Jeonghan added, holding up a finger as he looked directly at Luna, “Jiyeonie picks first.”

[The princess picks first]

No one protested. Not a single voice argued, not a single eyebrow twitched. It was an unspoken law among SEVENTEEN— one not written, but honored consistently throughout their years together.

When it came to games, Going SEVENTEEN challenges, variety show chaos, and on-camera nonsense, Luna was fair game. They teased her, joked around, made her guess the lies, cheated, and sabotage answers. But when it came to her actual comfort— her sleeping arrangements, her wellbeing—she always got first pick. No games. No rock-paper-scissors. No age order.

Luna chose first.

It was SEVENTEEN Rule.

Jeonghan turned to her, voice softening just a touch. “Go ahead, Nana-ya. Choose.”

She blinked slowly, half-asleep already. “Thank you,” she muttered, her voice almost a yawn as she stood up with Cherry in her arms.

[Off she goes]

She padded off toward the three-person room she had her eyes on earlier. Inside, she walked straight over to the single bed by the door— slightly apart from the other two single beds that were right next to each other.

Gently, she placed Cherry on the bed.

[Chosen her bed for the their stay tonight]

“I’ll stay here,” she announced, patting the plush on its tiny head as if signing a deed of ownership, before quietly walking back out and returning to the table.

“You done?” Jeonghan asked, glancing at her.

“Yup,” she replied with a sleepy nod.

“You like the one you chose?” he asked again with a small grin.

“Yes, thank you,” she said sincerely, standing off to the side.

Jeonghan gave her a brief nod, then cracked his knuckles like a seasoned game master preparing for battle. He raised his fist.

“Divide and do rock-paper-scissors and the first place will go next followed by the second and onwards,” he announced.

“Okay!” came a collective chorus from the members, energy suddenly rising like they’d just downed three shots of espresso each.

[The battle begins]

The room exploded with movement as the members quickly grouped off into informal clumps, already sizing each other up like Who’s the weak link? Who always does paper first?

“Rock-paper-scissors!”

“Rock-paper-scissors!”

“Rock-paper-scissors!”

The chant bounced off the walls in overlapping waves, as hands flew into the air with every round. Laughter, fake betrayal, and loud accusations echoed through the apartment like a chorus of overgrown kids trying to decide who gets the top bunk first.

From her spot leaning on the wall near the kitchen, Luna simply watched them with an amused expression, arms crossed, and blinking slowly like a panda about to hibernate— comfortably amused, completely unbothered.

[Is used to it]

Once the room order was finally settled through a flurry of dramatic rock-paper-scissors matches and chaotic cheers and groans, the members began shuffling through the Airbnb with renewed energy— despite the fatigue weighing down their limbs. With Luna already having claimed her spot in the three-person room, the rest of the boys moved like curious tourists through the hallways, poking their heads into doorways and inspecting every bed like professional room critics.

[Finally choosing their rooms]

They filtered in and out of the rooms, chatting amongst themselves and silently marking their chosen territory. Some went straight for top bunks like it was muscle memory, others tested mattresses with light bounces like they were considering a hotel suite instead of a nostalgic lodging in the heart of Rome.

Luna’s room ended up shared with Jun and Dino. Her bed was the single one separated by a bit of space from the other two parallel beds— one Jun quickly claimed and the other Dino flopped on without contest.

The two-person room, cozy and minimalist, was quietly taken by Vernon and Minghao, both naturally leaning into the quieter atmosphere as they wordlessly nodded and unpacked… a Vernon’s baseball cap and the one jacket they each wore.

[NANA Tour unpacking style]

The first four-person room became home to the louder quartet of Dokyeom, Mingyu, Hoshi, and Joshua. Predictably chaotic, they practically dove into their beds while comparing who could starfish the widest.

[The loud room]

Meanwhile, the second four-person room— slightly more tucked away and quiet— housed Woozi, Wonwoo, Seungkwan, and Jeonghan. Despite being a powerhouse lineup of loud commentary and variety charisma, the room itself was unusually calm as the four boys settled in with their phones.

[The quiet room]

With no real luggage to unpack, their belongings consisted mostly of jackets hung on bedposts, caps and sunglasses tossed aside, and pouches from the airplane either abandoned or tucked under pillows for safekeeping. There was no immediate rush to unpack or organize; instead, the house began to fill with low, comfortable noise: footsteps padding between rooms, casual conversations drifting through doorways, and the occasional “Hey, I’m stealing your bed for a sec” followed by laughter.

Members wandered between rooms naturally, laying across each other’s beds without hesitation, continuing conversations that had started either on the bus or mid-flight. Jun poked his head into the first four-person room to join their group. Hoshi wandered into Luna’s room to talk to Dino before moving again. It was the usual brand of SEVENTEEN chaos— messy, loud, familiar.

[They are making themselves at home]

Luna found herself walking down the hallway again, arms folded, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she slowly wandered to where Jeonghan’s room was. When she nudged the door open, she was met with a picture of pure stillness: all four boys, the sound of the air conditioning was the only thing heard and then there they were on their phones like monks in quiet meditation.

[No noise whatsoever]

Wonwoo was curled into the top bunk, one leg hanging over the side, phone raised above him. Woozi was sat on the bottom bunk with his head down as he scrolled through his phone. Seungkwan was sprawled across his bed horizontally with both legs hanging off one end. And Jeonghan was propped up lazily against the headboard of his single bed, arms relaxed behind his head as he stared into his phone like he was waiting for the stock market to crash.

“Hannie, can I have my AirPods? I gave it to you earlier,” Luna mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes as she stepped closer, dragging her feet slightly.

[Bunny broke the silence]

Without looking up, Jeonghan calmly reached into the front pocket of his pants and pulled out the AirPods. He extended his arm, wrist flicking slightly as he handed them over like it was a well-practiced move.

“Stop rubbing your eyes,” he said flatly, a soft sternness in his tone that only Luna ever got from him.

[Bunny scolds bunny]

Luna’s hand froze mid-rub then blinked at the warning and immediately dropped her hand from her face with a small pout, now blinking at him like a scolded kitten. “Okay…”

Jeonghan raised a brow, already shutting his phone off before dropping it on the bed. “You’re going to rub them until they fall off.”

“They won’t fall off,” Luna muttered, her voice small and defensive as she pocketed her AirPods.

“They might,” he shrugged, still watching her. “You rub like you’re trying to erase your entire day.”

“I feel like erasing the day,” she replied, dragging her voice with a sleepy huff.

“You’re dramatic,” Jeonghan deadpanned, settling back onto his bed.

“You like it,” Luna shot back, already half-turned to leave the room.

Jeonghan smirked faintly, his voice following her as moved to walk away, “I must, because I haven’t thrown you out a window yet.”

[Yes. This is how they talk to each other]

Across the room, the others were unfazed, still immersed in their phones. It was a natural rhythm they had— somehow peaceful despite their number.

But just as Luna reached the door, a voice called out from the hallway.

“Wait in the room for five minutes!” one of the producers announced from the corridor, voice echoing slightly as he knocked on their doorframe to get their attention.

[And now they can’t leave]

They all glanced up from their phones just as PD Na poked his head into the room.

[Peekaboo]

“Please wait in the room for five to ten minutes,” he said.

“Yes,” Woozi responded, his voice not even lifting from its half-mutter tone.

“Okay,” Wonwoo added simply.

With that, PD Na disappeared down the hall again, presumably delivering the same message to the rest of the members.

[What is he planning?]

There was a short pause before Woozi chuckled and shook his head, eyes still on his screen. “His eyes are weird. I keep saying this.”

A chorus of low laughter followed.

“They have spun around,” Seungkwan added with a soft wheeze, thumb scrolling through his feed.

“Crazier than to just express it like that,” Woozi muttered again, grinning as he rolled onto his side.

“They were setting something up outside,” Luna muttered, eyes already heavy as she wordlessly walked back and crawled onto Jeonghan’s bed. Without needing to be told, Jeonghan shifted slightly, creating space for her to plop down next to him. She didn’t hesitate to settle against his side like it was instinct, head resting on his shoulder.

[She is ready to tap out]

“They are,” Wonwoo said in agreement, peeking through the door and seeing PD Na and crew members moving things around in the dining area.

[Doing something he is told not to do]

“Sleepy…” Luna trailed off in a barely-there whisper, eyes now fully closed, cheek pressed against Jeonghan’s shirt.

“You should take a nap before we get called back out, noona,” Seungkwan said, still scrolling, tone warm but distracted.

But Luna didn’t reply. She was already half-asleep.

[She has indeed tapped out]

Jeonghan looked down at her fondly, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

“She’s way ahead of you,” he said, lifting one hand to rest it gently on her head, fingers combing through her hair in slow, absentminded strokes before turning his attention back to his phone like it was just another day in their strange, wonderful circus.

Finally after fifteen minutes of waiting PD Na called for them.

[15 minutes later]

The muffled buzz of movement started faintly— soft thuds of slippers against hardwood floors, the creak of bunk beds shifting, and rustling clothes— as PD Na’s voice carried through the walls from the dining area.

“Okay, members who are ready can come in first!”

The call wasn’t loud, but clear enough to stir the atmosphere. In Jeonghan’s room, the quiet had settled so comfortably that the sudden outside movement felt like a different world. The others stirred.

Wonwoo and Woozi were the first to silently leave the room and head out. Seungkwan was the next to move, standing up with a groan, cracking his back with all the drama of someone who’d just completed a triathlon. He stretched and turned toward Luna’s small frame still curled tightly against Jeonghan, fast asleep, arms loosely tucked near her face, her cheek pillowed against Jeonghan’s shoulder.

He bent forward, hand raised halfway to gently tap her awake— but paused.

[Scared of the bunny]

Jeonghan was already looking at him.

Still sitting comfortably against the headboard, one leg bent, one hand still rhythmically carding through Luna’s hair, Jeonghan stared at Seungkwan with the most you go ahead and try expression on his face. His smirk was small but sharp, almost imperceptible if you weren’t familiar with his arsenal of subtle chaos. His eyes, however, were practically daring Seungkwan to proceed. Go on. Wake her up. See what happens.

Seungkwan held his hand there for another beat, then dropped it with a deep sigh of surrender.

[Should I?]

He pointed directly at Jeonghan, eyes already half-glazed with defeat. “You do it.”

[I shouldn’t.]

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and shuffled out of the room, muttering under his breath about how this would be the last time he tries to help anyone in this group.

[Bye]

Jeonghan chuckled softly, watching him go. Once the footsteps faded down the hall, he looked back down at the girl curled beside him, the tiniest pout now on her lips in her sleep.

He tilted his head, mischief playing just behind his lashes. Then, slowly, with a gentleness only he could muster, he leaned down and whispered right near her ear—

“Cherry’s been staring at me for ten minutes. I think she wants me to give her away.”

[What?]

Luna stirred immediately, brow furrowing. She didn’t open her eyes just yet, but she groaned softly.

“She’s judging me, Nana-ya,” Jeonghan continued, voice still low and full of innocent concern. “I think she’s thinking about pressing charges.”

Still no response. Just a louder groan.

Jeonghan leaned a little closer.

“She told me you snore,” he whispered.

At that, Luna’s arm sluggishly reached out to blindly swat in his direction. It didn’t connect. He chuckled under his breath.

“Mmmn… stop saying lies… Cherry is in my room…” her voice finally emerged, hoarse and soft with sleep.

[She is… Jeonghan is seeing and hearing things…]

“She also said you drooled on me.”

Luna’s eyes barely fluttered open now, narrowing at him with the effort of someone still fighting the gravitational pull of a nap. “I didn’t…”

Jeonghan tilted his head innocently. “I have the emotional trauma to prove it.”

Luna groaned again, rolling halfway onto her back and covering her face with one arm. “You’re so annoying.”

[He is.]

He smiled. “And you’re awake. Mission accomplished.”

Luna peeked at him from under her arm, blinking slowly. “How long was I asleep?”

“Long enough for Seungkwannie to chicken out and make me do this.”

[Yup]

She yawned, sitting up slowly and running a hand through her tangled hair. “Of course he did.”

Jeonghan stood first and reached a hand out to her. “Come on, they’re herding us into the dining room.”

Luna took his hand without hesitation, still sluggish, still blinking sleep away. “I hate you,” she muttered as he pulled her up.

He grinned, patting the top of her head. “You love me.”

“Unfortunately.”

[They love each other]

With that, they stepped out into the hallway, soft laughter trailing after them as they made their way toward the commotion slowly building in the dining room.

The small dining area was now fully lit, crammed tight with crew members, lighting gear, and two cameras squeezed into opposite corners to capture every possible angle of the chaos about to unfold.

Jeonghan and Luna emerged from the hallway, the tail end of the last ones to exit their rooms, and found the rest of SEVENTEEN already filing into the dining chairs squished around the table. The place looked barely enough to hold half of them, and yet somehow, all thirteen of them made it work with the well-practiced choreography of a group that had done this for over a decade.

[Its crowded]

The once-empty wall behind them now featured a glaringly large white banner hanging slightly askew with bold red letters that read: TAX FREE.

“Tax Free?” Luna muttered under her breath, her tone vaguely suspicious as she eyed the banner with her brow furrowed, the syllables slipping out with a trace of her natural accent, muddled from sleep. She rubbed her eyes once more and let her body fall into the seat between Jeonghan and Dokyeom. “We’re playing for necessities aren’t we?”

[Yes, you are.]

The members were still shuffling, elbows brushing, thighs pressed close. Chairs creaked. Shoes scraped the tiles. Jun settled into his seat across from her, squinting at the banner as he adjusted his hoodie. “Anyway, it’s an individual battle starting now, right?”

“Tax free?” Joshua echoed as he read it aloud, voice laced with intrigue.

“Tax free?” Hoshi blinked at it like he was just seeing it for the first time, despite staring directly at it the moment they walked in.

“Tax free means no tax,” Joshua offered helpfully, ever the gentleman with an explanation even when no one asked.

“I guess we are buying accommodation items,” Dokyeom chuckled, eyes darting around as if trying to guess what sort of chaos they were about to be thrown into next.

[Yes, you are pt. 2]

From behind the cameras, one of the producers suddenly raised his voice to be heard over the chatter, “Jeonghan, is everyone here?”

As vice-leader, especially with S.Coups absent, Jeonghan instinctively straightened in his seat and swept his eyes across the group. His gaze moved like a scanner, silently counting heads and noting the familiar faces one by one. Then he gave a single nod towards the crew, casual yet definitive. “Yes.”

[Lets start]

“Okay,” the producer replied before stepping aside, allowing PD Na himself to reappear from the back of the room— dragging behind him a tiny black luggage bag that looked more like a prop than anything useful.

“Cute,” Mingyu commented instantly, watching PD Na shuffle dramatically toward them.

“It’s an item,” Woozi muttered with squinted suspicion.

They all leaned in slightly, interest piqued.

With an exaggerated grunt, PD Na heaved the small luggage bag up onto the dining table. It landed with a solid thud that echoed across the cramped room.

[What’s inside it?]

“Wow,” a few of the members said in unison.

“What?” Seungkwan asked, eyebrows raised.

“What is that?” Luna added, her brows furrowing again as she leaned forward, already plotting mentally whether this was going to be food, clothes, or some sort of trap disguised as a reward.

“Food!” Dokyeom yelled with sudden enthusiasm, hands clapping as if willing it to manifest into snacks.

[Sorry]

PD Na raised both his hands in the air to settle the growing energy. “Okay, everyone. First off, congratulations.”

A few claps erupted on cue.

“We arrived at the dorm in 24 hours.”

[They have been traveling for a whole day]

The room burst into louder applause and celebratory noises. Some tired, some genuine.

“Great work. Really,” Dokyeom nodded with a bright smile, even applauding towards the crew who were crouched behind the lights.

“But since you all came in a hurry, these outfits are the same from 24 hours ago,” PD Na continued, gesturing towards their wrinkled hoodies, jacket, travel-worn and caps.

“Yes, that’s right,” the members groaned, voices overlapping.

“But you have money,” PD Na reminded, lifting a finger. “Pocket money. Which, Dino is in charge of.”

The entire group twisted to look at the youngest member.

“If you ask Dino and he say yes, you can buy it,” PD Na clarified.

“It’s only if I say okay?” Dino blinked, taken aback by the sudden responsibility.

“Only when he says yes?” Luna repeated, chuckling with amusement.

[ONLY]

“But you know you’re a really cool manager, right?” Dokyeom piped in immediately, putting on his most sincere expression as his eyes flicked toward Dino.

“You know it’s cool if you’re not too strict, right?” Dokyeom added, laying it on thick now with exaggerated charm that made the room burst into laughter.

[Sucking up already]

“Okay. I will try,” Dino replied with a laugh, shaking his head at how quickly things were turning against him.

[Dino the cool manager]

“Anyway,” PD Na continued, tapping the mysterious bag, “you can buy things from tomorrow.”

He waited a beat for it to sink in.

“But you need toothpaste, toothbrush and underwear right now. It’s also nice if you have clothes to change into.”

“Yes. That would be nice,” Dokyeom nodded solemnly, echoed by groans and hums of agreement from the others.

“That’s why we are going to open a very generous tax-free shop today,” PD Na announced, hands spread wide like a game show host.

[Key word: Generous]

“Why does it feel like we are at a disadvantage? It felt like we are just going to…” Woozi began suspiciously, trailing off before pointing directly at PD Na. “His eyes are weird. I told you this before.”

[PD Na’s eyes scare Woozi]

The room erupted into laughter again.

“He looks like someone who always sells this,” Dokyeom chuckled, motioning to the suspiciously neat little bag.

“Right?” Luna muttered as she rested her head sideways on Dokyeom’s shoulder, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “He’s too eager to let us play.”

The game hadn’t even started yet, but the members could already feel the subtle chaos brimming beneath PD Na’s “generous” tax-free smile.

The moment PD Na let out a chuckle and announced, “First off, I am going to show you this product,” the members instinctively leaned forward, all eyes locked on the modest-looking luggage bag on the table. As the cameras zoomed in, he unzipped the top flap and reached inside with a dramatic pause like he was unveiling the Holy Grail.

“This one,” PD Na said, pulling out what appeared to be a stack of neatly folded clothes.

[Clothes]

The table shook slightly as he placed the bundle in the center, and immediately, the members swarmed in like seagulls spotting a bag of chips. Hands reached forward from all directions, curious fingers grazing the fabric as their chatter began to rise in volume.

“I will open it,” Mingyu volunteered, already unfolding the first white shirt from the pile.

“Oooh, it’s cute,” Woozi commented beside him, his eyes narrowing as he inspected the design.

[NANA Tour shirts]

“T-shirt name is Woozi,” Mingyu declared, holding it up for everyone to see. Across the chest of the shirt was the familiar Nana Tour design, but now, personalized with Woozi’s name in stylized font— along with a tiny dumbbell icon printed subtly in the corner.

[Personalized t-shirts for each member]

“Wah, it’s pretty,” Luna lifted her head off Dokyeom’s shoulder, momentarily shaking off her sleepiness as she reached for another shirt and unfolded it. Her eyes found Dino’s name on the tag. “I guess these are custom-made.”

Dino leaned closer to check. “They are.”

“These are custom shirts and shorts for each of you,” PD Na explained, gesturing proudly. “If you look at the picture, there are different parts for each member.”

“What part?” Luna asked, her voice still slightly drowsy as her eyes scanned the shirt in her hand.

“There, look— dumbbell,” Dokyeom pointed at Woozi’s again. “Exercise. Woozi who likes working out.”

PD Na, energized by their interest, dove right back into the bag. “Underwear,” he declared.

“There’s kimchi…” he added, pulling out a sealed container with a grin.

“Aigo!” Hoshi suddenly stood from his seat, arms flung wide in excitement, like a contestant on a cooking show who just saw beef rib stew.

[The most excited he’d been]

The rest of the members burst out laughing at his dramatic reaction, already used to Hoshi’s deep, emotional bond with fermented cabbage.

PD Na then reached for two tiny objects nestled at the bottom of the bag. “Are you not going to work out?” he said, holding two small dumbbells up. They clinked slightly in his hands as he raised them.

[It’s cute]

“You need to work out. You need to work out,” Jeonghan parroted his words in a rhythm, chuckling at the tiny weights, his sarcasm landing just right as the members burst into laughter again.

“It’s so cute,” Luna laughed as she leaned in to inspect the dumbbells.

“3kg,” Hoshi observed, still smiling, though his eyes gleamed like he was already planning to do curls between meals.

PD Na continued pulling out items like a magician with an endless hat: “Cup ramyeon, shampoo, guidebook, zipper bag, fans, wet tissue, gochujang, toothbrush, toothpaste, earphones.”

[Guide Na has prepared everything for SEVENTEEN]

Each item was followed by murmurs of approval or gasps of glee, some members reaching out to claim their favorites as if they were contestants in a supermarket sweep.

And then finally, he slowed. His hand hovered above the final item. He turned, a mischievous glint in his eye as he looked squarely at Jeonghan.

“Jeonghan, you really need this. You’re going to cry,” PD Na said, holding his expression like a punchline waiting to hit.

[The vice-leader will cry apparently]

Jeonghan’s eyes lit up in anticipation. He sat straighter, already smiling.

“For all of you, filled with his heart…” PD Na continued with a hint of drama, “S.Coups’ letter.” He pulled out a pristine envelope, the handwriting unmistakable.

As soon as the name was said, Jeonghan burst into exaggerated wails, hands coming up to furiously rub his eyes like a cartoon character bawling. “WAHHH!” he cried, his voice booming theatrically as he slumped forward on the table, drawing roaring laughter from the rest of the group.

[Seems excessive]

Luna perked up at the name, suddenly wide awake, her eyes zoning in on the envelope like a hawk.

[She realized something]

“We need to win the letter,” she said with fierce determination.

“That’s the one,” she added with a firm nod, causing several heads to turn toward her in confusion.

[The most important letter]

“Why?” PD Na blinked, surprised by her intensity.

“Coupsie told me about a letter before we left,” Luna explained.

[He did]

The room shifted. Even Jeonghan paused mid-fake-sob to glance at her, blinking with curiosity.

“Really?” PD Na asked again, genuinely intrigued.

“Mhm. He told me he wrote a letter and to choose it,” Luna said nonchalantly, as if she wasn’t about to start a civil war over a piece of paper.

[Actually looks like she would choose the letter over everything else]

“I had no idea what he was talking about, but he made it sound so important,” she shrugged.

“Nothing gets past you, huh?” PD Na chuckled, narrowing his eyes at her playfully.

“I’m the favorite, that’s why,” Luna said sweetly, her voice a sing-song as she smiled innocently at PD Na, drawing loud reactions from the group.

[Self-proclaimed favorite of the leader]

“What do we do to get them?” Dokyeom leaned in, already on edge.

“I don’t know,” Jeonghan shook his head, clearly wary.

“Isn’t it the person quiz again?” Jun cautiously asked, his voice lined with mild trauma.

“Please no,” Luna groaned immediately, sinking back into her seat. Jeonghan chuckled at her timing, nudging her side with his elbow in amusement.

[Trauma as its finest]

PD Na raised a hand, commanding attention. “This is a very beneficial game for you,” he said cryptically.

“Beneficial?” Seungkwan repeated, suspiciously.

“Beneficial? Game?” Dokyeom echoed, frowning.

“The category is so easy,” PD Na reassured them. “Human Zero.”

[First recreational game of the trip: Human Zero]

PD Na cleared his throat, already grinning at the mental image of what was to come.

“Okay, listen carefully,” PD Na said, hands behind his back like a teacher about to deliver a pop quiz. “This game is called Human Zero.”

The members blinked at him, processing the name with slight wariness.

“I will say a number,” PD Na began, raising a finger for dramatic emphasis. “And you— all of you— will have to decide whether to stand up or stay seated.”

The members nodded slowly, still unsure of the twist.

“But the goal,” he continued, pausing for effect, “is for the number of people who stand… to be different from the number I called out.”

[SEVENTEEN will have to defend]

There was a moment of silence, then a series of scattered “Ahh”s as the realization sank in.

“So, if I say ‘four’ and four people stand up, that’s a fail,” PD Na clarified, grinning wider now. “If I say ‘two’ and one or three or five people stand up— success.”

“Every time you defend it, you take one product,” he added, pointing toward the pile of desirable dorm essentials beside him.

“So, we just need to not get caught every time, right?” Jeonghan clarified, eyes narrowed like he was already calculating probabilities in his head.

[Already looking for loopholes]

“Don’t get caught,” PD Na confirmed with a firm nod.

“We can’t get caught?” Vernon echoed, squinting suspiciously like the rules had a hidden trick.

“It’s really easy,” Mingyu said confidently, arms folded like he’d already won the game in his mind.

“Is this something we can try again if we fail?” Jeonghan asked, still looking wary, his tone playful but probing.

[Nope]

“There’s only one try,” PD Na replied.

“One try?” Luna and Dokyeom echoed in perfect unison, heads whipping toward PD Na in disbelief.

“Isn’t it easy for us?” Dokyeom asked, eyebrows raised as he looked around at the members, trying to gather confidence.

“This is so easy,” Mingyu said again, waving his hand as if brushing off the challenge.

“It’s probability or luck,” Luna commented, tapping the table with a thoughtful expression.

“We are really at an advantage,” Seungkwan added, confidence practically oozing out of his pores. “We are going to sleep luxuriously if we withstand it five times.”

“We can do this,” Dokyeom said, hyping himself up as he rolled his shoulders.

“But PD is good, too,” Mingyu acknowledged with a knowing nod in PD Na’s direction, causing the older man to chuckle proudly.

[Scary PD]

“No, we can do this…” Luna said, her voice trailing with a slight dramatic edge before continuing, “we have to or else…”

“Or else what?” PD Na asked, clearly amused by her sudden drop in tone.

“Or else I might lose my mind. I need to shower,” Luna deadpanned, face serious but her voice cracking slightly with suppressed laughter.

[She cannot live like this]

The members all burst out in chuckles, nodding in agreement. Some even dramatically sniffed themselves for comedic effect.

“The level is always high,” Woozi muttered, referring to PD Na, shaking his head with a resigned smile.

“We can do it,” Jeonghan nodded solemnly, trying to rally the group.

“We can’t fool around,” Mingyu added with a stern expression, though the corners of his mouth betrayed the urge to smile.

[They are serious when it comes to games]

“Okay, should we go?” PD Na asked, shuffling on the floor where he is seated like a game master starting the first round.

“Stick out your butt a bit and get ready to stand up,” PD Na instructed, his words so sudden and silly that half the group broke into laughter while instinctively scooting to the edge of their seats.

[Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle]

“I’m nervous,” Seungkwan admitted, shifting in place, his knees bouncing.

“Just decide in your heart right away now,” PD Na advised, his tone mock-serious.

“Okay! Professional,” Hoshi declared with his usual flair, straightening his back like he was preparing for Olympic-level squats.

“Is the tail section okay? Did you understand?” PD Na called out toward the end of the long table.

[People in the back]

“Yes, of course,” Wonwoo answered calmly, always the reliable one.

“I’m getting nervous for no reason,” Joshua muttered, letting out a light laugh as he adjusted his posture, tension slowly building.

The stage was set. The trap was ready. And so was the chaos.

[Round 1]

The members sat on the very edge of their seats, backs straight, thighs hovering just above cushion as if they were in a silent game of musical chairs. Nobody moved. The only sound in the room was the distant hum of studio lights and the creak of someone’s leather shoe shifting. Then—

“One, two, three… four!” PD Na suddenly shouted with a mischievous grin.

Instantly, three bodies sprang to their feet— Mingyu, Dino, and Joshua. The rest of the group whipped their heads up at the sight, eyes wide in a silent gasp before the entire room erupted in chaos.

[+1 point]

“Waaaaaaaahhhhhh!” The table collectively gasped in a mix of shock and exhilaration.

“I was going to stand up! I was thinking about standing up!” Seungkwan burst out, dramatically placing a hand on his chest as if he just dodged death.

[That was close]

“Wooooooowwww!” Dokyeom exclaimed at the top of his lungs, voice bouncing off the walls like a stadium announcer.

“Good job!” Luna chuckled from her seat, grinning at the three who managed to unintentionally sync their instincts perfectly.

“That was close,” Dokyeom added, still shaking his head as they all sat back down, the energy still pulsing like electricity through the table.

[Round 2]

“Okay, I’m going,” PD Na said coolly, barely giving them a chance to recover as he stepped forward again, already queuing the second round.

“One, two, three… four!” he called out again, same exact number, but this time, a different set of legs shot up —Vernon, Seungkwan, Dokyeom, and Hoshi.

[4?]

The moment their knees locked and they stood at full height, a wave of horror and disbelief swept across the rest of the team.

“No… wait…” Luna said, her voice quiet but urgent as her eyes darted around the table— until she spotted him.

“Oppa! Good job!” she shouted, pointing.

[+1 point]

[They didn’t see Woozi]

At the same exact moment, every head turned to the far end of the table.

Woozi stood quietly at the edge, almost blending into the background with his small frame, but unmistakably upright— unmoving, like a statue holding up a peace sign.

[Peekaboo]

“WOOZI!” Hoshi and Dokyeom shouted in stereo, their faces breaking into wide, open-mouthed grins as they reached across the table for a triumphant high five.

“I almost thought of a lie just then,” Luna whispered to Jeonghan, her voice low but her shoulders shaking with restrained laughter.

“Me too,” Jeonghan replied, biting back a grin as he chuckled softly, nodding.

[What are we going to do about them?]

They both exchanged a glance— a shared wavelength of panic and mischief— before Luna couldn’t hold it in anymore and broke into a louder laugh. Jeonghan followed, the two of them giggling quietly to themselves while the others celebrated, both amused at how quickly their minds had gone to “What if we fake it?”

[PD Na’s headache personified]

“I was in a dilemma after I got up,” Dokyeom announced dramatically, hands thrown up in amazed relief.

“Okay, we succeeded twice,” Minghao calmly pointed out as the table buzzed again with satisfied nods and excited chatter.

[Round 3]

The energy never had a chance to dip before PD Na struck again. “One, two, three… four!” he called, sticking to the same number a third time.

[Again]

Like dominoes, the entire right side of the table rose— Luna, Dokyeom, Joshua, Seungkwan, Minghao, and Vernon.

[That’s 6!]

[+1]

All eyes immediately started darting. The air was so silent, you could practically hear the wind from their blinking.

The members, still seated, started silently counting, heads swiveling like a slow motion wave as they tracked each standing person.

“…One, two, three, four, five… six!” Dino muttered before the dam broke.

“It’s six! Six! Six! Six!” Dokyeom clarified to PD Na excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet like he was ready to lift off.

[I think it’s six…]

“I wasn’t going to stand,” Luna and Joshua said at the same time.

[They would have lost]

The group turned to look at the two, their timing eerily identical. For a beat, there was silence —and then laughter burst out again.

“Good job!” Jun said encouragingly, nodding at both of them with a relieved smile.

“This line. This line stood up at once,” Joshua explained as they sat back down, gesturing to the entire right wing of the table.

“That’s a relief,” Dokyeom said, slumping back into his seat with a dramatic sigh.

“PD-nim, is four your favorite number?” Luna asked, tilting her head innocently as she looked at PD Na.

[Caught on his tricks]

The room erupted again— laughter spilling over the edges as the members chuckled at her completely genuine question.

“I think that it keeps on going back and forth from four to six people,” PD Na answered with a laugh, clearly amused by how the game was unfolding. “There are no more than six and no less than three.”

“Eyy! Let’s make it interesting and start calling out double digits,” Luna provoked, leaning back comfortably in her seat with a raised brow.

[Starts provoking him]

The guys pointed at her immediately, a chorus of “Ooooooooh!” echoing like a group of middle schoolers hyping up a dare.

“This is also a psychological game,” Jeonghan smirked, voice cool as he leaned slightly toward Luna, clearly ready for war.

“Call out a higher number,” Luna added, still smirking directly at PD Na with a teasing glint in her eyes.

[She likes to dare Guide Na]

“Noona, you’re scary,” Seungkwan said, shaking his head with wide eyes as he leaned slightly away from her in mock fear.

“Our Jiyeonie is a psychology graduate,” Wonwoo informed PD Na casually, glancing sideways at Luna.

[That’s why]

“Really?” PD Na asked, visibly intrigued now as he looked over to her and the rest of his crew leaned forward slightly.

“Yes,” Luna smiled, nodding proudly.

“Jiyeonie is good with probability. She’s lucky like that,” Jeonghan informed them, his tone oddly proud for someone usually so playful.

[Proud]

“She’s a psychic,” Woozi teased, earning snickers from a few members.

“She’s also…” Seungkwan said, trailing off.

“A psycho,” he and Luna said in unison, immediately high-fiving each other as everyone burst into loud laughter.

“She might look like that— all pretty and innocent, but she’s crazy,” Seungkwan added in an exaggerated tone, leaning back and laughing at his own line as Luna giggled harder.

[She has matching crazy eyes with PD Na]

“Okay! I can analyze people too!” PD Na declared with determination, accepting the challenge as the members whooped and clapped around him.

“Or are we going by probability?” Seungkwan asked, lifting an eyebrow and gesturing toward PD Na like he was interrogating a game show contestant.

“It’s vague. So Minghao has no thoughts of standing up,” PD Na began, suddenly scanning the group like a detective on the case.

“Jun has no thoughts of standing up either,” he added, pointing at Jun who blinked back, caught off guard.

“Wonwoo has no thoughts,” PD Na continued, making the others laugh as Wonwoo chuckled shyly and looked away.

“These two…” PD Na pointed at Luna and Jeonghan, sitting side by side like a scheming duo, “…scare me.”

[Bunnies scare PD Na]

[Rightfully so]

The members broke into another fit of laughter, hands slapping the table, some even leaning into each other as they laughed.

The room buzzed with a low hum of laughter and excitement, but before they could fully dive into another round, one of the producers looked toward Hoshi with a mischievous grin.

“Hoshi, what number should we go with next time?” the producer asked, almost teasing.

Hoshi paused, visibly shifting in his seat as he gave the question some serious thought. He squinted a little, brows furrowed, lips pursed, clearly trying to visualize potential combinations in his head. The members leaned closer, anticipating his answer like he was about to solve a math equation that would decide the fate of the nation.

[Serious]

“…Five,” Hoshi finally said, as if he were declaring a lottery number. The members laughed, nodding in agreement.

With that, the atmosphere shifted with renewed energy. Round four was about to begin.

[Round 4]

PD Na straightened up, cleared his throat dramatically, and with a teasing lilt in his voice, he began to count.

“One, two, three… six!”

Chaos exploded the moment the number left his lips. Jeonghan shot up from his seat, followed almost instantly by Dokyeom, Seungkwan, Vernon, Wonwoo, Jun, and Dino— seven in total. The room erupted with gasps and half-shouts as realization hit everyone.

“That’s seven!” Joshua called out with a wide grin.

[+1 point]

“We win again!” Mingyu hollered.

“Good job!” Jun clapped with a proud smile as they all sat back down, visibly impressed with themselves.

“Oh… this is so hard,” PD Na sighed dramatically, half-laughing, half-exasperated as he shook his head.

[Sigh]

“Do you want all of us to stand up?” Mingyu asked, his voice light but filled with mischief.

“Teamwork. We need to show our teamwork,” Dino said seriously, straightening up.

[Plotting]

“We will all stand up,” Mingyu promised PD Na with mock determination.

“Yes, we will,” Luna added, nodding firmly like they were plotting something righteous.

“We will all stand up right now,” Jeonghan added, his voice cool and casual— like a bait laid out with perfect confidence.

“We will all stand up. All thirteen,” Dokyeom echoed with a sly grin.

“I will stand up,” Mingyu declared with a proud hand on his chest.

“I will also stand up,” Woozi chimed in, voice perfectly deadpan.

“Me too,” Luna joined in, a grin pulling at her lips.

“I will also stand up,” Jeonghan added again, more casually this time, like he was really just warming up.

[What are they planning?]

Suddenly, the room exploded into noise.

“I will stand up!”

“Me too!”

“I’m going to stand up!”

“I’m standing, I’m standing!”

[All for one and one for all]

It was a chaotic chorus— everyone talking over each other, voices layered in disarray as the members simultaneously declared their intentions. Their expressions were all over the place: some deadly serious, others grinning like devils, and a few who clearly couldn’t keep a straight face anymore.

PD Na blinked at them, overwhelmed, trying to keep up with what was happening.

[Confused]

“Dino?” PD Na asked, trying to single out the youngest for some clarity.

“We need to stand up. All of us,” Dino replied solemnly, like it was their final mission.

“Hoshi?” PD Na tried again.

“Me too. I will also stand up,” Hoshi said immediately with an overly enthusiastic nod.

“Minghao, are you going to stand up?” PD Na asked, hopeful.

“I am not standing up,” Minghao said bluntly and honestly, without hesitation.

[Honest]

Laughter broke out around the table.

“You’re so cute,” Luna chuckled as she looked at Minghao fondly.

“That was honest,” Mingyu said with a nod of approval.

“So honest,” Dokyeom added, grinning as he pointed.

“I will just be standing up,” Jeonghan said suddenly, and to prove it, he simply stood up, locking eyes with PD Na with a bold, unfazed stare.

[Has the upper hand all of a sudden]

The members went, “Ohhh!” in unison like it was a mic drop.

Luna smirked at him knowingly.

“Then, I will be half standing up,” Dokyeom announced and mimicked sitting on air, awkwardly half-standing, half-squatting with a strained expression. “I can go like this,” he demonstrated further, bobbing up and down as if testing out different levels, and looked at PD Na as if expecting him to judge. “I can decide like that.”

[Lack of sleep makes then react like this]

PD Na burst into laughter, holding his cue cards like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.

“Okay. It might be the last round. It might be the last game. At once. It’s over when you decide,” PD Na said dramatically, like the game show host of an epic finale.

“Okay!” Hoshi responded, voice full of fake resolve.

“People who want to sit can sit, and stand if you want,” PD Na declared, throwing in the towel and surrendering the rules to the chaos.

Round five began.

[Round 5]

“I think three people are going to stand up,” Mingyu muttered under his breath, eyes scanning the group.

Then came the count.

“One, two, three… thirteen!” PD Na shouted boldly.

Immediately, Jeonghan remained standing where he had been the whole time, completely unfazed. Dokyeom, who had been doing his squatting act, finally sat down. Wonwoo and Hoshi suddenly popped up on their feet.

[3!]

That made three.

The room broke into cheers and laughs again.

They won. Again. Another point in the bag.

[+1 point]

“I got it right! I was right!” Mingyu celebrated proudly.

“‘Thirteen!’” Dokyeom teased PD Na with a laugh, mimicking him with wide eyes.

[DK found PD Na amusing]

“You guys have no faith at all! You’re going to go like this?” PD Na exclaimed, laughing helplessly while throwing his hands in the air.

[Got tricked]

“His expression is so funny,” Dokyeom laughed harder, barely breathing as he clutched his stomach.

“There’s no honesty at all,” PD Na said, slumping into his chair. He had completely fallen for their tricks and he knew it.

Luna, still chuckling, reached over and gently grabbed Jeonghan’s arm before hugging it close. Her eyes were visibly drooping now as her cheek found a home on his shoulder, an amused smile on her lips despite clearly fighting off sleep.

[About to nod off again]

“You should have known we weren’t being serious,” Luna said sleepily, voice muffled against Jeonghan’s sleeve.

Jeonghan glanced at her briefly, then addressed PD Na with a sharpness that made everyone laugh again.

“I think we are going to win anyway, so let’s just have us take everything and end this. Let’s hurry and go to sleep,” Jeonghan said at lightning speed, his voice dead serious, his tone devoid of any playfulness.

[Serious]

It made Luna giggle again, her face still nestled in his arm.

“I really don’t think we’re going to lose,” Dokyeom agreed with a dreamy sigh.

“We think it’s a meaningless game when you guys are all tired,” Mingyu added, glancing toward the production team with an almost diplomatic shrug.

“No. We’re not tired at all,” PD Na insisted, quickly trying to recover his pride before continuing, “We can do this all night long.”

[What?]

The members burst into laughter.

“Ah… ah… okay…” Mingyu said in disbelief, chuckling in defeat.

PD Na’s gaze slowly drifted toward Luna again— she was still hugging Jeonghan’s arm like a pillow, eyes half-lidded.

“Right, Luna-ya?” PD Na teased her gently.

The members chuckled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Luna deadpanned, not even looking at him, instead burying her face deeper into Jeonghan’s arm like a defiant cat refusing to acknowledge anything.

[Out of sight, out of mind]

“His eyes are definitely turned around,” Seungkwan muttered, looking at PD Na with mock pity.

“They are really no joke,” Woozi added, voice laced with playful concern.

“I’m okay,” PD Na said quickly, trying to sound unbothered— though it was clear by now, he had completely lost control of the game and is trying to get it back.

[SEVENTEEN succeeded in defending 5 items]

[Earned 5/16 prizes]

Round after round, the members of SEVENTEEN showed no signs of letting up. Even after securing five out of the sixteen prizes— already more than generous for a single segment— they were gripped by an absurd, collective determination to sweep everything. Their energy had shifted into something almost mechanical now: focused, chaotic, relentless. They were aiming for a clean sweep.

[And the game continues]

As the game clock ticked forward and the members rallied, it became obvious they were entering a whole new phase— speed round mode.

Round Six was on. No pause, no banter, just action.

[Round 6]

“One, two, three… four!” PD Na counted quickly, barely giving the boys time to breathe.

Jeonghan and Jun stood up with the coordination of synchronized swimmersperfectly timed, effortless. Another point. The room filled with the clatter of applause and soft clapping, some even chuckling at the sheer absurdity of how seamless it had all become.

[+1 point]

“Let’s speed through this,” Luna challenged, her voice soft but edged with that cheeky competitiveness she and Jeonghan always brought out of each other.

Without a single beat of hesitation, PD Na dove right into the next count.

[Round 7]

“One, two, three… five!” he called out.

As if summoned by a secret code, Jeonghan, Luna, and Woozi rose to their feet in perfect unison. The moment their backs straightened, it was already another point. The trio sat back down almost immediately, no celebration needed.

[+1 point]

“Okay! Good,” Dino chimed in, the momentum now completely unstoppable.

No time to waste— Round Eight was already in motion.

[Round 8]

“One, two, three… eleven!” PD Na exclaimed, tossing out a much larger number.

But Hoshi, Dokyeom, and Joshua were already rising from their seats like seasoned veterans. Another point. It was automatic at this point.

[+1 point]

“Okay!” Luna cheered again, a sleepy smile tugging at her lips as her body started betraying her— sleepiness creeping in, eyes half-lidded.

[Excited + Sleepy = Luna]

Before Round Nine began, Mingyu leaned forward and spoke up with a grin, “Let’s just stay seated.”

“Just stay seated,” Dokyeom echoed, his excitement uncontainable.

“We are zero now,” Jeonghan deadpanned to PD Na, as if declaring a tactical reset.

“Zero!” Dokyeom chimed again, grinning from ear to ear.

[Plotting once more]

Luna couldn’t hold back her chuckle. They were lying through their teeth and everyone knew it, but that was part of the fun. They were so obviously up to something.

“Really,” Mingyu added, eyes wide in feigned innocence.

“Really zero?” PD Na raised an eyebrow, suspicious.

“Yes,” the band chorused, entirely unabashed.

Then came Round Nine.

[Round 9]

“One, two, three… six!” PD Na exclaimed once more.

Mingyu, Vernon, and Dokyeom— who, notably, stood up while swaying his hips like he was performing a solo stage— rose from their seats, winning yet another point.

[+1 point]

Laughter exploded from the members as Dokyeom continued dancing. It was less of a stand and more of a performance.

“He doesn’t believe us,” Mingyu said with a mock pout, gesturing to PD Na.

[Trust issues everywhere]

“Weren’t we doing this in trust?” PD Na asked, exasperated, drawing even more laughter from the group.

[Apparently not]

“But isn’t that nine items now?” Jeonghan casually brought up, his voice laced with faux innocence.

“No. This is all separate,” PD Na snapped back quickly, now scrambling to break down the items into even more individual components, clearly trying to make it harder for them.

“Of course it is,” Luna said dryly, her tone matching the absurdity in the room.

“Suddenly? Suddenly like this?” Dokyeom gasped between laughs.

“No, let’s do this until we can. If we don’t have any products, we will make them and give them to you,” PD Na offered, waving his hand as staff members added chargers to the table like a desperate bribe.

[Suddenly have chargers]

“They have it. They have chargers,” Jeonghan noted, eyeing the prize pile suspiciously.

“They have it. Okay, okay,” Dokyeom nodded eagerly, ready to play along.

Round Ten began.

[Round 10]

“I will start. One, two, three… six!” PD Na declared.

Jeonghan, Wonwoo, Dokyeom, and Vernon stood up with zero hesitation. Point. They sat down like clockwork.

[+1 point]

“Okay, we will go right away,” Jeonghan said, not even giving them time to exhale before charging into the next round.

[Round 11]

“One, two, three… three!” PD Na said for Round Eleven.

This time, it was chaos—Jeonghan, Luna, Wonwoo, Woozi, Hoshi, Minghao, and Seungkwan stood up all at once. Seven in total. Another win.

[+1 point]

“We will go right away,” Jeonghan repeated like a robot, voice unwavering, already preparing for Round Twelve.

[Round 12]

“One, two, three… five!” PD Na announced.

Jeonghan, Dokyeom, Joshua, Vernon, Mingyu, Jun, Wonwoo, and Dino— eight members— stood up. Point. It was their twelfth now.

[+1 point]

They didn’t even cheer anymore— it was routine.

PD Na went straight to Round Thirteen.

[Round 13]

“One, two, three… seven!” he called out.

Dino, Wonwoo, Hoshi, Minghao, and Luna rose, precise and fluid like soldiers. Point thirteen. They were getting dangerously close.

[+1 point]

“We will go right away,” Jeonghan prompted again, and everyone obeyed.

[Round 14]

“One, two, three… six!” PD Na announced again.

Jeonghan, Joshua, Dino, Wonwoo, and Vernon popped up. Point fourteen. It was becoming ridiculous.

[+1 point]

“Shouldn’t you just give us the entire bag at this point?” Luna asked, deadpan, her eyes half-closed with exhaustion but her voice laced with sarcasm.

[At this point? Yes.]

The room broke into laughter.

“Oh… why?” PD Na sighed, nearly whining in defeat.

“Wait, it’s fourteen right now?” Jeonghan asked as if he hadn’t been keeping track all along, his poker face firmly in place.

Then, Round Fifteen.

[Round 15]

“One, two, three… five!” PD Na said.

Seungkwan and Woozi stood up like clockwork. Another point.

[+1 point]

“What could you do?~ What could you do?~” Luna teased in a sing-song voice, shaking her head and laughing as she formed a heart with her hands toward PD Na.

[Loves teasing PD Na the absolute most]

“That’s fifteen,” Jeonghan reminded PD Na, his smile devious and eyes twinkling with amusement.

[15/16]

“Okay, fifteen!” Luna repeated, smug.

PD Na stared at the two of them in a state of resigned defeat, scoffing dramatically.

“We will stop here and give them everything,” he declared, hands in the air, drawing a round of thunderous applause, cheers, and laughter from the entire room.

[Gave up]

[He lost everything]

“I cannot with you two!” PD Na pointed an accusatory finger at Luna and Jeonghan, his tone torn between exasperation and laughter.

“I knew it from the airport when you two disappeared…” he muttered, voice trailing into a full-blown rant while Luna and Jeonghan laughed the hardest they had all night —bodies doubled over, eyes squeezed shut.

[The bunnies have given PD Na a hard time]

“I knew you two will cause me trouble,” PD Na sighed as if prophesying doom from the very beginning.

The members were in hysterics, clapping, laughing, hooting, and hollering at the sheer absurdity and genius of it all. PD Na had been outplayed. Again.

Mingyu, stretched out on his seat with his hands intertwined in front of him on the table, looked around at the team, then turned to PD Na with a cheeky grin.

“Then, should we end it now?” he asked, voice playful but low with finality. The members hummed in agreement, some nodding lazily, others blinking in confusion.

Mingyu turned to PD Na, raising a brow and tilting his head slightly as he made the request, “Can you say ‘one’?”

[Ending with a win for PD Na]

PD Na blinked, caught off guard by the oddly specific request. “Okay. If I say ‘one’…” he started cautiously before Mingyu smoothly turned his attention to the next target.

“Minghao, do you want to stand up by yourself and end it?”

“Ending it?” Minghao echoed, a little baffled by the theatrics, but he nodded all the same. He adjusted his posture and gave a small nod of consent, a quiet agreement to be the game’s symbolic finale.

[Cutely agrees]

“Thank you, guys,” PD Na said sincerely, already laughing as he realized they were staging a faux ending win just to feed his dignity. “Only Minghao. We will only have Minghao stand up.”

“Okay!” Luna agreed brightly, lifting her hand with exaggerated enthusiasm.

[They are too excited]

The room stilled. The silence, for once, was heavy with anticipation and barely-contained laughter. PD Na, playing along with the final moment, raised his hand.

“One, two, three… one!” PD Na announced, and in perfect comedic betrayal, not only did Minghao stand— but Jeonghan and Luna popped up beside him like synchronized traitors.

[Bunny rabbits hop… hop…hop]

The room exploded.

“AHAHAHAHAHA!” The members screamed in disbelief, clapping and howling with laughter. Hands smacked the table, people leaned over, Dokyeom even rolled off the side of his chair from laughing too hard. Dino pointed dramatically at Jeonghan and Luna like he’d just caught criminals red-handed.

[Betrayal at its finest]

PD Na chuckled as he stared at the two, speechless. His jaw dropped open in mock betrayal.

[Trust issues]

“Your eyes were already looking at us like…” Mingyu started, turning to face PD Na. He squinted his eyes dramatically, lips pursed, copying the very expression of suspicion PD Na had worn seconds before.

Dokyeom immediately jumped in with an impression of his own, his voice pitched and eyes wide, mimicking PD Na with exaggerated panic. “‘Why is Minghao the only one standing up?’” he mimicked, sending the room into another spiral of laughter.

[They knew]

“Just take all of this,” PD Na said with mock defeat, waving a hand at the mound of prizes.

[SEVENTEEN won]

Still smiling despite the betrayal, he reached down and picked up the final envelope— the one marked with S.Coups’ name. With a sigh, he handed it to Jeonghan. “Let��s look at S.Coups’ letter at least,” he said, voice a touch gentler.

[The letter their leader wrote before they got kidnapped]

Jeonghan took the envelope, brow arching with curiosity as he tore the flap open. Luna immediately scooted closer, peeking over his arm with interest. Her eyes widened.

[What is it?]

“Oh?” Luna said, blinking in realization. “That’s why he was so adamant we get the letter.” She smiled, suddenly touched.

“Why?” Dino asked from the other side of the table, voice curious as the rest of the members close leaned in, trying to get a better look.

“It’s not only a letter,” Luna revealed cryptically.

“Oh!” Dokyeom exclaimed, leaning forward just in time to catch a glint of black from Jeonghan’s hand.

“Wah!” Jeonghan drawled, lips curling upward as he slowly slid the object out from behind the paper.

“It’s not a letter,” Dokyeom gasped, blinking rapidly.

“What?” Hoshi squinted, still too far to make sense of the reactions.

“There’s a card,” Jeonghan said, holding it up triumphantly. Gasps erupted around the room like fireworks.

[S.Coups’ personal card]

“Wow! Awesome!” Dokyeom yelled.

Jeonghan cleared his throat and began to read aloud: “‘Thank you for picking my letter. I feel sorry for you guys going without any preparation. I will be waiting for you well in Korea. You can use this card however you want, okay? Have fun. I love you.’”

“Wah!” Several of the members sighed at once, impressed.

“I miss Cheollie,” Luna pouted, her voice small and genuine, the sudden shift in emotion hitting her like a wave. Her bottom lip jutted out as she stared at the card.

[Sad bunny]

“Wow, that’s so touching,” Wonwoo said softly, as the room broke into soft claps.

“It’s really Coups’ personal card,” Dokyeom said, holding the card reverently between his fingers.

“Personal card?” Woozi asked, peering over his shoulder in amazement.

“It is,” Luna confirmed, nodding at the familiar design. “That’s the one he uses.”

“Wah!” Mingyu echoed, eyes wide.

“Choi Seungcheol did some work,” Woozi said, impressed despite himself.

“Awesome,” Dino added, nodding.

“He said that we can use it whenever we need to,” Jeonghan added with a small smile, handing the card over to Dino.

[Their generous leader]

Without hesitation, Dino took it and tucked it carefully into the small money pouch he’d been given earlier. As the group’s unofficial trip treasurer, he knew the weight of that gesture.

“Manager, you should take care of this too,” Woozi said with a pointed look, his voice teasing but firm.

“He’s awesome… I can buy clothes now,” Luna deadpanned suddenly, earning a wave of laughter from the others.

[Spoiler: she is being serious]

“Me too,” Jeonghan said immediately, looking dead serious.

“Look at these two,” PD Na interjected, pointing directly at the duo. “As if you two didn’t bring your own cards.”

[Oops]

Jeonghan chuckled shamelessly, leaning back into his seat.

Luna quickly turned away, hand flying to her mouth to stifle her laughter.

“It was an accident,” the two chorused without missing a beat.

[Sure…]

PD Na and the rest of the members chuckled, shaking their heads.

“Alright! Since it’s late, hurry up and wash up. Change into these clothes and let’s rest well. We are done for the day,” PD Na announced, clapping his hands together like a tired parent declaring bedtime.

[Finally!]

A chorus of “Thank you!” and “Great work!” echoed across the room as PD Na and the production crew began packing up the equipment and quietly filtering out, leaving the members to breathe easy again in the now much quieter dorm.

The prize pile sat triumphantly on the table like a monument to their chaotic victory. And SEVENTEEN, still grinning from ear to ear, began preparing for their long-awaited rest.

Once the last of the staff and camera crew filed out of the dorm with soft goodbyes and a final “Great work, everyone!” from PD Na echoing down the hallway, Seventeen was finally left to their own devices. It was a rare kind of peace— fleeting and chaotic all at once.

[Time to wash up]

Jeonghan, as if clocking back in for his second job as unofficial dorm dad, immediately took it upon himself to organize. A pile of white Nana Tour shirts and matching black shorts sat in a heap beside him. He crouched, peeled one shirt from the pile, squinted at the name printed in bold on the tag, and began his announcements.

“Seungkwan,” he read aloud, holding up the shirt like it was a prize at a raffle.

“Seungkwan here,” Seungkwan said, perking up from where he was, shuffling over to claim it.

Jeonghan continued, eyes scanning the next one. “The8.”

Minghao raised a hand. “Thank you,” he said calmly as he accepted his shirt.

“Vernon,” Jeonghan called next.

“Got it,” Vernon replied as he spotted his own name and snatched the shirt himself with a grin.

“Mingyu,” Luna chimed in, holding the correct shirt out toward him without looking up.

“Thank you,” Mingyu said, bowing his head slightly as he received it.

“This is Jeonghan,” Jeonghan said smugly, pulling his own shirt close to his chest like a proud mom choosing her outfit for a parent-teacher conference.

“Luna,” Jeonghan said next, tossing her shirt gently into her awaiting hands.

“Thank you,” Luna replied, already inspecting the print.

Around them, the rest of the members had started rummaging through the neatly sorted shirts and shorts, grabbing their names and holding them up like souvenirs from a field trip.

[Like they are thrift shopping]

“Mine is a puppy,” Mingyu said with a little giggle, turning the shirt around to show a cartoon puppy printed on his shirt.

“I’m 1004,” Jeonghan followed proudly, “Angel,” he added with a chuckle.

[Satisfied customer]

“Mine is a small drum,” Seungkwan noted, flipping his shirt inside out to double-check.

“Mine is the moon. It’s cute,” Luna said softly, holding hers up to admire it.

“Yours is a tiger,” Jun pointed out to Hoshi with a smile. He held his own shirt up after. “Mine is a cat.”

“What are you?” he asked, turning to Wonwoo beside him, then squinting at the small symbol under Wonwoo’s name. “Computer? Ah! Game boy.”

Wonwoo nodded without expression, as if being likened to a game boy was both accurate and inevitable.

“Guys, each of you take one of these chargers,” Mingyu instructed, holding up a bundle of small phone chargers they had won.

The room turned into a bustling market of shirts, shorts, and charger distribution. Members moved like a busy noodle shop at lunch rush— laughing, nudging each other, calling dibs on lotions and toothpaste.

[It’s chaos already]

Without saying a word, Luna stood and grabbed the communal shampoo and conditioner from the prize pile like a practiced mother of seven in a small apartment. Before she could step away, Jeonghan raised his voice like he was announcing a royal decree.

“Jiyeonie is first to wash up, okay?” he said.

A chorus of agreement came from the others, with a few loud “Yes!”es and “Let her go!”s peppered in.

“Don’t worry. I won’t take long. I’m exhausted already,” Luna replied, her voice a little hoarse but still chipper as she padded out of the dining area and toward the bathroom with her arms full.

[She might sleep in the bathroom]

“Take your time!” Dokyeom yelled after her as they continued to look at the Nana Tour merchandise they were given.

And so began the unofficial second variety show: Seventeen vs. One Bathroom.

Despite her usual long-shower tendencies, Luna did her best to hurry. She kept it to twenty minutes— miraculous by her standards— quickly rinsing off the exhaustion of the day. Steam rolled out as she opened the door, dressed now in the crisp white Nana Tour tee with her name printed neatly on the front in a lavender color and the matching black shorts. Her damp hair clung to her cheeks as she towel-dried it, walking barefoot down the hallway with tired but light steps.

By then, the rotation had begun. Some were already changed and fresh, others still lying in wait. Every few minutes, someone would knock on the bathroom door with hopeful curiosity.

[Elsa? Do you wanna build a snowman?]

Just as Luna sat herself on the edge of her bed, her limbs finally surrendering to gravity, a familiar sound suddenly cut through the quiet hum of the dorm— a low mechanical whirring that started soft, then built up with power. Her head snapped toward the hallway. The hair dryer. Her eyes narrowed like a hawk spotting prey. That meant someone had it. And if she waited even two minutes, she’d be forced to dry her hair using a hand towel and the ceiling fan.

[Needs the hair dryer immediately]

She stood immediately, towel still draped around her neck, hair damp and curling at the ends. She followed the noise like a hound on a scent trail, her footsteps padding quickly against the wooden floor. The hum got louder as she passed the living room, past the kitchen, finally stopping just outside Mingyu’s room.

[Aha!]

Mingyu was in front of the mirror with the hotel-provided hair dryer in hand, one side of his hair sticking up like seaweed and the other half perfectly styled. Luna didn’t even wait for him to notice her. She reached out and gently poked his arm, making him flinch just slightly as he turned his head.

“I’m next,” she said plainly, eyes wide and slightly demanding beneath her damp hair.

Mingyu looked at her then he hummed casually, the kind of hum that meant he had understood, and also that he was about to take matters into his own hands.

“Turn around,” he said.

Before she could even process it, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and physically turned her around, towel slipping from her neck to fall softly onto the bed. Luna blinked at the sudden manhandling but said nothing. She just stood there, straight as a ruler, arms at her side, staring at the doorway as he pointed the hair dryer to her scalp and began drying her hair.

[Teamwork makes the dream work]

The warm air blasted down on her neck as Mingyu lifted sections of her hair with his fingers like he’d done this at a salon once. Her hair, still wet at the roots, began lifting and flying around her head like a poodle caught in a wind tunnel.

Right in front of them, by the bathroom across the hall, Wonwoo was loitering near the door with his hands holding onto his stuff. He stood still like a bored teenager, knocking lightly against the wooden door with the back of his knuckles.

[Elsa?]

“Who is it?” Wonwoo asked, voice completely calm as if this was a totally normal situation and not a full-scale dorm-wide bathroom hunger games.

“Me,” someone replied from inside, their voice muffled through the door. Luna’s head tilted slightly. She swore that was Dino. Definitely Dino.

“Who’s me?” Wonwoo asked again, monotone and vaguely tired. “Are you Mingyu?”

[What?]

That did it. Luna burst into giggles, shoulders shaking forward while Mingyu tried to hold her head still to dry the back of it. Her now half-dried hair was flying in all directions, the gust from the dryer blowing it into her mouth, across her cheeks, and even into Mingyu’s face.

“Mingyu is here,” Luna said through a laugh, managing to keep her voice steady as she pointed loosely behind her.

Wonwoo turned his head lazily and spotted him— Mingyu, still holding the hair dryer with one hand while trying to dodge a particularly wild strand of Luna’s hair with the other.

[Peekaboo]

“Ah,” Wonwoo said, eyes narrowing in amusement. He chuckled to himself and gave a small nod, like this was all perfectly logical, then turned and strolled back toward his room without another word.

Luna smiled, then gently stepped away from Mingyu, her hair now puffed and frizzing in places, but mostly dry.

“Dry your hair. I’m fine. It’s mostly dry already. Thank you, Gyu-Gyu,” she said sincerely, turning the hair dryer slightly toward him before giving him a small flying kiss and walking back to her room.

Mingyu just blinked after her, blinking away one last rogue strand of her hair from his cheek, then returned to drying his own head like none of it just happened.

Luna had barely reached her bed when Dokyeom peeked his head in.

[Everyone is everywhere all at once]

“Can I see if there is a comb here?” Dokyeom asked sheepishly, eyes already scanning her bed.

“There’s one inside,” Luna nodded toward the small airplane pouch lying neatly on the blanket. “Take it. Just return it back after.”

[Generous bunny]

“Thank you!” Dokyeom chirped as he walked in, rummaging through her things like a raccoon in a picnic basket.

Just as Luna walked out again, she passed Mingyu in the hallway asking Joshua, “Hyung, do you have the toothpaste?”

Without a word, Luna stopped in front of them, silently pulling out her toothbrush and holding it up in expectation like a soldier in formation.

[Me too!]

Joshua, completely unfazed, dabbed toothpaste on hers, then Mingyu’s.

“Thank you, Joshie,” Luna said sweetly, then popped the brush into her mouth and walked off to brush her teeth like nothing had happened.

The dorm was alive with this quiet chaos. Matching shirts padded through the rooms, hunting down missing items. Someone shouted from the living room about not being able to find their socks. Another tripped on a charger wire. Somewhere in the back, Jun and Seungkwan were arguing about whose turn it was next while Jeonghan calmly dried his hair with his towel with ferocity.

After brushing her teeth and giving a final spit into the sink, Luna wandered out of the hallway and into the dining area. She immediately spotted the lotion bottle sitting like a prized relic on the table— surrounded by what was basically the human version of late-night chaos.

[They are very much still awake]

Wonwoo was there, sat quietly like he’d been queuing politely for hours. Jeonghan, with a towel draped around his neck, was sitting with a small fan in his hand, slowly rotating and fanning his hair like he had all the time in the world. And Hoshi— yes, Hoshi— was sitting at the table brushing his teeth in silence.

“Is the lotion there?” Luna asked, voice low and raspy with sleep, shoulders sagging like a retired puppy.

Wonwoo, in his usual calm, ghost-like fashion, slid the bottle toward her. “Here,” he said softly.

Luna plopped herself in the chair between him and Jeonghan, letting out a small huff as she unscrewed the cap. “Thank you,” she mumbled, squeezing some lotion into her palm before rubbing it up her arms with slow, sluggish motions. Her energy was basically on 2%, blinking red.

[She is on the brink]

Jeonghan glanced over at her, eyeing the strands of damp hair still clinging to the back of her neck. “Your hair is still damp, Nana-ya,” he said, eyebrows pinched with light concern as he reached out to rake his fingers through it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“You can’t sleep with wet hair,” he muttered, clicking his tongue as if she had committed a mild crime against herself.

[Scolded]

Without waiting for a response, he picked up the tiny fan he’d been using on himself and redirected it towards Luna’s head. With one hand fanning her hair, the other resumed combing through her hair— carefully, slowly, almost absentmindedly like he was styling a doll.

[Second member who tries and dry her hair]

Luna simply hummed, a soft noise of consent, eyelids drooping halfway. She was too tired to react, too exhausted to resist. She just let him do whatever he wanted, letting the fan blow across her scalp as his hand made light, repetitive movements.

Then came the teasing.

“If you sleep with wet hair,” Jeonghan said suddenly, dropping his voice to a soft-yet-mildly-ominous tone, “it’s going to grow an organism. Like… a fungus. Maybe even a mushroom.”

[What?]

Luna blinked.

“A mushroom?”

Jeonghan nodded seriously, still fanning. “Yeah. Mushroom. Like shiitake. Maybe enoki if you’re lucky… but you’re allergic, angel face.”

Luna squinted at him, then slapped his thigh lightly. “You’re so weird, I swear.“

Jeonghan grinned, victorious. “You’re welcome.”

After a few more minutes of exaggerated care, Jeonghan apparently decided it was time to pack for war— or at least an emergency trip to the convenience store. He started picking up random items from the table and around the kitchen: a gochujang tube bottle, a plastic bag someone left from their prize haul, the fan he was just using, and even a packet of napkins. He stuffed them all inside the reusable black bag they had won earlier during filming.

[What is he doing?]

“Just in case,” he said simply, as if that explained anything before going to his room and keeping the bag.

Meanwhile, Luna was reaching the final stages of battery drain. Her movements were molasses slow, eyes barely open, lotion half rubbed in. The warm buzz of the chaotic dorm life continued around her, but her body had clocked out. She took one deep breath and stood up like a zombie queen rising from her throne.

It was bedtime.

And with bedtime came her little ‘goodnight ritual’.

This was something all of them knew by now— especially they all had shared a dorm with her since their rookie days. Luna had a habit. A tradition, really. Ever since those early nights in their tiny old dorm, she’d never gone to sleep without giving each of them a hug and saying goodnight.

Every. Single. One.

She started her nightly rounds like a general making sure the troops were tucked in.

[A woman on a mission]

As she made her way toward the hallway, she spotted Jun stepping out of his room, rubbing his eyes like he had just time-traveled.

“Goodnight, Junnie,” Luna said, already holding her arms out before he could register anything else.

Jun’s entire expression softened. He stepped forward and gave her a firm, warm hug, the kind that said I got you. His arms wrapped tight around her, and for a second, they just stood there, swaying side to side gently.

“Goodnight,” he murmured before heading back into his room, yawning like a sleepy prince.

Luna then spotted Vernon emerging from one of the hallways, dragging his feet, hair slightly ruffled like he had just come back from an astral projection. Luna blinked.

“Are you just about to wash up?” she asked, walking up to him with that mom-friend tone loaded.

“Mhm. Fell asleep,” Vernon mumbled, barely managing to open his eyes.

“Alright.” Luna nodded, arms automatically opening.

“Goodnight, Solie,” she said.

Vernon gave her a sleepy pat on the back as he returned the hug. “Goodnight,” he replied before trudging into the bathroom like a zombie.

Just then, Minghao rounded the corner, his posture already indicating bedtime mode. He paused when he saw Luna, a smile tugging at his lips.

Without a word, he opened his arms already reading her mind.

[That’s twin telepathy]

Luna’s smile bloomed as she leaped into the hug without hesitation. He hugged her tightly and gently rocking them like they were back in a practice room in 2015 with nowhere to go but up.

“Goodnight, Hao-Hao,” Luna whispered into his shoulder.

“Goodnight, Jiyeonie,” he said before heading into his room, closing the door with a soft click.

Luna kept walking.

Back in the dining area, she saw them— Dino and Wonwoo— still up, bent over two steaming bowls of ramyeon. The two of them looked like they were in the middle of the most serious midnight snacking known to man.

[Drinking and eating]

“Not sleeping yet?” she asked, stepping into the light.

The two of them looked up.

“We’ll sleep after this, noona,” Dino answered.

“Alright. I’m here to say goodnight.” Luna nodded.

She walked to Wonwoo first, who was seated. She leaned down and hugged his head, and he wrapped one arm lazily around her waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Goodnight, Wonie,” she said gently.

“Goodnight, Jiyeonie,” he replied before going back to slurping his noodles.

When she turned to Dino, she was surprised to see the youngest already standing up, arms wide open like a big baby bird ready to fly.

“Goodnight, noona. Sleep well,” Dino said with a grin.

Luna stepped into the hug, squeezing him tight. “Goodnight, my baby,” she said softly before turning on her heel and heading off to finish her goodnight rounds.

Luna padded softly down the hall, she approached the next roo, the door creaked open gently as she peeked in.

There they were— Joshua, Hoshi, Mingyu, and Dokyeom— all sprawled out on their respective beds like tired, oversized children, each illuminated by the cool glow of their phones. Hoshi was sideways, his foot dangling off the edge like a limp carrot, while Mingyu’s head was barely peeking out from the blanket, scrolling with laser focus. Joshua sat at the top bunk like a perched owl, legs crossed, relaxed as ever, screen brightness turned all the way down like a lowkey dad. Dokyeom had earphones in, head bobbing slightly as he smiled at something on his screen.

“I’m here to say goodnight,” Luna announced, chuckling softly.

Their heads snapped up so fast, it was like they’d just been caught watching anime instead of sleeping. Four sets of eyes darted to her— wide, shining, immediate.

And then it happened. Without hesitation, Hoshi, Dokyeom, and Mingyu all flung their arms open simultaneously. A perfectly timed choreography of yearning and sleep-deprivation-induced affection.

[Ta-da!]

“Ahhh,” Luna laughed, pressing her palm to her cheek. “You guys…”

It hit her then— how long it had been since they all lived together under one roof. The way their arms opened like reflexes told her everything: they missed this. Missed her. Missed them.

She started with the highest point first— Joshua, the ever-collected hyung sitting calmly on the top bunk like a character out of a coming-of-age novel.

“Goodnight, Joshie,” Luna said, giving him a soft smile.

Joshua chuckled, leaning slightly to glance down at her. “Goodnight, Luna.”

With that, he lay back down, folding his arms behind his head like a prince waiting for his dream sequence to begin.

Luna crouched next, slowly descending to Hoshi’s level. He was already beaming at her, cheeks puffed out like a hamster trying not to explode with excitement, arms still wide open and jiggling lightly in anticipation.

“Aigo… goodnight, Shi-Shi,” Luna giggled, her voice fond and light as she let herself fall into his hug.

“Goodnight, our Jiyeonie,” Hoshi replied, squeezing her tight with a giddy hum before letting go with a gentle pat.

Next up was Dokyeom. Before she could even angle her body toward him properly, Dokyeom lunged with zero grace and full force, tackling her into a rib-crushing hug.

“Goodnight!” he basically sang, his voice echoing slightly in the room like a musical number had just begun.

“Yah—!” Luna wheezed, laughing as she patted his head like a parent calming a sugar-high child. “Goodnight, Kyeomie.”

She peeled herself out of his grasp with a chuckle, only to find Mingyu waiting patiently with his arms already open, seated on his bed like a good puppy dog at the vet.

His big doe eyes blinked up at her, soft and full of longing. “Goodnight, Lulu-ya. Sleep well.”

Luna walked into his embrace, only to immediately pat his biceps twice. “Yah, you’re squeezing me too tight, you big log.”

Mingyu laughed and loosened his grip slightly. “Sorry, sorry,” he whispered.

“Goodnight, Gyu,” Luna said, smiling as she backed away. She gave them all a final glance, standing by the door now.

“Goodnight, my loves,” she said gently, giving a small wave before slipping into the last room.

[Last room]

Inside, she found Seungkwan folding his towel, rearranging his things like an overworked flight attendant. Woozi was laying on the lower bunk, screen hovering inches from his nose, earbuds in but clearly aware of everything. Jeonghan lay lazily on his own bed, one leg crossed over the other, scrolling like he was doing serious business on a stock trading app instead of reading memes.

“Noona? Are you looking for something?” Seungkwan asked curiously, making all three heads turn her way like meerkats.

Luna shook her head with a soft smile. “Just going to say goodnight.”

Seungkwan gasped like a child who had just heard the ice cream truck. “Wah—!” he said, immediately rushing over to open his arms wide.

She stepped into his hug effortlessly, the gesture so natural between them. “Goodnight, our Boo,” she whispered.

“Goodnight, our Bae,” he replied with the same softness, patting her back before pulling away with a smile.

Then came Woozi. She turned to him slowly. He was already eyeing her— suspicious, resigned, already predicting what was about to happen.

His eyes seemed to say No. But Luna was already preparing for launch. With a dramatic leap, she threw herself gently onto him. Woozi let out a small grunt of surrender as she hugged him tightly.

“Goodnight, Z,” she mumbled against him.

“Night,” he replied, patting her back with a firm thud like he was burping a toddler.

Then… she turned. Jeonghan looked up from his phone, smirking slightly. Luna’s eyes narrowed teasingly.

She tilted her head and grinned. “Okay, goodbye,” she said, faking a turn.

Seungkwan laughed from across the room, while Jeonghan raised a brow. “Come here,” he said, the usual faux-bored drawl in his voice doing a poor job hiding the amusement in his eyes.

Luna rolled her eyes playfully and climbed onto his bed, only to plop right on top of his chest like a weighted blanket. His arms instinctively came around her, pulling her in. Unbeknownst to her, Jeonghan was already looking over her shoulder, silently motioning to Seungkwan… then the light switch.

Seungkwan caught the signal, eyes wide, nodding like a secret agent before subtly flicking the lights off. Darkness swallowed the room.

“Goodnight, Hannie,” Luna whispered, voice muffled against his neck.

Jeonghan’s fingers had already slipped under the back of her shirt, grazing and tracing soft lines up and down her spine. His other hand gently combed through her damp hair, calming her like waves lapping against a shore. “Goodnight, my moon,” he whispered in her ear, so quiet, it almost blended into the stillness.

If they were home— in their house— this would be normal. Standard routine. This is how they always ended their nights: tangled limbs, whispered jokes, quiet warmth. But here, surrounded by cameras and creaky bunk beds and roommates, Luna knew she had to fight it. But Jeonghan… he wasn’t helping.

Her eyelids fluttered. “I need to go back to my room or I’ll actually end up sleeping here.”

Jeonghan just hummed, his fingers still trailing soft patterns down her spine, the other gently stroking her hair behind her ear. “Go later,” he whispered, breath warm against her cheek.

“We’ll get caught,” she whispered back.

“We won’t,” he said, soft but sure. “I covered the camera earlier.”

“You didn’t.”

“I did,” he teased.

“You’re bluffing.”

“Are you scared?”

Luna buried her face in the crook of his neck. “Not of the camera. I’m scared I won’t want to get up.”

He chuckled quietly, chest rumbling under her.

“I missed this,” she whispered.

“Me too,” he replied. “You smell like that citrus body wash again.”

“It’s lemon vanilla.”

“Smells like missing you.”

“Cringe as hell,” Luna giggled sleepily, fingers curling into his shirt.

They lay there a little longer, letting silence stretch between them. The thrill of being in the dark, hidden, surrounded yet unnoticed, added an unspoken mischief neither of them wanted to admit they enjoyed.

And then… Jeonghan lifted his chin slightly.

He kissed her. It was slow. Careful. The kind of kiss you give when time is short and everything unsaid is packed into one press of lips. Her breath hitched. Their noses bumped lightly. His hand pressed softly against her back, drawing her closer. No noise. No urgency. Just the warmth of knowing and the slight tickle of her sigh as it escaped her lips.

They pulled back, and Luna could almost hear the smile in his voice as he whispered, “Go before I keep you here.”

He gave her a light pat on the butt. “Goodnight, Nana-ya.”

She slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. “Night night, Jeongje,” she yawned.

“I’ll see you in your dreams, okay?” he said.

“Mhm… see you,” she replied, already shuffling toward the door like a half-sedated penguin.

She closed the door quietly behind her and padded back to her room. Still empty. Dino was still out in the dining area, probably finishing his second bowl with Wonwoo. Jun, her other roommate, hadn’t returned from the bathroom yet.

Luna plugged her phone into the wall with her eyes barely open, then climbed into her bed with all the grace of a sloth in molasses. Cherry the bunny was already waiting for her on the pillow.

She hugged it tight and whispered, “Night night, Cherry,” like a promise fulfilled.

She told Seungcheol Cherry would be him for now. So, in a way, she had completed her little ritual.

Their first night in Italy wrapped itself in quiet, sleepy magic. Somewhere in the chaos, in the laughter and sneaky kisses and old routines reawakened, they all found pieces of home.

Tomorrow, their first day in Rome awaited.

But for now… it was night. And they were together.

[To be continued in Clip 2-1]

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[devotion-disorder]

Curious but would our handsome elves love us even if we turn old and gray? 👉👈

I think most elves, especially those that have a better affinity for magic, would probably perform some sort of ritual to lengthen your lifespan. It won't be pretty, and they'll be heaving and shaking by the end of such an intensive spell that is reserved only for the most desperate of cases -- but they're willing to do it, multiple times if needed. And for those that do not possess the talent to cast such magic, they'd be willing to trade practically anything to commission other elves, even with years off of their own lives.

but that's the case for an individual basis. I suppose if you're the (only) village pet then it will be a collective effort to keep you alive as long as possible -- and if the entire village is mobilized its going to be a very, very long time before the prospects of freedom in death becomes available...and the fact that your life literally depends on them will be something they'll exploit to the fullest.