**Chapter 1: The Unseen Spark**

The trainee dance room was buzzing — sneakers squeaking, choreography counts echoing off mirrored walls. Pop music pulsed from the speakers, the volume just low enough to let out-of-breath girls shout counts and corrections at one another. The air was thick with the smell of sweat and stale air, a familiar scent that Yeji had grown accustomed to over the months of training. Yeji adjusted her ponytail, sweat sticking to her neck like a damp shroud. It was just another day in the JYPE basement — same mirrors, same burning legs, same endless striving for perfection. She didn’t expect anything new, anything that would shake her out of her routine. But then the door opened, and everything shifted. A girl walked in with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder, black cargo pants, loose white tee, minimal makeup, but presence — like she knew exactly where she belonged in the room. Her gaze scanned the space once before settling on the instructor, her eyes locking onto the woman with an unmistakable air of confidence. Her name was Ryujin, they were told, as the instructor introduced her to the group. New recruit. Rumor was she’d been scouted straight off the street, a talented street dancer plucked from obscurity to join the ranks of JYPE trainees. Yeji barely noticed anyone breathing — including herself. There was something about Ryujin that drew her in, something that made her feel like she’d been punched in the gut. It wasn’t beauty, not just that. It was her confidence, the way she didn’t shrink under everyone’s stares. The way she looked back, like she was daring them to try and keep up. Yeji’s heart kicked into high gear, her pulse racing like she was about to take the stage for her debut performance. She blinked hard, like she could shake it off. It had to be nerves. Training stress. Nothing else. She told herself she was just reacting to the new girl, that it was normal to feel a little intimidated. But as she watched Ryujin move across the room, Yeji couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more going on. Something that had nothing to do with dance or training or even JYPE. “Alright, everyone — partner warmups,” the instructor called out, clapping twice. “Pair off.” Yeji looked around, her eyes scanning the room for her usual partner, only to find that she was already paired up with someone else. Before she could move, Ryujin stepped up next to her, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “You got a partner?” Ryujin asked, voice low, kind of raspy, casual like she wasn’t new. Yeji shook her head, feeling a little out of breath. “No. Uh—yeah, let’s go.” They moved to the far end of the studio, the air thick with the smell of sweat, dust, and mint from someone’s open Tiger Balm jar. Ryujin sat cross-legged, stretching, her movements fluid and controlled. Yeji joined her, stealing glances at the new girl, trying to read her. As they began to stretch, Yeji asked, “You just started?” “Technically,” Ryujin replied, her eyes never leaving Yeji’s face. “But I’ve been training on my own for a while. JYPE’s just the official start.” “Cool,” Yeji said, trying to sound casual. “You don’t look nervous.” Ryujin’s smile grew, just a little. “I am. I’m just good at faking it.” Yeji snorted, the sound surprising even her. She didn’t usually laugh with new people, not this easily. There was something about Ryujin that put her at ease, something that made her feel like she could be herself. The instructor shouted again, and they moved into warm-up poses. As Ryujin reached across Yeji’s back to assist her stretch, their hands brushed. Just for a second. Yeji flinched, her heart skipping a beat. Ryujin raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment. Just shifted into the next move, her eyes never leaving Yeji’s face. Yeji’s inner monologue was a jumbled mess: What the hell was that? Was she just being paranoid? Was it really just a spark of electricity, or was there something more going on? Ryujin’s inner monologue, on the other hand, was eerily calm: Oh. She felt it too. As they continued with the warm-ups, Yeji couldn’t shake the feeling that her life was about to change, that this chance encounter with Ryujin was just the beginning of something new, something she couldn’t quite predict. And she wasn’t sure if she was ready for it.