**Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter**

The fluorescent lights of the mall cast a harsh glare on the group of friends as they made their way through the crowded corridors, their cameras and microphones capturing every joke, every quip, and every silly moment for the thousands of viewers tuning in to their live stream. Jason, with his short, fluffy bleach-dyed hair and brown eyes, was in his element, cracking jokes and making funny faces to keep the chat engaged. He was a little chubby, but it was all in the right places - his thighs and hips were rounded, while his waist dipped inward, giving him a soft, endearing appearance. To his right was Adapt, 28 and towering over most people at 6 feet tall, with buzzed brown hair and a fit physique that he maintained through his love of gaming and working out. He was a bit awkward, but his easy smile and brown eyes made him instantly likable. Lacy, 23 and 5'6" with short brown hair, chuckled and joked with the others, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. Ron, 5'3" with short, fluffy brown hair and bleached tips, grinned mischievously as he tried to get a reaction out of Max, 5'6" with shaved dark brown hair and a dark complexion. As they walked, Jason couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He glanced around, taking in the sea of strangers, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. He shrugged it off, attributing it to the fact that they were, after all, a group of YouTubers drawing attention wherever they went. But as he scanned the crowd again, he felt a shiver run down his spine. The group paused as Lacy lagged behind to buy everyone some water. Jason checked his chat, Rage peering over his shoulder to see what all the fuss was about. The chat was blowing up with messages about a handsome guy behind them. Rage looked around, confused, until his eyes landed on a tall, pale-skinned man with fluffy natural dirty blond hair and dark brown eyes, sitting in a chair about 20 feet away. He was wearing sunglasses, but there was no mistaking his chiseled features and striking appearance. "Whoa, chat's right, that guy's a looker," Rage said, nodding in approval. Silky and Max joked that they were being gay, but Lacy, returning with the waters, followed their gaze and agreed that the man was indeed handsome. Adapt just laughed, while Jason hastily snatched a water from Lacy and took a drink, trying to play it cool. Rage and Silky were already discussing going over to talk to the guy. Jason was hesitant, not wanting to bother someone who seemed to be trying to relax. "Guys, come on, let's not disturb him," he said, but Ron loudly agreed with Rage and Silky, egging them on. The group began to move towards the mysterious stranger, Adapt and Jason bringing up the rear. As they approached, Rage cleared his throat and introduced himself. "Hey, you're pretty handsome, dude. I'm Rage." The man, Sangwoo, smiled faintly and introduced himself, pushing his sunglasses up onto his head. His eyes, a deep brown, scanned the group before locking onto Jason, who felt a jolt of electricity run through his body. Sangwoo's gaze was intense, almost...watchful. "And you are...?" Sangwoo asked, his voice low and smooth, his eyes never leaving Jason's face. The others looked confused as to why Sangwoo wouldn't ask someone closer, but Jason nervously introduced himself, feeling a sense of unease. As Sangwoo's eyes roved over him, Jason shivered, despite the warmth of the mall. The atmosphere seemed to shift, becoming heavier, as Sangwoo continued to regard Jason with an unnerving intensity. The others, oblivious to the tension, chatted and joked, but Jason's instincts screamed at him to be cautious. What happens next?