The excitement in the house was already at its peak as the girls got ready for the concert. Music blasted from the speakers, and the entire place was a chaotic mix of makeup brushes, dresses, and loud voices arguing over accessories.
Sana yelled from the bathroom, "Has anyone seen my eyeliner?! The brown one, not the black—the brown one!"
Farah, legs crossed on the couch, casually flipped through her camera settings. "Check Mira. She took half my things yesterday."
Mira popped her head in, holding a hair straightener like a weapon. "I didn't! I swear! I bought one last month, remember?"
Yasmine zoomed past, one boot on and the other missing. "Okay but where's my other shoe?! Why is only one here?!"
Farah replied "I think I saw it Under the couch."
Yasmine dropped to her knees. "I KNEW it!"
In her room Asiya adjusted the intricate straps of her sleek black top that hugged her frame perfectly, the structured lines adding an edge. The cropped cut showed just a sliver of her toned stomach, paired with high-waisted pants that draped elegantly over her strappy heels, elongating her silhouette. Her long, pin-straight hair shimmered under the lights, and her sharp winged liner gave her an air of effortless cool.
Asiya walked out of her room. She looked calm and composed.
Everyone turned to look at her.
"…You're kidding me," Mira muttered.
Yasmine pointed. "This is why I said she should've been our stylist."
Asiya blinked. "I literally threw this on in fifteen minutes."
"Exactly," Sana said, emerging from the bathroom with one perfect wing and a scowl. "That's the problem."
A beat passed, and then they all erupted into groans. Yasmine clasped her hands together. "Yes. You look expensive. You look unapproachable."
"Good," Asiya said, laughing. "That's the goal."
Yasmine raised a brow. "Honestly, you could walk into the backstage entrance and they'd just assume you belong."
"I'd try that if I didn't already have to babysit you guys," Asiya teased.
"Yeah—hehe—now could you STOP MOVING?!" Yasmine said, lining Yasmine's eyes with a shaky hand.
"You poked me in the eye!"
Mira scowled, tugging the eyeliner away. "You moved!"
"I blinked!"
"Asiyaaaa," Mira whined.
Asiya groaned, already knowing what was coming.
"Asiya since you're done can you please finish her makeup, I have to do mine as well," Yasmine pleaded.
"Ugh, okay. Come here," Asiya said.
Mira sat obediently, trying not to blink this time. "No offense Yasmine, but Her hands are way gentler than Yours."
"None taken," Yasmine muttered with her lips pressed as she applied her own lipstick.
"Close your eyes. Relax your face."
Asiya took her time finishing Mira's makeup "Aaannd... you're done."
"Thank youuu," Mira grinned.
"No prob. Now hurry up and wear your heels," Asiya replied as she leaned back on the window ledge, scrolling through her phone.
After almost ten minutes, Asiya shouted:
"Are you DONE?!"
"Almost!!"
"Hurry up! I'm fed up!"
"Okay, okay, here we are!" they finally said, stepping out.
And wow—worth the wait.
Mira looked cute and playful in a sleeveless neon green crop top with a black mini skirt that flared slightly at the hem. A ring belt cinched her waist, and she paired it with black thigh-high socks, chunky combat boots, and a small black shoulder bag.
Yasmine went for a street-style edge with a black off-shoulder long sleeve crop top layered over a bralette, paired with high-waisted ruched cargo pants in khaki and a belt that hung long at her side. Chunky black shoes completed her look.
Farah looked sweet but edgy in a black sleeveless crop top with a sheer chest panel, high-waisted faux leather shorts, a cropped black jacket, and studded ankle boots. Her hair was styled half-up, and her makeup was soft except for a bold swipe of metallic silver liner.
Sana wore a black mini dress layered with an oversized light-wash denim jacket, adding a casual, laid-back contrast to the fitted base. She carried a small black shoulder bag and wore white platform sneakers with black ribbon-style laces, paired with knee-high socks—a playful, preppy combo that made her stand out. Her long, wavy hair added softness.
Asiya tilted her head, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Look at you guys… you're actually adorable."
The girls turned to each other and immediately cracked up.
"Adorable? In these outfits?" Farah snorted.
She thinks we're cute no matter what," Mira said, shaking her head.
"We're not cute—we're stunning,"
Yasmine flipping her hair like she was on a runway. "Hot. Elegant."
"Yeah," Sana added, smirking. "Get it right next time, Asiya."
Asiya giggled. "Alright, alright. My bad—You're stunning. Happy now."
"But seriously," Sana added, glancing around. "We kind of slayed, right?"
"Obviously," Yasmine tossed her hair dramatically.
"Okay, now let's go!"
The ride to the concert venue was filled with excitement. The girls couldn't stop talking about the setlist, the performances, and which songs they were dying to hear live.
Asiya, though, was silently replaying everything in her head—especially the moment she met Kian. She shook the thought away as they finally arrived.
The energy outside the venue hit them like a wave.
Fans swarmed the entrance. Posters, Lightsticks and Chants. It was surreal. The cousins stood in line, chatting excitedly, nervously adjusting their outfits.
Mira tugged at her top. "Okay, now I'm nervous."
Yasmine's eyes sparkled. "We're actually here. I can't believe this."
Farah started filming immediately, capturing the chaos, the excitement, the realness of it all. "Say hi to the vlog!"
Mira jumped in front of the camera. "We're about to enter the jungle—row eighty-six, never-heard-of!"
Asiya laughed softly, shaking her head. "Let's just try not to get trampled."
The security staff began scanning tickets one by one. Farah held her breath as her turn came.
Security Guard: (looking at the screen) "Ticket scanned... Okay, next."
But then, something unusual happened. The guard's expression shifted. He tapped a few things on his tablet, then looked back up at them, eyebrows slightly raised.
Security Guard: (checking again) "Hmm... One moment, please."
Asiya and the others glanced at each other, confused. Why was he hesitating?
The guard swiped his hand across the tablet and then spoke into his radio.
Security Guard: "I've got a group of standing tickets... but these seem to have been upgraded. Please come with me."
"Sorry, what?" Asiya blinked.
"VIP. Your tickets were upgraded."
Farah blinked. "Is my Korean that bad or Did he just say VIP ?"
Sana looked at Asiya. "Did you…?"
"No!" Asiya shook her head, turning to the guard. "Sorry, but there must be a mistake—we bought regular."
Security Guard: "You've been chosen for a lucky upgrade."
"A lucky upgrade—all of us?!"
"Yeah. Now please follow me to Zone A for early access."
Sana started laughing. Mira burst into happy tears. Farah caught everything on camera, shaky hands and all.
Asiya thought, Is it... Kian? Did he—? But how?
She barely had time to process it as they were led closer and closer to the stage. They passed rows and rows of people.
"This is insane," Yasmine whispered, clutching Asiya's hand.
"How is this even happening?" Farah breathed out.
"DO NOT QUESTION IT," Mira hissed. "JUST ACCEPT IT!"
Asiya was overwhelmed. The VIP section. The best seats in the house.
It didn't feel real.
When they reached the front, the security guard smiled and gestured for them to enter. "You ladies are lucky tonight! Enjoy the show."
They stepped into the space, breath catching in their throats. The view. The proximity. The sheer size of the crowd behind them.
As they settled in , Asiya was still trying to process everything. This was beyond lucky. But something about it felt... off.
It was just too perfect.
Behind the stage—
The bass from the opening track vibrated softly through the stage floor. Hidden just behind the curtain, Kian stood with one hand tucked in his jacket pocket. His eyes scanned the crowd, unfocused—until they landed on her.
He couldn't see her clearly, not through the haze and lights—but he knew. That was her. Asiya. A little stiff, a touch wide-eyed, clearly unsure how to act as the crowd around her buzzed with energy. He almost chuckled. "Of course she'd be calm while the whole place was losing it."
A breath escaped him—soft, amused. She really came. And somehow, that made him happy.
But then her cousins—oh, they were already gone. One of them shook her shoulders, another started dancing without shame, and a third yelled something that made all of them crack up. A smile broke across Asiya's face, bright and carefree.
Kian just watched. They were laughing, nudging each other, already hyped before the music even started. His lips curved before he noticed, the amusement flickering across his face.
"Kian!" yu jin's voice cut in as he jogged up behind him, headset already in place. "Hyung's calling. Final check—let's go."
Kian nodded, slipping the mic pack into place and stepping back from the curtain.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." He blinked, still smiling just a little.