The lights dimmed.
A moment of pure silence passed over the arena like a wave—sharp, sudden, and electric. Then—
BOOM.
A thunderous beat dropped, rattling the air. Strobes pulsed in sync with the bass as a massive screen behind the stage lit up in glitchy reds and whites. The crowd roared, a sound so loud it shook the floor.
Screams erupted. The girls lost it.
"OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!" Mira screamed, gripping Yasmine's arm.
"I CAN'T BREATHE," Yasmine squealed.
Farah's hands trembled as she clutched her camera. Sana was practically bouncing.
Asiya felt the bass vibrate through her chest as the stage lit up, revealing the members of ECLIPSE.
A row of silhouettes appeared behind the screen—tall figures framed in backlight, unmoving like statues. Then the screen shattered in an animated explosion of color, and ECLIPSE stepped onto the stage.
The crowd went feral.
Kian was the last to walk out. He wore a sleek black bomber with silver detailing and leather straps that danced with his movements. His long hair was pulled half-up, strands falling around his face. When he lifted his mic to his lips and smirked—the arena lost it.
The music exploded into their first song—"ZERO GRAVITY"—a fierce anthem of freedom and power. The choreography was sharp, bodies slicing through the air in perfect synchrony. The boys owned the stage like they were the storm.
Han Jae's rap came in like fire, fast and smooth.
Shion flipped backward into his part with impossible grace.
Kian took center.
He moved with precision, every gesture purposeful. His voice came through the speakers—intense, almost teasing. His gaze swept over the crowd.
Asiya's breath caught. Her eyes had been locked on Kian the moment he stepped on stage. But this—this wasn't the boy who had stood in her kitchen, tired and hoodie-clad, softly thanking her for food. It wasn't the one who glanced down, flustered. That version of him had vanished.
Now, under the stage lights, he was a storm in motion.
Gone was the softness in his eyes. In its place burned something sharp—confident, magnetic. He didn't just perform; he owned the space around him, commanding it with every step. His gaze, once hesitant, now burned with intensity.
Asiya couldn't look away. Was this really the same person?
Because on that stage, Kian wasn't the boy hiding behind her door.
He was fire. Untouchable. A performer in full control.
She could feel it in the way her chest tightened.
They moved into the next song—"HORIZON"—an upbeat track with swirling synths and harmonized vocals. The choreography loosened up, and the crowd swayed together like a sea. Lightsticks bobbed like stars.
Behind her, Mira yelled, "THEY ARE EVEN HOTTER IN REAL LIFE!"
Kian was laughing on stage—really laughing—as yu jin messed up a move and Jungmin tried to cover it up by freestyling. The energy was raw, unrehearsed, alive. The members played off each other like brothers.
Between songs, the lights dimmed slightly. Han Jae stepped forward, brushing a hand through his damp hair.
Hyun woo grabbed the mic.
"Seoul," he breathed. "You look good tonight."
Fans screamed.
As the concert continued, Asiya forgot everything.
The music, the energy, the lights—it pulled her in.
She wasn't just watching; she was living the moment.
She sang along loudly, her voice mixing with the thousands of others in the crowd. She danced, her body moving to the beat naturally. Her cousins were just as wild—Mira was jumping, Yasmine was screaming lyrics, and Sana and Farah were clapping in sync with the music.
For a moment, they weren't in Korea.
They weren't thinking about responsibilities, jobs, or anything else.
They were just free.
And Asiya didn't care if she looked crazy.
She was having fun.
At some point, ECLIPSE launched into another track—"RUNAWAY CODE"—hard-hitting and explosive. Sweat glistened on their skin under the lights. Kian's jacket was long gone, tossed to the side during a dance break. His muscles flexed beneath the sleeveless black shirt that clung to him. His voice cracked raw near the end, emotion laced in every syllable.
Without realizing it, Asiya was singing and jumping—she went crazy.
On stage, Kian's head turned—his eyes caught how she swayed with the music, how she smiled genuinely.
That was a side of hers he hadn't seen.
She wasn't trying to get attention.
She wasn't screaming their names.
She was just… in her own world.
And that caught his attention more than anything.
Asiya, of course, had no idea.
She was too lost in the moment.
When the last song ended, the venue exploded with cheers. The members stood together, bowing and thanking everyone.
Asiya was breathless, her heart still pounding.
Yasmine turned to her, grinning. "That… Was… INSANE."
Mira wiped sweat from her forehead. "My voice is gone."
Sana was fanning herself. "We just witnessed the best concert of our lives."
Farah leaned against Asiya, exhausted. "I'm thirsty."
Asiya laughed, shaking her head.
She had so much fun she almost forgot the weird VIP upgrade.
Almost.
But now, the concert was over.
The crowd began to shuffle out of the arena, still buzzing with leftover adrenaline. Asiya and her cousins followed the slow tide toward the exit, voices hoarse, cheeks flushed, and legs sore from dancing.
Just as they reached the exit doors, a staff member stepped forward, holding up a laminated sign that read:
"VIP TICKET HOLDERS → AUTOGRAPH SESSION THIS WAY"
The girls froze.
"…Wait, what?" Sana blinked.
"Autograph?" Mira echoed, turning to Asiya.
The staff member smiled, motioning to a hallway branching off from the main entrance.
"If you're VIP, please follow the signs. The members of ECLIPSE will meet you shortly for autographs."
Screaming.
Real, uncontrollable screaming.
Yasmine dropped her water bottle.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" she shrieked.
"We're… we're meeting them?!" Mira gasped, clinging to Asiya's arm.
Asiya's eyes widened. Her mind raced.
"I… I didn't even realize this meant we'd meet them," she whispered.
Farah was already grabbing her by the wrist. "WE'RE GOING. MOVE."
"I need a mirror—does anyone have lip balm?" Mira asked, digging through her purse in panic.
Yasmine was practically levitating. "DO I LOOK OKAY?! DO I LOOK LIKE A HUMAN?!"
Asiya was quiet.
Because now, her heart was pounding for a different reason.
She was going to see Kian again.
Not on stage this time.
Up close.
Face to face.
And she had no idea how things would turn out.
The hallway to the VIP room was quiet—eerily quiet compared to the storm they had just left behind in the concert hall.
Asiya's footsteps echoed softly on the floor. Her cousins walked beside her, still high on adrenaline but slowly falling into nervous silence. The buzz of reality crept in.
"We're meeting them," Mira whispered.
"I'm gonna forget how to speak," Yasmine muttered.
Farah clutched her phone like it was her last lifeline. "What do I say? What if I stutter?"
"I will stutter," Sana said calmly, "and I'm fine with it."
Asiya stayed quiet, her heartbeat far too loud in her ears.
They were ushered into a warmly lit room, minimal in décor but buzzing with anticipation. Velvet ropes marked a path, and at the end of the line, a long table stood—empty for now.
A staff member handed each of them a signed ECLIPSE album booklet and a numbered card.
"Please wait in order. The boys will be here shortly."
They waited.
Minutes felt like hours.
And then—
The door behind the table opened.
Seven boys walked in.
Smiling, glowing with sweat and energy, dressed in fresh casual outfits. Still breathless from the concert, still sparkling from the stage.
The room shifted.
Girls in line gasped. Someone behind them squealed.
The members began to take their seats one by one, greeting fans politely as they settled. Han Jae cracked a joke as he sat, Jungmin playfully bumped shoulders with yu jin, and Shion gave a little bow to the fans already lined up.
The line moved slowly.
Fan by fan, name by name, signature by signature.
Each member greeted the girls, made jokes, took their time.
Her cousins were right ahead of her, giggling and whispering in Arabic. Sometimes, they turned to her for help, struggling with their Korean.
Yasmine was first.
She squealed something in half-Korean, half-English that even she didn't fully understand, but the boys were gracious, smiling and laughing with her. She gripped her signed album like it was gold, stumbled away starstruck, and nearly tripped over nothing.
Sana came next, and introduced herself.
Jungmin smiled kindly and leaned forward, teasing, "You speak Korean well."
Sana tilted her head, her voice smooth as steel: "I should hope so. I've been studying since you were a trainee."
A beat of silence. Then—
Han Jae choked on his water. yu jin's head snapped up.
Jungmin smirked : "…Damn."
Sana laughed "Enjoy your night."
Farah stood awkwardly in front of yu jin, heart pounding in her chest.
When he asked her name, she blinked and forgot it entirely.
"Uhhh… Farah?" she answered like it was a question.
yu jin chuckled. "Farah-ssi, nice to meet you."
Mira was next—and she completely froze.
She stepped in front of Shion, eyes wide, mouth opening—but no sound came out.
Shion tilted his head gently. "Are you okay?"
Mira turned toward Asiya in a panic and whispered in Arabic, "كيفاش نقول الي هو مذهل؟"
(How do I say you're amazing in Korean?)
Asiya blinked, trying not to laugh. "너 진짜 멋있어요," she whispered back.
Mira repeated it shyly, stumbling through the syllables.
Shion lit up. "Ah, jinjja? Gomawo!"(oh really thank you)
He smiled so brightly that Mira nearly forgot how to breathe. Her cheeks were on fire as she moved down the line, whispering, "I'm going to die. I'm going to die."
Asiya couldn't help but smile. Her cousins were all melting.
The girls behind Mira were giggling, nudging each other and switching between Arabic, English, and bits of broken Korean.
Even as she approached each member, her cousins occasionally leaned over, tugging at her sleeve or whispering things like:
"How do you say 'You're my bias' again?"
"Do I bow first?"
"Is it rude to give a compliment?"
"Tell Jungmin I love his rap part!"
"Tell Kian—wait no, never mind, I can't."
One by one, the boys signed Asiya's cousins' albums with kindness and curiosity, surprised and charmed by the girls' energy. Each encounter was short but sincere.
And then… it was her turn.
She clutched her album with both hands. Her feet moved on their own as she stepped up to the table—heart pounding, mouth dry.
She stepped forward.
Han Jae was first.
"Annyeong," he greeted, flashing a charming smile.
Asiya bowed slightly, returning the greeting with a quiet smile.
He signed her album and asked, "Are you having fun tonight?"
She nodded. "It was… amazing. You guys were incredible."
"Thank you!" he beamed, handing the album along.
Shion smiled at her softly. "Your friend was cute."
"She's my cousin," Asiya said.
"Ah… cousins. You all look like you had fun."
"We did, they can speak Korean quite good actually but I think seeing you all in person made them stutter" she answered honestly.
"oh really hhh "
Ray gave her a calm nod, his energy gentle. "Thanks for coming."
She returned the gesture. "Thank you for the music."
He paused, gaze softening. "That means a lot."
And just like that, her album moved down the line again.
She kept moving, heart beating faster with every step.
Then—
Kian.
He was finishing up signing the previous album, head tilted down, his hand moving slowly.
And then he looked up.
His gaze met hers.
His pen froze mid-signature. The room's chatter dulled to a hum and for a heartbeat, it was just them.