The morning sun slices through city skyscrapers as Yuna stares at her suitcase, willing it to close. Clothes spill out in neon, pastel and glittering formalwear. Sunglasses, floppy hats and seashell earrings dangle off the edges.
Mina's perched on Yuna's bed, filing her nails and offering unhelpful commentary.
"Babe, you only need, like... seven bikinis. Not seventeen."
Yuna glares. "You say that now, but what if there's a sudden tropical hurricane and I need emergency fashion options?"
Ari, cross-legged on the floor, waves a packing list in the air. "AND mosquito spray. You can't be sexy if you're covered in bumps."
Sori bustles in with a makeup bag the size of a suitcase. "And SPF! Seo will literally staple it to your forehead if you forget."
Mina clutches her chest dramatically. "Seo's coming? To our island trip? NOOO, I thought this was a vacation, not the Ministry of Fun Police!"
By noon, the whole crew converges on the VIP terminal. J-Min's bandmates, Taewon and Raejin, are arguing over who forgot the boarding passes. Sori and Ari are wrestling with oversized hats and a suspiciously large duffel bag marked "Essential Props."
Seo's there, of course...rolling a sleek suitcase, barking orders, looking like he hasn't slept in days.
"Listen carefully. This is a PRIVATE ISLAND. We're guests, not headline fodder. No scandals. No TikToks involving miniscule swimsuits. And ABSOLUTELY NO ELVIS COSTUME INCIDENTS, Raejin."
Raejin pouts. "It was tasteful performance art."
J-Min strolls in wearing a black mask and sunglasses, looking infuriatingly cool and low-key. The second he spots Yuna, his eyes crinkle above the mask.
"Hey."
Yuna tries to keep her voice steady. "Hey."
He leans close. "You look beautiful, even in an airport hoodie."
Mina squeals so loudly that Seo almost hurls his coffee. "OH MY GOD. GET A ROOM."
The group boards a private jet, much to Raejin's delight. He spins in the swivel seats while Ari tries to plug in a disco ball speaker.
Seo: "Sit down before I staple you to the seat."
Mina's filming an Instagram story: "We're going to a PRIVATE ISLAND, ONARI™. Pray for my sanity."
Raejin leans into the camera: "I'm single and available. Just sayin'."
Taewon howls. "Nobody wants your chaos!"
Meanwhile, J-Min and Yuna settle side by side. J-Min casually intertwines their pinkies, a small gesture that somehow sets Yuna's pulse racing.
Seo's voice booms from the front:
"And remember...nobody tells the press WHERE we're going."
Ari grins. "So...no coordinates on Instagram?"
Seo sighs. "Why do I even try?"
Thirty minutes into the flight, chaos reigns. Raejin's flicking pretzels at Sori. Mina's interrogating a flight attendant about the in-flight champagne list. Seo has retreated behind a newspaper, muttering:
"One week. I just have to keep them alive for one week."
Yuna gazes out the window at the endless blue sky. Her phone buzzes with a secret message from J-Min:
[J-Min]
Wanna come watch the clouds with me in the back cabin?
She blushes and types back:
[Yuna]
Isn't this entire plane for cloud-watching?
[J-Min]
Not like this. 😉
Minutes later, they slip into the back cabin...a little lounge with curved windows and plush chairs. J-Min pulls her close.
"I can't wait for this week. No cameras. No hiding."
Yuna's cheeks go pink. "And...swimsuits."
He groans playfully. "Don't talk about that yet. I'm trying to behave."
She laughs. "You? Behave?"
J-Min lowers his voice. "I'm serious. It's the first time in ages I can just...breathe. I want to make memories with you. Just us. Without...this."
He gestures vaguely around them...planes, staff, cameras, endless schedules.
Yuna brushes her fingers along his jaw. "You deserve a break too."
J-Min's eyes soften. "So do you."
Their foreheads press together. For a heartbeat, the entire jet seems to fall away.
Seo suddenly yanks the door open. "I KNEW IT. NO SECRET MAKEOUTS. SIT DOWN. SEATBELTS."
Yuna shrieks as J-Min jumps like he's been electrocuted.
The plane dips low over a ribbon of turquoise water. Palm trees wave below, beaches white as powdered sugar. A private landing strip appears among the greenery.
Everyone crowds the windows, gasping.
Raejin: "LOOK AT THAT WATER. I'M GONNA CRY."
Ari: "I'm going to do cartwheels on that beach."
Mina: "I'm gonna find a hot lifeguard and marry him."
Seo deadpans, "Nobody's getting married this week. Nobody."
Stepping off the plane is like stepping into a perfume ad: warm breeze, salty sea air, sun glinting off gentle waves.
A sleek speedboat waits to ferry them across glassy waters. As they glide over the ocean, Yuna clutches J-Min's arm. The water below is so clear, she can see colourful fish flickering beneath the hull.
J-Min murmurs, "Welcome to paradise."
She leans closer. "I still can't believe this is real."
"Same," he admits. "But I'm glad it's with you."
They share a quiet moment as the island grows larger on the horizon. White sands. Lush jungle. An enormous white villa perched above an infinity pool.
The staff greets them at the dock with cool towels and trays of fresh pineapple. Ari nearly swoons. Sori and Mina start plotting Instagram shots. Raejin immediately requests to be carried in a sedan chair "like royalty."
Seo barks, "WALK. LIKE. A. NORMAL. PERSON."
Inside the villa, the floors gleam. Ceiling fans spin lazily. Huge windows reveal a panorama of ocean and palm trees. Bedrooms sprawl like private apartments. Infinity pool sparkles outside.
Ari: "It's a palace."
Mina: "It's bigger than my apartment building."
Raejin: "I'm peeing in every bathroom just to say I've been in them all."
Seo groans. "Please don't."
Seo stands at the centre of the foyer, waving his clipboard:
"RULES. Everyone picks one room. No swapping. No sneaking into other rooms after dark. And NO impromptu concerts at 2 AM, Raejin!"
Raejin: "No promises."
Taewon and Raejin instantly race each other up the stairs. Ari shrieks from a balcony, "THERE'S A SWINGING HAMMOCK!" Mina's already testing out bathtubs for selfie angles. Sori's counting closet space.
Meanwhile, J-Min gently tugs Yuna toward the suite furthest down the hall. The view from the window takes her breath away: endless ocean, all the way to the horizon.
J-Min leans in close, voice low. "We're gonna have an unforgettable week, Yuna."
Her stomach flips.
By the time they're unpacked, the sun sinks toward the sea, gilding the waves orange and pink. Staff light lanterns along pathways. Island birds chatter in the trees.
Everyone gathers on the terrace for fresh fruit and sparkling water. Even Seo seems slightly unwound, sipping pineapple juice instead of coffee.
Mina raises her glass: "To chaos, to sunshine and to ONARI™ not murdering us for being extra."
Raejin: "And to hot people in swimsuits tomorrow!"
Seo rubs his temples. "I hate this trip."
J-Min only grins at Yuna, brushing her hair off her cheek.
"Tomorrow," he murmurs, "I want to see you on the beach."
Yuna's heart skips. "Just...don't drown me."
He winks. "No promises."
The stars ignite overhead. The air smells of salt and hibiscus. Everyone laughs and bickers under the glow of lanterns. And for the first time in weeks, Yuna feels the world slow down.
Tomorrow, the island adventures truly begin.