Monarch Studio – Evening
The room smelled of sweat, coffee, and vinyl — the lingering aroma of a hundred practice sessions. Jiwon sat cross-legged on the polished floor, headphones around his neck, eyes scanning the whiteboard cluttered with scribbles: movement notes, vocal runs, and beat markers.
Zayn paced behind him, sketching hand motions on a mirrored wall. "Remember, this isn't just about hitting the beat. Every step, every gesture, tells a story."
Kai bounced in place, grinning. "Story, yes. But pain. We need sharp edges. Fire. Something that makes people feel like they're being hunted."
Min stood near the mirrors, tilting his head, listening. "I feel it… the energy. We can make the floor burn if we synchronize it with the vocals."
EO, curled on the couch with a notebook, murmured melodies under his breath, barely audible. Every note he hummed seemed to pull the others toward clarity.
The Beat Drops – Recording Booth
Jiwon rose, mic in hand. The instrumental blasted: heavy bass, distorted synth, rhythmic slams of snares — aggressive, pulsing, and unapologetic.
He spoke the first line, not singing yet:
"Step into the fire… feel it chasing you."
Zayn counted it in with hand signals. The five of them hit the floor in formation: a jagged V, sharp lines, knees bent, torsos coiling like springs. Every movement punctuated the beat — footwork like stalking, hands slicing the air, bodies moving like predators.
The first vocal line exploded over the speakers:
(Jiwon – first verse)"Bloodlines mark the path we take,Every heartbeat a war we make…"
He spun sharply, landing with a stomp that sent tremors through the studio floorboards. Min slid across the polished surface, arms tracing the line of Jiwon's trajectory, catching the rhythm perfectly.
Kai leapt into the center, snapping the beat with a series of aggressive hand gestures that mirrored the distorted synth stabs.
EO's falsetto floated above the chaos, weaving tension like smoke, softening the edges just enough for the next drop to hit harder.
Zayn barked the counts: "Three! Two! One!"
The chorus hit like a punch. Each member executed a sharp, precise sequence: Jiwon's fist slicing through the air, Kai spinning mid-step, EO catching Min in a lift, Zayn anchoring the movement so everything felt impossible but natural.
(Chorus – all)"Strike the night, we break, we claim,Run with fire, remember our name…"
The studio speakers reverberated. The sweat on their foreheads gleamed. Each breath synced perfectly with the aggressive stomp of the percussion.
Between Takes
The boys collapsed into chairs, chests heaving. Jiwon's hand hovered near the edge of the control panel, eyes fixed on the playback.
"That," Min said softly, voice still trembling from exertion, "is exactly the sound of us. Like… it's alive."
Kai slapped the whiteboard. "Alive? It's a beast. It's taking over the room."
EO nodded, scribbling notes feverishly. "We can tweak the last drop, add a falsetto layer that echoes like… a shadow following the chorus. It'll hit harder."
Zayn stood with arms crossed, silent for a moment, then muttered, "It's good. Dangerous good. Like it's breathing and waiting for someone to challenge it."
Jiwon exhaled slowly. "That's the point. I want the audience to feel hunted… but not by a demon. By us. By the sound of our bloodlines."
Next Day – Equinox's Live Showcase
The arena was alive with anticipation. Thousands of fans, each waving glow sticks in perfect unison, created a river of color stretching from the stage to the back of the hall. The cameras flashed relentlessly; the air vibrated with a mix of electricity and expectation.
Back in the Monarch dorm, the five of them gathered around the TV, coffees in hand, sweat still lingering from their morning rehearsal. The media had hyped this as Equinox's "unofficial debut of the new era," and every outlet speculated that Monarch would be watching.
Jiwon's eyes narrowed as the lights dimmed on screen. "This… this is going to show us what we're up against."
Kai leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I just want to see how Yul's singing. That's it. No competition. I promise."
Min didn't speak, but his hand hovered near his chest as the first notes played — faint, ethereal, but immediately commanding.
The Stage Lights Up
Equinox appeared like a vision. Yul stood center stage, dressed in a flowing black coat with gold embroidery catching the lights. The spotlight painted him as both a god and a predator. His voice carried effortlessly across the arena, captivating the crowd before a single move had been made.
(Yul – opening verse)"Shadows bleed where the sun won't reach,I walk the line that angels teach…"
The lyrics alone sent a shiver down Monarch's spines. Even Zayn leaned forward, fists resting on his knees.
The choreography unfolded like storytelling in motion. Each member moved as if pulling the lyrics from the air: Juno's steps precise and cutting, Dara's body flowing yet sharp, Rien's subtle shifts like hidden daggers, Nox's jumps chaotic but perfectly timed. And Yul? Every move was a whisper of danger, a brush of silk over steel.
Monarch Watches, Internal Reactions
Jiwon's jaw tightened. He couldn't look away. "He… he's perfect. Every note, every step… it's alive."
Kai grinned, almost manic. "I told you. The man doesn't just sing. He hunts with it."
Min pressed a hand to his lips. "It's… mesmerizing. Like he's reading every soul in the arena."
EO, normally the observer, whispered under his breath, "I… can't stop watching."
Zayn's fists clenched. "This is what we're chasing. Not just another song. It's the energy. We have to rise."
Chorus Hits – Arena Explodes
(Yul & Equinox – chorus)"Fire in my veins, I'll burn the sky,Watch the world bend as I learn to fly.Chains of the past, they shatter and break,Every heartbeat a war we dare to make."
The choreography matched the intensity: Yul spun through the spotlight, coat flaring like wings of shadow. Juno mirrored him in perfect counterbalance, Dara punctuated the beat with sharp lunges, Rien leaned forward like pulling an unseen string, and Nox collided with light and motion like a living spark.
Even through the screen, Monarch could feel the tension, the push and pull, the danger and beauty entwined in every step.
Jiwon's hands itched. "We… we can do more. We will do more."
Kai slammed a fist into his palm. "He's giving us fire. And you know what that does? It makes us predators too."
Min exhaled, shaking his head. "It's… perfection. But it's also terrifying. And we're still alive to respond."
EO whispered, "It's haunting… but I want to learn it. I want to feel it."
Bridge – Yul's Voice Hits Harder
(Yul – bridge)"Every shadow I leave behind,Every secret that haunts my mind,I cast into the fire tonight,And watch the world ignite…"
The spotlight narrowed, cutting through smoke and glitter. His voice rose, powerful and commanding. The fans went silent in awe for a second before screaming back, completely captured. Even Monarch leaned closer to the screen, holding their collective breath.
Jiwon's pulse raced. "That's it. That's the level we have to reach. That intensity, that control…"
Zayn stood, pacing slightly, already mentally mapping how to elevate their own choreography to match that weight.
Kai muttered, almost to himself, "He's not just singing. He's breathing danger. And we need it in every movement."
Final Chorus – Crowd Eruption
(All Equinox – finale)"From ashes we rise, unbroken, untamed,Every step, every note, remember the name.The fire within, it consumes and it calls,Through darkness and shadow, the golden blood falls."
The stage erupted with pyrotechnics and a swirl of light and shadow. Yul's final note lingered, stretching across the arena like a spell. The audience screamed, some crying, some shaking, many already replaying the moment on their phones.
Jiwon couldn't move. "He owned it. Every second."
Min whispered, trembling. "I can feel it in my chest… the pull, the weight."
EO nodded, wide-eyed. "It's impossible not to listen. He… he captures everything."
Zayn finally let out a sharp breath. "This isn't intimidation. It's motivation. We have to step it up—right now."
Kai, bouncing in his seat, laughed. "Oh, we will. We will rise from this fire."
Jiwon's eyes narrowed, determination flaring. "Then let's go. Every note, every step, every line… we take it higher. No holding back."
The broadcast ended, but the energy lingered. Monarch sat in silence for a beat, letting it sink in. And then… the planning began.