The penthouse was quiet, the skyline below glittering like a frozen sea of lights. Equinox had gathered again, drawn by the new track Yul had been developing—Obedience.
Dara leaned on the doorway, observing. "You've been quiet, Yul. Too quiet."
"I'm fine," Yul said smoothly, eyes on the console. "It's just… focus."
Juno didn't move, arms crossed. "We'll see."
Yul hit play. The opening beat was sharp, commanding, a mixture of trap and synth-pop. The pulse seemed to echo in the walls themselves.
Obedience (Equinox Version)
(Verse 1 – Yul / SOL)🎵 Follow me, 따라와 (Follow me, come to me)🎵 Taste the night, 불꽃 속에 (In the flames of night)🎵 Feel the power, 내 손을 잡아 (Grab my hand and feel the power)🎵 We ignite, 저 달 아래 (Under that moon we ignite)
Choreography: Yul starts center stage, one arm reaching forward as if commanding the air itself, the other tracing circles that seem to pull the rhythm toward him. Feet step lightly, almost floating, turning as his coat flares.
(Pre-Chorus – Juno / JUNO)🎵 Hear the whispers, 귀를 기울여 (Listen closely to the whispers)🎵 Shadows dancing, 그림자 속에 (In the shadows they are dancing)🎵 All your fears, 놓아버려 (Let go of all your fears)🎵 We're alive, 이 순간 속에 (We're alive in this moment)
Choreography: Juno sweeps across the room with strong, angular movements—arms slicing the air, chest isolations. Spins punctuate each lyric, echoing the "shadow" imagery.
(Verse 2 – Dara / DARAM)🎵 Step in line, 내 속삭임 따라 (Follow my whispers)🎵 Heartbeats sync, 심장 뛰는 소리 따라 (Sync to the sound of hearts)🎵 Every touch, 느껴봐 내 불 (Feel my fire in every touch)🎵 Lose control, 눈을 감아봐 (Close your eyes and lose control)
Choreography: Dara moves with flirtatious sharpness, hand gestures inviting, fingertips tracing the rhythm like casting invisible spells. Quick pivots and jumps mirror the pulse of her lines.
(Bridge – Rien / RIEN & Nox / NOX)🎵 Silent screams, 조용한 비명 속에서 (In the silent screams)🎵 Take the crown, 왕관을 잡아 (Grab the crown)🎵 All in me, 내 안에 모두 (All is within me)🎵 Obey me, 나를 따르라 (Follow me)
Choreography: Rien and Nox mirror each other in near-perfect synchrony, fluid movements contrasting the sharpness of Dara and Juno. Rien spins while pointing skyward; Nox steps low, sweeping out with each hand as if pulling the audience into the rhythm.
(Chorus – All)🎵 Obedience, 순종해 (Obey)🎵 In the night, 밤 속에서 (In the night)🎵 Feel the fire, 불길을 느껴 (Feel the flames)🎵 We're untouchable, 우린 닿을 수 없어 (We're untouchable)
Choreography: All five members form a V-shaped formation. They step sharply in unison, each hand flicking toward the center then shooting outward as if propelling the energy of the song. Spins and lifts punctuate the chorus, synchronized to the beat drop.
(Verse 3 – Yul / SOL – rap overlay)🎵 Listen close, 내 목소릴 들어 (Listen close, hear my voice)🎵 Bend your will, 의지를 꺾어 (Bend your will)🎵 Follow me, 따라와 나를 (Follow me, follow me)🎵 Obey, 순종해 이제 (Obey, now obey)
Choreography: Yul steps forward, voice commanding. He moves in slow, hypnotic motions, arms sweeping wide as if gathering the energy of the room, pulling everyone into his rhythm.
(Outro – All, layered harmonies)🎵 Obedience, 순종해 (Obey)🎵 Hearts aflame, 심장 불타게 (Hearts aflame)🎵 We rise, 우리는 올라가 (We rise)🎵 Obey me now, 지금 나를 따르라 (Obey me now)
Choreography: The group converges center stage, rotating in a slow 360°, hands raised, mirroring the pulsating synth lines. The finale ends with a freeze in a sharp "X" formation, all eyes forward, commanding attention.
Equinox stared at each other when the playback ended. The song was mesmerizing, intoxicating, almost too powerful. Yul's voice—captivating, golden, commanding—drew their focus entirely.
But behind the smiles and applause, each member sensed it. Something darker lingered in the track. Something planted.
And as the echo of the last beat faded, Yul's chest tightened—Vatu's whispers curling into his mind, subtle yet insistent.
"Soon," it said. "They'll obey… and they will all belong to me."
Equinox didn't know it yet, but this song would not just entertain—they would be the first wave of control.
The studio lights dimmed after the rehearsal, leaving the room glowing only from the scattered LED panels and the faint shine of the city outside. Yul leaned against the console, catching his breath. The other members of Equinox were sprawled across the floor or slouched on the couches, adrenaline still buzzing through their veins.
Dara picked up her phone first, her fingers flying over the screen. "We need to drop a snippet," she said, her voice sharp but excited. "Fans are going to explode when they hear this."
Juno frowned, but only slightly. "Are you sure it's safe? Not everyone should hear all of it yet."
Yul's golden eyes flicked toward him. "It's just a tease. Nothing too revealing."
Rien hesitated, then nodded. "We'll make it short. The chorus, just enough for impact."
Nox, still bouncing on the couch, practically shrieked with glee. "Yes! Let's watch the world melt."
Dara uploaded the snippet—thirty seconds of Obedience. The camera angle captured all five members in formation, their choreography sharp and hypnotic. Yul's voice cut through the mix: commanding, honeyed, intoxicating. Each word pulled the viewer deeper, and the Korean phrases were translated in the subtitles, so no fan would miss the hidden nuances:
🎵 Obedience, 순종해 (Obey)🎵 In the night, 밤 속에서 (In the night)🎵 Feel the fire, 불길을 느껴 (Feel the flames)🎵 We're untouchable, 우린 닿을 수 없어 (We're untouchable)
Dara pressed "Post." Within seconds, the snippet was live on all official Equinox channels.
Monarch's Tower – Monitoring
High above the city, the Monarch penthouse hummed quietly. Jiwon sat at the wide, glassed-in control room, Zayn and Kai flanking him. Screens displayed real-time metrics: streaming counts, hashtags, social engagement.
Min leaned back, fingers lightly brushing the edge of the console, sensing the energy in the snippet. "It's… intense," he murmured. "Not just musically. Something else."
Jiwon's jaw tightened. "I know exactly what it is." His eyes never left the screen. Yul's voice, the choreography, even the Korean phrases—it was designed to influence, to command. The mark of Vatu was embedded in the pulse of the song.
Kai whistled low. "Fans are already hyped. Look at these comments—'This is hypnotic,' 'I can't stop playing this,' 'Yul is… mesmerizing.'"
Zayn's brow furrowed. "It's more than mesmerizing. It's manipulative. They're being primed for something."
Jiwon leaned back, hand brushing his silver in-ear charm. "Vatu's influence is subtle, but it's there. We need to track the impact immediately. Every stream, every view, every share—it's a thread connecting to the same target."
Min swallowed. "The song… it's like it's whispering. Not just to the fans, but to him too."
Jiwon's eyes darkened. "I know. And we need to make sure it doesn't reach anyone else before we act. Equinox doesn't know it yet, but this snippet is a signal."
The screen refreshed—hashtags #Obedience and #EquinoxHypnotic were trending globally. The snippet views were climbing at an alarming rate.
Kai leaned forward, tapping his lip thoughtfully. "So what's our move? We just… sit back and wait?"
"No," Jiwon said, voice low and commanding. "We get ready. The moment the full song drops, we intervene. And if Vatu thinks he can manipulate this city through music… he hasn't met the right hunter yet."
Min glanced at Jiwon, worry threading through his normally calm features. "And Yul…?"
Jiwon's gaze lingered on the screen showing Yul's golden eyes, the confident posture, the charisma that had captivated millions. "We watch him. And when the time comes, we save him—before he becomes Vatu's instrument."