The next morning, Pearl moved around the apartment as if the world hadn't tilted on its axis just hours before. She kept her face blank, her steps quiet, pretending she hadn't overheard every devastating word outside her window.
Sheila sat silently on the couch, her eyes swollen, dark circles haunting her once-bright face.
Pearl forced a casual tone. "Sheila, you okay?"
A soft "hmm" was all she got in return.
Pearl didn't push. Not now. Not yet. Instead, she slipped into the kitchen, stomach growling. She opened the fridge—empty. Her brows furrowed. She *knew* she'd restocked just yesterday.
Her jaw clenched. "Kyle."
She didn't need a psychic to know where the missing groceries had gone. Her ever-broke, crypto-obsessed roommate had probably cleaned out the place again. After all the noise about his latest "moonshot" coin, he'd invested everything—and lost it. Again.
"What do they call it—rug-pulled? Crashed?" she muttered. "Whatever. He needs to stop treating this house like a free-for-all."
Storming down the hallway, she banged on Kyle's door. No answer.
Typical.
She gave it another knock, then tried the handle. Unlocked.
His laptop lay open, screen flashing red error messages, cryptocurrency charts plummeting. A harsh buzzing sound came from the headphones still tangled in his hair.
Kyle was sprawled on the floor, laptop still in his hands like it was surgically attached. His eyelids fluttered, but he didn't wake. Pearl noticed the dark circles etched beneath his eyes and sighed heavily.
"He definitely didn't sleep all night... again," she muttered.
She carefully pried the laptop from his grip and tossed it onto the bed. Adjusting his head against a pillow, she pulled the blanket over him and quietly shut the door behind her.
"What a waste of stress," she hissed under her breath.
After a quick shower and throwing on a fresh outfit, she headed out for class.
***
By the time she got to campus, she was starving and barely holding it together. As she walked toward her department, Emily appeared out of nowhere and stretched a burger toward her like it was an offering from the gods.
Pearl blinked. "How did you know I needed this?"
Emily grinned. "We're both BTS ARMYs, Pearl. It's telepathy."
Pearl chuckled, taking the burger gratefully. "Remind me to buy you lunch for this."
Emily wiggled her brows. "You can pay me back with gossip."
Pearl groaned, already sensing what was coming.
Emily leaned in, whispering excitedly. "Did you see that guy from the festival? The one who came with Fredrick's brother?"
Pearl frowned. "Came with Jason? Who?"
Emily screamed, nearly causing Pearl to choke on her burger.
"Don't tell me you didn't see that dude, Pearl! He was like... like one of those K-drama gods. Handsome, piercing blue eyes, and an aura that just screams *Daddy!*" she gushed, eyes practically glazed over in a romantic haze.
Pearl raised an eyebrow, half amused, half confused. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind
"What's his name?" she asked instinctively.
Emily snapped her fingers, trying to remember. "I think your roommate called him… Armstrong?"
Pearl froze. Armstrong? That name brought instant recognition—and a laugh she couldn't hold back.
"Wait, wait, wait—you're talking about *that* Armstrong?" she said between giggles. "Emily, you made him sound like the main lead in a steamy Netflix series. Please. That guy's a certified jerk, not some romance fantasy."
Emily looked stunned. "So... you *do* know him?"
Pearl rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately. I saw him yesterday—he's as annoying as ever. Handsome? Sure. But that whole 'aura of mystery and dominance' vibe you're drooling over? Yeah, that's not him."
Emily pouted, "Let me live my fantasy."
Pearl smirked. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you. That man is chaos wrapped in a pretty face."
He's a dickhead."
Emily gasped dramatically, clutching her imaginary pearls. "Don't talk about my bias like that!"
Pearl shot her a sideways glance, lips twitching. "bias ? What happened to Jungkook? Abandoning your BTS bias just like that?"
Emily's face turned pink. "What? No—JK is still my number one!" Then she paused. "Unless it's V… or wait, maybe Suga. No, definitely Jimin. Ugh—I'm confused!"
Pearl burst into soft laughter, watching her friend unravel in real time. "You need help."
Emily groaned, "I need all of them. Including Armstrong, apparently."
Pearl rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "God help us if you ever meet them in person."
Emily winked. "Then it's over for y'all."
Pearl smiled, amused and oddly grateful for the moment of lightness—especially after the stormy night she'd had.