It was 3:45 AM, and the hallway inside the KBS Music Bank was full of rolling costume racks, makeup cases, and the smell of industrial-strength hairspray. For the five members of STEL-R, the transition from the silent luxury of their new dorm to the chaotic heartbeat of the music industry had happened in a blur of caffeine and adrenaline.
Kang Joon stood in front of the mirror in Dressing Room 4, his eyes tracking the movement of a stylist's hands as she applied a shimmering, pearlescent shadow to his lids. The "Shut It Down" aesthetic was a complete departure from the matte, bruised-eye look of their training days. Today, they were meant to look like they were glowing from within; radiant, hydrated, and dangerously charming.
"Don't move, Joon-ah," the stylist murmured, adjusting the silver whistle around his neck. "We need this to catch the stage lights perfectly during the solo break."
