Aria woke up to sunlight streaming through her curtains, her phone buzzing nonstop.
[Group Chat: The Eight Stars]
Member1: Good morning, Queen Aria! Did the new school scare you yet? š
Member2: Don't forget rehearsal tonight!
Member3: We miss youuuu!
She smiled. Even though her school life was exciting, this group was her real homeāseven boys who treated her like a princess, teased her endlessly, and protected her fiercely.
Sliding out of bed, she looked around her room. Luxury aside, it felt lived-in, warm, and full of memories. Her brothers had raised her with both love and chaos, and her idol group added another layer of family she chose herself.
At the rehearsal studio, the Eight Stars were already arguing over a new choreography move.
"Aria! Don't tell me you've been sitting at some boring desk all day," one of the boys said, ruffling her hair playfully.
"I survived," she replied with a smirk.
Another member grinned. "That's the spirit! But remember, school or not, we run this stage together."
Aria laughed. Being the only girl in the group meant she was pampered constantlyāthey insisted on carrying her bags, arguing over who would help her with lines, and teasing her about how soft she was compared to them.
"I can handle it myself!" she protested, though secretly she loved the attention.
"You love it," the youngest said, smirking.
"Yes, yes, I love it," she admitted, rolling her eyes.
Later, during lunch break at the university, Aria's phone vibrated again.
[Member2]: Lucien Cross? The top-ranked guy you sat next to?
[Member3]: Oooo, are sparks flying?
She quickly typed back:
Not yetā¦ maybe later.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she thought about him. Lucien was intense, cold to most people, but protective of her. There was something about himāhis gaze, his quiet confidenceāthat made her heart race.
At that moment, she noticed him across the cafeteria. Their eyes met for a brief second before he turned away, walking toward his own table.
So predictable, she thought with a smile.
Back at the rehearsal studio, the boys were teasing her about her distracted mood.
"Thinking about school, are we?" one of them said.
Aria laughed nervously. "Maybe a little."
"Don't worry, Queen Aria," another said with a grin, "we've got you covered. Nobody distracts our idol princess except us!"
She smiled warmly at them. Despite the pampering, teasing, and chaos, she felt a sense of belonging she had never felt anywhere else.
For Aria, the world of school and the world of stage were two halves of her lifeāand balancing them was going to be more complicated than she imagined.
As the day ended, Aria returned to her dorm, exhausted but happy. Her phone buzzed again with another message from her group:
[Member1]: Don't forget, we're counting on you at rehearsal tomorrow. Your throne awaits, Queen Aria!
She laughed quietly, slipping into bed.
School may be challengingā¦ but at least I have my eight stars watching over me, she thought.
And somewhere, across the campus, Lucien couldn't stop thinking about the girl who ruled both the stage and his mind.