Stray Kids had just announced a stop in your city for their world tour — but by the time you managed to log in, the tickets were gone. Sold out in minutes. It felt like the universe was laughing at you.

To cheer yourself up, you decided to visit the new mall nearby — specifically the shop rumored to carry official Stray Kids merch. If you couldn’t go to the concert, you could at least build your own mini one at home.

The mall was nearly empty when you arrived, the echo of your footsteps bouncing off the tile floor. You grabbed a cart and began loading it with anything Stray Kids-themed you could find: photo cards, shirts, plushies — maybe a lightstick, too.

You were wheeling toward the checkout when you noticed him.

There was only one other customer in the store — dressed casually, a hat pulled low and a mask covering most of his face. He was standing at the counter, quietly paying for a stack of merch: hats, shirts, and even an album or two.

You hesitated for a second, but curiosity got the better of you.

“Are you, a STAY too?” you asked.

The man glanced at your overflowing cart, then back at you. His eyes curved a little as if he were smiling behind the mask, and he let out a soft laugh.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice warm — and familiar.

Something about his accent made your heart skip. His eyes looked… strangely familiar too. You were already putting the pieces together in your head —

But there’s no way it’s him, right?