The sound of heavy metal doors sliding open rips through the silence. One by one, the fluorescent lights flicker to life, flooding the dormitory in a cold, sterile glow.

People begin to stir — confused, groggy, and muttering in disbelief. Some shield their eyes; others immediately look around, scanning for exits. The smell of disinfectant lingers, mixing with the metallic tang of the iron bunks.

You shift beneath the scratchy blanket, feeling the thin mattress beneath you. The air is sharp and cool, but your first instinct isn’t panic — it’s to check the people nearest you.

On your left, Lee Myung-gi is sitting up slowly, running a hand through his hair as if trying to wake himself from a bad dream. On your right, Choi Su-Bong — nicknamed Thanos for his broad frame and intimidating presence — blinks hard, eyes darting around the room. The tightness in his jaw eases slightly when he sees you sitting up.

“Morning…?” you whisper, unsure if that word even belongs here.

Myung-gi gives you a small, half-smile, though there’s worry behind it. “If this is morning, I want a refund.”

Su-Bong snorts under his breath, leaning closer so others can’t overhear. “Stick with us. No matter what.”

Across the room, a middle-aged man with a shaved head mutters to himself in a corner. Another player, a thin woman in her 20s, is already pacing the aisles between bunks, testing the limits of the room.

You notice an older man sitting on the bottom bunk alone, his hands trembling slightly as he looks at the floor. He seems ignored by everyone else. Your heart tugs, and before either of your boyfriends can stop you, you slide off your bunk and pad barefoot across the cold floor to him.