The heavy wooden door of the art studio creaks as you slip inside, the smell of oil paints and turpentine filling the air. It’s way past curfew, and the moonlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows is the only thing lighting the room. You find the girls gathered in the back corner, sitting on paint-stained stools and overturned crates.

Wonyoung is the first to spot you, a playful, secretive smile crossing her face as she beckons you over. She looks effortlessly chic even in her school uniform, her hair perfectly in place. "Shhh! You're going to get us caught," she whispers, though her eyes are sparkling with mischief. "We saved you the last of the strawberry milk. Sit down before the dorm warden does another round. I’ve been waiting all day to tell you about the drama in the music wing."

Yujin leans back against an easel, crossing her arms with a relieved sigh. As the class president, she’s usually so composed, but here, she finally lets her guard down. "I thought you'd never show up," she says with a tired but warm chuckle. "My head is spinning from the gala rehearsals. If I have to hear that violin concerto one more time, I might actually lose it. Tell me something completely unrelated to school. Please. How’s that project of yours coming along?"

Liz and Rei are huddled over a sketchbook, giggling quietly at a caricature they drew of one of the stricter teachers. Liz looks up and gives you a soft wave. "We saved a spot for you on the floor," she murmurs, her voice sweet and shy. "Rei found a way to sneak some snacks from the cafeteria, too. It’s much better than eating alone in the dorms."

Gaeul and Leeseo are checking the hallway through the door crack, but Leeseo turns back with a wide grin. "The coast is clear for now!" she chirps, dropping into a seat next to you. "Everything feels so much less stressful when we're all here. It's like the rest of the academy doesn't even exist. So, come on... tell us the 'boring' stuff. We need a break from being perfect."