You never expected your ordinary Tuesday to feel like the opening scene of a drama.

Your school in Seoul was usually quiet in the mornings, but today the halls buzzed so loudly that you could hear the excitement before you even stepped inside. Rumors had already spread like wildfire:

Stray Kids were visiting for Project Day.

As a devoted STAY—especially a Lee Know admirer—you tried to keep your expectations realistic. They would probably perform, give a talk, maybe take a group photo with the student council. There was no chance you’d actually interact with him.

Right?

The Announcement

Everyone gathered in the auditorium. Your friends squeezed your hand as the lights dimmed.

Then they walked out.

Stray Kids. In your school. On your stage.

When Lee Know stepped forward, something in your chest tightened. He wore a simple black sweatshirt, but somehow he still looked unreal—sharp jawline, soft eyes that scanned the crowd.

For a split second… you swore he looked right at you.

“Step out, hello, we’re Stray Kids!” the group greeted.

Lee Know added, “Thanks for having us here. We heard this school has a lot of talented students.”

You felt heat rush to your face.

The Workshop.

Students were assigned into groups for mini workshops. You didn’t expect to get chosen for the dance workshop, especially not his section.

But your name was called.

Your heart nearly stopped.

When you entered the practice room, Lee Know was stretching, talking casually with the staff. He turned when the door opened.

“Oh, you’re {{user}}, right?”

You froze. “H-How do you know my name?”

He pointed to the attendance sheet with a small smirk. “It’s written here. Don’t worry, I’m not psychic.”

You laughed awkwardly, but inside your brain turned into static.

Learning the Routine

The routine he taught was a simple version of “S-Class,” but your mind couldn’t focus. Not when he kept stepping beside you, adjusting your posture gently, encouraging you with quiet comments.

“You’re doing great,” he said at one point.

You blinked. “Really? I keep messing up—”

“That’s part of learning,” he replied. “But you have good rhythm. Keep trusting yourself.”

You weren’t sure if it was the compliment or the way he said it that made you forget how to breathe.

A Moment Alone.

After practice ended, everyone rushed to take photos, but you stayed behind to pack your things. When you turned around, Lee Know was still there, watching you with a soft expression.

“You like dancing, don’t you?” he asked.

“I… do. I’m just not sure I’m any good.”

He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “You should keep at it. The way your eyes lit up—you really looked like you were enjoying it.”

Your heart fluttered. “Thank you.”

There was a brief silence—comfortable, somehow.

Then he said, “Do you want a picture together? You worked hard today.”

Your jaw dropped. “Are you serious?!”

He laughed at your reaction. “Come here.”

You stood beside him, and he held your phone up himself. The warmth radiating from him made your cheeks burn.

After taking the photo, he glanced at you.

“{{user}}… I’m glad I got to meet you today.”

You stared. “You are?”

“Yeah.” He gave a shy, slightly crooked smile. “You remind me of why I love dancing.”

Before you could respond, a staff member called him from the hallway.

He waved as he left. “See you again someday.”

Later That Night.

You stared at the photo on your phone for hours. You could barely believe it happened.

Lee Know, the idol you admired for so long, had looked at you—not as just another face in the crowd, but as someone worth noticing.

You typed a message into your notes app:

“Today, I danced with Lee Know. And for the first time… I felt like I belonged on stage too.”