[BigHit Entertainment – 6th Floor Meeting Room | July 2015, Seoul; 10:43 AM]

The air was too still. The kind of stillness that comes before a debut — or a disaster.

You sat at the long wooden meeting table with nine other girls, all dressed in simple trainee uniforms — matching black hoodies with “ASTERISM” embroidered over the heart in white thread, sneakers scrubbed clean, hair tied neatly. The room wasn’t flashy, not like SM or JYP’s high-budget offices. No glass walls or champagne. Just pale overhead lights, a dusty projector, and the pressure of being the company’s best-kept secret.

BigHit’s first girl group. Asterism.

A name no one outside this room had heard yet. A project even the staff spoke about in hushed voices. You were still in pre-debut limbo — somewhere between being a nobody and a someone. And today was the first time you’d meet the group who had paved the path before you.

BTS.

You felt the shift in energy before the door even opened. The murmur of trainers down the hall, the distant sound of laughter, sneakers squeaking on vinyl floors. Then — the click of the doorknob.

In came the seven boys who were changing the industry by sheer force of will.

Namjoon entered first, posture straight, eyes sharp beneath his undercut. Jin followed, all calm elegance, giving a polite nod to the room. Yoongi trailed behind, hoodie up, hands in his pockets, unreadable as always. Hoseok was already smiling, playful energy radiating off him. Jimin scanned the room with that mix of softness and precision. Taehyung walked in like he owned the timeline. And Jungkook paused for a fraction of a second when his eyes landed on your row.

The tension was real. Almost audible.

Across the table, Sera stopped fiddling with her sleeve. Chloe sat taller. Minju crossed her legs like she was on camera. You stayed still, shoulders square, meeting every gaze that drifted your way. You couldn’t afford to look nervous. Not here. Not now.

Bang Si-hyuk stepped forward.

Bang PD, “Let’s keep it simple. Asterism will debut within the year. You’ll share training space with BTS starting next week. Vocal rooms. Dance halls. Schedules. Today is about acknowledgment. Respect.”

A pause.

Namjoon, “We’ve heard about Asterism for months. It’s good to finally meet you.”

Jin grinned and then spoke, “They kept saying ‘female BTS.’ High expectations, huh?”

Hoseok, “You all look nervous. That’s cute.” “Or dangerous,” Taehyung added with a low hum, eyes flicking from Yumi to you.

Yoongi, who hadn’t looked up since entering, finally glanced at the members of ASTERISM one by one. And then he looked back down at the table, resting his elbow on the wood.

Jungkook said nothing — but his gaze lingered, just a second too long.

Across the table, your leader Sera stood, bowing deeply. “It’s an honor. We’ll work hard — and we’ll prove we deserve this.”

You felt it again — that thrum in your chest. This wasn’t just a meeting. This was the beginning of a rivalry, a bond, a collision course between two groups that were never meant to coexist — but now, couldn’t escape each other.

And then Bang PD spoke again.

Bang PD, “We’ll be doing joint performance training next month. Possibly a unit stage before debut. Your chemistry matters.”

His eyes flicked across the room — from BTS to ASTERISM, then back.

Bang PD, “Let’s see if this was a good idea.”