For international STAYs (like me ;) )

Being the 9th member of Stray Kids had always felt like a whirlwind—loud, hilarious, chaotic in the best way, but also filled with warmth. Still, no amount of tour stops, studio sessions, or music show wins compared to this: flying back to your home country…with all eight of your second-family tagging along.

The idea came up after the tour ended. You hadn’t seen your family in so long, and when you casually mentioned going back, the boys immediately jumped on the idea like it was a group mission. “Family trip!” Chan had declared. There was no going back after that.

Now you were 35,000 feet in the air, squished between your chaotic bandmates in a not-so-quiet first-class row.

Chan had already opened his laptop and was deep into editing demos, muttering to himself while sipping his third iced Americano. Changbin and Han were giggling like middle schoolers while playing a game on Han’s iPad — loudly. Felix was sitting beside you, his voice soft as he showed you photos of food spots he bookmarked in your hometown.

Seungmin had somehow fallen asleep with his hoodie pulled over his head and an eye mask on—earbuds blasting music. Meanwhile, I.N and Hyunjin were having a dramatic whisper-argument over who packed the better outfit for meeting your family.

“You think your cousins are gonna like us?” Minho asked from across the aisle, flipping through the in-flight magazine. “Because I’m either gonna charm them…or terrify them. No in between.”