[Location: K/DA HQ – Private Studio Wing]
[Quest in Progress: Mending the Spotlight – Gain the Approval of K/DA]
[Objective: Survive the Fire Without Flinching]
The studio didn't look like the heart of a global sensation. It looked casual. Quiet. Unassuming.
But that was just the surface.
Cole followed Ahri through reinforced glass doors into the central rehearsal space. One wall was mirrored. The rest pulsed with soft, reactive lighting—violet and blue tones shifting like a heartbeat. Soundproofed. Observed.
A stage for pressure.
They weren't alone.
Evelynn sat with her legs crossed on a velvet bench like a queen waiting to be entertained. Her sunglasses didn't hide the sharp edge of her gaze.
Kai'Sa stood at the back, arms folded tight, her presence wound like a loaded spring. She didn't speak, but her scrutiny was razor-sharp.
Seraphine offered the only warmth—waving awkwardly from the control station, headphones slung around her neck.
"Hi! Um… you must be Cole?"
"I am," he said with a calm nod.
Evelynn didn't look up. "He's the one I mentioned."
"You didn't tell us much," Seraphine said, frowning.
"I told you enough," Evelynn replied. "He's here to help."
Kai'Sa's smile was glossy and cold. "So were the last three. One ghosted, one tried to sleep with all of us, and the last one called us products, not people."
Cole didn't flinch.
"I'm not here to fix you. Or control you. I'm here to help you breathe again."
A pause.
Kai'Sa's eyes narrowed. "That sounds like something off a poster."
"Maybe," Cole said. "But I mean every word."
"Adorable," Evelynn purred. "Let's see if you still mean it once we start pulling you apart."
Ahri stepped aside. Silent permission.
Time to stand on his own.
Seraphine adjusted her seat. "So, Cole… what do you think K/DA needs right now?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at them. Carefully.
Not their faces—their postures. Their fatigue. The tension just under the glitter.
"You need rest," he said. "Not a vacation. Not a press break. Real rest. Emotional decompression."
Evelynn raised a brow. "Emotional decompression?"
"You're burned out," he said simply. "Running on fumes. But you've been trained to keep moving, to keep selling the fantasy—because if you stop, someone else is waiting to take your place."
Still silence.
He kept going.
"You need someone who sees the person before the brand. Someone who shields the fire instead of feeding it."
Seraphine blinked. Kai'Sa's arms lowered. Evelynn slowly removed her sunglasses.
"You're offering therapy?" Evelynn asked, stepping forward.
"No. I'm offering protection. A buffer. So you can breathe again. So you can create without constantly bracing for impact."
[Bond Update: Seraphine – Curious]
[Bond Update: Kai'Sa – Guard Lowered]
Ahri watched quietly. No interference. No guiding hand. Just trust.
Evelynn rose with a glide, deliberate and dangerous.
Up close, she was intoxicating and lethal—like poison in silk.
She ran a clawed finger along his jaw, leaning in to whisper.
"Tell me, Cole…" her voice was velvet and vice. "What makes you think you can protect us?"
He met her eyes. Unwavering.
"Because I already started—with Ahri."
A beat. Evelynn's lips parted slightly. A flicker of surprise, masked too late.
[Bond Triggered: Evelynn – Curiosity Sparked]
[SP Gained: +50]
Then she laughed—a low, rich sound that echoed like a threat.
"I don't like you," she said. "But you're not dull."
Kai'Sa turned to Ahri. "You trust him?"
Ahri nodded. "He had every chance to take advantage of me. He didn't."
Seraphine perked up. "Well… we've got a rough demo we're working on. Maybe he can sit in, give some feedback? And if things get heated, maybe… act as a buffer."
Evelynn smirked. "Let's see if he melts when the art gets loud."
[Mini-Event Unlocked: A Seat at the Soundboard – Survive K/DA's First Live Test]
[Warning: Choices made here may permanently alter team trust.]
Kai'Sa moved to the center of the floor, stretching silently. Seraphine queued the track. Cole took a seat just outside the performance space.
Ahri passed behind him, her fingers brushing his shoulder.
"You're doing fine," she whispered.
"I'm not here to pass," he replied. "I'm here to stay."
The lights dimmed.
The music began.
____
"Be my only one
이렇게 부르고 싶은 이름 내 곁에
손을 잡고서 같이 걸어요"
Ahri's voice flowed, warm and aching.
"비가 오는 밤에도, 외로웠던 낮에도
그대 환한 빛깔을 내게 가득 칠해줘요
내가 더 잘할게요, 이렇게 같이 있어준다면"
Seraphine's eyes found his through the glass.
Their harmony was unreal—polished, powerful, raw.
Evelynn's deep vocals cut through the chorus with chilling grace:
걸어걸어 가는 발걸음마다
기분 좋아 꼭 둘이서 추는 춤 같아
My, oh my, oh my, oh 내 사랑
Be my only love
랄랄랄라라라라라, 라
랄랄랄라라라라 라라라
랄랄랄라라라라
My only one
When the song ended, Cole was left breathless.
What could he even say?
"That was incredible," he said honestly. "I'd be lying if I said there was anything to improve."
The girls exchanged glances—disappointed at the lack of critique, but flushed by the sincerity.
"Flattery will get you everywhere, darling," Evelynn teased.
"What's the name of the track?" he asked.
"Only," Ahri replied. "It was composed by a friend—Lee Hi. We're planning to drop it as a single soon."
Cole nodded, but something gnawed at the back of his mind.
"No rap section for Akali?"
He looked around. "Speaking of… where is she?"
Kai'Sa's gaze dropped. "She's been on and off. We can't promise she'll even show anymore."
Evelynn's voice cut sharp. "Just one of the many problems you claim you can fix."
Before Cole could answer, Seraphine clapped her hands. "Okay! That's enough for today. Our song's amazing—and Mr. Manager agrees."
"Temporary manager," Kai'Sa muttered.
"Sure, sure. Anyway—who's up for dinner?"
A chorus of polite rejections followed.
Kai'Sa waved her off. "I've got plans."
"Seraphine?"
"I already made dinner plans with a friend."
"Ahri?"
Ahri sighed. "I have to clear out Yasuo's stuff."
Evelynn blinked. "Wait—you two broke up? Since when?"
Ahri's tone turned icy. "Maybe if you ever asked, you'd know."
"Maybe if you ever told me, I wouldn't have to."
Ahri stiffened. "You know what? I'm not doing this right now."
She turned to Cole, her voice softening.
"I'll call you later, okay?"
"I'll be waiting."
She gave him a sad smile, then left.
Evelynn stepped closer, voice dipped in honey.
"Well, I guess it's just you and me tonight, handsome~."
"I guess it is, Evelynn."
"You've been a good boy… listening so well~"
Cole took a step back, regaining his composure.
"How about that Izakaya down the street?"
Evelynn's lips curled.
"Let's~."
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