Jisung’s heart was pounding.
Breaths came short, uneven.
The sound of his own cries rang too loud in his ears—too loud to be normal.

White walls.
Figures in blue.
A blur.
Darkness.

He jolted awake, sitting bolt upright on the nurse’s bed. His eyes darted around until he spotted familiar faces.

Jaemin: “Jisung? You okay?”

He stood up from the couch a few steps away, his voice calm but laced with worry.

Jisung’s breathing was still too fast, his face flushed.

Chenle: “Hey, try to calm down.”

He crossed the room, sat on the edge of the bed, and—without thinking—took Jisung’s hand.

Something happened.
Jisung’s breathing steadied, his chest no longer heaving. But when he glanced at their joined hands, his cheeks went crimson.

Chenle: “Ah—sorry.”

He let go.

Instantly, Jisung’s breath hitched again.

Jaemin: “Hold his hand again, Chenle.”

Chenle obeyed. Fingers intertwined. Jisung’s breathing smoothed once more, but now confusion joined the heat in his face.

Jaemin: “Alright… now let go.”

Chenle released him. No change. Jaemin frowned, then stepped closer and placed his own hand over Jisung’s. Nothing.

Jaemin: “Do it again—let me see the rings.”

Chenle slid his hand back into Jisung’s.

The room froze.
Two rings—one on each boy’s hand—were glowing softly.

Hyuck: “…They’re connected.”

Jisung: “Okay, someone tell me what the hell is going on before I pass out again.”

Chenle: “We all have these rings, Jisung.”

Jisung’s eyes widened. He scanned each of their hands.

Jisung: “Wait… what?”

Jaemin: “Yeah. We see them.”

Jisung: “I thought I was losing it from the meds.”

Hyuck: “You take medicine regularly?”

Jisung nodded.

Jisung: “Brain damage. Makes me pass out sometimes. But after I got this ring? I’ve been fine. Well… except for today. But I think anyone would’ve passed out from that.”

Jeno: “Sorry we didn’t get there sooner…”

Jisung: “Not your fault. Thanks for scaring him off. And for bringing me here.”

Jeno gave a quiet nod.

Hyuck: “Don’t you think this is… too weird?”

Chenle: “Yeah. My brothers can’t see my ring. No one can.”

Jaemin: “Same with mine. My brother doesn’t believe me.”

Jeno: “Then it has to mean something. But what? And why can only we see them? Are there more out there?”

Jisung: “This is all just… weird.”

Hyuck: “And why does Chenle’s ring glow only when he’s touching you? And why does it calm you down?”

Jaemin: “…Maybe they’re soulmates.”

The two youngest instantly looked down, faces burning.

Hyuck: “Can we test it?”

He grabbed the nearest hand, threading fingers together. Nothing.

Hyuck: “Aww. Sorry, Jaemin. Guess we’re not connected.”

Jaemin: “It probably only happens when it’s needed. Or… when they need each other.”

Hyuck: “So if I told you two to hold hands and the rings glowed… what would you do?”

Jeno: “This doesn’t make sense anyway. We should just find that old guy.”

Chenle: “Wait—you saw him too?!”

Jeno: “Uh… yeah?”

Chenle: “I saw him at the store where my brother works. My brother swore no one was there. He stole something, alarms went off, but the cameras showed nothing. We chased after him—he was just strolling away—and they said there was no one on the road.”

Hyuck: “This is way too trippy.”

Jisung: “Exactly.”

The door slammed open.
All eyes snapped to the entrance.

Hyuck’s gaze locked on a stranger—tall, dark hair—and Renjun, pale and stumbling in his arms.

Jeno: “Mark? Renjun?”

Mark: “No time—Renjun almost got beat up.”

Jeno: “WHAT?! Was it San??”

Mark: “Uh… I’m new here, remember? I don’t know people.”

Renjun mumbled something, but it was drowned in the chatter.

Chenle: “Guys! He’s trying to talk—shut up!”

Renjun: “Y-yes… i-it w-was h-him.” His voice was barely a whisper, but Jeno heard every syllable.

Jeno’s eyes flared—literally.

Jeno: “Where is that fucker?”

Jaemin: “No, Jeno. He’s not worth it. Not now.”

Chenle: “Your eyes are so cool!!”

Everyone turned.
Flames burned in Jeno’s irises.

Hyuck: “You have flames in your eyes!”

Jaemin placed a hand on Jeno’s shoulder—heat surged under his palm.

Jaemin: “Jeno! Calm down!”

He grabbed Jeno’s hand.
Instantly, the heat vanished.

The two of them froze. Rings on their fingers glowed faintly.

Chenle: “You too!”

Both looked down, faces flushing.

Mark: “WAIT—You guys have the rings too?!”

He tried to tug his sleeve up to show his own, but Renjun swayed dangerously. Luckily, the couch was close enough for Hyuck to jump in and steady him.

Hyuck: “Be careful!”

Mark: “Ah—sorry.”

Mark’s hand brushed Hyuck’s.
They both tensed.

Jeno: “…No way.”

Hyuck: “Yeah! No way. I don’t even know him. How could we be connected? This is stupid—I’m out.”

He let go of Renjun and stormed out of the nurse’s office.

Mark: “Huh?” Confusion written all over him.

Jeno: “Chenle and Jisung’s rings glow when they touch. Mine and Jaemin’s too. And now… yours and Hyuck’s.”

Renjun: “W-what about mine?”

They all turned. Mark finally managed to push up his sleeve—revealing a matching ring.

Chenle: “THIS IS SO COOL! We can all be best friends now!”

Mark: “What? Sorry, I just got here.”

Jisung: “Trust me… you don’t want to be friends with me.”

Renjun: “C-can someone… nurse…”

Jeno: “I got him. You explain to Mark.”

Jeno slung Renjun’s arm over his shoulder and helped him toward the nurse’s room, leaving the others in a stunned huddle, whispering about glowing rings and impossible connections.