Italics = Past Events

Present Day – December 31st, 2018 – Port of Incheon

Skye opened her eyes, slowly waking as the bus rolled to a stop, signaling that they had arrived at their location.  She rose to her feet, removing her earbuds and attempting to round up her luggage. Once she had done so, she made her way off of the bus, waving farewell to the driver as she looked for somewhere dry to escape the cold winter rain.

She was able to locate a small dry area under an overhang by the railing, and made her way over.  As she set down her luggage, she pulled out her phone, an ancient relic by today’s standards, and squinted through tired eyes in an attempt to check the time through the cracks filling the screen.  She found herself to be, as always, a bit early for their pick-up time, but old habits were hard to break.

Skye leaned forward, using her extra time to look out across the bay, marveling at the various boats floating in the harbor.  Despite their varying shapes, sizes, and styles, her eyes found themselves locked on one in particular. The small yet luxurious vessel slowly made its way through the harbor, lazily floating along towards her location.  Skye recognized the vessel in question, identifying it as her transportation to her future. As she watched its leisurely journey, her mind was cast back to the moment that had set her upon this path.

Flashback – January 1st, 2018 – JYP Main Office

“You’re very special, Skye,” Park Jinyoung began.  He was met with a hopeful expression from the girl, and raised a hand of caution. “But I don’t think we need you as a lyricist at this company.”

Skye practically felt her soul leave her body as he spoke the words she didn’t want to hear. She began mentally preparing an apology for wasting his time and began to thank him for the opportunity when her train of thought was abruptly cut off.

“While we can’t offer you a position now, I’ll be sure to keep you in mind for future opportunities,” the legendary producer assured Skye.  “I can’t promise that we’ll be able to provide you with the offer you’re looking for, or if we’ll be able to offer you one at all, but I can see your potential and would like to see you succeed.”

Skye stood, shaking the man’s hand and thanking him for his time.  As she departed the building, she turned back, staring for a few moments at the building she had hoped would become her new home.  She finally turned away, accepting that this was just the beginning of another year filled with misery as she gave in to her emotions and watched her tears join the falling rain on the cold, hard pavement.

Return to Present Day

Skye was broken out of her trance as she heard a van approaching behind her, and turned to inspect the new arrivals.  As soon as the van’s door was opened, she was met by raucous laughter from voices that seemed so familiar to Skye, but had never heard in person before.  Skye’s suspicions were confirmed as she recognized the face of the girl departing the van, none other than the victor of Produce 101, Jeon Somi. Within moments, the remaining two passengers, Kim Sohye and Kim Chungha, climbed out of the van as well. 

As the three departed their van, making idle chatter as they gathered their belongings, Skye watched on silently and nervously.  As the eldest girl reached towards the door handle, Skye exclaimed as she stepped forward. “Wait!” she exclaimed, reaching her hand towards the door, causing pause and confusion in the former I.O.I. members.  She reached into the van, grabbing a pink backpack that was hidden under one of the seats. “Is this one of yours?” Skye asked the other girls, holding it up for all to see.

“That’s mine!” Sohye said, a startled expression developing at the thought of forgetting her prized possession.  “Thank you so much!” she exclaimed as she was handed the backpack by the unknown individual.

The former actress blushed as she met Skye’s eyes, realizing something fairly crucial.  “I’m sorry,” Sohye asked the girl in front of her that had just saved her a great deal of inconvenience, “but who are you?”

Skye smirked at the poor girl’s confusion as she walked over towards her own luggage, sitting softly on top of her suitcase.  “No need for apologies,” Skye said softly as she made eye contact with each of the confused, yet earnest idols in front of her.  “I’m sure I’m going to be getting that question a lot in the upcoming weeks.” She extended her hand to Sohye, a smile developing on her visage.  “I’m Skye, it’s an absolute pleasure to meet you!”

Flashback – June 30th, 2018 – Announcement Press Conference

Reporters crowded into the packed meeting hall, all trying to secure a seat for this mysterious press conference announced by the CEO and founder of the largest company in the world, Moon Gavin.  As they found their seats, conversations broke out amongst the attendees, all speculating on what sort of announcement could be so significant. Surely it must have something to do with the off-shore construction going on, they insisted.

The conversations scattered across the room all came to an immediate halt as the man in question stepped onto the stage.  Gavin walked to the podium, setting down his notebook and sighing contentedly as he waved to the familiar faces in the crowd.  “Thank you all so very much for coming to this press conference,” he said into the mic, the confident and rich tones of his voice a stark contrast to the tired expression on his face.  “Many of you know me as a risk taker, but I can personally guarantee that my previous endeavors pale in comparison to the project I’ll be revealing today.”

He paused briefly to take a sip of water, mentally swearing that it was NOT for dramatic effect, though he knew himself too well.  “As many of you are aware, Good Works Digital has been overseeing the development of a small off-shore construction over the past two years, and I’m glad to be able to announce its purpose today.”

The screen behind Gavin flickered to life, displaying the words “APEX” in bright, bold letters.  Gavin continued, announcing, “Starting later this year, the Apex project will be a collaboration between my company and the biggest entertainment groups in South Korea.  The most successful girl groups of this generation have been invited to join the program, and we will be working together to redistribute some of these talented individuals into incredible groups that best serve the strengths of each individual.”

As Gavin shared further details, the screen flashed once again, revealing the names of the participating groups.  The latest projects of the big three entertainment companies, Blackpink, Red Velvet, and Twice were obviously featured.  Additionally, some lesser known, but still popular names appeared, such as (G)I-DLE, GFriend, I.O.I., IZ*ONE, Mamamoo, and Momoland.  Finally, the list was rounded out by some of the most underrated groups that were still trying to find success, specifically CLC, Cosmic Girls, Dreamcatcher, fromis_9, Gugudan, LOONA, Lovelyz, Oh My Girl, Pristin, and Weki Meki.  However, everyone’s attention was drawn to a single unknown name alone in the corner, none other than “Skye”.

As the last name flickered onto the screen, many confused expressions arose in the audience.  Gavin began to walk off the stage, a small grin emerging on his features as he listened to the conversations erupting in the crowd.  His grin widened to a bright smile as he heard one reporter whispering, “This is, without a doubt, the most important announcement in K-Pop history, if not the most important moment in music as a whole.”

Return to Present Day

Recognition flashed across the faces of all three girls as the name that had been on the minds of all K-Pop fans reached their ears.  As each of the 3 established soloists exchanged their handshakes and greetings, they were given their first look at the features of the unknown girl.  Her long, crimson hair framed her soft facial features and her striking sapphire eyes conveyed intensity yet kindness as she examined the idols in return.

After Skye confirmed that the newly-arrived idols had everything else, they bid farewell to their managers and the van departed, leaving the four girls alone awaiting their boat’s arrival.  After a few moments of silence, Skye suppressed a sly smirk as she came up with an idea on how to break the ice. “So, what did you three think of this project when you were first invited?” Skye asked in English, smiling ‘innocently’. 

“To be honest, it was a relief,” Somi admitted as she responded in English.  “With not truly knowing what the plan was for my debut, having a more guaranteed opportunity such as this one was much appreciated.”

“I was a bit more conflicted,” Chungha explained, again responding in English.  “On one hand, I’ve been finding success as a soloist, but on the other hand, I’ve genuinely missed being able to interact and promote with some of my closest friends.”

Skye forced herself to suppress her laughter as she saw Sohye’s confused expression.  “What about you, Sohye?” feigning innocence once more as she spoke to the confused girl in English.  “I … was … happy?” Sohye attempted to respond in obviously broken English, leading to laughter breaking out from all three of the experienced speakers at the attempt.  “Yah!” Sohye exclaimed, switching back to Korean in frustration. “Stop messing with me!”

As the laughter subsided, they were greeted by a horn sounding throughout the bay, signaling the arrival of their vessel.  The four gathered their belongings and made their way to the dock, Somi in particular teasing Sohye further about her reaction.  As they made their way onto the craft, they greeted the crew, who were kind enough to take their luggage. “Might want to hold onto that backpack, Sohye,” Somi joked, poking the older girl in the side.  “Who knows if Skye will be there to make sure you don’t forget it?”

Sohye rolled her eyes as she handed the backpack to the crewman, smiling at him while doing so.  “Yah, Somi-ah!” she exclaimed, playfully pushing the younger girl. “Who are you to talk to me like that?”

After a short fit of laughter, the four made their way to the deck, where they were met by the captain.  Polite greetings were exchanged as he explained that this was the final boat making their way to the island, and all other questions would be explained a bit later, before they arrived.  The girls thanked him as he departed to the cabin, and the boat began its journey.

Skye sat down as the other three stood at the front of the boat, chatting amongst themselves as they surveyed the harbor in a similar fashion to Skye’s own observations a short while ago.  After a few minutes passed and the amazement wore off, the others joined Skye in sitting as Sohye sat next to her and the other pair took their seats across the table.

“What are you doing?” Somi asked as she nodded to Skye’s phone, where she had been swiftly typing a few moments prior.  “I’m working on lyrics for a song,” Skye responded, putting her phone away in an attempt to be polite to the others. “It’s actually part of the reason that I’m here with you three today, as I was offered this opportunity after interviewing to be a lyricist.”  The others nodded in understanding as Skye continued, “I’m a bit like you Sohye,” she admitted as she turned to her with a bit of a shrug and a smile. “Put into a situation that I didn’t fully expect or want, but attempting to make the best of it.”

The conversation continued as Skye asked about the girls’ endeavors over the past few years.  Somi discussed the struggles of training while also juggling variety show appearances, Sohye spoke of her transition back to acting and the roles she had performed, and Chungha shared some stories of solo promotion.  

After a bit, the conversation shifted back to Skye, where she shared a bit about herself.  “I arrived in South Korea from the U.S. about seven months ago, after finishing college,” Skye shared, eliciting a bit of a gasp from the others.  

“Wait, how old are you?” Chungha asked.

“Nineteen … wait no, I’m twenty as of today,” Skye responded.

“Then happy birthday!” Somi exclaimed as the other two echoed her sentiment, causing blatant embarrassment on Skye’s face as she attempted to brush off the attention.

“But going back to what you were saying, you finished college at nineteen?” Sohye asked, saving the other girl from her discomfort.  “How did you even accomplish that so quickly?”

“Well, it helps when you finish high school a year early,” Skye admitted, confidence beginning to show through her embarrassed expression.  The statement left the other idols stunned, looking amongst themselves as they learned more about the formerly unknown individual sitting amongst them.

“So other than the other I.O.I. members, who are you most excited to see once we get to the island?” Skye asked, moving the conversation away from the topic of herself.

“I’m most excited to see Umji of GFriend and Eunbin of CLC,” Somi responded.  “I’m close with both, but our conflicting schedules made it hard to spend time together.”

“I want to see the three I worked on ‘Wow Thing’ with,” Chungha shared, thinking back fondly on the collaboration.  “Due to the rushed nature of the project, I didn’t get to spend much time with them, and I’d like to get to know them better.”

Skye then turned to the final remaining participant.  “What about you, Sohye?” Sohye paused, a bit of an embarrassed expression apparent.

“Honestly … I’m not all that close with any other participants,” Sohye admitted, hanging her head slightly.  

“Believe me, I totally understand,” Skye responded warmly, patting Sohye’s arm affectionately.  “At least the others know more about you than your name!”

The others chuckled a bit at the joke, Sohye’s expression in particular brightening slightly at Skye’s kind words.  The rest of the journey was fairly quick, but felt nearly instant as the four enjoyed a light-hearted conversation about everything under the sun and nothing that was particularly significant.

They stood and made their way to the front of the boat as the captain announced that they had arrived at the outer barrier.  The girls looked on in confusion for a moment, but their expressions shifted to one of genuine awe as the glass barrier appeared out of seemingly nowhere before their eyes.

“It’s a fascinating bit of technology, isn’t it?”  The girls turned as a feminine voice echoed behind them, where a professional looking woman approached up the stairs.  She set her clipboard down as she shook hands with each of the girls, introducing herself as Lee Jieun, secretary of Moon Gavin.  “There are cameras that project what’s behind the dome onto the screens in front of you, making it appears as if there was no island at all,” she explained, leading to gasps of amazement from the four.

The boat moved forward as massive doors slid open, allowing them access.  The girls looked on in awe as they took their first look at the island that would now be their home.  Massive buildings stood tall alongside beautiful mountains, and they were able to barely make out small figures departing boats identical to their own as they continued ever closer.

The secretary continued her explanation, sharing how the four were to proceed, informing the girls that they didn’t need to worry about their luggage (it would be delivered to their rooms), where to go once on the island (the outdoor amphitheater on the southwest beach), and answering Sohye’s VERY important question (yes, there will be food provided).

The boat arrived moments after, and the girls made their departure.  Another boat was in the harbor, with none other than Weki Meki making their own departure.  The former I.O.I. members from both boats rushed towards each other, leaving Skye alone with Jieun.  The secretary then excused herself, looking back sympathetically as she left the redhead isolated. Skye began her journey towards the amphitheater, mumbling to herself, “Alone once again, as usual …”

Moments later, she was broken out of her isolation by a soft hand on her shoulder.  Skye turned and was greeted by the warm smile of Weki Meki’s leader Suyeon. “Excuse me, but are you Skye?” she asked, smile growing wider as she was met by the redhead’s nod of affirmation.  “I’m Suyeon, it’s a pleasure to meet you!” the vocalist exclaimed, shaking the other girl’s hand. The relief and appreciation was blatantly apparent on Skye’s face as the two began to chat and make their way towards the amphitheater.  The others followed closely behind, engrossed in their own conversation during the short trek.

The arriving idols were met by a sea of seated celebrities, as it appeared that every other group had already arrived.  The two groups diverged with a warm farewell, finding their assigned seats shortly after and settling down. The idle chatter silenced as a single individual made his way onto the stage.  Gavin leaned towards the mic, addressing the audience with his signature swagger and charm … “Uh, hi everyone.”

A few murmurs of acknowledgement and greetings echoed throughout the amphitheater in response, leading to a grin on Gavin’s expression.  “Well, what a way to start. I guess the next most important thing to say, is welcome to Apex!” Gavin exclaimed, leading to a far more enthusiastic response from the audience.

Skye, seated near the front of the amphitheater with the other soloists, was able to get her first good look at the financial and business icon standing atop the stage.  The man stood tall, with tanned skin and a toned figure filling out his professional attire. Strong facial features drew one’s eyes, and medium-length dark brown hair and striking brown eyes rounded out his appearance.

“Alright, let me first address some of the most pressing questions you must have,” Gavin said as the applause died down, looking across the sea of earnest idols.  “To start, in terms of living accommodations: every participant will be sharing a two-person apartment, each located on a floor with individuals of similar age.” This statement elicited cheers from many of the audience members, especially those from larger groups that had become accustomed to multiple roommates and small dorms.

“Next, let’s talk about public interaction,” Gavin continued.  “This island will have filming crews and static cameras recording your journeys during your time here, but only on weekdays.  Your weekends will be fully private.” Unsurprisingly, this declaration was met with shocked and elated expressions from the audience, who hadn’t often experienced true privacy in their time as an idol.  

“Speaking of the weekend, let’s discuss schedules,” Gavin added.  “Each individual will have a schedule given to them on Saturday for the upcoming week.  Everyone will be assigned a schedule for Monday through Friday, but the weekend will be up to your discretion.  Trainers for all aspects of improvement will be available for voluntary sessions, but otherwise, the weekend is free for your own scheduling.” 

Skye looked across the sea of idols as the unique nature of their new situation truly set in for the first time, noting their excited reactions.  Skye began to wonder which of those among her would be most likely to slack off in their free time, and which of those would be most likely to push themselves to the maximum.  Her gaze shifted back towards the front as Gavin continued his announcements.

“Lastly, let’s talk about debuting,” he declared.  “As you’re all aware, not all of the former groups will be continuing to promote together.  Positions in newly formed groups will be awarded to the most hard-working and talented individuals, as always, but groups are going to be organized slightly differently.  The groups will be created with a specific concept style and branding for their specialization.” Out of the corner of her eye, Skye saw Jeongyeon of Twice in particular looking elated at the strategy, causing the redhead to chuckle.

“The last thing I have to say is thank you for accepting my invitation,” Gavin concluded, smiling in gratitude.  “I’m personally available to answer any questions or address any concerns, regardless of the time of day. For any of you who have followed me, you may know that my goal in life is ‘To make everything better’.  I want to make people happy, and girl groups such as yourselves are the source of happiness for so many dedicated fans. My job is to make sure that you’re best enabled to do so, so please let me know what my crew and I can do to help you reach success.”

As the impact of the sentiment settled into the hearts and minds of the idols seated in the amphitheater, Gavin’s casual demeanor returned.  “Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, let’s get to the important stuff: dinner!” Gavin announced, resulting in cheers from the audience.  The idols filtered out of their seats, following Gavin’s lead to the dining hall. A massive room filled with tables of varying sizes greeted the hungry idols as they made their way to their seats, former groups separating as individual friend groups took their seats.

Skye stood alone, embarrassment and anxiety building as she pondered what to do.  Luckily, her decision was made as Miyeon caught her attention, inviting Skye over to her table with a wave.  Skye’s worried expression shifted to a smile as she made her way over to the small table. She sat and greeted her table mates, all six members of (G)I-DLE.  “Good evening, thank you for inviting me over,” Skye said to Miyeon and the others as she bowed her head in gratitude.

“Of course, welcome!” Soyeon responded warmly as the other members greeted her as well.

“Are you Skye?” Yuqi asked, earning a nod from the redhead.

“It’s pretty awesome to meet the biggest mystery of the past six months,” Soojin commented, causing a small laugh to erupt from Skye.

“I promise you, I’m a normal human being, just like you,” Skye joked in response, garnering an array of smiles from her tablemates.  “How about we first figure out how we get our meals, and after that, I’ll answer any questions you have,” Skye offered, resulting in a chorus of affirmations.  Luckily, the table came with built-in tablets where the girls could order their meal of choice to their specifications, and the conversation resumed a few minutes later once all orders had been placed.

Skye shared many things that she had conversed with the other soloists about earlier in the day, explaining a bit about her expedited educational journey, journey to Korea, and passions for songwriting.  “You’re actually a huge inspiration for me, Soyeon,” Skye admitted, earning a bit of blush from the former group’s leader.

“To be honest, all of you are for different reasons.  You three,” Skye continued, gesturing towards the foreign members, “are some of the people who give me confidence to make the journey here to pursue my dream.  As well as Soojin and Miyeon’s incredible talent in dance and singing, respectively, you all make me believe that anything’s possible!”

The group thanked Skye for her kind words, before Shuhua raised another question.  “You’re from the U.S., right? Can you speak any languages other than Korean and English?”

Skye nodded in affirmation before responding, “Well I’m a native English speaker, have learned Korean fluently, and I’ve studied Mandarin, Cantonese, a little bit of Taiwanese, and a small amount of Thai words and phrases.”  The six members looked amongst each other in growing shock as Skye responded to the maknae’s question originally in Korean, but shifting to each foreign member’s native tongue for their related phrases.

“You’re … incredible,” Miyeon uttered in amazement.  The statement was echoed by the other members as Skye’s embarrassed countenance shifted a color closer to that of her hair.

“Just wait until you see me at the dance evaluation tomorrow ... You'll immediately think otherwise," she responded, attempting to draw attention away from herself with a bit of humor.

“No, but really, you should have more pride in your accomplishments!  You’re one of the truly unique individuals here!” Soyeon persisted, earning a chorus of agreement from the other members.

“Maybe, but I’ve never been trained like everyone else here, and it’s a bit daunting to have a massive public spotlight on you due to an unrequested air of mystery,” Skye answered timidly, earning sympathetic nods from the others.

A bit of idle conversation ensued for the next few minutes until the girls were pleased to see their food delivered.  A chorus of thanks was raised by the girls as they received their meals, and the entire dining area quieted down as everyone began enjoying their meals.  Eating was only interrupted by people voicing their surprise at how good the food was, as the eager mouths of all were stuffed by their entrees of choice. 

As people began finishing their meals, a notification popped up on the tablets used to order food.  Skye’s read: ‘Skye – Floor 8 of 15 – Room 2’. The other girls confirmed that they had also received their room assignments, and upon all seven finishing their meals, they made their way over to the residential building, where they slowly parted ways as the elevator took them upwards.  It appeared that the younger members were residing on the lower floors, whereas the older members were graced with the elevated views.

Skye and Soojin got off the elevator together, bidding each other goodbye and a good night’s rest as they headed to their respective rooms.  Skye opened the door, gasping in surprise as she got her first look at her new home. A beautiful apartment with bathroom, kitchen, living area, and more greeted her, far exceeding her expectations.  She made her way inside, taking note of her surroundings and wondering who her roommate was slated to be. She noticed a glowing tablet on the living room table and picked it up.

A notification popped up, informing her of the location of the room keys and that the room would be locked starting tomorrow morning.  Additionally, she was informed that there were custom smartphones provided to each of the guests, with contacts for all participating idols and staff members prepared.  She then explored a bit further, finding her belongings on the bed closer to the window, and began to unpack. As she finished unloading her belongings, she heard the front door open, and turned to meet her new roommate.

“Hi there, I’m Skye,” she said in Mandarin as she greeted her new roommate, ‘China’s Miracle’ Zhou Jieqiong.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

The new roommates shook hands, with the other responding warmly, “I’m Kyulkyung, it’s wonderful to meet you as well!”

Skye briefly gave her new roommate a tour of the apartment, explaining about the notification on the tablet before helping Kyulkyung unpack her large number of belongings.  Despite the two of them working well together, it still took longer than Skye’s unpacking. Upon mentioning this to the Chinese dancer, her laughter rang out throughout the apartment, joined soon by Skye’s own.

“It’s not my fault!” Kyulkyung retorted in a feeble attempt at self-defense.  “I was just worried about leaving anything behind!”

“Sure, whatever you say,” Skye responded with a sarcastic roll of her eyes, earning her a pillow thrown her way.

“Hey!” she exclaimed, picking it up and throwing it back at its sender.  The entire situation quickly devolved into a mess, with pillows, blankets, and more used as ammunition in their duel.

Upon its conclusion, the pair were left laughing heartily, gasping for air as they lay on their respective beds.  “It’s been a while since I’ve laughed like this,” Skye admitted.

“I think we’ll be good roommates,” Kyulkyung responded, looking over and smiling as she said so. 

Kyulkyung’s new smartphone lit up with a notification, causing Skye to turn and ask, “Who’s messaging you?”

“It’s Sohye,” Kyulkyung responded with a smile.  “She said it’s your birthday today … and you didn’t do anything to celebrate?!” Kyulkyung exclaimed, sitting up on her bed and turning towards Skye.  “Why didn’t you say so?”

“It’s been a long time since my birthday felt like something worth celebrating,” Skye admitted, hanging her head as she thought of the past few years.  “I’ve just been too busy to do anything for myself, and I haven’t really had anyone who would make the effort …”

Kyulkyung watched the other girl with a saddening expression, until a spark of inspiration hit, and she quickly got off the bed, rushing into her closet.  “That ends tonight!” she announced from within, causing Skye to raise her head in curiosity. She watched as Kyulkyung took her pipa out of its case, sitting down and resting it on her lap.

As she began to tune the instrument, Skye assured her, “You don’t have to do anything, it’s really alright …”  Kyulkyung simply ignored her as she readied herself, beginning to play the first few notes of a familiar tune as her gentle voice softly filled the room.

“Happy birthday to you …  happy birthday to you … happy birthday dear Skye … happy birthday to you!”

As the song, beautifully sung in English filled the room, Skye’s emotional barriers shattered, and tears flowed down her cheeks.  She attempted to wipe them away and thank Kyulkyung, but another wave of sobs prevented her from doing so. Her emotional outburst finally subsided as she felt a weight on the bed next to her and a pair of arms wrapped around her torso.

“Happy birthday,” Kyulkyung whispered as she held the other girl close, reassuring her with her presence.  Skye, unable to respond with words, instead returned the hug, holding the Chinese girl close.

The pair broke apart, and met each other’s eyes.  “That’s … the first time in a long time that I remember someone singing Happy Birthday to me …” Skye admitted, causing the other girl to gasp in shock as she thought of her own birthday celebration with her members fifteen days prior.  

“I’m glad I could be the first,” Kyulkyung responded softly, gently wiping a stray tear off of Skye’s face.  “But I won’t be the last. We’re here together to achieve our dreams, and none of us are alone anymore. You’re not alone anymore.”

Skye nodded gratefully at the other girl, composing herself as the other watched on in concern.  Once Skye was fully calmed and had expressed her gratitude, the pair stood and began to reconstruct their room.  Once the apartment was returned to its original state, the pair began getting ready for bed. Skye averted her gaze as Kyulkyung began to change into her night attire, lest her blushing expression shine brighter red than her hair.  The pair bid each other a good night as they set their alarms for the morning.

While Kyulkyung quickly drifted off to dreamland, Skye’s mind was racing as she pondered the events of her twentieth birthday.  Luckily, the idols that she would be working with for the foreseeable future were kind and accepting, and she was even fortunate enough to have been graced with an incredible individual to share a room with.  Her thoughts eventually wound down as she felt herself drifting off to sleep. The last, pleasant thought that echoed in her mind before sleep claimed her was her roommate’s earlier promise: ‘You’re not alone anymore’.

Author’s Note:  Thanks for reading the first chapter!  Before you go, I’d like to invite you to please let me know any feedback you have!  I’m a huge reader, but not a very experienced writer. Due to there being 148 idols (so far) to draw from in this story, I have a lot of flexibility that I fully intend to make use of!  Additionally, I’d like to genuinely thank you for spending time reading this, and I hope you’ve enjoyed!