The studio looks the same. Warm color palette, wood paneling, an abundance of light billowing in from the tall ceilings. The sofa still sits in its trusty old spot, right behind the producer’s chair, looking through the tiny window into the recording room. The air is still cold as ice, and they recording room feels almost awkward to be in, but they’ll get used to it now just as they did before.

With time.

It is here that Yongguk finds himself most comfortable. He spent years in this room, writing and producing, making his dreams come true with every song he had the pleasure of calling finished. Coming back into this recording room after having not seen it for nearly a year almost brings tears to his eyes. They’d come so far, and then things went south. But they endured. They all endured, encouraging one another through thick and thin. And it’s a blessing to finally see their patience pay off.

It is here that Himchan’s nostalgia is satiated. He and Yongguk have spent many nights (literally) here. Memories, thousands of memories, were created right here in this room. Filming for Ta-Dah!, making their first single, their first album. (And plenty of others, of course. No one can forget the time Jongup burped into the microphone, okay, no one.)

It is here that Daehyun lets his true colors shine. He’s a huge ball of energy outside the recording room. Hollering the loudest in his reactions, jumping around to keep the flow going, working the hardest to make up for his lack of dance skills. But, as far as music is concerned, belting out notes is his forte. This is his domain.

It is here that Youngjae plans to finish his battle. In the beginning he stated his motto as “starting is only half the battle,” and it is in the room, with his second family, that he plans to finish it. Whether it’s following Yongguk’s orders to sing the same line over and over until it’s perfect, whether it’s dictating his own track - Youngjae’s going to be here making music til the moment he breathes his final breath.

It is here that Jongup earns his praises. In this group, he and Junhong are the rulers of dance. He is the body, the muscle of the group. He knows all this, and they’ve all applauded him enough for it. But it is in the studio, when Jongup holds those headphones to his ears and stands in front of the microphone, that he opens his mouth to show his worth. He is not just a routine. He is not just a body. He is also Moon Jongup, the singer.

It is here that Junhong, finally reunited with his brothers, feels at home. He’s spent his adolescence, running around Seoul trying to find a means to an end - training to perfect his passions. And this stardom? This success? This is the result of all of that hard work. This is the result of teamwork. This is him realizing his dreams and following them. This is Junhong finding new dreams in the old ones, dreams to follow in the future.

Yes, it is here, in this very recording studio, that B.A.P, who’ve been together nearly four years, become kings of their craft.

a/n. plot twist: positive outlooks are positive lmao

thanks, as always, for reading