Margaret sat in the very back seat, right beside the window that she intentionally left open.
The morning air crept in, carrying the scent of damp earth and the soft whisper of leaves touched by the wind.
From that spot, she felt she possessed a silent hollow that always awaited her—a small space that momentarily separated her from the bustle that she couldn't quite welcome that morning. It wasn't because something was pressing or disturbing; it was just that the universe felt kinder when viewed from a distance.
That back seat had long been Margaret's private territory, a kind of space whose existence was silently acknowledged by all her classmates. There were no signs, no name written, but everyone seemed to understand that the position was not just a seat, but a part of her.
That morning, her classroom came alive early.
The clock had just struck six fifteen, but the sunlight was already reflecting off the glass and creeping in, bathing her flat expression with a streak of gold.
The wind that broke through the open window brushed the tips of her hair, causing a few strands to lift lightly before settling back on her shoulder. With it, a leaf or two also drifted in, spinning gently in the air before landing softly near her fingers.
Those fingers had been lightly drumming a pattern on the desk surface, creating a simple rhythm that followed the melody from the earphones tucked into both her ears. Only she could hear the song, but its presence seemed to form a soft shroud that separated her from all the activities in the classroom.
Even so, the atmosphere in the classroom was actually bouncing, like a place that had just been splashed with euphoria.
It wasn't because the weekend was waiting at the end of the schedule, but rather that something unified everyone that morning, something that made them seem to move with the same spirit.
The students gathered in small circles in various corners, like clusters of stars shining with their own light.
They leaned on desks, bent forward, or stood while holding back laughter that was about to burst. Their mouths moved quickly, rhythmically, talking over each other, as if each was racing to be the first person to share the circulating news. There was a flicker of enthusiasm in their eyes—a mixture of curiosity and excitement.
Amidst that whirlwind, Margaret was the only one standing—or rather, sitting—outside the orbit. She remained in her seat, stayed behind the window, and continued to flow with the music that crept into her hearing.
Even though she had intentionally turned the volume of her earphones up slightly higher—just enough to drown out the pulse of the world yet remain friendly to her eardrums—the wave of sound outside the music still seeped in.
There was a thin, nearly invisible gap that allowed her classmates' conversations to dance on the edge of her awareness.
She already knew the direction of their talk since she stepped into the classroom that morning, yet the whispers still arrived like uninvited guests, approaching without being acknowledged.
The voices originated from the crowd positioned near her, separated only by a few desks whose distance felt like a mere line of thin fencing.
"All of you must have watched the idol survival program 'Next Star: Catch Your Five' held by ASpire Entertainment, right?"
That voice belonged to Demy Georgina—a girl who, somehow, always managed to stand in the front line whenever the scent of new gossip emerged.
Every word that spilled from her lips streamed out with a speed that made others nearly have to hold their breath to follow her. Her tone rose and fell, fervent, as if she feared that if she paused even slightly, her mind would race far ahead of her mouth.
"Of course I watched it!"
The exclamation burst from Xevonia Kaorer, who was sitting right next to Demy—so suddenly.
Xevonia leaned her body forward, as if she wanted to ensure her voice broke through, overtook, and finally stitched the air together among the rapidly tightening crowd.
"Initially, I thought ASpire Entertainment—one of the five biggest agencies in Jakarta—would never hold an event like that."
"You guys know about their recruitment system, right? I heard it's super confidential. Some of their staff could be disguised among us, then suddenly show up, hand over a business card, and BAM! Ask us to join."
Xevonia's hands shot up into the air—quick and steady—forming a large bowl as if cradling something about to explode between her fingers.
Then, precisely at the moment the word "BAAM!" burst from her lips, her hand gesture bloomed open like a mini-explosion she created herself.
"I agree with that!"
Katrina Liedel's voice immediately snapped from the other side, as she was sitting right next to Xevonia.
"Like top actor, Helly Jorgh, said in his interview with IStar News a few weeks ago that was aired on YouTube."
She took a short pause, then continued:
"He recounted how someone claiming to be staff from ASpire Entertainment suddenly approached him and asked him to join the agency. Initially, he was doubtful—afraid it was just a scam. But the next day, the same person reappeared, once again asking for his consent. After confirming his identity as official ASpire Entertainment staff, he finally accepted the offer."
Katrina spoke with a rhythm that seemed to be chased by unending wonder. Her eyes widened, reflecting a still-fresh shock, like someone who had just realized that a story that sounded impossible had actually taken place.
Her friends immediately nodded rapidly, a spontaneous reaction indicating that they had watched the interview together, albeit from their respective phone screens.
"What shocked me wasn't just the fact that an agency that big suddenly held a survival program—which they rarely do—but also the number of participants, which was over a thousand people from all over Indonesia."
Then, as if the energy she had stored since dawn finally found a crack to overflow, Katrina clenched both her fists tightly.
"I was completely frozen. My heart nearly stopped, and I almost dropped my phone when I saw Gomsuk Oppa finally make it into the debut line-up!"
She swayed her body left and right in a spontaneous motion that resembled someone trying to contain a burst of excessive euphoria. Her eyes squeezed shut, as if she were reliving that moment in her memory. Her movements were like a small dance born from a simmering emotion—a mixture of delight, relief, and awe that flowed all the way to her fingertips.
"Hey!"
"I was also surprised by that!"
The shout came this time from Demy.
Her body lunged forward until her chest nearly touched the edge of the desk, while her back was jammed against the chair's backrest which refused to move any further.
"Just imagine—out of over a thousand participants, only five people actually debuted. My gosh… I absolutely cannot imagine how tight and fierce the competition must have been."
She rubbed her forehead, shaking her head, laughing at herself for how easily she was swept up in the emotion while recalling the show that had ended several weeks ago.
The scenes were still vivid in her head—the erupting laughter, the tense stage performances, and the dramatic moments that made the viewers on screen feel like they were a part of the stage itself.
Then, her movement suddenly changed, becoming quick and decisive. Her index finger shot up as if it were an arrow finding its target, pointing straight at Katrina.
"And you?"
"You're a fan of Gomsuk Oppa? Seriously?"
Demy blinked several times—a combination of surprise, awe, and amusement—before her face was once again filled with a different kind of excitement.
"If you're his fan, then I'm Sehan Oppa's fan! He completely captivated my eyes, making me unable to look away from the stage every time he performed."
"Hey! He's incredibly good at dancing—his movements are sharp, detailed, and full of power. I truly love him. Even all the judges agreed, if Sehan Oppa made it to debut, he should be the Main Dancer of the group. And sure enough… he finally debuted!"
Her hand shot up, then fell slowly onto the desk.
She struck the surface with a short tap that was more like a small thud of triumph than anger. The desk emitted a very subtle clang, like the ringing of a spoon hitting a glass, and the slight vibration spread to the pens and books resting on it.
"You know what?"
She looked at her friends one by one.
"My dad and mom might think I'm over the top. But seriously… I really felt possessed when I saw Sehan Oppa for the first time. Like love at first sight? I don't know… What's clear is, besides being great at dancing, Sehan Oppa is super handsome. I'm sure he'll also be the visual of the group!"
Whether it was renewed fervor or her body refusing to contain the excessive joy, Demy struck the desk again—this time faster, harder. The desk vibrated in response, shaking slightly as if fully absorbed in her enthusiasm.
Xevonia immediately pulled out her phone, which had been quietly tucked away in her pocket. Her fingers danced across the screen, quick but steady, selecting a picture from the gallery that made her eyes shine with satisfaction.
With a firm motion, she leaned forward, slightly brushing aside the hair falling on her face, and then showed it to Demy and Katrina—two pairs of eyes that were now unable to look away from the small screen.
"You said Sehan Oppa is super handsome, right?"
"Look at this!"
Displayed on the screen was a portrait of Oduun—the man who held the third rank with a vote count exceeding one million, a number that, for other contestants, felt like an insurmountable mountain peak.
His face held a soft smile, a perfectly composed smile as if every curve had been trained to stir the hearts of anyone who looked at him.
"Isn't Oduun Oppa just as handsome?"
"Look at his smile! It's so sweet… and his incredibly white skin makes his face look like a prince descending from the heavens."
She slowly swiped the screen, her thumb moving carefully like someone holding their dearest treasure.
The next picture then appeared—Bunhang with soft pink hair reflecting the stage lights, gripping a microphone while giving a short speech about his gratitude after debuting in fourth place.
"And this… is Bunhang Oppa!"
"Look at his pink hair and his childlike face! Isn't he just so cute? But don't be fooled… once he winks, I can guarantee you'll instantly become his fan."
The phone was swiped again.
The screen now displayed another figure—Namsek, with dark blue hair that seemed to hold a vast, dark sea beneath its strands.
His face was slightly bowed, his gaze languid, yet there was a strong magnetic flicker that bound the attention of anyone who stared too long. He debuted in fifth place with over nine hundred thousand votes.
"This is Namsek Oppa!"
"He's quiet, but extraordinary in the rapper position. At first, I thought his voice was soft… but actually… it's a captivating deep voice!"
"Look at his languid eyes, piercing the audience with sharp intensity; they almost made me faint if my friends hadn't quickly snapped me out of it at the time."
The phone trembled slightly in her hand—not because she was losing her grip, but because her own body was filled with an unending surge of enthusiasm.