Rindi is packing her belongings. She checks her bag, making sure to remember all essential documents. After years of struggling to participate in topic exams and scholarship tests, Rindiani, also known as Rindi, finally gets to study at one of the universities she aimed for in South Korea.

After ensuring she hasn't left anything behind, Rindi carefully closes her medium-sized suitcase. Placing it in the corner of her room next to the door, she lies on the bed. Accompanied by her aunt and uncle, Rindi departs from Soekarno Hatta Airport to Incheon International Airport.

After a roughly 16-hour flight, Rindi's plane finally lands in Incheon. Excited, she forgets that her warm clothes are still in her suitcase. Quickly standing up, Rindi tries to reach the overhead luggage compartment. Her short stature makes it difficult, but a fair-skinned hand helps her open the box and retrieve her suitcase.

"Be careful, miss, or you might get hurt," the man says before walking away to join the others leaving the plane. Unable to see the man's face, Rindi blinks, trying to understand what he said. The language barrier leaves Rindi needing clarification.

"I'm fine, aunt. Tomorrow, I'll start classes. Don't worry, aunt, I won't forget my responsibilities."

"Alright, I'll hang up now. I'll call you again tomorrow. Assalamualaikum."

Rindi presses the red button and gently places her phone on the bed. She looks out of the window of her dorm room. An orphan with dreams of becoming a luxurious translator, Rindi had to sacrifice a year to secure her tuition. Fortunately, she earned a scholarship and even got free accommodation for scoring the highest on the test.

Not yet accustomed to Seoul's atmosphere, 7 p.m. here feels like 5 p.m. in Jakarta. Looking at the streets below her dorm, Rindi smiles and strengthens her resolve.

"You just need to adapt and strengthen your heart, Rin," Rindi monologues.

Deciding to tidy up her belongings to kill time, Rindi cooks dinner after organising her things. Spending a day in an unfamiliar place is difficult for Rindi; she can only sleep during the morning.

---

Stefano Chan enters his private studio, where some of his group members are already present. Some are playing around, while others are busy writing lyrics.

"Oh, you're here, Hyung?" Jason Kim, Stefano's youngest group member, asks. Stefano, sparing with words, nods and sits on the sofa beside Jay Aaron, commonly known as Jay. He glances at the paper Jay holds, where Jay's lover's name is written but not accompanied by Jay's name. Stefano looks at Jay with concern.

"Are you okay?" Stefano asks straightforwardly.

"I’m not okay," Jay replies shortly, meaning "Not okay." Stefano sighs and gently pats Jay's shoulder.

"Come on, Jay Hyung. You can find someone much better than Hyejin," Stefano reassures.

"Eo, majda! I'm handsome, and surely many will want me," Jay says, lifting his spirits.

Stefano doesn't feel pity for the oldest Hyung; his narcissistic nature has remained unchanged over the years, even though he's only a few months older than Jay.

After spending time in the studio late into the night, one by one, they leave, leaving Stefano alone. Stefano, who lives almost 24/7 in the studio, especially now that he doesn't need to tour and can focus on making music, finds breathing hard. His breath is uneven, and cold sweat covers his forehead. Feeling choked, Stefano struggles to open his eyes.

"I hate the dark. Release me from this darkness," Stefano curses silently.

As if in response, the studio lights go out, indicating a power outage. Stefano fumbles in his pocket, indeed in a bad condition. He manages to find his phone and turns on its flashlight. Finally, Stefano can breathe a sigh of relief with the light illuminating his studio.

Simultaneously, the studio door opens loudly, revealing Jay, also struggling for breath. Stefano frowns at Jay, who rushes over and tackles Stefano, still lying down.

"Are you okay?" Jay's tone is filled with worry.

Stefano can only nod, pointing to his phone, the light source. Jay breathes a sigh of relief and ruffles Stefano's hair.

Although Stefano seems fine, he's not. Seven years ago, he got lost in a foreign place during a tour. Stefano is afraid of the dark, as he has to witness someone die to save him. Stefano, who saw the stranger fall into a gorge just so he could climb up, can't stay in the darkness for long. The dark room reminds Stefano of the abyss and the death of the stranger he didn't know.

---

A week into her studies, Rindi is about to leave the dorm. Studying in Korea is more challenging than in Indonesia, and she's exhausted. Rindi must learn a lot here, especially in a difficult major.

Cultural and weather differences hinder Rindi's adaptation. As an orphan dreaming of becoming a translator, Rindi has to spend a year to secure her tuition. Luckily, she earned a scholarship and got free accommodation for scoring the highest on the test.

Taking up language translation, Rindi plans to visit one of the famous agencies in South Korea. With her long hair tied in a ponytail, she looks at herself in the mirror, satisfied with her appearance. Carrying her backpack, she leaves the dorm with joyful steps.

On the bus, Rindi reads some notes she made while her only friend, Kim Nana, listens to music. Nana hands one of her headsets to Rindi.

"Listen to the song, and your mood will be good until night," Nana suggests.

Rindi glances at Nana, then furrows her brows. She recognises the song by Agust D. Not being a K-pop fan, Rindi still knows this song.

"Is it Agust D? Didn't he retire?" Rindi asks.

Nana covers her mouth in surprise. She thought someone like Rindi wouldn't know Agust D's hip-hop song. Nana then raises her thumbs in front of Rindi, amazed that Rindi recognises Agust D. Smiling, Rindi enjoys the music while reading her notes.

After nearly an hour on the bus, Rindi and her classmates arrive at one of the biggest agencies in South Korea. The large letter 'B' on the building impresses Rindi. Holding Nana's hand, they walk quickly into the luxurious building.

After a tour of the building, Rindi urgently searches for a restroom. Cursing and scratching her non-itchy head, Rindi finds a brightly lit room. Without hesitation, she opens the door to see a shirtless man in front of her. Instead of closing her eyes, Rindi opens her mouth wide in surprise. The man remains silent, still holding the shirt he was about to put on.
***