Final Puzzle Piece || SKZ 9th Member

What Kala Thinks

The room ceiling was so appealing tonight to Kala that she stared at it the whole night instead of sleeping. It was almost 4 in the morning, but her mind couldn't stop thinking about her conversation with Chan at lunch yesterday, specifically his offer to join his group, Stray Kids.

"What do you say about joining Stray Kids, Kala?"

That question had been flying around in Kala's head, word after word, like a gang of moths that were swarming a bulb.

Being the only girl in the group full of boys? Sounded kinda scary to her. Much less, Kala didn't have any experience of having a real male friend before Chan showed up in her life. Even that took time for her to loosen up to him, how he expected her to join his group of 8 boys?

Now Kala didn't necessarily object to Chan's offer. In fact, seeing Ryujin, Yeji, and Chaeryeong, she sometimes felt left out and envied their bond. She always wondered what it was like to have a group of her own, to debut together with the other girls, to have people to share this whole idol experience with. But she never thought the opportunity would actually come to her with a little plot twist.

Ryujin shifted on the bed beside Kala's, groaning softly and turning her body to Kala's side. Her eyes slowly came to a peak. Seeing her dorm mate awake while staring up at the ceiling with an empty look, Ryujin opened her eyes completely and propped up her body using her arm.

"Kala? Why are you awake? Are you having a nightmare again?" she asked, eyes squinting in concern as Kala once sobbed so hard in her sleep because of a nightmare.

"Eonnie¹," Kala called absentmindedly. (¹the way younger women address older women)

"Yeah? What is it, Kal?" At this point, Ryujin already sat on her bed, looking at Kala who still had her eyes on the ceiling.

"What if I debut in a group?"

Ryujin frowned. That was random. "PD-nim decided to put you in a group?"

Kala shook her head then diverted her gaze to Ryujin. "Channie oppa asked me to join his group."

That one got Ryujin good. Her eyes rounded, suddenly she didn't feel sleepy anymore. "His group?" she repeated. "As in his group Stray Kids?"

"Uh-huh."

"That'll be..."

"Unusual?" Kala suggested.

"Uniquely risky," Ryujin chose. "Unique. But risky."

Kala darted back to the ceiling. "You're right. Too risky."

"But unique," Ryujin stated again.

"But risky," Kala restated. "But unique."

"But risky."

The two let out a breath in sync.

Ryujin laid back and joined in ceiling-gazing. "What did you say to him?"

"Something like 'You're kidding' and 'I'll think about it'."

Ryujin nodded. "Fair enough." She then moved to lay on her stomach and faced Kala. "Hey."

On that serious tone calling, Kala copied Ryujin's position and gave her attention.

"You do you, alright? Just choose what you want the most. I'll always support you no matter what," Ryujin told her best friend, lifting the younger girl's spirit. "Solo or in a group, you're still as talented as ever, Kala. "

Kala's mouth curved into a smile. "Thank you, eonni. Really."