The dorm felt smaller that night, walls pressing in like they wanted to hear every secret we weren't saying.
Hyejin had dragged out the cheap sparkling cider we'd been saving for "the big day," and now empty bottles rolled under the bunk beds like defeated soldiers.
Minseo curled on the floor with her knees to her chest, giggling at nothing.
Sera scrolled through her phone, pretending the celebration didn't touch her.
Chaewon sat at the tiny table, already sketching out a practice schedule that started tomorrow at dawn.
And me?
I sat cross-legged on my mattress, back against the wall, smiling the perfect smile while everything inside stayed quiet.
Ae-Ri floated above the chaos like a pink storm cloud, invisible to the others, twirling ribbons around her fingers.
She hadn't spoken since the conference room.
She didn't need to.
Her presence was loud enough—sweet strawberry scent mixing with the cider, wings occasionally brushing my hair like a reminder that I wasn't alone.
Never alone again.
Hyejin raised her plastic cup for the third time.
"To Yoona! Our secret weapon! The girl who went from 'passable' to 'please debut me now' in twenty-four hours!"
Everyone laughed.
I laughed too.
The sound came out smooth, melodic, perfectly timed.
No snort.
No awkward hitch.
Just pretty.
Minseo leaned over, eyes shining with real happiness.
"You were incredible today. Like… I've never seen anyone own the room like that. What changed, Yoona-yah?"
I opened my mouth to deflect.
To say hard work.
To say practice.
To lie like a good trainee.
Ae-Ri swooped down, hovering right in front of my face, blocking my view of Minseo.
Her hot-pink eyes sparkled with wicked glee.
"Tell them the truth, superstar. Tell them a tiny devil-fairy with ribbons traded your grandmother's lullabies for a flawless high note. Go on. Watch their faces~"
The words stuck in my throat.
Instead I smiled wider, tilted my head just so.
"I guess I just… found my rhythm. Finally."
Minseo nodded like that made perfect sense.
Hyejin cheered again.
Chaewon glanced up from her notebook, eyes lingering a second too long.
Outside, rain started tapping the window.
Soft at first.
Then steady.
The kind of summer rain that used to make me feel small and safe, like the world was washing away the bad parts.
I stared at the droplets racing down the glass.
Tried to remember how it felt.
The smell of wet asphalt.
The way it made everything quieter, softer.
The way it used to calm the storm inside me after a bad evaluation.
Nothing.
Just wet.
Just glass.
No feeling attached.
Ae-Ri noticed.
Of course she did.
She floated closer to the window, pressed her tiny palm to the pane, wings glowing faintly in the neon streetlight outside.
"Missing something, princess?" she purred, voice low enough that only I could hear.
"Rain used to be your favorite thing. You'd sit by windows like this for hours when you were little. Remember?"
I didn't.
Not really.
The memory was there, blurry, like a photo left too long in the sun.
But the emotion?
Gone.
She turned to face me, grin stretching impossibly wide.
"Trade offer time~ Let's make tonight special."
A blue window shimmered into existence between us, brighter than the dorm lights.
**[System: Eternal Encore – Trade Offer #2]**
**Gain: Vocal Stability +60 (All registers locked, breath control infinite)**
**Cost: Sensory Memory – The smell of rain will be erased permanently**
**Bonus: Minor visual enhancement (skin clarity + glow under stage lights)**
**Accept? [Y/N]**
I stared at the words until they burned into my retinas.
Vocal stability.
The thing trainers had circled in red for years.
The thing that would make every high note effortless.
Every ad-lib flawless.
Every recording session a breeze.
And in exchange?
Rain.
Just rain.
Ae-Ri tilted her head, ribbons swaying.
"It's not like you'll miss it. You'll be inside studios, stages, vans, airports. Rain won't matter anymore. You'll be too busy shining."
My finger hovered over Y.
Minseo laughed at something Hyejin said.
Sera glanced at me again, frown faint.
Chaewon kept writing, pen scratching steady.
I pressed Y.
The window flashed once, bright and final.
The change was instant.
A soft, cool wave washed through my head, like someone turned off a scent I hadn't realized was playing.
I inhaled deeply.
The rain outside kept falling.
I could hear it.
See it.
But it smelled like… nothing.
Just water.
Blank.
Neutral.
Ae-Ri clapped once, delighted.
"Perfect! Now you won't get distracted by silly weather. All focus on the stage. All focus on me~"
I exhaled.
The breath came out even, controlled, endless.
I could sing for hours without tiring.
I knew it.
Felt it in my lungs, my diaphragm, my everything.
Minseo looked over, curious.
"You okay, Yoona-yah? You zoned out."
I turned to her, smile blooming automatically.
"I'm great. Really great."
And I was.
Or at least the version of me that mattered now was.
Ae-Ri settled on my shoulder, humming our debut song off-key just to annoy me.
She leaned in, voice syrupy sweet.
"Two trades down, superstar.
The stage is waiting.
And so is the next price tag."
Outside, the rain kept falling.
I listened.
Felt nothing.
And somewhere deep inside, a tiny voice that used to love the sound whispered goodbye.