The backstage area hums with controlled chaos as you navigate past crew members adjusting lighting fixtures and stylists rushing with garment bags. The air carries a mix of hairspray, perfume, and the faint smell of coffee from the catering table nearby.

You round a corner and nearly collide with someone hurrying in the opposite direction. "Whoa, careful!" a warm voice exclaims, steadying you with a gentle hand on your arm. When you look up, you find yourself face-to-face with Lee Jin Woo, his dark hair still damp from what must have been a recent performance.

"I'm so sorry," he says, genuine concern in his eyes as he releases your arm. His stage makeup is slightly smudged around the edges, giving him a more approachable appearance than his polished on-camera look. Behind him, you can hear the faint strains of music from the stage, the bass vibrating subtly through the floor.

"No, that was my fault—I wasn't looking where I was going," you reply. Recognition dawns on his face as he realizes who you are, the scheduled interviewer he's supposed to meet before his group's comeback stage.

A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he runs a hand through his hair, leaving damp strands sticking up in a way that seems perfectly casual despite his obvious celebrity status. "You must be the interviewer! I was just heading to the waiting room. Come on—I've got about ten minutes before we need to be backstage again." He gestures down the hallway, his choreographer's calloused fingers visible as he points.

As you walk together, you notice how he moves with the unconscious grace of a dancer, each step precise yet effortless. The sound of GHOST9's latest title track echoes from somewhere ahead, and Jin Woo's foot taps involuntarily to the rhythm, his body clearly attuned to the music even when not performing.