Once We Met:A Story Before The Stars

Chapter-1

Kim Im Soo slowly opened her eyes and got out of bed.
Her room was beautiful. Every wall was covered with posters and pictures of Euphoria. Their albums were neatly displayed on shelves, making it obvious that she was a devoted fan. The room perfectly reflected her love for the group.
After getting ready, she put on her Han Rim High School uniform and headed downstairs for breakfast.
Her parents were already waiting for her at the dining table.
The moment she walked in, they smiled warmly.
"Happy Birthday!"
Today was a special day-April 23, 2026. Kim Im Soo had officially turned sixteen.
She smiled brightly and thanked her parents for their wishes. After finishing breakfast, she grabbed her school bag.
"I'm off to school! See you this evening!"
She waved goodbye and left the house.
Outside, her best friend, Park Jimin, was already waiting for her.
As soon as he saw her, he grinned.
"Happy Birthday, Im Soo! Happy sixteenth birthday!"
"Thank you!" she replied with a smile.
The two friends began walking to school together, chatting as usual.
After a moment, Im Soo looked at him curiously.
"You told me you had a surprise for my birthday. What is it?"
Jimin chuckled.
"You really can't wait, can you?"
"Come on! Just tell me already!"
He laughed before finally giving in.
"You know Euphoria is holding a special concert on June 23 to celebrate the nineth anniversary of their debut..."
Im Soo's eyes widened.
"...Well, I bought two tickets."
For a moment, she couldn't even speak.
"What... really?"
Unable to contain her excitement, she threw her arms around him.
"Thank you so much, Jimin! I never expected a gift like this!"
Her eyes became slightly teary with happiness.
Jimin smiled awkwardly.
"Hey, don't get emotional. We still have two months to wait. We'll enjoy the concert together."
Im Soo nodded happily.
"I seriously can't wait!"
As they continued walking, she suddenly remembered something.
"Don't forget to come to my birthday party this evening after your after-school program finishes."
"I won't forget," Jimin replied with a smile. "I'll come as soon as it ends."
Soon, they arrived at school.
The morning classes passed by quickly, and before long, it was break time.
"I'm going up to the rooftop," Im Soo said. "Can you secretly buy some snacks and bring them there?"
Jimin raised an eyebrow.
"Why do I have to buy them? You can go yourself."
She pouted playfully.
"Please? It's my birthday! Buy all my favorite snacks, then come to the rooftop. We'll eat together and chat."
"Alright, alright," he laughed. "I'll be there."
Im Soo happily headed toward the school rooftop.
When she reached the rooftop, she noticed two girls bullying another student.
Her expression immediately hardened.
Without hesitation, she rushed over and kicked both bullies away from the frightened girl.
"Is this how you treat people?" she said angrily. "If I ever see either of you bullying her again, I'll report both of you to the school management."
The two girls immediately panicked and hurried away.
Im Soo gently helped the frightened girl back onto her feet.
"Thank you so much for saving me," the girl said gratefully. "One day, I'll definitely return the favor."
Im Soo smiled softly.
"You don't owe me anything. Just study well and take care of yourself. Now go back to class."
The girl bowed before leaving.
Now alone on the rooftop, Im Soo stood quietly, enjoying the breeze.
Suddenly, she felt as if someone was standing behind her.
She slowly turned around-
Before she could see who it was, someone forcefully shoved her.
She lost her balance and fell from the rooftop.
Everything around her went black.
...
Instead of hitting the ground, Im Soo suddenly opened her eyes inside a small, unfamiliar room.
Confused, she quickly sat up.
Standing in front of her were two teenage boys.
"What...?"
Nothing made sense.
How did I get here?
Just a moment ago, I was on the rooftop...
She looked around the tiny room, trying to understand what was happening.
Then her eyes landed on a calendar hanging on the wall.
It read:
2016
Her heart nearly stopped.
"2016...?"
She stared at it in complete disbelief.
"No... This can't be right."
She immediately turned toward the two boys.
"How did I get here?"
One of them frowned.
"Shouldn't you be the one answering that? How would we know how you got here?"
"W-What year is this?" she asked with a trembling voice.
The other boy answered casually.
"It's 2016."
Im Soo's eyes widened in horror.
"WHAT?! 2016?!"
The two boys standing before her were none other than Kim Min Ho and Jung Ho Jin...
...two members of Euphoria.