Starlit Bonds

I

Chapter One: "You Should've Seen Their Face"
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Minji bid farewell to her friends, her smile lingering as she stepped into her dorm room. With a subtle flick of her fingers, the lights danced out, leaving the room in serene darkness. The air carried a sense of calm as she made her way to the tiny bathroom to wash her face before turning in for the night.

As the cool water ran over her skin, Minji sensed an inexplicable presence around her, but she dismissed it as mere imagination, choosing to focus on the tranquility of the moment. She finished her nightly ritual and slipped into her cozy bed, the covers wrapping around her like a warm embrace. Exhaustion soon claimed her, and she drifted off into slumber, unaware of the events about to unfold.

Unbeknownst to Minji, the moon cast an eerie glow through her dorm room window, painting a mysterious ambiance across the space she called her own.

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As Minji awakened, she instinctively shook her hair away from her face. As she rose from her bed, she noticed an unusual agility, nearly stumbling before steadying herself with an uncanny speed. Blinking away her confusion, she made her way to the bathroom, but a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror stopped her in her tracks.

What she saw left her in shock. Her once petite frame now appeared to have grown almost a full foot taller. Her hair had thickened and cascaded down, obscuring her face like a mysterious veil. Broadened shoulders and a healthier appearance greeted her, and she couldn't help but touch her now clear skin, questioning if she had somehow taken steroids during the night.

Taking a deep breath, she attempted to proceed with her morning routine, washing her face and brushing her teeth. Yet, a peculiar sensation took over as her hand moved with an unprecedented swiftness. Confounded by these bizarre changes, she couldn't help but wonder, "What the hell is going on?"

As she turned her head to listen, her senses seemed sharper than ever before. She could hear the sweet melody of birdsong, an unusual sound in this urban setting. Perplexed, she thought to herself, "There were never birds here." But now, she could hear sounds from afar, as if her connection to the world had heightened to extraordinary levels. The world around her felt different, tinged with a hint of mystique and intrigue.

As Minji opened her closet to retrieve her uniform, her roommate, Hanni, barged into the room with a sense of urgency. "Did I miss briefing?" Hanni inquired, and Minji shook her head in response. As Hanni scanned Minji from head to toe, her eyes widened in surprise and confusion. "The hell happened to you?" she blurted out.

Minji could only shrug in response, still grappling with her newfound identity. Her voice had changed, and her appearance had transformed in astonishing ways. Just as she was about to explain, Hanni's drunken demeanor became apparent when she hiccuped and slumped onto Minji's bed.

"Where were you last night?" Minji asked, attempting to process her own changes while trying to understand Hanni's antics. Hanni's laughter made it evident that she couldn't remember her whereabouts. Then, her attention shifted back to Minji's appearance.

"Whoa, you're jacked too?" Hanni exclaimed, noticing the newfound tone in Minji's chest. Minji herself couldn't comprehend how such changes had occurred without her knowledge. "How? I've never done a sit-up in my life!" she exclaimed, baffled by her sudden physical strength.

Hanni shrugged, admitting she had no explanation for the inexplicable. As Minji attempted to dress in her uniform, the unforeseen changes continued to cause havoc. Buttons popped and shirts broke, leaving her exasperated.