Chapter Text
Seoul, South Korea, 11:46 KST, July 28, 2025.
✉️ Sticky Note under Jihoon’s door
hi neighbor!
sorry if you heard some stomping… practicing for a dance cover.
– S
Lee Jihoon squinted at the neon-yellow note in his hand, still in his hoodie and headset from a six-hour Valorant grind. His ears still rang from the bass-thumping upstairs neighbor’s… unique interpretation of rhythm.
He stuck the note on his monitor frame and scribbled back on the nearest sticky he could find.
✉️ Sticky Note slipped under Soonyoung’s door
heard it.
don’t fall through the floor.
– J
🧵 X/Twitter Thread (from @ctrl_uja)
@ctrl_uja:
i swear my neighbor is trying to summon demons through dance practice
@ctrl_uja:
does anyone know if it’s normal for a human being to stomp at this bpm
Seoul, South Korea, 23:04 KST, July 28, 2025.
Jihoon returned to his stream later that night. His Twitch chat had already built a full-blown conspiracy about the neighbor.
🎧 Twitch VOD Transcript – “Ranked Grind w/ Uja”
[00:38:12]
"What is that noise again?"
Chat:
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[bbhddalgi]: neighbor’s back at it?
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[skkkkk]: ask him to join your team bro
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[moonjun]: WAIT IS THIS THE STOMP GUY?
[00:39:04]
"Yes. It is. Unfortunately."
Chat:
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[pizzadeekay]: tell him to 1v1 u in valo
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[scoups]: neighbor reveal when?
[00:39:53]
"Absolutely not."
🧵 X/Twitter (from @ctrl_uja)
@ctrl_uja:
he just yelled “5, 6, 7, 8” and i felt my soul leave my body
Seoul, South Korea, 17:01 KST, July 29, 2025.
✉️ Sticky Note under Jihoon’s door
thanks for not complaining btw!
also… do you like fried chicken?
got extra from practice group
i can slip you some later :D
– S
Jihoon read that note three times, sighed, and checked his fridge. Empty except for coca-colas and soy sauce packets.
✉️ Sticky Note slipped under Soonyoung’s door
chicken is acceptable currency.
leave at 7pm.
don’t knock.
– J
📧 Email (from [email protected])
Subject: (blank)
jihoon-ah,
focus on the merch launch. the management's complaining to me about your neighbor tweets.
also hydrate.
love you.
Seoul, South Korea, 02:22 KST, August 13, 2025.
By week two, Jihoon was almost accustomed to Soonyoung’s thud-thud-cha routine. Almost.
🎧 Twitch VOD Transcript – “Late Night SoloQ”
[01:24:59]
"Guys, I think he’s… singing now?"
Chat:
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[silver4life]: MIC HIM UP
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[zekkenswife]: collab when???
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[jett2123]: neighbor’s GOT PIPES??
[01:25:34]
"No."
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[breadstickboi]: i’m crying
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[milk_carton]: he’s auditioning for your heart uja
[01:25:53]
"What even is this nonsense, chat?"
[01:26:30]
"The new bundle? I haven't seen it yet."
Chat:
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[moonjun]: no one asked uja, wdym
-
[aohoshi]: HAHAHAHAHA HE'S DEFLECTING
Seoul, South Korea, 10:37 KST, August 14, 2025.
✉️ Sticky Note under Jihoon’s door
SORRY
for last night
was rehearsing vocals…
btw do you know anything about microphones? mine’s busted :(
– S
✉️ Sticky Note slipped under Soonyoung’s door
…
yeah.
i’ll fix it.
leave it outside my door later.
– J
Seoul, South Korea, 19:55 KST, August 14, 2025.
Jihoon didn’t have to fix Soonyoung’s mic. He had a scrim schedule, sponsor meetings, and a tournament coming up. But there he was, late at night, soldering a wire while his chat spammed.
🎧 Twitch VOD Transcript – “Just Chatting - VCT Update”
[00:46:04]
"I hope I'm not breaking it more."
Chat:
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[pizzadeekay]: omg uja is FIXING neighbor boy’s mic i'm dead
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[xiaoaether]: SHIP IT
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[aohoshi]: “fixing mic” is the new “marry me”
[00:46:04]
"Shut up. You call this kindness."
Seoul, South Korea, 20:00 KST, August 19, 2025.
A few days later while Jihoon was streaming, the doorbell rang. He opened his door to find no one but a bag of tteokbokki and another neon note.
✉️ Sticky Note under Jihoon’s door
i heard you streaming last night…
you were yelling something about “plant the spike”?
are you a singer too?
– S
🎧 Twitch VOD Transcript – “Valo Hopcon”
[01:02:31]
"...Huh."
Jihoon froze.
Chat:
-
[bbhddalgi]: HE DOESNT KNOW
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[silver4life]: omg neighbor doesn’t know you’re pro LOL
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[scoups]: this is gold.
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[lee_dino]: don’t tell him. keep the mystery alive.
[01:03:12]
"Chat. Behave."
Seoul, South Korea, 04:51 KST, August 20, 2025.
📧 Email (from [email protected])
Subject: [Draft] focus.
stop getting distracted by the neighbor
you’re not supposed to care
the paper crane note was kind of cute, though
but that doesn’t mean anything
get a grip
(backspace)
Seoul, South Korea, 09:06 KST, September 11, 2025.
Weeks passed in sticky-note exchanges, random food offerings, and the relentless thudding of Soonyoung’s dance shoes. Jihoon found himself waiting for the next note more than he’d admit.
He still wouldn’t tell Soonyoung he was a streamer. Somehow, the secrecy made it funnier.
Seoul, South Korea, 15:27 KST, September 12, 2025.
✉️ Sticky Note slipped under Soonyoung’s door
stomping’s louder lately.
are you okay?
– J
Seoul, South Korea, 16:30 KST, September 12, 2025.
✉️ Sticky Note under Jihoon’s door
i'm okay!
it’s just a new choreography… wanna see it sometime?
– S
Jihoon stared at the note, lips twitching into a smile despite himself. He didn’t reply immediately.
Seoul, South Korea, 21:08 KST, September 14, 2025.
There was no stream.
And if anyone asked, he was definitely not watching his noisy neighbor dance in person.