Cortis x illit
The Sugar-Coated Chaos of Move-In Day
The transition from two separate groups to a single, eleven-member household was supposed to be a logistical nightmare, but for the boys of Cortis, it felt more like a strategic mission with one primary objective: the absolute comfort and happiness of Iroha. The "Eclipse Project" had officially moved into a sprawling, multi-level complex designed to house the new mega-group, and the air was thick with the scent of cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and the frantic energy of eleven idols trying to claim their territory.
Martin, standing at his full 6’3” height, acted as the unofficial foreman of the operation. He wasn't particularly interested in where his own bed went, but he was currently hovering over the movers as they carried a small, white vanity desk toward the girls' wing.
"Careful with that corner," Martin warned, his voice deep and authoritative. "That’s Iroha’s. If there’s a scratch on it, I’m filing a formal complaint."
James wandered past, carrying a stack of fluffy pillows that looked like they belonged in a palace. "Martin, leave them alone. They’re professionals. Besides, I already checked the room for sharp edges. I’m going to buy some of those foam corner-protectors for the nightstands. She’s tiny, she might bump her head if she’s sleepy."
Yunah, leaning against the doorframe of the main living room, watched the boys with an amused expression. "You two realize she’s a professional dancer, right? Her spatial awareness is better than all of ours combined. She isn't going to just walk into a table."
"Prevention is better than a cure, Yunah-ssi," James replied with a serious nod, clutching the pillows like they were precious artifacts.
Down the hall, the sound of high-pitched giggling and rapid-fire footsteps echoed. The "Three Musketeers"—Keonho, Seonghyeon, and Iroha—were supposed to be unpacking clothes, but they had clearly found a more entertaining use for the empty boxes.
Iroha was currently sitting inside a large cardboard box while Keonho and Seonghyeon pushed her down the polished hallway at a speed that would have made their manager faint.
"Faster, Oppa! Faster!" Iroha squealed, her tiny hands gripping the edges of the cardboard. Her pigtails were already coming loose, and her cheeks were flushed a bright, healthy pink.
"Engage the boosters!" Seonghyeon shouted, making engine noises as he sprinted behind the box.
"Clear the way!" Keonho yelled, acting as the scout. "Maknae Express coming through! Priority delivery!"
They skidded around the corner, nearly colliding with Juhoon, who was carrying a tray of iced Americanos and strawberry milks. He didn't even flinch. He simply stepped to the side with the grace of a cat, his eyes tracking the box as it slid past him.
"Iroha-ya," Juhoon called out softly.
The box came to a screeching halt as Seonghyeon dug his heels in. Iroha peeked over the edge, her eyes wide and sparkling. "Yes, Juhoon-oppa?"
Juhoon walked over and handed her a carton of strawberry milk, already having poked the straw through the foil. "Drink. You’re getting too sweaty. You’ll catch a cold when the AC kicks in."
"Thank you!" She took the milk and sipped it happily, looking like a little hamster tucked away in her cardboard fortress.
Seonghyeon leaned against the wall, panting. "Man, she’s light. It’s like pushing a feather. We could probably launch her into orbit if we tried hard enough."
"Don't you dare," Moka’s voice floated from the kitchen. "If I see Iroha in the air, you two are doing the dishes for a month."
Keonho grinned, undeterred. "She’d enjoy it, though! Right, Iroha? You want to see the moon?"
Iroha nodded vigorously, her mouth still wrapped around the straw.
As the afternoon light began to golden, the group eventually gathered in the massive kitchen for their first official meal as a family. The table was a custom-made long oak piece that took up most of the dining area. Minju and Wonhee had spent the last two hours ordering an ungodly amount of food—fried chicken, tteokbokki, kimbap, and several salads that James had insisted on "for balance."
The seating arrangement happened naturally, which was to say, the boys orchestrated it so Iroha was at the center. She was flanked by Martin on her left and James on her right. Directly across from her sat the rest of the "Musketeers," Keonho and Seonghyeon, who were already engaged in a heated debate about which chicken seasoning was superior.
"Okay, everyone," Martin said, standing up and tapping his glass with a chopstick. "I know this is a big change. Merging groups isn't easy, and the fans are going to have a lot to say. But looking around this table... I think we’re already a team. And more importantly, we’re a family."
"Hear, hear!" Seonghyeon cheered, waving a chicken drumstick.
"And," Martin added, looking down at Iroha, who was looking up at him with pure adoration. "We have a collective responsibility to make sure our youngest member grows up happy and healthy. If anyone has a problem, they come to me or James. If Iroha has a problem, the world stops until it’s fixed. Understood?"
"Understood!" the boys shouted in unison.
The girls laughed, but there was a warmth in their eyes. They had always been protective of Iroha, but seeing these five tall, talented, and slightly over-the-top boys fall so completely under her spell was heart-melting.
"Iroha, try this," James said, placing a perfectly rolled kimbap on her plate. "It has the pickled radish you like. I made sure they didn't put too much wasabi in the dipping sauce."
"Thank you, James-oppa," she said, taking a bite. Her eyes closed in delight. "It’s so good!"
"Eat more," Martin urged, piling three more pieces of chicken onto her plate. "You’re still growing. We need you to hit at least 5’1” by next year."
"Hey! I like being five feet," Iroha protested with a playful pout. "It makes it easier to hide from Keonho-oppa when we play hide and seek."
"She’s got a point," Keonho admitted. "Yesterday, she hid in a laundry basket and I walked past her four times. I thought she’d disappeared into another dimension."
The dinner was a chaotic symphony of laughter, clinking utensils, and the kind of easy conversation that usually took years to build. Wonhee and Seonghyeon discovered they shared a bizarre sense of humor, while Minju and Juhoon bonded over their shared love of quiet mornings and expensive skincare.
After dinner, the real challenge began: the "Living Room Cinema."
They had a massive projector screen, and the debate over what to watch was fierce.
"Action! We need something with explosions!" Keonho campaigned.
"No, a documentary about deep-sea creatures," Juhoon suggested quietly, though he was ignored.
"Rom-com!" Wonhee and Moka shouted together.
They all turned to Iroha, who was sitting on the floor, buried under a mountain of blankets that James had meticulously arranged.
"What do you want to watch, Iroha-ya?" Martin asked, his voice softening.
Iroha chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Can we watch the animated movie about the pandas? The one with the singing?"
The boys didn't even hesitate.
"Pandas it is," James declared, grabbing the remote and scrolling past the latest Marvel movies without a second thought.
As the movie started, the room settled into a comfortable hush. The girls took the sofa, while the boys scattered across the floor on beanbags and cushions. Iroha found herself in a "protection circle." Martin was behind her, acting as a human backrest. James was to her left, Juhoon to her right, and the two younger boys were sprawled out in front of her like loyal hounds.
Halfway through the movie, the long day of moving and excitement finally caught up with the maknae. Her head began to bob, her eyelids growing heavy. She leaned to the right, her head landing on Juhoon’s shoulder.
Juhoon froze. He was usually the most reserved, the one who valued his personal space above all else. But as he felt the light weight of Iroha’s head and heard her soft, rhythmic breathing, his entire posture relaxed. He carefully shifted, reaching out to pull the blanket higher up around her neck.
"She’s out," Juhoon whispered, his voice barely audible over the movie’s soundtrack.
The other four boys immediately leaned in, their eyes softening as they watched her sleep.
"She looks like an angel," Seonghyeon whispered, for once dropping the jokes. "How is she even real? Look at her hands. They’re so small."
"I told you," Martin murmured, looking down at the top of her head. "She’s the treasure of this group. Everything we do from now on, we do it to make sure she stays this peaceful."
James reached over and gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I’m going to make sure the choreography for the debut stage isn't too taxing. She’s been working so hard lately. She needs her rest."
Yunah, watching from the sofa, felt a lump in her throat. She leaned over to Minju and whispered, "I think we’re going to be okay. I was worried about the boys being too intense, but they really love her."
"They don't just love her," Minju replied, smiling. "They’re obsessed with her. It’s like they’ve all collectively decided she’s their little sister. I’ve never seen Martin so calm."
As the credits rolled, no one moved. They didn't want to wake her. The giant screen flickered with white light, illuminating the faces of the ten older members as they sat in the quiet of their new home.
Finally, Martin stood up with agonizing slowness, making sure not to jostle the sleeping girl. He reached down and slid his arms under her, lifting her with the practiced ease of someone who had done this many times before—and he had, even in the short time they’d been together.
"I’ll take her to her room," Martin whispered.
"I’ll get the door," Keonho said, jumping up instantly.
"I’ll check if her humidifier is on," James added, following close behind.
"I’ll bring her plushie," Juhoon said, picking up the small cat keychain he’d given her earlier, which she had been clutching in her sleep.
The parade of boys followed Martin down the hallway, leaving the girls in the living room.
"Should we tell them that we’re perfectly capable of putting her to bed?" Moka asked, tilting her head.
"Let them have this," Yunah laughed, stretching her arms. "They’ve been 'boy-crush' idols for so long, I think they’re enjoying being big brothers. It’s good for them."
In the girls' room, Martin lowered Iroha onto her bed as if she were made of the finest porcelain. James tucked the duvet around her, ensuring there were no drafts. Juhoon placed the cat plushie right next to her hand. Keonho and Seonghyeon stood at the foot of the bed, watching with expressions of pure devotion.
"Goodnight, Princess," Martin whispered, leaning down to kiss the top of her head—a gesture so naturally paternal it surprised even him.
They lingered for a moment, five tall shadows in the dim nightlight, before quietly filing out of the room.
As they stood in the hallway, the weight of their new reality settled in. They were no longer just Cortis. They were something bigger, something more complex. They were protectors, teachers, and brothers.
"We’re going to be the best group in the world," Keonho said, his voice full of conviction.
"We have to be," James replied, looking back at the closed door. "We have the most important maknae to protect. Failure isn't an option."
Martin nodded, a smirk playing on his lips. "Tomorrow, we start the new choreography. James, make sure it’s sharp. Seonghyeon, Keonho, keep the energy up. Juhoon, keep an eye on the visuals. And all of you... make sure Iroha has her favorite snacks in her bag before we leave for the studio."
"On it, Boss," Seonghyeon saluted.
The house grew quiet as everyone finally headed to their own rooms. The "Eclipse Project" was officially underway. And while the music industry was bracing for a titan of a group, the members themselves were focused on something much simpler: the small, sleeping girl in the lavender room, who had turned five tough idols into a family of devoted brothers.
The journey ahead would be long, filled with grueling practices, world tours, and the pressure of fame. But as long as they had each other—and as long as Iroha was safe in the middle of their circle—they knew they could handle anything.
In the quiet of the night, the only sound was the soft hum of the humidifier in Iroha’s room, a tiny beacon of care in a world that was about to get a lot louder. The pocket-sized miracle was home, and she was more loved than she could ever imagine.