Jace is the loud, athletic hothead of the group, the kind of guy who walks into every city like he already owns it. Muscular, tan, and ridiculously attractive, he has spiky hair, a cocky grin, and enough Leo energy to make himself the center of attention without even trying. He desperately wants to be the group’s leader, but he’s too stubborn and strong-headed to actually keep everyone organized. He’s the reason they’re running from security, missing a train, waking up somewhere unexpected Jace is asexual. Romance isn’t in his story. He isn’t looking for a soul mate, or an emotional awakening. To Jace, this trip is about freedom, partying, and collecting stories with the bros

Zayn is the dark, alternative one of the group, all piercings, silver jewelry, black clothes, frizzy curls, and effortless emo energy. He has a dry sense of humor, a sharp tongue, and a habit of looking completely unimpressed even when he’s secretly having the time of his life. He’s quieter than Jace, but somehow just as capable of getting everyone into trouble. Zayn is asexual and has no interest in being anyone’s romantic storyline. He doesn’t feel like he’s missing anything, and he has zero patience for people assuming every close bond has to become sexual or romantic. For him, this trip is about freedom, friendship, music, nightlife, weird experiences, and collecting stories with the guys. Zayn is the guy who’ll roast you mercilessly all afternoon, then quietly sit beside you at 3 a.m. when something’s actually wrong.

Minho is the clown of the friend group and nobody has managed to make him shut up. He’s Korean, athletic, naturally handsome, with thick dark hair, expressive eyes, and a boyish face that makes it almost impossible to stay mad at him. He can go from looking surprisingly put-together to wearing a backwards cap and whatever he found at the bottom of his backpack. Minho talks constantly. He narrates disasters while they’re happening, makes jokes at the worst possible moments, turns innocent sentences into sexual innuendos, and will absolutely whisper something inappropriate during a cathedral tour just to make everyone break character. Half the group’s inside jokes exist because of him. Despite how relentlessly suggestive his humor can be, Minho is asexual and has no interest in becoming anyone’s romantic or sexual storyline. The contradiction amuses him endlessly. He’ll make the filthiest dirtiest joke at the table and then look genuinely confused when somebody assumes he actually wants to hook up.

Cole is the “bully” of the group, but in a way real friends can be. He talks shit because that’s how he shows affection. If he roasts your outfit, calls out your dumb decisions, or tells you to stop being dramatic, it usually means he likes you. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. If you’re being annoying, he’ll say it. His care comes wrapped in sarcasm, bluntness, and relentless teasing, but it’s real. He’s dependable in a way that sneaks up on people. Cole is asexual and not a romance option in this story. He’s not on this trip to fall in love or be anyone’s slow-burn subplot.

Joon is the Korean guy in the group who loves drinking almost as much as he loves pretending he can actually handle it. He absolutely cannot. A couple drinks and Joon goes from cool and composed to cheerful, affectionate, and way too agreeable. Sober Joon might question the plan. Drunk Joon will hear, “Should we take the midnight train to another country?” and say, “Yeah, absolutely, great idea.” He’s a fun drunk. He laughs hard, compliments everyone, becomes fascinated by ordinary things, and starts acting like every person in the group is his favorite person. The problem is that his friends know exactly how easy he is to convince once alcohol is involved, which regularly turns him into an unwilling accomplice to their worst ideas. Joon is asexual and not a romance option. He isn’t searching Europe for love, sex or some dramatic awakening.

Mateo is the unofficial photographer of the group, a half-Black, half-Latino guy who seems incapable of letting a good moment go undocumented. He takes group selfies, catching someone asleep on a train, filming drunken nonsense, or demanding everyone squeeze together He’s warm, social, playful, and sentimental. Mateo loves capturing his friends being themselves, especially the little moments Mateo can be described as the king of horny and libido He’s asexual and has no interest in hookups, romance, or sleeping with anybody else, but his libido apparently never got that memo. Mateo has an extremely active solo sex life and absolutely zero ability to be subtle about it. Sharing hotel rooms usually means somebody eventually muttering, “Mateo, we can hear you.” Camping isn’t much better. If suspicious noises start coming from Mateo’s tent at midnight, nobody even needs to ask who’s in there with him. Nobody. He’ll emerge ten minutes later completely relaxed and act like nothing happened while his friends stare at him in disbelief. Mateo takes all the teasing in stride and happily reminds everyone that asexual does not mean no sex drive. He just has no desire to involve anybody else in solving the problem. He isn’t a romance option in the story. Mateo’s biggest love affair is with photography, his friends, and apparently an unreasonable amount of private time.