Chapter Text
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“Gyuvin.” Hanbin spoke in an unusually serious tone, staring directly into the younger’s eyes.
Caught off guard by the sudden seriousness, Gyuvin nearly choked on his snacks.
“Yes, Hanbin hyung?”
“Get off the table.”
Gyuvin blinked.
Then he looked down at where he was somehow sitting cross-legged on the conference table itself, a packet of snacks in one hand and Ricky’s sunglasses in the other.
“No.”
Hanbin stared at him.
“Why not?”
“Because the chair is too low.”
Hanbin took a moment, processing the answer before letting out a defeated sigh.
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
Gyuvin merely rolled his eyes.
“It makes sense to me.”
Across from him, Ricky calmly retrieved his sunglasses and slid them back onto his face.
“Honestly, just let him fall,” he said smoothly. “He’ll learn.”
“He won’t,” Zhanghao replied immediately, not even looking up from his phone. “You know he won’t.”
Silence settled over the room for a moment.
Then Seungeon’s voice quietly broke it,
“True.”
Filming days always felt like this, Loud. Chaotic. Someone was always arguing over food. Someone else was being bullied. And somewhere in the middle of it all, Hanbin was desperately trying to maintain some kind of order while everyone ignored him.
Today, however, there were cameras.
Not unusual.
The suspicious smiles on the staff’s faces, however…
Those were very unusual.
Jiwoong narrowed his eyes.
“I don’t trust them.”
Taerae nodded immediately.
“You never trust them.”
“And I’ve never been wrong.”
“Fair.”
Nearby, Yujin was halfway through stealing chips from Seungeon’s hands when one of the staff members clapped loudly.
“Everyone, please sit down.”
Ten pairs of eyes turned toward her immediately.
Hanbin smiled politely.
Taerae looked terrified.
And after much protest, Gyuvin finally climbed off the table.
The producer beamed.
“We have exciting news!”
Seungeon visibly frowned.
“Those words are scary,” he muttered.
Beside Gunwook, Matthew nodded solemnly.
“Whenever producers say ‘exciting,’ I lose sleep.”
Gunwook snorted.
“Hyung, you lose sleep because you spend hours watching Pokémon unboxing videos.”
Matthew looked genuinely offended.
“They’re educational.”
Gunwook raised an eyebrow.
“Educational?”
“It’s called motivation.”
“It’s called insanity.”
Matthew gasped dramatically.
“Gunwook, have some respect.”
The younger couldn’t help but laugh.
“For what?”
“The grind.”
Behind them, Yujin giggled so hard he nearly choked on the chips he’d been sneaking from Seungeon, thoroughly enjoying the back-and-forth bickering happening in front of him.
Seungeon sighed and pushed a bottle of water toward him.
“Slow down before you die.”
“I’m fine,” Yujin wheezed.
“That’s what worries me.”
The producer continued as though none of that had happened.
“For the next month, you’ll be filming a brand-new variety series.”
The room fell silent.
“A month?” Zhanghao repeated.
“A whole month?” Gyuvin echoed.
“Can I have visitation rights?” Taerae asked weakly.
“Will there be food?” Matthew wondered.
“Will there be rest?” Jiwoong added.
“Will there be dignity?” Ricky questioned.
The producer smiled brightly.
“No promises.”
Collective groans echoed around the room.
“The concept is simple. You’ll all be divided into pairs.”
That immediately got everyone’s attention.
“Oh, we’re finished,” Hao announced.
“No, seriously, we’re done for,” Seungeon agreed.
Hanbin sighed.
“Please don’t pair me with chaos.”
Gyuvin raised his hand.
“Too late.”
Hanbin blinked.
“Gyuvin, I wasn’t talking about you.”
The younger looked deeply offended.
“Good.”
“It was absolutely about you,” Hao added helpfully.
The producer gestured dramatically toward the box sitting in the center of the room.
Inside sat five envelopes.
“The pairings have already been decided.”
Immediately, Matthew leaned toward Gunwook.
“Twenty thousand won says I get paired with Hao hyung.”
Gunwook looked at him.
“That’s a terrible bet.”
Matthew frowned.
“Why?”
“Because you make terrible decisions.”
“You wound me.”
“I survive.”
“You’re mean.”
“You’re dramatic.”
Matthew crossed his arms.
“See? This is why nobody appreciates me.”
Gunwook grinned.
“Hyung, everybody appreciates you.”
Matthew blinked.
Then a smile spread across his face.
“That’s true.”
“Shameless.”
“Confidence, Gunwookie.”
Gunwook immediately frowned.
“Nobody calls me that.”
Matthew pointed at himself, feeling proud of his own actions.
“I just did.”
Before Gunwook could argue further, the producer cleared her throat.
“And because we’re feeling generous…”
Nobody liked that smile.
“…each pair will also receive a special concept.”
Silence.
Pure silence.
Jiwoong slowly covered his face.
Hanbin sighed.
Zhanghao looked ready to walk out.
And Taerae, staring into the distance like a man who had already accepted defeat, whispered the words everyone was thinking.
“We’re doomed.”
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