Hayeon screamed out loud.
HighJion
[Agh! Crazy, how is Jion the left!]
BengYeoju
[Originally, delicate pure beauties like a flower like Jion topping a guy ten centimeters taller than him is the ultimate taste, you taste-ignorant fool]
HighJion
[Do you eat homos by taste?; Let’s just accept it as it looks; Anyone can see Seonwoo Jin is the left]
BengYeoju
[HighJion please stop your outdated character interpretation]
The two engaged in a fierce keyboard battle across their monitors, but no conclusion was reached. Originally, idol shippers tended to think all pairings except the one they shipped were heresies, so the impartial homo approach of ‘your pairing is also real and your pairing is also real’ in the style of Minister Hwang Hui was very rare.
HighJion
[I’m right for now but let’s have a temporary ceasefire]
BengYeoju
[The time is already like thisㄷㄷ]
It was fortunate that the two had built up affection through long years of fandom. The two agreed to an armistice agreement at the same time the alarm rang. What stopped the keyboard battle between the two who had almost crossed the river with their uncompromising fight over positions was none other than BNCZ’s YouTube variety show.
HighJion
[I’ll bring malatang]
BengYeoju
[ok]
They were still too nugu to advance to terrestrial broadcasting, so YouTube variety shows that appeared as rarely as beans in a drought were the only content aside from self-produced content. Hayeon set up the malatang she’d ordered in advance for this moment, put chopsticks in her mouth, and pressed the play button.
“Yes! Today we’ve invited our BNCZ! Who are writing a new myth of reverse charting!”
The YouTube variety show of the comedian who was gaining popularity with slick hosting and witty banter that didn’t cross the line started with her energetic voice. It was a channel that Jinyeong and Eungi usually enjoyed watching, and it was also a program familiar to all BNCZ members. The members clapped with bright faces and kept bowing their heads toward the camera.
“Oh my, you’re all really so handsome.”
The host clapped like a seal with the hand holding the cue sheet and admired the members’ faces. While the members kept thanking her and bowing busily, their eyes rolled around. Except for music shows, they’d never stood in front of so many cameras before, so it took a long time to find which camera was their camera. The host found their fresh appearance cute and laughed.
“Oh my, what should I do. You’re sooo cute. This is your second YouTube variety show.”
“Yes, Sollin sunbae-nim’s Sol’s Dating Advice was the first, and this is the second……”
When Ryu Geon held up two fingers in a timid posture that didn’t match his sturdy shoulders, laughter burst out from the host’s mouth again.
She was famous for laughing a lot at handsome men and beautiful women, and the members gradually relaxed at her favorable reaction and started laughing along. In the comfortable atmosphere, the experienced host gradually led the program according to the prepared cue sheet.
“Yes, then let’s do a light self-introduction, and also explore relationships for the fans! Let’s do that.”
The format of self-introduction was simple. It was a cliché set of questions like MBTI, blood type, and whether you’re an ‘egen’ or ‘teto’. Under her guidance, self-introductions that were a bit stuttering but felt pure went around once, and finally the member relationship interview that all fans had been waiting for began.
Relationships. What were they?
This unfamiliar word that you’d rarely hear unless you were in the idol scene could turn a flagship visual member into a charmless man or make a member who was thought to be ‘wow, really a master vocalist’ into the fandom’s core. Unlike neighboring Japan, for Korean fans who didn’t prefer idol graduation systems or rotations, the strong relationships between members became an enormous selling point.
Especially since BNCZ had started receiving attention by openly revealing their shabby dorm life and overcoming hardships and adversity together, this was the part fans who felt something lacking in the relationships naturally shown in Eungi’s vlogs most wanted to know about.
“Now, first let’s go with this standard question. Our BNCZ, composed only of handsome men! Who do the members think is the group’s best visual?”
Usually when this kind of question came up, at least one person would choose themselves to establish a ‘self-loving and funny’ character. But BNCZ had such an overwhelmingly predetermined answer that even if Seonwoo Jin pointed to himself, no one would laugh. Even Jinyeong, who always craved screen time, pointed to Seonwoo Jin. It was unanimous.
“Wow, everyone chose Woojin-ssi.”
“Well, yeah.”
Seonwoo Jin shrugged his shoulders as if it were a natural result, then grabbed the microphone and answered.
“Well, when it comes to being the ‘most handsome’, it would be me without question……”
“Ah, as expected. Well-founded confidence.”
The host admired without even laughing. However, the writer sitting in front of the camera didn’t miss Seonwoo Jin’s subtle nuance and wrote something on the whiteboard and waved it.
[‘Most handsome’ but not?]
The host quickly understood the writer’s sign and asked with a mischievous expression.
“Then if it’s not ‘most handsome’, you would have chosen someone else?”
“If it were ‘most pretty’, the answer might have been a bit different.”
Seonwoo Jin said, pointing to Jion with a serious face. At the unexpected doting comment, Jion’s heart pounded and the other members’ expressions soured.
“Ah, those hyungs are starting again, really.”
Even Eungi, who had now become accustomed to the two’s lovey-dovey behavior, immediately sent out boos. The host, who had been flustered by the unexpected answer, belatedly came to her senses at Eungi’s boos and burst into laughter.
“Ah, yes. Do you two always exchange compliments with each other like this?”
“Each other’s self-esteem guardians.”
Jinyeong concisely summarized the two’s relationship. Since it wasn’t wrong, Jion looked at Seonwoo Jin and smiled.
“Thank you. I only have you.”
Jion sent a tiny heart with an eye smile. It was aegyo that might have paused filming for a moment if it had been a bit more sincere. Fortunately, since Jion mixed in an appropriate acting tone considering they were in front of the camera, Seonwoo Jin could maintain social dignity and the host could move on to the next question.
“Now, then another standard question. Five-year-old members, or five members! First, if there were five leader Ryu Geon-ssis? Or if he was five years old?”
“Ah, if it’s Geon hyung……”
Eungi, who was assigned the first batter in the relay question, thought for a moment and came up with a good and safe answer.
“Um…… I choose five-year-old Geon hyung! Geon hyung is always working so hard, so I want to play with five-year-old Geon hyung, buy him delicious food, and let him rest.”
“Oh my…… The youngest again with such a thoughtful answer……”
The host put her hand on her chest with a touched expression. Ryu Geon also seemed greatly moved by the youngest’s answer, lightly hugging Eungi sitting next to him and creating a heartwarming atmosphere. But the next batter, Jinyeong, demonstratively shattered that heartwarming atmosphere.
“Five Eungis, five-year-old Eungi…… Hmm. Five-year-old Eungi.”
“You want to take care of him?”
“No, I’m already taking care of him a lot. Eungi’s an only child, right? But if there are five of him, wouldn’t what he has be… dispersed……”
“Ah, hyung!”
“Oh my! Ahahahaha!”
It was a worldly answer aimed at laughter. While Eungi clenched his fist and pounded Jinyeong’s back, the host clutched her stomach as if she’d roll off the chair and laughed. As expected, it was a comment that knew broadcasting. If Jinyeong had passed his turn with such a shameless comment aimed at laughter, the next batter Seonwoo Jin made the host laugh with a serious random comment.
“Definitely five Jinyeongs. Send him to variety shows, send him to commercials, make him film Study With Me……”
“The person earning money is five times.”
Eungi didn’t miss the chance and jumped in, spreading his fingers playfully. And while the previous members had all given plausible answers, Jion, whose turn was approaching, was getting quite nervous.
Which direction should I take. Should I be funny? Serious? They’ve already raised the mood up front, but if I bring it down here, it’ll be no-fun.
It was a part that was difficult to edit in terms of screen time or flow. Jion quickly racked his brain, but five Seonwoo Jins and five-year-old Seonwoo Jin. Whichever he chose, it wasn’t funny and wasn’t serious.
“Now, then Jion-ssi! Five Woojin-ssis or five-year-old Woojin-ssi. Which would you choose?”
“Uh……”
I’m screwed. Jion’s mind went blank and he hesitated to answer for a moment. Seonwoo Jin of the scandal five times event and five-year-old Seonwoo Jin whose upbringing couldn’t be guessed. If he had to choose, five years old seemed better……?
Just as the silence was about to become awkwardly long, Jinyeong’s joke saved Jion.
“If it were me, I’d choose five Seonwoo Jins.”
“Oh my, why?”
“If Seonwoo Jin is five years old, he’s a baby, so we’d all have to take care of him, but if there are five Seonwoo Jins? All five of them will only follow Jion around, so Jion sacrificing alone serves the public interest, something like that?”
Jion’s face turned pale at Jinyeong’s answer. My goodness. It’s already this hard to dote on one, how could I dote on five at the same time? The class enrollment was over capacity.
“Ahahahaha! Ah, this is so funny, Jinyeong-ssi.”
Right. It’s fortunate someone laughed. Jion gave a bitter smile and focused on filming again. But the filming that had been flowing so smoothly became a summoning circle for evil spirits with just one question.
“Now, then the last question! Among the members, who am I closest with?”
