“So persistent.”
How could he call his name even in his dreams? That meant he was looking at him both in reality and in dreams.
“……Sor…… ry, sorry…… Doha…… hyung.”
For some reason, Sehyun was asking for forgiveness. Why did this kid have a sense of guilt toward Baek Doha?
“……I…… am……”
When Sehyun’s forehead began to get wet with sweat, Doha reached out his hand. He placed his warm palm over Sehyun’s eyelids that were trembling like dragonfly wings.
“It’s night. Sleep.”
Doha, who pressed down on Sehyun’s eyes, slowly patted his shoulder. He didn’t have the warmth to sing a lullaby, but he could at least offer his hand to a younger brother who was only twenty years old.
“Whatever it is, it won’t be your fault.”
There was no way a human who was this sincere toward his members would have done something wrong. Besides, wasn’t the protagonist originally flawless by default?
When Doha’s words ended, Sehyun like a ghost breathed evenly with peaceful breaths. With the intermittent breathing sounds, Doha’s touch also gradually slowed down.
Since there was someone sleeping right next to him, his eyelids also became heavy.
It was funny, but he’d been sleeping well lately. In reality, his biological rhythm was a mess, so he lived a life spinning around with neither day nor night determined, but lately, perhaps because he danced and sang intensely during the day, he slept well when the sun went down.
‘Is it my constitution?’
Enough to think of such a crazy joke, he’d been sleeping very well lately.
Like that, the god of sleep descended upon Doha and Sehyun’s room.
* * *
“Hyung, speak honestly.”
“What.”
“Were you aiming for me?”
Fuck no. Really, Doha hated Sehyun’s nonsense. The origin of this incident started when Doha, who was patting Sehyun, dozed off as is and they woke up side by side in one bed.
“It was a mistake.”
“I can see the intention.”
“You were whimpering like a dog having a nightmare, so I went to kick you and fell asleep.”
“I did think it was about time for it to activate.”
“Fuck, you’re not listening to me.”
“Hyung needs to be moderately promiscuous.”
Falling asleep in Sehyun’s bed was 100% a mistake. Such silly tricks, maybe if it were Baek Doha the original owner of the body, but this side who didn’t have a taste for liking men wouldn’t do it even if spoon-fed.
No, really, even Baek Doha would probably say he didn’t like you.
“You’re really cunning. How could you, toward a member.”
“……I fucking hate this. Really.”
Why on earth did he have to suffer such humiliation? This is why they say not to do things you don’t normally do. He should blame his softened heart.
Doha did a dry face wash and opened the car door. When Doha got out of the car as if running away, Sehyun promptly followed him out. Because of members who were stopping by the shop, they traveled in two separate cars today, and of course Sehyun was stuck to Doha’s side. These days, Lim Sehyun’s nickname was Baek Doha’s piece of gum.
The place they arrived at since this morning was a broadcasting station. Today was the day of the preliminary meeting for Battle Crown, the new survival competition program they were entering.
It was also the reason Doha was rolled at breakneck speed. This program, which gathered idol groups with similar years of experience to compete, had aired successfully up to Season 3, and this was Season 4.
It seemed they recovered many plot points related to the members’ ruined past here…… His memory was hazy.
“You didn’t touch my body while I was sleeping, right?”
Even after getting out of the car, Sehyun’s nonsense didn’t know how to stop. He was starting to get confused whether it was a joke or serious.
“Touch? I did.”
Doha, who finally got riled up, retorted to Sehyun’s words.
“……Did you trample on my purity?”
“Ha……”
Should I just slap him? So all those people huddled together in front of the elevator over there can see.
Doha thought the bottom of his patience he’d been worried about was right here. Sehyun kept chattering on the side. He habitually put his arm around Doha’s shoulder again.
“Hyung, hyung.”
What, why, what!
“Doha hyung.”
“Why!”
Doha, who had been barely keeping his mouth shut being conscious of people’s gazes, couldn’t stand it and shouted.
“Did you memorize all the wrong lyrics from yesterday?”
“……”
Vicious bastard. A bastard who worries about purity but then checks on lyric memorization.
“You really, must succeed.”
“Hm?”
Doha, as always, raised the white flag. He couldn’t win. He couldn’t.
“Oh, Eden hyung!”
In the distance, members who came in a different car were visible. The five gathered in a line in the lobby. When Haram, who was behind Eden, waved his hand expressing his delight with his whole body, Doha also inadvertently waved his hand.
“I’m planning to take first place in this competition.”
Then Sehyun spoke to Doha as if whispering from the side.
“I need a lot of help from hyung.”
“……Physically, I can’t do anything more than this.”
He got an eerie feeling and struck first. It seemed like he was saying he’d roll him even harder.
“Just stick to me and don’t cause any accidents.”
“Who do you think is a troublemaker.”
“I’ll put a trophy in hyung’s hands like that.”
Don’t say it as if you’re doing me a favor. Why would that end up in these hands? I’ll be laid down as a stepping stone for your success. It was absurd.
“You’re cute being sulky from the morning.”
Sehyun poked the cheek of Doha, who was pouting his lips, with his finger. At that, Doha let out a sigh. If you’re going to call me hyung, at least treat me like a hyung. Now… do it. Please.
“Sehyun, Doha hyung! The elevator’s here!”
When Haram urgently called the two, Sehyun pushed Doha’s back.
“If you’re that rushed, you should have left yesterday…… Uh uh. Yeah, going. I’m going.”
It was training that left no chance to whine.
* * *
The PD, writer, and OnX members gathered and started a meeting about the rough concept and direction. The initial awkwardness completely disappeared after about 2 hours.
They were professionals, and the members also communicated well, understanding each other immediately.
He thought most reality programs on TV all had scripts written and added editing to create them, but the PD unexpectedly emphasized autonomy.
They would prepare five stages, the first being to prepare a performance of the team’s representative song.
“If we do this, you’ll present a total of five songs, and from the third round there’s some time pressure…… Ah, you saw this draft, right?”
Although it was content already delivered in writing, the PD explained meticulously. Thinking that he repeated this work five times total, once each to the five teams appearing on the program, it seemed PD wasn’t an easy job either.
“Um…… PD-nim.”
While listening properly, the writer called the PD. Then, looking at the clock, suggested how about taking a break.
“Then shall we take a break? I keep saying I should shorten it, shorten it, but the explanation keeps getting longer.”
The PD showed a good-natured laugh. Let’s not be fooled. The CEO’s advice not to trust broadcasting station people at all came to mind.
“Yes. Let’s take a break. I think we can just go to the bathroom.”
“Shall we gather again by 30 minutes?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The members got up from their seats, loosening their stiffly hardened bodies. Doha was the same.
“Where are you going?”
“Going to piss.”
When Doha moved, Sehyun, whose Doha radar activated, asked, and Doha answered as if he’d been waiting.
“What if you slip away somewhere else?”
“Following to the bathroom too, why.”
“Should I?”
Doha pressed down with his hand on the shoulder of Sehyun who was brightening up and trying to stand. It’s getting more and more excessive. Sehyun looked at Doha as if regretful, then soon turned his head to peek at the paper the PD was looking at together and opened his mouth.
“This camera movement here, is it possible with a one-take steadicam?”
“Where? Ah, it shouldn’t be difficult.”
“And can’t we fill this stage background margin more?”
“Which one? Uh, we’d have to inquire with the set production team.”
Sehyun and the PD seemed not to know the words “break time.” Doha ignored Sehyun who was crazy about work and left the meeting room.
That’s not passion. It’s a disease.
* * *
Click.
When he opened the can of coffee from the vending machine, it felt like his stuffed insides were clearing.
After leaving the bathroom, Doha sat alone on a chair next to the vending machine to use the remaining time thriftily. For once, since the piece of gum wasn’t next to him, he felt like he could live. Doha’s legs, sitting on the chair, pleasantly kept rhythm.
He didn’t like that the melody he was humming to himself was OnX’s song that he was forcibly brainwashed with by Sehyun, but anyway, the crash course had a terrible effect.
Drinking the sweet coffee, even his sunken head felt refreshed.
“Hmm~ hmm.”
He was humming a tune when there was a clatter next to him. Someone got a drink. Doha’s gaze headed toward the vending machine.
There was a tall young man there. Designer suit and shoes worn from top to bottom, neatly styled hair, delicate facial features.
‘A celebrity.’
He didn’t know who, but he was obviously a celebrity. At a glance, he thought he’d come with a halo because of the backlight. His face didn’t lose to the handsome OnX members he saw all the time either. It was fascinating.
Was it natural to have celebrities since it’s a broadcasting station? Or were celebrities so common in this world that you’d kick them on the street? Definitely, if you consider the genre, it seemed plausible.
Whoever he is, he’s well~ made.
