章 27: Roomies (3)

Reggie was simply brushing his teeth when a face he had only seen a few times came rushing into his dorm. Pushing past his roommates and even Mi Yong who was still groggy, was Jung Hyun-Ok.

It was 7:55 and recording would start in just a few minutes. Mi Yong was as ready as ever, as were the two other roommates too. Reggie had volunteered to use the bathroom last, the disadvantages of being the youngest, he guessed.

It was 7:55 and they had stuff to film with staff beginning to set up cameras and the stage rooms. And everyone was, by now, expected to be almost ready or ready to go.

"Where's Reggie?" Hyun-Ok asked frantically.

Reggie, with toothpaste still coasting the edges of his mouth, peeked out of the bathroom curiously. He tilted his head at the sight of a panicked and all-dressed Hyun-Ok, as no one so far had seen him anything but calm.

"Reggie, my Hubae, please help…" Jung Hyun-Ok cried, collapsing to his knees in front of a half-prepared Reggie.

"Huh?" Reggie asked, looking at his roommates confused. Mi Yong shrugged his shoulders, still brushing at his hair. Even he didn't know why his same-agency friend was on his knees at Reggie's dismay. "Um, Sunbae?"

"Joon-woo is still sleeping!" Hyun-Ok exclaimed.

Reggie's face dropped. "Oh?" His mouth went agape.

"We've been trying to wake him up but he's not!" Hyun-Ok continued, pulling on Reggie's pant leg. "You guys are close, right? Can you wake him?" He asked.

Reggie thought for a moment, 'close'? Had they come off as close, him and Joon-woo? He looked down to Hyun-Ok, "Yes, I will try." He replied.

Hyun-Ok peered up to Reggie, his face sparkling in relief. Reggie had to look away for a moment, as Hyun-Ok's face actually grew red upon Reggie's cheeks. It appeared the others' in the room noticed too, ruffling at their hair, flustered.

"Thank you so much…" Hyun-Ok said, standing and holding Reggie by his sleeve. "We have to go fast, the staff is already pressing us…" He explained, panic clearer in his voice.

Reggie nodded, lightly running in an effort to keep up with the panicked Hyun-Ok. And as they dashed through the dorm hallways, other contestants and staff who were lingering in the hall moved out of the way, equally confused. Reggie sent them sorry nods as Hyun-ok was practically running through them. But eventually, a room with a panicked Jaesang and Hyun was in vision.

And when he turned into the room, the first thing he noticed was a staff equipped with a camera and Joon-woo, passed out on his bed and as cozy as ever. Reggie pretended that the camera wasn't there, per the instructions they had been given, and kneeled in front of the bed. Joon-woo looked… the most comfortable Reggie had seen him.

His eyelashes were long and his hair was ruffled with bedhead. Joon-woo looked pretty even sleeping, Reggie thought with a soft smile.

He sighed, did he really have to wake Joon-woo up? Joon-woo was often timid and his face often looked uncomfortable. In fact, their first interaction was Joon-woo having some sort of panic attack and Reggie trying to pin him. He looked happy here.

But still, he had promised the panicked Hyun-Ok, so he softly shook at Joon-woo's shoulder. "Joon-woo…" He whispered, keeping his touch light.

Reggie felt the eyes of the camera and Joon-woo's roommates on him, and as Joon-woo began to shift, he chuckled.

"Recording is gonna start soon." Reggie whispered, a comfortable distance from Joon-woo as his eyes fluttered open.

Joon-woo winced at the attack of the room's lights, squinting as he turned to Reggie. "Reggie?" Joon-woo's groggy voice asked.

"Yeah?" Reggie replied, lips pursed into a smile as he fell into a squat and watched Joon-woo take in his surroundings.

"There's so many people…" Joon-woo remarked, rubbing at his eyes.

Reggie titled his head, infatuated with the small action. "Hmm… Yeah, they're waiting for you to get up so we can start today's recording." He softly explained.

Joon-woo paused, as if processing the information, "Waiting… for me?" He asked, looking away from Reggie for once, and looking to the camera and tired-eyed roommates nearby, who were watching the scene with heart eyes towards Reggie.

Suddenly, Joon-woo clasped his hand over his own mouth, "Oh." He said, finally realizing, "Oh god…"

Reggie laughed at the action, "Good morning, sleeping beauty." He joked.

–+–

"–you were peacefully lying there even when I practically yelled at you to get up!" Bo Jaesang exclaimed as they strutted through the dorm hallways and towards the recording room. Behind him, Ryeo Hyun nodded in agreement.

Joon-woo waved his hand, "I already apologized…" He grumbled, face grim with reality.

Was he really that hard to wake? He thought, his mind swirling with embarrassment. To make it worse, a camera had recorded him waking up, and even the end of his roommate's struggle to get him up! It was definitely gonna be edited in. Gosh– He could already imagine the sleeping cat memes…

Ryeo Hyun lightly patted him on the back, "No one's mad or anything…" He said, "If anything it's extra screen time for you…" He whispered, as if any cameras were near.

At Ryeo Hyun's attempt to comfort Joon-woo, Joon-woo glared and began to walk ahead of the two in a fit of embarrassment.

"Aww– Joon-woo~" Cried Bo Jaesang, who made no effort to catch up to Joon-woo, Hyun alike.

Joon-woo turned the corner and pushed open a door that led to a large recording room of ranking chairs, a stage, and chatter. It was basically familiar now, a second home. Joon-woo's gaze fell onto a familiar two, Mi Yong and Jung Hyun-Ok and a third– who to his surprise, was Reggie.

He paused, staring at the trio for a moment. How Reggie seemed to be comfortable with the Mi Yong and Jung Hyun-Ok who they had once feared. How Hyun-Ok seemed less intimidating with a consistent smile on his face, how Yong seemed to be weightless with his words, unlike before. How when he talked, he smiled, cheeks rising as if he was actually such.

Joon-woo noticed the growth and them with a blank face. Hadn't Reggie's Korean been perfect lately? Joon-woo shook his head, geniuses were geniuses even after short slumps. He recalled Reggie on stage, Yong front and center, and Hyun-Ok's gold-rooted face and wondered, could he be as cool?

Snapping Joon-woo out of his illusion was Ryeo Hyun, who followed Joon-woo's blank gaze curiously. "Joon-woo?" He asked.

Joon-woo flinched in Ryeo Hyun's way, "Oh– Um."

Ryeo Hyun nodded towards the trio, "Let's go…" He nudged, softly shoving Joon-woo in their direction while following suit.

Joon-woo nodded, a bit uncomfortable by Hyun's side.

Ryeo Hyun had said some things to Joon-woo that he couldn't recall. He recalled the outline of being there for eachother that he had heard not once as Ha-rin. Maybe that meant Hyun had forgiven him from their practice room fight.

But even then Ryeo Hyun was at the bathroom door last night, pestering Joon-woo in his shaken state in concern. Ryeo Hyun knew too much about Joon-woo, when Joon-woo knew close to nothing in return. Maybe that was why Joon-woo found it hard to stand next to the muscular man by his side.

Either way, based on the previews for the next airing episode, they would be highlighted as something more than strangers, he and Hyun.

Mi Yong turned to the approaching duo, Bo Jaesang who would make it a trio was trailing behind.

"Good morning Joon-woo!" Mi Yong joked with a blank face, as if he was trying to play it off.

Joon-woo grimaced. Was every action of his, mistake of his, gonna be blown into such proportions? He was lucky Kite wasn't here to make fun of his oversleeping, Joon-woo thought.

The lights, once normal and non-stage, suddenly darkened. The stage was suddenly illuminated with a single dot that could fit about a standing person. And then the ranking chairs were lit up, the light starting bold and going dull as it built up to the top five.

Something that Joon-woo noticed was that the whole bottom row of the last placing contestants was gone. Just 40 chairs left and lit. He gulped at the sight.

Microphone feedback was suddenly heard from the stage.

FYP stood at a microphone, decked out in expensive looking sunglasses and in business casual attire. His face was rock hard as if it was molded into a blank expression permanently. He looked over the timid contestants on the main floor and took a breath.

"The first challenge is now over." He declared, "You guys, in your teams, danced and Misa and I have placed careful consideration in your new, yet-to-be-said ranks." He informed the crowd.

Joon-woo pursed his lips. He knew he and Mi Yong, he and the rest of Team One would have ranks below where they once were.

FYP continued, "These are based off stage performance, presence, dance, and most importantly, teamwork." It was solidified then. Joon-woo held himself back from looking at Mi Yong.

"Let's begin." FYP said, as he began to read from the Producer10 branded note cards in his hands.