Fake Love (3)

Reggie read at the clock in the stage room with his brows furrowed in concern. By other PDs and staff, the contestants had been arranged in their newfound teams of five. There were six teams littered across the floor, sitting and conversing with smiles. All teams were conversing except theirs, his, because someone was missing. 

And as the clock hit 8:10 A.M. both Joon-woo and Producer Jang-Soo were late and not yet to be found. Really, wasn't this beginning to get too much? Reggie had long zoned out of his team's small talk that he usually loved to engage in. It not only helped him improve his Korean, but picked up on certain slang and culture he hadn't yet picked up on. But he didn't couldn't focus on the conversation because their team that was supposed to be five people was just four.

Reggie had his eyes locked on the doors. What would the producer want with Joon-woo? Was it because of his spur of internet fame? Reggie had seen the tweets, the articles, and everything that followed. He had seen the jealous eyes that peered at Joon-woo when they walked side by side. 

And even now, through his vigilance, the words of other contestants:

"Where's Producer Jang-Soo? He's never been late…"

"I'm pretty sure that Joon-woo kid is missing too, ya' think he's getting lectured?"

"Kicked off, I hope…" 

Reggie clicked his tongue, going to turn his head, but Ryeo Hyun's icy glare stopped him. Ah, Reggie had forgotten Ryeo Hyun was also close…

"Reggie, just ignore it." He scolded, massaging at Reggie's shoulder. 

"But–"

"Mi Yong and Jung Hyun-Ok ignore the comments. Joon-woo does the same." Ryeo Hyun scolded. 

Reggie sighed, but nodded, "Yes, Hyung…" He replied, but his thoughts lingered on the topic a little longer. 

It was true and well known that those three were the most well-liked by both the producers and the fans. They got the most screen time, most online attention (good or bad), but most importantly it was them that got pulled mysteriously away by producers. 

Hence, Joon-woo and Producer Jang-Soo's absence was as noticeable as could be. Really, wouldn't rumors spread if this continued?

But just as Reggie thought to linger on the idea further, the door opened and in entered a blank-faced Joon-woo and stone-cold Producer Jang-Soo. Chatter came to a quick halt as Producer Jang-Soo quickly took control of the noise with just his presence. 

Reggie narrowed his gaze at Joon-woo, whose hands were interlocked and fidgeting with his gaze elsewhere. He quickly waved Joon-woo over with a soft expression, having missed Joon-woo this morning left him hungry to see his friend sooner. 

Joon-woo hurried over to their group with his back slightly hunched as if to hide himself. Reggie got a closer look the closer Joon-woo approached and noticed his friend to be a bit pale compared to his usual complexion. 

And when Joon-woo took a cautious seat on the ground next to Reggie and with the rest of the group, he slightly lowered his head as if to bow. "Sorry for my late arrival…" He spoke timidly. 

Ryeo Hyun shook his head, "It's okay, we're all here now, right?" He tried to flash a comforting smile Joon-woo's way but it only came out to be a weak twist of lips. 

Reggie watched as Joon-woo nodded in reply, but his expression was still a bit sour. And just as he went to question the expression, the touch-sensitive Joon-woo placed a hand low on Reggie's thigh, just above his knee. 

Reggie tried to hide his mild surprise at the gesture, sending a head-tilt Joon-woo's way. 

Joon-woo scratched at his lips before slightly leaning Reggie's way and whispering, "[Play along.]" 

The English confused Reggie further. Did Joon-woo not want anyone, cameras and all, to hear? Reggie slowly nodded in reply, trying to suppress his surprised expression further. 

Producer Jang-Soo, with his late arrival, took his megaphone in hand as he walked to a sea of staff. His expression was calm, but satisfied, something Reggie had only seen when a drama-full incident happened. 

Joon-woo removed his hand and slightly leaned against Reggie. Really only Reggie had initiated things like that and he only did it when he thought Joon-woo to be comfortable enough. Reggie tried his best to refocus.

The lights slightly dimmed, conversations began to die out. It was time, Reggie figured. 

"Contestants!" Misa, well off stage yelled, any remaining conversations dying then and there. She then appeared from behind curtains, decked out in a cutesy outfit. "Yesterday you selected a concept and/or theme for your performance, correct?" 

Various contestants nodded in reply. Reggie couldn't, as when Joon-woo leaned his head against his shoulder, his long hair tickled at Reggie's arm. Reggie looked Ryeo Hyun, Baek Du-Ho, Song Chunghee's way, but even they seemed to pass off the notion as nothing. 

"I have them here." Misa said, displaying a sheet of printer paper in hand. "Listen carefully as I read them aloud." 

The words surprised a lot of teams. Weren't they meant to be kept secret until performance day? Reggie grimaced, they had worked quite hard on coming up with their school-boy-crush concept and even had already set roles for each member…

"Team One: Mi Yong, Lee Jin-Ho…" Misa listed the five members with her usual enthusiastic voice. "Their concept choice is… Nature, forest, fantasy!" She cooed. 

"As expected of Mi Yong…" Ryeo Hyun softly muttered at the key words. 

Reggie and Joon-woo nodded along, Joon-woo's hair tickling at Reggie's neck. He still hadn't removed himself from Reggie's shoulder. 

"Team Two… Futuristic, mecha! Team Three: Jung Hyun-Ok, Bo Jaesang…" Misa listed the members with ease, "Their concept choice is horror, apocalyptic, ghost..?"

Reggie raised his eyebrow at the concept. Really weren't these concepts better than theirs? 

"Team Four… Team Five…" Misa flew through the members and concepts less advanced than the others, "And finally, Team Six..!" 

The group exchanged glances. Ryeo Hyun, Joon-woo, and Baek Du-Ho kept blank expressions while Reggie and Song Chunghee seemed to be a bit unsure. 

"Their concept choice is… school, boy crush!" Misa's face seemed to be a bit surprised at the choice but she still smiled nonetheless. "And you guys may be wondering, why reveal these? Why reveal the concepts your group came up with?" 

The lights on Misa shut off and the stage's backdrop was focused on. The concepts were on the screen and began to flip around a chart of each team. 

"It's a concept switch! Each team will get the concept of another assigned randomly~!" Misa cooed,her smile being kept despite the shocking news. 

"Hey, we worked really hard on ours..!" Song Chunghee pouted quietly. 

The concepts spinning on the screen kept spinning, "Let's see which concepts each group gets assigned…" Misa hummed.