New Beginnings (3)

Ha Jang-Soo, Producer of Producer10 and many more shows, walked past a row of baggy-eyed editors to an editor sitting at the very end. They had their lips pursed as if itching for praise. 

"What is it you have to show me?" Producer Jang-Soo asked, his cold voice was loud in the now quieted editing room. 

"U-Um, when I was reviewing the footage from the parent calls, I saw this…" They spoke in a nervous stutter while gesturing to a video on the screen.

It was Joon-woo's parent call video. Producer Jang-Soo's eyes narrowed. 

The video played and it only showed Joon-woo sitting in front of the camera without calling anyone. It played for four minutes and nothing happened, much to Producer Jang-Soo's dismay. 

"He did nothing the whole time?" Producer Jang-Soo asked. 

The editor nodded with his head bowing in slight repeat, "D-didn't you know? He said in his interview that he was orphaned at a young age…"

Producer Jang-Soo's eyes widened with an unreadable emotion behind them. Truthfully, the Producer was surprised, a little lustful for the potential Joon-woo had as an idol, let alone a contestant. 

"Don't include it. Show a snippet of him walking in, picking up the phone– just don't show him at all, even." The producer demanded with cold eyes.

The editor flinched at the cold look in Producer Jang-Soo's eyes, the whole room did. "Y-yes sir…" 

The producer's face shifted into a cheek-less smile. "Good." And with that, he exited the editing office, the intense and heavy hair left with him.

The editor tried to type at their keyboard, but their hands shook. 

"Really," The editor hummed, "What does he have against that little kid?"

–+–

@anomynous34323

Prodcucer10 elimination leaks: Is your favorite contestant eliminated? See here…

7k reposts 3.6 quotes 21k likes

@05liners_ replying to @anomynous34323

Is this real? pls tell me it's not, my baby Jaesang can't be eliminated… 😢😢😢

@sungz4life replying to @anomynous34323

Lee Jinho? The audience didn't vote for Jinho of all people????? 

@miyongsleft_ball replying to @anomynous34323

Is this real?

@misas_left_toe replying to @miyongsleft_ball

I think it is… someone took photos of Jinho at the company building this morning

@jkookarchives

Looks like someone's getting fired 🫢

Joon-woo wore a satisfied expression as he snuck a glance at his phone. He quickly hid it under the blanket when Reggie exited from the bathroom. They were still going on with that phone 'ban' and Reggie was the second biggest supporter of it. 

Kite sat perched at the end of the bed Joon-woo lied upon.

"Is this… is this how you plan to debut?" Kite asked hesitantly. 

Joon-woo had explained his idea to Kite about five times now, but the bird was still as hesitant as could be. 

"Yes." Joon-woo bluntly replied, forgetting Reggie was still in the room and listening. 

"Yes?" Reggie questioned, "Are you talking to yourself, Joon-ah?"

A single bead of cold sweat ran down Joon-woo's forehead, "No…" He replied. 

Kite nudged playfully at Joon-woo's neck, taking advantage of the fact that only Joon-woo could see Kite and not anyone else. Joon-woo ticklishly pushed Kite away while playing off the action with a straight face.

"Wow~ aren't you quite the actor." Kite hummed, "But seriously, this is really reckless Joon-woo, Are you su–"

Joon-woo flicked Kite's head and sent the bird stumbling, Reggie didn't notice thanks to being engulfed in his rant about how his parent call went. Joon-woo glared a the bird as if telling him without words: 'I'm talking to someone else right now'

"–and my mom even asked about you–! I told her it's because you insisted on staying at that dangerous apartment.. place with all the crime and… and [litter] and other stuff. She really wants you to come over and try her food again…" Reggie went on and Joon-woo only nodded along. 

"Maybe I will." Joon-woo replied, recalling the exquisite tastes.

Reggie nodded, "Not just maybe… But also– I'm a bit worried because I had to tell the staff and stuff her full name so they could get her number and they were really… surprised. Like so surprised they even asked if I could bring her autograph in and I know [nepo babies] aren't well liked… So I just really hope they don't reveal anything…" 

Joon-woo hummed. They would. They definitely would. But he wasn't gonna tell Reggie that, the other was in a good mood right now and who was Joon-woo to ruin that?

"I think it'll be okay. Even if your relation to your mom gets revealed, the fans will probably be like– "wow they look alike!" or "clearly the genes didn't skip a generation" or something like that…" Joon-woo replied honestly, though the tabloids wouldn't go as easy…

Reggie pondered for a moment, seeming genuinely worried, "I hope… I mean– she's not in the industry anymore for a reason so I don't want to just pull her back into it…"

Joon-woo nodded. The industry killed and traumatized and those who were lucky to escape eventually ran away. Lee Ju Kae, Reggie's mother, was that case. Whatever the reason Lee Ju Kae pulled out of the industry, Joon-woo knew it would be nothing short of traumatizing. 

"It'll be okay." Joon-woo reassured though he wasn't entirely sure himself. He just hoped what he had planned would work accordingly.

–+–

"That brat…" Producer Jang-Soo huffed as he scrolled through articles and tweets bashing the eliminations. "It was him, right Carre?"

A siamese cat hummed while curled up into a ball. She yawned. "Park Joon-woo? Yes. But what did you expect? You know people chosen to fulfill the dreams of the failed are capable and experienced."

Producer Jang-Soo rubbed his temples, "I didn't know there would be another someone like me in this timeline…" He excused, "So forgive me for being annoyed… What type of person was he in his other life anyway? Pulling something like this…" He scoffed with a hint of sass in his tone. 

Carre, the siamese cat kept her eyes shut with her head buried in sleep. "Probably an idol. They don't tell us these things, let alone anything. I thought you knew that well. For what it's worth though, I don't think he was a guy in his other life…"

Producer Jang-Soo perked his head up. 

"He covers his mouth when he laughs, he stops himself from sitting cross-legged all the time, and his mannerisms; have you seen the way he talks to others?" Carre further explained. 

"Hm. Really?" Producer Jang-Soo recalled overviewing footage and catching glances of the eighteen year old. He had always thought Joon-woo to be odd with his actions, but he thought it was due to his similar status as a transmigrator. "..that's oddly fitting. But even that doesn't help me right now…"

Carre shrugged, "Just like I suggested, you should've made him your ally. You're both in similar situations and have both experienced death, but you had to be all petty…"

"...I am not petty." Producer Jang-Soo weakly refuted.

"Well, whatever you think, he seems pretty set on causing your downfall. So tread carefully my precious sponsor…" Carre purred.

Producer Jang-Soo bit at his lip. What was he gonna do about Park Joon-woo?