Fire (10)

Mi Yong stood on stage with just seven out of his nine team members behind him. He found it hard to look any other way to any other team because each leader had nine members standing behind him. Every other leader had their team intact and Mi Yong… Didn't. 27th and Joon-woo were missing.

He still remembered the way Joon-woo fell against him, face blank and hands shaking. And how the cameras closed in on the situation but didn't even lend a hand. How the red dots blinked across his face, then Joon-woo's, then 27th's, and then to his again. 

How 27th looked regretful only when Joon-woo had cried out and not when going to swing at Mi Yong. Misa seemed to notice Mi Yong's down mood, as she sent him a series of nods and thumbs up as if to signify that he was doing well. But Mi Yong was doing anything but. 

When Mi Yong's company, ICE Entertainment, sent him to the show, he thought it would be easy. He thought he would overshadow the other contestants with his experience and the fact he was a ready-made allrounder.. He thought because he had been through the process of debut once already, he could pass through with the respect from the other contestants. And Mi Yong was wrong. 

 From the beginning, compliments rained upon him, and from the beginning Mi Yong loved them. It just confirmed the fact that people respected him and saw him as someone more than themselves. But soon the compliments lost their meaning, the eyes in which they were being given from didn't shine like they meant anything. And soon Mi Yong realized that they were fake.

As stupid as it was, he truly hadn't thought that people would think to use him, gas him up and gain his trust and with that, his skill. 

He had begun to realize it from none other than Joon-woo. Producer10's youngest contestant as of now. And how Joon-woo showed about zero interest in Mi Yong even with his experience. And even during their practices, how Joon-woo was clearly struggling with the dance but still never looked to Mi Yong for help. How after their lackluster performance and not so good review, Joon-woo's simple "Did we?" in reply to Mi Yong's reassurance. 

As Mi Yong looked back to the remaining seven of Team One, he was sad. He was sad as he watched FYP and Misa take their seats at their judges table. Misa wore a pitiable frown and sent it Mi Yong's way and he knew what it meant. 

FYP observed the scene of each team. Team Five was joyous, along with Team Four as if they'd known they'd done well. Team Two and Team Three seemed neutral enough, enough to be too average for FYP to bat an eye. 

But when he looked Mi Yong's way, FYP seemed to be a bit betrayed, as if he had been expecting more out of their rank one. Mi Yong knew he should've done more, that he had gotten too comfortable with doing just the bare minimum.

"Misa and I have come to a conclusion." FYP ominously began, "Contestants face the backdrop." He instructed, all contestants turning around to the backdrop to reveal an empty ranking board. Empty, except for the name of each team to the side.

Mi Yong hissed, as he already knew where Team One was placed. 

"After much discussion– 5th place belongs to…" Misa began, "Team One."

Mi Yong looked to the ground and nodded, eyes falling upon his failure as a leader. 

"There was just no teamwork… no facial expressions and nothing that really makes Team One stand out. Please do better next time." She explained, looking at Mi Yong while she said the last sentence. "Please begin to prepare for what three contestants of your team you'd like to eliminate."

Oh yeah– Mi Yong had forgotten about that part. 

He looked to Team One and deeply sighed. Three of them would be gone by tomorrow.

–+–

Joon-woo sat in the waiting room at the facility. He sat with a bandage on his cheek and Kite on his shoulder. He had been put out for the day, Producer Jang-soo had talked to Joon-woo. And without much regard told him straight up that Joon-woo had to let the bruise heal just enough to allow make-up upon it, before he could be in the next recording. 

So there Joon-woo sat. In the lobby with a bandage and his bag slung over his shoulder. And he was bored. Even though they had returned his phone, it was long dead, and all Joon-woo had was his thoughts and his boredom and Kite… He guessed.

Kite poked at the bandage, "So that guy really punched you?" It asked in disbelief. 

Joon-woo nodded, having told the story a million times to a million different people already. "He wasn't aiming for me." He replied.

Kite shrugged, "I mean you're the one with the lump on your face."

Joon-woo waved Kite off, "It doesn't even hurt anymore…" He said, leaning away from Kite as it began to nip at the bandage, but Kite still pursued, trying to get a peak at the wound. "Kite!" He scolded, a little too loud as a staff passing by sent him a glance. 

Suddenly, as it appeared to staff, Joon-woo swatted at air. To Joon-woo, he sent Kite flying a few feet away with his breath heavy. Joon-woo looked up and made an awkward eye contact with the staff. 

"Sorry…" He apologized, sending a glare to Kite who was whining on the floor. 

Suddenly as the staff turned away, the large metal doors that led into the stage and ranking chair room opened. Joon-woo looked up from his annoyed stage and Kite's stupid looking bird face to see Reggie. 

Reggie looked at Joon-woo, a familiar teary expression. A bit worried, Joon-woo tilted his head, had something gone wrong? 

"Joon-woo-ssi…" Reggie said, looking at his hands with widened eyes, "I did it– Team Five, we did it." He revealed. 

Joon-woo pursed his lips, "Did what?"

Reggie looked at Joon-woo excitedly, "We got first! Team Five! And– And I was reranked 15th place! I'm in the top half now!" He yelled, quite loud as his voice echoed through the lobby. 

Then, as if Reggie had run ahead, the other contestants came from out the door. Some were satisfied, some had tears lining their eyes, some laughed and talked. Then, Joon-woo looked to Reggie and smiled.

"15th?" Joon-woo asked, surprised by the larger jump Reggie had accomplished, "That's awesome Reggie." He complimented with a smile. 

Reggie nodded, "Yeah, yeah! I practiced so hard for this, Joon-woo– and it worked!" He excitedly said, getting stares from other contestants passing by. 

Joon-woo nodded, "You worked so hard…" He reassured, looking up at Reggie from his sitting position. 

By now contestants were leaving, bags slung over their shoulders as the afternoon welcomed them. Many had their phones out, as they had been deprived, and were going about their day. Other's waiting in chairs for rides. The atmosphere was all too familiar to Joon-woo.

Suddenly, Reggie's expression changed, a faltering smile dipped a bit. "But Team One, your team, they got–"

"Last?" Joon-woo asked. He'd expected that much the second FYP didn't clap after their performance. 

Reggie nodded. 

Joon-woo deeply sighed, "Hm. Did the eliminations happen yet?" He replied with a question, his calm state juxtaposed with Reggie's sad expression. 

"No, no… Next session they said." Reggie replied. 

Joon-woo sighed at that, "Of course," He joked, "The producers probably want contestants to start swinging at each other." He said, making Reggie aware of the high tension in the lobby, with contestants all anxious and distrusting of their team leaders. 

Reggie frowned, looking at the bandage on Joon-woo's cheek, "[They've already swung.]" He said, tilting his head at the bandage. He spoke in English, as if he didn't want the other contestants to understand what he was saying.

"Reggie–" Joon-woo began, the trauma of Reggie worrying about him in the nurse's office revisiting.

"[Are you sure you're not in pain?]" Reggie asked.

"I'm fine." Joon-woo reassured, "Just think about your win, don't worry about me." He said, "39th to 15th? That's incredible." He said with a smile. Reggie placed his hand over his mouth as if embarrassed by Joon-woo's compliment. Joon-woo was satisfied at such, successfully driving away the concern and continued. "You went up to 15th and led your team to first while trying to learn Korean. Let's focus on getting better, yeah?"

Kite watched the scene amused at Joon-woo's ability to drive the conversation away from himself. Kite noted the action mentally with a bird-bruise on it's cheek to match Joon-woo's bandage, as Joon-woo had strucken Kite down just moments ago. 

Noticing Kite had recovered from the hit, Joon-woo glared and stuck his tongue out at it while Reggie looked away for a moment.