Archive of Our Own

It was a friday night at the company. After an event-less mission, the team 1 members went back to the company.  This week’s missions were quite manageable. Nobody got severely injured, only a few light scratches easily done for with bandages and dabs of alcohol.

 Since they hadn’t had one in quite a while, it was a get-together night.
As the door of the office brusqly opened, approximately thirty head entered the place. Sighs and exclamations could be heard as people crowded the once silent space as the lights flickered and went on.

“Team leader where are our drinks ?”

“Yeah, you have to invite us tonight too”

“haaa you just want to end my money don’t you ?”

“Well, you’re the one who proposed remember?”

“No, actually I didn’t”

“Aw come on, you said ‘let’s get a drink together’ hahaha“

“It’s as good as saying you’re offering them!”

“What king of logic- haaa” Lee Soo Hyuk sighed and wished someone to help his case.

 His eyes met the hoobae of the team. For an instant, his gaze seemed to sink even more.

‘No, that punk will definitely not say anything good.’

 Just as he had this thought and were about to turn his head elsewhere.

“Rok Soo tell him, how he owes us drinks”, Choi Jung Soo elbowed the blank faced guy.

The weight of the bag on his back made him stumble a bit as Jung Soo added “Don’t you want free drinks too?”

‘Of course I do’ was what he was thinking as he ignored his fellow hoobae and put the bag down.

“Are you broke team leader?” was what he finally said to his elder.

‘Aigo’ was what Lee Soo Hyuk thought.

 The paycheck was due for this week. Most of the employees had received this month’s salary and the team leaders were the first batch to get theirs. Although, Lee Soo Hyuk insisted to have every members of his team receive theirs before him, everyone in team 1 also had, in fact, received theirs.

 Even thought they could technically pay for their own drink, that was not the point. The point was elsewhere.

“That’s odd, I was sure your paycheck arrived just yesterday.”

“...”

How did he even know when his boss’ paycheck arrived went unsaid.

“Do you need a loan perhaps?” was what he said next.

“...”

"Team leader."

"..."

 The team leaders were payed at least five times more than regular employees of the company.
Putting his personality and all the envious gazes towards him aside, there was no way, the leader of the best team in the company, no, in all of korea was not well paid.

 Kim Rok Soo knew this fact. Lee Soo Hyuk knew that Kim Rok Soo knew this fact. It was his way of telling his superior there was no way a night worth of drinks for his fellow work colleagues could end his money. And a barely veiled way of calling him stingy.

 Of course Rok Soo knew that the team leader was just saying that and would still end up paying them drinks and was definitely not the stingy type. It was also just a way of telling him to cut the crap and buy the drinks already. And Kim Rok Soo, in fact, knew that Lee Soo Hyuk knew that was what he really meant.

Both of them knew.

 Unfortunately not everyone present could understand their way of speech. Thus leading to the uneasy silence in the area after the hoobae’s lines. It didn’t last, easily broken by Choi Jung Soo’s laugh and Lee Soo Hyuk’s tired sight.

"This punk"

Choi Jung Soo pated him-hard-on the back, at what Rok Soo frowned, before hugging his shoulders.

Choi Jung Soo pupils were shaking and his smile was just a tad too large while Kim Rok Soo somehow managed to broadcast a deeply annoyed and confused mood with a blank face.

For untrained eyes, it might have come off as a long friendship moment between a sunny guy and a grumpy guy.

It was a little more complex than that.

'Kim Rok Soo, the hell ? Why did you have to bring up his paycheck of all things!'

'Excuse me? You were the one who wanted me to say something.'

'I didn't say to do it in such a roundabout way? What were you even trying to do? Threaten him, ask a ransom or something ? Because it totally looked like that' 

'????'

##
 The night went on, as team Leader Lee Soo Hyuk finally got the drinks for the team.

"Haa" the woman sighed as she took her first sip of the night.

 She was talking with another female of the team. They were discussing how the week went by uneventfully when the conversation somehow veered to their life before the appearance of monsters. It was a hard subject but was not uncommon to pop-up once in a while in discussions.

"My boyfriend would have loved this beer", her teammate said as she took and opened a can for herself. "He always loved this mark".

"Woah Min-oppa really had a boyfriend? Hahah, You don't look like it" She said, trying to lighten up the mood a little.

"Yup, he was an asshole tho! I'm happy he's not here to fuck up the mood anymore hahahahaha!"

"...Ah..um...I see?"

"What about you ?"

"Huh...I uh", she gulped some of her drink before exhaling loudly

"Haaaa I wasn't really a boyfriend girl...more of a...um an admirer ?"

Min Hyun looked at her hoobae with a raised eyebrow and questioning eyes as she took a gulp.

"Ugh. Haaa okay...actually", the woman looked right then left before surreptitiously taking out a little and flat object fro her pants.

"This is one of my most treasured possessions", she said in a conspicuous tone, although her gaze was burning with a long lost fire.

 Min Hyun subconsciously leaned in toward her teammate as she asked.

"...Isn't that an SD card ?"

"Yes it is! I was actually downloading the files on it when the breach happened and everything went to chaos."

 Lin Bae has always been a lone wolf. Orphan since birth, the only thing that kept her going was her passion for natation. That gave her the possibility to have a scholarship and go to the university of her choice.

 What started out as a passion, quickly became a way to survive and a source of incommensurable pressure. Add to it, the other classes, national and international competitions that she had to keep up with, it was quite hard. Of course, she still liked to swim, but the stakes became so high that it could not be considered as a relaxing activity anymore. The only thing that she could permit herself to indulge in, with her booked agenda, was the content of this card.

 Whenever she needed a breather, something to rely on, it was easier to just lose herself in it than to lean on somebody else, since her friends were as busy as her or not close enough for deep conversations.

 And thus, she was indulging in her favorite, if not sole escapism activity when the breaking news were broadcast everywhere on the internet. At first, she thought it a joke. But when the light went off and the building started crumbling. The only possession in her dormitory she managed to save was the sd card tightly lodged in her palm.

 She had no idea if the files were still fine or corrupted. It has been an eternity since she last indulged. Did she even remembered them. Some yes, but the majority no. It was quite a shame.

"I never really had the occasion of trying to read the card again. Ah such a shame."

"...and you carry it everywhere with you ?" asked the other woman, as this was the first time, she heard such story from her hoobae despite being quite close.

"Yes.", Lin Bae added a little longing and bashful "hehe, it's kind of a lucky-charm you see."

"So what is it?"

"It is-" as she answered the door slammed open and the sound of her voice was swallowed.

##

 The door of team 1's office slammed open as the two missing members entered. One of them was bringing in something as the two shouted at the same time.

"Team leader, look what we found !"
"Hey guys let's make a karaoke party!"

"It's karaoke party tonight!"
"It's karaoke party tonight!"

 It was electronic materials. A loudspeaker, microphones, a soundboard and what appeared to be an old screen among other things.

 For some reason, Kim Rok Soo's back grew cold as the hair on his back stood up.

 Why ? He put his hand at the back of his head, soothing himself.

 Those two guys, were the most friendly and outgoing members of the group after Choi Jung Soo. Of course they would be the one to bring up something like that.

 Originally, they were supposed to bring back some materials that the team had requested for their last mission to the prop's direction. He supposed, the people at the direction were too busy doing something else and sent those guys to put it back themselves in some old shady room full of electronic devices and they somehow managed to find all this conveniently packed in some corner.

"We were just putting back the materials in the technical prop warehouse when we spotted this shining thing taking dust in a corner like no-one wants it!", pointing at the new material.

"IT'S THE WHOLE SET TEAM LEADER, THE WHOLE SET!", the other trembling of excitement!

 And the story they said was not far from what Kim Rok Soo guessed. In actuality, he wouldn't be surprised, if someone put it there, for their own use later on, or out of some reminiscence of their past high-school memories or something.

 He remembered these kind of activities were quite frequent even among work colleagues. Kim Rok Soo had never gone to a karaoke for whatever occasion. In fact, he didn't even recall going in a group for a get-together if not organized by the school itself. He had no idea how those things go on and didn’t really care. Between his classes, side works and reading hobby he never even tried to.

 At the start of his first university year, when he rented his first apartment, he would frequently see people heading to the center-ville in quest of a good karaoke bar as evening group activity. The cafe in-which he used to work as a server was not far from one.
 Thus, it wasn't rare the lyrics of trendy songs stuck in his mind with his ever good memory. He would hear them on his way home, adding to how they seemed to play in loop in every public transport and area with a screen. He didn't mind, as long as the song wasn't too catchy. If it was the case, he'd have to shut down all or significantly reduces his brain process for a few days(or weeks) just to get rid of it.

 Then why would he have such a bad feeling ? He wouldn't be forced to participate right ?

 No wait, yes someone will definitely try to pull him in. His gaze headed toward Choi Jung Soo who was already smiling. Even so, it wasn't such a big deal, just singing some lines right?

 ...right?

 He decided to ignore this feeling, and everything that happened after that moment.

##

 It was harder than he thought. Ignoring everything happening was just too hard. It was a mess.

‘Are karaoke parties always so chaotic ?’

 Rok Soo sighed internally seeping his drink while watching Choi Jung Soo about to start his performance.
-
 A little more than an hour ago, the two brothers were reporting their journey to the prop's direction with excited voices to the team.
There was a while where some debated the suggestion of the karaoke night.

"Hold on, are you sure those are not just to be recycled or meant for other purposes?"

"Definitely not. This model is quite old, and completely different from what we use now with the ability user at the prop's direction or specialized in electronic devices"

"Even so, just look at all this dust, they clearly weren't using it."

"Tsk, you two are at it again."

"Who cares really, those guys are quite rude with us. It shouldn't be an issue to rent it for just one night"

"Well, we do break a lot of their materials..."

"That we always mend for !"

"That's right!"

 People were giving their opinions left and right. The final consensus seemed to be "Screw it, let's do it since those bastards are rude". Another problem arose.

"But how are we going to do it ?"

"Everything is there oppa! Just look! The screen, loudspeaker-"

"What about the music ?"

"…”

“...”

“haaa"

"...oh no"

 Ryu Leeming who was pushing the stuff inside plopped on his knees.

 After the wave of monsters, most kind of entertainment devices has disappeared of the earth. People were too occupied surviving to think about music. The mood soured a bit before another oppa chimed in again.

"I think Lin Bae has just the thing for you." Smirk.

 Lin Bae was just watching with big eyes."I...do…?", she sounded profoundly shocked before her gaze seemed setting ablaze.

"I do !!", she branded up the thing clutched in her hand! It was an sd card of capacity 256 gigabytes.

"I really do!" She finally shouted with passion "and it's half full!"

 At this moment, the tiny flat object seemed to shine like a beacon of hope! For Ryu Leeming who was already moping, it was the most blinding and beautiful light he had ever seen. And he was an electrician!

"Bae-nim..." he mumbled getting up, "are you an angel?"
"Hahaha", she was giggling with a lunatic light in her eyes.

‘Has she gone crazy ?’
 Kim Rok Soo who was spacing out clouldn't help getting the chills after hearing this giggle.

"Sounds fun~" said the team leader
"Do you sing donsaeng?" asked Choi Jung Soo.

Kim Rok Soo ignored him. If he ignored it hard enough, maybe it'll go away?

"Won't you sing with me?"

"..."

"What songs do you know ?"

"..."

"If you don't respond, I'll just drag you along for every song I want !"
Sigh. "I don't. No. None."

"Hmm what about the popular ones?"

 He wasn't one to listen regularly to music so he just shook his head.

"I get the feeling you're bluffing. I'll just drag you along anyway. You don't have to know how to sing", he continued with a slightly awed tone,"Some don't even need the lyrics to participate"

 What ? Was that why people liked it so much?

"Sounds annoying"
Jung Soo scoffed, "ha! You're doing it anyway."

"They're majorly k-pop songs tho, if you don't like it..." Lin Bae continued

"No it's fine!", Ryu protested

"Umm, I think I also have something"

"Huh? You team leader?"

‘Ah, that is new?’

Lee Soo Hyuk pulled a USB out of nowhere with a smile.

"Ironically, most of them are english song."

He glanced at Lin Bae.

"I hope you'll all like it." Saying that, meant he was giving them full authorization to party.

Kim Rok Soo who was just beside the team leader mumbled just low enough for him to hear, "I hope you won't regret it"

"Of course not", he responded.

 And so, the karaoke party started. It started with Ryu Leeming, then all the office was cheering. Most of the songs didn't have lyrics to go with so they had to go with their memory.

 It was ridiculous. But jovial. There had been group songs, lover songs, breakup songs, dancing songs, upbeat songs, slow songs. Some people were discovered to be great singers or dancers, while others...less great.

 A headache was already pounding at his temple as he brought his hand forward. He wished to be anywhere else as the next song started playing.

(You're a troublemaker~)

"Oh I know this one!", Jung Soo exclaimed as he sprinted forward to take the microphone.

"Hoobae, do you know every song ah?"

 It was his third time saying the same thing. As few knew this one, as it was a purely occidental song, they let him go to it.

Should I just go to sleep ?

 It was at the moment, Kim Rok Soo was weighting his chances of slipping out and was about to get up that it happened.

"This song is called Troublemaker and is dedicated to my hoobae!"

"!!!", he flinched. It was going well until now. Why this guy-

Could it be that this punk saw me about to leave and started all this?

 Their gazes met.

 He sing-songed, pointing in his general direction to him.

 There was a beat where all the attention seemed to shift on him.

Shit.

 A set of tables had been cleared and served as a makeshift stage. Choi Jung Soo hopped on it with the confidence of a seasoned performer, his face alight with mirth.

"You had me hooked again from the minute you sat down~"

 He twirled the microphone cord like a lasso, nearly smacking Lee Soo Hyuk in the face. He launched into the song with gusto. His gestures overly dramatic and catchy.

"I don't know if I have the strength to stand (ooh)"
"Trouble, troublemaker, yeah, that's your middle name (oh-oh) 
I know you're no good, but you're stuck in my brain " he declared, winking at Kim Rok Soo.

"pfft."

 It was the first time he saw team leader try so hard to stifle a laugh. His shoulders were shaking and a wave of suppressed snickers rippled through the room.

 But as Jung Soo launched into the second verse, butchering the English lyrics with gusto, a strange thing happened. A corner of his mouth twitched. Then another. Before he knew it, he was suppressing a smile.

 Maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't be so bad after all. That is,of course, if he wasn't handed the mic.

 Meanwhile, Jung Soo was lost in his own world, belting out the chorus with a complete disregard for pitch.

 A member tried in vain to correct his pronunciation, but their voice was drowned out by the cheers and off-key harmonies of the rest of the team. Ryu Leeming, ever the showman, had grabbed a pair of glowsticks from who-knows-the-fuck-where and was waving them enthusiastically in time with the music.

And I wanna know !
Why does it feel so good, but hurt so bad? (Whoa) 
My mind keeps saying run as fast as you can 
I say I'm done, but then you pull me back (whoa) 
I swear you're giving me a heart attack 
Troublemaker ~~

 Kim Rok Soo's initial embarrassment became a reluctant amusement. He couldn't deny the infectious energy filling the room. A part of him still wanted to escape, to retreat to the familiar comfort of solitude, but another, more unexpected part, found itself drawn to the joyful chaos. 

He stole a glance at Team Leader Lee Soo Hyuk, who was now wiping a tear from his eye, hunched and struggling with laughter.

 But as he was having this thought, something tingled in the back of his head. Akin to dread or a survival instinct. It would soon be too late to run so Kim Rok Soo decided to still make a run for it. He wouldn't be caught dead singing along, not in a million years. 

 As the bridge started, a rap part filled with nonsensical Korean lyrics Jung Soo had invented on the spot mixed with english words. Surprisingly it was on beat and sounded nice.

 As the crowd got riled up, Kim Rok Soo saw his chance. He stood up as inconspicuously as possible.

 He beelined to the nearest exit, but fate, or maybe that bastard Choi Jung Soo's keen eyes didn't want it that way.

 A spotlight, seemingly conjured out of thin air, bathed him from the ceiling. He froze, like a deer caught in light.

 Slowly, he turned and met Choi Jung Soo's playful grin.

"Where do you think you're going, hoobae?" Jung Soo teased, rapping the final-probably improvised-line with exaggerated swagger.

 His earlier claim of knowing the song seemed to be limited to the first verse and chorus. But again, with everything that happened, reminding a song was not the priority.

 The rap ended, and the familiar beat of the chorus kicked back in. 
Only the background tune could be heard as all focus was on him.

 Kim Rok Soo felt a hand shove a microphone into his grasp. He froze.

 At his obvious missed start, Team Leader Lee Soo Hyuk's voice, surprisingly on-key, filled the room in his stead. 

"Why does it feel so good, but hurt so bad? (Whoa)
My mind keeps saying run as fast as you can~
I say I'm done, but then you pull me back (whoa) 
I swear you're giving me a heart attack"

 A collective cheer and bafflement erupted from the team. Lin Bae, ever the helpful soul, leaned in and whispered the next line into Kim Rok Soo's ear. 

 He gritted his teeth, determined to ignore any future reference to what happened tonight.

 Reluctantly, he opened his mouth.

"Troublemaker" he muttered this single word into the microphone with a dead-ass face, his voice as monotone as ever.

 But the damage was done. The team roared like a single man. 

"[Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad ?]" they sang, some off-key, some surprisingly good. 

 Hands shot out, grabbing Kim Rok Soo's arms and pulling him towards the makeshift stage. He stumbled, the microphone nearly flying from his grasp, but strong arms steadied him. He found himself surrounded by his team, their faces alight with joy.

 Choi Jung Soo, a mischievous glint in his eye, draped an arm around Kim Rok Soo's shoulder. "[We fight all the time, and then you make me smile (Hey!)]" he sang one of his improvised lines again, his voice booming over the music.

 The rest of the team joined in, the chorus filling the room, a chaotic symphony of off-key voices and genuine enjoyment. Kim Rok Soo, caught in the whirlwind of their enthusiasm, couldn't help but crack a small smile.

 Maybe, just maybe, this karaoke night wouldn't be so bad after all.

##

 Well, that thought was a little far fetched as he now stood alone on the makeshift stage and different songs passed.

 He managed to mumble some lyrics here and there with an overly enthusiastic Choi Jung Soo's cheers. But he certainly did not provide enough entertainment as some voiced their frustration.

"Aaah you have such a bland face hoobae"

"Hahahah, Kim Rok Soo you look like decor(as in a theater’s tree decoration)"

"How does a song so catchy became so mourn ?" one said sounding truly baffled. 

"I can only provide mediocre chorus accompaniment" he responded back.
"My artistic capabilities are limited to forever blend in a choir, not to be in the middle of a stage."

"Tsk"

"Eeeh, look at this punk"

"Hey, if you don't want to sing just come down already"

 That was exactly what he was waiting for.

"Ahhh no I believe in Rok Soo's potential !", Choi Jung Soo replied.

‘Don’t.’

"What ? Haven’t you heard his interpretation of gnamognamo style !?", Ryu asked with what seemed to be genuine horror.

 The few moments he had been on "stage", Kim Rok Soo somehow managed to completely put out the excitement and chaos in the office. Some people were shocked by this talent-or rather lack there of-of him, others morbidly entertained and the rest just tired.

 He really didn't intend it. He was willing to try. Maybe that had something to do with the recurrent occurrence of happy, energetic, go-lucky, beat-up songs, but he really didn't seem to get a feel of anything just yet.

 As the songs were being played in random, one never knew which one would come next. As Kim Rok Soo was happily going down the table, the next song started.

 A high pitched scream could be heard. Heads turned around in alarm.

 Lin Bae was gripping Min Hyun's arm in a deadly grip. The later staggered and let out a groan. Her eardrums potentially stricken too.

"It..It...It's" Bae oppa sputtered the same word like in loop like a broken record.

 There was a pause as someone else chimed in.
"Ah yes, isn't it that quite popular artist’s last single? I think I still remember a good chunk of the lyrics even thought I never purposefully listened to it."

"Heh. It was passing in loop for months, who wouldn't know it by heart"

"Hey, maybe Rok Soo could fully perform this one"

"What do you think hoobae ?"

"Ah-Hah" Lin Bae wanted to say something but nobody could understand. Still, her head was jerking side to side.

 Maybe she didn't want someone to under perform her cherished idol's song?

Her grip on Min Hyun subconsciously tightened."!! B-Bae..."

 The other tried to bat her away but in vain. That only made her groan even more. She was bending on herself, unable to stand straight anymore. 
 Really, Who would have thought this girl had so much strength when she started whining when asked to move cardboards or really just anything. 

Understanding and sympathetic gazes were send toward Min Hyun and Lin Bae. Each for very different reasons.

"Haha..maybe that's not a good idea after all"

"Don't worry Lin Bae, we won't let him destroy the precious memory of your idol"

"We'll just pass this song altogether"

"…"

 He could understand their position, but being badmouthed by colleagues who singed horribly off-key was still jabbing at his pride. He really shouldn’t care.

"Uh, you don't mind right Kim Rok Soo ?"

As he was about to respond, someone else was faster.

"Nobody could be able to pull off this song anyway. Either the voice or the dance steps, both were art."

“…” Everybody looked at the middle aged buff man.

"What? Good work is to be appreciated."

 At the mention of nobody being able to match the ex-kpop’s performance, Lin Bae's mood considerately dropped. She exuded despair and an air of fatality.

 Of course, Idol era was over. Where could she see a performance like that ever again? What was she wishing for? What did she even expect really?

"I can do it."

 The whole room looked his way. Disbelief written on most of them. He overheard this song so much, he was sure, he had it's record despite gaining the ability much later. Some things tended to stay...annoying as they could be.

 As the song was paused, after a moment of pregnant silence, raucous laugh erupted.

“HAHAHAHA-”

“uh..you sure Rok Soo ?”

“I’m willing to bet 10 thousand won to see that”

“I’ll pay your meal for a month if you do! No 3 months!”

“How about half a year ? Hehe with all your chores to boot ?”

“Wait were you a trainee before ?”

“I wasn’t.”

“Then you took some courses ?”

“I didn’t.”

“…”

“And you say you can do it ?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“You’re conscious it’s one of the hardest to pull off right, right ?”

“I can do it.”

“Please don’t just say that; Be mindful of your oppa-nim”

‘It’s because I’m mindful of her that I proposed ?’

Nobody knows when they would die in these days; so a little favor for his oppa-nim couldn’t be much; the propositions of his colleagues about money and food were also a good fuel.

“I wouldn’t want to miss that for anything in the world”

When the music started anew; Kim Rok Soo let his memories guide him. It was a popular song after all. For a good while anywhere he went he could hear it. As it was a dancing tune too, it wasn’t rare to stumble on street performances or online choregraphy.

The lights went out minus the one summoned by his sunbae-nim shining on him. Someone placed a round base mic stand on the table before quickly running to the side.

He entamed the starting moves with a lazy pull, slowly trying to tune in with the music and match to the rhythm. He tapped his foot and twirled before mimicking a guitar play and going on the rest of the moves. The movements of his hands and the way his body flowed subtly involved his whole body, so he closed his eyes, focusing.

Standing next to you

The original choregraphy was dynamic and smooth enough to be seen as bold. The space was used smartly and the foot work played a very important part. Designed to be done by a group of performers with the singer as the main focus, the song at it’s core wasn’t mean to be performed by a single person.

Since he was alone on a three meter long on one meter large makeshift scene; he had to be careful enough not to stumble and be entertaining enough not to make the show boring.

Play me slow
Push up on this funk and give me miracles

A clear voice resonated in the microphone, his poker face never changing as he played with the mic stand for the first chorus. He took a particular pride in hitting the notes closest to the original, since it was the heart of the most important part for fans.

Make it known
How we left and right is something we control

Initially, he didn’t want to dance but the 6 month of free food and no chores was oh so alluring. He had to work hard to gain it as an honest man. He could feel his muscle relax just thinking about all these slacking hours.

As the pre-chorus came, he could envision his next steps. His movements became more dynamic and assured.

All night long, we flock to this
Screaming, I testify that
We'll survive the test of time

As he was getting into the song, he bent down with the mic stand, making is body follow the movement in a slow descent. 

They can't deny our love
They can't divide us

The mic stand was gracefully tossed as the most challenging part, the chorus was approaching.

He started strong, mimicking what he remembered, his steps and moves becoming more energetic and grounded. He put his whole body to work with sharp, perfectly timed movements and wide arm motions.

Standing next to you
Standing in the fire next to you, oh

He didn’t have his ability back when he saw the choregraphy, but the repetition was enough with his good memory for his ability to help him fill the gaps.
Contrary to before, Kim Rok Soo had an overall better movement coordination thanks to the required working out of team members.

Something they can't take away, ayy
Take-take-take-take-take-take off

He guessed he didn’t do too bad. But they were screaming. Why were they screaming so loudly ? The noise almost made him flinch.

##

A member Park Kyung Ho was strolling by the hallway. He wanted to deliver a message from his boss to one of the fellow from team 1. Although the he didn't like the idea of interacting with freaks such as them, this much was normal for employees of the same company.
Still, he wished not to see those two punks faces on a regular. As years went by, Choi Jung Soo made a name for himself. He and his white mir were outstanding to see during battles. But his personality was not one he was particularly fond of. He still respected him, but from far away, in his mind. As for Kim Rok Soo, he still wasn't sure how, but his record ability seemed to be useful and resourceful.

Anyway, the week was long and he was tired of thinking about useless things. He made a plan of action. Go to the closest person, ask his business, say hello to Lee Soo Hyuk and get out of there as quickly as possible. It was annoying because he knew at least one of these two won't be far from the team leader.

As he was making his way, he could hear chatting. Up ahead, he could see a gaggle of people in front of team 1's quarter. Those guys were actually peeping inside. Some of them even went inside as more people dashed him to go toward the door.
He faintly heard what they said. Something about a performance and a must see spectacle.

"Wow, what is happening ?" asked his comrade. She just got out of a nearby door and witnessed the same oddity as him.

"I don't know but those guys are being disrespectful." 

He frowned. Such behaviors wasn't the norm in the company. Especially not if it concerned the team led by Lee Soo Hyuk. Most of them couldn.t even build up the nerve to speak to them, much less enter their office like a promotional shop.
She looked at him "Then let's find out". 
As they got closer, the noise coming from the office could be heard. They both froze.
"Is that music ?" As she said that, her voice slightly trembled.
Kyung Ho's pupils shacked and he grabbed one of running lads and asked.
"Hey, what's going in team 1's office ?"
"Huh? Oh sunbae-nims ! Um..well...." he hesitated.
"So ?", he pressed.
"I'm not sure either. I want to find out if it's true."
"If what is true ?" asked his colleague. Park Kyung Ho wasn't sure if he wanted to hear his answer, so he didn't.

He dashed to the door, leaving them before hearing anything

He was frantic for a reason. He slightly pushed the hoobaes before him and almost banged the door open.

He was not ready for the sight before him.
"Hey, don't run like that, it's ru-" His colleague said as she came to the door wide open for all to see.

"...what am I seeing ?" was all she said.

##

In the-frankly unrecognizable-office, a dashing young man stood on a row of table. Almost blinding lights were shining from behind  as his black hair fluttered, slightly damp from a light droplets of water raining from the nether creating a faint rainbow and pretty sparkles as he made moves after moves while singing. This person's voice was absolutely beautiful and smooth.
A hat was thrown to him from the overhyped crowd -yes a crowd- He caught it effortlessly and integrated to his performance. A vest came next. Hooded focused eyes met Park Kyung Ho's as he his voice dropped to baritone.
The guy was Kim Rok Soo.

What the fuck ?

"National...-"
"Idol...?"

"Oh, hey Park Kyung Ho, Lee Ha-eun. What are you doing up here ?" A voice to his left-wait he recognized this voice.
"Team Leader !!?"
"...Lee Soo Hyuk ???!"
It was important to note that they took awhile before responding. They were quite shocked to say the least.

"Yeah !"
The man seemed more relaxed than he ever saw him.
Lee Min did most of the talking, as Park Kyung Ho just watched with raised eyebrows and a slack mouth. He felt like he saw one of the hidden secret of the universe. Something he wasn't supposed to. It was so weird and right at the same time. 

*If this guy really was an idol, then a lot of things made sense.*
He also felt like he was having weird thoughts. This was not okay. He crashed. He was rebooting.

"This is..." Lee Ha-eun said pointing to the man who was entamming an encore as per the crowd's demands.
"Our most talented hoobae, Kim Rok Soo", he laughed.

##

“Hey, Rok Soo! When did you learn to do that ?”

“Mn. I didn’t.” Rok Soo gives a smug, knowing look.

“Ever considered becoming an idol?”Rok Soo responds with a flat, unamused stare.
Sigh. “Why would I?” I was an orphan, just trying to survive on my own. How could I even entertain such a thought? “So ridiculous.”
Lee Soo Hyuk watches him for a beat, his expression unreadable.

“I’m still looking forward to my six months of doing nothing. You remember, right? You were there. You agree, don’t you?”

“Say whatever you want, Kim Rok Soo. But don’t even think about skipping the morning drills.”

“Understood. But just to be sure, would you mind signing this?” Rok Soo hands over a document. “It summarizes all the bets and deals from tonight, with signatures from all involved parties.”

“...”

“It breaks down the terms and time frames for each agreement, and—”

“When we return from tomorrow’s mission, your six months of slacking will officially begin.”

“Thanks, sir.” He gives a sweet, almost innocent smile.

“Looking forward to it.”

Lee Soo Hyuk sighs, then smiles to himself. This little punk. As annoying as he could be, it was nice to see him starting to open up to the team. He was growing.

Lee Soo Hyuk snickered inwardly. This guy was definitely not aware of what he created for himself. He wondered what’s going to happen next…

“Me too~” Soo Hyuk fired back, his tone mischievous.

“Huh?”, Rok Soo could feel the weight of impending doom.

“Mn?”, Lee Soo Hyuk responded, feigning ignorance, though his grin was barely contained.