Archive of Our Own

Minseok is at a loss for words, standing in front of one of his closets with a troubled expression on his face.

No, it’s not because the team was just eliminated from the LCK Cup, and no, it also isn’t because his streams for the latter half of February are currently on hold due to his stint in the military. 

Nor is it because of the unprecedented amount of absolute free time that landed on his lap seemingly from out of nowhere, what with their exit from the LCK Cup, although we can loosely follow why his frown is deep at the corners if we look at what this period of rest has given him a chance to do. 

His teammates had filed out of the dorm to fulfill their streaming duties, and Minseok, left to his own devices, decided to be productive in his own right – he felt a rare burst of energy to get his things in order and finally deep-clean his room. 

It is here where we find Minseok face to face with a problem quietly buried in a forgotten corner of his mind, or his closet, rather. He was rearranging a mountain of his out-of-season clothing when he caught sight of too many boxes of professional hair dye that had been obscured by his clothes.

Now the question is, why does a professional esports athlete have an atrocious number of hair dye boxes in his personal belongings? The answer is, well, because this was the Ryu Minseok we’re talking about. Even within the team, he’s the absolute most out there when it comes to k-beauty and fashion – loud pajama pants and dyed hair is just his style.

In fact, he had sought out these hair dyes himself, asking his hairdresser about the brand they used on his hair when he’d dyed his hair cotton candy pink. With more confidence than warranted, he planned on purchasing more colors from the same brand to change up his hair color from the comfort of the dormitory. 

They cost an arm and a leg, which is really what you’d expect with a professional-quality hair dye, and even then he bought this rainbow-ranged collection with the intention of saving money – buying them as a set came with a 15% discount off of the total amount he would’ve had to cough up if he were to buy them individually. 

Vaguely, he remembers resolutely deciding to put off judging if this was a big purchase he will come to regret. Minseok balks at the sealed boxes of hair dye, wincing at their prices when he turns them over to inspect their expiration dates. 

“We’ll cross that bridge once we get there, Minseok!” He had cheerfully hummed as he organized the boxes in his closet, following the Red-Orange-Yellow-Green-Blue-Violet order, with the other extra colors going behind the row of his hair dye rainbow. 

Well, he’s at the said bridge and he kind of wants to jump off, because all of the boxes are now dangerously close to their best-before dates. 

His hands unconsciously reach up and find air where there should be his hair, before his fingertips extend fully and finally find his chopped locks – the whole inch and a centimeter length of it – laying flat against his scalp. 

If only Minseok had enough length and poof of hair, he’d take this sudden blessing of abundant hair dyes as a sign to try out some new colors, but with him sporting his cropped straight-out-of-the-military look, the boxes are only an expensive reminder of just how badly he wants his old hair back. 

Longing for his long hair aside, Minseok grieves over his hard-earned money in the form of nearly-expired hair dye, a month away from going down the drain, just like that. 

He tugs at his short bangs, contemplating on who he can give some of the boxes to. Aside from the colors of the rainbow, he had some less crazy colors which have a chance at being saved… if he can find someone he can talk into it.

Come to think of it, didn’t Hyunjoon say he wanted to bleach his hair a while ago through POP? He did immediately backtrack though, but maybe he can convince his jungler to try some new stuff out aside from the blond color Hyunjoon had already done before. Plus there’s that unfulfilled promise of dyeing his hair blue if they Worlds. 

Technically, it wasn’t Hyunjoon himself who gave this vow, but Minseok’s point still stands. Sanghyeok had volunteered Hyunjoon to do something feasible as a Worlds promise, and in Minseok’s eyes, he thinks Hyunjoon should just go for it and dye his hair blue. 

Sanghyeok’s eye for style is as classic as his former solo queue IGN, anyway.  

Speaking of their midlaner, maybe he can donate a box of dark brown hair dye to him as well.

Sanghyeok hyung has some gray hair, maybe he can use one box and save my conscience? Minseok thinks to himself, before sighing. 

“Well, that is one way to do it,” the support says to no one in particular. “But it’s a bit difficult?”

Minseok’s run into a problem. 

How the hell does he present this hair dye as a gift without bringing attention to Sanghyeok’s graying hair, and without risking unintentionally offending his midlaner?

It isn’t like the silver strands on Sanghyeok hyung are bothering anyone – it’s not bothering Sanghyeok, that’s for sure, and that’s all good in Minseok’s eyes, but bringing attention to it has underlying tones of also alluding to the unstoppable march of time and its physical effects on the body. 

Still, his fidgeting hands pick out the box of dark brown hair dye, his fingertips absent-mindedly rubbing at the sticker of the price tag at the back. 

Minseok’s reasoning is simple and solid. Dark-colored hair dye is used for light-colored hair. Light-colored hair can be silver, or white, both of which are most commonly associated with someone’s twilight years.

His Sanghyeokie hyung is barely 29 years old. And yet, he has strands of gray hair and a chronic injury he’s going to have to manage for the rest of his life essentially due to overuse and his unparalleled dedication to the game. 

People often theorize that Faker’s well in the twilight years of his career. Minseok doesn’t think so, and he doesn’t care much what people think. He does care, though, that this gift of hair dye might be misinterpreted by the man in the midlane himself. 

Honestly, it would be pointedly easier if a certain ‘04 liner was here to do the deed of opening that conversation for him – Sanghyeok let him off the hook virtually as long as said ‘04 liner wasn’t cursing, or treading the dangerous line of being a tad bit too casual in front of cameras when regarding their opponents. 

Wooje can undoubtedly just point out a silver thread of hair from Sanghyeok’s head, say “Oh, hyung! You’re graying out from stress! You need to dye your hair now, ask Minseokie hyung for one box of his almost-expired luxury hair dye!” with that signature head-not-quite-empty look in his eyes, and Sanghyeok will dish out a witty remark with no offense taken, his response mainly just to not be on the losing end of the verbal trade.

No idea if Sanghyeok will listen to Wooje though, but at least the idea would have been planted in their eldest hyung’s mind. 

Minseok considers sending Wooje a text to secure this low risk strategy, swiping down his contact list and opening their personal chat room. Their last conversation happened just a few days ago – the day they had been eliminated from the LCK Cup by the man in the chatbox himself and his new teammates. 

The light-hearted congratulations they’d exchanged dissuades Minseok from enlisting the help of his former toplaner. HLE is still in the competition after all, and Wooje must be fully focused on their upcoming games. 

Thinking of it now, Wooje coaxing Sanghyeok to make use of Minseok’s hair dye will surely raise some question mark pings from the midlaner, what with them literally being on different teams now. 

Besides, Minseok is sure that Sanghyeok will sniff out that the potentially-offending idea of coloring his graying hair came from inside the team house for two reasons:

One, Wooje is a terrible actor. He’d unintentionally snitch on Minseok one way or the other. Two, aside from Wooje and Minseok’s shared hobbies, along with the friendship and memories worth three years of being teammates, their current shared experiences are limited to the egghead statuses in their respective teams. If somehow Wooje manages to successfully egg Sanghyeok on in dyeing his hair, the midlaner would undoubtedly make the connection that these almost-baldies were in cahoots since he knows that the added distance between Wooje and Minseok has not stopped their endless banter.

Minseok’s not quite sure he’s ready to risk Sanghyeok getting angry at him. More importantly, Minseok’s not ready to give up the idea of having someone else potentially take the fall for him. 

Now, Minseok’s not the Legendary Genius Monster for no reason; a better idea pops into his head, and he feels like he’s struck gold with this one. 

With an absolutely devious smile on his face, he bounds off to find their new toplaner – Sanghyeok’s new attachment doll. 

It’s only been three months since Doran’s arrival to the team, and he’s now practically walking around with a figurative immunity idol in his arms with how Sanghyeok dotes on him. Doran just doesn’t know it, because he is understandably still in the phase where he’s still a bit too starstruck to see Sanghyeok’s partiality when it comes to him.

If Minseok just plays his cards right, he’s sure to fast-track Faker’s descent from the unreachable pedestal to the more approachable dad-joke-spouting, free-things-loving, lame-pranks-doing Lee Sanghyeok in Doran’s eyes.

And if this strategy doesn’t work, Plan B is hinging on Minseok getting Doran on board based on, well, their long-shared friendship from way back, when both of them weren’t in the red and black colors of T1. Surely his Doran hyung can do it for him, if he asked. This is a gambit Minseok is willing to bet on.

“No.” 

Well, shit.

It’s difficult trying to let others see what they don’t believe to be possible. Doran is way too humble to even think of himself as one of Sanghyeok’s attachment dolls, because that’s Lee Sanghyeok and Minseok understands. 

(He’s on the same boat, honestly. Why did Sanghyeok hyung return his half-heart back in Worlds 2022 and reject all the others? Not even Minhyung got a heart from Sanghyeok. Minseok is still stumped about this one until now.)

Minseok is quick and decisive with his judgment. He immediately changes gears.

“ Please? For me, hyung? ” Minseok pouts, putting in some extra effort to do that puppy-dog eyes thing that used to work miracles back when they were in DRX. 

“Ah, don’t do that, it won’t work on me now!” Doran turns away and clamps his palms to his eyes like Minseok is Medusa incarnate, despite his assurance that Minseok’s best Puss-in-Boots ‘Cute Eyes’ expression has lost its potency. 

“ Awwww. Then why not?” Minseok doubles down, attempting to pry Hyunjoon’s hands from his face. 

“You’re a literal inch away from being a bald head , it doesn’t have the same effect!” Doran exclaims, and this reply is decidedly the wrong answer because Minseok starts growling like a wronged puppy. 

“Why are you saying ‘no’ was what I was asking!” Minseok falls back onto Hyunjoon’s bed with a soft thump, spread-eagled over the neat comforter like he was laying on his own bed. 

“And get your facts straight, it’s an inch and a centimeter! Plus, I wouldn’t have to throw out my professional-quality dye if I had hair to use it on,” Minseok wails. “Those cost me a fortune and it hurts having to throw them out like they were free samples I got from the hairdresser!” 

“Yeah, seeing your money get wasted on things you thought you’d be able to use must feel awful, Minseokie,” Doran nudges Minseok’s foot with a knee, and the support automatically moves to give his toplaner some space to sit on. 

Move is perhaps an overstatement, it was more of the smallest hint of a scoot, like he was the owner of the bed and is very graciously giving Doran a chance to sit by his feet. Minseok fake sobs as the bed dips under Doran’s weight.

“Look, I’m really, really sorry, Minseok. I just don’t want to risk offending Sanghyeokie hyung. I’ve been here for, what, barely three months? So it’s impossible for me to do that.” Doran stretches out before he lays down, and with the limited space afforded to him by the sulking support, he ends up standing up and moving over to the other side of the bed, using Minseok’s thigh splayed over the width of the bed as a makeshift pillow. 

All his pillows are under Minseok’s head, and Minseok’s head looks heavy from all the racing thoughts running in his genius brain. Doran lets Minseok hog his bed and his pillows, just like before. It’s fine, they used to sleep like this back in the definitely-smaller dorm rooms provided to them by DRX.

“But haven’t you been his teammate for almost four years now? If anything, you should be the one to tell him he has graying hair.” Doran tries, but Minseok only sighs. 

“I don’t wanna. Pointing out someone’s gray hair is too much. It might be disrespectful.”

“Ah, then why’d you try to get me to do it?!” Doran now whines, giving Minseok’s shin a light slap of indignation.

Minseok ignores Doran’s question in lieu of trying to convince him of availing one of the boxes himself. “Hyung, what do you think of matching with Hyunjoon’s hair? We can be the South Korean flag if you two Hyunjoons color your hair red and blue. Then I can take black and Minhyung… should be white?” 

Even Minseok sounds unconvinced by the end of his sentence.

Doran snorts. “That sounds a bit…” His words die out in the air, like he’s unwilling to continue the sentence.

“Watch your words.” Minseok warns. “Minhyung and I once thought of doing that, but only with red and blue. It’s really not a bad idea.” 

“Then why’d you not go through with it?” Doran laughs. “There’s a reason why you backed out, you know.”

Minseok grumbles unintelligibly, mind already flying elsewhere.

“Just throw away the boxes, don’t even think about their prices. You might think it’s money wasted, but if you reframe it into something more acceptable for you – like maybe those are part of a faulty batch and this is life’s way of saving you from a hair disaster – you can throw them away with a clear conscience.” Doran soothes his support, patting his knee. 

“I’m in a hair disaster right now, though?” Minseok replies good-humoredly, and the two share a laugh before Minseok is wriggling out of the bed, forcing Doran to sit up again. 

The toplaner sees a determined expression on his support’s face. 

Doran gets the feeling that something big is coming. He’s not sure if it’s good or bad, but with the almost manic expression on Minseok's face, he’s willing to bet five bags of Swing chips Minseok’s been rejuvenated. 

Even looking at Minseok’s retreating figure, he recognizes that those steps are of a man on a mission .  

Minseok recognizes that he’s going to have to do the dirty work himself, and he’s determined to pull it off as cleanly as he can – manipulation tactics aside. 

The next afternoon, Minseok walks up to a bleary-eyed Sanghyeok on the kitchen table, his collection of hair dye conspicuously arranged in his arms. 

Despite the visible sleepiness dragging the midlaner’s eyelids halfway closed, Sanghyeok’s interest in the curious scene is palpable in his gaze. 

“Minseokie,” he says, voice still scratchy from sleep. “Are you dyeing your hair? In that state?”

Minseok smiles wryly, setting down the bulk of the boxes on the table, making sure they’re all in full view of Sanghyeok. 

It’s showtime!

Overnight, Minseok realized that he’s been overthinking – with Sanghyeok’s frugal nature, framing the situation as an enormous waste of money if all boxes go to waste is adequate enough to safeguard against potential offense taken. Sanghyeok will surely understand and want to help make use of Minseok’s hair dyes, as long as Minseok plays up his distress over such an enormous expense at the brink of being rendered useless.

The support shrugs, showing his uncertainty. “Hyung, do you think colored hair will suit me with this length? I don’t think it will look good.” 

For good measure, Minseok smooths down what remains of his bangs, and Sanghyeok follows suit. The midlaner reaches out to bury a hand in Minseok’s fuzz of hair, although with the current sparseness on Minseok’s head, his knuckles are still visible as his palms reach scalp. 

Sanghyeok’s lips twitch into a contented smile as he rubs Minseok’s head, sleep still weighing heavy on his movements. Normally, here is where Minseok would swat away whoever is mussing up his hair, but Minseok resists – one, because this was Sanghyeok; and two, he’s not about to blow his chances of saving another box of hair dye from utter wastage by refusing Sanghyeok’s affections. 

Also, it kind of feels nice. Soothing , even. 

Luck must be on Minseok’s side today, because Sanghyeok reaches out and grabs a box right off the table unprompted and starts inspecting it with mild interest in his eyes. 

The midlaner flips the box to look at the back. 

The hand on Minseok’s head stops moving, and Sanghyeok looks up from the box with wide eyes. There is no longer any trace of sleep on Sanghyeok’s face.

Minseok thinks Sanghyeok’s seen the absolutely outrageous prices stamped on the back, and with the worry in his eyes, is concerned with his spending habits. Minseok feels a sudden pang of shame, seeing his frugal Sanghyeok hyung react with such unfiltered shock. 

What, is it that much of a bad purchase?

He can practically feel the scolding coming his way.

Although he had planned to appeal using this angle and Sanghyeok seems to be falling for it hook, line and sinker, Minseok’s ears burn with embarrassment. He ducks his head, unwilling to meet Sanghyeok’s eyes. 

The scolding doesn’t come, but Sanghyeok’s hand retreats from his head.

“Minseokie… Are you planning on dyeing your hair into a rainbow?” Sanghyeok asks tentatively instead, like he’s trying to approach him with utmost care. 

“I don’t think I can dye my hair,” Minseok’s voice is small, like he’s afraid of the judgement being meted out. “Not in this state, anyway…”

Sanghyeok has seen Minseok sport colorful hair over the course of their years together as teammates, but usually the change in hair color was prefaced by at least a month of non-stop back and forth from the support and the inner voice in his head. You’d basically hear Minseok go through all the steps of his decision making process that you’d look forward to the change in hair color, because it means Minseok’s constant self-debate will finally have reached its conclusion.

This instance – with Minseok already preparing his hair dyes without so much as a breath about it in the last month – is a drastic departure from Minseok’s regular programming. He must be upset – no, distraught – about something.

Is he upset at the team’s results for the LCK Cup? Or his hair? Maybe both? Sanghyeok thinks.

Sanghyeok clears his throat. He raises a hand to his support’s shoulder. “Minseokie. Thank you for working hard during the LCK Cup. The results may not be what you expected, but we’ll definitely do better in the regular season.” Sanghyeok’s voice is soft, his tone reassuring. “And I might not understand how you feel, but if it helps… I think your short hair isn’t bad. It’s cute, draws attention to your face. And you should go for it if you want to dye your hair.”

Okay, now Minseok is confused at the sudden direction of the conversation. His head whips up to meet Sanghyeok’s eyes.

“T1’s Keria with colored hair will definitely dominate in the regular season. Like going super-saiyan with a rainbow head. I like it.” Sanghyeok has a small smile on his face, speaking with a calm confidence in his words like he’s already seen it happen.

“Want me to accompany you to the hair shop?” Sanghyeok offers. “If you’d like, we can go today. And if you change your mind, I’ll even pay for the retouch. Don’t worry about the cost. You can try as many colors as you like.” 

OH! Minseok’s mind finally catches what’s happening. 

In the face of Sanghyeok’s sincere gentleness, Minseok is forced to drop his act.

“Ah, hyung,” Minseok starts. “I think you’ve got the wrong idea. I’m not sad about the LCK Cup.” 

Sanghyeok’s eyes narrow in confusion. “So you’re just upset about your hair?”

Here’s the opening! 

“A bit, yes,” Minseok clears his throat. “But more specifically, I’m upset that I can’t use these when it cost me a lot to get them,” he motions at the boxes on the table vaguely. 

“Why not?” Sanghyeok asks. “Can’t short hair be colored?”

“I mean, it can,” Minseok says, “but I want to grow it out first. Bleaching weakens the hair, so I want to lay off dyeing my hair for a bit. At least, not until I get my long hair back.”

Sanghyeok nods. “That makes sense.” The midlaner gives the box in his hand a thorough inspection and finally realizes the crux of the situation. “What, the expiration date is in a month? For all of them? ”

It’s Minseok’s turn to nod. “I’m looking for people who can use them before they go bad. I want to at least save one or two boxes from being wasted.”

“It is such a waste to throw them all out,” Sanghyeok agrees, reaching out to take the black hair dye box in his hands. “I can probably send this back home, if you don’t mind. Grandma might be able to use this.” 

Ah, there it is! Free-stuff-loving Sanghyeokie hyung! Minseok thinks. And why didn’t I think of Grandma before?

He’s mentally facepalming this oversight when he hears the front door beeping, announcing someone’s arrival. A few moments later, Hyunjoon walks into the kitchen, singing his heart out to some song Minseok can’t quite recognize. 

Hyunjoon walks past them with a cheerful ‘good morning,’ before the jungler opens the fridge to peer inside. He apparently sees something so shockingly good, because he gasps loudly, his hands coming together in a loud clap. He reaches into the fridge to pull out a container of Minhyung’s leftover takeout with a cheer. 

“Minhyungie!” He shouts out. “Wake up before I eat your leftovers!”

He then stalks over to the microwave, clearly intent on heating up the food without the owner’s blessing. Only after he settles down next to Sanghyeok – now equipped with a pair of chopsticks – does the jungler notice the absolute state of the table. 

He leans down curiously, inspecting the hair dye box in Sanghyeok’s hands. 

“What, our old man’s dyeing his hair?” Hyunjoon is definitely in a good mood, and the volume of his voice matches his great spirits. He gives Sanghyeok’s unruly head of hair a once-over. “Well, I do see some gray up the top.”

Minseok’s mouth hangs open as yet another realization hits him. How could he forget initiate-screaming-Hyunjoon-who-gives-no-fucks-whatsoever?

“Who was calling for me?” Minhyung finally stumbles into the kitchen with a yawn, arms extending out in a wide stretch.

Similar to Sanghyeok, Minhyung takes interest in Minseok’s hair dye collection almost instantly. “What’s the occasion?” He asks, eyeing the boxes on the table.

“Your food’s in the microwave,” Hyunjoon says as a greeting to the ADC. “As thanks for my show of initiative, I require at least a bite.” 

“Hyunjoon was about to steal your food,” Sanghyeok replies coolly. 

Hyunjoon immediately pivots the conversation away from his failed stolen breakfast attempt. “Sanghyeokie hyung’s dyeing his hair!” 

“Really?” Minhyung is surprised. “What for?” 

Sanghyeok shrugs. 

“His gray hair,” Hyunjoon answers for his midlaner. “He’s got quite a few now.”

Minhyung moves closer, combing through Sanghyeok’s hair. “He does,” Minhyung confirms. “What’s this, trying to look younger for someone?” The marksman snickers. “Well, color me impressed.” 

“Don’t get any ideas.” Sanghyeok narrows his eyes up at Minhyung. “Minseok’s hair dye expires in a month and it’d be a shame if it goes to waste.”

The microwave beeps, and Minhyung moves to retrieve his breakfast. “Oh, so it’s a favor for Minseok.” Minhyung says mildly. “And here I was thinking you’ve got more game than I thought.”

The marksman sits next to Hyunjoon, setting the container between them. Minhyung and Hyunjoon begin to eat in earnest.

“So you’ll do it, hyung?” Minseok finally asks, puppy-dog eyes in full display for good measure.

Sanghyeok’s eyes crinkle into crescents, although the mischief in his expression is palpable. “What time does the Keria Salon open, sir? I heard there was a soft-opening today. Are there any discount offers on hair treatment and color? I have an overseas schedule in a week and need my gray hair touched up.”

Hyunjoon and Minhyung snort at Sanghyeok, ever the silly showman. Minseok grins. He thinks he has Hyunjoon’s reckless mouth to thank for much of the success, but a win is a win nonetheless. 

“The Keria Salon is open, sir,” Minseok answers with the same theatrical flair. “And for today, everything is completely free! ”

When the other Hyunjoon pads into the room rubbing sleep from his eyes, he is greeted with the sight of Minseok pointing a hand at him. 

“This man here will be assisting me in making you look ten years younger, good sir. Please look forward to it.” 

“ Ye? ”

Sanghyeok wrinkles his nose at the chemical smell of the hair dye being meticulously applied to his hair. With it being administered so close to his head, the scent is decidedly more intense than he thought it would be, so much that he has to actively fight the urge to sneeze for the third time in five minutes.

He sits cross-legged in the middle of their dorm living room, a book on his lap and two pairs of gloved hands combing through his hair, hunting for stray silver strands. Somewhere behind him and to his right, Hyunjoon sniffs and sneezes enough for the two of them although it’s more because of rhinitis than the smell of hair dye. The looping soundtrack of the apple game and the soft, wood-like thunks of the numbers being grouped into sums of 10’s ring softly from Hyunjoon’s laptop and into the comfortable silence shared among the five people in the room.

Minhyung stands idly by the living room entrance, Minseok’s phone pointed towards the rest of the team, tasked by the support to document the important occasion of Sanghyeok’s first hair color treatment – notably being held in the comfort of the dormitory living room, using the labor of his teammates’ hands, and with free hair dye. 

Sanghyeok truly is one thrifty homebody, that’s for sure.

“I’m done with my side,” Minseok mumbles, nudging Doran with an elbow. “Yours?”

Doran nods. “All done, too.” 

Sanghyeok’s hair is slicked back and caked with hair dye, the edges of his forehead a jagged line of smudges. 

“Can I see?” Sanghyeok asks. 

“No, not yet,” Minseok protests. “You’ve got to wait for a big reveal at the end, hyung!” He lightly swats away at Sanghyeok’s hand reaching for his phone, before ultimately calling Minhyung over to help him confiscate and slip the midlaner’s phone in his pajama pocket. 

“I’m taking this for the meantime,” Minseok hums. “No spoilers!”

“Well, it’s not like a lot will change,” Hyunjoon says between coughs and sniffles, still lying boneless on the couch. “You’re not dyeing his hair blond, for that matter.”

“Blond on Sanghyeokie hyung?” Minseok considers. “Hey, I think that’s a good idea? Oh but I don’t have bleach. WAIT! Someone set a timer for 45 minutes –” the support starts to ramble, swiftly taking off his plastic gloves and chucking them into a waste basket. 

“Minseokie, I’ll set an alarm myself if you give me my phone back,” Sanghyeok offers. 

Minseok blinks. Once. Twice. And surprisingly doesn’t give in to Sanghyeok’s proposal like he always does. 

“Hyunjoon, set a timer for 40 minutes.”

The jungler harrumphs, the apple game song ending as if on cue. “On it, boss,” Hyunjoon sing-songs, fishing out his phone to set an alarm. 

Meanwhile, Minhyung grins widely behind the camera. “Looking good, Lee Sanghyeok!” He praises, done with taking photos and now having assumed videographer duties instead. “Hey, I think this hairstyle suits you.”

“Wave at the camera!” Minhyung prods, and Sanghyeok waves dutifully, even bowing a little bit before a mischievous expression overtakes his usual calm facade. 

Sanghyeok stands, stalking off on light feet towards Hyunjoon. Minhyung moves with his midlaner, standing over their jungler still preoccupied with sorting virtual numbered apples by their 10’s. 

Sanghyeok’s fingers are blunt claws scratching at Hyunjoon’s scalp.

“Stand up! You gotta dye your hair too, Hyunjoon!” Sanghyeok nags. “Now’s the chance. We’ve got blue hair dye ready for you.”

When Hyunjoon does not budge, Sanghyeok moves to block off the laptop screen with a hand. Hyunjoon only guffaws, swiftly moving the offending hand away from the laptop screen as though he was only being mildly inconvenienced by a mischievous kitten.

“Moon Hyunjoon,” Sanghyeok gives the jungler’s shoulders a shake. “Let’s go. Fulfill your Worlds win promise!”

“Ah, Lee Sanghyeok’s up to something weird again,” Hyunjoon bemoans dramatically as he continues picking out apples from his virtual orchard with a troublesome cat disrupting his efforts.

“You won’t even have to do anything. You just have to sit up straight and I’ll dye your hair for you. Just try it out once.” Sanghyeok’s hands are now tugging insistently on Hyunjoon’s sleeves. A finger pokes at his jaw. 

Doran adds to the goading almost instantly. “See, Sanghyeokie hyung’s willing to dye your hair without pay and you’re lying here like a sack of potatoes. Up with you!” 

“Ah, but I didn’t make that promise, hyung!” Hyunjoon pulls a face, but Minhyung joins in from behind the camera.

“Sanghyeokie hyung made a promise on your behalf and you’re not gonna honor it?” Minhyung lays on the disappointment pretty thick. “Moon Hyunjoon, that’s too much! What would the fans think?” 

“Yeah, why are you like this?” Minseok pads back into the room, two boxes of dye in hand. 

“Why am I like what ? Why is everyone so mean to me today, ah,” Hyunjoon finally closes the laptop display with a thunk, balancing the laptop on his stomach as he stretches out. “I can’t win a 1v4 when I’m being attacked like this!”

“Here, Sanghyeokie hyung,” Minseok turns over his hair dye to Sanghyeok. “The blue dye you requested. I’ve picked out two so you can choose.”

Sanghyeok’s smile widens, and turns back with a cheshire cat grin towards Hyunjoon. 

Doran giggles at Sanghyeok’s expression, delighted he's not at the receiving end of Sanghyeok’s unyielding commitment to a promise. “Hyunjoon, I think you’re in trouble,” Doran warns with a laugh. 

Hyunjoon decides to heed Doran’s warning, his gaze quickly shifting from the ceiling to the approaching midlaner.

The smile on Sanghyeok’s face brings forth a shudder that runs down Hyunjoon’s back, like he’s prey being stared down by a predator.

“Oh, screw that,” Hyunjoon leaps to his feet, preparing to make a break for his room, but he sees Minseok – standing behind his midlaner – mouthing something at him insistently, hands silently signaling to him to sit back down. 

“Stay,” Minseok mouths. “The dye won’t work on your hair,” the support’s hands point to his own hair, making assured crosses in front of him. “Trust me.”

Hyunjoon narrows his eyes at Minseok, clearly a bit concerned about the chance of accidentally having his hair dyed blue just because of Minseok’s ingenious timing. 

Still, Hyunjoon sits back down, choosing to trust Minseok’s judgment. 

Minhyung and his camera, witness to everything unfolding in front of him, struggles to contain his giggles at Sanghyeok’s obliviousness to the conversation being had behind his back. 

The marksman receives a warning glare from his support at his hardly-contained glee.

“Joonie, just try it out once,” Minhyung says through his laughter. “Sanghyeokie hyung gets one chance to ruin your hair. If he fails, well, that’s on him. ”

“ Exactly! ” Sanghyeok says, delighted to hear his idea so well-received by the team. “Let’s go, Oner!”

“Wait, wait wait! Just a moment! STOP!” Hyunjoon feigns terror. “I’ll do it with one condition!”

Sanghyeok nods, distracted with tearing into the box of his chosen shade of blue, the other tucked safely into his waist by his elbow. 

The woman on the ruined packaging sports Jinx’s iconic hair color. 

Hyunjoon’s eye twitches uncomfortably as his brain conjures up images of him in the same vivid blue. 

He prays that Minseok’s right about this one, or else he’s shaving the support’s remaining hair off. He’ll even add in an eyebrow or two, depending on how fucked his hair becomes.

“Name your price,” Sanghyeok hums, putting on a pair of disposable gloves, giving his wrists a few moments to flex by rotating them. 

“You get one free chance,” Hyunjoon bargains. “If it fails, it can’t be for free anymore. But –”

A sneeze interrupts Hyunjoon’s sentence. The jungler puts a palm up in a just a moment gesture.

“– you can buy further cooperation for 100,000 won per 10 minutes.” 

Sanghyeok’s eyebrows – now in full view due to his slicked back hair – shoot up in amusement. 

Minhyung has to stifle another laugh. Everyone knows Sanghyeok does not give up easily. If the dye fails to stick to Hyunjoon’s hair the first time, there’s a good chance he’ll give it another go… unless money is involved. 

There is a heartbeat of silence as Sanghyeok mulls it over. 

“Too expensive. Can’t we do 50,000 won per try?”

“Nope. Sorry, I can’t be cheap with my hair.” Hyunjoon replies. “And it’s not like you’ll need more than one try, right, Sanghyeokie hyung?”

Cunning bastard, Minseok thinks. Hyunjoon’s got himself in a win-win situation either way. If the first try fails (which it will, because Minseok picked out the lightest blue colors from his collection that require bleaching for the dye to show – yes, Hyunjoon should thank him for being such a good friend), either Sanghyeok gives up with the thought of the Worlds promise technically already fulfilled – or Hyunjoon walks away at least 100,000 won richer. 

Minseok’s going to have to ask for a cut in that money, that’s for sure.

“All right, then,” Sanghyeok falls for the sham, hook, line and sinker. “Now don’t go back on your word.”

“I won’t. Let’s even shake on it!” Hyunjoon extends a hand. “Minhyung, got that on video? Gotta make sure the old man doesn’t pull any weird tricks on me,” the jungler says, as though he wasn’t pulling a fast one on his (not-so)poor, oblivious midlaner.

“Uh-huh,” Minhyung snickers. “Got everything on tape. We can even do a VOD review after if you’d like.”

Sanghyeok gives Hyunjoon’s hand a firm shake, even posing together for a still frame with the opened box of dye positioned between them. From that frame alone, it looks like Hyunjoon’s being handed the box as a prize. 

“Now sit here, Mr. Moon,” Sanghyeok directs Hyunjoon to the same spot on the living room floor he’d occupied not long ago. Hyunjoon sits cross-legged, blinking owlishly up to the phone camera still in Minhyung’s hand.

“And Minhyung ,” Sanghyeok calls out. “I’ve got a job just for you.”

“Yeah?” Minhyung zooms the camera obscenely close, filling the screen with Hyunjoon’s stingray smile.

“Grab another pair of gloves. You’ll be my assistant. Rando here can take over the camera.”

“Roger that!”

Hyunjoon sneezes for the seventh time since Sanghyeok and Minhyung went to town on his hair. 

Sanghyeok clearly takes what he’s doing 100% seriously. He directs Hyunjoon’s head to specific angles so that Minhyung and him can dye the jungler’s hair without having to adjust their postures too much. 

Meanwhile, Minseok floats around the trio like a nosy supervisor checking the new employees’ performance. 

“Hyunjoon, how long until Sanghyeokie hyung has to rinse out his hair?” Minseok says out of his peripheral vision.

Hyunjoon takes a moment to check. “A little over three minutes,” he replies. 

“I gotta go prepare then,” Minseok says. “Hyunjoon hyung, you have a spare basin, right? Can I borrow it?”

“You mean the plastic one in my room? Sure, but what are you using it for?” Doran asks quizzically. 

“For Sanghyeokie hyung’s hair.”

“What, you’re bathing Sanghyeokie hyung?” Minhyung’s head snaps towards Minseok, a bewildered expression on his face. “That’s definitely commitment on your part.”

“I’m not helping him wash. I was planning on rinsing out his hair in the kitchen sink. I’ll fill the basin with water and ladle it over his head. Give him the full hair salon experience. The Keria Salon does not half-ass anything.”

“Well,” Sanghyeok tips Hyunjoon’s head forward so that his chin is tucked towards his neck. “Even if it’s helping me wash, there’s nothing he hasn’t seen yet. We’ve all been in the sauna together at my place. How different can it be, really?”

Doran snorts out a short laugh behind the camera. So does Hyunjoon, who even doubles over clutching his stomach.

“What are you laughing too much for?” Minhyung complains through his own chuckles. “Come back here, we’re not done with you quite yet!”

“No, it’s just,” Hyunjoon fixes his posture, pointing to the phone in Doran’s hand. “This footage should never get to anyone else. With some evil editing, people can do the weirdest shit with what Sanghyeokie hyung just said,” the jungler wheezes. “Ah, I can already see the crazy headlines!”

“He’s said even more questionable stuff live, mind you,” Minseok shrugs. “Hyunjoonie hyung, did you know one time Sanghyeokie hyung said he wanted to be Hyunjoon’s toothbrush? It came out of nowhere. Said it like he was talking about the weather,” the support shares, like a student telling a transferee a must-know incident from the past to understand one of the class’s running jokes.

“Oh! Why’d he say that?” Doran slips into a gossipy tone easily, even hiding his mouth behind a hand.

“I just said whatever came to mind,” Sanghyeok protests, his ears and cheeks now a shade of red. “It didn’t mean anything!”

“Who knows, Hyunjoonie hyung,” Minhyung replies loudly over Sanghyeok’s protests with a gleeful grin as he covers the last of Hyunjoon’s hair with blue. “Maybe it was a Freudian slip.”

Before Minhyung can sense the mischief about to be unleashed upon him, Sanghyeok smears a line of blue hair dye across Minhyung’s cheeks with his thumbs in an effort to get the marksman to shut his mouth. 

Of course, Minhyung isn’t one to be one-upped. He dips three fingers in the dye and sweeps them across Sanghyeok’s right cheek. 

“That looks like cat whiskers!” Minhyung exclaims, lifting up the plastic container of dye up above his head so Sanghyeok can’t retaliate further. 

“What does?” Hyunjoon finally turns around, the racket behind him piquing his curiosity. “Oh, it does! Do the other side too,” the jungler commands, wrapping Sanghyeok’s legs tightly in a hug so the midlaner can’t run away. “Quick! I’ve got him!” 

“You’re getting dye on Sanghyeokie hyung’s pajamas!” Minseok shrieks. Sanghyeok helplessly thrashes around, but with his legs immobilized and Minhyung’s quick movements, he is unable to block the other three lines smeared on his face.

Once Minhyung moves out of the way, Sanghyeok looks like a rather unimpressed cat – hair dark and slicked back like he just came out fresh from a bath, with uneven blue whiskers on his cheeks.

There was a beat of silence before everyone burst into laughter. Even Sanghyeok cracks a smile seeing his younger teammates’ happy faces.

It is at this moment that the alarm finally goes off from Hyunjoon’s phone. As the jungler tilts his head down to swipe at his screen, Minhyung and Sanghyeok make eye contact and wordlessly commit to a plan. Minhyung hands over the container of dye, swiping a generous dollop of dye onto his fingers.  They quickly squat down, painting whiskers onto Hyunjoon’s cheeks before the jungler can realize what is happening. “We can’t leave our tiger out on this!” Sanghyeok drawls out, another mischievous smile on his lips. 

“Hey, don’t leave us out!” Minseok pouts. He has Minhyung fingerpaint matching T1 logos on his and Doran’s cheeks before finally stopping the video recording on his phone, switching onto the front camera instead to take a commemorative photo of the mess behind him.

“Everyone, look here,” he calls out. He beams at the camera, a hand cupping at his painted cheek to form a heart. The others follow suit with poses of their own. Minseok takes many photos in succession before finally setting down his phone to retrieve Doran’s basin from his room.

Sanghyeok is now freshly out of a shower and in clean clothes, opting for his newly-darkened hair to air dry as he watches Minseok rinse out Hyunjoon’s hair. All of the blue practically goes invisible, like the blue dye he’d so meticulously applied onto the jungler’s head was never there in the first place.

“That’s unbelievable,” he complains. “It didn’t stick at all! Maybe we should’ve waited a bit longer before rinsing it out?” 

“What, and wait for my hair to get cooked?” Hyunjoon laughs. “It just didn’t have light hair to stick to.” 

“Well, if you look closely,” Minseok starts. “It still left a tint. It’s just barely visible when the light hits just right.” 

Sanghyeok narrows his eyes, looking for the new tint Minseok sees on Hyunjoon’s hair. 

“Do you see it, hyung? The difference is very subtle, but it’s there.” Minseok attests to his midlaner, if only to reassure that Sanghyeok’s efforts were not wasted. 

“I see it,” Doran interjects. “It’s like a very light wash of blue.”

“Me too,” Minhyung adds as he walks past them, having refilled his oversized tumbler of water in preparation for going to the company building. “It’s veeeery subtle. Like you have to know he dyed his hair blue to see the difference.”

Sanghyeok squints at Hyunjoon’s hair for a while before nodding. “Maybe it’s because we know he dyed his hair that we know what to look for. I was aiming for a brighter blue, so it’s a bit of a shame.”

Hyunjoon hums happily, still doubled over the sink as Minseok empties another cup of water onto his hair. “Well, hyung, if you’re not satisfied, you can have another 10 minutes of my cooperation for 100,000 won! Peanuts for a rich guy like you.”

“Actually, I think I’m satisfied with it.” The jungler hears the sound of sandaled feet walking away from him as Sanghyeok wisely avoids getting scammed by his own teammate.  Minseok wraps Hyunjoon’s hair – still dripping with water at this point – with a fresh towel.

“And we’re finally done!” Minseok hums. “The Keria Salon is now closed.” The support stretches out onto a chair, sufficiently tired out by the afternoon of dyeing his teammates’ hair. Doran moves to retrieve the empty plastic basin from the sink, disappearing into his room with quick footsteps.

“Thanks for the save, man,” Hyunjoon hums, clapping a hand against Minseok’s shoulder as he makes his way into the bathroom to take a bath, happy that his hair looks practically the same as before. If anything, this afternoon turned out to be more of a team building thing than a hair disaster for him.

In the comfortable silence of the kitchen, Minseok looks at the photos he took of the team, snickering as he realizes how ridiculous they look at some of them with their hair-dye stained cheeks. 

He chooses a good combination of cute and goofy pictures and presses Share.

To: Wooje

(10 Photos)

 

I opened a salon today in T1’s dorms

 

Keria’s Salon open for business

 

Me and Hyunjoonie hyung dyed Sanghyeokie hyung’s hair 

He’s got an upcoming event in Singapore so he volunteered to have his silvers covered up

 

Also Hyunjoon’s fulfilled his World’s promise

Sanghyeokie hyung and Minhyung dyed his hair

He ruined Sanghyeokie hyung’s pajamas but it was fun lol

If Sanghyeok hyung asks you if you see the change in Hyunjoon’s hair, just say yes

I think he’ll actually get sad if you say no lol