#mentioned: lgcyonghwa

[lgcyushin]

❀ VLIVE PROMPT 004 ❀  (( gifset credit ))

“wait, when does this start?” he asks while taking a bite of a kim bap roll, having been in a rush on his way to the studio for filming. this would be a lot easier if he could do this from his phone or computer but it made sense as to why the staff wanted to monitor everything, considering how fans could be, but yushin is just a trainee - and not a very well known one at that. there isn’t any risk other than himself for acting a fool on the vlive, to be fair.

the staff shoot him a look saying that it’s basically live, and he tries to swallow when he realizes that the feed is already live and instant panic - sheepishly swallowing his food, he waves to the fan, not wanting to waste anymore of their short two minutes that he’s probably already wasted by chewing mukbang noises of all things. oh my gosh.

        “oh hi! you picked me?” yushin perks up once the call connected. it honestly made him feel relieved that the calls would come through, even if he didn’t visibly show it all the time. what he means is, if he had the choice, he’d probably call yonghwa, but nobody’s asking him. “i’m so grateful! you are my first call of the day, so let’s make it special, okay?” 

the fan who looks to be a girl around his age, with brown hair begins to talk. she introduces herself as hyemin. she seemed very hesitant, so he tried to push through quickly as two minutes would be gone in the blink of an eye. “yes, sorry, i was eating,” he nods, bowing slightly to the camera in apology even though she said she didn’t mind. “i was eating a spicy pork kimbap. tell me what your favourite food is. oh really? you prefer tuna? i think anything with pickled radish is great, so sign me up.” 

       “oh? you want me to do something cute? hmm.. hmm. okay,” his eyes dart to the timer, realizing that it was ending shortly, so yushin ought to do something worth remembering for her. he squishes his cheeks, and did some peace signs, and some animal ears, before waving to her. “thank you for calling me. i will remember you, my number one caller, hyemin!” 

[lgcminjun]

INTRO :: LONG JOURNEY ——— like butterfly wings

the end of the trimester marks a new point in hwang minjun’s life. through the many twists and turns, he’s gradually shaping himself and spreading his wings.

minjun isn’t my first muse of the year, but he is the one i’ve grown incredibly attached to, with connections i never imagined he’d have. i missed the halfway point of the year, i meant to post this on his birthday, july 10th, but better late than never, right? this also serves as a thank you to everyone who plotted with minjun—he continues to develop as a character because of you all, both he and i can’t thank you enough !

PERSONALITY

not a lot has changed in terms of his personality, he continues to be a person eager to please, an overachiever at times, to the point where he’d push himself a little too far. he’s learning to overcome this flaw, to let others take care of him, listen when he’s being told that he’s working too hard. to give himself a break when he needs it. he’s opening his arms to different types of people, more than happy to accommodate all types of personalities if it meant building friendships. at the end of the day, he still has a lot of love to give.

CAREER

the beginning of it all—the valentines event drew out minjun’s infamous aegyo, which went viral within the blink of an eye. it may not be as significant as what follows, but it’s still an event that brings a smile to his face.

fear accompanied him when he auditioned for project origin, but the experience made him realise something important—what matters is that he stayed true to himself as he performs, gives it very best with every little stomp and twist, pour all he can with each move. and eventually, he’ll be rewarded.

type zero chipped away at his confidence, the pressures of being a replacement were heavy on his shoulders. gradually, he learns that he doesn’t have to deal with it on his own—after all, type zero is a group first and foremost, lifting one another up. it’s fine to be himself, he doesn’t need to pretend to be someone else.

being a part of project origin and legacy boys gave him opportunities he wouldn’t dare imagine even in his wildest dreams. the tour opened his eyes to new heights, brought him out of his shell, introduced him to a greater stage, one he had the privilege to perform on, including a solo performance. boarding a plane hadn’t been easy, minjun never ventured so far before. it’s a terrifying experience, but one he wouldn’t erase.

RELATIONSHIPS a recap of minjun’s connections thus far, from his point of view.

minjun finds himself facing pages of the past when he reunites with ( @lgcinsoo ), a fellow dancer from his old days that he used to admire. to his surprise, the reunion was far from awkward, ending with a promise to hang out whenever they find the time. though they’re walking different paths now, minjun will always be rooting for insoo. he hopes the time they hang out again will come soon.

( @lgcjiho ) had been another plushie collector, and was the person who managed to draw out minjun’s aegyo, causing him to go viral. in a way, minjun owes jiho his thanks, even more so for always seeming so eager to join him in his little tea parties. he believes project origin drew the two even closer, what with their shared fear for airplanes. they comforted one another like friends would, minjun won’t forget that day.

not all has been smooth sailing, he hit stormy waves when he went overboard with ( @lgchunji ). he’s not sure what he had done wrong specifically, but he knows it had to do with his desire to extend his hand even though he had been warned against it. minjun wants to fix things, tape back the string of friendship that he had broken. however, that isn’t his decision to make. either way, he can only hope hunji is thriving with whatever it is he’s doing. hunji helped him realise that there is merit to sticking to his own lane, to not shove himself into situations that doesn’t concern him.

he tried again to help someone else, ( @lgceunji ) this time. seeing her in a seemingly bad state after the prank worried him, and he did what he can do. offer a silent comfort and company, then gifting her one of his prized possessions, a small bear plushie. he intends to check up on her every now and then, even if he’s busy with the tour. he thinks of her as a little sister he wants to protect.

although it took a few days to adjust, he found friends among the type zero members. his worries were eased after his conversation with ( @lgcxking ), and minjun isn’t shy to admit that he admires the other for his determination and strong will. king’s bravery shown throughout the tour, like when king invited him to bungee jump, but also when king challenged himself to take part in babysitting services. he has a lot of respect for king.

among the project origin members, he finds himself adoring ( @lgcharu ), someone he can’t help but feel like he wants to take care of. discussing their characters aided minjun in figuring out how to ease himself into musical acting, something he had never done before. he had a lot of fun with haru throughout the tour as well, spending a part of their chuseok holidays together.

his encounter with ( @lgcemil ) had been one he hadn’t expected, meeting the other in the practice room when he intended to practice into the late night. he can’t hide his concern for emil, and although he doesn’t want to overstep his boundaries, he wants to become a friend that emil can count on whenever he’s feeling a little down.

there are a few special mentions. ( @lgceunho ) bonded with him when they were locked in a practice room, and although minjun would rather not get himself in such a situation ever again, he’s glad he had been stuck with eunho, who is a fun person to be around. panicking with ( @lgcxminseok ) over the april fools prank and playing with the animals in the shelter was a delightful time. during the project origin tour, he had a blast with king, ( @lgcyonghwa ) and ( @lgcmax ). yonghwa seems like a reliable older brother that minjun can count on. max’s bursts of energy draws out his own, there’s never a boring time with max. he didn’t know ( @lgcjueun ) before babysitting services, but as it turns out, taking care of kids together is another good way to bond.

YOON SHINHA ——— forever you are my star

( @lgcshinha ) appeared to him like a storm, wrecking his world in the best way possible. he encountered the enigma that is yoon shinha when he reached out towards the same cat plushie that the other did. it’s an out of the blue suggestion when he said they should share the plushie instead, but he wouldn’t have it any other day. that was the beginning of something beautiful—an encounter with an impact that will last a lifetime.

it’s a little funny when it turns out they ended up as roommates, but that makes it easier for them to take care of their little family. looking back, minjun isn’t sure when exactly things started to change between the two of them, where they drew the line between friendship and something else. it’s hard for minjun not to fall for shinha though, not when shinha took care of him like no one else ever had. the illusion of having a family with the other felt more real as days go by, to the point where minjun is afraid that he’d eventually do what he does best: overstep and ruin everything.

he had never, for the life of him, thought that shinha would feel the same way. and yet, after a long night of rigorous practice and a shared night in their dorm with no one else around, they laid their feelings out on the table. it all happened too fast, but it still felt like it was yesterday. minjun recalled the beating of his heart picking up pace, too quick for him to keep up. he remembers the tears that were in the corner of his eyes, ever the emotional person he was. but they left things up in the air, until...

july 10th, minjun’s birthday and the day the stars aligned. shinha keeps proving himself as someone minjun can’t help but think he doesn’t deserve sometimes. the gifts shinha bestowed upon him that day is enough to make his heart swell, he remembers feeling as if he’ll burst. a mix of emotions coursed through him that day, but overall he can say that he’s elated, he’s in love. that is further confirmed when shinha asked him out, and the tears he usually would try so hard to hide flowed almost endlessly. they became one that day, but minjun feels as if they were always one.

with project origin taking most of his time, he wasn’t granted enough time to spend with his beloved, but he can’t complain—not out loud, at the very least. the tour had been an experience minjun wouldn’t trade for the world, yet he finds himself thinking about shinha whenever he’s alone with his thoughts. texts and video calls weren’t nearly enough, he missed shinha’s presence by his side most of all. it was torture, but he believes in shinha, in their relationship, in them. minjun knows they can go through whatever hardships may come.

seeing shinha again during kcon backstage brought forth the longing he had been feeling the past month. but they’re strong, if they can survive a tour, then they’ll be able to handle worse.

a new trimester begins, and future dreams is knocking on their doors. minjun doesn’t wish for much, but if he could wish for one thing—he wants the both of them to debut, together.

THE ROAD AHEAD

above all, minjun intends to debut. he knows he’s meant to be on stage, and he wants to prove that he’s worth it. he doesn’t know what future dreams will bring, but he’s eager to show off what hwang minjun can do.

there are a lot of people he still wants to befriend, particularly those who will be participating in future dreams. there may be a competitive element, however friendly rivalry isn’t a bad thing.

he’s eager to brush up on his language skills, particularly japanese. with the workshop, that may be achievable. there seems to be a strong market in japan, so he wants to try it out.

despite the fun time he experienced in babysitting services, he’s eager to try out the other two variety shows. he isn’t the best at cooking, but masterchef legacy piqued his interests.

[lgcxking]

━━━  ♚  FUTURE DREAMS SEASON 002 RETURNING CONTESTANTS ENTRANCE

just like last season, king entered the room with a triumphant demeanor. he’d been ranked first and he doesn't see why it would be any different this time, unless they changed things up and found new plot twists to keep the contestants on their toes. joining future dreams was a gamble, really. there was no way to really know what to expect. whatever was thrown his way, king decided he would confront it and turn it to his advantage. his humiliating loss will not happen again. and it's ironic that he thinks of it as such a failure, considering it greatly helped build a growing popularity. but it's never enough, and will never be enough.

he's not threatened by the new contestants. he knows he shouldn't be too arrogant and work as hard as if they were all his biggest rivals, though. but the newbies... they just don't have the experience the returning contestants have after one season, a mini concert, promotions. they also don't have as big of a fanbase. there's not to say a star won't emerge from that group, but king is confident that this season will only bring more spotlight onto him.

"glad to be back," he says in the beginning, greeting the others. the staff then explains that they will be seeing the newbies' on the screen, and they're encouraged to react and comment to what is being shown. to that, king takes a quick glance at the boy sitting right next to him. isn't he a new contestant? but someone calls him jun, and king remembers him as the kid who almost won the solo. clearly, he didn't make a lot of friends last season. he doesn't intend on making more this season either. he's here to win. and the joke will be on him once it is revealed that this time, they will win as units and not as individuals. probably an even bigger challenge than the solo was.

for now though, he watches the new boys’ introductions with attention and seriousness. he wants to hate them already. the rapper, hwang junho. is he a good dancer? a good center? if he is, he's definitely a threat. jeon hansol. he definitely can't hate that one even if technically, he should be wary during a competition. he doesn't necessarily wants to team up with friends. he needs to think of his own skills and of the best way to make them shine. hansol is... similar to him in many ways. “wish him the best, honestly. he can definitely go far with his skills. i’m gonna have to watch my back!” he says with a chuckle. jeon haru, one of his new roommates. he's young, a fresh face. he's on the cuter side, too. “ah, he ranked himself 11th?” it shows a lack of confidence, even if haru tried to turn it into a joke. kids are unpredictable, though. he hasn't seen a lot of what haru is capable of. “haru, if you’re watching this, you need to bluff even when you don’t believe it!” and he laughs for the first time since they began recording.

the girls, he's less focused on. there are a lot of new faces, some he recognizes, others he wonders how long they've even been in the company. he smiles when jueun's face is shown, wishing her well. his attitude is definitely different, as the girls aren't his direct competitors. he feels a lot more light-hearted and enthusiastic, showing stronger reactions than he did previously. he also openly cheers for minah, glad to see she finally decided to show the world what she's made of. he would take her to be on his team any day. he remembers sarang from the company dinner a few months back, too... still looking mildly familiar, but he can't put his finger on where he met her before. she seemed to act like they didn't know each other.

why did you join the show again?

he smiles. “i felt like my journey hasn’t ended yet. there are things i’m proud of fron last season, and also things i wish to improve on. i’m competitive, if you hadn’t figured it out already. i admit i’m a sore loser. i reacted strongly when i lost the solo.” and he puts on his most charming expression for what’s to come, because he’s about to bullshit his way out of this one. “it was nothing against yonghwa.” oh, it was. “i was mad at myself, because i didn’t meet the expectations the coaches set for me. i want to do better this time.”

[lgcseojin]

╰ track 013,

FUTURE DREAMS ㅡ APPEAL TIME

As the leader of his assigned group, Seojin had a responsibility to present his team with confidence and poise. For his last hoorah, he must bite the bullet and appeal to the crowd, begging for their votes in a charming way. He allows others to go first and give them a chance to shine in their own ways. Each member possessed his different charms, but as a unit, they appeared relatively cohesive. Particularly when they donned their stage outfits. ( A little revealing for Seojin's usual taste, but he certainly didn't mind how unrestricted he would feel during the dance. )

Once he takes the microphone, the crowd breaks into a surprising amount of screams. More than he thinks he deserves, less than one of the others on his team. He scans the crowd in a brief silence. People held up banners with his name and smalls fans with his face. Now that he's received good news in the past month, he manages to crack a bashful grin. It's difficult to hide his embarrassment from the murmurs that follow. ( Maybe the viewers aren't used to seeing him smile. )

He bends himself in half and then some, introducing himself all the while. "Hello. I'm Park Seojin. Leader and main vocalist of You Calling My Name Team." He shifts into a more confident stance shortly after standing up straight, hand in his hip. The words he allows to spill from his lips are said with little hesitation as if they've been rehearsed, but he speaks in a relaxed manner to make it seem natural.

"My younger sister, Sarang, performed earlier! Please support her as well."

He clears his throat, taking time to breathe in the brief silence.

"Seeing each of you out there in this vast, dark place... it's like looking up at clusters of constellations. Your eyes are filled with stars of the night sky." The lyrics roll off his tongue and give a subtle spoiler to a line in Junho's rap verse. A line he found particularly beautiful. He continues, leaning forward and making eye contact with a few people in the crowd. "I want to highlight each of our members. Haru's our youngest but he will show a new side of himself that will impress you. Junho's powerful charisma will draw you in like a strong magnet. Jude is handsome just standing there, but you'll find out he's our ace. And Yonghwa was truly born for performing this song. I want to hear it, your voice. Please cheer loudly for us."

[lgcxcharlie]

a cup(cake) full of sugar

@lgcyonghwa 

charlie stops, chewing on her bottom lips as she stared intently at the cupcake she carefully held in her hands. like it was supposed to give her the answers to the question burning at the back of her mind. she distracts herself with the thought that maybe she should have gotten the cupcake in another flavor or color, but the frosting made to shape like one of those cute dogs makes her smile instead, but a quiet whine still escaped her lips. if he wouldn't take this, it had very little to do with the flavor or the color, but what she's done... whatever it was she did.

as annoyed as she is, she can't help but feel guilty. it wasn't like kang yonghwa to walk away without a word when he doesn't seem like he ran out of things to say. no... it wasn't like yonghwa to walk away. she'd thought of a number of things to explain why he did, the most absurd is that he likes her and he got jealous that he mentioned someone else. she scoffs as she resumes her steps. it's a crazy thought... but maybe, just maybe. the world stops again when she spots him just a few steps ahead, she never imagined such a short distance would feel like miles away with the way she held her breath.

she taps on his shoulder, flashed the smile she had practiced for hours, and held up the cupcake. "this one is an upgrade," she tells him cheerfully, "what do you think?" a part of her worries that she can't fix whatever it was that broke and made yonghwa leave just like that. it just didn't feel right... she didn't like it.

[lgchyunjin]

curiosity

@lgcyonghwa // 

there are many things that he would not expect to see, but if you asked hyunjin to list them off, he would not know what to say. as he left from buying some drinks at the convenience store, hyunjin had been mentally groaning at the fact that he’d forgotten his headphones, which led to a rather dull walk. yes, he certainly is one of those kids that lived with his earbuds in all day. however, it is perhaps due to the fact that fate has lined up in this manner that his ears perk up at hearing the sound of a possible stray cat. 

he looked around to seek the owner of the meowing sound, and he spotted it. a scrawny looking runt but still cute in all its ways. only then, he saw the cat approaching someone else, aka not him, and he spotted a familiar figure. one that he saw often where he stayed. looking at the expression on yonghwa’s face though - priceless. maybe he was allergic or something...but it did not look like the older boy was a fan of the feline. he couldn’t help but laugh as he stood still, before making the decision to walk over, if they were to be both walking back to the dorms, they might as well do it together. 

“isn’t he or she cute?” he mentioned casually as he walked up to the pair, glancing down at the cat. a tiny meow and he smiles widely. “i see you may not agree, but i am pretty sure its harmless.” 

[lgcxking]

━━━  ♚  FUTURE DREAMS SEASON 002 PREPARATION PROCESS

no need to say how shocked king was when they announced in the studio that this season's winner would not be a person but rather... a unit. when he signed up again he didn't expect this twist at all. he maybe did not envision another solo, but definitely an individual ranking like last time. while he's aware he will most likely debut in a group if he pursues the idol path, this doesn't make it any easier for king to work well in a team. he has a long way to go still and everyone knows that. he even wonders if anyone would want to be paired with him. some, maybe, to help their unit win. his popularity is undeniable, but so is jaesun's and yonghwa's who are much friendlier.

he also wonders if the center position still applies this season. he was crowned 'face' of the legacy boys, but was it only until the promotions for season one ended? will it switch to someone else if he doesn't meet the coaches' standards this time? it feels wrong for him to stand in the back. he belongs in the front, doesn't he? for the first time since his entrance, king actually feels nervous. to try and hide it, he doesn't look at the other trainees and focuses on bae siwoo instead.

his unshakeable confidence might be a little cracked. it doesn't last long enough for king to act or feel defeated, though. there's no time for self-pity, at least not during the show. no matter which unit he ends up in will be the winning one. he has to believe it if he wants it to happen.

when listening to the songs, he took a liking in you calling my name and simon says for entirely different reasons. the first one for it's darker, more mature concept. it could be great for his image. he's on the younger side of the contestants, but rather than a boy, he wants to be seen as a man. if he ends up in awkward silence, that would just ruin it. simon says sounded weird on first listen, but after practicing it a bit afterwards he ended up just growing into it. the choreography is challenging, there's plenty of rap for him to be able to snatch the center position. you calling my name's center will certainly not go to him, it's more suited for a vocalist. so what's best. challenging himself with a new style, or sticking to what people thinks he suits best and grab the spotlight for himself?

he'll let the coaches be the judge of that. he clearly stated his preference to other trainees, and most did the same. every opinion differs, but as long as the teams are well-balanced he thinks he could do well in either. he doesn't neglect awkward silence either in practice, not wanting the coaches to think he slacked off out of pettiness just to make sure he doesn't get this one. they would be able to put him in that unit solely for that anyway. he puts just as much effort, and is pleasantly surprised to hear the difference in his voice compared to last season. putting double the efforts into vocal lessons and a solid week of music show promotions improved his technique and stability a lot. if he continues to work hard, he could become a good vocalist in a near future. not ji haneul level for sure, but strong enough to earn some praise. and never, ever relive last season's results.

how do you feel about this season’s end goal?

“you mean winning as a group rather than alone?” king asks to make sure he understands the question. he might be comfortable with korean, he’d hate to cause a controversy solely due to a language misunderstanding. “i was surprised? i’m not even sure what i expected, to be honest. i knew it probably wouldn’t be a solo song again, but i think that a unit promotion could be a nice preparation for debut. the music shows we did as legacy boys were great too, but we were a lot on stage. i doubt they’ll debut us all at once, so i’d like the experience with a smaller number too. by now, i think it’s needless to say that i really want to win? you know i’m competitive, right?” he laughs.

what are you favorite songs so far? is there one in particular you’d like to be a part of?

“like i said on the first day of practice, i have a clear preference for you calling my name and simon says. i feel like simon says is closer to the style people expect of me. since i’m a good rapper and performer. and they’re right in a way, i think i could do very well with this song. but maybe challenging myself could be good. show a different image... less boyish and more... masculine, i guess? does it make sense?”

[lgcxking]

━━━  ♚  FUTURE DREAMS SEASON 001 DAY OF THE CONCERT

if king was already overflowing with confidence and pride before, being named face and center of the legacy boys has given him the acknowledgement he needed. after being defeated for the solo, it was only fair that they rewarded his hard, consistent and incredible work with such a sought after title. right? he deserves it completely. miso was right all along. instead of acting greedy over a solo he didn't even care for to begin with, he should instead focus on his real strengths, and his own achievements. as annoying as he was, maybe yonghwa was better suited for that solo.

nah. yonghwa still sucks. nothing will change king's mind. he just has to stop thinking about it and let it affect him. because then, yonghwa wins over him even more than he already has.

king wants his face plastered all over korea. he wants to see himself in commercials, in magazines, on billboards. and when he has conquered that country, china will be the next step. he won't stop until he's famous across asia. his initial goal was that: become a supermodel. he thought that being a kpop idol would be like taking the fast lane towards success. it gives access to so many international opportunities he might not receive otherwise. he didn't expect to fall so deeply in love with performing.

he got tricked at his own game. now he wants to debut just for the sake of debut. of being on stage often. showing his dancing for the world to see.

tonight is just the first step towards that dream. movie star was act one, but the legacy boys' main song is the final act. the cherry on top of this incredible evening. the crowd's energy is contagious, mutual even. both sides absorb energy from the other. it's electric. king has never felt better. despite the much smaller scale compared to the family concert a few months ago, he feels a whole other sense of accomplishment. starting off legacy boys' song, letting everyone get hit in the face (no pun intended) with his charisma.

and not only that, but he gets to center a lot of the dance parts. and finally prove that he's so much more than just the arrogant rich kid. that he has talent to back himself up. at least enough to shut his fellow trainees up. they can't deny he owns that stage.

did you feel pressured as the center of hit?

"pressured?" king repeats with cocked eyebrows. "not at all, no." he's conscious it will sound incredibly pretentious, so he quickly adds a laugh. "i mean, instead of feeling pressure, i'd say i feel more... motivated. driven. it just makes me want to give it my all and prove that they made the right decision by choosing me for this important position." while he doesn't think anyone else could fill in his shoes, saying it would just turn him into an unlikeable persona. there's a fine line between appearing very confident and just downright hateful.

[lgcxking]

━━━  ♚  LGC SPORTS FESTIVAL ENCOUNTER WITH A FAN

"king oppa! king oppa! you're the best!"

he hears the chant right as his wrestling match begins, so he can't afford to look up and search where it came from. instead he remains focused on the task ahead and gains the necessary motivation to win simply knowing someone out there is rooting for him. because of circumstances that are... mostly his fault, a lot of legacy trainees wish to see him fail. he can't really blame them, since he hasn't given them a reason to act differently.

but with his fans, he gets to start over. give a better first impression and... god, that girl can scream. "king oppa!!!!!! you got it!!!!!" her screeches are so loud it's almost as if she's right next to him shouting in his ear. he appreciates the sentiment, but it's a little too much. no one else is screaming as loud. then again, king has been floating on a cloud all day. he loves this very small taste of popularity. future dreams served him well. he can't quite measure if he's the most popular, as he's seen quite a few girls after jaesun and yonghwa, even haneul. but he's definitely top tier, and without a way to count, king will settle with that.

as he walks away from the wrestling area with his winning coupon in hand, he hears his name being called out again. and when he turns, it's the girl from earlier, holding a big poster with his face on it. on top of his head rests a crown. of course. king. she still seems very excited, on the verge of having a stroke even, but definitely a lot calmer than earlier. when she speaks, king notices her voice is raspy. she's losing her voice over him? kinda cute. she did destroy his eardrums though. "oppa i just had to say i... i love you so much! you're so handsome! i'll support you forever!!! please debut soon!!!" nevermind. she's not screaming but still super loud. but king smiles brightly. and when he does, she squeals even more. "thank you! if you come support me often i'll definitely get the loudest cheers. did you have fun today though?"

always smile, always care, always do just enough to make them swoon even more. but not too much, otherwise it seems fake. those are words to live by as an idol. while the shy type has its perks, king definitely can't pretend to be shy. he doesn't have it in him. so instead he's the confident, charming, popular guy. the fan nods excitedly. before they part, he turns back to send her a finger heart and squeals yet again.

one dedicated fan acquired, thousands more to go.

[lgcxking]

━━━  ♚ PROJECT ORIGIN 001 ROUND 2 MV

the music video concept of round 2 is so different fron miroh's. king doesn't really get it at first, why they go from a powerful and very intense concept to... the very funny and light one that is round 2. it was quite an interesting process, though, to try and come up with a witty 4-line verse about suddenly changing into ahn jaesun. the amount of times he's joked about jaesun being the perfect little first-born son who can do no wrong comes as sort of a blessing now. but it's all in good fun, since jaesun knows very well that out of everyone in this company, he's someone king genuinely respects. he's put into the athlete category to nobody's surprise. the only other one that might have been a good choice is the insider one, but it doesn't describe him so well either. while he is sociable, he's not exactly well-liked by everyone. he's definitely not artsy, and even less of a top student, and while the rebel category could have been a thing when he first entered the company, it isn't so much anymore. so really, he fits in better with the other jocks iseul and dohyun. they make an odd trio, though, but king has grown so used to dohyun over the past months that it's quite alright to be working with him again. a lot better than if he'd been paired with yonghwa. it starts off with everyone divided into their own little closed groups, resembling any cliché american high school movie. though it might also be the case in real high school it's never quite so blatant. king has always been a popular kid though, so he wouldn't know if other students felt... excluded. still, everyone seems to be getting along with their own group while shutting others out. then, they get the scene where they realized they've switched bodies with someone else, king effectively transforming into top student ahn jaesun. then at last, they film the ending where the groups have blended in, and everyone is talking with each other. a bit cheesy for king’s taste, but it does allow them to just hang out between takes and get to know each other better. he realizes he’s never said a word to some of the newer kids, and even some who had been on future dreams before. he doesn’t pay much attention to them, of course, but he knows he’s being watched by managers and need to be more welcoming of others sharing the spotlight if he doesn’t want to be punished again.

[lgcxking]

♚ smile for the cameras

━━━  ♚  FUTURE DREAMS SEASON 001 PREPARATION PROCESS FT. @lgcyonghwa​ ( part 2, week 1 )

it's painfully obvious that tsai king's ego took a hit after the solo announcement. after ranking first place, it's only natural that both his and everyone's expectations were high. it does feel like a failure to not only rank lower than fourth place but witness kang yonghwa come in first. if it's yonghwa's story, then king is the former champion, the villain who got overly confident in his skills and bit the dust in the end to see the hero take his place.

he absolutely hates it. he rejects the narrative.

now he's stuck with yonghwa's annoying presence on a daily basis as they practice hit as a group. at least they're in separate songs for the smaller groups but hit is arguably their most important one. it's the one they'll perform on music shows. king's happy to get the center position. it's more exposure, more screentime, not to mention an opportunity to show off his dancing. contrary to popular belief, he's more than a handsome face. "hyung," king calls out to yonghwa. the viewers probably haven't seen the two interact a lot so far. it's easier to just avoid talking than to risk getting too transparent. they dislike each other, but no one needs to know that. "wanna go over the dance break again?"

kang yonghwa, a junior trainee, won the solo. how did that make you feel?

king can’t help but laugh. of course they would trap him with this damn question. “you guys are good,” he says with yet another laugh. “of course it didn’t feel right to me. i thought that if not me, jaesun hyung would get it. singing is not my best skill so of course, a singing-focused solo would be a challenge. they went another direction and there’s nothing i can do but go along with it and move on.” he hasn’t moved on. oh no, he hasn’t. “i’ll be watching hyung closely,” he says, pointing to the camera with a playful smile. “and hope he represents the boys well.”