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svt-luna · 2 months ago

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ʚིᵋ ⋆ NANA TOUR ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── episode 1-1.

Nana Tour with SEVENTEEN

synopsis: Episode 1-1! Don’t let SEVENTEEN know. SEVENTEEN’s Nana Tour begins with kidnapping shenanigans, preparation chaos, endless laughs, and the promise of an unforgettable European escapade.

we are officially off to Italy, my loves!!! prepare your boarding passes, take your seats, buckle your seatbelts, grab your snacks, and clear the next hour of your schedules because this is gonna be a long one!! i apologize this took long but… i don’t post short or half-assed content 😝 happy reading, my lovelies 🤍

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST

╰ ౨ৎ fan reactions ╰ ౨ৎ nana tour masterlist

[added captions are in brackets] ღ

bold dialogues are spoken in english ღ

[‘NANA TOUR’ with SEVENTEEN]

[Together at Italy]

[Journey for six nights and seven days]

[Starts now]

It was a morning in September and the air outside the hotel near Tokyo Dome buzzed with the energy of SEVENTEEN’s final ‘Follow’ concert in Tokyo.

[2023.09.07 Japan Tokyo Dome]

Inside the hotel, the atmosphere was calm but focused, with the staff bustling around the floor occupied by the group. Among them, in his quiet room, S.Coups sat by the edge of the couch, a pair of crutches leaning against the sofa behind him. The weight of his injury— a cruciate ligament rupture in his ACL— was both physical and emotional.

Though he couldn’t perform onstage, he had been steadfast in supporting his members as the leader, ensuring morale stayed high despite his absence.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, making him glance up with a small chuckle. “Yes, come on in,” he called, his voice steady and warm despite his condition.

The door opened to reveal none other than PD Na, stepping inside with a broad smile. “Hello,” S.Coups greeted with a laugh as PD Na entered the room, trailed by a camera crew.

[An unexpected (?) reunion in Japan]

PD Na grinned, his presence lighting up the space as he moved closer, his expression shifting to one of concern. “What happened? Why did you get hurt?”

S.Coups could only manage a sad smile, the corners of his mouth twitching upward as he gestured at the crutches. Slowly, he sat back down, motioning for PD Na to do the same. The cameramen adjusted their positions, capturing the interaction between the two.

“Are you alright?” PD Na asked, extending his hand as S.Coups shook it firmly.

“Yes,” S.Coups responded, his tone calm but tinged with resignation.

PD Na tilted his head, scrutinizing the leader with a mix of amusement and empathy.

“No. What is happening in Japan?” S.Coups said, leaning into the elephant in the room.

“I came, and SEVENTEEN is using this whole floor,” PD Na finally began.

“Yes,” S.Coups confirmed, smiling. “We blocked it off and we are using all of it.”

“Do you have an extra room?” PD Na quipped, feigning exasperation and making S.Coups laugh.

“You didn’t get a room?” S.Coups asked, amusement flickering in his voice.

“The hotel is nice,” PD Na said.

[PD Na is going to kidnap SEVENTEEN from this hotel]

PD Na then waved off the topic before moving on to the purpose of his visit. “Not too long ago, PD Shin came. Did you have no idea?”

S.Coups shook his head, honest confusion softening his features. “I didn’t know. Didn’t know at all,” he replied.

“Really?” PD Na pressed, narrowing his eyes in mock disbelief.

“Someone familiar was coming in…” S.Coups started, recalling the moment four hours earlier when PD Na’s staff had visited him to inform him of what was about to unfold. “‘Oh? Why are you here?’” he finished, shaking his head with a faint chuckle.

[After prior consultation with the director manager, ‘NANA TOUR’ staff stopped by suddenly]

The memory was still fresh, PD Na revealed a card bearing the logo of the show. He held it up in front of the camera, the crew panning in to capture the moment. “Here you… hold it,” PD Na instructed, extending the card toward S.Coups. Following his lead, S.Coups grasped the other end, the two of them posing dramatically for the camera.

“That way, the appearance fee will be going out,” PD Na remarked, his humor breaking through the seriousness of the moment. S.Coups laughed loudly, covering his face with one hand in embarrassment.

“But about you not coming because you hurt your leg…” PD Na started again, his tone turning lighthearted once more. “Proof of content might be sent to you.”

“Proof of content? Why?” S.Coups asked, his curiosity piqued as he chuckled.

“You got hurt when we’re supposed to go,” PD Na pointed out before letting out a wistful sigh. “To be honest, he wants to go so bad. To be honest, you needed to come with us. It would have been really nice to go together. I’m so sad about that.”

S.Coups nodded solemnly, understanding the sentiment but knowing there was no way around it. His recovery and rehabilitation were a priority, and even delaying the show wouldn’t have been enough for him to join.

S.Coups leaned back slightly, adjusting his posture to sit more comfortably while PD Na, perched on a chair across from him, exuded an air of casual amusement as he broached his next question.

“Do you normally talk about it? About ‘Youth Over Flowers’?” PD Na asked his tone light but laced with curiosity.

[Reason why PD Na worked this hard to come to Tokyo… during ‘Super’ promotions last time, SEVENTEEN won the chance to appear on “Youth Over Flowers”]

S.Coups let out a soft laugh, his hand instinctively brushing through his hair. “To be honest, we only said, ‘Won’t we be able to go?’” he admitted, his voice calm yet reflective.

PD Na tilted his head, gesturing lightly for S.Coups to elaborate.

“So,” S.Coups began, his gaze briefly dropping to his hands resting on his lap, “our album needs to come out and then, we need to do awards ceremonies and stuff.”

“You guys are busy,” PD Na acknowledged with a nod, his understanding tone tinged with admiration for their packed schedules.

“Eventually… we thought that it would just disappear,” S.Coups admitted, referring to the idea of Youth Over Flowers as a distant possibility.

“Wow… I didn’t know that we would go like this,” S.Coups marveled, his lips curving into a grin of genuine surprise.

“That’s good. The members have no idea,” PD Na pointed out, his grin growing wider as he observed S.Coups’ amusement.

“No clue,” S.Coups agreed, chuckling softly at the secrecy of the plan.

[Current situation other than S.Coups: SEVENTEEN has no idea]

“And even if we do it, they have no clue that it’s going to happen right now,” PD Na added, his tone almost conspiratorial.

S.Coups nodded again, the amusement still glinting in his eyes as the reality of what was about to happen started to settle in. The thought of how utterly unprepared the other members were brought a mischievous energy to the conversation.

[Thats why we worked harder in preparing perfectly]

The sheer level of deception involved had been intricate. Not only had the members been kept entirely in the dark, but even the bulk of their own staff had been left out of the loop. Only a couple of people— those directly involved in pulling off this feat— had been informed beforehand.

Their management team had gone so far as to create fake schedules for the upcoming weeks, meticulously designed to deflect any suspicion. Filming, recordings, practice, photoshoots, and even supposed downtime had all been fabricated to maintain the illusion of normalcy.

“What time is the meeting time?” PD Na asked, steering the conversation toward logistics. “Right now… five o’clock. Five in the morning,” he said, referring to the next day when the so-called “kidnapping” would take place.

[Expected time of members’ kidnapping]

“If it’s five in the morning, what is the situation that you expect?” PD Na asked, directing the question back to S.Coups.

[Tomorrow: 12 hours later]

The SEVENTEEN leader didn’t miss a beat. “Half of them would be drinking,” he answered matter-of-factly, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

PD Na sighed deeply, shaking his head in mock disapproval. “SEVENTEEN has problems. They have problems,” he said, his exasperated tone lightened by a chuckle.

S.Coups couldn’t hold back his laughter, the sound echoing warmly in the room. “Since the concert is over,” he reasoned, his smile still lingering.

“Who are the ones who would be drinking?” PD Na asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Mingyu…” S.Coups started, his tone thoughtful as he began listing names.

“Mingyu is big, so he would drink a lot too,” PD Na interjected, nodding knowingly.

“I think Mingyu would be drunk… Mingyu is definitely going to be drunk,” S.Coups said confidently before continuing, “But I think that all of them would be drinking today other than the ones who normally don’t drink. Other than Hoshi, Luna, and Woozi.”

PD Na hummed in agreement, processing the information. “I think we need to see the situation,” he said, his mind clearly running through possible scenarios.

“But I don’t think they would sleep,” S.Coups added, shaking his head slightly.

“I think we should see the situation at four in the morning,” PD Na planned aloud, nodding as if solidifying the strategy in his mind. “So, I’m going to drag them right away,” he added, his tone resolute.

“They’re not going to bring their bags anyway,” S.Coups remarked with a knowing smile. “Don’t you just drag them out and head out?”

[Vacation where they are dragged to nature]

PD Na chuckled. “I think out of the thirteen people… I think six of them are going to wear hotel slippers.”

“Mingyu only brought slippers right now,” S.Coups revealed, his tone carrying a mix of amusement and exasperation.

“How are the members’ conditions right now?” PD Na asked, leaning slightly forward. His voice was measured, but there was an undercurrent of curiosity, as though he were bracing himself for the possible chaos awaiting them.

[Q. SEVENTEEN’s condition]

S.Coups sighed, a thoughtful expression crossing his face before he spoke. “I’m worried about The8,” he said, his tone tinged with both amusement and concern.

PD Na’s brow furrowed, his head tilting in curiosity. “Why? Why The8?”

“He’s looking forward to it so much,” S.Coups explained, his words slow and deliberate as if choosing how best to phrase his thoughts as he referred to the fake show PD Na created for the two Chinese members. “He thinks he’s going with only Jun.”

[Hunter: See the Earth] [The8 is completely fooled by the fake program]

Understanding dawned on PD Na’s face, his lips curving into a slight smile as S.Coups continued.

“He’s so excited about going there right now,” S.Coups added, his voice softer this time, carrying a note of affection for his younger member.

PD Na let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “The room with The8 and Jun… I will go in while apologizing,” he said, his tone light but sincere, already imagining the scene.

“You need to do that. That’s not my problem. Not my problem,” S.Coups quipped, leaning back in his chair with a chuckle, clearly relishing the thought of being absolved of responsibility.

“No, as the leader… the members’ schedules and stuff… can’t you talk about it together?” PD Na retorted, narrowing his eyes slightly as if scolding him.

S.Coups raised an eyebrow, a sly grin tugging at his lips. “Don’t you not do that either? That’s what a PD does.”

“I don’t,” PD Na said, his voice rising just a fraction in mock indignation. But the way he avoided eye contact betrayed the lie. S.Coups caught it instantly and burst into laughter.

The act was futile; S.Coups’ hearty laughter filled the room, and even PD Na couldn’t hold back a grin anymore.

“When we go to Italy, I will always be beside The8’s group,” PD Na declared, trying to redeem himself as he straightened his posture. “I can do that,” he added confidently.

S.Coups, still chuckling, nodded in agreement.

“I can do that,” PD Na affirmed again, almost as if convincing himself. “I can just be his designated person.”

[Type of mental care]

The air between them lightened even further, both men now fully immersed in the fun of their scheming. PD Na leaned forward slightly, transitioning to a new topic. “Who will have the best reaction when they find out we’re going?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

[Q. Best reaction when they find out about ‘NANA TOUR’]

S.Coups didn’t hesitate, holding up his fingers as he began listing names. “Seungkwan, DK, Mingyu…”

“Mingyu is everywhere,” one of the producers interjected from the background, chuckling softly.

“To be honest, Mingyu is my one pick. My favorite,” S.Coups admitted with a grin, his voice playful but fond.

“Put Mingyu next to The8 no matter what,” PD Na said with mock seriousness. “I will have a good conversation with The8 and with Mingyu… I think I need to talk to him.”

S.Coups laughed again, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. “Other than The8…” one of the producers prompted, steering the conversation back.

[Q. Any other people we need to take care of?]

“Woozi,” S.Coups said without missing a beat. He leaned forward slightly, his expression thoughtful as he elaborated. “As for Woozi, you need to roll him around a lot. So, if you tell him it’s a free trip, he’s only going to sleep.”

“Workout and sleep, workout and sleep, workout and sleep,” S.Coups clarified, his tone resigned but amused as if this was a well-established fact about Woozi.

“Next to Mingyu and The8, put Woozi,” PD Na instructed, clearly taking mental notes.

“I think I need to also talk with Woozi,” PD Na added, earning another laugh from S.Coups.

PD Na then shifted gears, his gaze returning to S.Coups with an expectant look. “Anyone else?”

S.Coups paused, considering the question before nodding. “Hmm… Luna.”

“Really?” PD Na asked, his tone tinged with surprise.

“Yes. Please don’t lose her,” S.Coups chuckled, his voice laced with mock seriousness.

“Why would we lose her?” PD Na laughed, his amusement evident.

S.Coups’ expression turned playfully exasperated as he explained. “Jiyeonie loves to shop. She’s a shopaholic, really,” he said, leaning back in his chair as he spoke.

“Wherever and whenever we travel, she has to buy something… has to. Especially in places she hasn’t been to before… she’ll suddenly disappear and come back with bags of stuff, so you might lose her every now and then,” S.Coups elaborated, shaking his head with a small smile as he pictured it.

PD Na chuckled, nodding as he absorbed the information. “Alright… so my group would consist of The8, Mingyu, Woozi, and Luna,” he said, his tone final as if sealing the plan.

[PD Na’s babysitting service]

S.Coups nodded, a soft laugh escaping him as he imagined the chaos that group would undoubtedly bring. He folded his arms, his face thoughtful as he asked the next question. “But, what happens if they say they’re not going to go?” His voice carried the slightest hint of curiosity mixed with the playful intent to test PD Na’s resolve.

PD Na straightened slightly, his face betraying a flicker of surprise as he tried to anticipate where this was going.

S.Coups, sensing the moment, leaned forward, his tone deepening as he began re-enacting a hypothetical scenario. “‘I’m not going to go. Not going to go.’ Then?” He mimicked a defiant expression, complete with folded arms and a subtle pout, his voice slightly exaggerated for comedic effect.

The silence from PD Na’s end was palpable, leaving the production team in stifled laughter.

S.Coups raised an eyebrow, not letting him off the hook. “‘This is a schedule that wasn’t talked about. I’m not going to go.’ What if it’s like this?” he continued, shaking his head as though thoroughly exasperated by his members’ imaginary refusal.

PD Na, still struggling to find words, opened his mouth only to close it again, clearly unsure of how to respond.

[Unexpected turn they didn’t think about]

S.Coups smirked, relishing the moment as he delivered his next line with mock gravitas. “This is written in our contracts. ‘Must work only with the artist’s consent,’” he said, nodding knowingly as if he were quoting from the agreed-upon text of their contracts.

[All invalid if SEVENTEEN doesn’t agree]

PD Na finally regained his footing, leaning forward as though trying to reason with him. “Didn’t you guys agree then?” he asked, his tone pointed, clearly referencing the fact that SEVENTEEN had pitched the idea for the show months prior.

S.Coups tilted his head, his grin widening as he responded. “No. Because we don’t know we’re going now.”

PD Na narrowed his eyes, sensing a deliberate trap in S.Coups’ logic. The leader, however, wasn’t done. He raised his hand as though signaling for attention, continuing with yet another hypothetical. “What if they close the door and say, ‘I don’t want to go’?”

PD Na threw his head back with an exasperated laugh, shaking his head at the increasingly absurd scenarios S.Coups was presenting. “Then you and I… ‘Sorry guys, wait. Let’s talk about it.’ We need to do this.” He mimed knocking on an invisible door, his fist gently rapping the air as he assumed the role of a desperate negotiator.

The room erupted in laughter at PD Na’s exaggerated reenactment, but it was S.Coups who laughed the hardest.

PD Na, emboldened by the laughter, leaned in with a mischievous grin. “I will talk to Mingyu and tell him to carry the ones who won’t go out,” he said, his tone as serious as though it were the most practical solution in the world.

[Mingyu is versatile]

S.Coups slapped his thigh, unable to contain his amusement, as the staff chuckled in the background.

PD Na pressed on, fully committed to the bit. “I think he would carry them out, right?”

S.Coups nodded, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

The shared laughter seemed to echo, bouncing off the walls of the hotel suite. Despite the playful banter, it was clear that both men were already imagining the challenges— and the hilarity— of what awaited them in Italy.

[8 hours before kidnapping]

The Tokyo Dome glittered with a sea of lightsticks, their glowing hues creating a kaleidoscope of colors that danced across the massive arena. The hum of anticipation from over fifty thousand Carats resonated through the walls, growing louder with each passing second.

The massive stage— set with sprawling platforms, dynamic screens, and hidden lifts— was ready for the night’s final show of SEVENTEEN’s Japan tour.

Above the stage, in a private suite tucked away in the shadows, S.Coups sat with his hands resting on the railing. His injury had sidelined him for months, but his heart raced just as it would before any performance.

Dressed simply yet stylishly, his sharp eyes followed every movement on stage. His pride in his members was evident in the way his gaze softened, a flicker of a smile appearing whenever one of them nailed their part or sent a wave of energy crashing over the crowd.

Over the next four hours, the group poured their hearts into every moment.

As the concert drew to a close with their iconic encore stages, the members ran through the audience platforms, interacting with fans up close. Sweat-drenched and glowing with adrenaline, they gave everything to the final performances, leaving nothing behind.

When the final bow came, they huddled together, thanking their fans for their unwavering support. As the lights dimmed and the cheers faded, the members exited the stage, utterly exhausted but brimming with satisfaction.

[The 4 hour long concert ended successfully]

By the time the clock struck 4:30 a.m., the Tokyo Dome had long since emptied, and the members had returned to their hotel rooms. Most of them were fast asleep, their energy drained from the grueling four-hour performance.

The quiet hum of Tokyo’s city lights filled the air as PD Na’s team gathered discreetly on SEVENTEEN’s hotel floor.

[Kidnapping operation begins]

PD Na’s plan was audacious —kidnapping SEVENTEEN without their prior knowledge.

It was all for the sake of their upcoming variety show, but the logistics were daunting. In a hotel room, PD Na’s crew briefed SEVENTEEN’s unsuspecting managers, performance directors, and staff on what was about to unfold.

The managers exchanged confused glances, their exhaustion from the concert evident in their expressions. One of them leaned forward, whispering to another, clearly baffled by the last-minute plan.

Then they were told a few of the members were still awake.

The answer came quickly— Hoshi, Joshua, Seungkwan, Dino, and Mingyu. They were gathered in one of the members’ hotel rooms, their laughter, muffled yet audible even from the hallway.

A quick check confirmed the situation: they weren’t just awake, they were fully immersed in a drunken rap battle.

[Some members are awake in the next room.]

The hours before the “kidnapping” grew tense as the logistical challenges became apparent. PD Na’s bold plan to capture SEVENTEEN off-guard relied on precision and timing, yet the group’s unexpected energy after their Tokyo concert threw a wrench into the carefully laid plans.

PD Na’s staff scrambled to adjust, unsure how to deal with the ongoing chaos in one of the rooms.

In the rest of the members’ suite, the atmosphere was the polar opposite of the sleepy stillness in the other rooms.

The impromptu drinking session had escalated into a spectacle of competitive hilarity.

Dino’s boisterous energy filled the room as he leaned into his over-the-top rap, his voice booming in the enclosed space. Hoshi, meanwhile, had abandoned all semblance of rhythm, choosing instead to dance along with a ferocity that sent Seungkwan into fits of laughter. Mingyu sprawled across the bed, egged everyone on with exaggerated applause, his flushed cheeks betraying just how much he had indulged.

Joshua, the most composed of the group, watched with an amused look on his face. It was a scene of pure, unfiltered chaos— the kind of moment that encapsulated the bond between the members.

Meanwhile, in the hotel’s staff quarters, PD Na and his team worked tirelessly to finalize the abduction strategy. They were acutely aware of the tight schedule; SEVENTEEN had to be moved without delay to ensure the surprise remained intact. The managers and performance staff, though initially confused, quickly aligned with the plan.

Still, the drunken antics in the other room loomed over the operation like a ticking time bomb. PD Na’s crew whispered urgently among themselves, trying to decide whether to intervene or wait for the chaos to die down.

Time was slipping away, and every passing second brought them closer to the moment when SEVENTEEN’s world would be upended.

Unbeknownst to the members still awake and their unsuspecting colleagues who were sound asleep, blissfully unaware of the whirlwind that awaited them.

The serene quiet of the early morning hours contrasted starkly with the storm brewing behind the scenes— a prelude to the kind of chaos only SEVENTEEN and PD Na could create together.

Once everything was meticulously set, PD Na began his elaborate plan with S.Coups as his willing accomplice.

[Creates a script]

The first step was to infiltrate the room where Mingyu, Hoshi, Seungkwan, Joshua, and Dino were still wide awake, their energy high despite the late hour. Laughter and loud chatter spilled into the hallway, mingled with the thumping bass of their makeshift speaker.

From outside, Dino’s exaggerated rapping could be heard clearly, his playful attempt to rhyme something nonsensical drawing cheers and jeers from the others.

S.Coups made the first move, strolling casually into their room. His presence didn’t raise suspicion; it wasn’t uncommon for him to check in, even late at night. He mentioned, nonchalantly, that he seemed to have misplaced his phone and wondered if anyone had seen it.

This immediately sent the group into a half-hearted search. Dino, eager to prove his helpfulness, grabbed his own phone and offered to call S.Coups’ number after their leader’s instructions.

While this was happening, Hoshi quietly slipped out of the room to head back to his own. As he turned the corner into the hallway, he froze mid-step, his eyes widening in disbelief as he came face-to-face with PD Na.

[Caught]

The realization dawned after a few seconds of complete and utter confusion— Hoshi was now a part of the plan, whether he liked it or not. PD Na motioned for silence with an exaggerated finger to his lips, and Hoshi, trying to mask his bewilderment, nodded before heading back into the room.

Inside, Dino tapped the call button on his screen, and the group waited, distractedly chatting while the phone rang. Then, instead of the usual muffled vibration from some forgotten corner, they were startled by a sudden burst of noise as their door flew open.

There enters PD Na, holding up S.Coups’ phone triumphantly by his ears, a mischievous grin plastered across his face. The sheer audacity of his entrance left them stunned for a moment, their brains scrambling to process the unexpected sight.

Confusion rippled through the room like a wave. Mingyu’s jaw dropped; Seungkwan’s expression flipped rapidly between shock and indignation; Joshua blinked as though trying to wake himself up from a dream; Dino, still holding his own phone, froze mid-laugh, his mouth agape as he ran to the other side of the room. S.Coups, meanwhile, sat casually on one of the chairs, arms crossed, his shoulders shaking with barely contained laughter as he drank in their reactions.

[on average, their souls are gone]

As PD Na began explaining, gesturing animatedly to catch everyone up on the absurdity of the situation, the pieces started to fall into place for the group. Disbelief gave way to reluctant acceptance, and soon they were swept up in the chaos, fully realizing they were now a part of whatever scheme PD Na had concocted that they initially asked for.

Excitement buzzed through the group as Seungkwan, Joshua, Dino, Mingyu, and Hoshi eagerly followed PD Na and S.Coups out of their room.

Their initial shock had been replaced by a shared giddiness as they whispered among themselves, plotting their next move. The energy in the air was infectious, as though they had suddenly been handed the script to a variety show episode and were ready to run with it. PD Na and S.Coups trailed behind, exchanging amused glances as the five concocted their plan with increasing enthusiasm.

Their next target was clear— DK, whose room was located at the far end of the hallway.

The group, already energized from their impromptu ‘Left & Right’ performance during the concert, decided that the best way to wake DK was with none other than his iconic part in the song.

The suggestion had come from Seungkwan, who barely managed to finish explaining the idea before the others began nodding fervently. Mingyu, ever the ringleader, gestured for them to form a quiet procession as they crept down the hallway, their voices hushed but full of excitement.

[SEVENTEEN’s group project]

When they reached DK’s door, their giddiness was barely contained. They exchanged hurried glances and silently counted down, their suppressed laughter threatening to give them away. Then, as if on cue, they burst into the room, flinging the door open and flipping on the lights.

The sudden brightness illuminated DK, who was buried under a thick duvet, his head barely visible. Startled by the commotion, his eyes shot open as the group launched into a raucous rendition of his signature lines. Their voices filled the room, loud and off-key, the chaos amplified by the cameramen who rushed in behind them to capture the moment.

[?]

DK sat upright, his hair tousled and his expression a mix of confusion and grogginess as he tried to process the unexpected intrusion. His wide-eyed gaze darted from face to face, lingering on the cameras before landing on PD Na, who was watching the scene unfold with a satisfied grin.

[Opened my eyes and SEVENTEEN is doing a show]

It took a few seconds for the realization to sink in, but once it did, DK’s confusion gave way to an enthusiastic gasp. His initial shock melted into pure delight as he kicked off his blankets and leaped out of bed, instantly joining the infectious energy of the group.

[Person who dances the second he woke up]

Now fully awake, DK seemed more than ready to take on the task of waking up the rest of the members. He quickly fell into step with the others, his cheerful demeanor adding to the boisterous atmosphere. The group, now six strong, made their way back into the hallway, their voices echoing as they brainstormed their next target and method of attack. PD Na and S.Coups followed at a leisurely pace, watching the chaos unfold with a sense of pride, knowing their plan was moving along flawlessly.

The group’s energy remained unwavering as they decided to tackle the next member on their list: Woozi.

Their excitement had grown to a fever pitch, and they eagerly followed PD Na, who was more than happy to play along with their antics. At their insistence, PD Na called Woozi, imitating the stern tone of their manager to catch him off guard. The members huddled around the doorway, muffling their laughter as they listened to the one-sided conversation that echoed faintly from within the room.

When the door finally swung open, they tiptoed inside, stifling their giggles as they took in the sight before them. Woozi lay on his bed, fully dressed, sprawled atop the neatly made covers. His small frame seemed even smaller against the pristine bedding, and the absurdity of the scene sent the group into loud fits of laughter.

[Sleeping on top of his covers]

Woozi stirred at the sound of their snickers, his eyes fluttering open, confusion etched across his face. His gaze landed on PD Na first, and a slow wave of realization washed over him as he took in the rest of the members and the cameramen who had poured into his room.

Barely giving him a moment to process, the group decided to keep the momentum going, urging him to join them as they moved on to their next target: Wonwoo.

The members practically bounced down the hall, despite their shock, their enthusiasm undiminished as they burst into the next room.

Inside, Wonwoo was a stark contrast to Woozi’s neat appearance. He was shirtless, still half-buried under a mound of blankets, his glasses nowhere to be found. The members erupted into laughter at the sight, their teasing filling the air as they rummaged through his things to hand him a shirt and his glasses.

[Mingyu’s t-shirt]

Wonwoo sat up slowly, blinking at them through a haze of grogginess. His confusion deepened as he spotted the cameras, and it wasn’t until PD Na began explaining the situation that understanding dawned on him.

As the explanation unfolded, the members couldn’t resist poking fun at the magazine cover that sat prominently displayed on the nightstand next to Wonwoo’s bed. The image of his own face staring back at him, perfectly styled and serious, stood in humorous contrast to his current disheveled state.

Their teasing grew louder, and even Wonwoo couldn’t help but crack a sleepy smile as he quickly pulled himself together to join the chaos.

With two more members now in tow, the group’s numbers swelled, and their energy became even more contagious as they prepared to wake the remaining members. The hallway seemed to come alive with their laughter and hushed planning, the anticipation for what lay ahead driving them forward with unrelenting excitement.

The next stop was Jun’s room, and as the group gathered in the hallway outside his door, there was a noticeable pause. PD Na hesitated, his usual confidence briefly faltering.

Jun was one of the two members he had spun a fabricated tale about, concocting a fake show with The8 that neither of them would actually be attending.

Breaking the news to Jun, especially in his groggy, just-woken-up state, was a challenge PD Na wasn’t particularly eager to face. Still, with the momentum building, the group decided to press forward, pushing the door open quietly to keep the element of surprise.

The room was dark and still, save for the faint outline of Jun resting peacefully. A simple flick of the light switch was all it took to stir him. His eyes blinked open slowly, adjusting to the brightness, and for a moment, he seemed caught in a buffering loop, his mind attempting to catch up with the scene before him.

[Buffering]

The members stood scattered around the room, their energy barely contained as they suppressed laughter at his dazed expression. PD Na stepped forward, his demeanor unusually cautious as he began explaining the truth.

Despite the initial apprehension, Jun took the news remarkably well. His expression shifted from confusion to amusement, and there was even a hint of relief as he processed that the entire group would be going together.

The thought of being part of a team effort, rather than separated into a fictional schedule, seemed to sit well with him. Soon, he was out of bed and ready to join the growing crowd in the hallway.

Next on the list was Vernon’s room, which proved to be the most challenging one yet. As they approached, muffled sounds from within suggested that Vernon was still awake.

The group exchanged amused glances, already sensing that this might not go as smoothly as the previous attempts. True to their instincts, Vernon was less than enthusiastic when they tried to enter. He was immediately suspicious, assuming it was some elaborate prank, and flatly refused to let them in.

It was Seungkwan who took it upon himself to handle the situation. He stepped into the room alone, the door clicking shut behind him.

The rest of the group waited anxiously in the hallway, straining to hear the muffled conversation that followed. After what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open, and Seungkwan emerged, gesturing for the others to follow. Vernon’s reluctance was still evident as they entered, hs entire body hidden beneath the covers.

[Shy]

The reason for Vernon’s hesitance became clear almost immediately. He mentioned the state he was in. He hadn’t even bothered to remove his makeup from the concert the previous night, and his face still bore the smudged remnants of eyeliner and foundation. He was dressed in nothing but the hotel robe, and his room, though not particularly messy, lacked the organized chaos that usually defined him.

His protests were met with teasing laughter as the group handed him a change of clothes, urging him to get ready while PD Na explained the situation.

Eventually, Vernon’s resistance melted away, replaced by resigned amusement. Once dressed and up to speed, he joined the group as they moved on to their next target, their numbers now swelling with each successful “recruitment.”

The hallway buzzed with their collective energy, each new addition fueling the excitement as they prepared to wake the remaining members.

The group approached Jeonghan’s room, in anticipation. Jeonghan was known among them for being a sensitive sleeper, the kind who woke up at the faintest disturbance. Armed with their new “manager” strategy, they gestured for PD Na to lead the charge. Slowly, the door creaked open, and the dim light from the hallway cast faint shadows inside.

The second PD Na stepped in and called out for him, his voice mimicking a manager’s authoritative tone, Jeonghan shot up, startling awake. He blinked rapidly, his expression a mixture of confusion and alertness, his disoriented gaze darting around the room as he processed the situation. The unexpected voice of a “manager” telling him it was time to go seemed to short-circuit his usual groggy wake-up routine.

The members, unable to contain themselves, pushed into the room, laughter erupting as they turned on the lights. Jeonghan, still halfway out of his bed, froze for a moment, his hand brushing through his disheveled hair as he spotted PD Na standing by the door.

[The little mermaid]

Realization dawned on him, and the ever-quick-witted Jeonghan smoothly played along, causing the room to burst into louder laughter. His dry humor cut through the sleepy atmosphere like clockwork, instantly reminding everyone why he was so good at these impromptu situations.

The teasing escalated when someone spotted a familiar glossy magazine cover perched beside Jeonghan’s neatly organized bedside. There it was: a striking image of Jeonghan himself, staring confidently from the front page of his recent cover shoot.

The group erupted into another round of laughter, poking fun at the fact that, even in his sleep, Jeonghan was surrounded by his own brilliance. He remained unbothered by their antics, firing off deadpan retorts that only made them laugh harder.

Despite just being woken up, Jeonghan moved with an effortless composure, already one step ahead of everyone in his usual laid-back yet sharp manner. He joined the growing crowd without resistance, adding his own sarcastic flair to the chaos.

The group lingered in Jeonghan’s room for a while, the energy still vibrant as they reflected on the chaos of waking up their bandmates. Seated on the bed and scattered around the room, their conversations gradually shifted to planning their next move.

“Wait, how many do we have right now?” PD Na asked, his gaze scanning the members. His attempt to count them was met with various half-hearted attempts to stand still, though none were successful.

There were twelve of them in total, which left only two more members unaccounted for.

“There’s Minghao and Jiyeon left,” Hoshi pointed out. The others murmured in agreement, their focus sharpening now that the next targets were clear.

[12 out of 14 members]

“Let’s wake up Jiyeonie noona first,” Seungkwan declared with conviction.

“Right. Let’s leave Minghao huyng last. Noona first,” Dino agreed with a firm nod.

“Luna? Alright. I’m still trying to build up the courage to face The8,” PD Na admitted with a sheepish laugh.

His confession caused a ripple of laughter to spread through the room. Jeonghan, however, tilted his head in confusion, clearly out of the loop.

“You know, The8… him going with Jun…” Mingyu began to explain, gesturing vaguely as he searched for the right words.

“That’s this,” Woozi interjected dryly, saving Mingyu from further struggle.

Jeonghan gasped theatrically, his body falling on his bed as if he’d been personally betrayed. “I was so jealous,” he admitted, drawing a round of chuckles from the others.

“We’re still thinking about what to tell Minghao,” Mingyu added, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Let’s worry about that later,” Seungkwan interjected, his voice laced with urgency. “We have to face another big problem first.”

PD Na turned to Seungkwan, his brows furrowing as confusion clouded his expression. “What?”

“Waking up noona,” Seungkwan said, the words chorusing with Jeonghan, who echoed with, “Waking up Jiyeonie.”

The rest of the members immediately broke into laughter, nodding in agreement. Their collective understanding of what lay ahead was almost palpable.

“Aigo-ya…” Joshua chuckled, shaking his head.

[Is it that serious?]

“Why?” PD Na asked, his confusion deepening as he glanced from one amused face to another.

“Let’s just say that if you want to be cussed at in both Korean and English, then you should wake up Jiyeonie noona,” Seungkwan explained, his words causing a fresh wave of laughter to erupt. Nods and murmurs of agreement rippled through the group.

[Can’t wait]

“Really? She’ll be that mad at me?” PD Na asked, his voice tinged with nervous curiosity.

“No. She’ll be mad for a few seconds only,” S.Coups reassured him, leaning on his crutches.

“She’ll get over it quickly,” Wonwoo added with a small shrug.

“Jiyeonie prioritizes her sleep,” Mingyu pointed out with a chuckle.

“Na PD…” DK laughed, pointing sympathetically at him as if to preemptively console him for what he was about to endure.

“She sets an alarm for everything, and she’s very disciplined. So she’ll wake up if needed, but… she has no reason to wake up this early,” Jeonghan explained, his words trailing off into a soft chuckle.

“You’re sure she’ll be asleep, right?” PD Na’s hesitant expression did not go unnoticed.

“She will be sleeping a hundred percent.” Jeonghan nodded.

“She will also cuss us out a hundred percent.” Mingyu chuckled.

[Prediction]

“Let’s just go. We’ll figure it out,” Seungkwan declared, his mock exasperation earning him a few chuckles as he waved everyone to start moving.

“Alright…” PD Na agreed reluctantly, pushing himself to move as the group began to shuffle out of Jeonghan’s room.

“Jiyeonie’s room is next to mine,” Jeonghan said, allowing Seungkwan to pin a mic to his shirt as they prepared to leave. He chuckled softly as he joined the others heading out. “I have plans when I go back. I guess that’s all a lie,” Jeonghan quipped, earning a few chuckles from the members around him.

[Lies everywhere]

“I was worried yesterday,” he continued, his tone thoughtful for a moment before his expression turned deadpan. “Guys, is the typhoon… a lie too?” Jeonghan asked his joke causing S.Coups and Seungkwan to burst out laughing as they made their way out of the room.

[Doesn't know who to trust]

The atmosphere shifted slightly as they approached the room next to Jeonghan’s. The animated energy was replaced by a noticeable hesitation, with the group slowing their pace.

[Terrified]

“You guys…” PD Na began, chuckling nervously as he noticed their hesitation. “What happened?”

“No one wants to go in,” S.Coups explained with a chuckle, leaning casually on his crutches at the back of the group.

“Na PD… fighting!” Dino whispered with a mischievous grin, his words earning quiet chuckles from the rest of the group.

“You can do it!” DK chimed in, his encouragement was lighthearted but clearly teasing.

“I… don’t know… do I just go in?” PD Na asked, his uncertainty evident as he eyed the door.

Jeonghan stepped forward gently, placing himself in front of PD Na with a quick yet firm interjection. “No, no, no. I’ll go check on her first. You guys follow,” he said calmly, his hand reaching out to press against the door to Luna’s room.

[Leads the gameplan]

His tone left little room for argument, and the members exchanged subtle nods, understanding his intention without question.

“Alright. You go first, we’ll follow behind you,” Seungkwan agreed, giving Jeonghan a light nudge toward the door, an almost conspiratorial smile playing on his lips.

PD Na blinked, his curiosity getting the better of him. “Why Jeonghan?” he asked, his gaze flicking between the members, clearly puzzled.

There was a brief, wordless exchange among the members— a series of knowing looks and slight smirks that spoke volumes without a single word being uttered.

Finally, Seungkwan broke the silence, his voice matter-of-fact but laced with humor. “He’s the least likely to get cussed at.”

[Benefits]

The room filled with soft chuckles as Seungkwan handed Jeonghan the master key. With a quiet nod of thanks, Jeonghan carefully unlocked the door and pushed it open just enough to slip inside.

The dim light of the room revealed little at first, just the vague outline of the bed in the center. The rest of the group— PD Na, the crew, and the members— lingered near the door, waiting for Jeonghan’s signal before entering.

As Jeonghan moved closer to the bed, his steps were slow and deliberate, his gaze softening as he caught sight of the lump beneath the duvet— a clear indication that Luna was still deeply asleep. Her breathing was even, the covers rising and falling gently.

From the door, Mingyu’s quiet whisper broke the stillness. “Cute,” he giggled, prompting a few amused chuckles from the others.

Jeonghan crouched down beside the bed, his movements fluid and unhurried, as though not to disturb even the air around her. His hand reached out to gently caress her back through the duvet. “Nana-ya,” he whispered, his voice barely audible but tender, like a breeze brushing against her dreams.

Luna remained unmoving, her face still buried against the pillow, utterly undisturbed by the soft call. Her features, peaceful and relaxed, held Jeonghan’s attention for a moment longer than necessary, his gaze lingering as if memorizing every detail.

[Sleeping beauty]

From the door, S.Coups leaned slightly toward PD Na and whispered, “She’s the complete opposite of Jeonghan when it comes to sleeping, really.”

PD Na’s curiosity was piqued. “Really?”

“Jeonghannie is a sensitive sleeper,” S.Coups explained with a small grin, “Jiyeonie… can sleep through an apocalypse.”

Jeonghan, oblivious to their conversation, lowered his head closer to Luna’s ear. “Nana-ya…” he whispered again, his voice a fraction more insistent but still gentle.

When there was no response, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, a fleeting gesture of affection hidden safely from the cameras in the dim light. His hand moved to her hair, his fingers brushing through it delicately, coaxing her awake.

This time, Luna stirred slightly, her face scrunching up into a small pout as a faint hum escaped her lips. Her eyes remained shut, her body shifting just enough to show she was on the edge of waking.

[Shuffle… shuffle… shuffle]

Jeonghan turned to the others, his expression calm but subtly signaling for them to approach. With a collective nod, the group began to inch into the room, their steps quiet but filled with anticipation.

Dino, perhaps out of instinct or a moment of misplaced confidence, reached for the light switch near the door and flicked it on.

The sudden brightness flooded the room, instantly halting everyone in their tracks. Dino froze, his hand still on the switch, his face a mix of panic and realization as the members turned to him in unison.

Jeonghan’s wide eyes snapped toward them, the incredulous look on his face enough to send a ripple of suppressed laughter through the group.

[Why would you do that?]

“Ya!” Seungkwan whisper-yelled, his hand smacking the back of Dino’s head lightly.

“She’s gonna kill us,” Mingyu muttered through a whisper-laugh, shaking his head.

“I realized the second I turned it on,” Dino admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

The sudden light had done its job— because the only thing Luna hates more than being woken up is being woken up by turning on the lights.

From under the duvet, Luna shifted again, this time with more intention. Though her eyes remained shut, her mouth opened, and her groggy voice cut through the tension. “What the fuck are you fuckers up to?” she muttered groggily, her tone laced with annoyance, the curse drawing a mix of sheepish chuckles and mock-cringes from the members.

[Prediction was correct]

A few covered their mouths, trying not to laugh too loudly, while PD Na stood on the other side of the bed, equal parts amused and shy at the unexpected situation.

Luna’s reaction, though predictably fiery, had everyone barely holding back laughter as they waited for her to fully wake up.

Jeonghan still crouched beside Luna’s bed, remained calm and patient as he softly called out again, “We need to go, Nana-ya.” His voice was as gentle as a feather, coaxing her out of her slumber without startling her.

Under the duvet, Luna stirred slightly, her face scrunching into a small frown. Her voice, muffled by the pillow, came out groggy and laced with annoyance. “I’m not in the mood for your guys’ games. Go where?” she muttered, clearly thinking she was being teased— technically, she wasn’t wrong.

On her other side, PD Na, now standing awkwardly by the right side of her bed, decided to intervene, his voice breaking the soft tension. “Remember, this was part of the promise, Luna,” he said, his tone calm yet prompting.

The reaction was immediate.

Even though her eyes remained closed, Luna’s eyebrows furrowed deeply at the unfamiliar voice.

Slowly, she turned to her right, her sleepy brain struggling to register who it was. Squinting as she opened her eyes, she saw a figure she vaguely recognized, but her grogginess mixed with her expectation to see Jeonghan left her disoriented.

[Peakaboo]

Her heart raced at the sight of what her half-asleep mind processed as a stranger hovering near her bed.

Without hesitation, Luna’s hand darted out, grabbing her phone from the pillow beside her. With as much force as she could muster in her half-conscious state, she weakly flung it at the unfamiliar figure— PD Na.

The startled squeal that escaped her lips was cute but tinged with genuine alarm as she instinctively threw herself to her left side, where Jeonghan was still crouched. The sudden movement caught Jeonghan off guard, but his reflexes kicked in, and he quickly caught her as she practically fell into his arms.

[Bunny hopped off the bed]

“Whoa!” Jeonghan exclaimed softly as he absorbed the impact, the two of them toppling slightly before landing on the floor with a muted thud.

Luna buried her face against Jeonghan’s neck, her arms wrapping tightly around him as though he were her lifeline. His laughter was low and comforting as he adjusted his position to hold her securely, one arm wrapping around her waist while the other hand soothingly caressed her back.

Jeonghan placed a hand at the back of her neck, gently cradling her. “Jiyeon-ah, are you okay?” he asked, his voice full of affection as he whispered into her ear.

Luna let out a small whine, her voice muffled against Jeonghan’s shoulder but loud enough for everyone to hear. “Who was that?”

[It’s PD Na]

The room, already tense with suppressed laughter, burst into chuckles at her adorably dramatic reaction.

S.Coups was the first to speak, his laugh hearty as he called out, “Ya! Bae Jiyeon, are you okay?”

“Oh no, noona…” Seungkwan chuckled, his voice tinged with a mix of amusement and worry.

“What was that?” Jun added, shaking his head, his grin wide as he leaned against the foot of the bed.

Dokyeom, ever the empath but unable to hold back his laughter, pointed an accusing finger at PD Na. “You scared her!” he said, still chuckling as PD Na stood there, looking thoroughly sheepish with Luna’s phone now in his hands.

“Noona! Noona, are you okay?” Dino called out, concern lacing his voice even as he laughed. He and Mingyu quickly moved to where Jeonghan was still holding Luna protectively.

Mingyu crouched down, a teasing smile on his face as he gently reached for Luna, who remained glued to Jeonghan’s neck. “Lulu-ya… what was that?” he asked, his tone lighthearted as he carefully slipped his hands under her arms. With little to no effort, he lifted her off Jeonghan and placed her back onto the bed.

Luna, now fully awake and fully embarrassed, immediately covered her face with her hands, groaning softly. The room filled with laughter again, the members clearly enjoying the unexpected chaos.

Dokyeom, Mingyu, Dino, and Jeonghan were quick to move. Noticing that Luna was only wearing an oversized sweater and shorts, all four men instinctively reached for the duvet, pulling it up to cover her bare legs. Jeonghan was the last to step back, his hands lingering for a second longer to tuck the blanket around her gently.

With her face still buried in her hands, Luna’s hair fell forward in a curtain, shielding her flushed cheeks from view.

Hoshi, sitting casually at the foot of her bed, chuckled softly, his laughter infectious as he reached over and gave her head a gentle pat. “That was amazing. That was the best one,” he said, still grinning as his hand lingered for a moment, ruffling her hair lightly before retreating.

[She wins a the best reaction]

Nearby, PD Na, who had been watching the entire scene unfold with a mix of guilt and amusement, took a careful step toward her. His expression softened, and he spoke in a deliberately slow and calming voice, clearly hoping to avoid startling her again. “Luna-ya… it’s PD Na,” he said gently, his tone almost apologetic.

The members burst into laughter at his cautious approach, some doubling over at how timid PD Na had suddenly become.

Luna peeked out from between her fingers, her eyes narrowing slightly as she turned her head toward the sound of his voice.

When she finally saw him standing there, her embarrassment flared anew. Realization dawned on her face as she took in his familiar features, and she quickly glanced up, her gaze darting to the foot of her bed, where the members were gathered, and then toward the cameras and crew positioned behind them.

Her mortification deepened. With a soft groan, she buried her face even further into her knees, muffling a string of unintelligible words as the laughter around her grew louder.

“Jiyeonie, are you okay?” DK asked through his chuckles, leaning forward slightly as if to gauge her reaction.

Luna lifted her face just enough to let her voice be heard. Her tone was dry, laced with her signature deadpan humor. “Next time, just send me an email,” she muttered, her delivery so perfectly timed it sent the entire room into another fit of laughter.

“What do I do?,” Mingyu said, clutching his stomach. “Shes so cute, she’s killing me.”

Woozi smirked, shaking his head as he muttered, ��I can’t believe her.”

Still hiding her face, Luna’s shoulders shook slightly, a small laugh escaping her lips despite her obvious embarrassment. After a moment, she seemed to steel herself. Slowly, she lifted her head from her knees, turning to face the team and the cameras.

Despite the way her messy hair framed her face in a halo of chaos and the obvious signs of sleep still lingering in her expression, she radiated a natural beauty that seemed effortless.

[Sleeping beauty pt. 2]

“Aigo, pretty… you’re pretty,” Wonwoo remarked simply, nodding as if stating a universal truth.

“How annoying,” Joshua chimed in, his dry humor adding to the hilarity of the moment.

The room erupted into laughter again as Luna sighed, her lips quirking up in a reluctant smile. She turned her attention to PD Na, who still stood nearby, her hair still falling messily around her face. “Hello,” she said politely, bowing her head slightly.

PD Na returned her bow, his own smile sheepish as he chuckled lightly. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, holding out her phone, which he had retrieved from the floor after the earlier chaos.

Luna accepted it, her fingers curling around the device as she glanced up at him. Without missing a beat, she deadpanned, “I’m not. You scared me.” Her delivery was sharp and quick, causing another round of laughter to ripple through the room.

The fact that she was referring to her earlier attempt at self-defense with the phone only made it funnier.

As the laughter died down, Luna turned toward the cameras. Shyness flickered across her face as she dipped her head slightly in acknowledgment, offering the crew a small, polite bow.

Then, as if seeking refuge, she turned back toward Jeonghan, her back to the cameras and the rest of the team.

Luna’s gaze met his, wide and pleading. She didn’t say a word, but the look she gave him spoke volumes. Jeonghan, ever perceptive, understood immediately what she was asking of him.

Without hesitation, he reached out, his fingers brushing gently against her hair as he tucked a few stray strands behind her ears. His movements were deliberate and tender, his touch careful as he made sure she looked presentable.

“Thank you,” Luna muttered softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced at him briefly, her gratitude evident in her expression before she turned back to face the cameras.

Lifting her hand in a small, shy wave, Luna tried to smile through her lingering embarrassment. “‘Noona, you’re so pretty~’,” Dino sang teasingly from the foot of the bed, drawing out the words in a playful tone.

He was immediately joined by Seungkwan, Dokyeom, and Hoshi, who harmonized in mock unison, their voices loud and exaggerated. “‘Crazy. Replay, replay, replay~!’”

Luna couldn’t help it. She giggled, the sound light and genuine as she raised her hand to cover her mouth. Her laughter only grew when Seungkwan deadpanned, “Aigo… look at her… as if she wasn’t cussing us out earlier.”

[The duality]

The room erupted into chaos again as the members doubled over, some clutching their stomachs while others pointed at Luna, teasing her. She shook her head, trying to contain her laughter as she hid her face in her hands once more, the warmth of the moment wrapping around her like a comforting blanket.

PD Na, still standing at the side of the room, cleared his throat and looked at Luna, his voice calm but slightly tinged with anticipation. “Luna, do you know why I am here?”

Without hesitation, Luna replied with clarity, her tone steady despite her earlier grogginess. “‘Youth Over Flowers,’” she said, fully understanding the situation now. Her expression shifted as she did a quick headcount of the room. Noticing something amiss, she tilted her head slightly. “Am I the last one? Is everyone here?”

Her eyes roamed the room until she realized someone was missing. “Where is Hao-hao?” she asked, her brows knitting together in mild confusion.

“He’s the last one because…” Seungkwan began, pausing mid-sentence to turn toward PD Na, leaving the explanation to him.

Luna’s gaze followed Seungkwan’s, settling on PD Na, who suddenly looked a little guilty. Her eyes narrowed slightly. “What is it?” she asked, suspicion creeping into her tone.

“The show Minghao and I were going to…” Jun began hesitantly, his voice trailing off.

“…Is it this?” Luna finished, the realization hitting her like a wave. Multiple nods from the group confirmed her suspicions.

Her eyes widened as she turned to Jeonghan for confirmation, needing one last reassurance. When he nodded solemnly, she gasped softly, her voice tinged with disbelief. “It was fake?”

She turned back to PD Na, her tone playful yet accusatory. “Wah… that’s mean.”

Her response earned a chorus of chuckles from the members. Even Luna herself let out a small laugh, her incredulity giving way to amusement.

[Very mean]

“Aigo… Hao was looking forward to it the most,” she said with a pout, a hint of sympathy in her voice.

“That’s life,” Seungkwan said, throwing his hands up in mock exasperation.

“But what do we do with our title choreography? Our music video…” Hoshi asked, his voice trailing off as the realization dawned on him.

“Oh! We’ll probably do it there,” Seungkwan interjected, maintaining his exaggerated tone.

“They said that you are doing it there,” S.Coups announced, his voice cutting through the chatter with authority.

“Really?” Luna and Dokyeom said in unison, their surprise echoing off the walls.

“I don’t know. Whatever, let’s just go there and do it,” Hoshi said, dismissing the concern with a wave of his hand, his casual demeanor lightening the mood further.

“What about going into Minghao’s room clapping?” Joshua suggested, bringing the conversation back on track with a mischievous smile.

[Starts planning]

“‘Minghao-ya, congratulations’,” Joshua acted out, clapping his hands together dramatically.

“‘Congratulations! You’re going now!’” Seungkwan followed suit, his exaggerated tone and enthusiastic clapping drawing laughter from everyone.

“‘Have a safe trip.’ Yes,” Jeonghan added, his laughter ringing out as he joined in on the teasing.

“I feel bad,” Luna said with a pout, though the chuckle that followed betrayed her amusement.

“That’s how he won’t be disappointed,” Seungkwan reasoned, earning nods of agreement from the others.

“But you guys go first,” PD Na instructed, his tone shifting to something more logistical. He gestured toward the door before adding, “Yes, let’s go in there clapping instead.”

“Nice. Yes, let’s hide it,” Jeonghan agreed, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,” PD Na said, ushering everyone toward the door. The group began to file out, their movements hushed yet buzzing with excitement.

Luna slowly swung her legs off the bed, hesitating as she pushed herself up. Her footing faltered, and she stumbled slightly, only to feel a steadying hand on her arm. Jeonghan was immediately at her side, his grip firm but gentle. “Careful,” he murmured, his voice low.

As she steadied herself, Jeonghan busied himself pinning a mic to her hoodie. His movements were careful, and precise, as he ensured everything was secure.

“This show is already too intense for me,” Luna muttered, making Jeonghan chuckle softly.

The two shared a brief glance, an unspoken understanding passing between them.

Luck had been on their side.

Only last night, Luna had been in Jeonghan’s room, the two of them planning to sleep together like they always did during these trips. But after her shower, she had ended up falling asleep in her own room due to exhaustion.

If the camera crew had caught them together, especially with their relationship still a secret from the public, it would have been a disaster. No one knew about them aside from their families and the members. That thought alone sent a quiet ripple of relief through both of them.

Jeonghan adjusted the mic one last time, smoothing the fabric of her hoodie as he stepped back. “Ready?” he asked softly.

Luna nodded, taking a deep breath. With one last glance at Jeonghan, she followed the group, the anticipation of what awaited them next sparking a mix of nerves and excitement within her.

The group moved together down the hall, their footsteps soft against the hotel carpet, yet their quiet murmurs of disbelief filled the air. Luna shuffled behind the others, her oversized sweater swaying slightly with her steps, the sleeves almost completely hiding her hands.

Noticing Wonwoo walking closest to her, she made her way to his side. Without a word, she reached out, gently grabbing his arm and lifting it slightly before squeezing herself into his side. Her arms wrapped securely around his waist, and she rested her face against his torso. Wonwoo caught off guard for only a second, smiled softly and let his arm fall around her shoulders, holding her close as they trailed behind the rest of the group.

“I’m so excited,” Seungkwan said, his voice brimming with anticipation.

Jun chuckled, still shaking his head in disbelief. “In the beginning, PD Na being in front of me… I didn’t believe it. ‘What? What is this?’”

“Really awesome, really,” Hoshi added, his tone filled with admiration.

“They fooled us all,” Dino chimed in from beside him.

“I didn’t expect it at all,” Hoshi admitted, nodding as if to emphasize his point.

“They fooled us all,” Dino repeated, laughing lightly as they finally reached Minghao’s door.

“No one can beat Jiyeonie,” S.Coups chuckled from the back, the comment earning a soft laugh from Luna, who felt Wonwoo gently squeeze her shoulder in silent agreement.

“I thought I was gonna get kidnapped for real,” Luna muttered, her tone dry but playful enough to make the group chuckle.

[Scared for her life]

“I talked about this with Dokyeom,” Jeonghan said as they stood just outside Minghao’s door.

“I know,” Dokyeom replied with a nod.

“At the concert,” Jeonghan clarified, turning slightly toward Luna.

“Really?” Luna asked, looking at both of them curiously.

“Really did. We talked about this,” Dokyeom confirmed with another nod.

The four of them— Jeonghan, Dokyeom, Luna, and Wonwoo— formed a small huddle just outside the group, their voices lowering slightly as they continued their conversation.

“When the rehearsal doors open, PD Na… he will be there,” Jeonghan said, gesturing with his hand as if painting a vivid image of the scenario.

“That would have been insane,” Luna replied, her voice filled with quiet awe as she ran her fingers through her hair.

“But wouldn’t it be better to have PD Na go first?” Hoshi suggested, glancing toward the still-closed door.

“Go ahead,” Seungkwan said, motioning toward PD Na with a smirk.

“No, no, no,” Jeonghan cut in, shaking his head. “Seungkwan, go first. ‘The8, safe travels,’” he suggested, imitating how Seungkwan might say it.

A beat passed before Jeonghan changed his mind entirely. “If people go in one at a time, it takes too much time. Let’s just go in together,” he concluded, his tone final but the quick shift earning laughter from everyone around him.

“What was that?” Luna giggled, glancing up at Dokyeom as she grabbed his hand, absentmindedly playing with his fingers.

“Didn’t his opinion change three times in one sentence?” PD Na asked, a chuckle escaping him as he shook his head in disbelief.

“Jeonghan is really flexible,” PD Na added, the comment prompting another round of chuckles.

“Let’s go,” Dino said, eager to move the plan along.

“Then… let’s say, ‘Yoo Yeon-Seok is here,’ and you come in,” Seungkwan suggested, pointing at Jeonghan with a mischievous grin.

“That’s too long. Too long,” Mingyu interjected, his practical side kicking in.

“Just clap and go in. Clap and go in,” Dino said, his tone straightforward as he waved a hand to dismiss any overcomplicated plans.

“Simple. Go simple,” Woozi added with a small nod of approval.

Seungkwan, unable to hide his mock exasperation, nodded his head dramatically before moving toward the door, master key in hand. The rest of the group fell silent, anticipation buzzing as they waited for him to unlock it.

Seungkwan pushed the door open with a dramatic flair, revealing Minghao’s dimly lit room. The members slowly trickled in, the quietness of the space amplifying their anticipation. It was serene, with only the sound of soft breathing breaking the silence.

Without hesitation, Seungkwan reached for the light switch and flicked it on. The sudden brightness filled the room, and he immediately began clapping loudly.

[Loud]

“Wow!” Joshua exclaimed.

“Congratulations!” Seungkwan cheered, his enthusiasm setting the tone as the others joined in, clapping and calling out in unison.

“The8, congratulations!” multiple voices chorused, their tone playful yet celebratory.

Luna stepped in last, her hand instinctively covering her mouth in second-hand embarrassment. “This is such a terrible way to wake up… it’s so loud,” she chuckled, shaking her head but clearly amused.

[The only one who feels bad]

On the bed, Minghao stirred, his movements sluggish as he sat up, squinting in confusion. His hair was tousled, and his expression was a mixture of grogginess and bewilderment.

“With PD Na’s choice…” Seungkwan began in a mock host-like voice, his hands gesturing theatrically.

Minghao’s gaze shifted, landing on PD Na standing amidst the group. He immediately bowed politely, his voice soft. “Oh, hello.”

The members burst into laughter at his innocent reaction.

“The8 is leaving!” Mingyu declared, jumping in to continue Seungkwan’s hosting act.

The room erupted into another round of applause as they surrounded the still-confused Minghao.

“Did you sleep well?” PD Na asked, his tone kind yet teasing.

“You need to wake up. You need to go with Jun,” Seungkwan said, tossing Minghao’s clothes toward the bed with a grin.

Still groggy and slightly disoriented, Minghao blinked at the clothing pile. “Wait. Put on something,” PD Na urged, gesturing toward Minghao, who was clearly still bare under the covers.

“Are we going now?” Minghao asked innocently, his voice laced with confusion as he tried to process what was happening.

Luna, standing between Dokyeom and Mingyu, couldn’t help but pout and chuckle. “Aigo-ya… what do we do?” she said softly, her eyes full of amusement.

“To be honest, Minghao… there’s something I need to apologize to you about…” PD Na began hesitantly, his tone turning more serious.

“What is it?” Minghao asked, his voice gentle as he looked at PD Na, his sincerity making Luna whisper under her breath, “What do I do? Hao’s so cute.”

PD Na hesitated again, his nervousness palpable. “Oh…”

[Hesitant]

“PD, you’re too hesitant,” Woozi interjected, laughing quietly as the others chuckled along.

Finally, PD Na gathered himself. “Minghao, to be honest… the thing that Jun and you are supposed to go to… th–that… was a lie.”

A heavy silence fell over the room as they all watched Minghao’s reaction. His gaze flickered between PD Na and the members, his expression blank as he began piecing everything together.

“All together?” he finally asked, his tone confused tentative yet starting to catch on.

“We are all going together,” PD Na confirmed, a smile creeping onto his face.

The members burst into laughter at Minghao’s expression. While he smiled back at them, it was clear his reaction was forced, his lips slightly stiff, and his eyes betraying the amused frustration he felt.

“That’s this,” PD Na continued, explaining the situation further as Minghao wordlessly and soundlessly clapped, his movements robotic.

“It’s fake… fake…” a couple of voices muttered together, the room filled with laughter as they teased him.

“No, no. It’s okay. It’s good,” Minghao finally said, smiling again as he reassured PD Na with a calm yet resigned tone.

“It’s okay, right? You are going. All together,” PD Na said, trying to soothe any lingering disappointment.

“It’s a good opportunity,” Minghao replied, but his words only made the group laugh harder at his attempts to stay positive.

Dokyeom and Mingyu, standing on either side of Luna, each grabbed one of her arms, pulling her toward them as they playfully hugged her and mock-cried.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no. Minghao cry, cry, cry,” they wailed dramatically, leaning against her for added effect.

[97z teasing 97z]

Luna grinned, her chuckle soft and affectionate. Being the oldest of the 97 line, this dynamic with Dokyeom and Mingyu— playful and chaotic— was something she was more than used to, especially since Minghao was the youngest among the four of them.

“Minghao, it’s… it’s okay, right?” PD Na asked again, still wanting to ensure there were no hard feelings.

“Oh, it’s good,” Minghao reassured with another smile.

“All together,” PD Na explained again, prompting Mingyu to burst out laughing.

“I like it. You can play together when we’re together,” Minghao said, his tone light but genuine as he started to relax.

“This is fun too,” Jeonghan added, nodding in agreement to lift Minghao’s spirits further.

“Right,” Luna said with a warm smile, her gaze soft as she looked at Minghao, knowing how much he cared about the fake show he was invited to.

The room had settled into a slightly calmer energy after the collective chaos of waking Minghao up. Members were sprawled across the space, sitting on chairs, couches, and even the floor, their voices buzzing with disbelief and excitement.

Jeonghan leaned back against the couch, arms crossed, his tone still tinged with amazement as he said, “Wow, this is really awesome. Can’t imagine.”

“Really. Really,” Dokyeom chimed in, nodding emphatically.

Jeonghan’s eyes flickered to S.Coups, his curiosity piqued. “S.Coups, is that why you came?”

S.Coups, lounging near the door, shook his head with a small laugh. “I didn’t know either. I knew in the morning.” He paused for dramatic effect, then added, “Really, no one knew! PLEDIS or no one else knew!”

“PLEDIS didn’t know?” Jeonghan asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

“No one knew at all,” S.Coups confirmed, shaking his head with conviction.

The group’s laughter and chatter gradually settled into a warm hum as they found comfortable spots in the room. Minghao, now fully clothed in casual but neatly assembled attire, stood near his bed.

Jeonghan broke the silence, clapping his hands together once before raising them in applause.

“The best,” Jeonghan said, his tone filled with genuine admiration as he gestured toward PD Na and his crew.

“Really, it’s amazing. ‘Youth Over Flowers’ really,” Dokyeom added, clapping as well. One by one, the other members followed suit, their collective applause filling the room with appreciation and acknowledgment.

Mingyu leaned back on the couch, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and humor. “During my years as an idol… this much I was shocked…” He paused dramatically before reenacting his reaction, his face contorting in mock astonishment as he said, “‘Really?’”

Luna, sitting on the same couch between Mingyu and Jeonghan, nodded in agreement. “Me too,” she said simply, her voice soft but earnest, her expression mirroring the awe shared by everyone.

Finally, Minghao, who had remained quiet as he processed everything, spoke up. His tone was slightly incredulous as he voiced what had clearly been on his mind. “No, so… Jun and I… there’s no reason that we would go!”

[His true feelings come out]

The members burst into laughter once again, their reactions ranging from amused chuckles to loud guffaws at Minghao’s candid remark.

“Minghao, why is there no way you would go? I think you’re cute,” PD Na teased, his tone playful yet sincere.

Jun, who had been quietly observing from the side, chimed in to reassure Minghao. “Minghao, it’s okay. They can quickly make one,” he said, referring to the idea of creating a show just for the two of them.

“Sorry. I had to do that to fool you guys,” PD Na explained, his voice carrying a note of apology. He glanced at Minghao before adding with a small smile, “Let’s go and slowly talk about it. Jun, you, and I will sit down and talk about these problems.”

The members erupted into laughter again, the absurdity of the situation making the moment even more lighthearted.

“Yes. Have a time where you talk honestly with PD,” Hoshi added, his words delivered with a mischievous grin that only amplified the laughter around them.

The room had settled into a buzz of excitement and disbelief as the members processed their situation. PD Na took a moment to look around at the group, a small smile playing on his lips. He clapped his hands once, drawing their attention, and began, “Okay, everyone is together, right?”

“Yes,” came the collective response from SEVENTEEN, their voices blending together.

“First…” PD Na trailed off as he surveyed the room, his gaze lingering on the energy of the group before he continued, “SEVENTEEN is so cool.” His tone was filled with genuine admiration.

“Really cool,” Dokyeom agreed immediately, his hand gesturing toward the staff and crew standing at the back of the room.

“But Na Young-seok is really awesome,” Seungkwan interjected, his voice filled with both humor and sincerity as he complimented the renowned PD.

“Na Young-seok is really awesome,” Dokyeom echoed, nodding in agreement.

Hoshi, sitting cross-legged on the floor, chimed in, “I think it’s the first time where I got fooled like this.” His words drew a chorus of agreements from the other members, nodding and murmuring in unison.

“I really was fooled, really. Really,” Dokyeom emphasized, his tone bordering on dramatic as he repeated himself for effect.

“To be honest, we… we didn’t expect it at all,” Seungkwan admitted, glancing toward the staff and then back to PD Na.

“Since we know all of our schedules. I know we don’t have a lot of free time,” Woozi added, his practical tone emphasizing how genuinely surprised they were.

Hoshi leaned forward, his hands gesturing animatedly as he explained, “We need to practice for our title track in Korea, and the following week we need to go to Budapest to film the music video. We need to practice our choreography no matter what.”

Jeonghan chuckled softly, shaking his head in disbelief. “We really have no time.”

“Right. We’re booked for the year,” Luna added, her laughter blending with the group’s energy.

“That’s why we are fooled,” Woozi concluded, crossing his arms as if putting the situation into logical terms.

PD Na tilted his head slightly and asked, “Since the schedule wouldn’t work, you thought, ‘This isn’t going to be easy’?”

“One day,” Mingyu and Luna answered in unison, their voices overlapping in perfect sync.

“‘We will go one day,’” Woozi repeated, almost as if summing up their collective assumption.

“We didn’t expect it to come this soon,” Luna said.

“I was looking at it after November,” Hoshi said, nodding to himself as he thought about how far ahead they had planned in their minds.

“I also thought of winter,” Dokyeom added, his tone thoughtful.

Considering their packed schedules, one of PD Na’s staff members finally spoke up, “Considering that too. We freed space for a week.”

The members marveled at this revelation, their reactions filled with amazement.

“We were worried about that too,” Seungkwan admitted, his voice softer now, a hint of appreciation in his tone.

“And… all the schedules that are planned for next week are fake,” the staff member continued, her words hanging in the air like a bombshell.

The reaction was immediate and explosive. “What?!” came the collective shout of disbelief from all the members, their voices layered with shock.

[Culture shock]

“All the dance practice and those schedules…” the staff member started to clarify.

“All fake,” S.Coups finished for her, his tone firm but still incredulous.

“Really?” Joshua asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Luna deadpanned with perfect comedic timing, “Wah, Jeonghannie’s parents and my parents invited the two of us for dinner next week… is that also fake?”

[Not that]

Her tone and expression were so straight-faced that the room erupted into laughter. PD Na pointed at her, laughing along with everyone else as if to say he appreciated her dry humor.

“All schedules up until the 15th are fake,” the staff member clarified again, her tone steady but amused.

“Ah… our parents too,” Luna and Jeonghan chorused, their voices perfectly synchronized and their expressions matching in faux-seriousness. This set off another wave of laughter throughout the room.

“We don’t need to worry about anything!” Seungkwan exclaimed, his tone suddenly filled with relief as he processed the implications.

Jeonghan, ever the quick-witted one, added, “We don’t have any dances in our music video then.”

“They said you’re doing it in Budapest,” S.Coups immediately corrected, his expression amused as he shot down Jeonghan’s momentary excitement.

“Ah… at Budapest,” Jeonghan said in defeat, nodding slowly as if resigning himself to the inevitable.

[Still doing that though]

S.Coups couldn’t help but laugh at his friend’s short-lived excitement, while Luna pointed at Jeonghan, chuckling at how quickly his optimism had been crushed.

“Ah, we will do it,” Seungkwan said as he shook his head eagerly, his hands flailing in delight. “Whatever! I don’t need to worry! I’m so happy!”

Woozi crossed his arms and leaned back slightly, his analytical mind already piecing together the elaborate ruse. “We got fooled in a very systematic way,” he noted, his tone laced with grudging admiration.

PD Na grinned, gesturing towards the group. “Because if we don’t do this, we thought you would suspect it.”

“Yes, yes,” Seungkwan said quickly, nodding along in agreement.

Minghao, sitting cross-legged with his arms draped over his knees, finally spoke up, his expression still one of mild disbelief. “But you really fooled us all. I didn’t even imagine this.”

One of the staff chimed in, “But Director Shim Jae Hyun worked really hard.”

“Wow, he’s a scary person,” Mingyu said, his eyes darting towards the mentioned director, whose quiet demeanor betrayed no hint of spoilers.

“Yes, he’s a scary person,” Woozi echoed, nodding in agreement.

“To be honest, he’s a liar. A liar,” Mingyu added with exaggerated emphasis, his voice light with humor.

Luna, seated beside Mingyu, laughed at his dramatics before reaching out to lightly smack his back. “Stop teasing the poor man,” she teased.

The laughter in the room was infectious, but PD Na clapped his hands again to regain their attention. “I am going to make some announcements, and we can talk about other things later,” he stated firmly, his tone signaling that he was moving forward.

The room quieted down, the members’ curiosity palpable. “Good news,” PD Na began, his smile widening as he continued, “I’m sure there are people who heard before. Where is the place that we’re going to vacation at?”

“Rome?” Minghao guessed, tilting his head.

“Yes…” PD Na confirmed, drawing gasps of delight and murmurs of excitement from the group.

“Wow, really?” Luna said, her eyes widening with enthusiasm.

“Oh my goodness… what?” Jeonghan exclaimed, leaning over to lazily hug Luna and Mingyu in his excitement.

“We are going to Italy,” PD Na announced officially, his tone almost teasing as the room erupted into cheers and clapping.

“Wow, really crazy!” Seungkwan said, his voice nearly a shout.

“Who has been to Italy?” PD Na asked, scanning the room.

“None, none,” Hoshi and Woozi answered in unison, their voices overlapping.

“It’s all our first times,” Woozi added, his tone thoughtful.

“That’s why we picked it,” another producer interjected, nodding toward the group.

“We haven’t been to Europe either,” Seungkwan added, his voice tinged with anticipation.

“Aside from Jiyeonie, we haven’t been to Europe,” Woozi said, gesturing towards Luna who was born and raised in London, who nodded quietly.

“I’m really excited,” Luna admitted, her voice soft but sincere.

PD Na took a moment before continuing, his tone shifting to one of genuine warmth. “To be honest, SEVENTEEN has had a really packed schedule up to now. I know you had a really hard time. You must have had no time to rest at all… so, the concept of this Italy vacation is different from our usual ‘Youth Over Flowers’.”

The room grew quieter, the members listening intently.

“Our ‘Youth Over Flowers’, normally you suffer and go around, right? This is the complete opposite,” PD Na explained.

“All package?” Dokyeom guessed, his tone hopeful.

“All-inclusive package,” PD Na confirmed, his smile widening as the room erupted into marveling reactions.

“We prepared this. So, you just need to play. We searched and rented all places where we can play and enjoy. At breakfast, go visit places and eat delicious things. At dinner, we get together and play. We are going to spend a week like this,” PD Na explained, his hands gesturing to emphasize his point.

“Awesome! I am so excited!” Dino said, clapping his hands together.

“You all just think of it as your first vacation after debuting,” PD Na added, his voice warm and encouraging.

Luna gasped dramatically, clasping her hands together. “Wow, thank you…” she said before tilting her head slightly and adding, “but why don’t I believe you?”

[She’s quick]

The room erupted into laughter at her dry humor, while PD Na looked at her in mock shock, his expression one of exaggerated offense.

Luna smirked, leaning back in her seat. “It’s just… based from experience, PD Na and the word ‘easygoing’? They don’t really match.”

The members howled with laughter again, Seungkwan clapping his hands as tears formed in the corners of his eyes.

“We can believe this, right?” Woozi asked, chuckling as realization slowly dawned on him.

“You can trust me. You can trust this,” PD Na said, his laughter mingling with theirs as he attempted to reassure them.

“Really?” Luna said, playfully raising an eyebrow. “I’ll trust you when I don’t end up playing for money on this so-called vacation.”

[Spoilers]

The room dissolved into laughter once more, with PD Na pointing at her, shaking his head in amusement.

“Tell them that this is right. You can believe this,” PD Na finally said, turning to SEVENTEEN’s manager for backup, his voice laced with mock desperation.

The room slowly quieted after another wave of laughter died down. PD Na, ever the professional, seized the moment to continue. “So, we changed the title completely. The title is not ‘Youth Over Flowers’…” He paused, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “It’s ‘NANA TOUR’.”

A few members repeated the title, the new name rolling off their tongues. “‘NANA TOUR’?” Dokyeom’s asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

“‘NANA TOUR’…” Seungkwan echoed, testing the words with a furrowed brow before breaking into a smile.

Jeonghan, always quick to make a connection, turned to Luna, his face lighting up with mischief. He poked her cheek gently with his fingers, leaning in close. “‘NANA TOUR’,” he whispered, his voice soft but teasing.

[Nana in ‘NANA TOUR’]

Luna turned to him, scrunching her nose in mock annoyance before breaking into a smile. She shook her head lightly, knowing full well he was referring to the nickname he had always called her— Nana.

“Since our trip is an all-inclusive package, there’s nothing you need to prepare,” PD Na said confidently, as if expecting applause.

Instead, his statement was met with blank stares and an awkward silence. The members’ uncertainty and distrust were written plainly across their faces.

[Distrust]

Luna blinked, her hunch from earlier resurfacing with full force. She glanced at PD Na suspiciously, her arms crossing as if bracing for the inevitable twist.

“You don’t need your bag or anything else,” PD Na continued, undeterred. “The things you need are the clothes you’re wearing and a cellphone. You don’t even need your wallet.”

“Really?” Dokyeom asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and cautious hope.

Luna, unable to hold back, giggled softly in defeat, already envisioning the chaos that awaited them. “Aigo-ya…” she murmured under her breath, shaking her head.

“So, we are going to go like that,” PD Na declared. Then, leaning in slightly, he added eagerly, “The problem is that our package departure is a bit early…”

Luna narrowed her eyes at him, leaning forward. “Wow, you’re really scary,” she said, her tone half-joking but tinged with genuine concern.

Her comment earned another round of laughter from the members, with Woozi chuckling and nodding in agreement. “I’m saying that his eyes are scary,” he added, pointing toward PD Na with mock seriousness.

“Right?” Luna said, pointing toward Woozi who said, “I mean, if you look closely from here, it’s like I keep falling in there… like a black hole.”

“Kind of turned around,” Seungkwan deadpanned, his expression one of exaggerated concern.

The room burst into laughter again, the light-hearted teasing bouncing off PD Na, who joined in with a chuckle of his own.

“We are going to go. Going to go to Italy,” PD Na repeated, his voice louder to regain control of the group. “But the problem is that we have to go kind of early.”

The room collectively waited, a mix of uncertainty and amusement setting in.

“You guys are going to get dressed starting now, and in three minutes, meet at the host room,” PD Na announced, his tone firm but cheerful.

“What? Three minutes?” Luna said, chuckling at the absurdity of the demand while several members gasped in shock.

Jeonghan, always one to find the fun in chaos, covered his mouth with his hands in excitement. “This is so much fun,” he said, his eyes sparkling.

[Loving it]

“In three minutes?” Dokyeom repeated, his voice rising in pitch.

“Because you don’t need a bag or wallet. We have all your passports,” PD Na explained.

“I think I need to brush my teeth,” Hoshi said, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin.

“Can’t it be five minutes?” Luna asked, a teasing smile playing on her lips as she raised a hand like a student requesting extra time.

[Bargaining]

“Just put some clothes on and get your cellphones,” PD Na said, staying firm on his three-minute deadline.

“I can’t shower? Shower?” Mingyu asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“Do it in three minutes,” Luna quipped, laughing as she added, “That’s what I’d call dedication.”

“Is there underwear in the package?” Dokyeom asked, his voice full of genuine concern.

“Everything!” PD Na assured them. “Just wear what you are wearing now, or you can change. You just need to come.”

“Yes, okay. Let’s hurry up and get ready,” Seungkwan said, already getting to his feet and rallying the group.

“It’s 6:20 a.m. right now… should we meet at 6:25?” PD Na asked.

“Yes!” Luna was the first to respond, her voice eager as she seemingly ignored the chaos looming ahead.

“6:23!” one of the staff corrected loudly, breaking the illusion of extra time.

Luna immediately pouted, turning toward the producer who had corrected PD Na. “Why did you correct him?” she asked, her tone light but full of mock betrayal.

“I’m sorry,” the producer said, chuckling at her expression.

Sighing dramatically, Luna slowly stood up, already following the chaos of thirteen men scrambling to get to their rooms.

The chaos that erupted in Minghao’s room was instant and electrifying. Members scrambled to exit, weaving around furniture and each other in a frenzy of hurried movement. Camera crew darted after them, capturing every frantic moment as they headed to their respective rooms to prepare for the three-minute challenge.

“It would be nice to go together at times like this,” Jeonghan’s voice carried through the room, calm amidst the madness. Luna, still standing near him, glanced over and saw him speaking casually to PD Na, who nodded and then excused himself.

Without missing a beat, Jeonghan’s hand blindly reached out, his fingers naturally finding and intertwining with Luna’s. It was such a habitual gesture that Luna barely registered it until their hands were fully linked.

“My cheetah pants…” Jeonghan chuckled, directing his comment to the camera trailing him.

Luna’s gaze dropped to his outfit— a pair of bold, cheetah-print shorts that looked entirely out of place amidst the chaos of their hurried preparations. She couldn’t help but grin. “It’s cute,” she said sincerely, her voice laced with affection.

Jeonghan, ever the playful spirit, tugged her toward the door. “Let’s go!” he said enthusiastically as he led them out of the room.

Once in the hallway, his excitement seemed to peak. “Hurray!” he exclaimed, his voice echoing as he began skipping down the corridor, still holding tightly onto Luna’s hand.

[Has the most energy out of the two]

Luna burst into laughter, the sound warm and genuine. “You like things like this,” she teased, watching as he practically bounced with energy.

[Bunnies hop, hop, hop]

“Oh, it’s nice,” Jeonghan admitted, his tone lighthearted as he glanced back at her. His joy was infectious, pulling a wider smile from Luna as they neared their destination.

When they reached the corner, Jeonghan and Luna turned right, finding their rooms right next to each other. As they stopped, Jeonghan released her hand for a moment, turning toward his camera with a cheeky grin. “I will come back safely,” he said with mock seriousness, saluting toward the lens.

Then, looking at Luna and nodding confidently, he added, “Three minutes is enough time.”

Luna shook her head with a soft chuckle, her skepticism evident. “It really isn’t,” she replied, her tone dry but amused as she opened the door to her room.

Their linked hands fell apart as they parted ways, each stepping into their respective rooms with their camera crew in tow. The hallway behind them remained abuzz with movement, but inside their rooms, the countdown to chaos had begun.

Luna took a deep breath as she closed the door to her room, the muffled sounds of the other members scrambling in the hallway barely registering in her ears.

Despite the whirlwind of chaos outside, her own calm and orderly surroundings were a stark contrast. Her room was spotless, everything neatly in its place.

Luna looked around and nodded, hyping herself up. “I can do this,” she said aloud, her voice steady as she turned toward her camera with a small smile. “I’ll brush my teeth first,” she decided, heading toward the sink with purpose.

[Hyped herself up]

The sound of water running filled the room as she grabbed her toothbrush, squeezing toothpaste onto it with practiced efficiency. Brushing her teeth quickly, Luna turned her head to scan the room, already mapping out her next steps. Her mental checklist came to life as she spotted her suitcase tucked neatly in the corner and her shoes lined up by the wall.

She worked swiftly, even as faint, muffled shouting from the hallway— likely Seungkwan or Dokyeom— momentarily distracted her. A small laugh escaped her. “It’s chaos out there,” she mumbled, half to herself.

After rinsing her mouth, Luna moved on to wash her face, splashing the cool water against her skin before quickly drying off with a towel. Her skincare routine followed— sped up drastically given the circumstances. As she patted her face with cream, she glanced at the camera. “Do you think PD Na will take my bag if I brought one? He will, right?” she mused, half-joking but with an edge of genuine concern.

[Yes he will]

Once done, she darted to her luggage, unzipping it with a determined motion. Her hands rifled through her neatly folded clothes until she found the perfect outfit.

Pulling out a lightweight white crochet cropped halter top and high-waisted blue jeans, she spoke again. “Italy will be hot, I’m sure… right?” she asked rhetorically, holding up the clothes to the camera. With a quick wave, she added, “I’ll go and change first,” before disappearing into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.

A few minutes later, Luna emerged, the transformation complete. “Ta-dah!” she announced, spinning playfully for the camera. The cropped halter top fit perfectly, accentuating her figure without being over the top, and the jeans added a casual yet polished touch to the look.

[Fashionable as always]

She moved quickly to refold and pack her used clothes into her suitcase. The next step was grabbing her sneakers, socks, and slipping them on in record time. “They’ll bring my luggage back to Korea for me, right?” she asked absently, lacing her shoes tightly.

Without waiting for an answer, she pulled out a jacket— a simple, oversized piece that complemented her outfit— and shrugged it on.

“Pretty?” she asked, pausing in front of the mirror to assess herself. After a moment, she nodded in approval, grabbing her phone and slipping it into her pocket.

[Also true]

Her focus shifted suddenly. “Charger, charger… where’s my charger?” she muttered, darting around the room, her movements quick but not panicked. Opening drawers, checking the bedside table, and even peeking under the bed, she shook her head in confusion. “Did I leave it in Hannie’s room? I think I did,” she said, her voice rising slightly as realization struck.

Without hesitation, Luna left her room, her oversized jacket swishing around her as she darted down the hallway. “My charger! My charger is important,” she chanted in a sing-song voice, her steps light as she reached Jeonghan’s door.

Pushing it open slightly— it had been left ajar— she stepped inside.

Jeonghan was by the sink, toothbrush in hand, his voice muffled as he spoke to his camera. He turned his head slightly at the sound of her voice. “Hannie…” Luna called, scanning the room, her eyes darting from one corner to the next.

Jeonghan hummed in response, not stopping his brushing as he let her roam freely.

“Where’s my charger?” she asked, hands now on her hips as she glanced at him.

“Bedside table,” he answered through a mouthful of toothpaste, pointing lazily in the right direction before returning to his commentary with the camera.

Luna walked over, grabbing the charger and carefully wrapping the cord around her hand before slipping it into her jacket pocket. As she moved toward the door, she paused, catching Jeonghan mid-sentence. He had just swallowed the toothpaste and opened his mouth to continue speaking when she clicked her tongue in disapproval.

[Swallows]

Turning back, she crossed the room in a few steps and softly cupped his cheeks with her hand, squeezing them gently. Jeonghan blinked at her, amusement flashing in his eyes as he raised an eyebrow.

“You need to stop doing that. That’s not good for you, Han,” Luna scolded, her tone light but firm.

After Luna scolded Jeonghan for swallowing the toothpaste, he swallowed the laughter threatening to spill and quirked a brow at her, his voice smooth with mock innocence. “What? I’m just saving time. They say multitasking is a life skill, Nana-ya.” Jeonghan’s smirk deepened as he leaned a fraction closer, his tone turning deliberately playful before he added, “You know if you’re that curious, I can let you try. It’s minty fresh.”

[Toothpaste makes you act weirdly]

As he leaned forward slightly, as if to close the space between them, Luna immediately took a step back, her eyes widening in alarm. She raised her hands, palms facing him in a silent plea to stop, her expression a mix of amusement and panic. Without needing words, she darted her gaze toward the cameras capturing their every move, silently reminding him they weren’t exactly alone.

“I already know what toothpaste tastes like.” Luna said.

Jeonghan chuckled softly, clearly amused by her reaction, and straightened up again, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Relax,” he drawled, his voice low enough that it almost seemed meant for her alone. “I’m just kidding... I’m not sharing my toothpaste with you.”

Luna’s exasperated sigh and the slight roll of her eyes only made his grin grow wider as she spun on her heel, muttering something under her breath as she returned to her room.

“Cute,” she heard him say behind her as she stepped back into the hallway, ready to finish her preparations.

Luna reentered her room, her brows furrowed in concentration as she darted toward her belongings. Determined to make the most of her limited options, she began methodically stuffing the essentials into her pockets.

“Earphones are essential,” she muttered to herself, sliding them into her jean pocket with practiced ease.

She then moved to her bag, pulling out a compact pill organizer. “Vitamins are important… supplements…” she trailed off, her voice soft as she frowned at the assortment of items spread across her bed.

She hesitated, picking up a small tube of sunscreen and holding it up as if deliberating its importance. “What do I do about my skincare?” she whispered, her pout growing more pronounced as she glanced helplessly at the other bottles.

As if summoned by her quiet dilemma, the door to her room creaked open, and in sauntered Jeonghan. He was now dressed in the white shirt he was wearing earlier and black joggers, his relaxed demeanor amplified by the black cap perched on his head

However, it was the massive duffel bag slung over his shoulder that immediately caught Luna’s attention.

Jeonghan strode into the room confidently, dropping the oversized bag onto the floor with an audible thud before positioning himself beside her.

[The biggest bag he could find]

Luna blinked at him, then at the bag, before tilting her head incredulously. “PD Na said no bags… clearly, you’re not following instructions,” she said, crossing her arms as she looked up at him.

Jeonghan shrugged, utterly unbothered, before reaching over to grab her handbag from the corner of the room. He handed it to her without a word, then picked up the sunscreen and other skincare items she had been fretting over. Carefully, he began arranging them in his duffel bag, his movements deliberate and calm.

“What else do you need?” he asked, his tone casual, as though the cameras and the impending confiscation of their belongings didn’t exist.

Luna gaped at him. “Ya! He’s gonna take our bags,” she protested, though her voice wavered between amusement and disbelief.

Unfazed, Jeonghan moved to her luggage, unzipping it and selecting a few clothing items. He folded them neatly before tucking them into his bag as if they had all the time in the world.

“I’m thankful, but… what’s the point, honestly?” Luna chuckled, shaking her head as she grabbed her navy-blue Miu Miu cap and placed it snugly on her head. Despite Jeonghan’s quiet determination, she couldn’t help but feel skeptical.

Jeonghan straightened up, turning to face her with an easy smile. “The point,” he began, his voice steady and low, “is that we can at least try.” He lifted one shoulder in a nonchalant half-shrug, his gaze softening. “If it works, great. If it doesn’t, it’s fine. Either way, don’t worry.”

Luna bit her lip, her fingers fidgeting with the brim of her cap. “Are you sure?” she asked hesitantly, her pout returning.

Jeonghan’s expression didn’t falter. “I’m sure,” he said firmly, yet with a gentleness that made her feel oddly reassured. “Now, quickly— what else do you need? Put it in the bag before we run out of time.”

Luna glanced at the bed again, chewing on her lip as she picked up a small hairbrush and her portable battery. “Maybe this…” she said uncertainly, placing them in his outstretched hand.

“See? Easy,” Jeonghan said with a soft chuckle as he packed the items away. He gave her an encouraging nod. “Anything else?”

Luna glanced at her luggage, a playful glint in her eyes as she strolled over to it. “This,” she announced, pulling a small red bunny plushie from the depths of her bag.

[Hello]

She held it up with a cheeky smile, clearly testing her luck with Jeonghan.

Jeonghan didn’t even bat an eye.

He nodded, hummed in agreement, and reached out for the plushie. Without a word, he tucked it neatly into his oversized duffel bag, his expression unreadable but calm.

“That’s all?” he asked, scanning the room briefly as if double-checking.

“Yes… let’s go,” Luna replied, moving toward the door before stopping abruptly. “Oh!” She turned on her heel, darting to her bedside table to grab her sunglasses. Sliding them onto her face with a satisfied smile, she asked, “Okay?”

Jeonghan adjusted the strap of his bag as he gave her a long look, taking in her attire and her scattered belongings. “Okay,” he asked one last time, “Finished?”

Luna took a moment to scan her room with a careful gaze before nodding firmly. “Finished.”

Jeonghan gave the room one final sweep himself, his meticulous side refusing to leave anything to chance.

Satisfied, he opened the door, gesturing for her to go ahead. Their camera operators followed closely behind as the two of them made their way down the hallway toward the host room where they had been told to meet the others.

As they walked, Luna pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed her mother’s number. Pressing the device to her ear, she waited for the line to connect.

“Did you tell your mom?” she asked Jeonghan, glancing over at him as he placed his own sunglasses on his face.

“I messaged her, but she hasn’t replied yet,” he said, his voice calm as always. “She’s probably still sleeping.”

Luna nodded, remembering what she had mentioned to PD Na earlier about their parents’ dinner plans. Both her and Jeonghan’s parents had invited the two of them to a joint family dinner, but with the sudden change of plans, they now had to rain check.

“Don’t worry,” Jeonghan added smoothly, his tone reassuring. “We can reschedule— or they can have dinner together without us.”

Luna smiled at his practicality but didn’t have a chance to respond before her mother answered the phone.

“Hi, Mommy!” Luna greeted warmly, her tone softening as she adjusted the phone against her ear. “No, no, nothing bad, don’t worry. I just wanted to call and update you about something.”

She listened for a moment, her mom’s concerned voice coming faintly through the receiver, before laughing lightly. “I’m fine, really. But there’s been a change of plans… long story short, we’ve been kidnapped and we’re going to Italy.”

Her mother’s surprise was evident even without seeing her, and Luna quickly continued, “It’s for work, don’t worry. You know how these schedules can change last minute.” She paused to glance at Jeonghan, who was walking beside her with his hands tucked casually into his pockets.

“Yes… yes, Jeonghannie’s here with me,” Luna added, a soft smile playing on her lips as she said his name. “We’re heading to meet the others now.”

She listened as her mom’s tone shifted, likely asking a string of rapid-fire questions about logistics and safety. Luna hummed thoughtfully in response, nodding even though her mother couldn’t see her.

“Yes, yes, I’ll make sure to eat properly. Don’t worry.” Luna chuckled softly, her voice warm and light. “And yes, we’ll keep you updated as soon as we land.”

She glanced at Jeonghan again, as though silently sharing the conversation with him. “Jeonghan already messaged his mom, but I think she’s still sleeping. Yeah, we’re all fine. No need to stress…”

Luna stepped into the host room, phone pressed to her ear as her mother continued to ask her questions.

The members were already seated, fully dressed and ready, their attention quickly drawn to the two as they entered. Jeonghan strolled in behind her, his gait leisurely, and his demeanor calm. It didn’t go unnoticed that they looked subtly coordinated, both wearing white with caps and sunglasses perched on their faces.

[The mischievous ones arrive]

“Aigo!” one of PD Na’s staff exclaimed with a chuckle, their eyes immediately landing on Luna’s handbag and the enormous duffel bag slung over Jeonghan’s shoulder— almost as large as Luna herself.

Everyone in the room turned to look, and the members couldn’t suppress their laughter, shaking their heads at the duo’s antics.

“I’m sorry, but no bags,” PD Na announced, stepping toward them with an air of mock authority. He gently grabbed Luna’s handbag, preparing to place it next to the small pile of confiscated bags that clearly belonged to Joshua, Mingyu, Seungkwan, and Dino.

Still on her call, Luna raised her voice playfully for her mother to hear. “Mommy, there is a strange man trying to take my bag,” she said, her voice filled with mock alarm.

[Tells on PD Na]

The room erupted into laughter, with the members clutching their sides while PD Na froze in shock, still holding onto her bag. “No…” PD Na stuttered, visibly flabbergasted, as he struggled to form a response.

Luna turned to Jeonghan with a mock glare, pointing accusingly at him. “I told you he won’t allow it!”

Jeonghan, unfazed, smirked at her. “And I told you we’re just trying our luck.”

“Well, clearly, luck is not on our side today,” Luna quipped, crossing her arms in faux exasperation.

Jeonghan leaned slightly toward her and responded coolly, “Luck doesn’t like quitters, Nana-ya and it’s called strategy not failure.”

[Bunnies arguing]

The room burst into laughter again, with Seungkwan teasing them between chuckles, “Mom, Dad, stop!”

PD Na, still clutching Luna’s handbag, began laughing as well, shaking his head in defeat.

“Mommy,” Luna continued, her voice still filled with exaggerated dramatics, “the man who is trying to take my bag is the same man who scared me earlier!” She shot PD Na a cheeky look, earning more laughter from the group.

Jeonghan, clearly entertained, grinned as he wordlessly set his duffel bag on the ground, making no move to remove any of its contents despite PD Na’s earlier proclamation.

“I’m sorry, Luna,” PD Na finally said through his chuckles, “but only things that can fit in your pockets are allowed to be brought.”

Luna sighed in defeat but couldn’t help laughing along. “Alright,” she said with a small chuckle, finally giving in.

Without missing a beat, Jeonghan reached over, plucked her phone from her hand, and brought it to his ear. “Yes, Mom… hello…” he said smoothly, his calm tone cutting through the lingering laughter in the room.

Meanwhile, Luna moved to the corner, her focus shifting to salvaging what she could. She placed her own bag down near the other confiscated bags, stuffing her pockets with the essentials she truly needed. Her movements were hurried but deliberate as she muttered softly to herself about what could possibly fit.

[Huffs and puffs]

The members watched her with amusement as Jeonghan continued chatting easily with her mom in the background, his relaxed voice a stark contrast to her visible frustration.

Soon, Jeonghan handed Luna’s phone back to her, ending the call with a final polite, “Take care, Mom.” Just as he turned around, PD Na approached, his eyes narrowing playfully at the oversized duffel bag still sitting on the chair.

“You’re really not going to give up on that bag, are you?” PD Na teased, folding his arms as he tilted his head toward Jeonghan.

Jeonghan chuckled, his tone light and teasing. “Alright, alright. I’ll return it,” he finally relented, though his grin said otherwise. With a dramatic sigh, he opened the bag and revealed its contents for everyone to see.

PD Na leaned over, his brow lifting as he spotted something at the top of the pile. “The ramyeon… how many do you need with you?” he asked incredulously, pulling out not one but three cups of ramyeon.

The room erupted into laughter as Jeonghan scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Is this a ramyeon store?” PD Na teased, holding up the cups for everyone to see.

Jeonghan simply shrugged, his tone nonchalant. “I carry a lot of things around.”

“He said only things you can put in your pockets are allowed,” Wonwoo chimed in, his voice deadpan as he repeated the rule word for word.

Before Jeonghan could respond, PD Na’s hand dove back into the bag, this time emerging with a familiar red bunny plushie. He held it up triumphantly, turning to face the rest of the room.

“And what is this?” PD Na asked, his tone filled with mock seriousness. “Is this necessary for the trip to Italy?”

The sight of the bunny made the group laugh even harder.

“That’s mine,” Luna said, stepping forward with her hand raised.

“Yours?” PD Na asked, clearly not expecting the response.

Luna nodded firmly. “That’s an essential.”

The sincerity in her voice made the chuckles grow louder.

“How exactly is this an essential?” PD Na asked, his brow furrowed as he examined the plushie like it was a mysterious artifact.

Luna crossed her arms, a glint of playfulness in her eyes. “Whenever you have a hard time sleeping during the trip, I can lend it to you.”

Her matter-of-fact tone sent the room into another fit of laughter, and even PD Na couldn’t help but chuckle as he handed the bunny over to her.

Luna cradled the plushie in her arms before crouching down by Jeonghan’s bag. “Give me a second,” she muttered, her hands already rummaging through the contents.

Jeonghan didn’t stop her, merely stepping aside with an amused smile as he watched her dig through his meticulously packed bag.

[Is it Jeonghan’s bag or hers?]

“What is happening?” PD Na asked, his tone incredulous but entertained.

“Your fault,” Jeonghan replied easily.

Luna pulled out her moisturizer and sunscreen, inspecting them briefly before stuffing them into her jacket pocket.

“Why are your things in there?” PD Na asked, finally noticing that most of the items in the bag didn’t seem to belong to Jeonghan at all.

“I need them,” Luna replied simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

PD Na shook his head, laughing as he watched her continue to sort through the bag, while Jeonghan stood by with a satisfied smirk, clearly unbothered by the commotion his duffel bag had caused.

Jeonghan and Luna stood at the back of the room, both completely engrossed in their little mission as the rest of the group lounged around, waiting for PD Na’s signal to leave.

Jeonghan reached for the hem of Luna’s jacket, tugging at it gently to get her attention.

“Are you cold?” he asked softly, his voice barely above a murmur.

Luna looked up from where she was busy rearranging her belongings. “Hmm? Not really. I just brought this just in case,” she answered, her tone casual.

Without another word, Jeonghan slid the jacket off her shoulders. Luna allowed him to do so, albeit with a confused expression, standing there in her cropped white halter top.

“Hannie, what are you—” she began, but her voice trailed off as he folded the jacket with practiced precision, his long fingers deftly manipulating the fabric.

[?]

Jeonghan didn’t respond right away, instead focusing on the task at hand. He began stuffing the jacket’s large pockets with her smaller essentials— lip balm, tissues, and her travel-sized moisturizer— all while humming to himself.

Then, with a few neat folds and an expert tie, he transformed the jacket into a makeshift sling bag.

[Doing anything and everything]

Luna giggled as she watched him, her amusement bubbling over. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

Jeonghan smirked, handing her the now-repurposed jacket bag. “Efficient is the word you’re looking for,” he quipped, helping her tuck the last of her items inside.

Their little moment didn’t go unnoticed.

From across the room, Seungkwan spotted them and couldn’t help but call them out, his voice ringing loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Ya! Yoon Jeonghan! Bae Jiyeon!”

All heads turned in unison, catching the two red-handed. Luna and Jeonghan froze, Luna clutching the makeshift bag as if it were evidence of a crime.

[Bunnies got caught]

The members burst into laughter, their amusement echoing through the room.

“Wah…” PD Na exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Those two… really…” S.Coups chuckled, his tone a mix of exasperation and fondness.

Jeonghan raised his hands in mock innocence. “What? We’re just folding her jacket. Jiyeonie is feeling hot,” he said smoothly, his expression calm and unbothered.

[Lie no. 1]

PD Na wasn’t buying it. “So, you’re not bringing that jacket, right? Since she’s feeling hot… it’s hot in Italy too. So it won’t be needed.”

Luna, ever quick on her feet, jumped in before Jeonghan could respond. “No. I might need it on the plane. I get cold easily.”

[Lie no. 2]

The members behind PD Na exchanged knowing looks, trying to stifle their laughter. They all knew Luna loved the cold and was often the last person to complain about being chilly, but they stayed silent, enjoying the show.

“It wouldn’t be fair for the other members,” PD Na pointed out, his gaze steady.

“He’s right!” a few members chorused, siding with him in unison.

Luna wasn’t one to back down easily. “Then allow them to bring more stuff too,” she reasoned, her tone earnest.

“She’s right!” The same members who had sided with PD Na now shifted their allegiance to Luna so fast that it made him laugh out loud.

“No, I can’t let you,” PD Na chuckled, his resolve unwavering.

“Don’t you think it’s only fair? Jiyeonie fell off her bed earlier…” Jeonghan added, his voice dripping with mock sympathy as he gave PD Na a pointed look.

[Manipulates PD Na]

The members chuckled, their amusement growing.

“He’s right. I could have broken my hip…” Luna chimed in, her voice dramatic.

“Me too,” Jeonghan added.

PD Na blinked at him, his expression caught between disbelief and amusement. “What do you mean ‘me too’?”

“I broke Jiyeonie’s fall,” Jeonghan stated simply, his tone so matter-of-fact that it made Luna burst out laughing, the sound contagious as the rest of the group followed suit.

“You fell?” Minghao asked, his concern cutting through the laughter as he looked at Luna. He hadn’t been there earlier when she was woken up.

“I did,” Luna nodded, her chuckles softening into a sheepish smile.

“See? Don’t you feel bad for scaring Jiyeonie?” Jeonghan continued, his voice teasing as he shot a pointed look at PD Na.

“Wah! Those two are really scary,” Dokyeom said, pointing at the pair with an exaggerated shake of his head.

“Shameless. They are shameless,” Seungkwan declared, though his tone betrayed how entertained he was.

“They share the same brain cells, really,” Mingyu added, shaking his head in faux disbelief.

PD Na held up his hands, silencing the playful chaos with a laugh. “No. Give them all to me. It’s all there,” he said firmly, gesturing to Luna and Jeonghan’s makeshift bag of essentials.

Finally, Luna and Jeonghan gave up, surrendering the jacket and removing the unnecessary items. Luna was left with only the true necessities tucked into her pockets as PD Na watched over them like a hawk.

[Gives up]

“We’ll give you all the pocket money when we get there. Give you a place to stay. Give you delicious food too,” PD Na said reassuringly, his tone light yet final, as though he were a parent reasoning with mischievous children.

Jeonghan and Luna exchanged a glance before sighing in unison, their antics coming to an end— for now.

The excitement in the room was palpable, and Seungkwan could barely contain himself. “Sounds like so much fun!” he exclaimed, his voice brimming with energy as he clapped his hands together.

“It’s been a while since I felt this excited,” Mingyu added, nodding in agreement, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.

“Sounds so much fun. How would we go if it wasn’t for times like this?” Seungkwan marveled, his tone growing more reflective as he glanced around at his fellow members.

“It’s our first time going to Europe as a group,” Joshua pointed out, his voice calm but filled with quiet excitement.

“To be honest, it’s really hard to fool all fourteen of us. It’s really not easy,” Dino chimed in, emphasizing his amazement as he gestured toward the crew, his expression one of genuine admiration.

“Oh, this is really the best reality show,” Hoshi said, his trademark grin stretching across his face.

“But… thank you so much for hiding this thoroughly,” Woozi said earnestly, turning to PD Na and his crew with a small bow of gratitude.

“Really! We can figure it out and ruin it. Ruin the fun,” Seungkwan agreed, nodding emphatically. He opened his mouth to continue, but before he could finish his thought, a staff member stepped forward with a phone in hand, raising it to face the group.

“Okay, we’ll take a picture… one, two, three…” the staff member announced.

Immediately, the members broke into bright smiles, striking playful poses for the camera.

“Nice. I’ll take one more… one, two, three…” the staff said again, and the group posed once more, their excitement evident in their grins.

[First picture of the trip]

As the camera clicked, PD Na clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. “Okay! All our customers are here. We will move to the bus right away and leave. Off we go to Italy!”

“Let’s go!” Dokyeom exclaimed, jumping to his feet, his enthusiasm infectious as the members began to gather themselves and head out of the room.

With her stuffed bunny in one hand, Luna barely had time to react before Dokyeom grabbed her other hand. He swung their hands back and forth as he skipped ahead, his energy unmatched.

“We are off to Italy!” Dokyeom announced loudly, his voice echoing through the hallway, drawing laughter from those around him.

Luna couldn’t help but laugh along, her voice soft compared to Dokyeom’s boisterous exclamation. “Yay!” she said in a tiny voice, unable to match his energy but happy to go along with it.

“Just follow the yellow brick road, Jiyeonie!” Dokyeom said with a mischievous grin.

“That’s gonna take us to the wrong place,” Luna chuckled, amused by his reference as they entered the elevator with the first batch of members, unable to fit everyone at once.

Once they reached the basement parking of the hotel, they found themselves waiting for the rest of the group to arrive. Joshua, curious, turned to PD Na.

“You were in this hotel?” he asked.

“No, the hotel next to ours. Purposely. Just in case we got caught,” S.Coups answered for PD Na, stepping forward with a knowing smile.

“We had a meeting with S.Coups. I was sitting in the hotel room for seven hours,” PD Na explained, shaking his head at the memory before adding, “Nothing matters now.”

“This was in it for fooling you guys. Let’s just keep it a secret until 5 a.m. That was it,” S.Coups said, crossing his arms as if reliving the meticulous planning.

Luna, however, was only half-listening. Her focus was elsewhere as she typed away on her phone, updating her mom just like she told her to. Her concentration was so intense that she didn’t catch the part where S.Coups admitted to being part of the plan, or the subtle implication that he wouldn’t be joining them due to his injury.

“So detailed,” Joshua praised, glancing at PD Na with genuine admiration.

“Since it’s the first time where all of the members were fooled,” Wonwoo said, adding his agreement.

“We are quick,” S.Coups said with a knowing smile.

“If you do a hidden camera on us and one of us figures it out, the atmosphere changes,” Wonwoo explained, his voice calm and insightful as he gestured to the group.

“Since there are a lot of people,” PD Na added with a nod, acknowledging the challenge of keeping such a large group in the dark.

The van intended to take them to their bus rolled smoothly to a stop in front of the group, its engine humming quietly in the background.

PD Na clapped his hands together, gathering everyone’s attention. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,” he urged them, motioning toward the vehicle. Then, turning to S.Coups, he added with genuine appreciation, “S.Coups, thanks,” acknowledging the leader’s help with a slight nod.

At this, Wonwoo and Vernon, who were just about to climb into the van, paused and turned around.

“Oh!” Wonwoo exclaimed, realizing the significance of PD Na’s words. He immediately made his way back to S.Coups, his usual stoic demeanor breaking into something softer and more affectionate.

Dokyeom, who had been patting S.Coups’ back, couldn’t help but laugh as he pointed at Wonwoo. “He was going to leave without looking back!” Dokyeom teased, his voice playful as always.

“Leaving coldly,” PD Na added with a chuckle, shaking his head in mock disapproval.

Wonwoo ignored the teasing as he reached out to hug S.Coups, who was laughing at the whole situation.

“You saw Wonwoo just leaving, right? Us two— you remember us hugging you right away,” Dokyeom said dramatically, pointing at himself and Joshua as if to cement their loyalty in S.Coups’ mind.

S.Coups grinned at their antics and patted Dokyeom’s shoulder reassuringly. “I will send you a message,” he said, his tone calm and affectionate, as always.

Vernon, who had been watching the exchange with growing confusion, finally pieced it together. His eyes widened slightly as the realization dawned on him.

“Ah! You’re not coming with us!” Vernon exclaimed, his tone surprised.

The sudden statement snapped Luna out of her focus, her head whipping toward them as she processed Vernon’s words.

“Who?” she asked, her voice laced with genuine concern and upset, though she wasn’t yet sure who Vernon was referring to.

The group turned to look at her, a collective chuckle rippling through them.

“You were here this whole time?” Joshua teased, his voice light and teasing as he raised an eyebrow at her.

Luna, however, wasn’t in the mood to reply and completely ignored his comment. Her gaze darted around the group as she asked again, “Who’s not coming? Coupsie?”

Her voice softened as her eyes landed on S.Coups, who was looking back at her with a small, sad smile.

“He’s going to hurt his leg,” Dokyeom explained, his voice softer now, as if he didn’t want to upset her further.

“Go home safely,” Wonwoo added, his tone warm and sincere.

“No…” Luna trailed off, her voice filled with disbelief. She didn’t know what to say, her thoughts scrambling to process the fact that their leader wouldn’t be coming along.

“Rest well,” Joshua told S.Coups, his voice gentle and understanding.

“Ah… this is so sad. What do I do?” Vernon said dramatically, shaking S.Coups’ hand in farewell before stepping back. Then, as if to lighten the mood, Vernon added with a teasing grin, “I will have fun.” He waved teasingly as he backed away toward the van, his antics drawing a laugh from S.Coups and the rest of the members.

The group’s laughter filled the air, but Luna was unmoved by the levity of the moment. She stood there, her lips pressed into a pout, clearly upset as her eyes stayed on S.Coups.

“This is really upsetting,” Wonwoo commented, his tone quieter now as he glanced at Luna before turning back to S.Coups.

S.Coups laughed softly, waving at the group as they bid their goodbyes. Joshua, Dokyeom, and Wonwoo joined Vernon in waving goodbye to him, their hands raised high as they slowly backed toward the van.

Luna, however, didn’t move, her pout deepening as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her expression spoke volumes, and it was clear to everyone watching that she wasn’t ready to let this go just yet.

Luna’s gaze stayed locked on S.Coups as the others reluctantly began moving toward the van. Her feet remained planted, her stuffed bunny clutched tightly in one hand. She was quiet for a moment, processing the finality of what Vernon had just said.

[Looks like she’s gonna cry]

Then, softly, S.Coups asked, “Aigo… why?” He smiled at her gently, the way he always did when he knew she was upset.

“You’re not coming?” she asked again, her voice trembling slightly even though she already knew the answer. He needed to fly back to Korea for rehab and treatment— he needed to rest. But knowing it didn’t make it any easier.

“I’m not, Nie,” S.Coups replied, his tone calm and soothing. “You understand why, right?”

Luna nodded silently, but her heart sank. She hated it when any of the members were left out. To her, it felt wrong, incomplete. The thought of S.Coups, their leader and rock, staying behind while the rest of them embarked on this long-awaited trip gnawed at her.

“I can stay here with you,” Luna offered, her voice firm and completely serious.

S.Coups immediately gave her a sharp look, the kind of authoritative stare that only he could deliver. “No. I won’t let you. I’ll be fine, Jiyeonie. Don’t worry too much,” he reassured her, his tone gentle but decisive.

“No. I want to stay with you,” Luna insisted, her stubborn streak shining through as she met his gaze.

This time, S.Coups gave her one of his leader stares— the kind that could silence any argument.

Luna’s shoulders sagged slightly, and her lips jutted out in a pout. “Cheollie…” she trailed off, her voice almost a whine as she shuffled closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug, burying her face against his shoulder. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Some people might think she was being overly dramatic, and maybe she was, but who cares?

This was S.Coups— her leader, her big brother figure, her constant— and it didn’t feel right to leave him behind.

“You haven’t been to Europe, and you were the most excited when we won this trip,” Luna murmured sadly as she pulled away from the hug. She remembered vividly how ecstatic he had been when they won the trip during Game Caterers a few months ago.

S.Coups smiled at her, but it was tinged with sadness. “I know,” he said simply.

He could see the gears turning in her head as she mulled over the idea of staying behind with him. She was always like this— selfless to a fault, especially when it came to the people she cared about. But S.Coups wasn’t going to let her miss this opportunity.

“Can you do something for me?” he said softly, coaxing her.

Luna blinked, her attention fully on him now. “What?”

“Get me something from Italy,” he said, his smile soft and encouraging. “Something special. For me.”

Luna hesitated but finally nodded. “Alright…” she said, her voice still tinged with sadness.

“Stop being so sad,” S.Coups chuckled, reaching out to pat her arm.

“I don’t like it when we aren’t complete,” Luna admitted, her voice quiet but sincere.

She knew she sounded clingy, but she couldn’t help it. She had grown up with these men— they were her family.

“I know,” S.Coups said, his voice equally soft. His gaze dropped to the red bunny plushie Luna was holding. He smiled and said, “That can be me for the meantime.”

Luna looked down at the plushie, her pout deepening slightly before she softened. “Cherry…” she murmured, tracing her finger over the bunny’s ear. “I’ll take Cherry with me everywhere.”

[Cherry will be Cheollie for a week]

S.Coups’ smile widened at that.

“I’ll take you to Italy when you’re okay,” Luna said suddenly, her voice filled with determination. She looked up at him, her eyes serious. “Just the two of us. I promise.” She held out her pinkie finger to him, her expression unyielding.

S.Coups stared at her for a moment, knowing she was dead serious and meant every word.

With a soft chuckle, he linked his pinkie with hers. “Promise,” he said.

Luna gave him another tight hug, her arms wrapped firmly around his shoulders. “Rest well and heal fast,” she whispered. “I’ll call you and send you pictures and buy you so many things.”

Before pulling away, she placed a quick kiss on his cheek, making him laugh softly.

“Nie, I have a letter,” S.Coups said, his voice teasing but sincere.

Luna furrowed her brows in confusion. “A letter? What letter?”

S.Coups smirked and nodded his head toward the van. “Go… but don’t forget, choose the letter.”

Still confused, Luna could only nod hesitantly as she let herself be gently pushed toward the van. “Alright…” she said, though her voice held an uncertain edge as she climbed inside.

As the door closed behind her, S.Coups watched her with a fond smile. He waved once more at her knowing that while he couldn’t be with them this time, they would carry a piece of him with them— just as he would carry them in his heart.

[To be continued in Clip 1-2]

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thehaniverse · 9 months ago

Text

HYBE vs Min Hee Jin - The Full Timeline

[Last updates: June 1st 2024]

Hi guys, Han here, and LORD, this has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I hope this is helpful to all those who are trying to follow this mess in its entirety.

Important notes:

I've included the pre-audit timeline to help you understand the history and context of everything that's happened

I will be updating periodically with new information

I will try to keep entries to the point, and highlight the main points given by each side without adding too much of my own opinion - so make your own conclusions!

Credits to TMIKpop on Twitter for most of the translated news articles as I'm far too lazy, busy (and dyslexic) to read all those Korean articles myself.

I tried to include sources as much as possible in the more recent news, but honestly, I'm going to be a little lazy with this as I don't have enough free time to go back and find sources for things that happened way in the past or are already well-known up to this point. Feel free to send me sources in my ask box though!

Green text indicates the latest updates for those following!

Also for reference, here are the key involved characters (and name abbreviations that will be used throughout this post.)

Bang PD (Bang Shihyuk, HYBE Chairman & BigHit CEO)

PJW (Park Jiwon, HYBE CEO, ex-CEO of NEXON Games)

MHJ (Min Hee Jin, ADOR CEO, ex-SM employee)

VP L (Lee Sangwoo, VP of ADOR, ex-financial division at HYBE)

VP S (Shin ??, VP of ADOR)

NJs (NewJeans), LS (Le Sserafim), IL (ILLIT), GFRIEND & BTS

BHM (BigHit Music), SouMu (Source Music), BELIFT & ADOR

Items with * are accusations by either ADOR or HYBE, but that haven't been 100% verified as true or false. Things that have been verified won't have any *.

Similarly, (RUMORS) that seem to have some basis in reality based on existing evidence but have not been explicitly stated by either side are also included. Also disclaimer: I am not pro-HYBE nor pro-MHJ, I have my personal opinion but I've tried to keep this as impartial and unbiased as possible. I've just presented the news that has been released, if it tills one way, that's just how it is.

Without further ado(r LOL), let's begin!

2019~2021

MHJ joins BigHit Ent as Chief Branding Officer for all labels - this is in preparation for Bighit Ent becoming HYBE.

*Between then and 2021, MHJ suggests making a girl group to Bang PD, and they agree to make the group under SouMu rather than BHM. However, MHJ is never officially employed at SouMu.

*Bang PD promises that MHJ's group will be HYBE's first girl group.

All NJs members join SouMu (Minji joined in 2017 / Hani 2019 / Haerin & Danielle 2020 / Hyein 2021)

*NJs' debut is pushed back initially because of COVID, then again due to contract issues, resulting in LS being ready to debut first and PJW telling MHJ that NJs will no longer be the first gg from HYBE. MHJ claims the reason for NJs' debut delay is because they didn't like her creative vision though.

2021

Q1 (Exact Timing Unknown)

Bang PD starts developing LS with SouMu as he wants to create a group featuring known members, Chaewon and Sakura from Iz*one.

*NJs' debut is pushed back initially because of COVID, then again due to contract issues, resulting in LS being ready to debut first

PJW tells MHJ that NJs will no longer be the first gg from HYBE.

*MHJ is upset that another gg is being developed under Source and claims that it's because Bang PD didn't like the direction she was taking NJs and abandoned her to work on LS instead.

MHJ later agrees to the new debut schedule, with LS debuting just 2 months before NJs, and decides that is enough time for her to promote NJs.

Feb/Mar

HYBE is officially established as a company with Bang PD as CEO.

May

PJW is announced as the new CEO of HYBE.

Bang PD continues as CEO of only BGM but only the chairman of HYBE. This means he has no say in the daily operations of HYBE, but can make big decisions that go to the Board of Directors (BOD). Note: Each label under HYBE has its own individual CEO.

GFRIEND is officially disbanded without any notice from SouMu.

*MHJ is accused (by HYBE staff) of taking almost all of the SouMu staff to ADOR resulting in SouMu not having enough staff to manage GFRIEND and LS. SouMu also had a lot of debt from the training of NJs that they would no longer see a return on as the profits would go to ADOR so they needed to take dramatic measures. (RUMOR) SouMu had already sunk a lot of money into LS (and NJs) and expected LS to be more popular as they were debuting under HYBE, so they decided to terminate GFRIEND at the end of their contracts without warning.

November

ADOR is officially established so that MHJ can have full control over her group's image and development, rather than answering to SouMu CEO and Bang PD.

HYBE gives 16.1B won investment for the establishment of ADOR

Bang PD gives MHJ 2B won to buy 2.8B won worth of ADOR stocks (amounting to 20%, 2% of which she later shared out to her two VPS.) He also gave her 2.9B of HYBE stocks as part of her official recruitment package as CEO of ADOR at only 23% of the actual share value (aka she got a 77% discount). However, MHJ sold 1,000 shares in mid-Nov and another 1000 shares on 8 Dec 2022, earning 760M, and walked away with an additional 120M in cash just 15 days after her investment. // Source: Silsa Journal

2022

May

LS debuts from SouMu

*HYBE claims they shortened their promotional period in order to give MHJ enough time to promote NJs ahead of their debut, but MHJ shows Kakao messages of PJW specifying that NJs should not be promoted ahead of LS' debut so they can benefit from the speculation of them being MHJ's group.

LS' debut is overshadowed by the Garam scandal.

(RUMOR) While Garam was later found to be innocent and misrepresented in the media (ie she was protecting a friend from a bully, not actively bullying someone), many believe MHJ was the one who leaked the information to the press to jeopardize LS' debut. This comes from the statements from HYBE that they have evidence of her collecting and leaking artists' private information.

July

NJs debuts with ZERO pre-debut promotion, instead dropping an incredible amount of content for the debut promotions. Note: While MHJ claims HYBE tried to stop her promoting at all before their debut, she has not provided any evidence. It is the responsibility of each individual label to plan and execute their artist's promotions.

End of Year

Thanks to NJs' successful debut, ADOR has paid off a majority of their debt to HYBE, and now only owes 4B won.

2023

Dec // Source: Donga Ilbo

Bang PD lends MHJ money to buy cheap stock options (intentionally discounted by HYBE for her to buy) and MHJ uses the loan to buy a 20% stake in ADOR. This means she gets paid her shares on top of her 1M USD annual salary as CEO. Note: I couldn't confirm this, but it's believed she is the only CEO of any HYBE label that has stocks in her company. BHM is private so there are no stocks and it is owned completely by Bang PD, while the other labels' stocks are owned 100% by HYBE.

MHJ buys the shares on the following conditions: + If she decides to quit, HYBE is obliged to buy the stocks back and pay MHJ 13 times [ADOR's profit from the last 2 years x her % of shares] + She can quit from Nov 2024 and has a non-compete clause for 2 years where she must maintain a 4.5% stake in ADOR. Note: This means as a stakeholder she can not establish her own company or work for a company that will directly compete with ADOR for those 2 years, as she can not do work that can potentially devalue her shares. This is standard in many industries.

MHJ later shares 2% of her shares to executives of ADOR: VP S and VP L. Note: It is unclear if she sold them or gifted them.

Q4 (Exact Timing Unknown)

VP L leaves their position in HYBE's financial team and starts to work at ADOR under MHJ.

*HYBE accuses VP L of downloading a bunch of HYBE's private financial data that he should no longer have access to, and giving it to MHJ to later use to try and blackmail HYBE into selling their ADOR stocks with the investors she is colluding with. This would mean the majority of ADOR stocks would be controlled by people who support MHJ's decisions.

2024

Feb // Source: Donga Ilbo

MHJ tries to negotiate the terms of her contract with HYBE. She requests the following: + The 13x valuation of her shares be increased to 30x. Taking their value from approximately 100B won to 270B won. (This would be 5.5x the amount of profit she actually made with ADOR in 2023.) + The complete removal of the non-compete clause, allowing her to cash out all of her stocks and start/work for a competitor company immediately after leaving the company.

Additionally, she asks for the ability to make decisions regarding outside investors by herself as the CEO without HYBE's input.

HYBE rejects all of her requests because they would be complete financial losses and risks to HYBE. Negotiations stop as neither side will budge.

It is also around this time that HYBE gets the tips that MHJ is planning a management takeover with outside investors.

Mar

HYBE received a tip that MHJ is planning to try and make ADOR independent by gathering investors who support MHJ to buy up the majority of ADOR shares.

[23rd~29th] MHJ and VP L share messages about selling ADOR after 'emptying it like a shell', how to make ADOR independent, and how they should blackmail HYBE and ruin HYBE's reputation. *HYBE believes the 'empty shell' comment means terminating NJs' contracts with the majority shareholder power from the investors MHJ was meeting. Note: MHJ has confirmed the existence of these messages but insists they were just jokes between disgruntled employees. HYBE retorts that these plans are too specific and detailed, and they found additional evidence to prove they were more than just empty words.

[25th] ILLIT debuts with 'Magnetic'

April

[3rd] MHJ submits an internal complaint to HYBE and BELIFT that IL's concept is copyright infringement of NJs and that HYBE has the obligation to protect them. She requests they respond by April 23rd or 24th (not clear.)

MHJ also complains to the parents of NJs that HYBE is trying to sideline NJs with IL.

[22nd] HYBE and BELIFT submit a 6-page response to MHJ. Note: She later claims that she didn't receive any response, but HYBE provides proof that she received it, so she changed that they replied last minute so she couldn't prepare for the audit, but the response doesn't mention the audit because they are separate issues. However, MHJ believes the audit is all because of the IL situation.

HYBE carries out and publically announces the ADOR audit. This results in an 8% drop in HYBE stocks. (Whistleblower will be revealed later!) *They claim to find evidence of her plans, the illegally obtained company and artist information, and more.

[23rd] MHJ holds a 2.5 hour press conference in retaliation. *She doubles down that she believes this is all because of the complaint she filed and that HYBE (and particularly Bang PD) has hated her and NJs from the beginning. Conference Transcript Here:

[24th] This was also the deadline for which all company devices needed to be returned for the audit but MHJ refused to return her work laptop (and still hasn't as far as I know.) *MHJ claims the timing of the audit was intentional to jeopardize NJs' comeback, however, HYBE provided copied devices to all the employees. She has since not given any justification for not returning her laptop and NJs comeback is continuing as scheduled.

[26th] While HYBE initially stated they wouldn't respond on the day of the conference, they later released a full statement addressing the key points of MHJ's argument. HYBE's full response in English:

NJs's fans (Bunnies) sent trucks to HYBE requesting that MHJ stop using NJs and their parents to protect herself and that NJs stay within HYBE.

NJ's parents refuse to accept calls from HYBE but express their support through newspaper interviews.

Both NJs and BTS RM announce their comebacks set for May 24th. (HYBE's stocks recover thanks to this.) MHJ paints this as HYBE trying to crush NJs with their biggest group because NJs surpassed BTS - HYBE retorts that BHM picked the date first and advised her to change the date, but she insisted on having NJs' comeback on the same day.

[30th] HYBE calls an extraordinary general meeting with the BODs, but the ADOR executives and MHJ do not attend, meaning they have to file a legal suit requiring the MHJ, VP S and VP L to attend the ADOR BODs extraordinary general meeting on May 31st instead.

Other things of note that happened between the 22nd to 30th:

News reports broke that a petition for re-investigation regarding a 2017 allegation against BTS for Sagaeji was passed to the KFTC & Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism. Days later the organizations responded by clearing the charges and asking that all musicians be as honest and forthcoming as BTS. It was later discovered at the hearing that MHJ was behind this situation, and ordered her VPs to create a buzz around the issue to distract attention from her. // Sources: Link / Yonhap News

Similarly, following the accusation from HYBE that MHJ was talking to her 'shaman friend', a rumor broke that BTS were members of a cult that the chairman of their university (Cyber Global University) is rumored to be part of. The Chairman denied being part of a cult, and HYBE/BHM released statements denying the allegations too.

(RUMOR) "K-ARMYs" sent trucks and funeral wreaths to HYBE dissing the company and pleading allegiance only to BTS until May 7th. The following day, these were replaced by trucks from "Bunnies" showing support for MHJ - contradicting the prior trucks sent criticising her. The suspicious timing, the unusually fast fundraising, the contradictory message, the hiring of bodyguards to protect the wreaths, and other strange coincidences cast doubt on if any of these trucks are actually from fans. Many believe MHJ is funding these herself to paint the image that fans are on her side, or at least hate HYBE, justifying her own discontent with HYBE.

May // Source: Biz Chosun

[7th] MHJ files an injunction to Seoul District Court to block HYBE from using their 80% share of ADOR to vote her out (fire her.)

[10th] ADOR BOD agreed to HYBE's request to hold the extraordinary general meeting to discuss the dismissal of MHj (and the two VPs.)

*The same day, prior to the BOD announcement, MHJ's side said a styling team leader was subject to improper coercion during the audit. // Source: Lee Daily HYBE later retaliated explaining how the audit was conducted and that when the staff wanted to stop, they respected her wishes. Furthermore, HYBE said they found evidence of embezzlement and improper payment receipts for ADOR staff. // Source: Newsen ADOR denied that the payment methods were normal and legal, but definitely they are not. // Source: Newsis However, the staff did come forward to say she felt pressured and blackmailed with the embezzlement claims if she didn't comply with the audit. // Source: Ilgan Sports

[12th] An email from "NJs Parents" to HYBE is released to a newspaper, the contents of the email describing how Bang PD did not greet the girls in the elevator, and how they are their parents were upset by it. HYBE retorted that this was not true, and that the email was fabricated by VP L and MHJ and they had proof of this. // Source: YTN A parent of NJs later gave an interview with Ilgan Sports revealing the email was in fact written by MHJ, based on conversations she had with the parents. She also claimed PJW had said the girls would take a break for 1.5 years in order to find a Grammy worthy producer for NJs and that the parents were worried about their careers. // Source: Ilgan Sports HYBE denies any such statement and that they plan to continue NJs schedules as planned. //Source: Seoul Newspaper

[13th] YTN reports HYBE has selected a new CEO for ADOR to replace MHJ once she's voted out, and that they will reveal all of the results of the audit at the court hearing.

Controversy about NJs new song 'Bubble Gum' being plagiarised from a 1982 song called 'Easier Said Than Done' by British Rock Band ShakaTak. // Source: Biz Chosun

[14th] HYBE filed a complaint with the FSS due to insider trading carried out thanks to a tip from MHJ's side about the upcoming public scandal. Note: It's complicated and is about additional people not mentioned until now, so I will link the thread explaining it. It is relevant however, as it backs HYBE's claim that MHJ had planned to ruin their company image as part of her management takeover plan even before the audit. LINK

[17th] The hearing for MHJ's injunction takes place. Each side has 30 minutes to present their arguments and evidence. The below tweets summarize the main points.

HYBE's Side:

ADOR's Side:

Although MHJ requested her Kakao messages not to be shared publically (despite her already showing some), a reporter did recreate the messages. (He copied them word for word but recreated the image so it doesn't break the rules.) The messages show her hatred for women in general, particularly a female employee who was reported assaulted by one of the VPs. Messages Translation: LINK Message Source: LINK LINK

[17th] NJs members and their parents all submitted petitions to oppose the dismissal of MHJ and request that MHJ and NJs continue to stay under HYBE - these petitions were submitted before the hearing where MHJ's disparaging comments against NJs were revealed. // Source: Hankook Ilbo

A petition signed by 10,000 NJs' fans, and various petitions from ADOR staff members was also submitted to the court in favor of MHJ.

Various staff from HYBE (Pdogg (BTS producer), CEO Han Seongsoo (Pledis founder and producer of Seventeen), CEO So Seongjin (Source Music), Son Seongduk (BigHit performance director), Kim Seonghyun (BTS and Le Sserafim’s creative director), and Slow Rabbit (TXT producer)) filed petitions in favor of HYBE showing strong loyalty from various labels and artists. //Source: News 1

[17th] HYBE's Q1 results were released and showcased how NJs/ADOR is not as valuable an asset as MHJ is painting them out to be. This goes against MHJ's argument that HYBE is trying to crush her because NJs are getting 'too big'. LINK

[17th] The whistleblower who tipped HYBE off to make them do the audit is revealed. Long story short it was one of the associates of the investors MHJ had been trying to get to buy shares of ADOR who reached out to HYBE. MHJ has claimed during her conference she never met any investors and that HYBE should prove who they are. Now that they've been named, she's still deflecting because it was VP L who met with the investors rather than MHJ herself. // Source: LINK / Biz Chosun

[17th - yeah, a lot happened this day] MHJ accuses HYBE of trying to make her commit 'Albun Pushing', as well as complaining about the distribution deal with UMG - HYBE retaliates denying the allegations and provides evidence of MHJ doing the exact thing she accused them of, and also explains how the UMG benefits all artists and has already benefit NJs. // Source: LINK Note: This is NOT Sajaegi, but it is still a tactic to inflate sales. The difference is Sajaegi is the company buying the albums themselves, whereas this album pushing is forcing distributors to preorder more stock and then hold events (like fansigns) to help them sell out after.

[22nd] BELIFT also filed an official defamation suit against MHJ. // Source: Hangkook Finance // Note: In Korea, you can sued for defamation even if what you said is proven true if it is deemed not beneficial to the general public and detrimental to the person/entity who was defamed. If found guilty, this would be grounds for MHJ's injunction to be canceled.

[24th] This day is the deadline by which both sides can submit additional evidence before the courts make their decision on whether to pass MHJ's injunction (stopping HYBE from voting her out) or not. // Source: YNA

[24th~19th] Various text messages, supposedly from HYBE's legal argument are leaked to the public. They contain damning messages that show that MHJ was planning (in detail) the takeover of ADOR/NJs prior to the debut of ILLIT. As the messages are 'leaked' it is hard to prove their validity, but MHJ later states (on the 30th] that the messages were taken out of context (not that they were lies/edited.) // Source: KBS

KakaoTalk Message Translations are available here: PannKpop

[25th] PJW met with 3/5 NJs' mothers and guaranteed that they would be able to carry out their Tokyo Dome performance plans regardless of MHJ's status after the injunction - despite MHJ refusing to share the files/information related to the concert plans. // Source: Ilgan Sports

[30th] The court rules in favor of Min Hee Jin. They admit that while she did plan a management takeover and take action that could be harmful/disadvantageous to HYBE, she did not do anything that would be detrimental to ADOR which is her prime responsibility, and that the loss of MHJ to ADOR could be harmful. // Source: Hankook Ilbo

This injunction temporarily stops HYBE from firing MHJ unless they can prove she is bad for ADOR or that she has committed some sort of criminal offense against HYBE. // Source: Kyunghyang Newspaper

HYBE says they will respect the court's decision and act accordingly (likely file an appeal.) MHJ announces she will do a press conference the following day. She also claims that the dismissal of her two VPs will be against the court's decision, but technically they aren't covered by the injunction. // Source: Seoul Newspaper

[31st] The ADOR extraordinary general meeting takes place.

HYBE fires the two VPs who worked under MHJ and replace them with with three Hybe officers. Kim Joo-young, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Lee Jae-sang, Chief Strategy Office (CSO), and Lee Kyung-joon, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) were appointed at the EGM. //Note: The CHRO is a woman, which is interesting due to MHJ's disparaging comments about working with women according to the messages allegedly leaked by HYBE. // Source: Yeonhap News

This new BoD line-up for ADOR means MHJ is outnumbered 3:1 in any decision and is seen as a way for HYBE to keep her in check.

Note: I haven't included notes from MHJ's conference yet as I haven't watched it for myself yet! I also don't know what parts will be relevant to the main timeline later, so I will update again a bit later.

This is all the information so far, I've skipped some of the common knowledge things like the details of the IL plagiarism or cult accusations because I think they just muddle the whole timeline and are very inconsequential.

I will continue to update this page as things continue to happen. And I want to show out TMIKPOP from Twitter one more time as I wouldn't have been able to put this together without their tweets.

#HYBE #BANG PD #MIN HEE JIN #park jiwon #ADOR #HYBE vs ADOR #Min Heejin vs HYBE #Min Heejin #BTS #NewJeans #ILLIT #Le Sserafim #Kpop News #Kpop #K-entertainment

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