Seoulstruck (Stray Kids, 18+)

Chapter 30: End of the Beginning

Chan woke with his alarm blaring in his ears, his hangover causing his head to pound in a screaming migraine. He'd have to nurse it, later, however, immediately getting into a shower and freshening up for a mandatory meeting he'd been called into the day prior. The company mentioned bringing on a new employee he'd be tasked with training. He assumed it to be Jisung.

The still drunken man dressed in his most comfortable corporate casual outfit, doing his best to look presentable but without making himself feel even worse. The circles under his eyes were more prominent than they'd been in a while.  He dabbed some concealer over them to make himself look more awake than he possibly could have been. He slipped on his shoes and trudged out the door, heading up the elevator to the board meeting room. He bowed low as he entered, shaking hands with familiar higher ups. "Bangchan!" The CEO, Mr. Seo, greeted him with a firm handshake, Chan bowing and gripping it tightly. "Glad to see you, again. Have a seat."

Chan did as he was told, doing his best to feign alertness as the meeting began. "As we all know," Mr. Seo began, "Our very own Bangchan has been working on his solo project for quite a while and his time to shine has finally arrived. We'll be sending his album to print within the month." The CEO clapped his hands together, the room following suit in a small applause for the producer. Chan smiled, graciously, bowing his head around the room. "As such," Mr. Seo continued, "we are in need of a new producer to lead the way while he's busy with promotions and performances." The man moved toward the door, placing a hand on it in anticipation. "After much deliberation, seeking out only the best of the best, we've found our talent, and I'd like you all to meet him, now." Chan's stomach whirled, no longer needing to fake his alertness. Mr. Seo opened the door, slowly.

"Please give a warm welcome to Mr. Kim Hongjoong."

Suddenly, a small-framed man emerged from the doorway, bowing shyly with his hands together. The complexion on his doll-like face was glowing, his features both soft and sharp at the same time. He wore a hoodie much too large for himself, earrings dripping from both ears, his pinky nails painted a dark blue. Chan was completely taken aback by how beautiful and stylish the man was. "Hello," he said in a meek, high pitched tone of voice. "My name is Kim Hongjoong. I'll do my best. Please take care of me." The room clapped, Mr. Seo ushering the man toward Chan, the producer standing up and bowing, extending his hand. Hongjoong did the same, their hands lingering a moment. "We chose Hongjoong-ssi because we thought the two of you would work very well, together. You have a similar production style. We think you'll be able to play off each other well. Please share ideas and come up with something fresh and exciting for Chan's final song, hm?" Both producers nodded, bowing to Mr. Seo and each other. Shortly after, Mr. Seo called the meeting to a close, Chan showing Hongjoong to his recording studio.

"This place is so big," Hongjoong said, looking around. Chan couldn't help but feel flustered, the calm, ethereal face of the new producer filled with a childlike wonder that reminded him of a certain idol. "Yeah," he agreed, "but not to worry. I'll be sure to get you acquainted with everything." Hongjoong bowed his head, slightly. "Thank you very much," he said, politely. Chan smiled, sincerely. "My pleasure," he said, holding the door open for the other man to enter first.

Hongjoong waited for Chan to take a seat in his preferred chair, sitting beside him as they looked over the producer's laptop. "I'm sure you're familiar with this program?" Chan asked, Hongjoong nodding. "Yes, very much," he said, pulling out a USB stick. "I... figured I could show you some of my own work," he offered, Chan nodding, offering Hongjoong access to the laptop. The new producer slid the drive into the port, pulling up a track and adjusting the volume. The song began, a lilting vocalization leading into a strong EDM beat with a pirate-like theme. Chan immediately vibed with the track, Hongjoong's voice kicking in in a rap. His eyebrows raised, both men bobbing along with the song. "Wah," Chan exclaimed. "You're... amazing!" Hongjoong smiled, shyly. "I enjoy making music more than... anything, really." The song came to a close, Chan pointing to the laptop. "Do you have any more?" Hongjoong nodded, bringing up another track, the pair listening intently. Chan was surprised by how talented of a producer the company had managed to find in such a short time and one that meshed with a similar sound, to boot. He stared at the screen, doing his best not to stare at the beautiful man in his peripheral. He wanted to know more about the person who'd created such perfect music.

"Hongjoong-ssi?" The small-faced man turned, making nervous eye contact. Chan exhaled with a smile. "Do you like barbecue?"