Off-Screen (무대아래에서) | Haobin

First Meeting (처음 만났을때)

Author's Note: I speak Korean and it is ///very/// weird to write these boys speaking English. If I try to write them in English first, it feels utterly bizarre. So I first write what they would say in Korean, then translate that to English. Because of this process, the dialogue may have a different feel... 

I'll also include some Korean, but I'll add author's note translations when I do. And I spell some names differently from the usual translation. 규빈  sounds like "Gyubin",  and I'm not sure why it's always translated to Gyuvin. Same for Jiwoong -- 지웅sounds more like "Ji-Ung" in English, so that's what I'll be using in this story. 

There are M-level sex scenes in this story, mostly between Haobin. I usually give a heads-up in the notes if a sex scene occurs so you can skip those scenes and still read the story.

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The first time it happens, Hanbin doesn't think much of it.

It's a survival show, so Hanbin doesn't have time to think about anything other than his performance, visuals, speeches, and getting along with his teammates. Everything else is on autopilot, and Hanbin just tries not to be too obvious about that fact since the cameras are quite literally everywhere, even in the dorm rooms.

Due to this fact, the bathrooms -- the only location where they were guaranteed not to be filmed -- became a popular place for things other than the usual bathroom activities. There were even trainees who changed clothes only in the bathroom, since they didn't trust what Mnet would do with that type of footage, although Mnet was contract-bound not to show it on TV, at least.

Hanbin doesn't waste time worrying about these things. He can't believe he's in first place, and he wants to keep it, and that's going to take every ounce of focus he has. So he only uses the bathrooms for the usual things and ignores everything else going on in there. That's difficult, though, especially when certain trainees take to smoking in the bathroom rather than outside -- Hanbin hates the smoke, but he doesn't say anything -- and other trainees bring a low table into the bathroom and loudly play betting games almost every night. Hanbin just edges around them, showers, and gets out without looking down longer than he needs. Ji-Ung often walks around in just his towel after he showers, and when he joins the betting games he occasionally flashes everyone on accident, and Hanbin doesn't need to see that twice. It's distracting.

Tonight, the bathroom is quiet. Most of the other trainees already went to sleep, but Hanbin stayed up late practicing the signal song. He has to achieve four stars, and he knows from his years as a professional dancer that the only way to do so is through endless practice. So after an entire day of listening to 난 빛나, he enjoys the rare quiet as he showers and blow-dries his hair. He can't remember the last time he had a moment of peace since the chaos of the show began.

He's alone until he hears the door close to his right.

The trainee's in his pajamas already, a toothbrush in his mouth. His eyes light up almost comically when he sees Hanbin, and Hanbin, even though he was preoccupied with thoughts of choreography, never misses a chance to connect with another trainee. After all, anyone here could be on his debut team, so he can't afford to be even mistaken as rude. He smiles and bows, just a slight nod of his head, and the other trainee bows slightly, too. He thinks he remembers him from the auditions... Hao? He thinks it's Something Hao. He remembers he did well and that he was one of the few all-stars on the Global side.

The trainee brushes his teeth while Hanbin finishes blow-drying his hair. He's terrible at styling it, but lately his roommate's been helping him, so hopefully he can get assistance again in the morning. Ever since he placed first in the first round of voting the other trainees have been falling over themselves to find things to help him with, and -- even though it's a little weird -- Hanbin can't refuse their help.