The Second Chance of A Suicidal Idol

Producer Troubles (12)

Joon-woo slipped out of Mi Yong's car when the other pulled up a block away from Joon-woo's apartment complex. Their expressions that were bright with only a slight tension were deepened with exhaust.

They had spent hours in Bo Jaesang's mess of an apartment. They had done everything from ordering food and eating, cleaning up the messes per Joon-woo's instruction, they had even dropped the talks of the evil editing done to Joon-woo's otherwise perfect image.

The once disastrous and heavy smelling apartment was transformed after probably a hundred scoldings from Joon-woo to the others. He hadn't realized how helpless men were when it came to cleaning. Reggie had a hard time even washing the dishes! They had teased his rich boy upbringing ruthlessly.

But of course, after hours of together-time, the sun had set and they had a home to return to. On the way back, they talked as if they were still highschoolers– chatting about K-Pop and groups and covers they'd like to do next. And as Joon-woo traversed down his dimly lit street, he reminisced over the moments before.

Joon-woo thought about how nice it would've been for him to debut with them. The thoughts plagued his mind so much so that he completely ignored Kite on their way back to the apartment. Mi Yong was too scared to drive fully up to it...

Joon-woo walked up the stairs that were trashed with litter and wrongly-tossed cigarettes. The sketchy people of the streets, as usual, cast him quick glances. Though at the end of the day they still had their own sketchy business to do.

He walked up to his door, and his expression hardened. He turned to Kite on his shoulder as he turned the key in his door and entered the cramped apartment. He dropped his poker face and a weight was lifted off his chest.

"Okay. We're back. Now explain." Joon-woo's voice was low, despite the boy's not fully developed tone. 

Kite stiffened and Joon-woo could tell by the way the bird unintentionally dug it's sharp feet into his shoulder. "Okay, okay. Just promise me you won't completely flip out on me..."

Joon-woo narrowed his gaze at Kite. What was he promising not to freak out over? "You've been suspicious since day one. I'll flip out if I feel it necessary." He replied sharply.

Kite shivered at the glare in Joon-woo's eyes. "You've never been so scary..."

Joon-woo shrugged. He sntached Kite by the body and pulled the bird off his shoulder. Kite struggled in Joon-woo's grasp. "Alright! Alright! I'll explain– just let go!"

Joon-woo glared down at the shivering Kite for a moment, before releasing the bird and allowing it to guide him to the small couch. When he sat, he huffed and puffed while watching Kite ruffle his feathers.

"I won't freak out. Explain." Joon-woo lied.

Kite sighed and perched on a door out of Joon-woo's highest reach.

"Okay. Well. You know that– I'm– me, I'm not actually a bird..." Kite started, Joon-woo nodded impatiently. "I'm a... how do I explain this–? A worker of the grim reaper, yeah, that's what I am in the most human words I can."

Joon-woo knew that much. Kite had explained that to him in the beginning.

"Us, workers, we have to follow orders very very directly. And my order was to help you in debuting as an idol, and..." Kite hesitated to finish its sentence.

"You failed." Joon-woo finished for him.

Kite nodded, "Yeah. I failed. And when you fail... they tend to punish you. That– What you saw, is the result of it..."

Joon-woo swallowed at the words. Afterall, it was supernatural elements he was facing as a human. And the scene, the scene of Kite's bloodied bird body littering the floor, the sink, the walls. Joon-woo didn't think he could ever forget that scene. "And Ha Jang-Soo. What exactly is... he?"