The Second Chance of A Suicidal Idol

Joon-woo & Reggie (7)

Joon-woo winced at the sugar rush tainting his sugar-free tongue. He peered up at the apron-wearing Reggie with a grimace. It was a pastel pink apron with some Sanrio bear on it, yet Reggie wore it for the cameras stuck dead in their faces.

They were filming their reality show, much to the demand of their fans.

"Too sweet." Joon-woo commented, putting the cookie with a missing bite down onto the napkin Reggie had served it on.

"Joon-ah, it's a sugar cookie..." Reggie huffed, "I made them all the time in America..."

Joon-woo shrugged, "Maybe Du-Ho Hyung will like them. He likes sweet stuff." He said, and it was mostly true words for the camera, for once. Though Baek Du-Ho and Joon-woo weren't close, Joon-woo still noticed how Baek Du-Ho was always leaning towards something sweet even in diet times.

Reggie frowned, a fake frown of course, "I made them for you, though."

It was a cringy act and Joon-woo wanted to die. He had been instructed to act flustered at the words, and he slightly was, though the heat in his cheeks was mostly embarrassment.

"...wrap them up, I'll... I'll have some." Joon-woo quietly admitted his lie. He hated sweet stuff and he knew Reggie knew that. It was all the production's fault. They wanted this.

Reggie's pout shifted into a smile. But it was less fake than Joon-woo would've liked.

"Okay, cut!" A producer called from the back.

Joon-woo immediately sighed and laid back into the island chair. Reggie visibly stiffened.

The producer walked through cameramen with his beer belly and a large smile. Their mid-sized company could only afford mediocre ones, even with the influx of money ASCEND was bringing in. Hell, the company had set exclusive photocards for every fansign and store there was. Joon-woo in his monitoring had seen the cries of Flights and their empty wallets.

"That was good, great! You both look very natural like this." The producer complimented with a large smile. At least this producer wasn't a weirdo, Joon-woo thought in his head.

Reggie bowed a thank you and walked off set to get a large whiff of water. There the rest of ASCEND sat, awaiting to be filmed in their quote-on-quote daily interactions. It was a bit odd. They were never even in the dorm to do these team-bonding things that were being portrayed. They were busy and they were on the verge of getting busier.

Joon-woo followed Reggie as the cameramen congregated over the clips they had collected in the last couple hours already. ASCEND waved him over, Mi Yong offering his seat to Joon-woo who declined discreetly.

"We have a magazine shoot after this, right?" Reggie questioned with a yawn.

Mi Yong nodded.

"Though you and Joon-woo have an ad to shoot afterwards..." Mi Yong explained reading over messages from Mr. Jeong.

The group acknowledged the imbalance of activities with ease. All of them but Joon-woo. It was the same case in Cheerleader. Ha-rin was the spotlight. Ha-rin had the longest schedule because people noticed her more. If spawned dead set in rural Asia, Ha-rin had a chance of being recognized, not so much her bandmates.

A twinge of guilt bit at Joon-woo's heart. He snuck a look at his bandmates to analyze their expressions at the labor division.

Ryeo Hyun, as usual, seemed ever unphased. Catching Joon-woo's look, Ryeo Hyun even smally smiled at Joon-woo. He rarely ever did. Jung Hyun-Ok also had plenty of schedules. Just behind Reggie who was behind Joon-woo. Mi Yong being the news breaker, it was Baek Du-Ho who's gaze was shifted downward.