Just Like Before [Pinocchio]

°ᵍⁱ ʲᵃᵉ ᵐʸᵉᵒⁿᵍ'ˢ ᶜᵃˢᵉ°

"Aren't you guys nervous that we are finally allowed to attend the meeting to discuss items?" Yoon Yoo Rae's voice mentioned, putting a piece of cookie in her mouth. After your commotion back at the special lecture, your cap, Hwang Gyo Dong, gave you and three other trainees the opportunity to speak about particular subjects. Of course you chose Choi Dal Po, Yoon Yoo Rae and Cha Woo Cheol. Well, Yoon Yoo Rae was threatening you. If you didn't pick her, she would spread rumors and stalk you. You knew you didn't have to take it seriously, but you couldn't help but give in.

The four of you were currently in the place where every trainee wants to be, the meeting room. There were snacks and drinks available while you had to wait for all the sunbaes to arrive. "Cap will decide on the theme, right?" Dal Po inquired, wearing his uniform nor badge. "Yep! Since a whole week's worth of local news items will be decided, Cap should definitely do it." Yoon Yoo Rae replied full of excitement. You were sitting down on a specific chair, gazing at the three. You could still recall everything that happened a few days ago. However, Dal Po seemed fine and that was all that mattered. "Cap wouldn't make us come up with a subject, would he?" Woo Cheol questioned, his mouth full of goodies. Yoo Rae frowned, pouting slightly. "Hmm... would he really assign it to trainees?" She wondered before grabbing something from the table; a small notebook with a pen. "Just in case, I picked out interesting items." She continued, making a playfully facial expression, moving the notebook forth and back in front of our faces.

"Well, good luck with that. They're coming." You remarked as the other three rapidly took a place aside from you, now sitting in the following order: You, Choi Dal Po, Yoon Yoo Rae, and Cha Woo Cheol. Everyone took a seat as silence remained in the rather huge room. Hwang Gyo Dong wandered into the meeting room as last, taking a seat at the head of the table which was seven spots away from your left. "Then, let's start, shall we?" Cap's voice mentioned loudly nor a little bit tiredly. "Yes!" Yoo Rae called out loudly, alone. Everyone their eyes shot at her as she finally realized what she just did, regret crawling up her spine. "You seem very enthusiastic. Why don't we make an exception and let the newest ones come up with an idea?" Cap suggested, throwing his pen leisurely onto the table ere gazing up at us.

You mentally cursed to yourself, biting down your lip as Yoo Rae enthusiastically takes out her notes, reading through them quickly. "Choi Dal Po, let's start with you," Cap mentioned anew. Dal Po stammered aside you as you place your hand onto his upper leg, hoping it would help to calm down his nerves. "A-ah, yes-" he mentioned as Yoo Rae shuffled over her notes, pointing at one. Dal Po hesitantly grabbed it and read it out loud: "What about... static shock incidents at the self-service gas station?" He suggested ere giving Yoo Rae a glimpse. She put up her thumbs, smiling brightly. You hold back a scoff and laugh due to her stupid nor cuteness. "Ehm, since it's winter, a spark can easily occur at the gas station nowadays. It could potentially turn into a huge fire." He explained as you give his leg a small squeeze. He turned his head to you and smiled as you scrunched your nose.

"It's an item that fits for a former taxi driver, is there an actual case for it?" Chief rigid, Jang Hyeon Gyoo, questioned. Dal Po rotates his head anew, locking eyes with him. "Yes, I checked with the fire prevention team... they received three cases already. There wasn't any significant damage, but you can easily search online for videos of foreign cases." He replied formally yet monotone. The other sunbaes began taking notes on either a piece of paper or a computer. "Could the flying spark cause the fire?" Cap inquired, taking notes himself. "Yes. That's why people should pump the gas after touching the antistatic pad, but most drivers ignore it." Dal Po's voice echoed through the huge cubile.

Cap hummed supplanted by a nod, "It's appropriate for a seasonal item. Try making it to arouse people's awareness." Dal Po nodded his head, mumbling a polite yes. "Next, Seo (Y/n)." His eyes shifted up to your survey. "Eh..." You stammered as something popped up your head. "The suicide of Seoul's mayor, Park Won Soon," I mentioned as all the eyes snapped up at me. "What about it?" Cap requires. "There will be an elaborate public funeral today at four pm, here in Seoul. The mayor's family might be there too, so I can find out why precisely he committed suicide." You explained as he nodded. "Sounds interesting... You know there will be other journalists there too, right?" The sunbaes write your item down. "Yes, I know that. But since I was a sunbae too, I have more experience than others. I will be able to ask the perfect questions and get the information I'm looking for." A chuckle escaped from Hwang Gyo Dong's features. "Next. Yoon Yoo Rae." He spoke out loudly. Choi Dal Po gazed at you and chuckles as you give him a soft push. "What~?" You question with a soft yet playful tone.

"You're cute when you act confident. You're like a dog playing with toys, waggling its tail." You hissed at his comment ere catching the name Gi Jae Myeong. Dal Po and you instantly snapped your head at Yoo Rae. "Gi Jae Myeong lost his family due to the fire incident in Micheongri," She continued. "At that time, there were three factory workers who gave a false report. They were stating that Gi Ho-Sang forcefully sent firefighters in. Two of them died, and Moon Deok Soo, the one who killed them, is on the run." She explained as Chief Rigrid and Cap furrowed. "Now, the interesting fact comes. Gi Jae Myeong's number..." Yoo Rae shut her mouth, causing the intention to build up. "His number is in Moon Deok Soo's most recent call log." She ended her explanation as Dal Po and you gazed at each other again with big eyes.

"Not sure, what about it?" Chief Rigid questioned loudly as you two rapidly peered back at him. "Well... it's just- It's too much of a coincidence." She stated, losing her faith in her own item. "With only that much-" The chief pointed at her offensively. "It can't be an item. It will only negatively impact people's sentiment." He ended with a grimace. Yoo Rae collapsed in her chair, her puppy eyes turning full of guilt. "We could also be misunderstood for trying to sabotage MSC by being a sore loser." He remarked. "I think it'll work." Cap came between them. You mentally cursed, knowing it will put Dal Po at risk too. "Yoon Yoo Rae, investigate more," Cap stated as an excited gasp escorted itself from Yoo Rae's features. "Cap!" Jang Hyeon Gyeo called out. "Cap, you told me to investigate Gi Jae Myeong." Dal Po reasoned with slight annoyance nor concern.

Cap gazed up with an impatience look, "You can investigate the static shock case at gas stations. Yoon Yoo Rae can work on the Gi Jae Myeong case." He mentioned, trying to lure Choi Dal Po out. You licked your lips rapidly. "Cap! I think Choi Dal Po should switch cases with Yoon Yoo Rae too. It was his case in the first place." You mentioned, Chief Rigid made a sound of agreement. Cap sighed. "Is there anyone else with an objection?" He questioned as the room went silent. 

"Still. You just took it from someone without asking. Even if you are the president of South Korea, you should certainly not do that." His gaze turned into anger. "Well, looks like I just did." He mentioned earnestly as you laid back into your seat, exhaling in disbelieve. "You wanna play it that way?" You murmured to yourself. "Looks like I will be making a call to the chaebol (your mother) from Seoul." You ended, crossing your arms. "Next, Cha Woo Cheol." Cap continued the meeting as if nothing happened.