video killed the radio star

“of course i am! i need a change,” naeun insisted, playing with her dead ends. she’d trim them on her own later, after the dye. “i have a long time until i’m debuting. it won’t get in the way of anything. honestly, it’ll just make my predebut pictures look cuter.”

“i’ll get your dad to pick up some peroxide on his way home from his shoot, then,” jinkyung laughed. “well, they’d be cute no matter what. but as long as you’re sure it’s alright...”

he smiled, mind immediately going to goeun. ever since he helped her with her script, he’d kind of noticed as much. “i had a feeling,” he answered his friend with a little chuckle. “i’d be honored to be on your show. we’ve been friends long enough, jinkyung– did you think i’d say no?”

“please, kyu, she thinks you’re the sun and the stars. i don’t know what you did, but you’ve got a fan for life in her,” jinkyung answered once she realized he knew which of her kids she was talking about. “well, i was a little worried. you’re a busy man. and i know sometimes having a kid have a crush on you can be awkward.”

“I guess things didn’t really change so much in four years except the groups performing, but I was worried about the cameras. I’m not really in front of them as much as I used to be,” Yeong admitted. ”Thank you, though. It’s reassuring to hear that, coming from you.”

“a little. but it was probably for the best– i’m competitive. i would have probably gotten mean,” soeun admitted, shrugging. she got why she couldn’t go on the show. it was annoying, but she got it. she was set to debut, though, so she couldn’t be too upset. “it’s whatever. there’ll be bigger and better things in the future. and mirae is kicking ass, so good for her.”

“well, mean is harsh. i’ve raised you well enough to not get too mean,” she scolded gently, shaking her head and biting back a smile. “between your fame and the new fame she’s getting, your eventual group is going to be a big contender for rookie of the year, i bet.”

he took the box, going to stack it with the other fully-packed ones with a little shrug. “i mean, it’s not a bad sign, but half the guys are still on idol project. it’s not that soon,” he answered his mother. “it’s soon, though.”

“well, it takes time. even when it’s confirmed, you still need to put final touches on things. and film and record and all of that. but it’s exciting, no?” she replied, beginning packing up a second box while she talked with him. “do you know who you’re sharing a room with yet?”

“me? really?” hyosang answered with a snort. that was a weird concept. she didn’t seem like she was yanking his chain or anything, though. “that sounds like a lot of fun! do i have to sign some sort of contract or something?”

“probably a release form with the production company, yes. but nothing too scary,” jinkyung assured him. “i can’t wait to surprise naeun with this-- she’s going to be so shocked!”

“i’ve heard stranger,” yein retorted with a tiny smile. “should i get minseok’s approval? what’s the plan here,” she joked before shrugging. “that sounds really fun. and cute. i’d be interested.”

“ahh, you know, that could be funny,” jinkyung giggled. “i bet production could set something fun up with that. i know you were joking, but it’s good tv.” she took yein’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “it will mean so much to goeun. of course, because it’s korea, we have to frame it as just a fan thing, but she’s been so enamored with you since the moment she heard a reign song.”

“how long has it been, jinkyung? i’m sure i’ve heard weirder from you,” ziyuan said with a tiny smile. she’d always been one of his favorite seniors when he’d been training as a kid. “i’m fine with it– as long as it’s definitely more of an innocent fan thing, and not … setting me up with a minor,” he insisted. “i trust it’s not and that you wouldn’t but… i just need to be sure.”

“please-- as if i’d put my kids at risk like that,” she scoffed, shooting him a glare before smiling. “besides. even if they were adults, i wouldn’t trust them around you. i’ve known you too long, jinyoung. i remember all your little groupies back at radioactive. no way my girls are ever seeing a boy anything like you.” she laughed again. “it’s just a fan thing. soeun has had such admiration for you for a long, long time.”

goeun frowned. “but we planned it out…. we were going to spend time together with no cameras, i thought. i don’t want to ruin our plans…” she murmured. “i haven’t gotten to see you all week, really… i’ll just sleep in tomorrow morning…”

“baby, we can still do that from home. a little change of plans is nothing to get too worked up over,” she assured her daughter, rubbing her back. “we can play a board game? or watch a movie? or bake something? you can sleep in tomorrow morning too, but you look anxious sweetheart-- i don’t want you to have to keep up the public act if you’re already on alert.”

serika looked down in shame. she had been trying to hide it so her mother didn’t worry, but clearly she’d done a bad job. she was just so nervous about her upcoming evals that she couldn’t think straight. nodding quietly, she pulled a blanket around her shoulders and watched her mom go to the kitchen, fingers shaking.

jinkyung let out a little tsk, adjusting a blanket snug around the teen’s shoulders and kissing her forehead, walking over to turn the kettle on and looking over serika while she waited for it to heat up. “do you want anything else while i wait? i can make you some soup?”