Roomies (4)

"Contestant Mi Yong, please take a seat at 23rd place."

That was what FYP said, as all of Team One, except for Joon-woo, was ranked 23rd or lower. It was damp as Mi Yong, previously ranked first, walked up a flight less than he originally did and took a seat on a chair with a lit up '23'. He looked ashamed, as if a black bubble had covered his face.

"He dropped from 1st to there?" Reggie whispered, with his hand over his mouth.

"After just one challenge?" Bo Jaesang added in horror. 

Joon-woo pursed his lips, the ranks, decided by Misa and FYP, were to be rough. Such a drop proved that the ranks were in constant change, and as that showed Joon-woo a chance to the top, it also showed how easy it was to drop to the bottom. 

"I wonder where I am…" Joon-woo verbalized, gaze worried as he was the only unranked member of Team One that remained. 

Reggie thought for a moment, "I think you'll still be ranked high. You… improved a lot in your dance, I think…" He explained, "Your movements are sharper and you–"

Joon-woo, red in the face, placed a hand over Reggie's mouth. "Don't– don't say that…" He muttered quietly.

Reggie shook his head, "You stayed late to practice a lot! Hyun told me! I think you worked very hard…"

Joon-woo threw a joking punch to Reggie's side, "Well you too then." He said, "People notice you now, because you worked hard." He said, "And your singing– it's better. And your dance–"

Joon-woo went to continue, but Ryeo Hyun, who had watched the exchange with an amused look, interrupted. 

"Jesus you two– get a room at this point…" Ryeo Hyun commented, Bo Jaesang nodding behind him in a fit of laughter. "At this point the producers are gonna use you guys as queerbait…"

Joon-woo's mouth went agape at the comment and he furrowed his brow Hyun. Queerbaiting? Joon-woo hadn't really clocked such a thing as Ha-rin because she herself was a woman, and female idols were already used for the slim of their bodies and faces and that alone. She had come to know that all too well. 

And in comparison to male idols, who were obviously still used– they were less so. They were less so and to compensate, some would be instructed to queerbait. They would get too comfy with another member of their group for the camera for the views. And Ha-rin had seen it in the flesh. 

Would he have to do that as Joon-woo? The idea almost made him sick, wasn't the idol themselves used enough?

Reggie sent the embarrassed Joon-woo and the amused Ryeo Hyun a puzzled look, "Queerbaiting?"

Ah, Reggie didn't know what queerbaiting was? Joon-woo wanted to shrink at that moment. 

Ryeo Hyun approached Reggie's side, his 5 '9' requiring Reggie to slightly bend his knees. Hyun began to whisper the definition in Reggie's ear. And Bo Jaesang seemed to find it the most amusing thing in the world, as he was still chuckling by Joon-woo's side. 

Reggie turned to Ryeo Hyun with a blank face, "Oh." He said, "Really?" He asked, as if the concept was as disbelieving as could be. 

But as funny as it was, a name all familiar was called. 

"Contestant Bo Jaesang, take your seat in 19th place." 

Joon-woo, Reggie, Ryeo Hyun, and Jung Hyun-Ok who Joon-woo had barely noticed due to his silence– turned to Bo Jaesang. His face had dropped, his rank alike. Joon-woo tilted his head, hadn't Jaesang done well?

Nevertheless, Bo Jaesang made his way up the stairs and to a ranking chair 5 places away from where he was last. Ryeo Hyun followed suit, in 18th. And Joon-woo thought he would lose it.

Hadn't Ryeo Hyun and Bo Jaesang done better than him? Their team had gotten second! Joon-woo still stood, the only remaining member of Team One. With Reggie and Jung Hyun-Ok by his side, he felt out of place. 

Reggie had danced his heart out front and center with but a single flaw in his movements and Jung Hyun-Ok had followed suit, leading his team to third place. And yet, there stood Joon-woo, a member of the last placed team with dancing as unfavorable as could be. And even the other contestants who were not yet ranked were good. They could dance without fault. Sure, sometimes they seemed a bit dull, but not everyone could be as good as Reggie. 

And finally, after many contestants more deserving than him were placed, Joon-woo's name was called.

"Contestant Park Joon-woo, take your seat at 16th place." FYP instructed, voice bright as if fake, as if bitter. 

Joon-woo nodded, his legs feeling shaky as he approached up stairs and to a seat of 16th place that he knew, in his heart, belonged to someone else. He looked down to the seat of 23rd, where Mi Yong sat, face blank with what Joon-woo assumed was disappointment. 

Then, as Reggie had informed, his name was called for 15h place. "Contestant Reggie Lee, take your seat in 15th place." FYP acknowledged with a pep in his voice that hadn't been there for Joon-woo for Yong or anyone before. 

Reggie seemed to be content with the ranking, his hands stimming at his front as he tried to control his smile-y expression. Joon-woo tilted his head, fond of Reggie he supposed. He was brought back to reality when the familiar red light of a camera pierced him. 

Joon-woo thought back to Ryeo Hyun's comment about queerbaiting. He narrowed his eyes at Reggie and turned away, forcing his fondness out of his expression. 

–+–

Jung Hyun-Ok was first. Jung Hyun-Ok took dramatic steps with a dramatically calm expression, and he took a dramatically badass seat in the large, first place chair. Joon-woo thought the lighting did Hyun-Ok justice, highlighting his defined jawline and sharp nose. It only felt fitting in Joon-woo's opinion.

However, before Joon-woo could dwell on Hyun-Ok's placing, FYP continued to announce. 

"Even with your new ranks, do not get too ahead of yourselves." He scolded, "As your dancing has been tested, but your voices have not." FYP said, looking over the contestants intensely. 

"So for the next challenge, singing and rapping is required. In groups of four, you must cover a song WITH the intention of outsinging the others in your group. You will battle out with your voice." FYP revealed, voice hardened with grit. 

"So groups must be decided wisely." He finished, and Joon-woo swore, FYP made eye contact with him. 

Joon-woo gulped, looking around at dimly lit contestants. He locked eyes with Reggie who sat a few feet away in his rightful rank of 15. They locked eyes as if non-verbally agreeing to team with others, to team new. 

He then looked to FYP as he whispered into the microphone, "Let's decide teams…"