In My Dreams (4)

"Jae…?" 

It was Ryeo Hyun, hands shaking as he opened the door to their dorm. 

And inside of the dorm was none other than Bo Jaesang. Less pale, more full and healthy looking. The rest of ASCEND could only enter the dorm after Ryeo Hyun ran and embraced his best friend, watching the scene with warmer eyes. 

Joon-woo was happy his situation would be left alone for a little while, watching as Mi Yong, Jung Hyun-Ok, and Reggie take turns in admiring Bo Jaesang. How he looked healthier than before. Less puff due to alcohol consumption in his face. 

Baek Du-Ho and Joon-woo locked eyes as they passed by and walked to their respective rooms, quickly turning away from each other as they disappeared behind worn dorm doors. 

Bo Jaesang poked his head out from the small crowd, "Where did Joonie go?" He whined in that humorous tone Ryeo Hyun so dearly missed. 

Reggie sighed, "He must've been tired. He had a long day." 

Bo Jaesang nodded, recalling the slight panic the company had been in when the article "exposed" Joon-woo's academic negligence. 

"He must be. Netizens are no joke…" He commented, surprised when the group narrowed confused eyes on him. "Did you guys not know..?"

Mi Yong face palmed, "All Joon-woo said is that a poor report card of his was found. Our phones were taken this morning so we couldn't see for ourselves…" He explained, backed up from Ryeo Hyun's annoyed nod. 

Bo Jaesang hummed, "Well, as your new manager, I can give you some of the specifics." He winked, raising Ryeo Hyun's mood from its low. He found it amusing how close the band had gotten in his absence. 

He cleared his throat, "A pretty well-known journalist found one of Joon-woo's middle school report cards and it… definitely wasn't passing. People were pretty outraged. I think we had a few trucks sent this morning while you guys were doing activities." He explained. 

Ryeo Hyun's voice grew dark at the idea, "Trucks..?"

Bo Jaesang thought for a moment, what he could say in the means of being a manager, not just a friend. He had to remind himself that everytime he looked at Ryeo Hyun. That they weren't just close trainee friends anymore, but second co-workers.

"The protest trucks. They got sent to Xe anytime our seniors got into a controversy, remember?" Bo Jaesang worded lightly. "But! But– The company put out a statement already so it's been dealt with." He insisted, feeling the dark gazes of the towering Ryeo Hyun and Reggie. Mi Yong was also scary, he was just shorter than Bo Jaesang so he was far less intimidating. 

He took a step back, feeling like a target at a shooting range, "Speaking of Joon-woo, I had to talk to him. Is he likely sleeping at this time?" Bo Jaeang tried to clear the air. 

Jung Hyun-Ok sighed, "Yeah. He skips dinner because he claims it isn't a part of his diet…" His expression was grim and Bo Jaesang felt as if anything he did just made the band sadder and sadder. 

Reggie shook his head however, "You might be able to catch him if you go now, he'll just be a little cranky–"

"You mean a lot cranky…" Mi Yong commented listlessly.

Reggie pursed his lips, looking at Bo Jaesang with eyes wanting to justify. 

"I'll do my best." Bo Jaesang replied, quickly scurrying from the dark atmosphere and to an even darker-lit one that took the form of Reggie and Joon-woo's room. 

He carefully pushed the door open, letting light from the kitchen bleed into the dark room. Like a vampire in a coffin bed, Joon-woo slept, chest faced to the ceiling with his arms straight by his side like a dead man. Bo Jaesang knew enough to figure out how many models and idols slept to preserve face. 

Though, as if his eyes were only resting, the deep sleeper woke with the light creeping in and the creek of the door, shifting exhaustively with a groan.

"Jae Hyung…?" Joon-woo asked, looking up and processing the image. He had seen the man, their new manager, before so why had he stalked into his room? He just wanted to sleep. 

Joon-woo looked skinnier than Bo Jaesang remembered. He gulped, remembering Team Leader Changmin's instructions: Give Joon-woo this new diet plan, asap.

Apparently one of the temporary managers reported that Joon-woo collapsed after his hair appointment, and one of their new nutritionists had come across the horrendous diets the senior one had assigned the trainees and idols in his time. A few dire cases they came across were the likes of the younger trainees and Joon-woo. All the diets needed change, but relief was needed to start the recovery. 

He pulled out a paper unevenly folded into four and gave it to Joon-woo. 

"They made you a new diet plan." Bo Jaesang explained, flipping on the lights so Joon-woo could read it.

Momentarily blinded, Joon-woo groaned, "I can read in the dark, Hyung." He insisted crankily. 

Bo Jaesang sighed and flipped off the switch, feeling the cranky wrath. He watched as Joon-woo carefully read the plan, what foods he was allowed to eat, what time frames he was supposed to eat in. 

After a second, he looked up at the manager, "Jae Hyung, isn't this too much?" 

…too much?

Bo Jaesang gulped, "Too much food?" Joon-woo nodded, "It's a healthier diet. What you were instructed before was too little." He explained. 

Joon-woo narrowed his gaze on the sheet, "I think I'm okay with my original plan." He said, folding the sheet into neater folds and handing it back to Bo Jaesang. "Was that all? I'm gonna go back to sleep."

Bo Jaesang was stunned silent. Was this just Joon-woo being cranky like Reggie had said? He gulped, adjusting his voice to be more assertive, more manager-like. He stared at the paper flagged his way by Joon-woo and gently pushed the arm away. 

"Joon-woo, this is your diet. It's not a yes or no." The voice felt weird on his tongue. He recalled teasing the younger during Producer10, and now he had to scold him?

Joon-woo pulled the sheets up over his head, as if a child, shutting Bo Jaesang out. The paper crumbled onto the floor to die, the food list torn with it. Bo Jaesang sighed, watching Joon-woo ignore him so blatantly. Wasn't Joon-woo supposed to be the mature one?

Footsteps crept into the room. It was Reggie. He noticed the tense air, raising a curious brow by Bo Jaesang's side. 

Once Joon-woo's quiet snores rang throughout the room, Bo Jaesang turned Reggie's way and gulped. He tried to recall his time on Producer10 with the younger. He had always noticed him rejecting snacks. But could that really mean what Bo Jaesang's thoughts went to?

It wasn't rare to see a trainee suffer from an eating disorder. He saw the signs in them, but never close enough to care too much. He looked at Reggie, with a pale face.

"Reggie, how are Joon-woo's eating habits?"