April 2, 2016

6:13 AM

As the new day sets in the unwanted memories of haunted homes and criminal cases were long forgotten. Earlier today leader Ahin and maknae Yongsoo were assigned their first mission for the day. But they’re not alone. Waiting in a cafe, right in the center path of Woollim building and Highgrnd Label, was leader Maj and maknae Maru. Unaware of what was about to happen, the two parties had come to meet with excitement. As Maj and Maru waited, entertaining themselves with small talks in front of the camera, Ahin and Yongsoo were walking down the sidewalk side by side.

“Everyone must be wondering why Yongsoo and I are out taking a walk this early in the day. Well we received an invitation from the staff and now we’re on our first mission. Right now we’re on our way to meet Maj and Maru sunbaenim. We do not know what’s going on but we’re all going to meet and carry out a mission together. Right Yongsoo?” Ahin asked, at this Yongsoo smiled and leaned toward him.

“Yeah that’s right~”

As they walked hands in pockets, the two finally approached the front door of the cafe. Once they open the door, a  doorbell signal their presence. Yongsoo, who stepped in first after Ahin held the door for him, spotted their peers first from across the room and seated at a table facing the door.

Quickly Yongsoo and Ahin joined Maru and Maj at the table, Ahin walking pass the cameras and his back to the camermen before settling down next to his friend Maj. As they sat shoulder to shoulder in the order of Yongsoo, Maru, Maj, and Ahin, the four made sure they were all in the view of the camera and that they fitted the half circled seat.

“Finally you guys are here,” Maj commented. At this Ahin and Yongsoo smile after they have properly greeted the two sunbaes and seated.

“Sorry, when did you guys get here?” Ahin posed the first question. Maj turned to lock gazes with Ahin before answering,

“We were here even before the restaurant staff were here,” Maj chuckled, plastering a smile on Yongsoo and Ahin’s face.

“Ah really? When did they open?” Ahin asked again.

“Six? What time is it right now?” Maj answered then instantly sneak in a question.

“It’s 6:21,” Maru answered as he was the only one with a watch around his left wrist.

“Then have we been here for about an hour already?” Maj asked, wide eyes and jaw dropped as he look to Maru for answers.

“Half an hour, we got here at 5:50-ish,” Maru answered in a calm tone. Unlike his leader, Maru was not fully awake or even energized to speak louder. Meanwhile Yongsoo and Ahin were somewhere awake and ‘normal’ looking.

“I wonder why only the four of us are here,” Ahin said, looking toward the camera crew. Once the four’s full attention were toward the front, the PD began speaking.  

“Today all four of your teams will be swap; Maj will play the role as Royal Chronicles leader and Ahin will do the same for Daredevils. Maru will become Royal Chronicles maknae and Yongsoo as Daredevils youngest,” Astonished by this decision, the four certainly wore an expression of horror on each of their faces.

“What do you mean? Why are we switching roles?” Maj asked.

“It’s to see how both of you will lead each other’s team. For the youngest, it’s to see how different they’d be treated in each group. Today both groups will follow different schedules for the first half of the day.”

“Wow this is...I have no words for this,” Maj grumbled making Ahin smile. Maj’s whining and nagging has always been a charm of his, according to Ahin.

“Right now the other members are still asleep. Leaders are responsible for waking up members. The maknaes will be helping hands. Each group’s schedule will be handed out so leaders can start planning. Once half the day is over, there will be an activity and Maj and Ahin will co-lead and guide the two groups in the same location,”

“Co-lead?” Maj repeated after the PD.

“Yes,” the male answered. Shortly after the leaders of each group were handed their schedule.

Once Maj and Ahin got their hold on the schedules, Maru leaned in to scan through it with Maj. Meanwhile Yongsoo look across from the table to see any reaction of Ahin.

Daredevils Schedule:

• 8-3 PM is time given to leader to plan activities to fit the time span.

• 3-4 PM must arrive in practice room

• 4-10 PM practice / co-leading takes place

• 10-11:30 late snack together

• 11:30-1 AM return to dorm and in bed

Royal Chronicles Schedule:

• 8-3 PM is time given to leader to plan activities to fit the time span.

• 3-4 PM must arrive in practice room

• 4-10 PM practice / co-leading takes place

• 10-11:30 late snack together

• 11:30-1 AM return to dorm and in bed

“So when we meet up in the practice room do we just have to show everyone what we’ve always been doing?” Maj questioned.

“Yeah, show your fans and us how practice usually go when both teams get together for the collab. Album,”

“Okay!” Maj hollered.

Before the time could struck 6:30, both parties had went their own way and gotten into their ‘new teams’ vehicle. Out of habit Maj comfortably took the passenger seat as he conversed with Royal Chronicles manager Lee Soomin.

[Royal Chronicles Manager Lee Soomin, 33]

Once the car started moving as the manager does the driving, Maj had started to get comfortable and was making the man laugh every minute or two. “I promise today is your lucky day, I’ll make your life easier by being a leader, opposite of how Ahin leads,” Maj started, putting a large smile on the lad’s face. “So by managing Ahin and Royal Chronicles, what are some things you think should be change? Or what is Ahin like as the leader?” Maj continue to investigate.

“The group can get pretty loud,”

“Because of Hyunjun?” Maj interrupted, causing the two to chuckle.

“Yeah, he and Changsung (N2C) talks quite a bit. Actually every one of them talks besides Taehan and Gisu”

Maj let out a laughter as he found it easy to imagine, “Does Ahin do anything about that?”

“No, sometimes he joins in on it so the car is always loud,”

“Ah~ is that so? How about the other members? What is Woncheol like on a daily basis?” Maj asked immediately after.

“Uh he’s been a bit down because of the recent issues that has been surrounding him,”

“About the show?” Maj showed no shame in speaking directly with the manager, despite the hesitation in the manager’s tone.

As their conversation came to an end Maj joked about Royal Chronicles seeing their manager bad-mouthing them after the airing of the show. Meanwhile, in the other van, Ahin and Yongsoo sat in the middle seats of the car. Silence has taken its toll after the greetings of Daredevils manager Im Suwon.

(Daredevils Manager Im Suwon, 27)

Maru and Maj arrived first at Royal Chronicles dorm, as Soomin unlocked the door for them, the two idol moved in and took their shoes off at the door. And as expected the two were loud in their entrance. Maj, whose shoelaces were tied too tight, struggled to pull it off. “Maru wait for me, my shoe won’t come off,” he said after trying to grab a hold of Maru’s shirt but missed.

“Did you untie the laces already?” Maru whispered back.

“No, I’m just going to force it off,”

Maru sighed. There were no hope for Maj. “Then pull it out fast,” Maru said under a hush.

“You think I haven’t been trying to do that?” Maj countered, as the two bicker, each room were slowly recorded with following camermen.

Once Maj managed to pull his shoes off, the two head into the room and examined the tight living space. All that could be seen was a shelf with some items stacked ontop of it next to one of the bedrooms. Maj and Maru walked toward the closest room and slowly Maru turned the doorknob as Maj peeks in.

“Whose room is this?” Maru whispered. In the messy room, Maj noticed a table with a computer and some speakers set all around the room. And sleeping on a couch was a still sleeping Gisu.

“Gisu,” Maj answered back in what sounded like a whisper but at the same time too loud for his companion who was right next to him.

As Maru and Maj observed every room possible, they get a quick view and tour of the dorm.

After a fast forward of the two visiting each room at least three times, they’ve finally came to the conclusion to wake up Gisu first. As they walked in, Maj took the lead for the first time and squatted beside the couch, where he was only inches away from Gisu’s sleeping face. Gisu was lying on his stomach, with his head turning away from the couch, and the only thing keeping him warm was his pjs and a thin blanket that covers his lower half.

Maj pointed toward Gisu’s face to get the cameraman to zoom in, “Look at this, so handsome,” he whispered. Maru shook his head in disbelief.

“What are you doing? Wake him up,” Maru urged.

“Wait, the his fans would want to see this,” Maj said. After the movement of Gisu’s head, that startled Maj, the sleeping one now had his face facing the couch. An ‘O’ quickly forms on Maj’s face as he looked over to Maru. The younger have given up and let the older do as he pleased. Finally Maj placed his left hand on the back of Gisu and rubbed it a little. “Gisuuuuu, wake uppppp,” Maj voiced softly.

Upon hearing the familiar yet shocking voice, Gisu quickly raised his upper half and turned toward the intruders. “Oh, hello,” Gisu greeted as he quickly remove himself from a sleeping position and bowed to the surprised visitors. “What’s going on?” He finally questioned while rubbing one eye.

“We’ll tell you later, come, let’s go wake up the others,” Maj said as he gave Gisu a quick pat on the arm. Without any defiance, Gisu quickly got out of his bed and followed the rest into the next room, where Woncheol and Taehan slept. In the room, with two different spreadsheets it was obvious that Woncheol and Ahin shared the bigger one while Taehan slept in another one near at the corner. Once they entered the room, Maj the switch to the lights.

“Woncheol, Taehan, time to wake up,” the leader called. Once the lights attacked the eyelids of Taehan, the lad winched before turning to the wall for cover. Meanwhile Woncheol budge and tried to open his heavy eyelids. Once he noticed the figures at the door, both of his eyes popped open. Meanwhile, Gisu walks in and sat in the place where Ahin was sleeping in earlier, which was to the left of Woncheol while Taehan slept to Woncheol’s right.

“Hyung, what are you guys doing here?” Woncheol asked as he sat up. Gisu who was now sitting crisscrossed was facing Woncheol as he watch the tired Woncheol.

“I’ll explain later, you guys wash up and wake Taehan while Maru and I get the others,” Maj said before turning to Maru, “Who else is there? N2C, Hyunjun, and Yongsoo?”

“Yongsoo is with Ahin,” Maru answered.

Maj's jaw dropped a little, surprised himself that he has forgotten that fact, “Ah~ Right, then there’s only N2C and Hyunjun left. Let’s hurry,”

Once they entered the last room, they didn’t expect the two last members to be the hardest to wake. Hyunjun gave Maj a long hug once the lad jumped into bed with him in order to wake him. Maru and N2C who only watched had mixed feelings on how to react. Maru found it amusing but didn’t laugh. N2C was laughing but in a sleepy manner.

Meanwhile, in the other room, Woncheol managed to wake Taehan up and wash before anyone, meanwhile Gisu (who was of no help) went to cuddle in with Taehan and the two slept for some time before Woncheol came back for clothes just to find them back in bed.

After managing to gather everyone into the small living room, the the rest of Royal Chronicles bundle up into two rows and a tight ball, Maru and Maj stood before them. “So everyone, call me leader!” Maj announced with the throwing of his arms up in midair.

“What did you just say?” Hyunjun asked directly.

“Today I’m going to be Royal Chronicles leader, yay, aren’t we all excited?” Maj asked, throwing empty fists into the air.

Preview:

“Hawaii!”

“Can I speak?”

“Are you crying?”

Comments for episode nine [5/5]

[+] I find Maj so cute…..I can’t stop loving him!

[+] Woncheol’s arms looks great OMGAWD!

[+] I love how Maj make sure the cameraman caught a glimpse of Gisu’s handsome sleeping face for us lol. I love you Maj, thank you so much! I needed that image! Now I can sleep, thinking of that face!

[+] The managers! I love how Maj and RC’s manager immediately clicked and started joking around. It even made Maru nervous :D DD’s manager is so hot but why is Ahin sitting in the back with Yongsoo? >-<

[+] I like this idea of co-leading after a day of separate monitoring. The idea of having each leader leads the opposite group makes everything so interesting. Ahin is too nice but at the end of the day I wonder if they’ll be very thankful for his too kind and too open thoughts. Maj seems more controlling (which is obviously cool), but sometimes an easy going leader just makes it a whole lot different and or a better different.