Project: Cupid!

Chapter 2 : Scandals in the Making

Four of SNSD girls were already waiting inside the meeting room when the four guys came in one by one.  The newcomers waved and smiled to their dongsaengs and bowed politely to the two other people in the room. The oldest man in the room, Shim Jae Won, shook Super Junior’s hands one by one, followed by his colleague. Once the idols were seated, the two behind-the-curtain people spoke up.

“Good afternoon, my name is Shim Jae Won, although of course, I’d be disappointed if you don’t recognize me at this point,” Jae Won shot a playful glare to one of the boys –who immediately earned several playful slaps on his back. Shim Jae Won had worked as SM Performance Director for a while. “As usual, you can just call me Jae Won. And I’ll be the PD for the show we are going to discuss today. On my left is Hong Mi Ran. And she’s the screenwriter for the show.”

Mi Ran bowed swiftly and continued her partner’s speech. “Although I’m chosen as the screenwriter, you must all know that this show won’t be fully scripted. In fact, I can say that I will only script 20 – 30 % of the show, and the remaining will be your jobs. The eight of you are chosen for the 8 episodes of SM’s own reality show Project: Cupid!. I’m sure you all already know what the concept of the show is and today’s meeting schedule is to get you into more details, so that you all can prepare for our first shooting next week. Does anyone have a question so far?”

As no one came up with one, Mi Ran continued. “Then… let us announce the roles, eh?”

Cheering and impatient claps resonated in the room. The screenwriter smiled at both idol groups’ antics. They may be two of the leadings Hallyu stars, but surely they acted too much like kids who were given free ice cream.

“So team A… Eunhyuk-sshi and Sunny-sshi!”

Sunny put her hand to cover in pleasant surprise while Eunhyuk immediately had his light brown hair ruffled messily. Grinning, Super Junior’s dancing machine looked up to his new teammate, “Sunny-sshi, let us work together!” he said sheepishly.

“Hwaiting, Eunhyuk Oppa,” Sunny responded as she let out her natural aegyo –earning her fellow SNSD members to shiver and curl up in almost synchronized groans.

“And for team B… Donghae-sshi and Yoona-sshi!”

More cheering came but one comment from Eunhyuk caught the attention, “I knew it, Hae!”

“What? Is there something fishy going on?” teased Jae Won, the PD. “Are you secretly wishing for it, Donghae?”

Donghae cheekily shook his head. “Aa, it’s not that –“

“Then you don’t want to be paired up with me, Oppa?” said Yoona in a playful pout.

“Aaah, that’s not it either, Yoona-sshi…” the brown-haired guy scratched his head awkwardly. Teasings came from his hyungs and from his other dongsaengs.

Fortunately Hong Mi Ran decided to lead the conversation back to business rather than to let it be a bullying of some sort. “And for the four other, Leeteuk-sshi, Heechul-sshi, Sooyoung-sshi, and Hyoyeon-sshi… you are all going to be the commentators for the show. I’m sure you all have watched We Got Married? Your jobs would basically be similar to what Park Mi Sun, Kim Na Young, and Jo Hyung Gi do.”

“Mi-Ran-sshi?” Leeteuk raised his hand to let her know that he had a question. “…Can I switch place with Donghae instead?” he said with his casual flirt. Heechul and Eunhyuk who were seated beside him jokingly tackled him.

The screenwriter laughed and answered, “Unfortunately the roles have been decided yesterday, Leeteuk-sshi. And if you are all wondering for the reasons behind such casting… let’s see here. During the discussion, some of the boards voted to pair up a famous and already known fan-made pairing, but some other believed it was best to pair two people who did not really have any chemistry.”

“Team A, or Sunny and Eunhyuk had never really been paired before and the board feel that you two would have some funny interactions. While Team B, Donghae and Yoona, is the famous fan-made pairing that is…frankly to say, expected to boost the rating,” Mi Ran said in hesitation. She felt rather bad for treating these young adults like some sort of commodity, but a part of her believed that these guys and girls (despite their young age) were really professional and knew what was expected from them. Show business could be the cruelest industry in the world, and they voluntarily entered one anyway.

“We actually wanted to resort to Leeteuk and Taeyeon for Team B,” added Jae Won. “Because you two are actually even more famous and more ‘scandalous’ than Yoona and Donghae. But since our company had let out that denial statement some times ago, we could not back up our words. So we put you, Leeteuk, as the commentator instead. The four commentators are chosen because we all believe in your speaking skills… and your bluntness that would make the show more interesting.”

“So we can really spill the pairings’ secrets?” asked the interested Heechul. “I have some to convey about Eunhyuk and Donghae,” he said slyly.

“Well, you can as long as you know your limit.” Jae Won shrugged.

Eunhyuk groaned. “The thing is, Heechul Hyung does not know his limit,” he said and Heechul only chuckled.

Mi Ran then walked around the tables and gave the boys and girls a bundle of sheets for them to study. She then chose to discuss about more procedural details. The boys and girls listened keenly, interrupted sometimes only by Heechul’s outrageous comment or Sooyung’s honest saying. The short-haired screenwriter explained about the show’s goal, what was expected from the pairing to do, what kind of measures could one team do to the others, what about the challenges, and some others.

By the time she finished explaining the details, it was already 4 PM. The boys had to learn new choreography for their next single while the girls had already done their jobs prior to the meeting and had the free time for themselves. Before the eight idols left the room, Jae Won called out. “Just act naturally in the show. It’s better to have natural chemistry rather than a forced one. I also encourage you guys to bond up together off screen.”

“Wouldn’t that just invite scandals?” asked Leeteuk.

Jae Won only laughed. “Don’t worry. For the sake of the show, scandal is what we need.” 

The TV Station’s studio was already decorated as a comfortable living room. The lighting was arranged in a way that it would resemble a scene from one fine late afternoon. The artificial lighting shone its pinkish sun rays look-a-like, gently illuminating the setting. A long sofa and several other couches in different pastel colors were positioned in the center in comfortable close distant so that people sitting there would be able to clearly hear what the other said. If Yoona tried to forget the cameras, lightings, and the busy show staffs, she would like to say that the setting resembled her mother’s old house very much.

The casts had just finished their make-up session and the PD was now instructing who to sit where. The commentators / hosts were seated on the long sofa with the order of Sooyoung, Leeteuk, Heechul, and Hyoyeon from left to right. Two smaller sofas were placed facing each other just on the left and right side of the commentators’ sofas –where Team A and Team B sat on each.

After all the preparations were done, Jae Won cued the camera to start rolling.

For the 8 idols, flashing camera lights or numerous staffs paying attentions to them were not reasons to make them nervous. Some couple years ago when they first debuted, these might have been problems. But as time passed, cameras did not make them uncomfortable anymore. Leeteuk made the first example, as the talented MC he was, he started the show. Sooyoung and Hyoyeon also gave additional information here and there regarding the concept of the show. Heechul chose to let the explaining rules to the girls but like what was expected from the charismatic Kim Heechul, he did not lose his charms as he easily turned the audience in the studio into laughter.

Then it was the turn for the four objects of the show. Sunny was introduced first, followed by Eunhyuk. The introduction speech was smooth, but one could easily tell the awkward feeling the Suju’s dance machine carried. Heechul spotted this easily and began his torment.

“Yah, Eunhyuk, we’re only on the 1^st episode and you already show your nervousness near Sunny. Do you want to give an easy win to Team B?”

“Ah no, that’s not it, Hyung –“

“Then what do you think of Sunny, hmm?”

“Eh? N-now?”

“No. After I show the audience your embarrassing sleeping position. Well, of course now, Eunhyuk!”

Nervousness crept inside Eunhyuk as he forced himself to stare at Sunny. Unlike Kangin, Donghae, or Leeteuk, Eunhyuk was never the natural girl-charmer. But the camera had rolled on, and he simply needed to be a professional. “Erm… Sunny-sshi is very pretty…and nice…”

The female audience let out giggling sounds while Heechul and Hyoyeon were quick to show their disappointment. “Yah, just how long have you known Sunny, huh? Your opinion is far too general. I bet that you will describe Yoona the same thing!”

Leeteuk had mercy on his poor dongsaeng and quickly used his MC-ing skill to calm Heenim’s bullying mood and to ease Eunhyuk’s growing helplessness. “Now, now, it’s alright for Eunhyuk to feel this way. It’s only the first episode and making him comfortable towards Sunny will be one of this show’s goal! Which looks like a hard aim for Team B, hmm?” the oldest member spoke as he glanced to the other side.

Donghae gave his calm gaze when he responded to the challenge, “I know Hyukjae very well and I know how to properly use it to matchmake him with Sunny-sshi. And Yoona-sshi also told me that she also knows Sunny-sshi very well, so we thought that we could combine our  knowledge together and form the great plan to win this game.”

“’Yoona-sshi also told me?’” quoted Heechul. “Seems that you two have begun to work fast…”

“And Donghae Oppa already used the word ‘we’ so early in the show!” pointed out Hyoyeon.

Leeteuk smiled his usual grin that reached his eyes. “I’m starting to wonder really, which team actually has the most advantage as they both –ah Sunny, you want to say something?”

Sunny nodded as she took the microphone from Eunhyuk. Her cute eyes twinkled mischievously to Yoona. “I think…that Team A will have the most advantage.”

“Ah, why is that, Sunny?”

“Because I honestly think that this show doesn’t need me or Eunhyuk Oppa to pair Yoona and DonghaeOppa together! They are already perfectly matched. Just look at them and don’t you think they really look like the real pair here?!” insisted Sunny. Claps and murmurs of agreement filled the room as the spotlight was returned back to Team B.

Yoona only laughed. Her alligator lips formed a big smile. “We’ll just see in the end, Lee Sun-Kyu,” the second maknae decided to push her opponent’s button by calling her with her real name.

The playful bickering between Yoona and Sunny began and Sooyoung formed a ‘time-out’ sign with her hands and ordered even her unnie to be silent. Trust Sooyoung to be that bold. “Alright, alright, Team A and Team B… Wait, does anyone here feel weird calling them ‘Team A’ and ‘Team B’ all the time? Why don’t we just give new names for both teams, hm? Any suggestion?”

“Since Donghae Oppa and Yoona already gathered their own fanbase, The Pyrotechnics, why don’t we name Team B ‘The Pyros’? Or do you think we shall go with the usual ‘Yoonhae’?” asked Hyoyeon excitedly. Seriously, that girl could be the silent unofficial Pyros herself. “Which do you prefer?”

“Either way is fine,” said Donghae, followed by Yoona’s nods.

“Good, we can use both names then! And what about Team A? How would we name your team, hmm?” pondered Hyoyeon as her brain worked for a name.

“Because it’s Eunhyuk and Sunny, just name it ‘EunSun’!” said Heechul suddenly.

“I was thinking of ‘Eunny’…”

“Yah, that sounds too much like ‘Unnie’.”

“Alright, ‘EunSun’ then!” claimed Hyoyeon.

With the names of the teams settled, Leeteuk tried to move the conversation back to schedule. “Now, as the teams are renamed, we will sadly have to bid farewell to both teams, as their real shows will begin.”

“Ah, they’re not going to be here again with us?” questioned Heechul.