EPISODE ONE - FIRST IMPRESSION

L.Joe hops off the van and goes straight to open the trunk for his luggage. He brought a lot of his stuffs since he will be staying in the new house for two months. Although two months seem to be a short period, for him, it is indeed long.

When he was first cast by the production team, he was really dumbfounded. This would be his first ever solo participation in variety show. Usually, he would only participate in variety shows like Star King and Beatles Code 3D along his Teen Top members. Perhaps the production team chose to cast him because he has always been overshadowed by the other active members like Niel and Ricky. He is not a good talker and he lacks self esteem.

In spite of his flaws, he hopes throughout this programme, he would be able to get rid of his shyness as well as make new friends.

“Byunghun-ah, don’t bother your stuff, I’ll take care of it,” his manager instructs, shoving him away from the trunk. “You’ll go open the door.”

“Fine then, hyung.” He makes his way to the front gate. It is locked by a padlock. On the spur of the moment, he happens to recall that the production team had previously given him a bunch of keys for the gate and his room.

Upon a single attempt, he manages to unlock the gate and is currently walking towards the double-storey bungalow. He is mesmerized by how fascinating and beautiful the yard is. It has a relatively big fish lake, magnificent garden and even a hammock. He will take a stroll around the house after he finishes unpacking his luggage.

The door does not use key as it only requires pass code so it is pretty easy to access the house. As soon as he strides in the house, he is once again captivated by the overall, luxurious home decoration. The living room is astonishingly perfect and the kitchen is a hundredth times elegant than his dorm’s.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it, hyung?” L.Joe mutters when the manager goes in the house with his luggage and other stuff.

He nods. “Yes, it’s beautiful. You really are lucky to live in this amazing house!”

“I know, right.” L.Joe simply smiles in embarrassment. “Is there any of my stuff left in the trunk?”

“Nope. I have taken everything out,” the manager answers, “No one here yet?”

“Judging by the locked gate, I guess I’m the first.”

“Oh, I see,” he says. “Anyway, let’s put your stuffs into your room before I left. What’s your room number?”

“01,” he points out as he reads the number on the key.

“Then I guess yours would be downstairs.”

And with that, they leisurely search for his room downstairs. The house is surprisingly large that it is quite a hard task to find the room. However, in the long run, they finally found the room. His room is next to the 02 room. Since there will be eight unknown idols, the rooms must be shared by two persons. And automatically, the two other rooms must be upstairs.

“Ah, you’re going to share with someone,” his managers blurts out as the door is opened. There are two beds with different colours – green and blue.

“I suppose,” the younger says, putting his backpack on the already chosen green-coloured bed next to the window. He takes a light survey in the room before he helps the elder to move in his stuffs.

The room is moderately big and fits for two persons. The overall decoration is literally for guys. Blue and green complement the theme and honestly, he admits to liking the room in an instant – as in love at first sight.

“Since everything’s done, I shall go back now, Byunghun-ah.”

“Already?” L.Joe furrows an eyebrow of anxiety. “You could have just stayed here for a few minutes more, hyung.”

“I can’t. I should go back now,” he says firmly. “Don’t worry. Your other roommates will be here somehow later.”

“But how should I face them? I swear that it’s going to be super awkward!” Although he may know the idols since they are in the same entertainment filed, it still feels awkward meeting and talking with them.

The manager lets out an amused laugh. “Rest assured. I know you’re going to be alright. Just don’t get panicky and suit yourself comfortably.”

Before L.Joe could reply in defence, the elder has gone out of his room and he could not help but do nothing. It seems like what his manager has said is true. He should just wait for his other roommates to arrive and meet them comfortably.

After he has finished unpacking all his stuffs into the wardrobe and toiletries in the washroom, he comes to realize that there is large box with pink ribbon lying upon his bed.

“What is this?” He raises an eyebrow and briskly opens up the lid. It turns out to be a card saying about the hint of who his roommate is going to be.

He really has no idea about his roommate and the rest of the idols who will be participating along with him. The production team never revealed the list in the first place.

Welcome~!

The idol who you will share the room with is…

“2010 vs. 2012?” L.Joe scratches the back of his neck, knowing that the hint turns out to be inadequate. “Could it the debut year? Since I debuted in 2010, my roommates must have debuted in 2012, I guess.”

Without hesitation, he fishes out his cell phone of his pocket and is in the pursuit of browsing the list of idol groups that debuted in 2012.

“B.A.P? EXO? Vixx?” All these groups seem possible and it would not make any sense if his roommate were a girl.

Tossing about his mysterious roommate aside, L.Joe picks up another book (scrap book, to be exact) regarding the rules and regulation for the house residents.

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE HOUSE RESIDENT ♥

- Make sure to attend every house events!

- Have an initiative to share your hobbies, interests and specialties vigorously.

- Use the public items as if they were yours and if any damage occurs, return them without hesitation.

- You are welcomingly encouraged to date other residents ♥ For any successful newly-born couple, there will be overseas vacation ticket to any desired place.

L.Joe feels like cracking up at the last rule. It is not necessarily a rule but an encouragement. It feels so weird that there is an existence of variety show that encourages idols to date one another.

As he is just about to contemplate further on that matter, the sound of bell ringing booms in the speaker in his room.

A shiver sends down his spine out of the blue. The arrival of an unidentified idol makes him fidget restlessly.

The moment L.Joe goes to the living room, he has already spotted three girls (apparently) making a ruckus in the middle of the area.

“Unnie, you should’ve brought your favourite doll. You said you won’t get to sleep without it!”

“I forgot it! Ah, it’s okay. I’ll ask manager oppa to bring it over here tomorrow!”

“Annyeonghaseyo,” L.Joe greets the three oblivious female idols and automatically, they flinch upon his presence.

They instantly bow and replies, “Annyeonghaseyo. We are A Pink! Nice to meet you, sunbae-nim!”

He emits a comical chuckle at the title ‘sunbae-nim’ they gave him. It is true; Teen Top debuted in July 2010 whereas A Pink is developed in early 2011.

“So which one of you is going to stay here? It wouldn’t make sense if it’s going to be all the three of you!”

“You think?” Namjoo, the youngest amongst the trio, chimes in as she gifts him a playful wink.

“Yah Namjoo-yah, how can you do that!” Naeun mildly chides and turns to him with a shy smile. “It’s going to be Eunji unnie, L.Joe-ssi!”

“Yes, it’s me!” Eunji eventually butts in the conversation. Her Busan accent is too palpable that L.Joe could not help but chuckle inwardly in delight. “Please take care of me, L.Joe-ssi.”

“Me too, Eunji-ssi.”

“So unnie, I think we have to go back right now,” Namjoo speaks up. “We’ve got a schedule coming up at 3!”

Naeun nods in approval. “We have to make a move now, unnie.”

“Can you wait for an hour more or at the very least, thirty minutes, please?” Eunji wears a pleading look. Even though she is a girl who tends to absorb so fast according to the atmosphere and people, today she feels slightly awkward to be alone with the popular male idol in front of her.

“Why would you be so worked up, unnie?” Namjoo laughs amiably. “L.Joe oppa is here so no worries! He’ll take care of you!”

“But-”

“No more buts! Naeun unnie, let’s go!” She pulls the elder away from Eunji before she could grasp Naeun’s arm to refrain her from going anywhere.

L.Joe simply watches the adorable fight between the girls until the two of them leave the elder.

The atmosphere instantaneously turns dreary – no one bothers to talk and would rather fidget in edginess.

“Uhm, what should, uhm, we do now?” Eunji utters, breaking the awkward silence.

“You haven’t unpacked your luggage, right?” he asks.

“Ah, yes!” She glances at her big luggage and other belongings in respective boxes and paper bags in front of the stairway.

“I can lend you a hand to move them into your room.”

“Can you? I don’t want to burden you, though.”

“It’s okay.” L.Joe beams genuinely. “I have nothing to do so it’d be better if I help you with your stuff.”

“Alright then.”

“What is your room number?”

“Uhm…” Eunji rummages her key in her sling bag and takes it out. “It’s 04.”

“It should be upstairs,” replies L.Joe concisely. “Let’s make a move now.”

“The cameras inside the house are no joke,” she throws a comment when they have eventually settled bringing up all her belongings.

L.Joe nods amusedly. “They even have a moving one.”

“Ah, really?” She widens her eyes. “I haven’t thought there’d be this much. It feels like our lives wouldn’t be so perfect but it’s all for entertainment purpose, isn’t it?”

“You’re right,” he says. “By the way, have you known who your roommate is going to be?”

“I haven’t.”

“Then you should check the pink box on your bed. It includes a hint and the rules and regulation in this house,” he notes matter-of-factly.

Eunji does as told. She opens the box and browses the given hint.

Welcome~!

The idol who you will share the room with is…

“The omma of the group? What is this?” she blurts out incredulously. “Do you have any clue about this?”

“It’s, uhm, hard,” comes out his instant reply. They both then burst out laughing.

“Let’s go downstairs, L.Joe-ssi. I haven’t explored the house completely.”

“What about your stuff? Do you not want to unpack them first of all?” He frowns.

“I think I’m going to wait until my roommate arrives. If she’s older than me then she has the right to choose which bed she wants.”

He rolls his eyes in surprise at her comment. He is caught off guard that Eunji surprisingly turns out to be considerate despite her tough facade.

When they go downstairs, someone is already waiting in the living room.

“So only two of you arrived before I came, eh?” Hyunsik looks at them curiously as he sips the warm coffee. Indeed, after unpacking his belongings, relaxing at the serene garden while drinking coffee is the best thing to do.

Both of them nod. “Yes.”

“I should have arrived early to be honest but I was caught up in last minute schedule,” he explains and the two of them only listen to his story.

“Can I ask you two a question?” L.Joe suddenly diverts the topic into his self-inquiry.

Eunji seems inquisitive. “What is it?”

“Since both of you are in the same company, does that mean you two are close to each other?”

Interview

Production team: Are you really close with Hyunsik-ssi?

Eunji: *stares blankly for a second* To be honest, I’m not close with Hyunsik oppa.

Production Team: Then which BTOB’s member you are close with?

Eunji: None of them *chuckles* Being the same company doesn’t mean we’re close, you know.

Instead of answering his curiosity, they both crack up even though L.Joe does not deem his question to be hilarious whatsoever. He furrows an eyebrow, desperately in bewilderment.

“We’re not, L.Joe-ssi,” Eunji says, laughing. “We truly are not.”

“Even though we’re in the same company, we rarely meet each other.”

“And just so you know, Hyunsik oppa’s quite the shy type. You can see him rarely talk in variety shows and since we’re living together starting today, you can witness how shy he is in front of other roommates.”

Hyunsik does not budge her firm statement and instead, he rather nods in agreement, involuntarily agrees to her. To say he is socially awkward, it would be an understatement. He just does not have to the urge to initiate a conversation nor would he talk to strangers. However, he needs to emerge from his comfort zone since he is going to live with them starting today onwards.

“I’m shy too, to be honest,” L.Joe coyly admits.

“Ah, really?” Eunji seems flustered. “But you don’t seem like one.”

“I am.” He manages a smile. “And I’m trying to be sociable with every one of you.”

“Then to try to be sociable, you should get rid of the honorific,” Hyunsik suggests. “You should call her by her name like I did. You have the same age like her, right?”

L.Joe nods. “Should I, hyung?”

“What are you saying, oppa?!” She hits Hyunsik’s chest, face getting flushed. “We’ve just met each other today, for God’s sake!”

“I’m just giving a suggestion and it’s up to you.” He shrugs. “And what’s up with your face, Eunji-ah? You’re blushing like crazy!”

“Just shut the hell up, oppa! I’m going to beat you up if you don’t stop at once!” Eunji continuously abuses the elder to contain her embarrassment and Hyunsik, on the other hand, feels rather ticklish than hurt.

The whole abuse thing may seem fun for both of them but on the contrary, L.Joe feels something is off inside him that he has yet to grasp, as if a jagged knife is plunged within his chest. On top of that, the coffee that is supposed to give off a mixture of bitterness and sweetness tastes end up giving him only pure bitterness.

The moment Victoria arrives, it is already 6.30 pm. And when she roams through the house after having her luggage upstairs, there is no one inside.

“Where is everyone?” she murmurs, frowning. “But it’d be strange if they still haven’t arrived. Plus, my roommate seemed to have arrived judging from her belongings in the room.”

Tossing the thought that floats in her mind aside, Victoria comes to realize that she has not checked the kitchen out. As cooking has always been her hobby (more like a chore, though), she prioritizes to have a decent kitchen when moving in a new house. Prior to living together with f(x) members, she does the cooking alone since the other members cannot even fry an egg. However, she enjoys cooking to bits. It pours out her stress and gives her ecstas