Sehun heard it from a manager; the most gossipy of their lot of managers. He heard it from a stylist from one of the many conversations in the smoking lot behind their building. The stylist-noona heard it from a sound engineer, who worked closely with the producers of the company. That sound engineer heard it firsthand when he sat in a concept meeting that he was a bit too high to function.

"The 2nd project girl group is a mess.” his manager mentioned during lunch and it flew over everyone's head except for Sehun's. It has been a while since he stopped by the company building (he preferred going straight to his dorm or to his family's house) so he wasn’t really aware of what was going on with his labelmates.

The thought of the project girl group reminded him of Sam, that strange trainee who saved him. Judging by her evaluations, she looked like she was a shoo-in for whatever they were planning right now. ‘Sam’, his mind recalled, ‘Sam with the pretty green eyes.’

Sehun felt his heart skip a beat as he replayed the last time he saw her. The trainers would be stupid not to include her in the girl group. 

‘Stop it, Sehun. She’s probably a minor and those green eyes are probably lenses! No one has eyes that naturally clear!’

“What do you mean it’s a mess, hyung?” Sehun asked, trying to sound nonchalant. The manager shrugged his shoulders, chewing on a piece of meat.

“Hee-noona said that Kijeong-hyung said that stuff is a hot mess.”

Sehun looked around to see all confused faces. “What? What does that even mean? What second project girl group?” Chanyeol asked and the others nod, turning to their manager. He shrugged once again and Sehun had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. 

“Remember Lee Hyunkyu and Lee Jeonkyu?” Everyone nodded and sounded out an affirmative. Practically everyone in SM and then some, knew the two. They were known for various reasons, but mainly for their relation with the company’s founder: Lee Sooman.

Hyungkyu was his only child, an ambitious producer with an Ivy League education and a few hits under his belt. Jeonkyu was Sooman’s nephew, a charming music producer who also rivaled his cousin in ambition. Chanyeol knew them better, since he was interested in producing his own music and worked with them with that.

Sehun knew Hyunkyu penned Let Out The Beast, which was trivial to him since he only had his usual ten seconds at that song. His interactions with them were limited to company gatherings and workshops. What he didn’t know was their involvement with the project group.

Before, Sehun had a fleeting interest in trainee matters, only  bothering if it concerned EXO or his now-debuted friends in NCT. Even then, he didn’t give much thought about it since he was too exhausted out of his mind to give two s. But ever since he started smoking and hanging out at the company’s smoking lot, he was privy to administrative gossip that were of no relevance to him.

One of those matters was the so-called “second” project girl group. His interest in it grew even more when he learned of Sam’s inclusion to the group and the great effect it would have to some people.

‘Hayeon’s probably gonna have a fit if she sees how good that kid is.’

“Well, Hyunkyu and Jeonkyu are hea-what the they sound like a comedic duo!” The table roars in laughter at the manager’s joke and Sehun pretends to laugh too. It goes on for a minute and when he thought he might burst a blood vessel from annoyance, they finally stopped. The manager wiped his tears with a dirty tissue and downed a shot before continuing.

“As I was saying, rumor has it the project girl group was just formed to be experiments for the old man’s boys. Now, they’re getting quite cocky and pushing them for debut. Higher ups ain’t having it because it’s not in the annual plan but they also don’t know what to do because the old man Sooman might react badly or somethin'."

The whole table hummed in understanding. "I'm sure Sooman-seonsaengnim will understand, he is a businessman after all." Suho piped up and the other members nodded in agreement. 

"Yeah but he's low-key pushing Hyunkyu though. And we all know how eager Hyunkyu is to prove himself." Awkward laughter spread among the staff at the manager's words. The idols were unaware of it but Hyunkyu was infamous among the employees for his steely work ethic. It was akin to a phoenix: bursting to death in flames and rising from its ashes with newfound life. Or good business results, in his case.

Sehun shook his head discreetly at how he knew this information. He was learning a lot of office gossip because of the smoking lot. Juicy as it may sound, it really wasn't really worth burning his lungs. Maybe he should stop smoking, period. It was a rational choice, since he was getting more breathless on stage and he can't excuse that on exhaustion alone. 

All thoughts of quitting smoking were thrown out of the proverbial window when Kai set down a new pack of Reds between them. Instantly, his hand lifted to take a stick but paused mid-air. He debated whether to get one and it showed, judging by the dazed look in his face. Kai looked at him in confusion, eyebrows knit in waiting for him. Sehun caught himself and sat up straighter, clearing his throat.

The thick phlegm stucked in his throat didn't budge. He took a stick from the pack and lifted up to his lips. Kai sighs in relief and says something about a breakdown. He lit up Sehun's stick then his, letting out a long exhale of smoke. Sehun smirked at the comment, taking a long drawl at his own cigarette.

'If you just knew, hyung.'

A/N: Hello, hello! I am back with another chapter! Expect more since I graduated from college already and am currently a disgruntled NEET. Taking out my frustrations and productivity in developing this fic. I'm planning it to be a prequel/backdoor story for this delusional, plot bunny AU/OC I have. No worries, this is still largely a Sehun-centric fic. Leave a comment or thought below, it would mean so much!