A/N: Laying down lots of groundwork in this opening chapter. The rest of the story will mainly be from either Yoojung or Doyeon's perspective. Please let me know if there are any typos, etc, and please be as specific as possible if you find one!

 

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Looking at it objectively, it should’ve been a great day. All the Fantagio trainees survived Produce 101’s first elimination round—well, more like Haerim, Soomin, and Yejin barely scraped by while Doyeon and Yoojung skipped leisurely into the top 20. Either way, it was still early enough into the program that any of them could make a reversal and squeeze into the Top 11.

 

But in all honesty, Haerim couldn’t care less about her potential debut when there were far more pressing matters at hand—namely, the antics of two of her closest friends and labelmates, Choi Yoojung and Kim Doyeon.

 

After the recording, their manager thought a celebratory cake party back at Fantagio’s main complex was in order. Soomin, whose Resting Face grew three times ier past midnight, was the only one who voted to celebrate the next day (“Sleep is for the weak!” Yoojung had proclaimed), leading them to their present drive to Fantagio headquarters.

 

While Haerim and Soomin sat in the front two passenger seats of their van, Doyeon and Yoojung, still red-eyed and sniffly, were clinging to each other like life-preservers in the back seats, whispering and giggling about who knows what. Poor Yejin was pushed aside to Doyeon’s left, looking more awkward than usual.

 

“So,” Haerim started, eager to fill the silence with something other than Yoojung and Doyeon’s Weirdly Gay Yet Platonic antics. “Who’d you guys vote for as the Visual Center?”

 

She threw Soomin an exaggerated wink. “I voted for our Goddess Doyeon!”

 

“I voted for Doyeon too,” Soomin merely rolled her eyes, already bracing herself for whatever Haerim was planning.

 

“Me three!” Yejin smiled at Doyeon, who looked a bit taken aback, but flattered.

 

“Oh wow, you guys didn’t have to do that,” Doyeon blushed. “We promised not to favor each other as labelmates, remember?”

 

“Uh, Doyeon? Have you looked in a mirror?” Soomin sighed at Doyeon’s modesty. “Ever?”

 

Meanwhile, Haerim zeroed in on Yoojung, waiting for her input. If she was lucky, she could get the tiny girl to admit that Doyeon was well, smokin’ hot.

 

“How about you, Yoojung?”

 

Yoojung shared a Look—damn that Best Friend Telepathy—with Doyeon and announced, “Me and Doyeon voted for Sejeong-unnie!”

 

“What?” Well that threw a wrench into Haerim’s plan. She was sure Yoojung would have voted for Doyeon. “Why?”

 

“’Cause Sejeong-unnie’s our Girl Crush, our Girl Crush!” Yoojung looked up dreamily, as if visualizing Queen Sejeong’s Smile™.

 

Doyeon continued gushing on Yoojung’s behalf. “She’s soooo cool. 100% Girl Crush material.”

 

Girl Crush. The ultimate No Homo catchphrase for straight girls. It was bull like this that made it possible for Very Gay girls like Yoojung and Doyeon to delude themselves into thinking they were straight.  Oh how Haerim hated the term Girl Crush.

 

“Gods, you two are way too in sync (and way too far back in the closet) these days,” Haerim threw up her hands in defeat now that the Girl Crush card had been played. It was well past midnight and Haerim knew pushing this would only end in frustration on her end. “You guys are no fun.”

 

“…You two act really like a couple sometimes, y’know.”

 

Did Soomin just..? Haerim whipped her head in disbelief towards Soomin, who had propped up her chin in her hand and maintained a flawless poker face. Her eyes flickered to Haerim and she mouthed play along.

 

Okay, so she wasn’t the only one who was sick of Yoojung and Doyeon’s bull.

 

“Yeah yeah! You two are so lovey dovey sometimes. I mean what was with that melodramatic hug when Doyeon got called up to stage?” Haerim gestured theatrically before wincing when Soomin shot her a look.

 

“I would totally support you two if you got together,” Yejin chimed in. Haerim mentally fist-pumped—now it was three against two.

 

Haerim couldn’t help the delight that came with the momentary uncertainty that crossed Yoojung and Doyeon’s faces. Squirm, you useless gays, squirm, she cackled mentally.

 

“Stop joking around you guys,” Doyeon recovered first. “You know we’re just best friends.”

 

“Yeah, Super Best Friends!” Yoojung proudly lifted up Doyeon’s left hand with her right, showcasing their matching rings. “We even wore our friendship rings today!”

 

Again with those blasted friendship rings. It was Yoojung’s go-to defense whenever anyone questioned her relationship with Doyeon.

 

Doyeon’s birthday had fallen on the first week of Produce 101 recordings, notably when the Fantagio girls were still scattered between Groups B and F. Yoojung, in a surprising act of possessiveness, jokingly ‘proposed’ to Doyeon with a pair of matching friendship rings. They shared a tearful hug after Doyeon accepted, and admittedly, Haerim shed a tear too—but only because Yoojung had been going through an uncharacteristic Emo Phase in Group D and it was a relief to see her emoting like a normal human being again.

 

If only Haerim had known Yoojung would consistently use the rings to assert that her and Doyeon’s weird Bleeding Heart and Mutual Martyr Complex dynamic was all under the name of Super Best Friendship. Then she would have flushed those goddamned rings down the toilet two months ago.

 

“Look, Soomin.” Haerim grit her teeth. “Friend. Ship. Rings. For Super. Best. Friends. Isn’t. That. Just. Precious?”

 

Soomin offered her no more than a sympathetic blink, perhaps more used to this as the perpetual third-wheel of Fantagio’s 99-line. “Give it up unnie, it’s too late for this nonsense.”

 

“Hey you’re the one who—Okay, you know what? Forget it.” Haerim pinched the bridge of her nose and shifted to face the car window.

 

“What’s with all the teasing from you guys lately?” Doyeon scratched her chin awkwardly, sensing the sudden tension that filled the van. “You know Yoojung and I are straight...”

 

Haerim facepalmed. She would give it one week before she took matters into her own hands. One week.

 

---

 

She gave them a week. It had been 12 hours. And here they were, again, dealing with Yoojung and Doyeon’s heteronormative bull.

 

It had already been quite the hectic morning. The trainees had gathered and chosen songs for the Position challenge. Not surprisingly, Yoojung and Doyeon jumped at the opportunity to be on the same team, not minding the fact that they had no chance of winning those 100k bonus points being on the same team as Jeon Somi.

 

The rest of the Fantagio girls were left in less than appealing situations. Haerim was bystander in a war of willpower between Haein and Siyeon, Soomin was in a team of scary unnies, and Yejin was stuck witnessing a fight-to-the-death between Juna and Yeunjung over Haru Haru's main vocalist's spot.

 

Consequently, Haerim was on her last leg of patience and it was only—she stole a glance at Yoojung’s wristwatch—half past noon. She had barely managed to drown out Yoojung and Doyeon’s rambling about how awesome and fun team Bang Bang was when that phrase reared it’s ugly head.

 

“Chungha-unnie’s dancing though,” Yoojung drawled, gripping Doyeon’s forearm. “New Girl Crush, for sure.”

 

There it was again, Girl Crush. Haerim exhaled loudly through her nose and stabbed the tomato on her plate. On her right, Soomin placed a placating hand on her shoulder.

 

“If I were three years older I’d totally ask her out,” Doyeon thoughtfully munched on a salad leaf. “And well, if I were a boy.”

 

Haerim slammed her palms on the lunch table, chair screeching loudly as she rose to her feet.

 

“Come with me,” Haerim bit out as she dragged Soomin away, ignoring Yoojung and Doyeon’s stupefied expressions and the fact that just about everyone in the cafeteria was staring at them.

 

“Look, Yoojung and Doyeon’s heteronormative bull’s annoying me too, but you,” Soomin started once they reached a table at the far corner. “You look like you’re going to claw out the next person who says ‘Girl Crush’.”

 

“Okay, no—well fine, I’m tempted to claw you out for saying that goddamned phrase—but that’s because of this—“ Haerim whipped out a notebook and quickly shuffled through the pages before handing it to Soomin. “I said I’d give Yoojung and Doyeon a week before I’d intervene on their little Straight Girls Just Being Friends act but I had a feeling I wouldn’t last that long so I stayed up all night devising this fool-proof plan to get them to realize how gay they really are and to get them together all in one fell swoop and boy was that a good idea because of course Yoojung and Doyeon would be talking about a new Girl Crush today—”

 

“Okay okay, take a deep breath,” Soomin cut her off, scanning the barely legible writing and the crude but surprisingly accurate drawings of Yoojung and Doyeon.

 

Haerim drummed her fingers against the table impatiently as Soomin digested the contents of Operation Get the Gays Out of the Closet Because I am 110% Done with This Bull (she admittedly didn’t have the time to think of a catchier and less emotionally fueled title). Of course, Soomin’s expression did not change once as she flipped through the pages, offering Haerim no indication if she thought her plan was as ingenious as Haerim thought it was.

 

Finally, Soomin put down the notebook. Haerim looked at her expectantly.

 

“…Emo Puppy and Queen Derp? Really?”

 

“Is that really all you have to say?”

 

“…Why is my codename…Cucumber?”

 

“Because you’re always as cool as a cucumber, duh,” Haerim rolled her eyes. “But that’s besides the point! Do you think it could work?”

 

Soomin ran a hand through her hair and handed the notebook back to Haerim.

 

“As...effective as things like ‘kidnapping Emo Puppy with a burlap sack’, ‘covering Queen Derp with chocolate pudding’, and ‘locking the Gays in The Closet into an actual closet’ sound, don’t you think this they’ll eventually figure things out on their own? I mean when you have all these unnies hooking up and dating around them, Yoojung and Doyeon are bound to have their gay awakening soon. As much as Yoojung likes to flaunt her Super Best Friendship with Doyeon, I bet she’ll have asked Doyeon out by the time these Position challenges are over.”

 

Haerim, who had visibly deflated at Soomin’s lack of enthusiam to her grand plan, snorted. “Hah, no way. If anything, it’d be Doyeon making the first move.”

 

Haerim followed Soomin’s gaze to where Yoojung and Doyeon were leaving the cafeteria, probably having another ‘one-on-one’ practice dance session. “I’ve known Yoojung since middle school, and she’s always been the type to think a lot about her relationships with others and what they mean to her. I mean, not that Doyeon doesn’t, but she’s…”

“…Queen Derp?”

 

“Queen Derp.”

 

“Wait.” Haerim suddenly leaned forward as a light bulb went off in her head, smiling widely. “How much are you willing to bet on that?”

 

Soomin arched an eyebrow. “Are you serious? What happened to ‘Operation Get the Gays Out of The Closet Because I Am—‘”

 

“Screw that!” Haerim slammed her notebook shut, ridiculously close to bursting out in maniacal laughter. Maybe that all-nighter did a bigger number on her than she thought. “We’ve had to deal with Yoojung and Doyeon’s Super Platonic Best Friendship crap for at least a year now and we deserve to get some fun out of it.”

 

“I bet all of my allowance on Yoojung-unnie!”

 

“Holy shi—”

 

Soomin clamped her hand over Haerim’s mouth as Somi literally sprang out of nowhere, holding her ped frog wallet towards them.

 

“I couldn’t help but overhear like everything you two were talking about and I totally want in!” Somi nodded eagerly at both of them. “Please, unnies?”

 

“Whoa, whoa,” Soomin raised her hands. “Nothing against you, Somi, but we probably wanna keep this within the Fantagio circle, just for Yoojung and Doyeon’s sake.”

 

As tempting as Somi’s…compilation of spare change was, Haerim had to agree. “Sorry Somi—”

 

“But—but—but—” Somi’s lip quivered and she suddenly flailed her arms, searching for an argument. “It’s suuuper obvious that Yoojung-unnie and Doyeon-unnie like each other and they’re both in Bang Bang and I’m in Bang Bang so I could keep an eye on them and—and—”

 

“Would you reconsider if some more people join in?” Dani swooped in, Eunbean in tow. She slapped down a 10000 won bill in front of Haerim. “I’ll bet 10 on Doyeon confessing first.”

 

Haerim and Soomin exchanged a glance, taken aback at the sudden sequence of events.  Haerim eyed the bill on table. “Uhh—”

 

“Oh, what’s this? A bet? On who confessing to who?”

 

The Jellyfish trio, always with their impeccable timing, approached the table.

 

“They’re betting on whether Yoojung or Doyeon will confess to the other first, unnie,” Mina answered. “Can I bet 5000 won on Doyeon?”

 

“Wait, aren’t they already an item?” Kim Nayoung asked.

 

“Ugh, I wish,” Haerim groaned, before shaking her head. “Wait wait, that’s beside the point. We’re not holding an official bet or anything, guys.”

 

“Why not?” Sejeong asked innocently, flashing her trademark smile as Somi nodded vigorously next to her. “It sounds like fun, no?”

 

“Well…” Haerim found it increasingly hard to think of reasons why it was a bad idea to hold this bet. Well, she found it hard to just think in general considering she was two seconds away from falling asleep on the spot and the radiance of Queen Sejeong’s Smile™ was blinding her. She ignored Soomin’s tightening grasp on her hand and smiled back sweetly. “How much would you be willing to bet?”

 

“Hmm,” Sejeong tilted her head thoughtfully. “10000 won on Yoojung?”

 

“15000 won on Pick Me Center: Choi Yoojung!” Suhyun yelled, draping herself over Nayoung’s back.

 

“Whoa whoa whoa, what’s going on here? We betting on who’s gonna go gay for who first, Yoojung or Doyeon?” Juna poked her head between Sejeong and Nayoung, accompanied by a crowd of trainees.

 

“You know what?” Haerim stood up on her chair, grinning (or maybe she was laughing maniacally?) “Everyone, come on over and place your bets! Yejin, get your over here!”

 

“Oh my god,” Soomin breathed, putting her head in her hands. “Haerim-unnie…”

 

---

 

Once all 59 trainees had circled around their lunch table, Haerim waved her hands to silence them. “Alright girls, which of these tragically platonic best friends will have her gay awakening and confess to the other first: the Charismatic and Occasionally Emo Cutiepie Choi Yoojung or the Visually Striking and Equally Weird Queen of Derp Kim Doyeon? Place your bets!”

 

“Here are the ground rules: there’s gotta be proof of one of these two idiots asking the other out, or else the whole bet’s void! Always have your smartphones on standby, hell, steal footage from Mnet’s cameras if you have to! But no giving either of them any ideas unless they come to you for advice first, got it?”

 

Soomin had all but given up trying to knock some sense into Haerim at this point, and weakly raised a 5000 won bill. “5 for Yoojung…”

 

“Doyeon looks like the type who seems all innocent but is actually hot and bothered 24/7, I’m totally betting on her.” Juna said as she handed a bill to Haerim, who was furiously scribbling down bets.

 

“'Hot and bothered’?! Juna please, they’re minors!” Kim Nayoung, being the upright citizen she was, looked absolutely scandalized.

 

“Pfft, when I was their age I was already—“

 

“—Might I remind you that there are even younger minors in our immediate vicinity!?” Nayoung clamped her hands over Somi’s ears.

 

“Lighten up Nayoung,” Suhyun laughed as Nayoung swatted away her attempts to pet her into submission. “We’re talking about who’s gonna ask who out first, not who’s gonna fu—”

 

“—Alright, maybe we should be a wee bit more considerate of the little ones around,” Chungha jumped in, offering Nayoung an understanding smile. “By the way, 10 for Doyeon.”

 

“So what,” Nayoung made one last appeal at rationality. “We’re just gonna bet money on these two instead of helping them come to terms with their ualities, something terribly frightening and anxiety-inducing to anyone who’s grown up in a conservative society in which heteronormativity is the only accepted norm?”

 

“Uh…yeah.” 58 voices answered back.

 

Sighing heavily, Nayoung dug her wallet out of her pocket. “…5000 won on Choi Yoojung…”

 

---

 

“Dani-unnie, look look, Yoojung-unnie and Doyeon-unnie came into the room together.”

 

“Omigosh unnie look, Yoojung-unnie is watching Doyeon-unnie dance.”

 

“Dani-unnie, Dani-unnie look, now they’re sitting next to each other.”

 

“OMG. Dani-unnie, Yoojung-unnie is sharing her headphones with Doyeon-unnie.”

 

Dani smiled tightly as Somi half-whispered/half-shouted to her for the fourth time that hour. It had been approximately forty-five minutes since lunch ended and within that time, Somi had single-handedly become the captain of S.S. Dodaeng (“I looked up their ship name online!!” Somi had proudly proclaimed).

 

“Oh. My. God. Yoojung-unnie and Doyeon-unnie are dancing together.”

 

Somi, bless her soul, was still a child at heart. Well more like, she was a child, period. Putting aside the Korean age system—something that Dani still found confusing—Somi was only 14 years old. Looking at the tall biracial girl, it was easy to forget that she wasn’t even out of middle school. But during moments like this, where Somi was the equivalent of a preteen gushing about her favorite celebrity ship when they did as little as make eye contact, Somi’s youth was painfully clear.

 

Dani’s eyes flickered up to the middle of Bang Bang’s practice room where lo-and-behold, Yoojung and Doyeon were…dancing together. Doyeon had been struggling earlier with one of the key points of their choreography, so Yoojung offered to walk through it with her during their break (of course, something that Somi had gushed to Dani about for ten minutes).

 

“See, see? Look at how Yoojung-unnie’s hand is on Doyeon-unnie’s…waist.”

 

Somi waggled her eyebrows and Dani resisted the urge to facepalm. She placed a hand on Somi’s shoulder—was she vibrating with excitement?—and sat her down on one of the benches.

 

“Somi, look, I know you’re…excited about Yoojung and Doyeon potentially going out, but they’re really not doing anything different than usual.”

 

“….I guess…” Somi sagged and Dani almost felt bad before Somi sprang back up, her right hand in a tight fist. “But they’re just so close and I can’t wait for them to get together! I hope Soyeon-unnie and I can be that close someday…”

 

Dani raised an eyebrow, interested by this development. She couldn’t keep the smirk off her face. “Oh, so you do like Soyeon?”

 

“Shhh, shh!” Somi’s eyes widened comically and she placed a finger to her lips. “That’s why I was so bummed when she chose Growl—I was hoping we could be on the same team together so we could get closer like Yoojung-unnie and Doyeon-unnie are now…”

 

“Awwww, I can’t believe my giant baby’s in love,” Dani playfully ruffled Somi’s hair. “Chin up, okay? Anyway, I have a feeling Soyeon might like you back too.”

 

“You think? Y’know, I—Oh my god, Yoojung-unnie’s holding both of Doyeon-unnie’s hands!!”

 

Dani sighed, deciding to scroll through her Instagram feed now that Somi had returned to her perch at the helm of S.S. Dodaeng. She really, really hoped Somi went through phases as quickly as she grew, because Dani didn’t know how long she could stay sane if Somi kept at this for the rest of the week.

 

“Dani-unnie, Dani-unnie, look, Yoojung-unnie’s face is in Doyeon-unnie’s s!”

 

“That’s great Somi…” Dani rolled her eyes—Yoojung’s face was always in Doyeon’s s. Hm. Wait a min—

 

“Say what!?”

 

Dani whipped her head to the dance floor where Yoojung and Doyeon were a tangle of limbs on the floor and just as Somi said, Yoojung’s face was pressed against Doyeon’s chest. Had they tripped?

 

“Oh my god,” Yoojung sprang up as fast as Dani had ever seen her move and bent down to help Doyeon up. “Are you alright Doyeon? I’m so sorry!”

 

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Doyeon smiled absently, apparently unaware that her best friend had unintentionally nuzzled her s. “You’re as light as a feather these days…”

 

As Somi ran over to check on them, Yoojung turned into a tomato, red to the tips of her ears. Dani smiled deviously. While it appeared Doyeon hadn’t noticed, Yoojung was definitely aware of where her face had landed in their fall.

 

“Are you okay, Yoojung-unnie?” Somi asked, also taking note of how unsteady the smaller girl appeared.

 

“Nono, I’m good,” Yoojung flustered. “I think Doyeon took the worbt ubb duh—”

 

“Oh my god, Yoojung-unnie your nose is bleeding!”

 

Yoojung startled, cupping her face. “Oh geez…”

 

“Oh no, Yoojung! Did you hit your nose when you fell?” Doyeon rushed to Yoojung’s side with a handful of tissues. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault...”

 

With some miraculous timing, Chungha stepped into the room, before stepping back at the chaos (and blood) in the center of the dance floor. “Uh…what’s going on…?”

 

“Yoojung-unnie and Doyeon-unnie fell and Yoojung-unnie’s nose is bleeding!” Somi reported, and Yoojung merely knit her eyebrows in apology, the majority of her face smothered in tissues. “And boy is it a gusher!”

 

“Oh come here, come here,” Chungha looped one arm around Yoojung. “We’re going to the infirmary!”

 

“Itd not yer faut!!” Yoojung yelled back to Doyeon as Chungha ushered her out the door.

 

In the corner of the practice room, Dani desperately tried to reign in her hysterical laughter. Somi stormed over to her, appalled.

 

“Dani-unnie!! How could you be laughing at a situation like this!? What if Yoojung-unnie’s nose is broken!? Looks are #1 to an idol!!”

 

Struggling to breathe, Dani merely beckoned Somi to come close enough so that her whisper would remain out of Doyeon’s earshot.

 

“Yoojung—fell on her cheek—not on her nose,” Dani barely managed through her laughter. “Why do you think—she had a nosebleed?”

 

“It’s not because she fell on her nose…?” Somi tilted her head before her eyes widened in realization. “…Because she nuzzled Doyeon-unnie’s s!?”

 

Okay, Dani was definitely howling now and Doyeon could certainly hear but she really couldn’t hold it in. Somi batted at Dani’s arm, cackling. “I thought that only happened in cartoons!!”

 

“What are you guys laughing about…?” Doyeon asked innocently as she wandered over to them.

 

“It’s nothing—nothing,” Dani wiped away a stray tear before grinning slyly at Doyeon. “Did Yoojung’s face feel good on your s?”

 

Doyeon’s scandalized face sent Dani and Somi into another fit of laughter. “What!? Guys, Yoojung could have a broken nose! Be serious!”

 

“Oh, I’m sure she’ll be just fine,” Dani patted Doyeon on the shoulder, gracefully making her leave so she could properly die of laughter in private.

 

Man, she couldn’t wait for what the rest of the week had in store for these two.

 

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Next Time: Doyeon has a crisis when the trainees unanimously agree that Yoojung can be cute and hot at the same time.