Vs. :: BTS
Twenty-One :: A JYP Survival Show
1
"This is a competition ... nothing is fair here."
Byunjae keeps telling himself it's only been one episode. The fans can't have forgotten him yet. And he'd done really well in the first round - surely that counts for something? He's adorable dangit, how had he been eliminated so early?
But he knows why.
"Someone hacked into the system and attempted to upload false votes for one of the contestants."
If it hadn't been clear then who the contestant was, it definitely is now. At least to him.
But he refuses to let that stop him. He's here to debut, and he's worked way too hard to give up now.
JYP explains what their challenge will be as they ride to the theatre, and Byunjae's mind buzzes trying to decide who he'll duel.
Noheul maybe? He never ranks well and they're about the same vocally. Or maybe Do Sanghyun would be better since he's awkward and Byunjae can definitely out sing him.
But still, Do Sanghyun wasn't doing too poorly in the rankings, did Byunjae really want to stake his career on the hope that fans would like his voice more?
He sighs as quietly as he can, sinking down in his seat. Everything is in ruins, all his hard work, all those exhausting years. He deserves the debut. He deserves it. Every time he's almost given up he reminds himself what he's working for. It's not fair he's come so close just to fail all over again.
He won't stand for this, and he can't just leave it up to luck and hope. Just like everything, you have to fight for what you want.
And he wants this debut. Maybe he doesn't deserve it - if this was a standard survival show he'd be done. But he doesn't care. He is being given a second chance, and he's going to cling to it for all he's worth.
He can't let this opportunity get away. Throwing his old thoughts away, he focuses on a new idea. If he competes against someone extremely vocally inferior to him it'll be an easy win. Viewers may not always appreciate talent, but if there's an obivous gap then even the most tone deaf of people will be able to tell.
The question then, is who to challenge. There are a lot of bad vocals on the show, but a lot of them are, unsurprisingly really, ranking pretty well in the votes.
And then it hits him: there is one person who has escaped rightful elimination. One who isn't a good singer, and who really shouldn't be there regardless so it will be perfectly fair for Byunjae to challenge him.
And what has Oh Doyeon really done to deserve a debut anyway? He's only been training a few months compared to Byunjae's years of effort, and he spends more time goofing around with his friends than practicing.
Yes, Byunjae can fairly take TJ out without feeling any guilt about it. With his mind made up he makes his way towards the theatre.
He'll get back into this competition no matter what the cost might be.
2
"This is fine."
Time seems to slow down as Doyeon processes the situation.
It almost worries him how familiar the feeling of drowning has become just in the past week. Nineteen years of coasting and then this show hits and suddenly it's a constant barrage of everything he's ignored his entire life.
Maybe he's not meant to be an idol. Maybe the world is telling him something.
Thankfully he's not given much time to be introspective. He can feel Gosaeng's fury radiating beside him, and it gives him something to center around. He needs to calm Gosaeng down. His friend needs him here and grounded right now.
Seongjun helps to steer the dancer out of the room, and Doyeon is momentarily reminded of how thankful he is that Seongjun is around now. Sure the group was fun before, but Seongjun brings his own unique way of doing things that fits seamlessly with the rest of them.
But with Gosaeng gone Doyeon has the freedom to sink back into his worries. There's no way he can beat Byunjae in a battle of talent or skill. The other has been training for years, while he'd only just decided to give idol life a try a few months earlier.
Heck, considering he'd already unfairly avoided eliminations, maybe this was karma, coming back to put him in the eliminated group where he was supposed to be.
He glances over at Byunjae, who is resolutely staring at the walls of the room, avoiding any and all eye contact.
Maybe he felt bad? But no one could really tell with Byunjae. He's a wild card, and as far as Doyeon can tell he doesn't do things that he'll regret. At the very least if he ever does feel bad about the decisions he makes he never shows it. In fact, he's pretty aggressive about defending them.
And reluctantly, Doyeon can understand that.
This is why he hates getting introspective. Things always get messy, and then emotions get involved, and people get hurt. Namely himself.
So he attempts to ignore the knawing in his gut and focuses on what he's going to perform instead. Even if he goes tonight, he's still going to put up a fight.
The fact that the two of them are some of the last to perform isn't helping things either. The room is silent, and once he's picked a song there's nothing immediately distracting to occupy his attention with.
Sure Do Sanghyun is here as well, but loathe as he would be to admit it Doyeon considers him the person he's least close to in their group. He's nice yeah, but sort of boring. Doyeon needs someone exciting, who can keep up with him and keep him focused on whatever they're talking about.
Honestly he needs Gosaeng. But as nice as it would be to have his best friend to joke around with while waiting, the fact he's not here means that he's safe. And Doyeon will take worrying over himself over the possibility that Gosaeng could be eliminated any day.
3
"You'll have a different job this round."
Danny isn't feeling particularly good about how things are playing out right now.
He'd known Byunjae would probably still be in 'angry' mode from his elimination, but challenging TJ seems unnecessarily petty to Danny, even by Byunjae standards.
At the same time though, even when he's pissed off Byunae still works on his own sort of logic, so Danny decides to trust that he knows what he's doing.
Besides, he has his own problems to worry about right now that don't involve the inevitable pain in the Koda is going to be because of this.
JYP has gathered the remaining contestants just outside the side theatre doors, and Danny can hear voices through the thick wood. The CEO waits until he has the full focus of all the contestants, which takes a few minutes due to Seongjun and Hongsol still struggling to get Koda to calm down, but eventually everyone is quiet and their boss speaks.
"For this challenge you've been spared any chance of being eliminated. Congratulations!" He smiles brightly, as if that's the only thing that matters.
Danny subconciously glances over at Seongjun, and the two share a look before glancing back up at the CEO. Sure it was nice to not be on the chopping block, but they all had friends who were. And while yes, debuting was the end goal it would be nice to have a few friends beside him when that happened.
He tunes back in to what JYP is saying a moment later.
"So instead this episode you'll be the judges! For every performace you'll be giving both a positive and a negative note to the performer onstage. That includes your friends." He looks over at Danny in particular, and he momentarily feels insulted. If anyone will ignore the rules it will be Koda, not him! But he shakes off the slight quickly. No sense in getting pissy when the CEO is the one running the show.
He glances to Sanghyun, who has been standing beside him silently the entire time. He's been weird the past few days, but Danny knows he'll talk when he's ready.
Sanghyun catches the look and smiles tiredly. "This should be fun." He notes, somewhat sarcastically.
Danny gives him a laugh. "Yeah, sure. Can't wait to see who will break the rules first and piss off JYP."
He says it as quietly as he can, eyeing where the CEO had vanished down the hall after finishing his explanation, which Danny now realizes he'd missed most of.
Oh well, he has the basics, and he can always just give his critique after everyone else has, that way if he did miss something he can pick it up.
They file into the theatre shortly after, and Danny sits next to Sanghyun after taking some time to smile and wave at the audience sitting closest to the judges' seats. He leans over to talk to his friend over the crowd's chatter.
"Hey, does this feel weird to you too?"
Sanghyun glances over, and then slowly nods in response. "I feel slimy honestly. I don't want to be forced to say negative things about our friends."
Danny hums and leans back in his seat. Honestly the whole situation feels slimy. But there's no backing out now he supposes. May as well hold on tight and try and enjoy the ride.
4
"Everyone looks surprised as Koda leans back."
Lee Gosaeng has always been the dumb one. His entire life he's been a constant source of dissapointment for the people who expected more from the son of a microbiologist and a literal rocket scientist.
Heck he would probably be a millionaire if he had ten won for every instance of people asking if he was adopted, or otherwise insinuating that he couldn't possibly be his parents' kid.
Of course he isn't really aware of that. Gosaeng lives day to day as best he knows how, enjoying his time and not thinking too hard on anything.
His parents didn't know what to do with him. How do you connect with a child you have nothing in common with? Gosaneg's parents aren't particularly social people to begin with, and though they certainly tried in their own way it was never enough for the young and extremely attention seeking Gosaeng.
So he spends his time trying to gain his parent's focus in whatever ways he can dream up. Disrupting classes, failing grades, causing general chaos wherever he goes. But all he gets is sad acceptance from his parents, who then return to discussing their work.
Gosaeng even tries, for a while, to understand what they're talking about during those conversations. He wants to be noticed, wants to be cared for, wants... something. He isn't even sure what it is he's seeking anymore but he keeps up his cries for attention.
He learns, slowly, that he can force people to notice him. He can drop himself into conversations and verbally flail until they have to acknowledge him. He learns that dancing and rapping earn him applause and interest, and gives him something to talk about that he understands.
It's that feeling of belonging that has him deciding to dance professionally. Well, that and the fact a few of the guys he knew were doing it and hey that looks like fun! I could do that too!
So he finds himself in JYP soon after, ready to start his day and into every nook and cranny of company life.
But for once in his life, someone takes notice of him before he starts talking.
"Hey! Are you the new kid?"
Gosaeng spins to look at the trainee adressing him. He's tiny compared to anyone, and Gosaeng towers over him, but he's smiling bright and curious as he strains his neck back to look up at the newcomer.
Gosaeng takes it in stride. "New kid and the best dancer you've ever seen!" He proclaims proudly.
The other's brow pinches into a thoughtful frown, and then he shakes his head. "Nope, not possible. Seongjunnie is the best, therefore you can't be." He declares, and there's a glint in his eye as he waits for Gosaeng's response.
Gosaeng does so immediately. "Too bad, I'm already the best! Where is this Seongjun-y guy, I'll show him a thing or two!" He grabs the other boy by the arm and enthusiastically drags him down the corridor, yelling for Seongjun to come face him as the other laughs, happily trailing along behind.
5
"I never thought I'd see a vocalist interact with a crowd like he was a rapper I'll give you that."
Do Sanghyun is internally freaking out.
Well, he's almost always internally freaking out to be completely fair, but normally the crazy group he associates himself with would help to keep him grounded and distracted. But the only member of that group with him right now is Doyeon, who's being uncharacteristically quiet and putting Sanghyun even further on edge.
His eyes flicker around the backstage waiting room and his hands fidget in his lap. What song should he sing? He knows quite a few but they're most ballads and Kangjoo is really good at ballads. But he's always so awkward with non-ballad songs.
Sanghyun knows that he really should improve his stage charisma. Everyone tells him he should, and he does try, but that sort of thing just doesn't come as easily to him as it does for Doyeon or Gosaeng. Especially Gosaeng.
He's never told anyone, but he actually kind of envies the simple minded dancer. How nice would it be to not be constantly worried about how others are percieving you? Unlike Sanghyun who's basically crippled into stagnation by his constant need to not mess everything up.
He notices then that someone is watching him, and he tenses nervously. Jihwan watches him with a calm aura that pushes Sanghyun even closer to the edge of discomfort.
He smiles at the other nervously. Will that make him stop and look somewhere eles?
But to his dismay Jihwan instead walks over to him. He looks nervously over at Doyeon, sitting close by, but his friend isn't even looking at him so he reluctantly looks back to Jihwan.
"Um, hey hyung?" His voice squeaks a bit at the end and he can feel himself blush.
Jihwan gives a somewhat awkward and almost nervous smile. "Hey. You looked nervous. Thought I'd ask what's wrong."
Sanghyun blinks. And then blinks again. What?
Jihwan sits next to him. "Yeah I know, I don't talk to people. I figure since I'm out anyway I may as well help."
"You don't know that!" But Sanghyun doesn't really believe his own words. The guys who were eliminated were cut for a reason - the chance of coming back was small.
Jihwan shrugs. "Maybe not. But anyway, if you're worried about your performance you should try a rapper approach."
Sanghyun stares at him. "How did you-?" He pauses, tilting his head slightly.
Jihwan shrugs. "You always worry about performances. I've seen you freaking out before the evaluations before." He answers the unfinished questions easily.
Sanghyun hesitates. He doesn't really know Jihwan, but he's offering his help and support and Sanghyun needs that right now.
He glances again at Doyeon, who's still staring distantly at the wall. Well, any port in a storm as they say.
So he looks back to Jihwan, feeling determined. "Okay. What's a rapper approach?"
He will not freak out. He will stay grounded. And he will survive this show and prove to everyone once and for all that hard work pays off.
Even if he has to do it alone.
6
"I thought you'd be singing."
Ant has no idea what the CEO is doing.
"I can't sing, Why does JYP keep making me sing?"
He never feels this out of control and he hates it. He's a rapper and composer, but it's clear the CEO expects him to sing as well. Not that there's anything wrong with singing, Ant just isn't a singer.
The CEO isn't trying to make G or Reito sing. Xaris doesn't have to sing. So why him?
He don't even have any songs he could sing for the duel, he doesn't practice his vocals that often. And JYP knows it.
Suddenly another thought occurs to him - JYP has pitted him against Doc, his own nephew. The trainee who obviously would rather be anywhere else but here.
JYP doesn't want him to sing - he wants him to fail.
The realization hits him hard, and he probably would have needed to sit down if he didn't feel a hand on his arm right at that moment.
He glances up and find Kyuwon smiling comfortingly at him.
"Well for one thing you are actually a pretty good singer Ant. And for another look around, look at the eliminated contestants. All our best vocalists except for Jude have been eliminated. I think JYP just wants to show you you can expand your horizons and do both, that way there are enough singers in the final lineup." The dancer offers the explanation with the tone of someone speaking to a scared child. Normally this would bother Ant, but he likes Kyuwon. The other contestant doesn't make him feel like a freak just for being himself.
And Ant wants to believe him. He does. But he can't, not really.
But he doesn't know how to voice any of that. So instead he just nods. "Yeah, okay. I guess."
It's not convincing and he knows it's not convincing. He's not big on social interaction to begin with and these sorts of delicate emotions are the kind he prefers to sort through himself without interference from the outside world.
But Kyuwon is nice, and Ant wants to be nice back. So he nods again futilely, hoping somehow this will make things better.
Kyuwon doesn't move for a moment, thinking deeply. Ant can see it in the way his eyes darken slightly.
Ant isn't a people reader, but he knows about getting lost in your own head, and that's definitely were Kyuwon is now. He wonders what the other could possibly come up with to fix things.
He then wonders why he's so sure Kyuwon will actually be able to fix things. With anyone else he would have walked away by now. But he likes Kyuwon, and he trusts him. He'll fix things.
And then the dancer leans over.
"Why don't you rap then? The rules don't say you can't."
Ant blinks in surprise. He's right. They don't say he can't rap just because Doc will sing. He turns slightly to thank Kyuwon, but the other has already left.
Ant will have to thank him later then. For now he's got an original rap to work on.
A thus I finally put down my pen and release this story as truly complete. Hope you guys enjoyed the BTS and that you'll check out my new apply Princess!
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