Seokmin smiles brightly at all the staff members who pass him by. It helps that he did quite okay in the competition segment and they kind of have an impression of him.

 

Ryeowook regards them kindly, Seokmin notes, not that it would be too surprising, seeing that a thirteen membered boy group definitely would remind him of himself. Of course it helped that Seokmin was a main vocal too. Still, some of it couldn’t be explained. Doesn’t mean that he’s not going to try and subtly, or not so subtly mug for the opportunity to guest on Sukira again.

 

Perhaps what’s surprising in him trying to mug for an extra guest slot is that it works. He gets a call from the Sukira side a few weeks later, and for some strange reason, it’s directed at him and not Boo Seungkwan.

 

Thinking back, maybe it makes sense, because it could be said that he did better on the competition segment compared to Seungkwan. Perhaps someone was impressed by his ability to sing loudly when so far away from the microphone. Perhaps it was his lack of care for his image. But for whatever strange foreign reason, it’s directed at him.

 

He has about two seconds when the manager is talking on the phone with the Sukira side to process everything.

 

“But, but, I’ve never gone for an individual schedule, I’m scared, can Seungkwan come along with me?”

 

It’s lucky that the Sukira side were asking for two Seventeen boys, it’s weird to guest individually on Sukira. Especially when it was the Thursday slot when they were just supposed to show up and play idol games.

 

“Why?” Seungkwan hisses, warm smile dropping from his face when they are safely within the confines of the company car.

“Why what?”

“I thought we were on opposite sides.”
Seokmin shrugs, “that’s only if you want to be on opposite sides.”

“But we are on opposite sides. Two hungry main vocals can’t peacefully coexist in a group this big.”

“We always peacefully coexisted before this.”

“That was before. Before you were Dokyeom,” he pauses, “before you were a main vocal. Before Jihoon wasn’t a main vocal.”

“I’m still Lee Seokmin.”

“But the Lee Seokmin then and the Lee Seokmin now are two different creatures. Don’t even try to deny it, you know I’m right.”

“I’d still rather be on the same side as you than not.”

 

“You are really something,” Seungkwan mumbles when Seokmin passes him by in the dorm.

“What?”
“They asked us to guest again next week.”
“That’s great news!”

“You really know how to charm.”

“Seungkwannie, it was a joint effort!”

“Joint effort, yeah 90% Dokyeom 10% Seungkwan.”

“It wasn’t like that!!”

“If I believe the words you say, Lee Seokmin, I’m a fool.”

 

One slot change from the Thursday “play idol games slot” to the Wednesday “boring ranking show slot” later, Seungkwan is back to doubting Seokmin.

 

“Why are you so nice to me?”

“We’re fellow members and friends, of course I’d should be nice to you.”

“You’re stupid, you know that?”

“Maybe I am.”

“You are stupid,” Seungkwan spits, “you just don’t get it. You don’t get that we’re on different sides and you shouldn’t be treating me nicely. But you’re like stupidly naïve guy who is uselessly nice to people who aren’t nice to you.”

“I don’t think I’m very nice to Chan.”
“That’s different.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Do you know that even Lee Jihoon doesn’t treat me as nice as you treat me, and we’re supposed to be on the same side.”

Seokmin blinks, this is the first time he’s hearing something like that from Boo Seungkwan.

“We’ve drawn the line and picked sides, and as it turns out we’re not on the same side. So why the hell are you lobbying to get me fixed on Sukira?”

“It does all of us good,” Seokmin plainly replies.
“Except that you have rocks for brains and forget that Kwon Soonyoung is also good at this variety thing. Why didn’t you just throw out his name when asked instead?”

“You and I have different charms.”

“Lee Seokmin, you can’t fool me. Don’t think for a single moment that you’re that good a liar.”

Seokmin huffs, “you want to break into variety. I know that. Am I supposed to just sit by when such an opportunity passes me by?”

“Yes. That’s when you don’t understand the meaning of being at war.”

“Come on, don’t be overdramatic Seungkwannie, it’s not a war.”

“Don’t Seungkwannie me, Lee Seokmin. And you and I full well know that it is a war.”

 

Seungkwan mentally shakes his head when Seokmin beams, smile wrinkling the corners of his eyes—he’s going to get a massive case of crows’ feet when he gets older—and he sees the female staff literally melt because he’s so adorable.

Adorable and genuine outside of broadcast yet competent and funny while broadcasting. What’s there not to like. Hang on, Seungkwan knows the answer to this, he’s infuriating.

 

His smile is prepared when Jisook come over to ask him about how he felt about being appointed as a fixed guest, but it soon morphs into a real one. Seungkwan feels great about it. Why would he not feel great about it? Ryeowook seems to be genuinely taken by the two of them—definitely it helps that they’re both from thirteen membered groups and they’re both main vocals, but he’ll take all the help that he can get. Contacts with a senior this big may prove to be a huge asset later on. Not only that, the staff are very pleasant, and are definitely on the connected end. That can’t bode badly at all for Seungkwan’s budding variety career. That he gets to guest with another three big seniors also cannot be a disadvantage.

 

Of course he’s not going to tell Jisook that directly, that’s not going to leave a good impression so early into their working relationship. But he can rattle on about how glad he is to get the experience.

 

He’s vaguely aware of Seokmin enthusiastically telling the staff about how he’s actually very clueless and just trying to find his footing. And how he relied on Seungkwan because he’s more experienced and skilled at this kind of things.

 

 

“You’re an idiot,” Seungkwan informs matter of factly when they’re on the way back.

“Yeah, I’m an idiot.”

“Now you’ve gotten me fixed on Sukira.”

“Seungkwan, you don’t know what would have happened if another member was guesting with me. For all you know we wouldn’t be where we are now. For all you know it might have been a disaster.”

“Well, I can tell you that as long as the member you picked didn’t say anything horrifically stupid, you would have gotten fixed anyway.”

“You don’t know that.”

“You can’t tell me that you’re actually blind to how so much of the studio looks at you with adoring, sparkly eyes.”

“Look, even if they did Seungkwan, we needed actual talent to back that up.”

He snorts, “you’re speaking as if you’re that drop dead handsome actor who just shows up and then all the ladies can’t get enough of you because that you’re handsome even though you’re saying dumb . One, Lee Seokmin, you’re not that kind of guy, so don’t even try. Two, these are middle aged ladies that we’re talking about, they won’t get easily charmed by an airheaded good looker. Three,--”

“You said I’m an idiot.”

“You’re not that handsome. Not with that getup of yours that looks more appropriate to go to the convenience store in.”
“What’s wrong with my clothes?!”

“Three,” Seungkwan persists, “don’t even tell me that you don’t have the talent for it.”

“Even if that’s true, Seungkwannie, it doesn’t mean that it would have ended up this nicely any other way.”

“I’d be a fool to believe you, Seokmin.”

“But the studio looks at you with adoring eyes too!”

“It’s the, oh yes, this Seungkwan boy is competent and could potentially be a good fixed guest.”
“See! I couldn’t have done it without you!”
“I don’t even want to talk to you anymore…”

 

And what’s new? Lee Jihoon is treating him like crap again. Like he’s the big bad boss, and Seungkwan is his little minion who should do his bidding. Well, technically, Lee Jihoon is the head honcho of their side, but it doesn’t mean that he has the right to treat Seungkwan like crap.

 

Not when Boo Seungkwan is fully aware that the only reason why their side is able to compete against the other side is because they split the main vocals. He would think that Lee Jihoon would have the wisdom to treat Seungkwan better so that he won’t defect to the other side. But then again, he considers that Jihoon might not even have entertained that possibility.

 

But what incentive does Seungkwan have to stay? He stayed in hope of getting more, getting better lines that Seokmin. Well, he did get the high notes and the ad lib, but Seokmin got “baby you are my angel”. Just because Seungkwan acknowledges that he doesn’t for one moment suit “baby you are my angel” doesn’t mean it’s not frustrating.

 

Seungkwan likes company, wants to have friends to joke around with, wants to be loved. Lee Jihoon doesn’t love him. For Jihoon, this is pure business only, and Seungkwan’s quickly discovering that he’s not strong enough for that. Not when no one on his side really has very much affection for him and the other side is (why?) full of people with too much affection to give.

 

Anyway with the speed at which they’re both improving, Seungkwan thinks that it’s going to be more and more difficult to justify not giving them choice lines. 

 

It probably doesn’t help that Lee Seokmin is like the devil whispering into his ear trying to entice him to go back.

 

“Woah, Seungkwan, you okay?” asks a very concerned Hansol when Seungkwan storms out of the recording room with a red face.

“Where’s Seokmin?” he demands, and it comes out much harsher than intended.

“I think he’s practicing his singing?”
“Thanks.”

 

And Seungkwan barges in without knocking on the door and Seokmin nearly falls off his seat in shock.

“What’s up, Seungkwan?”

“You said that you didn’t want to be on opposite sides from me right?”

“Yeah, that’s true!”

“What does Soonyoung think about this?”

“I think he’ll be delighted.”

Seungkwan narrows an eye suspiciously.

“No, I really think so! But even if he isn’t, he’ll warm up the idea eventually. There’s no good reason why he wouldn’t view having Seungkwannie on our side as a definite asset.”

Seungkwan locks the door behind him, looks Seokmin dead in the eye before sitting down on the stray chair, “okay, let’s talk.”

“You want to come back!” Seokmin squeals.

“We need to cut a deal. A deal which I might think is impossible to cut.”

 

Impossible. That was the word Seungkwan used to describe the potential deal that could exist between the two of them.

Truth to be told, Kwon Soonyoung would have used the same word also.

 

But reality proves otherwise. Seokmin is soon dragging Soonyoung into the room so that they can reach an understanding and start the reintegration process.

 

“I’m so glad that you want to be on the same side as us,” Seokmin enthuses as he pulls Seungkwan into a bear hug.

“I missed Seungkwannie so much!”

“It was lonely practicing without you.”

 

That night, Kwon Soonyoung confirms once again that he does in fact run the most powerful faction in Seventeen.

 

Seokmin learns that Boo Seungkwan, for all that cold hearted rationality that he purports to possess, cannot stand not being treated well, cannot stand his opinions being categorically disregarded and cannot stand operating in a pure business environment. He isn’t that cold hearted rational person after all, but Seokmin’s really never thought that anyway.

 

Seungkwan discovers that Seokmin has so much capacity to forgive and forget (and love) that he might as well be crazy. He really is an idiot.