Cypher 2 — Scouting

“We are proud for BTS to reach this height of popularity which they owe through their intense passion for music and their fans unfailing support. Since 2013, we have been keenly observing BTS and realised it only now that despite their high results on charts, sales and popularity in the whole while world, there still something that lacks BTS. To fill this, we have talked about these to the members of BTS and they all thought about it too. We then ended on equal grounds.” The video of Big Hit director’s commentary was being shown i an apartment with seven boys watching with mixed emotions. While one can say that, the four sitting on the couch were watching seriously while the other four on the floor could barely remove their eyes on their phones. It was the group BTS, the popular group of singers and dancers who is announced to have a new member.

“The fans will surely make a ruckus with this because I too can’t believe we lack something.” Taking a bite from his burger, Jeon Jungkook frown upon the image of their group showing in the screen of TV with another shadowy image of a guy next to them.

“Well, they said that being perfect leaves you no room for improvement. Maybe Director Bang has seen something for him to say that.”

The one sitting on the couch remarked, although his face contradicts his words, Kim Namjoon tries to calm the raging maknae lines aka Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook that’s sitting on the floor saying words not applicable for the young audiences. Those sitting at the couch are the four hyungs, Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi and Jung Hoseok.

This position was maintained until the video of their director’s commentary appeared on the screen making the 7 gloomy. Did they feel that their lines would shorten with the new member? Or would their popularity depleted because of the new member. Surely, it wasn’t that at all.

“I agreed having a new member—just that... just that I want a bigger room for myself! I want an apartment for myself!” Jungkook shouted as if he’s in the middle of a market place.

“That’s all you can think of? Think about the food—the food between us will be small! Smaller than before!” Hoseok butted in to the maknae’s conversation.

“Hyung talks as if your portion of foods aren’t bigger than any of us.” Taehyung remarks making the latter attack him.

While the two squabble down the floor, Yoongi stood up and yawned silently albeit slowly. Everyone who saw him disappeared to the hallway knew how he felt. Despite being a silent man, Yoongi’s face definitely shows disagreement with the new set up their agency was administering to them. Silence filled the room and one by one left the living room except for Namjoon who is sitting deeply on the couch. With eyes closed and fingers tightly sealed together, he silently pondered what happened the day before yesterday.

Flashback 

It was the usual morning where the members of BTS had to go to Big Hit building and practice for the upcoming mini album. It was 7 in the morning when they left via mini van for a practice. It was the usual schedule, practicing, making diaries, taking videos and selfies of themselves for fans to feast on. While they were wrapping up for the vocal practice, their manager came inside the practice room, calling for Namjoon who’s helping Jin distributing refurbishments. The rest of the members thought it’s the usual talk about their schedules and whatnots so they weren’t able to see the aghast face their manager had. The moment Namjoon followed their manager from the practice room to the meeting room where BTS rarely go to, he suddenly felt the heavy atmosphere surrounding the room upon opening it. Before him was the rest of the managers who he rarely seen to be together as their managers do rounding of tasks when managing the members of the group.

(Is the situation serious than I thought?)

Namjoon is pretty observant and sensitive to emotions that he can read a person’s face with just a look. When he saw the manager’s face earlier when he can to pick him up, he knew something was up. An inkling he had that a serious matter involving s is gonna be discussed in the meeting.

“Namjoon-ah, sit down.” Namjoon who was in trance for a while after seeing the unusual group before him was called out by his manager Sejin.

“Ah, sorry Sejin-hyung. It’s unusual to see everyone gather like this so I was wondering.” He said after greeting everyone politely.

To this words everyone flinched but the coughing of the man sitting at the chair in the ends of the table caught their attention. It was Bang PD-nim, with his usual demeanour a bit dark too, Namjoon gulp albeit loudly for everyone to hear.

“Namjoon-ssi, I have something to tell you. This matter concerning BTS, a crucial matter involving everyone’s acceptance and participation.”

Their eyes locked on and there’s a heavier atmosphere than when he came inside, Bang PD-nim continued his announcement before Namjoon.

“We’re going to add a new member to your group.”

When he said that, Namjoon blinked for a while, adjusted his seating and looked around him. It was as if he was looking for something—well, he was really looking for something. A hidden camera, in short, he’s thinking that he’s being pranked. However, the thought of adding a new member to their group, isn’t that too late for that and too funny? Namjoon didn’t realise he was laughing the next moment.

“Namjoon-ah?”

“Ah, I’m sorry PD-nim but I know this is a bad prank... just too funny! Everyone’s good at acting. ‘Awesome!”

Namjoon continued to laugh until it dried down when he saw how everyone’s expression didn’t change.

“Wait, is that really true?” He fake a shocked face but the managers look was very true so much his smile disappeared into a frown.

“WHAT THE ?!”

Cussing in English does nit except one when disrespecting the elders and although he knew about this, Namjoon was not able to take the idea of the man before him. However, Bang PD-nim did not punished him, not yet, nor did he rebuked the youth who is about to explode in mountain of loads of curses.

“Ah, I think I’m having a headache.” Bringing himself back to reality, Namjoon muttered louder than he thought.

A pad of medicine was passed to him while he massage his forehead. Behind him stands Seokjin, the oldest member of their group. Seokjin disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a glass of water for him.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. I’ll go see if the others are fine.”

Seokjin pats Namjoon on the shoulders and disappeared after saying so. As the oldest of the seven boys, Seokjin tries to get along with them and maintain good rapports. Like he used to do the stage like hugging each members before performances, Seokjin would go and seek each members relentlessly and talk or comfort them. The members were embarrassed or uncomfortable with the intimate actions coming from the latter but they got used to it, as if it was thr common courtesy from the oldest member, no one complained and even thanked him for this.

“Hyung? What’s up?” Jungkook asked after seeing Seokjin behind the door.

“You guys are noisy. You’re gonna hear an earful later from Yoongi.”

Jungkook along with the boys behind him, Taehyung, Hoseok and Jimin stopped talking but continued after a few minutes. Seokjin sighed, seeing as how the maknaes have not been dissing about the news of having a new member, gave him a bit of relief. Since the four are enjoying their holiday, he decided to move to the next room.

Not until he heard it.

“That prank is so old! Imma do this, check this out...” Taehyung boasted, describing his newly invented prank with a jovial face.

“Oooh! I want to do the ‘It’ movie prank. It sounds fun! Jimin-hyung can be the kid!” Jungkook’s plan was not as horrendous as Taehyung but Jimin, whose ears moved by the word ‘kid’ made the negative appeal.

Seokjin who was on the door about to leave came back to scold the four. Hoseok who is laughing in the midst of maknaes evil plans was scolded also.

“No pranks! No clowns! Especially Taehyung! Do not put a farting sound on chairs! Remember when Yoongi almost pealed your scalp? Yeah, that would not just happen to you but to everyone!”

The ‘Yoongi-is-scary-when-angry’ reasoning used by Seokjin is effective as always. Remembering about the scary past gave Taehyung goosebumps so his smile crooked albeit his plans is still in motion. Seokjin made his way to the next room, it was his and Yoongi’s room. Like a log, Suga went back to sleep with his body facing the bed, Seokjin knew his roommate is faking sleep so he would not have to talk to him. Suga was the kind of person who does what he wants to do and stubbornly hates what he hates in a whole new level—in short, a hardheaded boy. Albeit his strong personality, he cannot say no to his hyung. That’s what Seokjin thought.

“Yoongi-ah. Yoongi-ah.”

Seokjin shakes the boy but he did not budge at all. The boy who is scary when being forced to do what he dislikes. On the 3rd try, the latter hissed and glared at Seokjin, giving him a shiver up to his spine. He is not scared. Not at all.

(Min Yoongi, the lion. I guess I’ll just let the lion sleep for now. I better make some food. I’m hungry.)

“Fine, I’ll just leave you and make something in the kitchen.”

After saying that, Seokjin left the room with his phone in hands scrolling for recipes. Meanwhile, Yoongi perked up and rolled on his bed. He is not up for some conversations after hearing the news of an additional new member of their group. His mind was wandering since two days ago. When the news came to him he cussed so much he has never done before.

“Why? Are we not enough for them to add more members?” Yoongi said with everyone in the practice room barely able to talk.

“PD-nim said about new styles that he wants to incorporate to our group. I think he’s only thinking of lucky number 8.” Namjoon plopped down the chair while drinking water.

“Really?! Isn’t that too absurd?! Just because of number 8?!”

Everyone who is inside the practice room went silent at the moment of Yoongi’s outburst. Even now he still feel should not have done that at the same time his anger intensified each time he is reminded of the news. His anger for this topic is not an exaggeration. After all, everyone deeply know they all feel insecure for the coming of this new member. Who is he? Is he good at dancing or good at singing? Is he tall or is he short? Does he eat a lot or just a little? Does he likes meat or is he a vegetarian? All these are just a few of the members questions. Yoongi who’s deliberately trying to write new lyrics came to a stop after hearing a ruckus behind the door.

“These guys... so ing loud.”

Drowsily picking himself up, Yoongi reach for the knob to give some great speech on Kim Taehyun. Outside, indeed a wild Kim Taehyun is running to and fro the hallways shouting about a ‘quest.’ The first one to find him ‘luckily’ was not Yoongi but Seokjin who is stuffing his mouth with Pa Jeon* and Kimchi Jeon*. Along with Jimin who ran after seeing the existence of foods in the hands of Seokjin, the three was soon joined by Yoongi who was ready to kill anyone at the moment.

“Yoongi-ah, this is a big news! Big news!” Seokjin laughed before shoving a card to his face, “We are going to scout our new member!”

“HAH???”

There was a unified response from the rest of the group members as they moved to the living room. Although Taehyung was undoubtedly imagining the scene already, the others have mixed reactions. Jin thought that it’s a good idea, Namjoon was silent for a while, Jimin and Jungkook was already raring to hit the streets while Hoseok doing his best on making jokes next to Yoongi. The card where the quest was written is being passed to each member which reads:

In Search For BTS New Member

Due to conflicts of interests, Bang PD-nim gives BTS the rights to scout their new member. This is to make the group adjust to the new member themselves. In addition, you are given 2 weeks to train him to find a new member which suits your group’s interests and 1 month to train him. To add more details to the quest, we have listed the things you are to do before your go and scout.

1. Choose which biseinen stereotypes would you be?
Choices: "Prince Charming" Type, "Cool" Type, The “-Shota", The "Destroyer" Type", "Little Devil", The "Natural" Type, The “Naughty” Type, The “Lazy” Type
2. After choosing your type of character, use the last one left type as a basis for your new member
3. Disguise and find your new members.
4. Each members will be filmed secretly so cheating is not allowed.
5. You are only allowed to search around the vicinity of Gangnam-gu.

“This is a load of crap.” Yoongi muttered for a while after reading the card. “Disguising and scouting, why do we have to do such tiring things? Why the heck are we choosing these stereotypes?”

“Well it’s but not entirely bad, it looks interesting.” Namjoon remarked, “The fact that we have to find our new member ourselves is good since we can choose whether we like him or not.”

“The process seemed to be a bit of a hard work but knowing everyone, I knew we can do it.” Seokjin pats Yoongi.

“Of course, I knew that. BTS do nothing by halves.”

With that said, Yoongi’s participation was confirmed. The maknaes echoed the same sentiments while the hyungs decided which is which types. It ended unanimously with Jimin as the “-shote” type, Jungkook as the “Little Devil” Type, Taehyun as “Wild” Type, Namjoon as the “Destroyer” Type, Jin as the “Prince Charming” Type while Suga as he is, changed his type from Lazy to “Swag” Type.

Against all odds, the group decided to hit the streets.

(Pajeon, in the 2nd plate, in the middle of the table in front of jungkook)
*Pa Jeon is a Korean dish made from a batter of eggs, wheat flour, rice flour, scallions, and often other ingredients depending on the variety. [Wikipedia]

(Unfortunately, I can't find an image of BTS eating Kimchi Jeon... It might have disappeared to Seokjin's stomach... RIP)
*Kimchi Jeon is a pancake made up of kimchi left overs
*Biseinen is a term for handsome men who’s ages 20 and up. Bishounen if younger than 20s. Biseinen can be ikemen too.

Hello everyone. Thank you for subscribing! Leave any kind comments below. I did put some foods here after I ate some Korean food in a restaurant.