[Countdown to Sungyeol's trip: D-7]

Argh, what can he do to convince myungsoo to lend him the camera? Sungyeol sulked as he packed his luggage. Suddenly a book in the corner of the room caught his eye.

Eung? What's that? It was a book with a white cover, the size of a standard story book. Curious, he reached for it.

"The 6 Principles of Persuasion
Chapter 1: Liking
Chapter 2: Reciprocity
Chapter 3: Social Proof
Chapter 4: Commitment and Consistency
Chapter 5: Authority
Chapter 6: Scarcity"

Hmmm, this could be useful, Sungyeol grinned.

The gears in his head started to turn.
Project 'Korea's next KMSL' start!!!

[D-6]

Chapter 1: Liking
Personally liking the opposite party

"Yah Lee Sungjong, hurry up with those bags," Sunggyu yelled. They were on the way for a schedule and only Sunggyu, Sungyeol and Myungsoo were ready and waiting in the car. "Those kids, always late," Sunggyu grumbled. He got out of the car to rush them, leaving Sungyeol and Myungsoo in the car.

Touch touch. Myungsoo felt something his arm. He brushed whatever that was away. Poke poke. He felt something poke his cheeks gently. He turned his head. He usually headed straight for the car after he woke up and showered, to catch a few extra winks. 
"Myungsoo... Myungsoo ah..." He heard someone call him. 
"Hm..." he answered shortly and without much attention. 
"Myungsoo...myungsoo..." A higher pitched voice called him. 
It sounded like a girl. 
Wait. 
Was there a sasaeng fan in his car?!

He opened his eyes groggily, and saw only Sungyeol. Sungyeol grinned when he saw myungsoo's eyes opened. "Myungsoo..." He cooed again in that high-pitched voice. Myungsoo glared at him for 5 seconds. That Choding. Disturbing his precious sleep! Then he turned and slept on his side, ignoring the childish brat. He was too sleepy to quarrel.

When he was falling asleep, he felt a warm breath at his ear. 
"You love me right?" He knew it was Sungyeol.
"Mm..." he responded vaguely and fell asleep properly. 

Stage 1 of 'Korea's next KMSL': SUCCESS FAILURE 

(A/N: No, Yeol. It's a Failure. Myungsoo wasn't even listening to you -.-)

[D-5]

Chapter 2: Reciprocity
Returning favours

To say Myungsoo was shocked would be an understatement. What's a stronger word for 'shocked'? Astounded? Bewildered? Whatever. That Choding had been unusually submissive today. Sungyeol had bought him breakfast and coffee, helped to carry his bag, opened the car door. Sungyeol had even helped him reorganise his checkered shirts by colour. What in the world was wrong with him?

"Lee Sungyeol. What are you up to?" Myungsoo asked suspiciously.

Sungyeol's eyes widened innocently. "Nothing! What would I be up to?" 
Cue puppy dog eyes. 
Blink blink.

Myungsoo avoided eye contact. 
"Then why are you being so nice all of a sudden?"
"Why can't I be nice to my best friend? After all I'm always nice!" Sungyeol flashed a megawatt grin at him. "Come on, we gotta go for practise!" Sungyeol linked his arm with Myungsoo's and bounced to the practise room.

Myungsoo stared at him. There was something wrong with SUngyeol. Something very wrong. Did the screw in his brain pop?

Stage 2 of 'Korea's next KMSL': SUCCESS RESULT UNKOWN

[D-4]

Chapter 3: Social Proof
Seeing other people do the same thing

"Look!" Sungyeol dangled some thing shiny in front of Myungsoo's face. Myungsoo jerked back in surprise. Whatever that was, it was way too close to his face and almost hit his nose. 
He stared from that sparkly thing to Sungyeol's gleeful face and back to the sparkly thing. It was a necklace and it looked really familiar...

"Hey, is that Sungjongie's favourite necklace?" He gasped. Sungjong was extremely protective over that necklace that his crush gave to him in middle school. He rarely wore it and he never let anyone within a metre near it. Sungjong always kept it in a padded black box at the back of his drawer. Why was Sungyeol holding on to this item which was so precious to Sungjongie?

"Did you steal it from him?! He's gonna explode when he finds out! He might do all the moves he does on his teddy bear on you! You'd better put it back immediately!" Myungsoo panicked. The Maknae could be very violent and absolutely unconsolable when he was furious. Myungsoo didn't want to feel the Wrath of Sungjong. He shuddered.

"Chill Best Friend, Sungjongie lent it to me," Sungyeol said with a proud look on his face. 

Myungsoo looked at him in disbelief. Why would Sungjong agree to lend something so precious to him to this Choding who is known for losing and destroying things? Yet, he knew Sungyeol was telling the truth, because Sungyeol wasn't a good liar.

"See, Sungjongie knows I'm a responsible and reliable hyung," Sungyeol said smugly and walked off.

Myungsoo stared at Sungyeol's retreating back. Has Sungyeol really changed for the better?

Sungyeol stole a peek at Myungsoo's face. That look of disbelief on Myungsoo's face was mixed with some awe. 

Stage 3 of 'Korea's next KMSL': SUCCESS HALF SUCCESS

Just a little more to go!

[D-3]

Chapter 4: Commitment and consistency
Follow through what you say/do

"Hey Yeol, we're going to that shoe shop later right?" Myungsoo asked casually.

"Oh crap! I forgot! I scheduled extra dance practise with Howon today!" Sungyeol groaned.

Myungsoo shrugged, he wasn't surprised, ChodingYeol was usually like this. This wasn't the first time Sungyeol forgot his appointments. He would usually just call Sungjong or go alone.

"Hang on," Sungyeol whipped out his phone. "Howon ah, I can't make it for dance today. Yeah yeah, I know I'm lacking, but I promised Myungsoo already! Yeah, I owe you one. Buy you chicken another day okay? Yeah go flirt with Dongwoo. Puahhahahha... I know you want to! Yeah I know, I know. Gotta go! Bye!"

"Done!" Sungyeol grinned at Myungsoo. 

Myungsoo blinked once, twice, thrice.

"Yah, I just turned down Howonnie for you! Can you please say something? You know how lacking I am but I still sacrificed my time to go shopping with you!" Sungyeol punched Myungsoo's arm lightly.

"I didn't ask you to," Myungsoo said, still slightly dazed.

"Meh, you know I would keep a promise to my Best Friend right? I'm a loyal guy!" Sungyeol winked.

Now that's a first. Sungyeol keeping his promise. 
That scatterbrain forgets everything unless you remind him 5 times a day. 
Maybe he was really loyal... Myungsoo thought.

"Anyway, thanks, see you later!" Myungsoo smiled.

Stage 4 of 'Korea's next KMSL': SUCCESS

[D-2]

Chapter 5: Authority
Get the opinion of an expert or respectable source

"Woah why's the practice room so clean?" Sunggyu asked as soon as he stepped in. The mirrors were sparkling and the floors was spotless. Dirty towels usually strewn all over the floor were missing, replace with only clean ones folded on the table. The bottles of water were neatly arranged and the dustbin was empty, instead of overflowing with crumbs, tissues and whatnot. Instead of the usual stinky sweat odour, there was a lingering scent of roses and lavender.

Myungsoo, the only other person in the room, shrugged. "I think it was Sungyeol. I saw him walking out with the mop and a full trash bag."

"That kid seems to have changed the past few days," Sunggyu remarked.

"Yeah, tell me about it. Suddenly he starts being so compliant, and Sungjong even lends him that special necklace." Myungsoo agreed.

Sunggyu's small eyes widened. Sungyeol managed to convince Sungjong to lend him the necklace? He's been working hard, Sunggyu muttered to himself.

"What did you say?" Myungsoo's sharp ears caught the murmur.

"Er, I said that he has really changed!" Sunggyu said hastily. "I feel like I can trust him with more important things now, don't you think?" Sunggyu asked.

Myungsoo slowly nodded his head. Yeah... That choding seems more reliable now...

"After all, he managed to get Jongie to lend him that necklace. Our Maknae isn't easy. And he probably returned it in perfect condition, since we didn't hear Sungjong raging." Sunggyu continued, casually glancing at Myungsoo.

"Yeah, it feels like he's growing up and starting to be responsible." Myungsoo said thoughtfully. 
"Ah enough of that choding. Hyung, can you help me with this part of the song? I can't seem to grasp the feeling properly."

Well, that's all I can do, Sunggyu thought to himself. It'll be suspicious if he insisted on continuing the conversation. But anyway, Myungsoo's agreement was an affirmation he was thinking of Sungyeol positively now.

Sunggyu texted Sungyeol. 
"Sungyeol ah, I've completed my mission. Pretty noona's number please?"

Stage 5 of 'Korea's next KMSL': SUCCESS

[D-1]

Chapter 6: Scarcity
People value things more if there is insufficient to meet the demand

"Aren't you glad you have me to eat ramen with you?" Sungyeol teased.

"Yeah yeah, shut up and eat," Myungsoo grinned. The rest of Infinite had decided they've had too much ramen the past week (Myungsoo insisted on ramen at least once a day) and they had all bailed on him to eat pizza. Only Sungyeol supported his quest for ramen.

"Remember during sesame player? How cooperative I was with the americano and salt?" Sungyeol boasted.

Both of them stayed silent for a while, reminiscing. Those good old days where they played pranks and "ran away" from the managers (it was scripted, but still a lot of fun). At that time they were still new, and put their 150% into the filming so that they could gain exposure. That's not to say that they weren't doing their best now, they were just working in more aspects.

"And Dongwoo hyung's face...puahahhaa" Sungyeol said and burst out laughing. Myungsoo laughed along, thoroughly enjoying Yeol's company.

"Sigh, what would you do without a Best Friend like me?" Sungyeol joked.

"I'd find another best friend. Maybe Sungjongie?" Myungsoo teased.

Sungyeol pouted. "Yah! How dare you say such a thing?" He whacked Myungsoo's back, just as he was taking a big bite of noodle.

After a minute or two of choking, Myungsoo finally cleared his throat. "Yah!" He sputtered. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Hehe, sorry," Sungyeol grinned sheepishly. "Here drink some soup."

"But yeah, I'd be really bored without you," Myungsoo said casually, turning back to his ramen.

Sungyeol smiled widely and hugged Myungsoo. "Best Friend!!!!"

Stage 6 of 'Korea's next KMSL': SUCCESS

[D-Day]

Sungyeol counted the successes and failures he had in his plan over the past week. Well... he had at least three full successes, Myungsoo should have offered him the camera by now! But he was leaving in four hours and Myungsoo hasn't said anything. Aish, that boy was more stubborn than he thought.

He went online and was intending to leave Inspirits a tweet when suddenly he heard someone enter the room.

"Yeol ah"
Yes! Sungyeol thought. Keep calm, keep calm.
"Yeah?"
"I was thinking, maybe, I could lend you my camera."
"Mmm?" Keep it cool...
"Yeah, I mean you're my best friend and all, and you will take care of my baby, won't you?"
"Of course!! Thanks Myungie!" Sungyeol grinned and gave Myungsoo a hug.

Then excitedly, he tweeted:

(Inspirit Oppa is going! Stay well!!!!!)

Project 'Korea's next KMSL': SUCCESS

then he realized......

he didn't know how to use the DSLR.

!!!!!!

----------

picture courtesy of sungyeol's twitter (@seongyeol1991)