Chapter Text
"I hate him! God, I hate him!"
Doyoung had entered the sound room only to find himself alone with Jungwoo. The morning show recording had gone well. Perhaps too well. And that's what always confused everyone. Why did they struggle so much if everything turned out fine in the end?
"But, hyung, I don’t understand. Everything went well! Let’s cheer for that!"
Jungwoo was Doyoung's assistant, and Doyoung was the assistant to the switch director. Second and first assistant directors, that's what their positions were called. Doyoung had been working at KBS for a little over a year, and since he joined, he had stood out remarkably among all his colleagues. Now, angry, he adjusted his glasses while looking through the window that allowed him to see into the control room.
There was Lee Taeyong, the switch director.
"It doesn't matter. He ruins everything."
Doyoung gritted his teeth. He couldn't stand him. Lee Taeyong had a knack for sounding strict yet with a voice that could be sweet. His face was sculpted by the gods, and that certainly made the rest of the team swoon. Along with an infectious laugh and incredible leadership skills, Taeyong ran the control room like the navy, and that really grated on Doyoung.
"He doesn’t, tho. He’s actually a good director. You just hate him."
"Yeah, and so what?"
Doyoung sounded defiant as he looked at Jungwoo. The younger one could only chuckle mockingly. It wasn't the first time he'd seen him like this, and it wouldn't be the last.
"I just don’t understand why you keep working with him."
To be honest, Doyoung didn't understand it either.
The first day he had become his assistant had been etched into his mind. It was a very good day, and probably his colleagues would remember it that way too. It had been one of the times the show had run the smoothest. And that was because the young director was known for his impeccable pace, his ability to manage his entire team and make them dance to the beat of his mind and fingers.
"Alright, team, this was a very good one! Maybe the best one ever! Thank you all for your effort," Taeyong said as he stood up from his seat. He clapped as he smiled at everyone, and when his gaze settled on Doyoung, who was next to him, it completely faded. "What was your name?"
"Kim Doyoung. I used to work with Taemin hyung."
"And why are you here if you were working with Taemin hyung?"
Taeyong's question sounded intentionally pointed. Doyoung raised his eyebrows in offense. He glanced around and realized the control room was now empty.
"Aren’t you like the youngest director here?" Doyoung asked. "The promise of KBS?"
It would be a lie to say Taeyong didn't enjoy that question. "Well, is that what they told you?"
"Not really."
"So those are your thoughts."
He was a bit annoying. Taeyong was teasing him, and Doyoung could feel his anger simmering.
"No, it’s just what my friend told me when they transferred me," Doyoung replied seriously, not breaking eye contact. "They also told me you needed a little help, so here I am. Wasn’t this show the best one ever? You’re welcome."
Doyoung struck hard and directly. Taeyong's smile turned into an irritated smirk, and Doyoung quickly focused on the curve that adorned Taeyong's lips. He was handsome as hell, but that wouldn't erase Doyoung's anger towards the young director.
"It could be better," Taeyong said, crossing his arms. "To be honest, I expected more coming from you."
Doyoung raised an eyebrow.
"How? You didn’t even know me."
"I know everyone here. Coming from Taemin’s control room, I expected you would be more... I don’t know, that you'd have a bit more rhythm."
And that hurt. Taemin had told him once, and it was true that rhythm was something he'd like to improve on, but it was difficult. It's not that he was bad; it's just that both of them were perhaps too good at what they did. Doyoung thought his other skills compensated for it, and ultimately, as an assistant director, he didn't need to be a rhythm master to handle the show's switch. But still, despite all his studies, despite how confident he was in his work, he allowed himself to doubt. Taeyong noticed that, and only smirked victoriously.
Oh, but Doyoung wouldn't let him savor it.
"Well, if this one was your best show, imagine what it would be if I had the rhythm you need."
Doyoung sounded sassy saying that, and Taeyong just chuckled. It camouflaged well how incredibly flirtatious it could have sounded to his ears.
The assistant didn't even let him reply. Doyoung simply closed his laptop and grabbed it to get out of there. Some might have taken it as insolence to leave his director talking alone, but the truth was he didn't care much.
Now wasn't any different. Jungwoo still looked at him with a smile while crossing his arms. Despite being younger than Doyoung, they had a relationship like brothers. They had both worked for Taemin at one point, and Doyoung had even taught him all his tricks to be a good assistant in the control room.
"I just don’t understand why you keep working with him," Jungwoo said without erasing his smile. Something in the way he looked at him seemed to understand more than Doyoung could see himself.
And it was true, nobody understood. To this day, it had been almost half a year since they started working together, and there wasn't a person on that team who hadn't seen them argue vigorously. What was funnier is that in the end, Taeyong and Doyoung worked very, very well together. People would say they were meant to be on each side.
"Because…" Doyoung stopped himself. He pressed his lips together and looked back at Taeyong through the glass separating the control room from the sound room. As he was just watching Instagram videos, Doyoung thought he was ridiculous. "I just can’t let him win. It’s so obvious he's pushing me to stop working with him."
Jungwoo rolled his eyes and took Doyoung's arm to invite him out. His watch showed it was time to go for lunch.
"Maybe you two are just in love with each other. Have you ever considered that?"
Doyoung jerked his arm away from Jungwoo and frowned at him.
"I would never fall in love with someone who's as ridiculous and childish as him."
Jungwoo chuckled at his words and hooked his arm again, leading them both to lunch together.