Work Text:
I debuted two years ago as the leader of the co-ed group L’manberg owned by Dream productions. The group was a first of its kind, country concept, one girl, and brothers debuting together. That was what I was most excited about. Debuting with my baby brother Tommy. He’s crazy talented and I’m just me. I got scouted just because I showed up with Tommy because he can’t drive and they asked me to audition to so I did, and now we’re here. After two years of hard work we are one of the larger idol groups, but now I’m standing next to this fucking group. Basically our company trying to capture lighting in a bottle again but falling miserably, Kinoko. A four person group. One member less then our five. It shouldn’t piss me off as much as it does but it still does. Sure we are still the much larger group but still having the thought in the back of my mind that my life might crumble just because my Dream productions wanted more money.
“That was a fucking humiliation ritual.” I say walking past Tommy and up to Niki
“I don’t know why you are so mad. They just debuted.” Niki says clearly with a bit of aspersion in her voice.
“The company is giving us in shop composition.”
“If that’s how you’re seeing it.” Niki speeds up and joins Jack who was walking faster than the rest of us. Tommy moves up to steal her spot
“You ok?”
“I’m fine, Tom.”
“You don’t seem ok. Are you that mad about another group?”
“It just feels like they are coping us.”
“We’re owned by the same company, that’s not surprising. Also you need to learn how to stop mean mugging their leader every time he opens his mouth”
“I wasn’t mean mugging him.”
“You know the fans-“
“Stans”
“Sorry, stans will notice that.”
“They always do. They love a little drama.”
“Just… relax ok? It isn’t that big of a deal ever.” I look over at Tommy who is just smiling softly. He always tries to make things better. We keep chatting about random stuff until we turn to the hallway where our dressing rooms are and fuck. They’re here again. All four of them are standing in a little huddle in front of my dressing room door.
“Excuse me.” I say walking up to them trying to hide the annoyance in my voice as all of them part like the Red Sea.
“See I told you… older leaders act like they run the world.” Their leader Alex says and I snap to look at him
“I’m sorry?”
“You heard me.”
“All I said was ‘excuse me.’”
“I saw you looking at me on stage. What’s your problem with me?”
“What’s your problem with me?” I snap quickly before walking into my dressing room.
“Jesus fucking Christ… I’m going to have to work with that guy.”
The moment I walked into the dance studio the following morning something felt off. Tommy and Toby were standing against the mirrors looking at something on Toby’s phone and Niki and Jack are doing the same.
“Hello?” I say and all four of them whip around to look at me “what happened? Did someone die?”
Toby takes his phone from Tommy’s hand and hands it to me. Tommy was right, a lot of stans are talking about last night and how I kept looking at Alex. As per usual they are starting rumors which I really don’t care to read. “Not that big of a deal”
Niki rolls her eyes and Jack just snickers quietly. “What? Rumors get made all the time it’s not the end of the world. All of us have rumors for random shit.”
“Yeah but by far you have the most.” Niki says
“How many times have executives told you to stop flirting with people or making shitty comments online?” Jack says
“I’m the leader. Stans are going to do that, make rumors about me.”
“But-“ Toby starts to say
“Enough. If it gets out of hand the executives will talk to us. We’re starting with Queen Card. Starting positions!”
Back at the dorms Tommy and Tubbo are sitting on my bed while I do some work on my computer.
“Tommy did you see the light stick designs?” I spin in my chair to look at him “designers wanted to see if you liked it.”
“Why does my opinion matter so much?” Tommy says
“Because you’re their darling little idol. You’re their favorite. Just approve it, we don’t need to make a fuss about it.”
“I will.”
“Thank you Toms.” I spin back to my desk and oh what’s this? A new email from the company how lovely…
“They’re making us do what?” Niki looks up at me.
“The company wants us to do a collab song with Kinoko.” I says pacing infront of the couch where the rest of the group is sitting
“So they are using their successful group to push up their newly debuted group?” Jack says
“That’s exactly what they’re doing.” Toby says and Tommy nods
“Nine people is way too many people for a song…” Tommy sighs as he pulls out his phone
“It’ll be fine. We’ll only have to work with them for a while” I says under my breath
“You talking to yourself or us?” Tommy doesn’t even look up from his phone to bully me
“Your lucky your my brother.”
One thing I’ve always hated, people coming into my spaces and trying to control things and that is exactly what Alex is doing. Since he’s the leader of his group he feels like he needs to yell at everyone including me and my group.
“Jesus Christ, Wilbur. It’s one,two,three,four. Not five,six,seven,eight.”
“Alex. I am working on it. We started learning this dance half an hour ago, and maybe focus on your group. Karl keeps tripping.” Both me and Alex’s view snap to Karl who just awkwardly laughs. “Focus on your group. We can talk about me after rehearsal.” I grin and walk over to where Tommy and Toby are fighting over some stupid shit. I’d rather deal with that right now than deal with him.
After a few weeks of dealing with that fucked the day of our stage comes and it goes fine. Some costuming hiccups but nothing crazy. We preformed a cover of Drunk-Dazed by Enhypen and our new comeback Digital Love. The second we got off stage I blocked Alex’s number. A few hours after the performance was when things got weird. All of our stages get a bit of attention just because of how large of a group we are but this one got a lot more, and sure you could attribute that to fans of Kinoko listening to us for the first time bit that wasn’t why. According to fans and stands me and Alex has such great chemistry and want us to do more things, and what the fans want the fans get. So chances are I’ll be forced to work with him once again. This is my personal hell.