Chapter Text
"I know I've only been gone a couple months but if feels weird to be back in Busan." Taehyung said to his limo driver as they headed to the premier of Korea's Most Eligible: All-Stars.
"You excited for the new season?" The driver asked him.
Taehyung nodded. "Excited and nervous."
The driver chuckled. "I don't blame you. Each season of KME is crazier than the last. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a billion new twists this time around."
"Plus, now that Kwangsoo's our new showrunner…" Taehyung sighed. "Let's just say I hope it goes smoothly."
"Last season, you took home the grand prize." The driver reminded him. "Doesn't get much smoother than that."
Taehyung's eyes widened a bit. "You watched last season? You don't strike me as a fan of KME."
The driver snorted. "Everyone in Korea is a fan of KME. The whole country's got its eye on you."
"But no pressure or anything, right?" Taehyung asked.
"Right." The driver nodded. "But while we're on the subject, any inside info you can give me before the show starts filming?"
Taehyung smiled. "Nothing too specific. All I can say is I'm not the only Season 10 contestant who's coming back. I can't wait to see Jungkook."
The driver let out a cheer. "I was hoping he'd come back this season! KME needs more omegas like him."
"There aren't any omegas like Jungkook." Taehyung said. "He's completely one of a kind." He heard the crackle of gravel as the limo pulled up behind the KME mansion. "Well, here's my stop. Thanks for giving me a ride."
"No problem. I'll be rooting for you, Omega Next Door."
Taehyung gave the driver another smile before climbing out of the limo only to be greeted by hundreds of screaming fans. "Oh my god, it's Taehyung from Season 10!"
"Taehyung! Over here!"
"He's even hotter in person!"
Everyone in the crowd was focused on Taehyung, waiting to see how he would greet his adoring public. He beamed at the crowd as he waved. "It feels so good to see you all! Thanks for cheering me on!"
A collective 'aww' rose from the crowd. "Taehyung's so humble for a celebrity!"
"Well, what did you expect? He is Korea's Omega Next Door."
"You gotta admit, though. As alphas and omegas go, Taehyung's among the best."
Security stepped forward at that moment. "Okay, people, stay in line or I'm kicking you all to the curb." Taehyung took the opportunity to slip around the side of the house toward the driveway.
As soon as he rounded the corner, the scene changed completely, causing him to stop abruptly. He watched, bewildered, as PAs and crew members hurried in and out of the house, barking orders at each other. In all the chaos, no one seemed to notice him. He headed inside, hoping to find a familiar face. "Hoseok?" He called out. "It's Taehyung-"
"Oh, thank god!" Jackson exclaimed in relief, rushing over to Taehyung with a frazzled expression. "You're over two hours late! I knew Kwangsoo would give out the wrong call times!"
Taehyung frowned. "Is everything okay? I mean, you seem-"
"Like I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown?" Jackson asked.
"I was gonna say stressed." Taehyung said. "But that works too."
Jackson let out an exasperated sigh. "The important thing is you're here now so I can cross one more contestant off my list."
"Make that two more." Taehyung turned to see a muscular alpha sauntering into the foyer with a surfboard under his arm. He turned to Taehyung and smiled, bowing his head slightly in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Taehyung. I gotta say, I'm a big fan."
"Nice to meet you too." Taehyung said. "Are you a new contestant?"
The alpha chuckled. "Don't know if I'd say 'new'. This is the All-Star season. But yeah you'll be competing against me for the grand prize."
"This is Seungcheol." Jackson introduced him. "A returning contestant from Season 6. His official title is the Surfer."
Seungcheol smiled. "Not as charming as the Omega Next Door but it's something."
"Nos if you two are done dawdling, Hoseok needs Taehyung for his Confessional." Jackson said.
Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "Dawdling? We were just talking-"
Jackson snapped his fingers. "Now."
Seungcheol saluted Taehyung as he headed down the hall. "See you on the flipside, Omega Next Door."
When Taehyung opened the door to the Confessional room, he found Hoseok waiting for him. Hoseok smiled brightly. "Welcome back! You have no idea how good it is to see you."
"I've missed you so much!" Taehyung gushed, pulling Hoseok into a hug. "It's been so weird not having our weekly Confessionals."
"Tell me about it." Hoseok chuckled. "Planning this season has been intense but the thought of seeing you again got me through it."
"Is everything okay though?" Taehyung asked. "Things seem kind of hectic downstairs."
Hoseok sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised. Usually, we air KME every summer which means we have months to prepare. But Kwangsoo insisted on airing KME All-Stars in the fall! We've barely had time to get everything together."
Taehyung's eyes widened. "That explains why Jackson is in such a bad mood. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"You're sweet, Taehyung, but you don't need to worry about us." Hoseok said. "Let's focus on your strategy for this season. I wanna talk about your image. I think we should head in a new direction."
"How so?" Taehyung asked.
"Last season, we assigned you the Omega Next Door title." Hoseok said. "This season, I figured we could shake things up. That's why I want you to pick your own title. Are you a Leader? A Sex Symbol? A Rebel? It's totally up to you."
"Sounds great." Taehyung smiled. "I want the audience to know I'm not the same Taehyung as last season."
Hoseok nodded. "So how do you wanna be remembered?"
"Just call me the Dreamer." Taehyung said. "What do you think? Does it suit me?"
"I love it." Hoseok said. "And I think Korea will too." He clapped his hands together. "And now that we've got your title sorted, let's get on with this Confessional." They took their seats, and Hoseok switched the camera on. "Here we are, back on Korea's Most Eligible! It must feel weird after you spent your summer at home."
Taehyung nodded. "It's a little weird to be back. Mostly I'm just excited."
"And we're excited to have you." Hoseok said. "But I’m sure everyone's wondering--what made you decide to come back for the All-Star season?"
"I came back because I missed the cast and crew." Taehyung said. "I couldn't resist the chance to see my friends again. I can't wait to hear what everyone's been up to."
Hoseok smiled. "Well, if nothing else, I'm sure Korea's happy you're here. But I can't help wondering how you'll mix things up this season. Everyone saw your KME debut and that includes your competition. You can't rely on the same strategy you used in Season 10. So how will you play the game this time around?"
"This season, I'll form meaningful friendships." Taehyung said. "I'll show Korea that nice omegas can finish first, and more than once."
"Sounds like you're determined to make a statement." Hoseok mused. "Is there anything you wanna tell your fans before the season starts?"
Taehyung looked directly into the camera. "I'll make you all proud. In the end, I know I'm not just competing for myself. I'm competing for everyone who believes in me."
Hoseok smiled as the Confessional came to an end. "Nice work." He got to his feet with a sigh, rubbing the small of his back. "I have to admit, I wish your Confessional wasn't over already. I feel like I've been on my feet for a week straight."
"Is there any way I can help you take a load off?" Taehyung asked.
Hoseok bit his lip. "There is one thing you can do." Taehyung nodded. "Come up to the roof with me. It's been so long since we've seen each other and I'm dying to catch up. Plus, I could really use the fresh air. I've been cooped up in the mansion all day."
"Some fresh air sounds great." Taehyung agreed, standing up from the Confessional chair.
"Then let's go." Hoseok smiled brightly at Taehyung.
They made their way up to the roof together, smiling when the sunlight hit their faces. "Feels good to be back, doesn't it?" Taehyung murmured.
Hoseok nodded. "Surprisingly good considering the mountain of work I have to sift through."
"Thanks for inviting me up here." Taehyung said. "Things were pretty tense on set. The crew seemed seriously stressed. Is it gonna be like that all season?"
"Preparing for a new season is always stressful." Hoseok said. "But I'm sure Kwangsoo will get it together in no time. At least I hope he will." He sighed. "To be honest, sometimes, I feel like Jackson and I are running the show all by ourselves."
Taehyung frowned. "That sounds intense. But whatever happens, I'll do anything I can to help. If you ever need someone to pick up a little slack, I'm the omega for the job."
Hoseok smiled. "That's sweet. But you know, we don’t usually allow contestants to do backstage work."
"Maybe you didn't when Taeyeon was at the helm." Taehyung shrugged. "This is a whole new terrain." Hoseok chuckled. "I'm serious, Hoseok. If I can help, then I want to."
"You're too good to me, Taehyung." Hoseok said.
"Or I'm exactly as good as you deserve." Taehyung retorted. "I'm just sorry things have been extra hectic these days. I'm sure you're bending over backwards to get things up and running."
Hoseok nodded. "It's been trying, sure. But Kwangsoo's brand new to this job and he doesn't have a ton of experience. A few growing pains are to be expected, I guess. Lucky for him, I'm good at keeping things on track."
"Sounds like Kwangsoo bit off more than he can chew." Taehyung said. "You keep saying it's fine but if things are already tough this early in the season…I guess I’m just worried Kwangsoo's the wrong person for the job."
"Don’t worry just yet." Hoseok said. "There's still plenty of time to turn things around. We should at least give Kwangsoo a chance before we totally dismiss him." He leaned against the balcony, gazing thoughtfully across the skyline. "Maybe this season will crash and burn. Maybe it'll be a soaring success. Either way, I'm excited for it. Kwangsoo's inexperienced and his rise to power was questionable but working for Taeyeon was more difficult than I realized even at the time. She really did a number on my self-esteem."
Taehyung frowned. "I'm sorry that happened, Hoseok. For what it's worth, I think Taeyeon was a horrible showrunner. I mean, she claimed she was trying to protect you from failure but all she did was put you down. Even if Kwangsoo cheated his way to the top, anything is better than working under Taeyeon."
"I hope you're right about that." Hoseok murmured, turning to smile at Taehyung. "But no matter what, you've always stuck by me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it or how happy I am that you're back."
"It's nothing." Taehyung shrugged. "You've always done the same for me."
"True." Hoseok laughed. "But if there's anything I can do to repay you, say the word."
"Now that you mention it, I'd love some tips for this season." Taehyung said.
Hoseok shook his head. "Trying to game the system already?"
Taehyung shrugged. "Can you blame me? There has to be something you can tell me."
"I guess it couldn’t hurt." Hoseok said. "This season, teamwork will be more important than ever. You can't just rely on your own skill set anymore. And you should take some time to get to know the contestants from other seasons. It'll pay off in the end."
"Care to explain what you mean by that?" Taehyung asked.
Hoseok grinned. "You'll just have to wait and see." With a reluctant sigh, he glanced at the door back into the mansion. "Kwangsoo might need me soon so we should head back inside. But this was really nice, Taehyung. You have a way of making me feel better about things."
Taehyung smiled. "It's the least I can do for my favorite producer. I'm just excited we can hang out again."
Hoseok suddenly grimaced. "About that…with Taeyeon gone, production has shifted a little and…" Taehyung frowned. "You and I won't be spending as much time together."
"Why not?" Taehyung asked.
"Put bluntly, our friendship is a liability issue." Hoseok said. "I got a lot of heat last season for favoring you too much. Plus, there were all sorts of questions about the nature of our friendship."
"Understandably since we snuck off together last season." Taehyung said.
Hoseok breathed out a tiny laugh. "The point is, I can't get away with playing favorites anymore. Which is why this season, Jackson and I will be producing all contestants equally."
Taehyung's eyes widened. "Jackson's my producer too? I didn't sign up for this! What's the point of me coming back to KME if you're not even my producer?"
"I'm still your producer, Taehyung." Hoseok assured him. "It's just that Jackson's your producer now too. We'll find other reasons to hang out. I promise."
"We'd better." Taehyung sulked. "I don't know what I'd do-"
The door to the rooftop was suddenly thrown open. "I have been looking all over for you two!"
"Haru?" Hoseok frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Two of the other All-Stars are at each other's throats in hair and makeup." Haru said. "No matter what I say, they won't stop fighting! I need someone to talk sense into them before they make a mess of everything!"
Taehyung nodded. "Just lead the way."