Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It's a craze.

There's no other word for it. It's everywhere like a disease. There are posters and cut outs of celebrities advertising the App. There are articles written on popular vs infamous celebrities and their so called luck status. It's something to flex on apps. There's actual dating Apps that have synced with the App, creating a version which helps people find compatible matches. Being out of luck is a NO. The current version has a lite App. It's a less insane version that helps people who need a superficial App for the sake of integration into society. Even promotions are being doled out based on luck. Seo Changbin is being peer pressured to download an app. Because his curiosity wins. Why is everyone so fucking obsessed with an App?
He watches as it gets installed onto his phone.

The Luck Battery.

It's a small yellow colour app which has an icon resembling a battery that launches on his phone. It's interface is characteristically black and yellow. Apparently there's a battery that symbolizes your luck in the traffic colour light system. Which explains why Seo Changbin's boss, is a horrible human but has succeeded. He has a solid 76% on the app.
He randomly presses some settings and sees the dark mode option. Okay looks cool.

He watches as some are permissions requested. He accepts them.

Neat.
A black interface stares back at him with 'No user data' displayed.

Let's get started!
Okay. But if he doesn't like it, it's gonna get uninstalled....
Accessing information from accounts.....
Wait. What accounts?
Analyzing data....
What data? Where? Is this him being hacked?
Please enable camera
Changbin clicks on the Enable choice and blinks twice as the App takes a selfie of him.
Wierd.
Please place fingerprint over the circle.
Changbin places his thumb only to realise it's too big. Well, someone should have speci-fucking-fied. He places his index finger over it.
Analysis complete!
Changbin watches as a battery icon seems to go from 0% to 100%. And then recede.
And recede.

Seo Changbin rather be hacked than see this result.

It's 0%
Seo Changbin has no luck.
A prompt shows up.
'Do you want to see potential Luck donors in the vicinity?
Who on this fucking planet has SO MUCH luck so they need to donate it?

His pride falters and he clicks NO.
A search icon is displayed by his 0% luck battery and the offer apparently still stands.
Before..... Saturday? It's Thursday today and he has time to think about it.....
He closes the app.

Kim Seungmin snorts.
It's not that hard to get into Seo Changbin's phone.
He scoffs at the dumbbells in the wallpaper. This one track minded dude. Seungmin could never understand the infatuation with the gym. He's going to hell and taking his calories with him, no thank you sir. The guy has a couple of apps with hundreds of notifications.
Psychopathic really.

Oooooh. Wait. Hold on. Back it up.
The Luck Battery App.

Seungmin opens it with some perverted delight.

As expected his hyung got no luck.
No wonder Hyein got the promotion in spite of being a junior to Changbin. Seungmin was sceptical about the App when he'd downloaded his.

So Kim Seungmin, whose currently in the premium App for Lucky users (100% and beyond) that these unlucky losers don't have and can't get......
Enables the 'be a donor' option on his own account.

Because if giving a little bit of luck makes Changbin an eternal slave of his, he'll take it.
And being the absolute menace he is, he activates the 'search a donor' option on Changbin's App.

Enabling location.....
Searching for Lucky Donors
Searching in the near vicinity....

And he connects Changbin's profile to himself.
He smirks and leaves the phone.
He forgets to close the app so it keeps running.....

Connecting to second lucky donor....
Connecting to third lucky donor....

Changbin comes back to his desk and grabs his phone. He clears all tabs by muscle memory than a specified action, terminating the process.
An ignored notification appears in the notification bar.
Connected to 3 donors....

Somewhere on the second floor of the same building is a music studio.
A guy in a cap sighs as he tweaks some combination in a melody, but his lyrics notepad is blank.
A notification busts his concentration and he investigates it.
Bang Chan opens his Luck Battery App Premium version, which stands at a whopping 565%.
It's about a new candidate that has been added to a list of recipients he is yet to select.
He sighs and starts to clear off the notification-
Ooooh wait.
It's a familiar face.
He looks at the ID image and it clicks.
It's his neighbour.
The one who helped him move in last month.
Is he down on luck?
Out of curiosity he accepts the candidate and accesses the profile.

Seo Changbin, 25years
Luck Status:Red Alert

He reaches the end of the page on the App.
How much luck do you want to donate luck?
Bang Chan looks at his lyrics and grins. He hits a 10% and starts furiously scribbling on his note pad.

Bang Chan's phone pings with a second notification.
First transfer of lucky points! Second user to transfer lucky points! You have received 20% luck! Congratulations!!!🎉

Right opposite the building Seo Changbin's office is, there's a dance studio for kids.
A certain Lee Felix waves the kids of his last class goodbye.
He sighs.
His muscles are aching from five back to back classes.
He doesn't really need the money, but when a new kid shows up he doesn't have the heart to turn them away. So a little class of ten had grown big.
His kids love dancing so much, they've big dreams in a little studio.
He looks at the leaflet one of them handed him. A group dancing competition. A dance teacher must enter a team of dancers....
He stops reading.

The entertainment world is cruel and Felix has firsthand experience. You either make it or get crushed.
He remembers his dance group. His eyes wander wistfully over to a picture frame of fifteen guys.
They're famous now.
But Felix doesn't regret leaving them. It's too stressful to continuously perform at Celebrities' tours all over the world. He might have settled for less but gotten his peace of mind back.

His phone pings.
He opens the premium version of the Luck Battery App and finds a new candidate on his recipient hopefulls.
A 634% blinks at the corner of his App. He freezes as he sees the latest candidate.
Seo Changbin is here?
His hyung Seo Changbin?
Lee Felix accepts the profile without delay and stares at the red alert label on it.

He donates a 25%. He keeps his phone by the door and starts cleaning up the mess left behind the kids.

First transfer of lucky points! Third user to transfer lucky points! You have received 50% luck! Congratulations!!!🎉

A phone buzzes twice from messages of an old group chat. The members discuss the annual get together. Changbin is as always absent online.
A notification adds to the bulk of already present ones.
Congratulations!!!🎉🎉🎉You've recieved 25% luck from your donors!!

In ten minutes his screen lights up again.
Hyein: It's been a privilege and honor to work for this team. However as we are preparing to add another to our family of two, I'm considering to take a break from my career....

Someone pulls up four Luck Battery accounts on a laptop and analyses it quietly.
It's time for phase two.

Chapter Text

He stares at his premium App.
Outside the cramped office space, there's a world that smells.... polluted but definitely better than Park's farts. But it's not the disappointing office that makes him panic today. Park has been on suspiciously good behaviour for 15 minutes since work started and Seungmin should actually count it as a blessing or something. But.... Something is so fucking wrong.
On the App. Because he was so sure that he'd dropped from 105% to 90%.
He was expecting to lose his Premium status and gain a slave. Instead he's gotten more luck. Does it extract the soul of Seo Changbin as penance? He shouldn't by all means be at 135%.
He stares at the App until-
"What is so interesting in your phone Kim Seungmin?"blares Manger Park.

He is startled out of his reverie as Park wanders over.
This shall be dealt with later.
Seungmin opens his mouth to defend himself as Park squeezes between two chubby workers seats to get over. He gets stuck, to Seungmin's joy and has to wriggle his belly out of the trap. Seungmin doesn't get a chance to speak as there's a commotion at the door.

Seo Changbin barges in - late - and promptly freezes as he sees Park, bows at an angle impossible for humans (and briefly reminds Seungmin of the Saja boys), throws his bag onto his desk.
In his rush to take his seat at the meeting, he brushes past a very dangerously placed potted plant that gets sucked into the vortex Changbin has left behind.
It precariously tips and rights itself again.

Seungmin watches him run towards the meeting table. In a few seconds their Chief appears through the door but misses seeing Changbin.

Seungmin breathes a little easier. He deserves some luck, that hyung of his.

He pretends to go through some files but the App is on his mind. What do you mean that he was the first to give luck to someone?
And why wasn't the quantity he gave reduced? It was doubled and added? How does that work -

"Hi, Seungmin!"
"Ji hyo noona!"

"I was specifically looking for you," she smiles at him, "I have good news."
Seungmin raises an eyebrow.
"We're going to expand the business to another branch. In Seoul. I'm making a team to take there. You were on my list..... Would you accept it?"
Seungmin's brain sends signals to his mouth to say yes.

Intercepted! Signal stalled on the way from the brain to the mouth!
Kim Seungmin has HESITATED in the face of an opportunity? Unbelievable.
His eyes wander over to Changbin. His curiosity wins him over a probable promotion.

He watches Changbin. Their Office is so cramped that the meeting room is just a long table at the corner. The chief is questioning Changbin who is visibly panicking. However the Chief just nods at Changbin's answer.
"Is Changbin hyung on the list?"
He missed Jihyo's smirk as she sees his gaze directed at a certain stupid hyung.

"I'm sorry Seungmin, he isn't."
"I need some time."
"Sure! Of course!"
She leaves him, but Seungmin leans back in his chair. He needs to steal Changbin's phone again.

He reaches over to Changbin's desk and rummages through the bag discreetly.
No luck there.

Seungmin can wait. Patience. Maybe Changbin's App holds all answers.
He scribbles some quick math on a fresh page of his notebook:

Donated:15%
Received :30%
Possible reason: Doubled luck on donating.

Seungmin turns to Google. No Reddit user or any mention of luck donation has happened according to the extensive search Seungmin does. He browses some social media apps. No luck.
Which tallies with the fact that Seungmin is the first donor of the app.
And also tallies with the fact that humans are selfish bitches inside. For things like luck even.
He sighs.

Success!
For Changbin, a phone is merely an accessory. It neither defines his existence nor does he want his existence to be known.
He's the guy you use traditional methods of face to face communication. Even sour face Park, has to tell Changbin to his face, the upcoming scheduled work.
There's no point to urge him to comply with normal human behaviour and read his notifications.

Whoa. There's a notification from 2022.
That's baaaad.
Why need the blocking option when you can simply ignore life online?

Okay, focus. Focus.
Seungmin promptly taps on the Gallery App. Ooooooh, gym pics.
Seungmin sends all the new ones to himself.
He nods to himself in approval as he goes through them. Not bad.
Focus, focus.

Ooooooh it's bad.
Too many things has happened. The situation seems to be completely out of Seungmin's control.

Changbin has gotten 25% in his luck battery.
And two other donors who look suspiciously like threats.

Who the hell are they? Damn. Why are they good looking? One looks like a book boyfriend and the other looks like a constellation. Damn it!
Wait, have they just given 5% luck each? Such stingy bastards. Turds.

As he wanders around in the App, he notices a green dot near Seo Changbin's account ID photo. Impulsively he presses it.
Our first user to be included in the 2.0 beta version!, flashes on the screen.

Wait what?
Who gave rights to add anybody to testing apps out?

On a hunch he picks out his own phone and looks at his account.
He feels as if he has been doused with ice water. (TMI: Been there, done that.)
Because he has been added to that as well.
What has he gotten them into?
Ah, shit. What should he do now? He shuts the tabs on Changbin's phone and keeps it back on the table.
He sighs.

What if he takes back his luck?
Seungmin scans the options on his App and selects Changbin's profile on it.
And he sees the option 'Refund luck.'
How much luck will you refund?
He types in 15% on the provided space then deletes it.
He types 1% in.
The App accepts the command and a circle of dots do dancing chairs in Seungmin's vision.
2% luck Refunded!
What the absolute fuck?
Seungmin lunges for Changbin's phone and checks it.
His battery is at 23%.
Seungmin grabs his notepad and scribbles his findings on it.

'For every 1% luck refunded, double the amount is returned.'

'When you donate, you get twice back.'

"Kim Seungmin! Are you hiding my phone? "
Seungmin startles so bad, he drops Changbin's phone into the waste paper basket below. His hand flips his notepad into some unknown crevice between a pile of files.
"Yah, Kim Seungmin! Respect hyung's phone!"

He thanks the universe for Changbin's disposition. Severe oblivion with an inability to multi task.
Changbin would never imagine the mess Seungmin has gotten him into.
Because Seungmin himself is yet to understand.

He allows himself to be put in a choke hold and then be dragged to this 'new place that tastes so good, I'll die if I don't try it.'
Seungmin leaves his lunch behind.

Someone watches the activity between the two accounts and takes notes furiously.
So they seem to have figured out one or two rules depending on the activity. Good.
The figure settles back in their chair and clasps his hands together in thought.
What next?

The response to the App is hilarious,really.
The hype that came with the App's launch, to the furious social media flexing was so superficial. No one really understood what the App was about. No one read the introduction to the app. It was just a superficial measure of status.
Here we are 6 months into watching the App trend among people but not being used to its full potential.
He sipped his Ice Americano aggressively.

It's wierd to watch his dream App come true. This was his 'wierd idea' and now it's making him a billionaire. He smiles bitterly as he shakes the ice in the cup vigorously. It's even wierder to be the only one who believes in yourself. You're either mad or dedicated.

He clicks on a few social media apps and searches for this Changbin.

Who is this Seo Changbin? Why did this Kim Seungmin give him luck? Why did the other two follow soon after?
It's time to do a physical operation. His curiosity won't be sated sitting on a nice cushiony chair.
It was a good investment though. The chair.

He studied Changbin's face in an outdated post.
Not your typical small faced beauty. Actually he was a beauty standard of his own.
A photo that was taken during some concert that Seo Changbin was fanboying his heart out. The photo showed someone who was delicate and tough at the same time. A smile so wide and.....
Focus. Focus, Han Jisung.
His eyes traced the details of the face again.
It's time to take matters into hands...

Chapter Text

It's battery starts to over heat slightly.

Six hours of saving data.
If it could it would riot.
Perhaps shut down the tabs and mess up some storage space.
But it can't. It's heart made of electronic circuits goes out for the upcoming producer of the year.
How can it sabotage the guy who updates its' system regularly? That's barbaric!

He looks ethereal bathed in the screen light it produces. In deep concentration.
There's nothing, it thinks, so hot as to watch someone concentrate.

Music fills the studio.
Ah, it's about yearning for love.
What lucky humans. It's little computer heart dips a bit at the thought that it's destined for a lonely lifetime.
But!
On the bright side, it's a part of the music industry, making music for the future.
According to it's storage space, or lack thereof, the future of the music industry is NOT in imminent danger of demise.
Music for 10th or 11th generation kpop groups have also been planned.
Workaholic?
Nah. It's owner is just single. Painfully single.
Does he believe that Cupid would drop his destined partner through the roof of the studio? How can the man even shoot an arrow into this closed space?

Ah, it's got distracted. The guy has gone out on a side quest to work on one of his other music.
Hmmmm.
Why is he blushing?

The latop squints through it's camerahole at the lyrics pad and-
Hurriedly averts its eye. Its scorched by a single glance. The lyrics are too unconventional for Bang Chan.
The laptop watches as some words are crossed out and some phrases rewritten. It wishes if those previous lyrics could see the light of the day. After all this (gestures without hands at the guy in front of it) is a 28 year old. It's time, isn't it? To get wild?
The laptop slowly starts to feel drowsy and tries to go to sleep....
Ah dang it. He just moved the cursor and started working on the files again.
The laptop just sighs and gets back to work.

Finally, Bang Chan decides to go home.
Now this is not an usual practice. Sometimes, he forgets to go home. Because why waste time sleeping and all when you could make good music?
This is what he dreamed of to do, it's his right if he wants to stay up all night and work, regardless of the hefty consequences. His old enough to stay up!

The laptop winces as its shut with a sharp click.
Its put into a black bag and carried while Bang Chan shuts the studio.
As it hears keys jingle and the familiar rhythm of someone climbing down the stairs it settles into having a nap-
BAM!

An imaginary commentary, voices over the plight of the laptop as if in National Geography:
For the first time in human history of electronics, a laptop has gained the ability of flight-

Bang Chan yelps.
The laptop actually does a full spin in mid air-
Until its caught by safe hands.
The panic in the laptop subsides and it feels it being given to its owner. Its owner who would have been a murderer if not for this Good Samaritan.
"I'm so sorry for bumping into you!"
Correction. Its owner would have been a murderer if this accomplice had slow reflexes.
"It's okay," offers Bang Chan.
It's okay? Did anyone ask it's opinion if it was okay to be sent into space without consent and almost crash landing back onto Earth?
The laptop huffs in annoyance. The absolute audacity.
"Hey are you my neighbour? It's you isn't it? The one who never comes home?"
The laptop nods. Truer words have never been spoken. This man was delivered in a labour room, upon which he promptly crawled his way into a studio -at one hour of age- and began to make music.

Bang Chan winces, "Yeah, that's me."
A chuckle emnates from the guy, "Sorry if that sounded rude. I don't know your name."
"It's Bang Chan," and the laptop scoffs when he hears the man go, "And yours?"
And yours? Like you didn't search the man on every social media app-
The laptop does some breathing exercises. Good for its' overheating body also. This guy will be the reason if it ever short circuits.
"I'm Seo Changbin. Nice to meet you too!"
"Can I offer you a ride? If you're going back home I mean."
"You won't kidnap me and sell my organs will you?"
"Trust me. The only organ I've been accused of stealing is people's hearts."
The laptop groans. Clearly this guy hasn't been out and about in a millennium. What's this outdated M.O of flirting?
"No surprises there," says the other.
Is this working on Mr. Seo Changbin? Because it looks like it's working on Mr. Seo Changbin.
The two walk the rest of the way toward Bang Chan's car.

It's a humid afternoon where nothing much is happening. Some kids walk past, the smell of body odour wafting from them.
Another boring day.
But someone has red ears as he nods attentively at Changbin's summary of the day's events.
And someone else has a down turned smile; the one he has when he isn't sure of what is going to happen next, but he's going with the flow anyway.
In the laptop's opinion the flow is going well like the rap in Topline.

Aaaaand Bang Chan opens the door for Changbin. Classic move.
Approved.

The app is updating.
As all apps promise better features and take SO MUCH storage space for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, the Lucky Battery App decides to get updated.

There is nothing much that has changed. Only that the nice guidelike features have all disappeared. Leaving a complete angry looking App.
But as always Seo Changbin has no idea about that.
Minute things like App updates are not on his agenda. It's a miracle they update, thanks to an auto update setting he is yet to change.
But his App is the only one to update into a completely new version. It's pink to a fault and the battery has a very fairy dust like appearance. The battery shimmers faint red, a contrast to the pink background, with sparkles that continue to loop in a short splatter.

There is a gasp on Seungmin's side.
He is one of the three where the App updated into a dark black version. He has a customise feature which he immediately uses to have a wallpaper of dogs and puppies.
Then he spies on other people's apps. A general update has happened but nothing much.
So exclusively exclusive isn't it? There's a tingle he feels which is of part excitement and part fear.
Something doesn't sit right with him.
Something doesn't want him to own up to Changbin.
Silence is sometimes a potent weapon in place of the truth. But it's the little things that add to the cup and make it overflow.

Seo Changbin sits in the front seat of his neighbour's car. He has a paper bag of nuggets, a purchase and recommendation from Bang Chan.
It doesn't disappoint.
He watches the view in front as Bang Chan politely asks after his comfort level in the car.
"I'm good. I've around six nuggets to myself and I have a driver to deliver me to my destination. I'm more than fine!"
Those telltale ears redden in response.
"Do you work in the studio above? It's funny we have been so close to each other and I've noticed now only!"
"I -yeah- I make music and stuff-"
"You're a music producer?" Changbin asks.
"Not thaaaat famous. "
"Try me."
Bang Chan sheepishly mentions two songs and Changbin's eyes widen.
"Oh my god! That was you! That's awesome! Can I flex that I know you? What else?"
Bang Chan hides behind his hand as he steers them on, "It's a team effort I guess and-"
The laptop scoffs. Team effort it's ass. If the song hadn't been given to a girl group, mans would have done the singing also.
"You're awesome, trust me." Changbin earnestly informs him.
And if they held eye contact for a heart beat longer, it's no one's business isn't it?

Chapter Text

It's a hot chocolate kind of Saturday.
It's going to rain at some point. Lee Felix opens the window to his sitting area and lets a breeze waft inside.
It's another day full of classes for the little ones.
As always Jessica comes running in first.
She slams the door of her dad's car and runs up the little pathway.
"Good morning, Mr. Lee!"
"Good morning, Jessica. How was school this week?"
She goes off a tangent about how she made a new friend who transferred recently, the absolutely embarrassing maths test and her baby brother.
"He tore up my favourite note pad! But when he saw me crying he started to cry."
Lee Felix smiled and ruffled her hair.
"Aren't you going to tell me to forgive him, Mr. Lee?"
"You can get mad about it Jessica. Even if he doesn't understand what he did. I've got some new stickers though. Would that make you feel better?"
So Jessica wears a sticker of her favourite cartoon - of course Felix would know that- on her cheek for the rest of the class.
Felix's phone buzzes in his pocket as his golden premium Luck Battery app painstakingly collects a few more percentages upto a 700 something.

It's hectic.
Felix's voice is hoarse after shouting over the kid's voices. Put ten of them in a room and they can beat a volcano exploding.

He has half an hour break before the next class.
Weekdays are his Saturday and Sunday. Saturday and Sunday are his weekdays.
He goes to the waiting space and sees Mark still seated. His parents are one of the late ones. He sits there dejectedly, legs swinging.
Felix sits by him on the couch. He was snacking on a cookie, but decides to break it in half. He holds it out to Mark.
"Thank you, Mr. Lee," mumbles Mark.
There's a silence that stretches ahead.
Cookies and stray cookie crumbs have been picked and eaten.
Mark sighs.
Felix tears at one of his fingernails and waits.
"I might not come for dancing again, Mr. Lee."
Ah. It's always sad to see one of his students go.
"My mom is taking me back to America. My dad's gonna stay behind."
He looks at Felix, the picture of a child whose supposed to grow up faster than some others.
"I like dancing with you," he mumbles even softly.
"I like dancing with you too Mark," Felix tells him gently.
A car blares a horn and Mark gets up rubbing his eyes. He bows down to Felix and runs away.
Felix waves at the car a lump forming in his throat.
His phone buzzes again as there's a few points of luck that reduces, then doubles back again.

This, Han stares at Lee Felix's account, is truly the human personification of Felix felicis.

What else explains this manifestation of luck that requires no prompting to be given to anyone?
It tends to not follow rules also, Han notes as the analysis shows him. It could be an erratic surge or a simple doubling after donation.
Han looks at the flyer for a receptionist to mange a dance studio lobby.
Han has no experience with kids but he should try. He types an email for a walk in interview. (Whispers in capital: 'ChatGpt' )
What a butterfly effect this Seo Changbin has done. If not for him Lee Felix would have been under the radar....
He swats a mosquito away and the resulting movement propells the chair away from the desk.
He sighs and moves himself closer to the screen.
We'll meet Lee Felix. We'll meet.

Meanwhile in a supermarket....

Seungmin drops a snack into Changbin's basket and stares back defiantly.
Changbin sighs.
"Why?" Seungmin asks.
"Nothing," Changbin replies.
"Doesn't look like that. Are you pissed?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Seungmin," his voice intones dangerously and he stops and stares into the distance, "Yongbok-ah?"
Seungmin turns back.
Ah, shit. It's the constellation.

A gorgeous guy jus turns around to the sound of his name.
There's only one person in the world who calls him Yongbok.
So his heart decides to dance to a choreography of its own and he almost drops the coconut water packet as he sees Changbin.
And a fuming guy. Boyfriend maybe?
Felix's heart plummets into the Mariana Trench. As always he's a heartbeat away but still not close enough.
He waves, takes a deep breath and walks over.
And as always, when things concern a certain hyung, his spatial awareness drops. He suddenly feels a disturbance to his left and a shopping cart just barrels into him-
It hurts-
Aaaaaand he falls like a damned disney princess in visible distress.
"Youngbok-ah!"
He's cooked.

He sees a pair of shoes and then the face.
Oooh, too close.
Too close.
For reasons completely unrelated to the shopping cart, Lee Yongbok Felix is in a state of delirium.
He sees Changbin helping him up.
The boyfriend dude scoffing as he watches them.
A mother berating her kid for pushing the cart and inquiring after Felix's health. She then proceeds to take out all the treats out of her cart and then the kid starts to cry. (Good. Cry harder, little brat)
Why does everything look a little pink? And feel a little soft?
"He's not responding - Are you alright? He looks like he needs a hospital, he's in shock - Yongbok!"
"Changbin hyung! Hi!"
Changbin stares at him. This cannot be a good sign.
"A cart ran into you... Are you good?"
Oh, yes the cart. Felix waves the mother of the brat away and tells her he's fine.
The brat goes on to display a temper tantrum and the Boyfriend-looking Dude glares at it. The brat, I mean.

Changbin let's go of Felix and sheepishly smiles at him, "Hi, Yongbok."
"It's been so long-"
"We're getting late, Binnie," hollers the other guy.
B-binnie? Nicknames? Bad. Very bad.
"We're going to my place for dinner Yongbok. Do you want join us? If you don't have plans..."
"Yes!" Felix says too loudly.
It's always yes for you, Changbin.

They end up taking a taxi to Changbin's place.
Lee Felix's happy hormones are having a field day while Kim Seungmin turns green with jealousy.
Apple Green.
Anyway.
They climb the flight of stairs and reach the flat. It's tiny, borderline neat and plainly Seo Changbin.
There's the bare minimum and a fridge full of food.
As soon as Changbin sets down the edibles and all, his phone rings.
"Hello hyung-" he frowns. A few seconds pass.
"What's the password?"
Changbin then moves back towards the door fumbling for his shoes, "I'm on my way," he speaks into the phone and looks at the two beans he has brought.
"Make some Ramen or heat something from the fridge. I have to help out a neighbor. I'll be back! Give me a few minutes!"
He disappears leaving Felix and Seungmin.
Crickets chirp.
Not even Felix's brownie like goodness can sweeten the sour green vibe Seungmin is currently exuding.
"Hey-" tries Felix but cowers as Seungmin inaudibly snarls.
In that exact moment Seungmin's Luck Battery App drains a hundred percent from Felix's App.

Chapter Text

There's some fried chicken and pasta in the fridge that calls out to the two hungry beans.
Seungmin roughly pushes the box of chicken into Felix's arms and takes out the pasta.

They decide to combine the two, fried chicken and pasta like some demented version of spaghetti and meatballs.
Will it work?
It wouldn't hurt to try. Seungmin has mixed more questionable things together. For science.

They set the pan on the stove and turn it on.
For the first few minutes it's all good.
Seungmin continues to glare at the audacity of the constellation to appear in human form. Felix is trying to ignore the searing stare.
There's a notification from the Luck Battery that Felix is down to 500% and if so he'll lose his Super status.
Which Felix doesn't see.
And Seungmin's App is congratulating him for acquiring so much. Around 300%
Then it all misfires.
Something that borders physics and chemistry, decides to light the pan on fire.
Felix reacts first.
He impulsively touches the pan and yelps.
Seungmin steps back as the flames grow. He hunts around for- anything - and rudely pushes Felix to the side.
He opens the tap at full speed and then uses a rolling pin to push the pan into the sink. He watches the flames diminish and the pasta and chicken start floating in an oily mess.
Dinner is taking a literal dip.
Changbin's gonna be mad, he wonders as he looks at the charred pan and mildly damaged sink.
Felix.
He turns around to see the equally stunned human holding onto the side of his palm and blowing on it.
He walks over to Felix.
"May I?" he asks gently.
Felix tries to wave him off,"It's just a small burn-"
Yet he allows Seungmin to assess the burn.
Seungmin guides him over to the tap, trying to ignore the floating bits of soggy chicken and limp pasta. He holds Felix's hand to the water flow.
Felix takes a deep breath as the water hits his skin.
As he leaves Felix to hunt for some medicine, he quickly assesses the gas stove and opens the windows just in case.

He opens the pantry cupboards and finds a First Aid box there. In it there's some ointment for burns and he carries it over.
He settles by Felix wordlessly and applies a bit of ointment. He goes into blow then stops himself in time.
"You can blow on it yourself," he says gruffly but by now Felix knows this puppy is all bark and no bite.
He tries to hide a smile as he blows on his own palm, the pain setting in.
There's a moment of eye contact that Seungmin breaks first. Those are eyes that drown you and strangle you with a necklace of freckles. Nope.
Seungmin wants to die between Changbin hyung's biceps. Not Constellation's eyes.

There's a small buzz from both their phones that go unnoticed.
Felix's Luck Battery has reached its usual high percentage of 700.
Kim Seungmin's App is now pink around the edges. It reads at 300%
And a pesky little programmer watches the two accounts sync data with each other creating a new rule.
The Clan.

The Clan: A cluster of two or more accounts that decide to sync together with complete access to each account's functions.
Han slurps at his coffee (more ice than coffee, now) and watches the two accounts update each other's profile.
Unlike other Apps which profiles are given limited acess to, these two accounts allow the two to control each account from either of the two devices.
Fun.
This is just his first working theory come to life. Ah, Han has big plans, but so few are making use of them. He flags the two accounts and sends their access details to his phone.
It's time for some footwork.

Bang Chan rarely invites people over.
He's never extended anyone an invitation to his bathroom.
He groans as he lies covered in soap suds on the floor. His ankle screams and he shouldn't have danced in the shower.
Major lapse of judgement.

He thanks the God if Timing for deciding to take him down at a moment he had his towel on. Slightly loose, but functional.
He's too scared to move. His head feels wet, from either blood or water. Also he remembers watching some YouTube video on how someone - who had also fallen in the bathroom- moved and lost all movement neck down.
Bang Chan has music to make. So that would be an inconvenience.
He hears a beeping and sighs in gratitude.
"Hyung? Hyung!"
Changbin barrels into the bathroom and barely stops himself from tripping over Bang Chan's body.

"What do I do?" he mutters.
"Do I have blood on my head?" asks Bang Chan. Brain is a very important organ to make music.
"No...Ooh that's a nasty Ankle."
"Would you call an Ambulance, Changbin? I think I've done something to my spine."

To spare you of the details, Changbin did call an Ambulance. Those people seemed to not judge his appearance, but they did call Changbin his boyfriend.

Changbin turned into a tomato.
Bang Chan was discharged with a splint and some advice. He was repeatedly reassured that his spine was perfectly fine. He had to rest. Well he didn't make music with his feet did he? It'd rest fine.

He was in some clothes that Changbin brought for him. If you were wondering if he was still in a towel. (Menaces the whole lot of you.)

Changbin helped him into a taxi and got in with him.
Awkward silence.
So how do you talk to a guy whose seen you in your towel on the bathroom floor?
Bang Chan squeezes his eyes shut. He probably looks like some incompetent piece of-
"Shall we take a very late dinner at my place?" offers Changbin.
Bang Chan freezes.
How do I respond to this without combusting?
Okay, he tells himself, it's just two bros taking dinner together - ohmigosh is this a date?
"I've two friends over as well, so they probably whipped something up....."
Oh.
Ah.
So it IS two bros eating dinner.
If hearts could plummet, Bang Chan's one currently resides somewhere within the depths of Mariana Trench. Along with those wierd looking creatures who's never seen light.

In Changbin's place.....
"I can help-"
"You're burnt, Felix. Sit, sit. It's under control. I've thrown the food away. It's just the sink."
"But we're partners in crime!"
Seungmin breaks his politeness with a crinkly smile and looks away.
And the constellation is at a loss for words.
Shame he's Changbin's boyfriend, fleets a thought too fast. Felix is a millisecond late too reach out, grab it, crumple it and hide it in his pocket.
"Felix," he says gently, "Please sit down."
Felix does as the puppy says.

In Changbin's place.....
People are soooooooo stereotypical, Cupid huffs as he adjust the bow and arrow slung over his shoulder. He's sweating, he's hungry and he has two orders to complete in one night.
He's already shot these two.
And now they're grossing him out with those stolen glances bullshit that the new ones always do. He shivers.
Apparently the other two are on the way. But Cupid is restless. So he flies out of the damn place in the honeymoon phase and tracks them. He's holding a bow in one hand and a tab that tracks the two targets live.
Aaaand he crashes into a tree. He'll be out of commission for a few days. Poor fellow.

Chapter Text

Theoretically, threes are very scary.
The Holy Trinity.

The Fates.
Um....
The Powerpuff girls.
3 Racha.
Geddit?

So similarly when 3 boyfriend hopefuls fill Changbin's flat, balances will go wild.

It's the dead of the night, in which Felix has overtaken the couch - burn privileges - and Seungmin is slumped over three chairs pushed together with quarter of his legs hanging out.

It's silent except for the beep of a password being punched in and two people let themselves in.
Changbin sees the two asleep and shushes an already silent Bang Chan.

And proceeds to trip over his own shoes and fall with a dull thunk onto the floor. Bang Chan teeters and grabs onto the door handle, because his previously functional human crutches is now plastered to the floor.

Bang Chan wheezes silently.
Changbin places a finger over his lips but resorts to laughter as well. And then he snorts.
Seungmin wakes up first and shakes his head like a puppy.

He is completely disoriented as he faces the underside of the table. He slowly gets up and then bonks his head on the ridge of the table.
Felix startles awake and inhales deeply, blinking around.
"Hyung," he says in a deep ass voice that startles Bang Chan.

But who gets startled the most is a problematic programmer that's suddenly awoken by the beeping sound of a hacking attempt on his System.

What the absolute Fuck?
Han stares at the four Apps that start to sync.
They're not sharing data of each other this time, no.
They're creating networks within networks and accessing info. Of those who had requested for luck, of those contacts if those profiles that have requested for luck....
Han can only stare as the four accounts hack into his server, unprovoked, and then one App takes charge.
The Queen.
The Clan's Leader
Han fumbles for his notes in a drawer and runs over to his cupboard. He pulls out books of programming only to find his work diary in a forgotten corner and he flips it over.
He thumbs through the pages, and-
Oh shit.

Changbin settles the boys back to sleep.
He fumbles for something in his pantry and pulls out ramen noodles.
He turns to Bang Chan with a smile of victory.
And Bang Chan turns into a soggy noodle.
"You good with spice?"
But Bang Chan is focusing on Changbin smiling at him (ooooh a dimple) and nods.
He isn't. Good with spice.
Not a bad thing anyway, but a good to remember fact before selecting ramen- ohmigod it's so fucking red....
Ramen, is the only thing that Changbin cooks. (Hey give a man some credit. That water must boil to perfection.)
"You good?" Changbin asks Bang Chan.
Bang Chan's tastebuds are seared off his tongue. There's an odd tingle around his lip and the room gets a little bit hotter.
Don't ask for milk, he repeats, don't ask for milk.
"Can I get you some milk?"
"No, I'm good," he manages between choking.
"Tissues?"
"Tissues are for the weak!"

Changbin has that face on. That I-figured-this-out-by-accident-you-lying-nincompoop face.
"I was going to drink some milk, but-"
"Milk is good!" Bang Chan shrieks, as Changbin tries to hush him because the kids are sleeping, "Milk is very manly!"
Now everything is blurry.
There's something shoven into his mouth and (it's a straw) he is drinking some nice ice cool bland milk. It soothes his suicidal tastebuds and brings life back.
Changbin watches the entire milk packet finish. He proceeds to smack Bang Chan's fingers as he reaches for his chopsticks to commit suicide by spicy ramen.

"Really?"
Bang Chan pouts.
Changbin giggles and all Bang Chan can do is stare.
Then Changbin stops mid giggle, "Sorry, my laugh is weird-"
"No!"comes out something high pitched from Bang Chan, he clears his throat and tries again," No your laugh is not wierd. "
Changbin fiddles with the cup of his noodles.
" Aren't you hungry? I'll see if I have something less spicy. "
He ransacks his fridge and takes a look at his suspiciously clean looking sink. Something bothers him, like an itch of intuition but he doesn't investigate.

He finds half a loaf of sliced bread he had bought in the morning and an abundance of cheese and ham slices. He takes out a bottle of mayonnaise and another of tomato sauce.
"How about a Sandwich burger?" he asks Bang Chan with palms rubbing together.
"Like a club sandwich?"
Changbin frowns, he looks at his ingredients and sees the lack of veggies.
"You don't want a Sandwich burger?" he brings out the pout.
Oh no, Bang Chan! (the tiny angel above his right shoulder bashes him with her halo crown) you have displeased the princess!
"I've never had one," he back tracks with his hands held up in defence.
"Neither have I! But I want to feed you, and it's too late to order anything..."
Bang Chan beams at him, "I'll have a Sandwich burger."
Changbin winks at him and proceeds to put on together what looks like the Guinness World Record of the tallest sandwich ever.
While Bang Chan tries not to spontaneously combust as Changbin concentrates on something so trivial like making a sandwich.

"Ta-da! Chef Changbin at your service!"
If Seungmin was awake, he'd shoot Changbin and then himself after hearing that sentence. But because the Lord is merciful he is in deep sleep.
Even if Changbin served him Arsenic powder on a platter, Bang Chan would eat it with Bruno Mars crooning one of his sacrificial love songs at the back.
Wait till he hears Changbin invite him to stay over for tonight.
(Author rubs hands and cackles delightfully leaving it to your imagination. He spontaneously combusts from the Mariana Trench, acts like a Victorian seeing an ankle and subsides as he is shown into Changbin's bedroom and left alone. Not that he was trying anything here, but!)

The doorbell rings.
Changbin looks at the clock hitting 2AM and frowns. He answers the door.
There's noone.

As he shuts the door close and turns around he gets a whiff of Jasmine.
"I was wondering who set my world off balance," a lady dressed in a tight velvet dress slurs over a glass of champagne, "Now I understand why."
Changbin screams.

The woman sighs.
"Calm down, bunny. I'm Lady Luck."
There's a lunatic on the loose in his place-
"And Someone is threatening my position," she checks him out, "You."
Call 911-
She flicks her fingers at him, but there's some sort of interference. Whatever she threw at him, energy or luck, can't penetrate the protective barrier around him.
"I'll have to retire," she sighs,"Good."
She snaps her fingers and his phone floats towards him, an App opening on their own.
Is delirium contagious? He's gotten it ohmigod-

"You've felt like you're out of luck haven't you, Seo Changbin?" she glances at the 3 boyfriend hopefuls scattered around, "You were the only one on the App with 0%. And it's not because I'm withholding luck or giving you bad luck. It's because you're not affected by luck.
You control it."
And before Changbin asks how, she disappears. Like all irritating character plots you read, she leaves without the most important information.

Changbin is back on the sofa chair as he startles awake. Dream, he thinks, as he lays down the phone in his hands on the table beside him. He doesn't see the upgraded pink app.
It turns a deep red and a small crown rests on the left corner of the App.

Seungmin wakes up in a suit.

He's pretty sure he went to bed/chair whatever, in his work shirt. Definitely not in a white suit that squeezes him like a glove.
There's a boat ahead of him, with a wooden platform leading upto it. And there's Changbin hyung. Seungmin's throat runs dry. He's in a simple white tshirt and black shorts and suddenly Seungmin can't think straight. He has to avert his eyes.

A hand snakes around his waist and draws him close. He struggles to leave the grasp but a voice shushes him.

"What wouldn't I give you, Seungmin," a whisper tickles his ear.
He looks back at Changbin, oblivious but waving back while trying to set the knot of the boat free.
"I can be way better," says a deep voice.
It's the constellation. Dammit.
"Choose," comes the voice, "Choose."

Felix is watching a romcom.
Changbin is currently inhaling popcorn, and Felix can't hear the dialogue over the crunch . But he's nice and warm.
A bit sweaty too but that's irrelevant.
Changbin stops for a millisecond and shoots a piece of popcorn into Felix's mouth. He lunges, but the popcorn bounces off his nose and Changbin cackles like there's no tomorrow.

"Enough," he hears and he watches on as the movie stops and Changbin freezes in time. A silhouette appears with a baseball bat in hand.

"Time's up for you," Seungmin sneers and suddenly Felix is a small piece of popcorn lying on a couch.

Changbin unfreezes and sees Seungmin.

"Oh Seungmin! Hurry up, the match is starting!"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, hyung," replies Seungmin. He flicks Felix the Piece of Popcorn of the couch and he lands under the TV.

Something rustles by Felix's side and it's a-

"Cockroach!" shrieks Felix and then rams his head on something squishy that lets out a curse.

Seungmin blinks back at an equally astonished Felix.
There's a pause in both brains, to understand the possibility of the two sleeping on the same couch. The entangled limbs aren't in anyone's favour.
"Are you awake? You were gonna fall off the chairs Minnie, so I put you on the sofa with Felix. I had to give the bed to Channie hyung, because he's twisted his ankle. Oh! Meet Channie hyung!"

Changbin points at Bang Chan, in his morning glory (he needs a hairbrush and a toothbrush).

And Seungmin curses for the second time since he woke up, as he sees the Book Boyfriend.

Chapter Text

Seungmin and Felix are grumpily taking the bus to their respective places of work/home.
Because Bang Chan the Book boyfriend stole - STOLE- Changbin hyung on an early morning Gym date. So Felix and Seungmin decided to go out for breakfast.
Seungmin and Felix suddenly meet each others gazes and scoff to look away. Felix has no idea why Seungmin is being an absolute *Insert preferred Australian swear word* but he's done giving chances.
So Felix goes, thunder written on his face thanks to Seungmin the *Insert preferred Australian swear word again*, and finds a homeless dude on his class doorstep.

Homeless dude looks at Felix expectantly.
Felix breathes out.
You should never misdirect your anger to someone's who isn't the source. You keep it in a little safe at the back of your mind, let it collect interest, then serve it at the first possible instant.
Don't forget to heat it up.
So Felix stares back. It could be a dad of a kid.
Wait.
Everybody left yesterday right? Felix hadn't locked up a kid on their own-?
Dear God.
"Yes?" Felix asks the Homeless looking cute guy, "How can I help you?"
He squeaks.
"I'm sorry?" Felix leans in
"-view."
"I couldn't catch that-"
"INTER," the guy says a little too loudly and tones it down, "view."

Ah.
The Receptionist.
Why does he look like he's gonna cry?
Felix doesn't need to tell him he's the only candidate right? Let's ask a few questions....

Bad idea.
Han gulps down ice water and fidgets uneasily in his chair. His CV is entirely fabricated, but Felix won't call his references right?
Aaand the first kid walks in.
Han stiffens.
"Good morning, Mr. Lee," Jiji greets him, "Good morning Mr. Mister."
"Good morning, Jiji," Felix greets her and looks at Han.
Han gulps.
"Good morning, uh, Jiji."
Jiji scrutinizes him with her eyes all squinty. Then she hops onto the seat beside him.
"Do you know," she begins and names something. Probably a cartoon she's obsessed with.
Han shakes his head: No.
Jiji goes on and on about it as she points out to some merch: Keytags on her bag, the bag, her bottle, her customised hair braid etc, Han nods attentively.
Does this clash with his Babysitting credentials? Fuck- Wait, don't swear in front of the kid- Fish.
Fish.
Fish.
Jiji finishes her explanation with Han's promise to watch the cartoon later.
Han looks up and sees Felix, his mood restored.
"That was cute. Why don't you start work from now?"
"Y-yeah? Sure," Han's phone vibrates in his trouser pocket. It's probably his IT team trying to solve this shit.
"I'm actually going to enter a team into a competition soon. It's gonna be so hectic. I wanted someone to take over the managing part, you naur."
Australian, Han confirms.
"Like making sure the parents pick them up, call in with them, supplies and collecting fees. It's getting a little difficult to manage."
That's five missed calls now.
"Let me show you around."
So, Han looks around, When does he get off work?

Seungmin gapes at his App.
It's a slow Sunday and he was bored so he opened the App and-
Holy shit.
His App is pinkish. And now he can view three other profiles.
And Changbin's has a little crown by his name.

He selects Changbin's profile and it takes awhile to load.
There's a battery that's blank.
0% again?
Seungmin wonders what happened and-
It turns red.
The App shows his battery shows a minus 437%. Then it stalls awhile.
What?
Minus?
Seungmin panics.
He tries calling Changbin and he picks up.
"Where are you?"
"Hi Seungmin, that's how you start a call little piece of-"
"Where are you?"
"Café 4U why?"
"With?"
"Bang Chan."
"You good?"
"I'm ok what's wrong with-"
He cuts the call.
What should he do?
He paces up and down his small flat until a notification beeps.
The battery glows green and is 437%
Then it disappears back to the previous black.
Seungmin throws the phone away.
Must be a glitch.
He decides to forget about that App. It's just another App right?
He switches on the TV.
There's an interview with one of Seungmin's favourite idols, Hwang Hyunjin.
He settles in.

Lee Know doesn't know how it happened.

It wasn't the best of all days. He got up late, tripped on his way to work and got shouted at by a customer for nothing etc,
He's working his morning at Cafe 4U, when a couple walks upto him.
They order, and then they give him a credit card, each.
Should he split the bill up?
Then it begins.
The Pre Honeymoon Syndrome...
"I'll pay. "
"No, I insist!"
"I almost killed you last with the ramen-"
"Nonono, let me repay the Burger Sandwich -"
He steps in. Metaphorically.
"Allow me to insist!" Lee Know breaks them up, "This," he brushes the finger of one guy as he picks up one card, "will pay."
The other one grumbles.

He isn't in the mood for this.
Always love plays over in the background as Chan carries the tray for the princess.

Minho sees the one who paid get a call and then he goes back to work.
It's been difficult for the past few years.
He has another shift today evening at a pizza place. He's running on adrenaline, all for his dreams.
To be a dancer.
Away from home.
Alone.
Tired.
Tired of being told he is not enough.
At least to be offered to dance for an idol group.....
He shakes his head. He isn't even there.
Yet.
He sighs and blinks twice.

A customer comes up and looks at him.
She forgets her order.
Don't be nasty, he tells himself, I AM pretty and irresistible.
"Yes?" he asks, hoping the tone is humane enough.
She blinks back and tells her order.
Minho is aware of being watched by her. He brushes it off as general feedback he gets from the community -
"What do you do for work?"
Huh? Not the first question from someone who's trying to get him to go out.
"Excuse me?"
"Ah," she blurts out, "We're an entertainment company and-" she shuffles her card over. "We're recruiting and-"
Oh.
This isn't a scam?
Please don't be a scam. Please don't be some organ harvesting mafia...
"I'm a dancer. Actually, in the process of being one-"
"Perfect! We have an audition -" she rattles off a date and time. She takes down his information and promises to call him back.
(A quick sorry to any idol recruitment people. If this isn't how it works, just let it go this once.)

And somewhere in the universe, Lady luck slaps her hand on her forehead. She throws the rest of her champagne out of the window.
It's just started to rain luck and bunnies today.

She watches in aghast as her previously set record for Lee Minho changes. Whatever balance she'd given him which was Unlucky in Career but Lucky in love changes to Lucky in career but Unlucky in love.
And then the guy she set him up with disappears from his profile and reappears elsewhere.
She chews her lip and attempts to recalibrate.
The select options don't budge.
Ah, that dastard Luck App.
It managed to locate that one guy in the universe who isn't affected by luck, make him into a loose cannon and then make her powerless in front of him.
Damn him.
He just touched that guy and turned his luck. What sort of sorcery is that? A guy who doesn't care if luck exists or not?
Think, she thinks, What can I do?
Then she smirks.
She can touch his friends' luck. She grins as she selects Kim Seungmin as her target.
She drags him from the lucky list to the unlucky list and waits.
She drums her fingernails over the arm of a leather armchair and waits.

She grips the armrest.
Kim Seungmin just sauntered back onto the lucky list, and topped the list.
She throws the empty Champagne glass onto the screen. It shatters in front of her.
She pulls up Seungmin's profile and......

The clouds stop overhead for a minute and covers the sun.
Seungmin wakes up groggily in uniform. He shakes his head and wraps a hand around the bat nearby. Overhead a commentator speaks.
"Will the clouds affect us today? The team seems to be in good form, so that's a shame-"

Bang Chan bites his lip worriedly.
Is this Changbin being friendly and caring about a neighbour or is he allowed to read into this?

He was babied in the gym, actually he was manipulated with a pout to rest. Maybe watching Changbin do his workout finally broke him.
Can he ask or is this too fast?

He stops walking and Changbin is too busy picking chicken popcorn from a cup in his hand to eat. He goes a few steps and then turns.
"Oh shit we shouldn't walk. Taxi, taxi!"
As Changbin walks up to him, he gently catches his hand.
"Bin," he says, "Can I- May I- I mean if you like to-"
Changbin's eyes get wider and wider, until Bang Chan asks, "Are you ok, with me?"
"Yeah."
"Like with me, in the long run?"
"Yeah."
"Not friends though."
"Oh."
"Like something more..."
"A fling?"
"No! No! My God no! Like to..... date?"
"Date. You and me?"
"Yeah!

Changbin hesitates.
"I like..... Whatever we have between us, Hyung. But I don't want to put a label to it yet. What if you figure out I'm not what you want and dump me?"
"Has anyone - I'm not like that!"
"I want us to see each other. But I want to take it slow. I'm not ready for big labels, I don't know if that's wierd...."
Bang Chan interlaces his fingers with Changbin's, "I like it. Wierd or not. Let's take it slow."

And somehow it's a life without having a Kim Seungmin in it. A world which Lee Felix gets his heart broken when he finds out he is not the one for his hyung.
But no Seungmin.
Not yet.

Lee Know looks at his audience.
In a 100 capacity hall, he's onstage. Not a part of the audience for once.
His name on boards, his name on their lips and in their hearts.
He hopes he is in for the long ride. He won't let this chance go.
He'll show them how HE does it.

Chapter Text

Crazy.
I. N. stares at the Report on his table.
As the CEO of the Association of Genies, anything related to luck will reach him.
That's how Seo Changbin did.

Mr. Dormant Luck appeared on this planet 20 plus years ago and now is trying to end his CEO status that's been going on for 200 years.
If anything at all what irks him the most is that some sort of dude who can manipulate time appeared first. He is by name Mr. Kim Seungmin, the first and one and only, who used to just do some harmless pranks on people by rewinding time.

This is bigger than him rewinding time and placing a potted plant in the middle of the road and watching his boss fall face first into it.
He has completely changed the timeline.

Unfortunately what he did won't be reversed. He activated that dormant Luck bug in Changbin and then completely disappeared into another timeline BECAUSE he likes to make a POINT. That if some lady tries to metaphorically destroy him, he'll just ruin her strategically placed web of luck.
Ah, and the second thanks to Mr. Han Jisung for finding a way to harness Luck like a fucking Paypal.

The Migraine announces itself in his brain like an errant mosquito.
He shuts the file close.
And he makes a timeline

1. Seungmin donates Luck, Changbin becomes a Luck bug.
2. Two other lesser important people also contribute to the cause without outcome.
3. Changbin's first Act is to act like an AC/DC converter and convert unluck to luck. Cue Idol Minho.
4. I. N. gets a months notice threat to solve the situation.
He groans.

He can recruit this Changbin. As a Genie or something. To stop this mess. But that means he must remove him from the surface of the earth. Completely. But too many memories ate going to be affected. The guy has a battalion of friends and that Bang Chan guy who'd rip worlds apart in search of him. No.

That woman has made this so complicated. So why hasn't Lady Luck gotten one months notice for interfering in mortal lives?

He reaches out for the drawer beneath his desk and pulls out a small bottle of muddy liquid.
It has no value of any sort. Just a symbol. It comes with a wish.It takes courage to try to drink something that looks like sewage.

And it's upto Jeongin to persuade Seungmin to go back to his old life. But not in a snap. He'll get his memories but lose his luck in career. It's either career or luck between which the balance exists. It's always one of the two.
And he'll bring back some balance.
What can he do about Lee Know the idol? Or should he just turn a blind eye? Technically Lee Know didn't make it to the report. Maybe a fan within the Association put it together? It just says Idol but I. N. can connect the dots.
Yeah. Let the Idol be.

It's a crisp sort of afternoon, when all sorts of good bakery smells are coming. Your nostrils are delighted but your pocket is pouting. Geddit?

And in the middle of nowhere there's a stadium, full of people calling out for a particular baseball team.
One name in particular.
Kim Seungmin.
Somehow he knows he can change time. And he's used it to his advantage all the time.
Not to further his career.
But to help himself and people around him.
Life feels empty. Like he knows all the answers to the question paper but has been dreading the paper itself.

This time the universe decides to serve him a horrible destiny.
A sports injury.
He has rewinded time more than four times.
But he can't stop hurting himself on the stadium.

So while the stadium erupts in his name, he decides to try one last time. He refuses to play.
"You can't just make your own decisions. We need you on this team-"
"You don't. Send someone -"
"You're not replaceable you piece of-"

And now he's suddenly pushed into the stadium, his team and everyone overriding his decision. He doesn't have an injury but how can he tell it's to prevent an injury that'll seal his fate?
They'll end his career as a mad guy if he tells them he can control the future.

He braces himself when the ball is in motion.....
"Why are you struggling against an inevitable fate?
It's like he's hallucinating....
A man in a white suit is in front of him, baseball in hand.
He dimples up and waves. He throws the ball at Seungmin and he catches it....
It turns into a small bottle of muddy liquid.
"Nope. You're not hallucinating. And I can give you a wish."
Seungmin isn't usually speechless or wordless.
"Your career is over Seungmin. But I can give you a way out. A different life you once lived. Normal, less stressful and under control."
"Who the fuck are you to tell me-"
I. N. snaps his fingers and the stadium disapppears. LED screens surround them in a white room and.......
Seungmin in a different life.
An ordinary office worker, a crush and-

Felix.
That name burns in his memory.
Felix.

" You can choose this life. You're not going back in time. You'll just fit in like a puzzle piece."
The fall of an athlete at his peak....
Images flash by. An injury, a verdict, retirement. An interview and a job. Some dude called Changbin and-

"How am I supposed to believe in all this?" he gestures violently.
"Let's say you got caught in the middle of someone's misjudgement and it backfired. The balance is off and thanks to your meddling little behaviour on a certain App, we've got a crisis."

"All this is because of me. Thanks, it's an honour," Seungmin deadpanned. His eyes fixate on a frozen snap of a freckled guy. A smile so bright it lights up a universe... He uncaps the bottle and considers. As he raises the bottle to his lips-
A snap of fingers and events follow.
The hush of a stadium. The lull of an era.

A few weeks later
Changbin sighs as he watches Bang Chan's call. The phone lights up
He watches it dim.
He can't.
He feels like a player.
He picks up his gym bag on the way. He unscrews a bottle of water.

How do you tell someone you're not in love with them, but you're happy with what you have now?
But something wild happens next.
In the middle of a sunny day, it starts to rain. He looks up to see drops falling like serene bullets.
And as he watches people run for cover or open umbrellas, there's one guy who walks in the rain slowly.
Felix.

His eyes are read and his spark is gone. A bag of beer cans is being swung rhythmically as he walks.
A guy runs upto him and stands in his way.
"Hi," he tells Felix.

The rain pauses, freezing time. It's just a Felix who blinks in wonder at Baseballer Kim Seungmin. He turns to see suspended water droplets, and touches one in awe.

And Changbin watches, gobsmacked, at a frozen frame of time, and missed opportunities.

Chapter Text

There's a looooooot of problems.

Han Jisung is in the live concert of witnessing his office go crazy.
As several people are affected. People who brush past a certain Seo Changbin .

Seo Changbin is in a BAD MOOD.
And it shows.
He walks past people, draining them of luck and he siphons off them.

There's chaos in Han's right ear.

"Sir, 12 accounts just back flipped into the unluck range! There's an influencer among them and she just got cancelled for having a wierd phone case!"

"He just walked past a bunch of students going to their exam. They complained about forgetting most of the subject material and that most questions were from what they missed to study."

"He bought a croissant from the new bakery in town, they've just gone viral because a customer found rubber bands in their food. They're undergoing a health inspection."

"Doesn't mean it's his fault -"

"Sir, he bumped into one of our employees, who went out to test the hypothesis. She's in the ER after meeting with an accident. She'll be walking around in crutches for months."

"How do we harness this?"

"Sir we can probably recruit him to hit targeted people with bad luck. Or we could probably dive into the reason why he's going haywire. He used to give people good luck, so something must have happened for this reaction."

Han sighed. It's time for more field work.

But maybe he doesn't have to.
Because Bang Chan just posted a photo of a tunnel. There's a bright light at the end and a hashtag grabs Han's eye.
#MovingOn

Oh.
Oh fucking NO.
Han can't fix this shit.

So he watches the screen of accounts that are being tossed over to the dark side, while the kids run around his chair playing Catchers.

2 hours ago

Bang Chan fiddles with his car keys as he waits for Changbin to come out for work.
Is he escaping from the window?
On a hunch, he walks around the building and-

Seo Changbin is climbing out of his window.
Bang Chan hates the fact that even now, he's watching those muscles flex as they painstakingly move.

As Changbin reaches the group he turns around in triumph....
And slams into Bang Chan's chest.

"You could tell it to my face instead of avoiding me, Bin."
Silence.

Changbin can't even meet his eyes.
"Tell me to leave! I'll never come back!"
Changbin's throat dries.

"Or do you like the fact that I'm begging for you? Does it please you so much?"

"I told you this wouldn't be love!"
"I said fine! But I can't invest in something that's nothing!"

"I didn't give you promises!"
"You didn't even try!"

"I'm not in love with you!"
"Then what is this?"

"Nothing! It doesn't have a label. We don't have a label-"
"I NEED a label, Bin-"

"I can't."
"Why?"

"I can't force myself to fall in love with you."
"I didn't ask you to force yourself. You could have the decency to let me know when you were done."

"I can't break your heart."
"It's already broken."

There's a silence.

Bang Chan embraces him for what might be the last time, "Then I'll do it for you, Bin. We're done. I won't see you again. Ever. Have a good rest of your life. Hope you find what you're looking for."

Changbin watches him leave.
"You too," he whispers to the wind.

A sadness fills him. When his brain asked his heart why he couldn't fall in love with this exquisite specimen of a man, his heart had no answer.
He still doesn't.

A defaulted few minutes later at present

Bang Chan has just hit a premium Green version with a 2000% on his luck battery. A 🔄 lies next to the charge and Han can only stare at his battered notes.
"Goddammit. He's spawning portable converters," Han cursed.

He needs to do something before his Empire collapses. Before those investors realise he's not really in control of Luck. Damn Seo Changbin.

Meanwhile in JYPE

"What do you mean nothing? Not one demo inspired you? What do I sell to the board next week? Your liver?"
"I'll go through some old demos-"
"Take it from ten years ago! And find some good shit! Do you want to be demoted to work in a cafeteria?"
The intern, like all new interns, shivers when the cafeteria is mentioned.

Sometimes we become the best version of ourselves when we're pressed beyond our capacity. Sometimes we break down. It's upto you to decide your category because this godforsaken world is like that. Take this intern. She manages to go through 10 years demos in a couple of days. Be the demon spawn that people can only come to terms with, by thinking you've sold your soul to the devil.

"Take a listen to this, sir."
2015 ,CB97.
She watches as a number of emotions flit past his facial muscles. "Why haven't we listened to this before?"
"We apparently debuted five groups that year-"
"And where are they?"
"One group is going to disband soon. Three are almost non existent. One group has broken up into soloists."
"We could have debuted this guy and saved millions! Throw him a lifeline! And I'll make you permanent if he accepts. "

Producer Bang Chan goes viral with 'Connected' and claims it's all about WiFi.

With Bang Chan's social butterfly skills, he manages to even lure The Hwang Hyunjin into JYPE. Even though he's from a different company.

"You made 'Connection?' that's awesome!"
Hyunjin, asks blown away by this new hot shot Producer-nim.
"I mean anyone can do-"
"Are you crazy? You're really good! Hey what about a song with me? That's okay?"
"Yeah! Yes, I'm in!"
"Let's call it.... 'Escape'!"

Seungmin listens to Connected.
While standing in the vegetable aisle and considering a potato.

But then Sunshine walks past him and he forgets to breathe.

He approaches Felix slowly. Like he'll vanish if he steps wrong and-

"Ooh, it's you! The guy who froze the raindrops!"
"What? Ah that's... never mind. Where's my umbrella?"
Mr. Kim-can't-give-a-normal-answer-Seungmin.

"Ah sorry...I couldn't contact you and all, can I give it to you over coffee?"
"Coffee?"
"Or I can send it to your address -"
"Coffee! Coffee is great!" Seungmin tells sharply.

Felix smiles and Seungmin feels like the world just heals then, "You've got to tell me how you freeze raindrops."
"I don't freeze raindrops. I freeze time."

Seungmin drops the potato and freezes time. The potato is stuck in the mid way of it's demise.
"Wow," breathes Felix and whips out his phone. He tries to open an App to set a timer but it crashes.
And Felix is speechless.
Seungmin smiles and Felix feels his heart skip a beat and then beat twice as fast.

Seungmin let's time flow after that,"How about an ice cream first?" He leads Felix to the ice cream aisle, "Courtesy of Kim Seungmin. To the beautiful?"
Felix realises a little belatedly that his name is needed.
"Lee Felix."
I know.

Later as they sit outside the benches talking over melting ice cream and sharing details, Seungmin feels at peace.

Like he's stopped running. There's nothing to impress. It's this moment, just the two of them and he's absent mindedly counting freckles while listening to Felix talk about this student of his who is soooo talented and thank God he can multitask and forty-five, forty- six-

"Hey, Yongbok!"
Both smiles disappear at that voice. Felix hates it. That his heart still beats for the one who broke it into pieces.
More like ground it into powder beneath his heel-
As the owner of the voice approaches, Seungmin asks a quick question, "Good or bad?"
"Bad," breathes Felix, and Seungmin watches the pain in those eyes, "Very bad."

"It's been a long time! I was just wondering if you were free tonight -"
"Back off," Seungmin snarls.
"Listen dude, I-"
"Back. Off."

Felix's stomach feels like a million butterflies were trying to break free. Or it could be the soda he'd consumed earlier.
"Calm down-"
Seungmin stands up and bodily moves the bulkier man away from Felix's hearing distance.

"You blew your chance before you even knew you had it. This is our chance to see where we can go. And I'm not letting you take it from me. You're here to," He holds up a finger as Changbin sputters, "See if something can fill your empty heart. But you broke the warmest man on this planet. You deserve to die in a cold hell. Alone. You see him, you walk away. Gettit?"

He doesn't wait for an answer. He turns around, stops by Felix and mutters a soft," Shall we? "

And Changbin can only stare as Felix walks away with Seungmin.

Felix feels wanted.
He's not someone to fall in love easily, but Seungmin makes it so easy to fall in love.

Han crashing out for the nth time
" What the - "
Changbin's profile turns a wild green. As he selects the profile there's a blank battery as always, but there's a confusing pattern on the wallpaper. Something Han can't crack.
There goes his luck.
For the owner of this app that's worth millions, Han hasn't installed it.
Because he's the Judge of Fates and he's supposed to be mysterious. A notification catches his eye.
An email that he sent weeks ago, to a certain Genie. There's an update several weeks old.
Han reads the update and groans.
Not only is there a Luck generator called Changbin, there's a Chronology challenger as well. Damn Kim Seungmin.

So nobody cares about the fallen potato?
Just checking.

"He's being a vacuum," Lady Luck stares aghast.
She pulls up the people Changbin walks past, and sees them move from their lists onto the unlucky ones.
"He's going to burst with all that pressure," she murmurs. She keeps her eye on the screen as her hand picks popcorn out of a glass bowl.

"Now is not the time for popcorn, Adelaide."
Thunder brushes her apartment as the Judge of Fates appears.
Han Jisung.

He snaps his fingers.
The popcorn shrivels up into burnt kernels and he walks upto her.
Taking a burnt kernel into his hand, he brings it to her mouth. She opens her mouth, with displeasure and he pops it in.

"Ah!" she falls to the ground, "Have mercy on me. Have mer-"
She goes absolutely still.
Han walks upto the rigid body. He sighs.

3 days later
Bang Chan is at a noraebang with Hyunjin. Lucky for him, it's on one of the floors below his studio and he can run back up once this is over. More songs can be made for the next century. He's invited his Australian brother from another mother and his boyfriend. A Kim Seungmin.
And Kim Seungmin just finished singing.

"He sings?"
Seungmin looks modestly, "Nothing much, I guess."
"He's mine," blurts Bang Chan and looks at Hyunjin who raises his hand in defence, "Nobody takes him away from me!"
"I'm actually Felix's. But you can own me for work purposes hyung."
Felix chokes on his Coconut water .

Bang Chan doesn't seem to be insulted. He runs towards Seungmin, picks him up.
The lanky fellow, protests weakly and falsely as Bang Chan runs all the way to the studio upstairs with Seungmin strung over his shoulder like a potato sack.

"So," Hyunjin turns to Felix, "How did you two meet?"
Hyunjin watches Felix's face turn red. Felix giggles as he tells the story but is mindful to add the raindrops freezing part like an analogy to the beautiful moment. Can't share his boyfriend's abilities that easily with everyone.
And Hyunjin just knows he's made a bestie.

A moment of silence for a certain Kim Seungmin who's been in studio arrest for the past 3 hours. We'd like to take this opportunity to inform the general public that he likes being in the recording booth and taking several takes.
He might debut in the next 6 hours. Please show lots of love to everything that he will release.

Chapter Text

A girl swoons over a life sized cardboard cutout of Hwang Hyunjin at a convenience store.

Her friend squeals over as she daringly blows a kiss and poses.
Then she goes over to inspect it. They squeal together.
A breeze blows, causing the cutout to teeter and topple. It falls on to the floor and the girls stop squealing. They walk away.

Enter Lee Know.
He casually kneels and helps the cutout to it's feet. The cap on his head and mask on his face obscures his features. He goes to open the fridge and sighs as he sees his face on a promo advert flyer stuck onto it.

So lonely.
His group didn't vibe with him. They'd go out for drinks and then gloss it over with an empty invitation extended to him. Another one was complaining to a staff member how Lee Know just sits still and looks pretty.

He bit back the comeback on the tip of his tongue about that persons nostrils. Something about how he has two assholes for nostrils and yeah...you get the picture.
He avoids the terrible drink his face advertises and picks his favourite.

Darn it. He can't open it and drink it, refreshing and ice and all. Why? Because of the possibility that one of their fans would see him. What fans? He's yet to see one and-

"Lee Know?"
Oh crap.

"It's Lee Know isn't it?"
He shakes his head sideways before he can stop himself.

"Oh. My. God. Aaaaaaaargh! I love you!"
Lee Know barely dodged the flailing hands, executed a James bond type leap over the tables. He crashed into the doors, drink forgotten and fallen on the floor.

He turns around and sees her filming.
He's probably live.
He's probably screwed.
He sneaked outside and now he's news.
His phone buzzes immediately.
Fuck.

He continues to run away from her sight. Only to find two more filming in his face.
Where on earth did they all come from? As far as he knows he's the second to last biased in his group. Mr.Nostrils is the last. Jealous bastard.

What happens next is a script from a kdrama.
A sleek black BMW stops in front of his escape route. A door opens.
He breathes in relief. Hyunjin-ah.
He leaps into the car slamming the door behind. And the smug faced Hyunjin irks Lee Know's last remaining brain cell.
"Want a dental rearrangement, Hwang?"
"Don't mention it, hyung. At your service anytime."

My manager is going to kill me, thinks Lee Know.
The car stops at their Company.
"Oh and by the way hyung, smile and wave."
"What?"
Lee Know can barely process as he's thrown into a pushing crowd of Hyunjinners who welcome him.... too warmly for Lee Know's liking.

#LeeKnowismybias
#Ifyou'reLeebitandLeeknowit

                   Lee Know to go solo?

Hyunjin's Luck Battery App:
A golden icon shines as the battery shows an impeccable 5000%
As he walks by you can't help but look. It's in the stride. It's in the confidence. It's in the ability to swallow your insecurities and slay.
And so Hyunjin continues to soar above all the accounts on the app.

Felix and Seungmin's Luck Battery App:
A black and pink icon, with an intertwined set of rules. Han hates this particular profile. It goes against all the principles he's made. The ability to control each other's activities? Disgusting. But the app is unused and forgotten by it's owners. Muted to oblivion.

Han watches a small smile on his face as he sneaks peaks at the two lovebirds.
Seungmin is tenderly applying ointment on Felix's fingercut.

Oooh it's disgusting. Just what Han likes.
When, Oh, when is his chance? Dear Universe, please give him a guy who's of questionable height, cries in the right parts of movies out of emotion, a guy who wears his heart like a shield and holds Han like an egg in his hands....
He'd die for an omelette or egg sandwich now. His stomach rumbled.

And there goes Felix scattering light -sorry, he's smiling - and Seungmin the stoic and tsundere gives a light smile.
Han sighs.
So much fluff.
It's like biting into a cloud of candyfloss in Diabetic heaven.

"Mr.Han," a boy asks, and Han can smell the trouble on the boy. It's probably sweat.
"Mr.Han," the kid tugs on his sleeve, "Why are cars so fast?"
Han loves explaining shit to these young ones. He's a Wikipedia of some sort anyway. Knowledgeable as fuck.

"They are full of gas. So they fart a lot. Because they can't get caught by the police because it's illegal to fart in public, they speed up."
There's a break as the kid guiltily fans behind his ass, "Oh."
Han smiles brightly. Until they can afford an air filter, this would do.

Bang Chan's Luck Battery App:
Man's is down to 1000%
He's remembered that he can give Changbin some luck. If he can't see him, he'll at least give him some luck. So every once in an hour, when he remembers his broken heart and the culprit behind it, he donates.

He can't remember the day he left the studio. All he remembers is Kim Seungmin and his voice. He must give his all as justice to that voice.

He slightly remembers Felix bringing something for him to eat and kidnapping Seungmin with him. But is it kidnapping if it was by consent?

I.N is stressed.

Lady luck is dead, thank you whoever. And he's being put in charge of hunting a certain luck disaster.

Every bar Changbin goes to drink his sorrows away, mysteriously is affected. Customers are displeased no matter how much you bend your back for them, customer service is a disaster.

And so he watches on as green lights flicker over his sharp features. There in the corner, in a hoodie is a drunk Seo Changbin.

Changbin watches the amber liquid at the bottom of the glass and scoffs before he drains it.

I.N. takes a step forward but a static noise irritates his ears. He gasps as he is brought down to his knees, trembling. He tries to rise up but he's too weak.
When the sound stops he gets up.

There's bodies of people lying around, knocked out from something. Barely breathing. The music stops.

Then there's Seo Changbin calmly chugging his beer. He looks back. Red eyes gleam at I.N and there's a rustle of unease in I.N's veins.

Changbin gets up, shattering his bottle on a chair beside him. The sharp, irregular glass gleams in the green light, screaming certain violence in a silent space.

Changbin's Luck Battery App
It's having numbers that are changing constantly. Like a stopwatch gone haywire.
It's Red Blaring red.
As he passes by people, his App goes crazy. Chugging down luck like beer. And everyone around him turns 0%. Bleeps and notifications are silenced by music.
Extracting......
Processing......
Successful Luck transfer
Congratulations you've successfully transferred-
Do you wish to continue the transfer
Extracting......
You've only 0%-
Congratulations you've successfully received-
A barage of notifications flood his phone. All gone unnoticed.

But this time something's different. It's like a limit was reached. And now the App reads nothing.
The final notification gets stuck and the App freezes itself.

In the middle of all of this, Bang Chan gets a notification he can no longer transfer luck.

Something clicks in Changbin. A rearing monster covered by his skin. It's here to destroy the concept of luck itself.
Notifications blare in phones but only a few notice.

You have been reset to 0% settings. Please contact service center on -
And then, there's a change.