❛ EPISODE THREE. ❜
roles of leadership come at a cost, it seems.

( WORDS HERE SIGNIFY "???" AND THEIR COMMENTARY AS AN EDITOR )

MY SUGAR-RUSH! CONTINUES !

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━━ ☆ TEAM POTENTIAL

the five boys are gathered in the main
practice room, huddled in a circle on
the floor. the sound of shuffling paper
surrounds them.

❘ ✸ ›› GEUM SUHEON ‣ RANK 7 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ guys... I think we are royally [ REDCATED ].

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI KWANGHO ‣ RANK 13
❛ my guy we just started filming, please mind your language.

❘ ✸ ›› GEUM SUHEON ‣ RANK 7 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ try and stop me, jello legs.

( THE THROWBACK TO THE FIRST MISSION... BRUTAL )

❘ ✸ ›› SHIN BYUNGHO ‣ RANK 18
❛ no fights please, children. I'd like to stay in one piece.

❘ ✸ ›› KIM YOONGI ‣ RANK 14
❛ you're not even that old.

❘ ✸ ›› SHIN BYUNGHO ‣ RANK 18
❛ [ sticks his tongue out ] still older than you.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI KWANGHO ‣ RANK 13
❛ acting like that? might as well call you the maknae.

━ 𖧷 INTERVIEW CAM 𖧷 ━

❘ ✸ ›› SHIN BYUNGHO ‣ RANK 18
❛ my teammates are bullies.

❘ ✸ ›› SHIN BYUNGHO ‣ RANK 18
❛ I'm offended.

( BOOHOO GET OVER IT ANCIENT RELIC )

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A LITTLE WHILE LATER. . .

❘ ✸ ›› KIM YOONGI ‣ RANK 14
❛ alright so, we've decided our center and that means those lines are taken.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI KWANGHO ‣ RANK 13
❛ since our two rappers may have to take on some more vocally challenging parts, I can help?

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI KWANGHO ‣ RANK 13
❛ although... [ glances to suheon ] are you okay?

❘ ✸ ›› GEUM SUHEON ‣ RANK 7 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ can I be honest?

❘ ✸ ›› GEUM SUHEON ‣ RANK 7 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I'm quite bummed out that I wasn't able to secure the main dancer role.

❘ ✸ ›› HAN SEYOUNG ‣ RANK 15
❛ didn't you get it last mission? why be upset this time?

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI KWANGHO ‣ RANK 13
❛ [ confused ] no? SUHEON was given center last time. he gave up his main dancer role.

❘ ✸ ›› KIM YOONGI ‣ RANK 14
❛ are you okay with giving it up, SEYOUNG?

❘ ✸ ›› HAN SEYOUNG ‣ RANK 15
❛ [ scoffs ] obviously not? I earned it. only someone not wanting to stay here would willingly give up a role that gives benefit points.

❘ ✸ ›› SHIN BYUNGHO ‣ RANK 18
❛ I don't think... main positions get benefit points this time though, due to the new points system.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI KWANGHO ‣ RANK 13
❛ respectfully, SEYOUNG, did you even listen to GIKWANG yesterday?

❘ ✸ ›› HAN SEYOUNG ‣ RANK 15
❛ . . .

TENSIONS RUN HIGH IN THE POTENTIAL TEAM. . .
. . . WILL IT BE SOLVED BY THE MID-LEVEL EVALUATION?

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━━ ☆ TEAM HOLA!

the boys enter the practice room
only to be ambushed by staff
members.

❘ ✸ ›› STAFF ONE ‣ MY SUGAR-RUSH!
❛ [ shoves a cowboy hat in haseul's face ] do with this what you will.

❘ ✸ ›› STAFF TWO ‣ MY SUGAR-RUSH!
❛ yee-haw...?

❘ ✸ ›› STAFF ONE ‣ MY SUGAR-RUSH!
❛ [ dragging staff two out, mumbling ] such an embarrassment, my god.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI HASEUL ‣ RANK 19
❛ [ blinks ] what the fuck?

❘ ✸ ›› JEONG KORAIN ‣ RANK 5 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ literally what... just happened.

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ I think they...

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ nevermind, I have nothing.

❘ ✸ ›› LIN ZHAOHUI ‣ RANK 8
❛ if my hypothesis is correct, the staff just called us cowboys.

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ is it because I'm american?

❘ ✸ ›› JEONG KORAIN ‣ RANK 5 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ are you from the south?

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ . . . . I'm from texas.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI HASEUL ‣ RANK 19
❛ [ violently turns ] so it's YOUR fault.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI HASEUL ‣ RANK 19
❛ [ places hat on raiden's head ] now what do we say?

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ [ sadly ] yee-haw...

━ 𖧷 INTERVIEW CAM 𖧷 ━

❘ ✸ ›› LIN ZHAOHUI ‣ RANK 8
❛ being called cowboys by the staff was one thing. could illicit a chuckle from me.

❘ ✸ ›› LIN ZHAOHUI ‣ RANK 8
❛ but the fact my teammate is from TEXAS?

❘ ✸ ›› LIN ZHAOHUI ‣ RANK 8
❛ and he sadly yee-hawed? peak comedy.

━━━

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ [ huffs, still wearing the hat ] just because I'm from texas does not mean I have an accent, I am NOT a cowboy, and NOT ALL TEXANS SAY YEEHAW.

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ though you could give me a gu-

❘ ✸ ›› STAFF ONE ‣ MY SUGAR-RUSH!
❛ NO.

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THE BOYS NOW SIT IN A CIRCLE, THE COWBOY HAT IN THE CENTER.

( I THINK THEY'RE PERFORMING A RITUAL... )

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI HASEUL ‣ RANK 19
❛ in the name of our lord and saviour, cowboy hat, we shall decide our roles.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI HASEUL ‣ RANK 19
❛ hypothetically if we were to go on a heist, what would be your role? quick.

❘ ✸ ›› JEONG KORAIN ‣ RANK 5 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I'd help us plan??

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ I'd probably actually commit the... yeah that.

❘ ✸ ›› LIN ZHAOHUI ‣ RANK 8
❛ provide the weaponry, I guess.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI HASEUL ‣ RANK 19
❛ you are a child, we need the good stuff not nerf guns.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI HASEUL ‣ RANK 19
❛ [ claps hands ] anyways! I think we've determined the parts. and subsequently the lines as well.

❘ ✸ ›› JEONG KORAIN ‣ RANK 5 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ it's... normally not that fast right? I thought we'd discuss it more in detail.

❘ ✸ ›› RAIDEN KIM ‣ RANK 20
❛ we don't even know what our roles are... hell you could have me belting high notes out here.

❘ ✸ ›› LIN ZHAOHUI ‣ RANK 8
❛ don't give yourself that much credit, hyung.

❘ ✸ ›› CHOI HASEUL ‣ RANK 19
❛ [ fawns ] my son... I'm raising you so well 🥹

❘ ✸ ›› LIN ZHAOHUI ‣ RANK 8
❛ you're dating YIZE?

HASEUL'S FACE DROPS AS THE CAMERA CUTS.

( ACCUSING HIM OF HOMOSEXUALITY... I'D NEVER RECOVER )

( YES, I STOLE THIS FROM FEVEN. )

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━━ ☆ TEAM EXCEL

taehyun and jaehyun are huddled next
to one another as they whisper about
things only they know.

❘ ✸ ›› SOHN KITAE ‣ RANK 6 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ [ sighs ] we won't be getting anything done at this rate.

❘ ✸ ›› KANG JAEHYUN ‣ NO RANK
❛ o....kay? we literally aren't doing anything to prevent us from getting stuff done. we were just talking.

❘ ✸ ›› SEO YOUNGHOON ‣ RANK 3 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ in that case, should we talk about our outfit set? it seems to be the thing we've been struggling with the most.

❘ ✸ ›› JERRIE TRAN ‣ RANK 11
❛ hmm, what if we went with a white theme? if we look at stages that seems to work the best.

❘ ✸ ›› EOM TAEHYUN ‣ RANK 2 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I agree, almost. I think having some pops of colour would help differentiate us especially since I think one of the other teams might go full white.

❘ ✸ ›› KANG JAEHYUN ‣ NO RANK
❛ [ draws up outfit ideas ] what about these? I think they'd work, especially yours.

❘ ✸ ›› EOM TAEHYUN ‣ RANK 2 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ oh how you flatter me.

❘ ✸ ›› EOM TAEHYUN ‣ RANK 2 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ but yeah, I think those work. I like the colours for JERRIE's outfit. and the beige touch you added for yours helps even out the bright ones.

❘ ✸ ›› SOHN KITAE ‣ RANK 6 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ are you two done?

❘ ✸ ›› SOHN KITAE ‣ RANK 6 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ it was a mistake, the fans putting you two in the same team. personally at least.

━ 𖧷 INTERVIEW CAM 𖧷 ━

❘ ✸ ›› SOHN KITAE ‣ RANK 6 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ [ shrugs his shoulders ] I think it's rather unprofessional to be acting like that when we have important things to do.

❘ ✸ ›› SOHN KITAE ‣ RANK 6 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ acting all... like that. in front of the cameras too. have they no sense of boundaries?

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❘ ✸ ›› SEO YOUNGHOON ‣ RANK 3 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I am NOT dealing with something like this again. you were not listening at ALL?

❘ ✸ ›› SEO YOUNGHOON ‣ RANK 3 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ while you were focused on psychoanalyzing their relationship you've failed to realize we've already decided stage sets, our main vocal, AND our outfits.

❘ ✸ ›› JERRIE TRAN ‣ RANK 11
❛ not to mention we've already discussed our center candidates too. we wanted to include you in that but you were literally unavailable.

❘ ✸ ›› KANG JAEHYUN ‣ NO RANK
❛ I also think it's pretty rude of you to act like this is all we do just because we chose to sit next to each other.

❘ ✸ ›› KANG JAEHYUN ‣ NO RANK
❛ we know how to separate this [ he motions between the two of them ] and work.

❘ ✸ ›› SOHN KITAE ‣ RANK 6 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I... I'm sorry...

rather frustrated with how the conversation
turned out, taehyun stood up and left, jaehyun
following behind shortly after.

❘ ✸ ›› EOM TAEHYUN ‣ RANK 2 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ should we stop?

❘ ✸ ›› EOM TAEHYUN ‣ RANK 2 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ clearly we're making people uncomfortable. and it's starting to get to me, a little. it's hard to be all bubbly and funny when stuff like that happens.

❘ ✸ ›› KANG JAEHYUN ‣ NO RANK
❛ [ frowning ] I mean, I don't want to. I enjoy being around you and all that.

❘ ✸ ›› KANG JAEHYUN ‣ NO RANK
❛ but I can back off if that's what you want.

❘ ✸ ›› EOM TAEHYUN ‣ RANK 2 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I don't want that, though...

❘ ✸ ›› KANG JAEHYUN ‣ NO RANK
❛ okay, that settles that. how about we go show him that we can actually get stuff done? that's what we'd been doing before he opened his big mouth.

❘ ✸ ›› EOM TAEHYUN ‣ RANK 2 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ [ laughs ] alright, that sounds like a plan.

JAEHYUN RUFFLES TAEHYUN'S HAIR BEFORE THEY EXIT.

( THEY'RE SO INTO EACH OTHER IT ACTUALLY HURTS. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED, THOUGH. NOT COMPLAINING THEY'RE CUTE AS FUCK. )

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━━ ☆ TEAM EN GARDE

kiha and beomseok are seen talking
to one another in a hushed tone.

❘ ✸ ›› HONG BEOMSEOK ‣ RANK 1 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I definitely feel like I have bad luck.

❘ ✸ ›› CHO KIHA ‣ RANK 4 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ what do you mean?

❘ ✸ ›› HONG BEOMSEOK ‣ RANK 1 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ where it feels like I have a deadbeat team, with you being ab exception. last mission I had to do all the work myself and it feels the same this time, but I have you at least.

❘ ✸ ›› CHO KIHA ‣ RANK 4 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ well, that's fair I suppose... at least HAEMIN is trying...?

❘ ✸ ›› HONG BEOMSEOK ‣ RANK 1 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ [ frowns ] "trying" doesn't really cut it now, though, does it?

━ 𖧷 INTERVIEW CAM 𖧷 ━

❘ ✸ ›› HONG BEOMSEOK ‣ RANK 1 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I'm trying to be positive about this mission, I really, truly am.

❘ ✸ ›› HONG BEOMSEOK ‣ RANK 1 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ it's just difficult when I have the bodies here but not the minds, you know?

❘ ✸ ›› STAFF ONE ‣ MY SUGAR-RUSH!
❛ we get you, don't worry. we all saw what happened last mission to both you and KORAIN.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

beomseok and kiha join the others
in their conversation, now trying to
get things done.

❘ ✸ ›› SHIN KITAE ‣ RANK 10
❛ we wrote down some ideas for the positions. [ shows his paper ] what do you think?

❘ ✸ ›› CHO KIHA ‣ RANK 4 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ it's... okay for the most part. but I don't think center should be decided like that. we should vote.

❘ ✸ ›› TAK HAEMIN ‣ RANK 9
❛ hm yeah, that's more fair.

❘ ✸ ›› HONG BEOMSEOK ‣ RANK 1 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I think I'd also just adjust the positions to be a little more in tune with our teams' abilities.

❘ ✸ ›› RUAN YIZE ‣ RANK 16
❛ so, since that's been changed, who here wants to try for center? so we can accurately vote.

ONLY BEOMSEOK AND KIHA RAISE THEIR HANDS.

❘ ✸ ›› TAK HAEMIN ‣ RANK 9
❛ [ nods ] okay... automatically your guys' votes go to each other since you can't vote yourselves...

❘ ✸ ›› CHO KIHA ‣ RANK 4 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ whoever gets three more votes becomes center.

❘ ✸ ›› SHIN KITAE ‣ RANK 10
❛ we'll vote, then announce the results.

━ 𖧷 INTERVIEW CAM 𖧷 ━

❘ ✸ ›› STAFF ONE ‣ MY SUGAR-RUSH!
❛ woah.

❘ ✸ ›› STAFF TWO ‣ MY SUGAR-RUSH!
❛ it was an unanimous vote for [ REDACTED ]. he was also center last mission too...

( WOW, THAT HELPS SOOOO MUCH STAFF-NIM! YOU FORGOT THAT KIHA AND BEOMSEOK WERE BOTH CENTERS !!!!!! )

❘ ✸ ›› STAFF ONE ‣ MY SUGAR-RUSH!
❛ shut up, ayuna.

( :( )

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NEXT ON MY SUGAR-RUSH!

THE PERFORMANCES BEGIN. . .

❘ ✸ ›› ??? ‣ SPECIAL GUEST
❛ hello~

❘ ✸ ›› EOM TAEHYUN ‣ RANK 2 ❪TOP 7❫
❛ I might faint.

❘ ✸ ›› KANG JAEHYUN ‣ NO RANK
❛ for a man that's not me ?????

. . . WITH A SPECIAL GUEST AS A MENTOR?

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▭ RUNE'S ROOM !
this was definitely meant to be out weeks ago. I got so caught up with other projects that I simply had no motivation to write :((

I promise to kickstart voting before I leave for uni! in the meantime, I hope this serves as a decent team dynamic episode before I move into the mentor stuff and performances next ep.

I love you all!!