NEW_DECADE [EP_9]

SUMMARY: Erii, Saito, Daisuke and Kotori model for an online Japanese clothing store. Saito and Erii discuss dating scandals among HBHT20 members. 

PAIRING: Platonic! Japanese Line

Erii placed her chin on Saito’s shoulder, angling her neck upward and parting her lips slightly. Another flash of light. Erii blinked the dots away from her vision before changing up the position.

“How about you wrap your arm around her shoulder?” The photographer suggested. “And give us some laughter.”  Saito’s eyes connected with Erii’s, and two identical smiles stretched on their faces. Saito slipped an arm over Erii’s shoulder and Erii couldn’t help but burst out laughing. There was nothing funny at all, he hadn’t even said anything to prompt the laughter. But when you’ve been friends with someone for a very long time, eventually you just have random laughing fits for no reason. 

Saito, forcing back laughter, spread his arms in confusion. “What did I do?”

“Sorry, sorry!” Erii apologized, shaking her head and holding a hand out to the photographer. “I’m not sure why I’m laughing, I’m sorry.”  “No worries, that pose is actually cute. Saito, keep your arms out. Erii, try tilting your head back to the ceiling a little. Don’t be afraid to let out some genuine laughter!” The photographer responded enthusiastically. 

After a few more shots, the photographer called in Daisuke and Kotori. The younger kids stepped forward. Kotori and Daisuke were dressed in the same style as the other two, except Kotori was sporting a purple color scheme white Daisuke was in green. Erii was very thankful that they dressed Kotori in something age-appropriate. Her hidden mom mode was always turned on when she was around the younger Japanese girl. 

“Aw, lil Koko.” Saito grinned, patting the top of Kotori’s head fondly. Kotori wrinkled her nose and dodged his touch, sending the crew into a chorus of laughs at the sass that the tall girl was exhibiting. 

The four of them had a very fun shoot. There were shots involving them group hugging, which resulted in Kotori getting sandwiched between all of them. There was one where Erii and Saito were playing ‘tug of war’ with the sleeves of Kotori’s sweater while Daisuke appeared to be shocked in the background. They also had shots where Kotori  and Daisuke were getting pushed around in shopping carts, looking like they were about to collide.

When they were finally finished with group shots, the trio was able to view the previews. They huddled around a monitor with some other staff members, looking at an array of pictures that were taken.  “This one looks like a family portrait.” Erii commented, pointing to one where Saito and Erii were standing next to each other while Kotori and Daisuke sat on stools in front of them. Erii’s hand was on Kotori’s shoulder, smiling brightly. 

“Baby Koko!~” Saito teased, reaching over to give Kotori’s cheek a pinch. Kotori moved away, sticking her tongue out. Erii chuckled, watching Saito pretend to be disgusted with Kotori. Saito rounded to give Daisuke some love, but Daisuke swiftly stepped backward, avoiding any personal touch.

After confirming that they were satisfied with the shoot, the three Japanese trainees were released. They thanked the staff before heading to their manager’s car. 

Once inside the car, Erii checked her cellphone for the first time since the shoot started. The group chat with all her trainee friends in it was blowing up. 

“Jesus, I should have muted them.” Erii complained, showing Saito how many messages were popping up on her phone.  “What’s going on with them?” Saito asked out of curiosity.  “Who knows. Probably boy drama... Jiah’s been a little restless lately.” Erii shook her head, already feeling a headache coming on thinking about Jiah’s recent decisions.  “Yeah... Longwei might have mentioned a thing or two about her.” Saito shared.

Erii shook her head again, this time in disappointment. She’s been a trainee for a long time and she’s seen a lot of wild shit. None of it ever ended well. Her friend, Soyeon from Promise, slept around when she was a trainee and all that was exposed a couple years after her debut thanks to an ex-trainee that never liked her. Jiah isn’t exactly the most likable person at HBH. If she isn’t careful, someone would do the same to her. 

“I think you and I are the only two trainees from HBHT15 who haven’t let our hormones get the best of us.” Saito joked.  “Haeun hasn’t slept around, has she?” Erii asked. Saito shrugged, furrowing his eyebrows. “Why would I know that? I’m not a gossiper like you, Erii.” The man teased.  “I’m not a gossiper! Right, kids?” Erii looked over her shoulder to get the opinion of the younger trainees sitting behind her. Kotori and Daisuke both had earphones in, scrolling through their cellphones without even looking up. “Nevermind.” Erii shook her head, knowing better than to disrupt the 02 liners and their screen time.

Saito chuckled. “But no, can we just talk about how many of our friends are fucking right now?” He asked. “I thought you said you didn’t gossip?” Erii teased. “I’m also a liar. C’mon, you know me.” Saito shrugged. “Anyways, I cannot believe that Jiah is fucking not only Hanjae and Longwei, but I’m pretty sure she’s gonna start messing with Sanghoon too.”  “Sanghoon? He seems too innocent and nice to have a friends with benefits situation going on.” Erii contemplated.  “Think again. He’s nice but he wants to get his dick wet just like any other boy his age.” Saito rolled his eyes. 

“Like Yeetai?” Erii’s grin quirked.  Saito hesitated, a smile forming on his face. “Wait what do you know?”  “Nothing confirmed but... Have you seen him and Seolhee interact lately?” Erii asked. “They’re like in that stage where they don’t get along but they clearly like each other, you know? Kinda like how elementary kids flirt.”  “Oh man.” Saito ran a hand over his face. “I told these fuckers when the season started: ‘don’t mess around with other trainees, it always ends bad’. Now I find out that my own son, the one I raised from when he was a wee baby, is going down the same path as other trainees before him.”  “Tragic, I know.” Erii sympathized with her friends dramatic distraught.  

“At least our maknaes are still pure.” Saito angled his head towards Kotori and Daisuke.

“Actually...” Kotori suddenly spoke up, taking an earbud out. “Kijung has a huge crush on Suwei.”  “It’s true. He’s whipped.” Daisuke sighed. “Mother-” Saito burried his head in his hands. Erii cackled, leaning forward as the laughter rolled through her body. 

“This is gonna be a looong season.” Saito’s words were muffled by his palms. 

NEW_DECADE [EP_7]

SUMMARY: The mom-friend line takes care of each other backstage at the first Trainee Showcase of the season.

GENRE: fluff PAIRING: hyebin x taehyung | platonic!hyebin x bora  WORD COUNT: 0.7k WARNINGS: none

Just because Hyebin’s time on stage was over didn’t mean that she was off duty for the rest of the night. Once she finished performing with the girls unit, it was off with the stage outfit and on with her leggings and sweatshirt. It was time for her to be the stage mom she was meant to be. 

“Hoyong!” Hyebin called after the younger boy, watching his blonde head bob away from her, heading towards the stage. He turned around, his eyes wide. Hyebin jogged over, dodging staff members and trainees alike. By the time she reached Hoyong, her breath was slightly labored. “Your mic isn’t attached properly.” She huffed out. Without objection, Hoyong allowed her to fix his microphone. Most of the trainees were so used to Hyebin  by now that they knew that there was no such thing as a personal space bubble with Hyebin.  “Thank you, noona.” Hoyong said gratefully.  “Your hair’s a little messy too-” Hyebin reached her hand up and brushed a few pieces of hair off of Hoyong’s forehead. “Noona, we’ve got to get to the stage.” Kyungchul reminded the older girl impatiently, waiting a few feet away from Hoyong. Hyebin retracted her hand and nodded. “My bad! Enjoy yourselves out there. Break a leg!” She brought her hands together in a silent, yet enthusiastic clap, bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

Kyungchul, Hoyong, and Daisuke gave Hyebin an appreciative wave before dipping behind a curtain, heading to side stage. Hyebin sighed in accomplishment. She felt like she just sent her sons off to their first day of school.  “I haven’t seen you run that fast in since...” Bora’s voice said behind her. Hyebin jumped, not expecting her friend to be standing behind her. Bora’s face twisted in thought. “Actually, maybe I’ve never seen you run before.” “You’re a liar.” Hyebin shook her head, chuckling lightly. “Are you all set for your stage? Do you need help with anything?”  Bora laughed. “Dude, I’m one of the oldest trainees here, I don’t need you to be my stage mom-”  Before Bora could finish, Hyebin’s fingertips were already brushing under her friend’s eyes, collecting stray flecks of mascara. Bora blinked a few times in surprise, flinching back a little reflexively. Hyebin gave her a non-threatening glare, arching an eyebrow. “This is the part where you thank me.” Hyebin reminded her.  Bora rolled her eyes. “Thank you, but I came over here to mom you, not the other way around. I have a bone to pick with you, missy.”  “What, why?” Hyebin asked, instantly wondering if she’s been doing something wrong.  “You’re running around too much. You just performed and now you’re over-exuding yourself. Did you even drink water when you got off stage?” Bora asked, crossing her arms. It was Hyebin’s turn to roll her eyes. “Of course I did.” Hyebin lied, shrinking back defensively. “You’re a bad liar, Hyebin.” Bora shook her head. “I think you should go take a quick break.” Hyebin frowned, knowing Bora too well to know that her relaxed behavior wouldn’t stay if you pushed her. She wished her friend a good performance before heading back to the dressing room.

Rounding the corner, she accidentally bumped into Taehyung. She jumped back at the sudden collision. Taehyung chuckled and ruffled Hyebin’s hair playfully with one hand. “Sorry, Binnie.” He grinned. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”  “You didn’t, I just got startled.” Hyebin shook her head.  Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows. “Isn’t that the same thing?”  Hyebin was going to protest, but Taehyung kept talking. “Anyways, did you run into Bora?” The male trainee asked. Hyebin nodded.  “Good, I told her to track you down. You’re gonna exhaust yourself, running around like this.” He gave Hyebin an accusing look. “You didn’t even stretch after you got off stage, did you?”  Hyebin’s eyes widened. “How’d you-?”  “I know you, Binnie. Go stretch and drink some water. I’ll help you take care of the kids when I finish performing, okay?” He promised, patting her head one more time before bolting around the corner, heading towards the stage. 

Hyebin watched him go, her heart rate speeding up just a little bit. Sometimes it felt good to be taken care of, especially when Taehyung was the one looking out for you.

Baby Don’t Stop

Summary: Daisuke gets evaluated by the trainers with his teammate, Kou. [EPISODE 1]

Series: Produce 101 Japan Addition, Produce 101 Japan OC

A/N: Yes, I’m behind in PD101JP. At least now I’m not posting any spoilers 🤩

Also! I do not own Kou! The loveable Kou is owned by the equally lovable @luvnaka.

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Daisuke rolled out his shoulders and adjusted his stance, trying to make himself look taller and broader, and maybe just a little bit older. He gazed at his reflection in a piece of glass in the waiting area, trying to practice his facial gestures.

The eighteen year old thought he was looking pretty suave until a shadow loomed behind him in the reflection of the glass and a hand covered his shoulder. “Looking good, big man.” Kou, Daisuke’s partner for the evaluation, teased. “Ease up though, you don’t want to intimidate the national producers too much.” “You should have picked a different partner,” Daisuke wilted, his posture slouching back down to his typical 5′7 stance. “I’m not manly enough for this song.” Kou rolled his eyes. “Here we go again...” “I should have just gone solo instead of dragging you down.” Daisuke mourned. The taller boy sighed and turned the younger boy around by his shoulder, forcing eye contact. “Daisuke, if I didn’t think we were a good match, I would have worked with someone else. You kill this song in practice, just keep doing what we’ve been doing. I wouldn’t want to be a Basement Boyz with anyone else.”

Daisuke sighed, but nodded. Even if he objected, it wasn’t like they had much of an option. He had to perform Baby Don’t Stop weather he was feeling himself or not. “Basement Boyz, you’re on.” A staff member alerted them. Kou straightened up instantly and Daisuke tried his best to mimic the older boy’s confidence. “Alright, let’s get it.” Kou said with gusto before leading the pair to the stage.

Daisuke walked out onto the stage confidently, but he noticed very quickly that the way the contestants were gazing at him differed greatly from how they were observing Kou. “Ah, that one’s so cute.” He heard someone compliment from the seats, but he couldn’t identify the speaker. He also heard voices gushing about a height difference. Daisuke’s cheeks started to flush and he cursed himself for not packing higher insoles.

When the two were positioned in center stage, Kou glanced at Daisuke, giving him the signal to introduce themselves.

“One, two! We are Basement Boyz! Please watch over us!” The two introduced themselves. Daisuke was painfully aware of how high pitched his voice sounded.  “Why ‘Basement Boyz’?” Okamura Takashi wondered. Kou gestured to Daisuke to explain. Daisuke cleared his throat before pushing the microphone attached to his cheek closer to his mouth. “Both Kou and I have received training in South Korea for several years. There’s a joke among trainees and Kpop fans that trainees are kept locked away in their company’s basements until they debut.” Daisuke explained, pausing for the chuckles in the audience. “We call ourselves the Basement Boyz because we share that common background together.”  “But you’re still under a Korean entertainment, aren’t you?” Sugai Hidenori questioned. Daisuke gulped. Another thing he was nervous about bringing up. He was currently the only trainee that wasn’t independent.

“Yes,” Daisuke began to explain. He paused to elaborate further but Warner nodded and brought the microphone up to his lips.

“Alright, let’s see what the Basement Boyz have prepared.” The dance coach stated. Daisuke hurried to his starting position and took in a deep breath, waiting for the music to start.

Baby Don’t Stop by NCT U echoed through the audition hall, causing the other trainees to exclaim in surprise. The sexy song was definitely not expected, but all eyes were on them while they performed.

Daisuke and Kou performed to their best ability, putting every ounce of effort into making this performance enjoyable for both them and their audience. When they finished, applause erupted from the other trainees. Daisuke fought off the urge to smile at the approval from his peers and focused on what the coaches had to say.

“Great. Please let us consult each other.” Hidenori said before turning his back to them and comparing notes with his fellow coaches. After brief discussion, the coaches sat back down, ready to give the final evaluation.

“Grade A...” Warner anticipated. “Amamiya Kouichi.”

Next to him, the tall boy let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” Kou bowed forward. Daisuke clapped and smiled brightly. He knew Kou was going to get a high grade. His partner was just too talented to be ranked elsewhere.

A painful silence passed over the coaches and audience, the whole hall was still. Daisuke was sure that he hadn’t made the cut for grade A. The pause was too long.

Yet the microphone was brough to Warner’s mouth once again. “And Tanaka Daisuke.” the trainer finished. Daisuke blinked a few times, barely registering the congratulatory clap on the back from Kou.

“Both of you are amazing performers. We’d love to see what other sides of you will be shown in the future.” Bose explained.

The Basement Boyz nodded in unision, both of them understanding that just because they made A Class doesn’t mean they don’t have room for improvement. The real challenge has yet to come.

Finality

Summary: Daisuke formally is removed from Produce 101. He parts with his new friends at the airport. 

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Haneda airport was crowded with tourists, business people, and other travelers, yet Daisuke managed to get through without having anyone bump into his sling. That was mostly thanks to the squadron of young men surrounding Daisuke as they made their way to his gate. In just an hour, Daisuke would be on a flight back to Korea. Everything seemed too surreal for him. He was still in denial about his departure from Produce 101, despite the news articles being released this morning confirming his leave.

He wasn’t expecting anyone to accompany him to the airport, but Heecheon, Yoondong, Younghoon, Ren, Takumi, Issei, and Kosuke all came with him to send him off. There definitely would have been more press and fans around, but all the boys were covered up in hats and masks. Their identity was hard to pin, especially when they looked just like any other traveler. 

Once they reached Daisuke’s gate, that sinking feeling of finality came back to Daisuke’s stomach. He felt it when he finished packing his last suitcase in the dorms, and again when the remaining trainees following the elimination round stood outside their doors that morning to watch him leave. 

“You have everything? Your friend is going to meet you when you land?” Heecheon checked one last time. Daisuke managed a small huff of a laugh. He felt like he was leaving one parent to go visit the other. He was going to miss Heecheon’s parenting. 

“Yes. If I forgot anything at the dorms, you guys can keep it.” Daisuke gave a small smile. The boys in front of him tried to return the same, but it was hard. They had spent every single day together for the past several weeks. It was the end, but it felt like there should have been more. So many memories that could have been made together would never happen. Their time together had been cut short, and that was the worst of it all. 

Daisuke’s throat tightened at the thought. He licked his lips before speaking, trying not to think that this will most likely be the last time they’re all here together. 

“I-I want you guys to know that I had a lot of fun.” Daisuke got out. “And that I’m not upset about losing the competition. I’m mostly upset about leaving you guys.”

Takumi sniffled, wiping under his eyes with his thumb. Ren’s arm wrapped around the strawberry-haired boy, but even his eyes were glossing over with fresh tears.

“But in a way, I think this was destiny.” Daisuke continued. “Just like how all of us meeting together on Produce was destiny. We’re going to meet again, just under better circumstances. Hopefully where I don’t have a bum arm.” He gestured to his sling, causing the boys around him to chuckle. 

“Daisuke, you’re gonna go far. I know you will, kid.” Kosuke came up and patted his head in a brotherly way. “Focus on getting better. I’ll defiantly be keeping tabs on you.” “That sounded mildly threatening, but I appreciate it.” Daisuke grinned. Kosuke chuckled and backed up so the others could say goodbye.

“It sucks that I can’t even give you a proper goodbye hug.” Younghoon complained, but he stepped forward and gingerly wrapped an arm around Daisuke. “Rest up, okay? And promise you’ll call?” “God, you’re worse than Heecheon.” Daisuke laughed. “But yes. I will call. And I will be watching you guys from Korea.” “Use your votes on me!” Kosuke raised his hand as if he was in a classroom. The boys laughed as Daisuke nodded. “I’ll be splitting my votes up between all of you. You guys deserve debut, and you will make it. I know you will.” Daisuke said firmly.

“You will too.” Ren affirmed, coming over to give his friend a gentle goodbye hug. “When you debut, just remember that we are your first and biggest Japanese fanbase.”  “I couldn’t forget it.” Daisuke swore.

Above them, an announcement alerted travelers that the flight Daisuke was taking home would be landing shortly. 

“That’s your cue.” Heecheon said sadly, taking in a deep breath. “One last group hug?” Takumi suggested. Everyone agreed, huddling together gingerly. When they separated, Daisuke grabbed the handle of his suitcase and took out his ticket from his pocket. 

“Well, we’ll meet again soon.” Daisuke looked at everyone’s face one last time. “Good luck, boys. I’ll see you on the other side!” 

As the trainee waved and turned his back on his new friends, he could hear them clapping together as he walked away. A smile formed on his lips as he looked back over his shoulder. His friends clapped harder and more vigorously, as if this was the end of a spectacular performance. 

He gave them a dramatic bow, causing them to laugh. When he rose up, he gave them a final wave before entering the gate. 

Fracture

Summary: Daisuke is accompanied by Heecheon, Takumi, Ren, and Kosuke to the hospital where he receives some upsetting news. 

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Heecheon paced back and forth at the foot of Daisuke’s hospital bed, nibbling on his fingernails. If Daisuke was in any position to walk, he would probably be doing the same. Unfortunately, seeing his friend be so stressed only made his anxiety spike as well. “Hyung,” Daisuke called from the bed. “Please stop pacing. You’re freaking me out.” 

Heecheon sighed, stopping his movements. He glanced at the clock anxiously. “I just wanna know the results of that x-ray.” “We all do.” Kosuke piped up from the seat next to the only window in the hospital room. “But I don’t think being all anxious about it is going to change anything.”  Takumi and Ren, who were leaning against the far wall, looked at each other anxiously. Daisuke knew what they all were thinking. If his injury was serious, he’d have no choice but to pull out of the competition. 

The upsetting thought made Daisuke want to cry. He only had the chance to perform once on the Produce 101 stage, and he was looking forward to hopefully performing many more with his new friends. Now, there was a chance that he wasn’t even going to make it to the first elimination round. 

Knuckles rasped on the door as Doctor Nakamura peeked his head inside. The doctor had been very helpful and sympathetic towards Daisuke. He’s even mentioned that his daughter was rooting for him on Produce 101. However, his expression now looked a little grim, which didn’t help Daisuke’s nerves.

“I have your results, Mr. Tanaka.” Nakamura walked into the room. He took a seat on the swivel stool beside the bed with a sigh. Another jolt of nerves ran through Daisuke’s body. He had a feeling what was coming next. “So, the good news is, it’s a fracture, not a broken clavicle, so you won’t need any extreme surgery to help heal that bone.” Nakamura informed him. “However, a fractured clavicle takes up to six weeks to heal.”

Daisuke looked at the doctor with his mouth parted. He looked at the other trainees around the room, all of them bearing similar expressions of hurt and disbelief. Heecheon brought his hand to his mouth. Takumi’s eyes started to glaze over. Daisuke swallowed hard, trying to comprehend the news that was given to him.

“Is there anyway to heal him quicker?” Kosuke asked, standing up from his seat. The desperate question made Daisuke feel even worse.

“The only way to heal a fractured clavicle is through wearing a sling and going to phyiscal therapy. It’s a process that you wouldn’t want to rush, especially since Daisuke is a dancer. He’ll want complete rotation of his shoulder when he’s finished healing, and we can only get that through traditional means.” Nakamura said, his voice twinged with sympathy. 

“So, I have to pull out of Produce 101?” Daisuke asked, just to clarify. Nakamura nodded solemnly.  “I’m afraid so.” 

Downfall

Summary: Daisuke jumps into the center of the stage during the Dancing King competition to show off some unexpected dance moves and accidentally slips. [EPISODE 5]

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Daisuke clapped along to the beat of the track playing above through the speakers. On the small, circular stage below him, his fellow trainees danced in a hip-hop style, showing off their hidden skills in the genre.

Suddenly, the music above changed to something slower and lyrical. Daisuke perked up. The trainee hasn’t dance lyrically since he started Produce. He specialized in the genre back at HBH, and it was probably his favorite dance style. 

Beside him, Heecheon noticed the change in Daisuke’s posture. He smiled at the boy and nudged him. “Are you gonna dance?” Heecheon asked. “Nah, I-”  “Why not?” Heecheon cut off Daisuke’s excuse, nudging him again. Sitting on the bleacher behind him, Takumi leaned forward and patted his shoulder. “C’mon, Dai-chan, don’t be boring.” Takumi teased. Daisuke took a deep inhale as he stood up, making his way to the center. Behind him, his fellow Class A trainees roared with approval, calling out his name. 

The trainees that were dancing on the stage made room for Daisuke, ceasing their dancing to observe his. At first, the trainee wasn’t sure what dance moves he would pull out, his nerves getting to him. He wanted to stand out to the national producers, but he wasn’t sure if he could deliver. 

He took a deep breath before positioning himself. He closed his eyes and let the music speak to him. Soon, he was doing elegant flips and aerials around the stage, moving his body to the music. Every time Daisuke would show just how flexible he is, the other trainees would exclaim with awe. He tried to ignore their calls, but his cheeks were starting to flush from all the attention. 

The focus that the other trainees had on him finally sank in, and Daisuke could feel himself getting self-cautious. He decided that he would make one last move, then he’d go back to his seat. He attempted one last aerial. Unfortunately, his distracted and hurried state of mind caused him to not focus on his balance. He missed the landing, crashing down onto his shoulder.

A sharp pain shot up through his shoulder blade and back, his vision turning to bursts of stars. The music above stopped suddenly, and he heard footsteps rush towards him.

“Dai-chan, Are you okay?” Heecheon asked. Above him, Daisuke made out the concerned face of his elder friend among a bunch of other faces of staff and Ninety Nine. Daisuke managed to nod his head, even though he knew that something was definitely not okay.  “Don’t worry, everything’s fine.” Daisuke fibbed. He didn’t want people to worry about him, especially when it was his own fault for showing off.  “Can you sit up?” The older trainee asked. Daisuke tried to get up, but the pain in his shoulder was too much. He winced in pain and bit his lip, trying not to scream out.  “We’re gonna need a medic!” A staff member called over his shoulder. “Everyone, give the boy some space.” Hiroyuki Yabe suggested, and the circle of trainees lessened up. Shortly, more staff rushed over with the on-site medic. After a brief examination, the on-site medic frowned and sighed gravely.

 “I hate to say it, but you may have broken your collarbone.” He informed Daisuke. The trainees who overheard the statement exclaimed with shock, turning to one another with wide eyes.  “Broken?” Daisuke repeated the word, not wanting to believe the statement. “It could be nothing, it’s hard to tell here. We should get you to a hospital just to make sure.” The medic suggested. 

Visual Ranking

Summary: Daisuke gets ranked #5 on visual ranking and has to read off an embarrassing pick up line. [EPISODE 4]

Series: Produce 101 Japan OC

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Daisuke stood in front of the cameras, his heart beating as fast as it would if he was on stage. Today the trainees were doing the visual ranking segment, and even though it was all in good fun, Daisuke always felt uncomfortable when talking about visuals. Complimenting others made him almost as uncomfortable as it was for him to receive compliments.  “Who have you picked for visual center?” The staff member asked. Daisuke opened his mouth to respond, but his shyness took over. He laughed and held the picture of the trainee he picked up, covering his face with it. On the other side was Heecheon. “Heecheon-kun! Why’d you pick him?” The same staff member asked. The boy lowered the paper, the apples of his cheeks still pink.  “I think Heecheon-kun has doll-like-” Daisuke couldn’t help but screw his eyes shut, laughing at how cheesy his description of Heecheon was. “He has doll-like features and pretty eyes.”

“The fifth-ranked trainee also is said to have pretty eyes.” The staff member informed him. “He was also said to have a very cool and cute exterior... Do you know who it could be?”  Daisuke thought for a minute. When he heard the words ‘cool and cute’, he figured it was Mame-chan, who balanced the two types perfectly in Daisuke’s opinion. Before he could answer, however, chuckling was heard from the other staff members. He realized slowly that everyone was looking at him funny, like they all knew something he didn’t. Daisuke’s expression melted into a shocked and slightly mortified one. “Oh, wait, no.” Daisuke slowly shook his head. “It’s not me, is it?” 

The staff members couldn’t hold their laughter back anymore. Daisuke sank to the ground, hiding his head between his knees.  “But wait, we have another surprise. The top five have to read off some pickup lines for national producers.” A staff member informed him. Daisuke looked up from his curled-up position, his eyes wide and pleading. The staff just laughed and held up a cue card with the cringey one-liner on it. Daisuke read it before burying his head back into his knees, letting out a strangled yell of embarrassment.  He sighed deeply before standing up and facing the camera.  “I’m just going to rip this off like a bandaid.” He said, shaking his hands out. He made eye contact with the camera in front of him before starting his line.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?” Daisuke asked, winking at the camera.”Or should I walk by again?”

Once he finished his sentence, he squeezed his eyes shut and tilted his head away from the camera. The staff applauded politely. 

“Would you like to stay to see the other top 5 record their pickup lines?” The staff asked.  Daisuke grinned. “Absolutely.” 

The Cute One

Summary: While taking a break during practice with DNA Team 1, Daisuke realizes that his image on PD101 Japan is different than his image at HBH. [SOMETIME DURING EPISODE 3] 

Series: Produce 101 Japan Addition, Produce 101 Japan OC.

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Takumi sighed and placed his chin on Daisuke’s shoulder, staring at his reflection in the mirror in front of the two boys. Daisuke grinned and patted the side of Takumi’s head.

“What’s wrong, Takumi-kun?” Daisuke asked. “I’m so tired. I think my legs are going to fall off.” Takumi sighed, shifting his head downward so that his forehead pressed against the spot where his chin used to be.  “That’s what happens when you ignore my snack break invite and practice non-stop all day.” Daisuke teased, his shoulders still tense. “Hey,” Takumi peeled himself away from Daisuke, furrowing his eyebrows. “Why is your body language so awkward?”

“He does that.” Togo spoke up. “I pinched his cheek yesterday for acting cute and he seized up. It’s like he’s not used to the affection.” 

Daisuke chuckled. “That’s because I’m not.” 

“Wait, really?” Takumi looked surprised. “You seem like someone who receives a lot of skin ship...” 

“At my company they treat me differently than you guys do.” Daisuke shrugged. “I don’t really get much affection back at HBH.” 

“You don’t get cuddles?” Heecheon inserted himself into the conversation. “Why not? Usually people want to smother the cute one with affection.”  Daisuke blinked a few times before pointing his index finger at his own chest. “I’m the cute one? Usually I’m the more serious one of my team.” 

“That’s what makes you so cute though.” Takumi explained. “You usually are really focused, but when you let loose it’s like a burst of energy.”  “Yeah, like when you came into my room and woke me up.” Heecheon recalled the other day when the theme song had played through the dorm speakers. “I wasn’t expecting that from you, but it was still really cute.” 

Daisuke was at a loss for words. How did he fall into the ‘cute’ category without even trying? Suddenly he frowned at the other boys, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Hey, you’re not calling me cute just because I’m short, right?” He narrowed his eyes at the others. “No, we call you cute because of what you’re doing right now.” Togo laughed. “You’re pouting like a child.”  “This isn’t pouting, this is glaring!” Daisuke insisted, letting his arms fall to the side.

“I’ve never seen a more endeering glare.” Heecheon teased. “How about you work on your facial gestures while we practice. This break has been long enough.” 

Wake Up Call

Summary: Daisuke’s reaction to hearing “It’s Coming” first thing in the morning is to go and wake up all of his friends. [EPISODE 2]

Series: Produce 101 Japan Addition, Produce 101 Japan OC

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Daisuke’s eyelids had just uncemented themselves, blinking slowly at the light filtering in through the window. He heaved out a sigh, rolling over onto his back. He usually woke up early naturally, but he was hoping that his body would give him a few extra minutes of rest. He closed his eyes again, trying to fall back asleep.

Just then, the sound of music could be heard. Daisuke’s eyes sprung open, realizing the tune almost instantly.

“Is that...?” He voiced aloud. In the bunk below him, Takizawa Tsubasa groaned.

Daisuke could hear people moving around in the dorms next door and in the hallway as the music got louder. The trainee kicked off his blankets and hopped down from the bunk as quickly as he could.

He got down in time to start dancing to the verse before the chorus. Tsubasa stretched and stumbled over to dance next to Daisuke, who smiled brightly at his younger friend.

“How do you have so much energy in the morning, Dai-chan?” Tsubasa questioned teasingly over the sound of the music. Daisuke shrugged and motioned his head towards the door.

“Let’s go see who else is awake!” Daisuke suggested, leading Tsubasa out of their dorm and down the hall. A few other trainees were awake, dancing in the hallways, including Kou.

“Morning, Kou-chan!” Daisuke greeted with a smile, dancing past his teammate.

“Where you going?” Kou asked curiously, still dancing along to the song. 

“I’m waking up all my friends!” Daisuke grinned before dragging Tsubasa down the hallway to venture into other rooms with him. Daisuke wasted no time finding Heecheon’s bunk. He noticed that the older boy was still laying down in bed while his roommates danced around him. Daisuke waved good morning to the other boys before dancing his way to Heecheon’s bedside. “Hyung! Why aren’t you dancing?” Daisuke questioned in Korean, grabbing at Heecheon’s hand. The younger boy groaned as he pulled the ex-idol into a sitting position.

“Dai-chan...” Heecheon whined, trying to wiggle out of the younger boy’s grip. “C’mon, hyung!” Daisuke held on tight before giving one last tug, bringing the tall Korean boy to his feet at last.

After Heecheon started dancing sluggishly to It’s Coming, Daisuke moved on to the next victims with Tsubasa in his wake. 

“Good morning, Yugo-chan~,” Daisuke called out, opening the door to the next dorm room. Yugo, who was already awake, laughed at the sight of Daisuke dancing across the floor towards him, keeping in time with the song. The three young trainees danced together.

“I’m gonna go wake up Ren-kun!” Daisuke explained and Yugo nodded.

Ren was already up and moving when Daisuke opened the door. Daisuke clapped his hands. “This is why you’re center!” Daisuke laughed in amusement. Ren bashfully laughed, getting shy from the sudden attention. “I have to go wake up Shion-kun, but I’ll see you at breakfast.” Daisuke promised, winking to Ren before disappearing back down the hall. 

Shion was in his bunk bed with his pillow over his head, trying to sleep over the sound of the music. Daisuke laughed and crawled onto the corner of Shion’s bed, shaking his fellow contestant’s shoulders.

“Shion-kun! What are you still doing in bed!” Daisuke teased. “Dai-chan... get off...” Shion mumbled from beneath the pillow. Daisuke laughed at his friend’s sleepiness. “I’m not getting off until you dance.” Shion lifted the pillow from his eyes, giving Daisuke a half-hearted glare. Finally, the boy sighed, sitting up and getting out of bed.

“Yeah, that’s more like it!” Daisuke encouraged as Shion fumbled through the motions of the choreography. 

Finally, the song ended and the trainees all clapped for their amusing performances.

“What a great way to start the day, huh?” Daisuke joked with Shion, who tried hard to cover his grin, but failed miserably.

“Yeah, sure. But next time they should just bring us coffee instead.” Shion mumbled.

[11:00 PM - SEPTEMBER 2ND 2019 - HBHT STAN TWITTER]

HBH Trainee fans are shocked to see that HBH19B member, Tanaka Daisuke, on stage with the Produce 101 Japan trainees. No notice of Daisuke’s participation had been made by HBH prior to the release of It’s Coming. HBH Trainee fans have mixed reactions about Daisuke taking part in Produce 101 Japan:

Opinons are divided by fans, but what will happen next? How will this season fold out for the precious Japanese trainee? Will he make it to the end or will he be forced to return home empty handed?

The only way to find out is to watch Tanaka Daisuke on Produce 101 Japan.

Tanaka Daisuke

Name: Tanaka Daisuke

Birthdate: August 20th, 2001

Zodiac: Leo

Home town: Fukuoka, Japan

Height: 173cm

Weight: 60kg

Position: Dancer, sub-vocalist

Training Period: 3 years

Project Groups: HBHT19, HBH19B, HBHKDH

In the eyes of other trainees: The other trainees really love Daisuke. He’s naturally friendly, therefore the majority of trainees are either friends with him or they are on good terms. They think he’s pretty serious for someone his age, and a lot of them think he sometimes overworks himself. They also are slightly intimidated by him, as he’s pretty ambitious and sometimes can be a little competitive when it comes to his career. 

In the eyes of staff: Daisuke is a pleasure to have at HBH. He’s always very polite to not just staff but trainees as well. They think he’s very resourceful and uses what he is given to his best advantage. They find him to be a quick learner, as he picks up new information quickly. They are absolutely rooting for him to debut.

Facts:

One of the most promising dancers out of the HBH trainees

He’s known for busking in both Japan and Korea, but most of his fanbase is from Japan.

Originally, he wanted to be a rapper, but then he tried rapping and didn’t like it as much as singing.

He’s very flexible all over his body and can bend his fingers backward so far they can almost touch the back of his hand.

His favorite food is fruit rollups.

His favorite season is fall because he likes how pretty the leaves turn and the weather is ideal to him.

[10:13 AM] The boy’s practice room feels empty. To try to fill up space, DAISUKE and HOYONG practice a lyrical dance duet. It doesn’t work. They still miss their teammates.