CTFI 05

Chapter 5

“Hmm…”
“Hmm…”
“Uh…?”

The members of Lumis tilted their heads one by one. At the end of their gazes was a child. Sitting on a tiny plastic chair that looked like something from a public bathhouse, Luha crossed their short legs and flicked at a back scratcher.

‘What on earth is going on…?’

Baek Doha’s eyes trembled. This “Mangdol” needed to be taught their face and name at least once more. Whatever task they were given, they had promised to give it their all—literally, risking their life. Whether it was chewing wild insects in a jungle, rolling in mud during extreme survival, or singing while wearing a mask. Even if a game required them to distinguish an Americano from fermented anchovy sauce, they were ready to drink the anchovy sauce if needed.

But they hadn’t expected that among all the possible challenges, the company would choose “whatever” to mean childcare. And not with just any child, but one who seemed to have hit a middle school “rebellious phase” ten years too early.

“What? What are you looking at?”

Luha tilted their chin arrogantly and spoke.

“Ah, no!”

Baek Doha flailed their hands in surprise.

‘Ha! That’s easy.’

Luha’s lips curled into a smile. Humans are animals too. In any group, subduing the leader ends the game. Within minutes, the hierarchy of this house was decided. Seeing Baek Doha so easily submit, Luha couldn’t hide their victorious smile.

But that was Luha’s misunderstanding alone.

“Oh!”
“Wow~”

Ryu Sian, ranked second, and Kang Ian, ranked fourth, had already taken positions on either side of Luha.

“So soft!”
“I guess I had times like this too?”

They naturally cupped Luha’s cheeks.

“W-What? Why are you—move your hands—!”
“Pfft! Ah~ this kid is so cute!”
“Oh-ho, the baby’s angry~?”

Luha had overlooked one fact. Right now, they were not the overwhelmingly charismatic genius producer Jin Dohyun, but five-year-old Jin Luha. No matter how coldly they spoke, no matter how icy the stare, to the members of Lumis—all over twenty—their behavior was just cute whining from a five-year-old. The hierarchy? That was just Luha’s illusion.

Baek Doha hesitated for a simple reason: touching Luha might break them, or they might fly away if handled roughly—nothing more than caution.

Thus began Jin Dohyun’s Lumis Mangdol Escape Project. Or rather, the cohabitation of five-year-old Luha and five men officially started.

Thump-thump-thump! Whoosh!
Thump-thump-thump! Whoosh!

The small footsteps racing across the living room made a ruckus from the morning.

“Luha! Don’t run! You’ll get hurt!”
“Ah, ah! The corner!”
“Hey, what are you doing? Hurry, catch them!”

The thirty-six… no, five-year-old Luha dashed through the house without rest. Cameras moved frantically left and right to follow the child. Multiple cameras had already been installed throughout the dorm, and the lively morning chase was fully captured. After several days, the production team seemed accustomed to the chaos inside the dorm.

“Lu, Luha! Please, let’s eat! Okay?”

The youngest, Ha Jinwoo’s, desperate voice echoed. Holding a kimbap roll in one hand, he bent down chasing the child, creating quite the comedic scene.

“Nooo—don’t wanna! I hate cucumbers—!”

The genius producer, once considered the top in Korea, seemed to regress mentally along with becoming a five-year-old, screaming while refusing to eat the cucumber in the kimbap.

Luha’s round cheeks puffed with anger, tiny hands waving desperately through the air. Whether from familiarity or comfort, since the start of the six-men cohabitation, the Lumis dorm had not seen a single quiet day.

Crash!
A chair toppled, a coat rack wobbled and fell.

“Gotcha!”

Ryu Sian dashed forward and scooped Luha onto his shoulder, lightly patting their bottom.

“Luha, if you don’t listen, this uncle will take you away~”
“Let go! Let go, you—!”

Luha flailed their short limbs, resisting desperately. Their face was bright red, fists pounding Ryu Sian’s back, but five-year-old threats and punches had no effect. Ryu Sian could only laugh. After the morning “battle,” it seemed peace had finally arrived.

“Eeeek—!”

A sharp scream suddenly came from the bathroom, freezing everyone in the dorm.

“What’s happening?!”

The production crew and members rushed to the bathroom.

Flung open, they found Luha making a horrified face and Cha Eun-gyeol frozen in panic.

“Uuuu—!”

Luha spat something from their mouth. A small pink lump fell to the floor.

“B-Blood?!”

Kang Ian covered his mouth and shouted.

“No, it’s not!”

Cha Eun-gyeol finally regained composure, waving his hands frantically. Usually expressionless and quiet, he now showed clear signs of panic.

“Luha, are you okay? You’re not hurt, right?”

Baek Doha hurried over and checked every corner of Luha’s mouth.

“Argh, what’s wrong with you!”

Luha pushed Baek Doha’s hand away, continuing to spit. The camera seized the opportunity, zooming in to capture the scene. Kang Ian carefully poked the lump from Luha’s mouth with his fingers and sniffed it.

“Sniff, sniff… what? It smells sweet?”

Then, cautiously, he put it in his mouth.

“Hey, Kang Ian! Why are you eating that?!”

Choi Eun-bi, watching, shouted in shock. Kang Ian chewed thoughtfully and murmured slowly:

“…Toothpaste?”

Luha, rinsing their mouth multiple times, shouted angrily:

“Hey! Soap is cucumber! Toothpaste is bamboo salt! Don’t you know?”
“…”

The expressions of everyone except Luha said it all: what a little old soul.

Ignoring everyone’s panic, the cameraman, determined not to miss a moment, leaned in passionately with the lens.

“H-Hahaha… director?”

Choi Eun-bi smiled awkwardly, putting her hands together. She quietly blocked the camera and whispered:

“Could… you maybe edit this out…?”

“That’s it for today! Good work, everyone!”
“Thank you for your hard work!”

Filming, which had started early in the morning, finally ended in the afternoon. The cameraman left the dorm first, followed by writer Seo Yujin packing up.

“Writer… I’m sorry…”

Choi Eun-bi repeatedly bowed and apologized, not knowing how many times already that day.

“It’s okay! Kids grow like that. Ha, haha…”

Seo Yujin waved her hands awkwardly but looked more exhausted than ever.

It was natural for her to feel that way. Our Family’s Youngest wasn’t meant to feature such chaotic antics. Cute kids and visual geniuses (even if “Mangdol”) creating a warm picture—a healing program for the whole family. That was the vision. Reality, however?

‘Ugh, just thinking about it is exhausting.’

Seo Yujin shook her head to dispel the thoughts. Choi Eun-bi asked cautiously:

“Writer, do you think today’s footage will be usable…?”

Of course not. Despite cameras running 24/7 and the crew coming and going, nothing in the dorm’s battlefield-like chaos could be considered “healing.” But the TV editors were skilled at creating what wasn’t there, turning “Ah?” into “Oh!”

‘Please, please…’

Choi Eun-bi clung to a glimmer of hope. If they found out no usable footage had been captured, it wouldn’t just be a scolding; in the worst case, she could be removed from managing Lumis overnight. Ironically, Choi Eun-bi was assigned to Lumis because of Our Family’s Youngest. Though the official manager existed, this was for the small Luha, who might struggle with daily life after shrinking. Of course, Choi Eun-bi didn’t know this; she assumed it was just extra staff for the comeback group.

She spun around, glaring at the five-year-old child with a middle-school syndrome vibe.

‘Because of this little brat, my welfare (visual geniuses) is at stake!’

Unaware, Luha dashed over, clutching Choi Eun-bi’s pant leg, looking up with loving eyes.

“Ugh…”

Choi Eun-bi gripped her heart. She had forgotten there was another visual genius here. Her angered gaze vanished without a trace, replaced by crescent-shaped eyes of delight.

“Luha~ want to watch Doremi?”
“Yes~”
“Then say, ‘I love you, nuna~’”
“…Give it here.”
“…Okay.”

She lowered herself to Luha’s level and took out the tablet, playing a pre-saved episode of Piano Fairy Doremi.

“Yay~!”

Luha snatched the tablet and plopped onto the sofa, a completely typical five-year-old.

“Yay!”

They tapped the large screen with tiny hands, licking their lips. At five, there was one big perk: no responsibility. As Jin Dohyun, Luha had to lead and take responsibility. Now? Not at all. Just a cute word, and everything was handled.

‘Lucky Luha!’

Giggling devilishly, Luha tapped the tablet. A small devil unable to produce the perfect shot, yet watching the animation, an unmistakably cute child.

Seo Yujin, watching Luha warmly, turned to Choi Eun-bi.

“Don’t worry too much. The teaser comes out this week, and Episode 1 will be up next week.”
“Oh! Really? The teaser’s already out?”

Choi Eun-bi breathed a sigh of relief. For now, she didn’t have to worry about welfare.

“Oh, they’ve probably already arrived?”
“Huh? Who?”

Choi Eun-bi tilted her head.

“The PD. He said there’s a meeting at Clef today.”