"Both of them are experiencing something completely new in their lives for the very first time. It's interesting exploring that with Veronica as well, which is cool," KJ says of the #Varchie pairing, which has to get very serious very quickly by nature. And it's another chance to see if Archie really is boyfriend material, given he doesn't have the best track record. As careless a boyfriend as Archie was to Pussycat Valerie, he wasn't dealing with his dad potentially dying when the two were dating. And now he has to deal with Veronica's dad, too — because Hiram Lodge is back in town. And if there's one thing that's stayed true from the comics, it is that he is not a fan of Archie Andrews.

Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW

"There's a lot of funny things in there between us that completely show that side," KJ says about his scenes with Mark Consuelos, who is stepping in as the Lodge family patriarch. But KJ also gets that there is going to be friction between a dad and a new significant other. "I think any kind of storylines with your girlfriend's dad is always gonna be fun," he says. Hiram, he notes, is "a very protective man. That was really fun, playing with that with Mark."

If you follow any of the cast of Riverdale on social media, you know they hang out almost 24/7 — and that off-screen bonding is helping drive the narrative on-screen, too. "Me and Cami are really good mates and I think the writers keep giving us more and more cool stuff to work on," KJ says. "I think [the storylines] kind of make [Archie and Veronica] even closer than what they were." That closeness, he adds, is "not really something we need to work on; we're pretty much there [already] when we're on set."

Speaking of close friends, season two brings a new addition in the form of Charles Melton's Reggie Mantle. Though the school jock was around in a few scenes during season one, his presence is bound to make things even harder for Archie in coming episodes — y'know, just in case Archie didn't have enough on his plate. KJ has nothing but good things to say about his costar, explaining that Charles is "perfect for Reggie, I couldn't see anyone else than him" in the role, which was recast after Ross Butler bowed out in April. "I'm really happy that they're exploring that friendship more, as well."

That sentiment was shared earlier this year by both showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Cole, who explained that "everyone talks about Reggie, and we all very much want Reggie to be one of the fundamental characters that he deserves to be according to the digests. ... The antagonizing nature of Reggie within the show would be a wonderful, wonderful balance for Archie’s narratives." Does this mean, then that this is the beginning of a new set of frenemies, one that would unnerve even ice queen Cheryl Blossom?

It's worth noting, though, that while they may roast each other on Instagram Stories and try to best one another in the gym, KJ and Charles are total bros IRL. And that friendship is crucial, especially as the spotlight for the Riverdale cast continues to grow brighter. When asked how he approaches fans following his every move on social media, KJ had a pretty pragmatic approach.

"I try not to spend too much time on it," he says. "It's easy to kind of be sucked in. [But] it's important to just stay focused on the task at hand, which is, we're trying to create the best TV show that there is right now. That's my goal, and I take it very seriously. Because the show has done so well, it comes with certain things — the fandom, the craziness and all that — but I think at the end of the day, you've got to stay grounded and just get the job done, you know?"

"The writers pretty much keep everything under wraps. They don't tell us anything."

Still, that allows for a bit of fun here and there, including a running joke in which one friend continuously photobombed KJ taking photos with fans. "We were just on holiday in London and Paris, and we were outside the Eiffel Tower and someone asked me for a photo," the actor remembers with a laugh about how health coach Nick Voroshine first began popping up as an easter egg on Instagram. It was a move that instantly sparked headlines. "He just jumped behind [us]. It caught on and then he kept doing it and then the fans started realizing it and then it just became a big thing. But we haven't done anymore because he lives in L.A. and I'm shooting in Vancouver."