Sailing The Ship

My eyes opened up to an entirely unfamiliar ceiling. The lights were low and dimmed down by a notch. I could still faintly hear the aquarium music in the background.

Maybe I am in one of their backstage rooms.

That is until, I felt those hands back on my face again.

“Hi. I am your date for the entire season.” A low pitched voice gently nudged me wake.

“Umm…. ” I now fully understood the situation.

I am sleeping on my fan/date’s lap and alone in the room-

“Whoa. Calm down. I haven’t done anything yet. Your hairstylist Lei and her sis were here too. They are just taking break.” She rushed to explain how it took three women to carry me while the whole crew was in a mess.

YK had been shifting the blame to me when it was him who started it all.

Mr Choi made the four of us leave because he thought it would make it even messier.

Even with all that process, I unbelievably agree with him.

I slowly pushed myself up, my head still spinning.

Trying to catch a break from all that noise pollution.

My body could sense that I was laid on a small, comfortable leather sofa.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, my voice rough. “For… all of that.”

“No worries. Just take your time.” Well, she seems decent enough considering that she moved away from me.

She was sitting cross-legged where my head had been.

Her outfit was quite hard to distinguish in the blurry darkness, but I could make out that she was in her hoodie and some sweatpants.

Gosh, she and the producer have the same taste when it comes to work.

Wished I had the opportunity as well.

My eyes desperately tried their level best to focus and make out her facial features as the kitty mask covered almost all of it.

Thankfully, her hazel brown eyes glittered in the dimmed neon lights.

With a mascara like that, she definitely knows her stuff.

“So, was it you?” I lifted my head to see eye to eye.

But, she kept on blinking avoiding my gaze.

“The voice over the mic. Yes, that was me!” She squealed at me only to get a bit flushed over her enthusiasm. Surely enough, we began warming up by trash talking about YK.

“Can’t believe I wasn’t the only hater!” We high-fived over the argument and dropped some curses here and there about him. Continuing to talk about our said favorite idol in the whole industry.

“I have been his number 1 hater since he started his trainee days.” I took few sips of the ORS drink she gave me.

“With all that aside, you won the lottery for me.” She handed me something in her palms. I quickly gulped down the drink while tossing the bottle at the near by trash can.

It landed fair and square.

“I bet you had no doubts on that.” I flexed a little with my remaining muscle and reciprocated it by doing a dab.

Gosh…just how old am I?

“Oh yes, because you’re built like that!” She rolled around the sofa while I observed the thing she gave me in the dimmed light.

It was the fish that I caught at last, before landing a punch on YK.

In faint paint, I could make out a ‘26’.

“You won 26 dates meaning you won all the episodes in this season!” Her legs swung and bounced in rhythm, excited in the new adventure she’s bound to start with me.

“Well then… I hope we get along well enough.” I shook hands with her.

“Me too. Finger cross for no evil editing!” Her eyes squinted at the common well known fan theory that even idols acknowledge from time to time, including me.

“If you don’t mind I have some ideas that I would like to share on our future dates, mind if I talk with you about it?” She then handed me her bright lavender phone with some cat figurine key chains on it. The PAD app was opened for the brainstorming she did while tormenting us with the time bomb.

“I would love to go through this. If you’re okay with it, could you contact me via my manager? We are currently going through some tough-” My eyes stopped dead at the sidebar of the app. The app was like a pixelated version of a regular note book, with all it’s characters in pixel font. While on the side bar, it had all titles of many notes one typed down.

Out of all, only three demanded my interest.

Koichi: The sacrificial goat.

Issac: The sleeping beauty.

Dae-min: The sophisticated one.

I couldn’t comprehend what was she wanting for me to see because the next thing I knew was blank.

I turned and saw her fix her mask.

She snatched her phone back and met up with my eyes.

I knew at that very moment.

She wanted me to see it.

Her slender index finger moved in front of her mask and proceeded to point the camera on her phone.

I have something about your members but I can’t tell you because we are being watched.

Morse code.

She has been blinking from the past couple of minutes in morse code.

How do I know that well-

“HYUNG! ARE YOU OK!” In came the atomic bomb, tossed into the room without any prior warning. I surrendered myself to the Dalmatian’s leap all over me.

“I am alright for now. Just got exhausted from dealing with the megaphone.” I raffled the stray dog’s hair. The grin on his face left alone with his soul when he turned on his back and faced the ceiling.

“ahhh…hi?” He waved his hand at the unfazed fan, who waved back at him.

“Hello! I am Lane’s date for the whole 26 episode! I hope we get along as to who knows what will happen in the future!” She went back to the excited and grateful fan she was before a few minutes. Just after revealing the notes to me.

Just how terrifying is this woman?

It would be even harder for people to believe me if things were to go sideways.

The thought of it my spine shiver in the cold.

She excused herself so that me and my boys could have a private talk.

On her way out, she almost bumped into Yutaka, who was oblivious as to who she was before her self introduction.

In the midst of it, she said something before handing him something in his hands.

As soon as the door shut, Yutaka punched my shoulder.

I knew he had a reason for it because the next thing I knew he was squealing and jumping up and down like a fan-girl.

Heck, the imposter should actually study him for imposing as a fan-girl.

“Hyung… is he okay?” Tai asked me while looking at the guy who was rolling over the ground. Funny how he’s the one asking for the state of his mentality.

“HYUNG! WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME WHO YOUR DATE WAS?” He shrieked down at us, still jumping in his boots.

“I didn’t even know she was my date until she told just a few minutes back.” I shrugged, still scratching the puppy behind his ear.

“THIS IS ISN’T JUST DAMAGE CONTROL! WITH HER, OUR POPULARITY WILL EXPLODE AND YOU GUYS WOULD BECOME THE COUPLE OF THE YEAR!”

For some reason he kept on fan-girl-ing until it dawned on him that in our eyes he looks like a madman without any context.

Thus, his silver tongue began working as if our whole dorm's rent is due tomorrow.

“Your date is none other than the infamous, god-gifted, luckious of all, an eloquent speaker, a mass critic-”

“Cut the adjectives, and also ‘luckious’ isn’t a word. It’s luckiest', hyung.” The grammar king strikes again.

The maknae flipped his tongue at him before rolling into his slumber.

Yutaka looked at me.

I just replied to him, “Facts.”

“Just tell me who is this almighty she?” My voice managed to sound natural without any cracks in it after that confrontation.

“VechNos. The VechNos. Dawning from the South-East Asia, her career started off from playing simple car-crash games….until,” He paused.

Tai fell asleep.

“Until?” I rolled my eyes, urging him to continue.

“Until, she started to curse all her opponent out in one single breath which viral-launched her career to a diss-rapper who hates every single thing on earth.” His hands clasped together as if he was praying to someone or something.

I hope it’s not her.

“The reason why she’s still able to maintain decade long career on the internet is because of her two faced personality.” 

WHAT?

I think I gave away my expression because Yutaka started to explain each of her top controversy and how she escaped scotch free and no accountability.

“I know, it sounds bad, but it’s freaking top level genius chess move. Last year, she spent months building up this tiny, heartfelt indie content creator, calling them ‘the future of art and crafts.’ The moment they signed with a major AND rival entertainment company, she eviscerated them in a three-hour live stream for ‘selling out,’ and her fans burned the creator’s merchandise in the streets. She’d positioned herself as the betrayed purist, and her credibility skyrocketed. She builds people up just to tear them down, and she’s always on the ‘right’ side of the drama. Only that, but, aside her manager, she’s a one woman crew. She independent and very picky when it comes to sponsorship. So……”

“So…. the fact that she’s here means big.” I don’t know what to do anymore.

I laughed at Yutaka’s face, causing it to wake Tai up.

Upon seeing my hysterical face, he asked the same question.

------x------x------x------x------x------x------x------x------x------x------x------x------

“AAH….Your name’s…Umberto? You tried for the show but couldn’t get in, right? Sorry for the rejection. We only accept idols above the age of 21. The show includes drinking and all….so 19-year old shouldn’t be included for such acts even if you’re just there. You get what I mean? It’s has nothing to do with you.”

He just shrugged it off while Umberto blushed in red.

I mean, who wouldn’t after getting called out like that by the guy you admired from far.

Not only that but his shoulder’s lurched in holding out his red ears behind his pink hair.

All I could do is send sympathy through our eyes as criticism is the best way to grow and I don’t think of it as much of a feedback but rather more of an embarrassment that he overheard us.

After calming down, we went out to find Umberto and our boss, only to be led into another backstage room with Mr Choi and Umberto already inside.

“And why are you three still bowing? Doesn’t it hurt your back?”

Hurt our back? Of cour-

Then we three lifted our heads up.

“Man! Can we speak English? This Korean is too tough to speak in. Come on, you guys! Take a sit. Specially you Lane. Considering all that fighting for love, you seriously needed a well deserved nap.”

I looked in awe at that man in his shade finally making eye contact with us.

“English is alright. We are very well known for our adaptability as a group.”

My voice steadier than it had been during the YK era. If not for the breathing exercise, I would have slumped down in agony for the bow. I made sure the members took the appropriate posture required for the group.

Considering this is the first time for Choi Bo-Gum to take on a reality dating show, his previous works aren’t to be taken too casual. Signed with the a well-known independent entertainment company ‘bl0ss0m Films LLC’, he and his co-founded Korean-American studio in partnership has released nothing short of spectacular movies and TV-shows of any genre.

“Congrats, Lane. The first episode went wilder than we had predicted. The drama will fuel this love triangle with small cameos of YK here and there. Trying to steal your date.” He chuckled at his own idea, while I painstakingly smiled along the uncomfortable atmosphere.

“Well…. anything for the fans.” I forced a laugh, steering my way out of it.

In Morse code, I blinked for help and soon enough, Yutaka picked it up.

“If I may, I am nothing short of a student and an analytic of your craft. It was quite a tremendous shock that we didn’t even realize that you would meet us here, face to face.”

Nice save, Yutaka!

I squealed in delight at the quick safe and apology for not coming in through the door in the formal, elderly approved manner.

“Seriously, you guys are young so all’s good. But which one of is Tai?” He sipped on his coffee while going through our emotions. I felt so exposed for it.

But, it did trigger my sense up by a notch too.

“HERE, SIR!”

Tai, my boy! You’re in front of a director, not a lieutenant.

“Ah, Tai. You’re quite athletic, considering what you did on that show was full on full cartwheels. I believe you have a history in gymnastics? ” He closed his shades and looked directly at the now shivering puppy next to me.

“YES SIR! I HAVE BEEN A GYMNAS-”

“OK good! We are putting you in as a fill in for an ad for my studio, while the soundtrack for the ad will be handled by the sub unit producer, YUI?”

He reckoned over the duo producer, who were missing their third wheeler.

“Um….Sir about that…” I tried to intervene but the next thing he said made me throw up whatever decent thought I had about him.

“That Issac is in coma? I heard you that the three of you have pre-made tracks. I was hoping you could tweak a little and push it up for the ad.”

“But!” I pulled my arm against Tai, who looked hurt by this condition for our opportunity for a better future.

“With all due respect sir, we don’t have any agenda of using Issac’s music without his permission.” He raised an eyebrow at me because I did it to him first.

“But, I can suggest you to work on an original track with Yutaka and Umberto. Even without their powerhouse at 100%, they can surely produced a tailored track dedicated to the ad within a couple of days.”

The resentments were like darts thrown at Mr Choi-the-board, with each second on the clock.

I could barely hold myself back from exploding in rage over his insensitive comment over Issac’s craft.

“Hmm… Seems I may have spoken out of turn, and you are going through some tough time….I will take it up. Beside, I spoke with your crew beforehand so they already know what to do with you guys for a couple of days.” My lungs have never been able to be glad of relief. I patted myself for the major risk prevention.

But, even then the rift was already showing it's depth.

Tai’s shoulder were even more sloppy, his eyes dazed in another world.

Umberto pulled his cap back on, sniffling in tears on recounting of their lone pal.

Yutaka was stuck in the middle.

He didn’t know whether to offer solace or wack some senses into them.

With all that said and done, we departed from the room in silence.

Our shoes squeaked on the marble floor, distinguishing who’s moody and who’s gloomy.

Tai kept kicking a small pebble on his way, hitting every nook and corner of the underwater.

Umberto dashed towards the front, causing him to run into some staff in a hurry to get out of this hell.

Yutaka and I were left behind, alone in our own bubble.

The ride back home was a complete blanking in and out of space until I was literally slapped to reality.

Literally.

“Lane, you have been a trainee since you were 12. And, when you have finally found your success, you decided to let go of it! AND LET THAT BIG FOREHEAD OF YOURS TAKE IN YOUR EGO AS A BRIDE!” It hurts more that the person I considered to be a father figure to my miserable life was doing the very deed we ran from in our shared past.

“Boss…. I…” With no words to defend myself, I just bowed my head down. Not wanting to risk looking into those red gritty eyes again.

“WHAT MADE YOU THINK THAT PUNCHING YK WOULD DO ANY BETTER? IT JUST CONFIRMED THE TRUTH! AND WITH IT BEING LIVE, NO ONE COULD HAVE EDITED IT OUT! HOW MANY TIMES DID I TELL YOU?” With each word slandered the longing I had even craving for as an orphan came to an abrupt pause.

This is not whom I had long considered to be my salvation.

Rather a chain to my naive short lived youth.

“Now, your brawl is causing massive hate train on YK. Imagine the serious backlash we would face from them.” The grunts over his hot iron face spoiled the new information I had for boosting the group’s popularity by a dozen.

Realizing his obvious temper, I silently left the room.

Of course, not to cause more nuisance to the company.

What better way than to be in my dorm, on top of my bunk bed, listening to Daphne’s soothing voice. Her demure mannerism and the elegant effort she puts on covering songs is no better than a specter. Despite it being a song made by another artist, her vocals and production makes it seems like it’s her very own song. Not only does she manages to retain the theme and messages of those songs, her cover always gets the spotlight to the point that in one of the award show her original song lost to her cover song!

In the midst of it, a trio of pests came to nest under my domain.

“Hush! He just got back!”

“When are we gonna tell him?’

“After he is physically and mentally fully recover.”

“But Umbie!”

“No buts. He needs rest and this! This will..... can wait.”

“Uhhh…your grammar-”

“Tai, not now man!”

“Not now for what?” I slithered under the blanket, snatching Yutaka’s noisy phone. Kids, these days so obsessed with such garbage short form video with  dry humor.

The main culprit for the destruction of the required white noise I need to listen to the goddess’s vocals.

Only for the mess unfold and double down even more.

“DESPITE HIM BEING WELL KNOWN FOR HIS MALTREATMENT WITH HIS OWN STAFF, YK ASSUMED ME AS THE STAFF AND DEMANDED I KISS HIS ASS THE FIRST TIME WE MEET! UNBELIEVABLE!”

My whole body shook in coldness and boldness.

“IS THIS THE SAME GUY WHO IS THE THR33’S MAIN RAPPER’S APPRENTICE? THE HUI-YIN’S APPRENTICE ? THE ONE THAT’S SUPPOSED TO SURPASS HIM? THE NEXT UPCOMING IT BOY? ”

The music felt on deaf ears as the masked kitty girl overshadowed the main issue itself : I was the pusher.

“SONGS? WHAT SONGS? ALL I HEARD WAS SOME WANNA BE WHO CRIES ALL THE TIME FOR NOT HAVING THE EASIER WAY OUT WHEN HE DRESSES IN GOLD! SORRY I JUDGE BY TASTE, NOT SOUND!” 

That was it.

This is what we need right now. A devoted fan base who could give us a chance to redeem ourselves. Our name. Our brand.

I jumped off from the top, making Umberto weary with exhaustion.

While Yutaka and Tai were celebrating my comeback.

“Looks like we got a trump card.” I cheekily smiled.

“Boss will finally understand my fury.”