Back at the competition, Shun was grinning. He felt they did great and so did Heeang and Mikey. He wondered what the audience thought and felt trickles of nervousness entered his blood. Moving to sit down at the side benches, he watched the next group entered to sing. He looked at Taemeng and when golden eyes looked at him, he smiled with thumbs up his way. The dancer nodded with a small smile and prepared himself for battle.
What Shun saw… was… not the best. Team 1, Taemeng's team, danced well but sang… alright. Team 2… They sang better but their dancing looked unpolished. He wondered if they just made it up on the spot or just didn't have time to practice. It just looked so messy that he had to cover his eyes.
Once the battle was over, Shun looked over to the mentors to see their face blank.
That was never a good sign.
"I really hope Tae didn't just threw his chance away," he whispered to Kaiden.
"Well, out of the four of them, Taemeng has a stronger following and had been the most consistent in terms of dancing. His singing has gotten slightly better," Kaiden informed and Shun turned to the popular trainee with a nod.
"I hope so. He would be good for our debuting team."
"Our?"
"You are obviously going to make it," Shun stated quietly as the last duet teams listened to their criticism.
"Shun, you can't know for certain…"
"Seriously?" He quirked his brow, "You are the best to lead a group, have the most experience and patience, and!" Shun grinned, "You can cook! You really are an all-rounder, you know. Sing, dance, speak, everything you do so well."
"Eh, do you compliment everyone like this?" Kaiden felt his face warm from what his friend had just stated. His ego was getting big, but he squashed it down. He couldn't let his ego get in the way again. Not this time.
"Only when I know it is true," Shun laughed and covered his mouth when he realized he was laughing too loud.
"Xiong Shun," Producer Jie frowned at him, "It is not nice to laugh at your fellow contestants."
"No! I wasn't. I promise," Shun stood quickly explaining, "I was just telling Kaiden my thoughts on who would become part of the idol group. I did not mean to interrupt. I am sorry."
He bowed and sat back down, sending apologetic bows to his fellow trainees.
"Then share it now. I would like to know," Producer Jie stated and Shun swallowed nervously.
He let out a wavery laugh and glanced at his friends, hoping someone will save him. Taking pity on the silver haired male, Kaiden stood up and bowed.
"Producer Jie, Shun and I were speaking on all the performances and past ones. Each one of us had done well and have grown. Shun believes I would make it and I believe he would. Who else would be decided by you all and the audience," the popular trainee looked to one of the cameras, "Please vote well everyone! We hope to make you all proud."
Finishing with a smile and finger hearts, he bowed to the mentors and sat down.
As the mentors finished their criticism, all Shun could do was stare. Yes, he had a staring problem but… Kaiden…
'How was he so perfect?! He is just like Suu Jin! Wah! Witch! I hate you for surrounding me with handsome princes!'
Warm brown eyes turned to him and he saw a smile on Kaiden's face. Shun smiled back but his cheeks were warm and his heart with pattering a little too fast. He turned to look at his fellow trainees to see Taemeng staring at him. Sending a smile and a thumbs up, the dancer turned back to the mentors when he was addressed.
"Voting is now opened. Results will be announced tomorrow at 16:00. Contestants, please return to your floors and pack an overnight bag. Your mentors and your companies had pitched in to send you all to a resort for the day. You will all return here at 9:00 and announcement of the results will be on the roof. Enjoy," the host smiled and Shun blinked. The host had not smiled since the entire show started and seeing it was… weird. Almost as weird as see Manager Quang smiling.
They said their thanks and bowed to their mentors. Excitement buzzed through their body as they prepared their bags. Heading to the blacked-out cars, they arrived at a small cabin right outside of the lake. The cabin was all furnished and prepared with the fireplace on. It was cozy and reminded Shun of the time his father took him out hunting with his brothers. They checked the fridge to see food already there and checked the bedrooms.
8 people. 5 beds.
8 people. 5 beds.
8 people… 5 beds?
Quickly jumping onto a twin bed and starfishing, Shun announced it was his bed.
"I'm not sharing!" He called out hugging the bed.
"Same!" Mikey laughed and mimicked Shun.
Kaiden and Taemeng only stared at the last bed not being taken by a starfished trainee. Heeang had sat on Mikey's bed and the always hungry boy only laughed, pulling the youngest on the bed. So, it only left one bed and both Kaiden and Taemeng stared at one another. Shun grinned and chuckled to himself. Their best dancers sharing a bed together? It tickled him silly.
"I will take the couch," The blue haired man stated.
"No. It is alright, Taemeng. You take the bed."
"No. You take it."
"You haven't slept well, Ah Tae. Please. Take the bed."
"…"
Kaiden patted the dancer's shoulder and attempted to exit the room, but he felt someone pushed him, bumping him into Taemeng. They stumbled back and onto the bed with a groan.
"Dog pile!" Shun exclaimed and jumped onto Kaiden who was on top of Taemeng on the bed. The silver haired protagonist laughed when the trainees followed suit, earning groans from below.
"This is pretty comfortable," Shun laughed and both Kaiden and Taemeng stared at him with blank looks, "What?"
"This is uncomfortable and I can't breath properly," Taemeng stated and Kaiden tried to lessen the pressure by putting weight on his hands.
"If you all don't get off," Kaiden stated clearly with a smirk, "I will not cook for a whole month."
"What?!" The trainees quickly pulled off and Shun quickly pulled the popular trainee off the dancer.
"It was all for fun, Kaiden. Don't make rash decisions," the silver haired make offered an apologetic smile as he wiped him down.
"You too, Taemeng. We appreciate you as well," Shun continued pulling the dancer up and wiped him down too.
"Rash decisions?" Kaiden quirked a brow at him and Shun sweatdropped with a nervous laugh.
****
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"You two were arguing about who gets the bed, but it fits both of you. Anyways, let's go swim in the lake! I hope there are fishes!" Shun's blue eyes sparkled as he quickly looked in his bag to change.
"I don't want fishes touching me," Heeang shivered and frowned.
"If you feel it touching you, tell me Ah Ang. I have been wanting fresh fish for a long time now," Mikey rubbed his nonexistent belly.
"If we were ever in an apocalypse, kill Mikey first," Heeang stated.
"Hey! Why me?"
"Cause you are always hungry. You will eventually eat us to survive a few more hours."
"I wouldn't eat you."
"…"
"How can I eat my best friend? I would eat Shun first."
Shun's ears perked up as he held his shorts in his hand. He turned with a frown at the lanky male. Him? Why him?
"Why me?"
"Cause you are a wet noodle. Those would be rare during an apocalypse, right?"
Mikey laughed and Shun grinned, pushing the boy playfully.
When he changed in the bathroom, he could not stop staring at himself. Shirtless, he could see muscles! He had never had muscles before! Out of his family, his 2nd eldest and the brother before him were the only ones who really had muscles. Now… looking at himself in the mirror, he could not believe he grew abs.
He looked down at his body and poked his abs and flexed his arms. The scar that he received when he was younger was still visible, but it did not bring down Shun's mood! He was too happy to see his body looking in shape.
'Wow… I look like Tae and Jin…' he grinned, 'Well, Tae is much more muscular and Jin… Jin…' he flushed and bit his bottom lip. Shaking his head, he threw on his black tank top and left to the lake.
Finally at the lake, Shun relaxed in the cool water.
"Shun, look what Taemeng found!" Heeang shouted from a cliff a few feet away.
He opened his blue eyes and found his face heating up. Standing on the cliff beside the boy was the dancer. A shirtless dancer. A shirtless dancer with muscles and abs. Beside him was Kaiden, who just stepped onto the cliff. The popular trainee was wet. The shirt was wet. The white shirt was wet and sticking to the all-rounder like a second skin.
Shun sunk into the lake to cool his heated skin. Slapping himself underwater, he pulled back his fangirling eyes and broke the surface of water. Waving at them from below, he watched as Heeang swung from the thick rope and dropped into the lake. His eyes brightened and he quickly got out of the water so he could join in the fun.
Mikey was too busy looking for fishes to join them, but everyone took their turn in swinging and dropping into the lake below. When the sun was lowered, they all returned to the cabin to shower. Kaiden and Shun were given the showers first, which was convenient since they were the ones making dinner.
Once everyone finished eating quietly, they gathered around the fireplace and stared into the flames. Deep in thoughts, this was the last day of the competition. Tomorrow they would find out who would be debuting and who would be leaving. Shun believed, or he strongly hoped, he would be part of the debuting team.
"Shun," Heeang spoke quietly, "I know you couldn't record your reason why you wanted to be an idol because of what… my brother and I did, but can you tell us? I am curious."
"I will if everyone else does too."
"But… we already did."
"Again."
"Okay."
Shun smiled and sighed, dropping his shoulders.
"I saw 9xU on tv and begged my parents to take me to their concert. Even though we weren't rich, they found a way to take me on my birthday. When I saw Donny Wang live, I knew I wanted to be just like him. My parents were encouraging and despite it being hard, they did everything they could to support me. Even Wen Dong, my best friend, joined me in my pursuit to take care of me. Especially after… after my parent's death."
He stared at the fireplace and saw the flames recreate his memories.
"So I made a promise that I will become an idol for them, for everyone who had sacrificed for me. I am quite spoiled, aren't I?"
He breathed out a smile and a hand patting his arm in comfort. Patting the hand back, he looked at the shy trainee.
"Can you remind us your reason?"
The boy stated he wanted to be like Suu Jin and his parents weren't happy with his decision. The expectation was for him to become a doctor and be successful that way. Next was another trainee who said Suu Jin was also his role model, earning an eye roll from Heeang. The other trainee stated he just wanted to meet pretty female idols.
At least the boy was honest.
"Honestly, I didn't even think about becoming an idol," Mikey stated, "I only joined cause my cousin wanted me to, but he was dropped after the first challenge. He told me, "Mikey! Don't lose face! You better do extremely well or I will tell your parents not to make good food for you!" So, of course I have to win! My parent's cooking is the best!"
Shun laughed. Of course, Mikey's reason was food. He would have loved that restaurant Jin took Ping and him to.
"I have to be part of the debuting team and make it successful! I cannot be the bad luck. I will not be able to handle it if I was," Heeang stated with watery eyes, "If I am part of this group and it failed… I just… I don't know what to do anymore. I am sure the studio will not want me anymore."
"Then come to mine," Mikey threw an arm around his best friend, "I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Oh! If we don't make it, let's do a duet. Just us two!"
Heeang smiled and leaned against his lanky friend. Mikey had that innocence that he once had so many years ago, even though Mikey was a year older.
"Hey, the votes aren't in yet," Kaiden smiled, "But I am sure you won't give up, Heeang. You are quite stubborn for a young man."
"And you are quite old."
****
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