Page 76 of I'll Be the One

“Have fun at rehearsal today,” he says before he leaves.

“Thanks.”

I don’t think much about the fact that Henry just dropped me off until I enter the building and find everyone—the other four remaining contestants, the staff members,andthe camera crew—staring at me. They must have seen Henry and me through the windows.

And of course, the cameras are already recording my every move.

“Did Henry Cho just drop you off?” Isabel asks. “Are you guys a thing now?”

The whispers spread. At first, I’m really daunted by the attention, and then I figure:Why the heck not?I have nothing to hide. Plus, thanks to the rumors, everyone and their mom already thinks we’re going out anyway.

So, I shrug and say, “Yup. It’s official now.”

Everyone—well, everyone besides the girls who’re glaring at me like I ran over their dogs—bursts into cheers. I lose count of the number of people who tell me congratulations. Their level of enthusiasm is actually kind of hilarious.

Thankfully, people lose interest in me as soon as Mr. Park and Gary get us started with this final practice. The challenge for the final round is straightforward: just perform the song that best showcases your abilities. No teams, no versus battles,no partners. Even still, everyone’s too nervous about the final round being filmedliveto socialize much.

When I’m alone in my practice room, I wish we were required to do something ridiculous, because just practicing alone without Lana to pop her head in or hang out with during breaks is really boring. I’m grateful for having made it this far, but I can’t shake off my loneliness. In an attempt to get over it, I focus completely on my music for the next few hours. It’s a cover of a song by a Korean girl group, but slowed down a bit so it sounds less peppy and more expressive. I’m hoping the judges—well, Mr. Park and Gary—and the viewers voting during the live show will give me extra brownie points for being creative.

As I’m running through the song again and again, I think about all the plus-size girls around the world who said I inspired them. It makes me happy and honored, but it also makes me want to try even harder, especially since I know what’s to come in the episode that’s dropping tonight.

Hopefully I’ll make everyone proud in the end, I think.Hopefully they’ll keep watching after tonight’s episode.

Later, I’m back home, trying to work on my homework and making a point tonotwatchYou’re My Shining Star, when my phone rings. I cringe, hoping it’s not Mom—who’s not home from work yet—or my friends. I don’t think I’m ready to deal with any of their reactions yet. But it’s not either of them. Instead, it’s Dad.

I pick up immediately.

“Hey, what’s up?” I say.

“Skye! Skye! Did you hear?”

“About what?”

“Try Googling your name,” he says.

“What?”

I’m still trying to process the fact that Dad told me to Google myself when I see the results.

Korean Adele Is Also an Amazing Dancer

Who Is This New Wonder Girl?

Skye Shin: Korea’s Next K-Pop Superstar

My name appears in a lot of major Korean online news sites, and clips of me dancing with Henry are all over social media. But instead of just saying “girl dancing with Henry,” the captions say my name, over and over again.

I go on Twitter. Someone’s mentioned me in a tweet:What the hell? @newskye16 got eliminated? I call BS.

I expand the thread to look at the replies.

She was the best dancer in the competition!someone else says.I bet they just eliminated her because she’s fat.

Wtf isn’t that discrimination? That’s illegal, isn’t it?

The thread’s getting more and more likes by the second. And it’s already somehow hit a thousand likes. I check the time. It’s been less than an hour since the episode aired.

I close the app on my phone and take a deep breath. Although I have no idea if a social media outcry will do anything, I’m so glad and thankful that these people are all in my corner.

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