Page 12 of Idol Lives
Tae Hyun and Seong Min followed Mina and her two assistants through a series of corridors, finally emerging into pleasant mid-afternoon sunshine. A glossy, black van waited in the drive, complete with a white-glove-wearing chauffeur beside the open side door. Tae Hyun climbed inside, relaxing in his soft leather seat while the others filled the seats around him. He took out his phone, finally turning it on while Mina and Seong Min quietly conferred with each other, and sent a message to Jason.
I made it safely. We’re on our way to the hotel.
The typing indicator immediately appeared, followed by Jason’s reply.That’s great! Hope you had a nice flight. Did you get my welcome surprise?
Tae Hyun chuckled to himself.I did. It was perfect. Thank you for being so thoughtful.
Anything for you,Jason replied.I miss you already. I can wait up if you want to call me when you get to the hotel.
It had to be after midnight in Los Angeles already. While it would be nice to hear Jason’s voice, Tae Hyun knew he’d probably be occupied for the next few hours.I don’t know when I’ll be able to call. You should get some sleep. I love you.
I love you, too!
Tae Hyun smiled as he sent a message to Yun Seo announcing his arrival before putting his phone away. Hopefully, she already knew he was there. It would be nice to see her again after his time in Los Angeles for the funeral. Assuming he managed to pull her away from Seong Min.
The curtains on the van’s blacked-out windows made any sightseeing practically impossible. So, Tae Hyun spent thevan ride politely listening and nodding as Mina detailed his schedule for the next few days. He already knew it by heart and only listened in case anything had changed. Thankfully, the rest of his day was free. Their arrival at the Shinjuku Grand Hotel was also thankfully free of any fanfare as the van pulled into a secure, underground entrance meant for VIPs. Mina and her team took Tae Hyun and Seong Min to the VIP lobby via a private elevator, where she handed Seong Min their room keys.
“Relax and rest up,” Mina encouraged Tae Hyun. “I’m only a phone call away if you or your sister need anything. Otherwise, I’ll see you again in the morning for rehearsal.” She turned to leave, stopping at the last moment. “Oh, I almost forgot. Yoshida Ren asked to meet you sometime today if you’re up for it.”
Tae Hyun and Ren, the charismatic lead singer of his red-hot opening act,Sweet Beast, had officially already met–a fleeting handshake at a Tokyo press event during Tae Hyun’s last visit to Japan. Neither of them were out at the time. Tae Hyun vaguely recalled rumors swirling around Ren shortly after their meeting, followed by a tabloid scandal, a forced outing, and a brutal struggle to regain his footing in the industry. Ren’s path to success had been far from smooth, not unlike Tae Hyun’s comeback success.
Tae Hyun nodded. “I’d love to meet with him. Just let me know when.”
“Of course.”
Seong Min took Tae Hyun to his suite, going in first without pretense to ensure everything was safe and secure. Once he was satisfied, he gave Tae Hyun his key. Then he held up his own. “I’m in the room next door, sir. I believe your sister isdown the hall. Would you like me to let her know you’re here? Or, I could bring her here now.”
Tae Hyun examined Seong Min’s expression with narrowed eyes, looking for any hints of his ulterior motives, but found none. “You know you can just tell me you want to see her, right? It’s okay.”
Seong Min immediately frowned. “Are you sure, sir? I have an hour before I meet with the tour security team, so it would mean the world to me.”
Tae Hyun nodded, patting Seong Min’s well-muscled shoulder. “Of course, I’m sure. Go on.” He grinned. “And tell her I said hi.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Seong Min bowed before leaving Tae Hyun alone to explore his suite. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the room in a warm glow. Plush carpeting muffled his footsteps, a peaceful contrast to the bustling city outside. An oversized, butter-soft leather sofa dominated the spacious sitting room. The walls, painted in muted, neutral tones, were sparsely adorned save for a few framed classical prints. An artfully arranged bouquet of lilies added a splash of vibrant color to the sleek glass coffee table.
Tae Hyun moved on to the bedroom, a sanctuary of white and cream, anchored by a plush king-sized bed. It was lavish and comfortable, yet the sheer size of the space only amplified his solitude. Whoever had delivered his suitcases had already set them inside the walk-in closet next to the rest of his luggage. He found his toiletry bags and brought them to the bathroom, a gleaming expanse of marble and chrome, to use the toilet and wash up. He was almost finished removing his makeup when someone knocked on his door. Had Seong Minsent Yun Seo to see him already? He dried his face, wandered toward the suite’s door, and peeked through the peephole. It was Ren.
Surprised, Tae Hyun considered not opening it. He’d just cleaned his face and looked too tired to be seen by anyone. And he’d asked Mina to let him know when, first. Still, Ren was a fellow idol and his opening act. Better to be gracious.
Tae Hyun smiled as he opened the door. “Hello,” he said in Japanese.
Ren deeply bowed, sharing a rapid cascade of Japanese Tae Hyun barely caught. Despite the lessons KBR had given him, the years had eroded his language skills–a fact made more glaring by Ren’s unexpected greeting.
Ren’s stage persona, with its flamboyant, androgynous edge and smoldering gaze, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a simple white T-shirt hugged his lean frame, with dark jeans emphasizing his long legs. He wasn’t made up, and his hair–dyed a bold shade of rose gold for the tour–was unstyled, falling around and framing his handsome face in tousled chunks, adding an unexpected touch of softness. But his youthful energy was undeniable. He was every bit the vibrant pop star Tae Hyun knew.
Tae Hyun chuckled with embarrassment as he returned the bow. “Sorry. My Japanese is a little rusty.”
Ren’s face flashed with understanding, emphasized by a disarming grin. “No worries.” He effortlessly switched to fluent Korean. “I welcomed you to Japan and wished you great success on the tour.”
Tae Hyun’s surprise was impossible to hide. “And your Korean is so good! Much better than my Japanese.”
“Thanks.” Ren shrugged, grinning with a hint of self-deprecation. “And sorry for the ambush. I overheard Mina mention your room number, so I came right up. I hope it’s okay?”
“Of course!” Tae Hyun stepped aside, allowing some genuine warmth into his voice. “Please, come in.”
Ren entered, eyes widening as he slipped off his shoes and took in the suite. “Whoa. This is amazing! It’s at least twice the size of mine.”
