Page 67 of Idol Lives
Tae Hyun was about to turn back when a familiar voice echoed in the distance. Who was down there? He almost spoke up when the voice grew louder. It was Ren, his tone harsh and urgent, as his rapid-fire Japanese sliced through the quiet.
“Because it wasn’t what I fucking paid for!” Ren shouted, barely controlled, a tremor of anger underlying the words. “You idiot! I told you it was supposed to be me! What the hell were you thinking?”
Tae Hyun froze, his heart pounding in his chest. He cautiously crept forward, peeking around a corner to catch a glimpse of Ren pacing back and forth, his phone pressed to his ear.
“No, don’t give me fucking excuses!” Ren hissed. “I paid youfor a job, and you screwed it up. Now fix it, or you’ll regret it.”
The words hung in the air, a chilling revelation that made Tae Hyun’s stomach churn. Had Ren orchestrated the paint attack? And if so, why? Why would he want to be the target of such a hateful act? Tae Hyun’s Japanese wasn’t great. Maybe he didn’t understand.
The conversation continued, but Tae Hyun couldn’t make out the rest of the words. Ren’s voice was too low, his tone too guarded. But the anger and thinly veiled threats were unmistakable.
Tae Hyun’s heart pounded against his ribs, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Anger mixed with disbelief, a toxic cocktail that threatened to overwhelm him. He turned on his heel, ready to confront Ren and demand answers, but was stopped short by a firm hand on his arm.
Seong Min faced him, his expression unreadable beyond stoic concern. He put a finger to his lips, slowly shaking his head. Then, with a subtle gesture, he beckoned Tae Hyun to follow.
Confusion battled with the urge to lash out, but Tae Hyun trusted Seong Min completely. He fell into step behind his security chief, their soft footsteps faintly echoing in the otherwise silent corridor. His mind raced, trying to decipher the meaning behind Ren’s words and the hateful tone he’d never heard before. How would he confront Ren? He had to get to the bottom of things, but what would he say?
Seong Min led him back to the relative privacy of his dressing room, where a pair of stylists meticulously arranged his costumes for the evening’s performance. He pointed toward the door. “Out.”
The stylists, startled by the abruptness of the command, quickly gathered their things and left. Seong Min shut the door behind them, the lock clicking into place.
Tae Hyun turned to him, his words bursting forth. “Tell me you heard him.”
“I heard him speaking, sir.” Seong Min’s brow furrowed as he frowned. “But I don’t speak Japanese. Did you understand him?”
Tae Hyun’s frustration bubbled over. “He set up the paint attack!” he blurted out, losing control. “Only, it was supposed to be him that got hit, not me.”
Seong Min’s frown deepened. “Are you sure, sir?”
“I–” Tae Hyun hesitated. He wasn’t absolutely certain, but the pieces fit together too perfectly to ignore. “No, I’m not completely sure. But I can’t think of what else he could’ve been talking about.”
Seong Min slowly nodded. “While I couldn’t understand what he said, his tone was clear enough.”
“So, what do we do?” Tae Hyun grabbed his dressing table chair and plopped down. “I mean, if he was really behind that, what else has he done? There were the signs in the audience. And the tabloid leak! And what else could he even be planning?”
Seong Min began pacing the room, his hands clasped behind his back. “If he is behind the paint attack,” he calmly stated, “for whatever reason, we can assume there are more incidents to come. He should be removed from the tour.”
Tae Hyun’s head snapped up. “Removed?”
“Yes, sir,” Seong Min confirmed. “But we need proof–some concrete evidence before we can take such drastic action.”
Tae Hyun slumped back in his chair. He’d only thought about confronting Ren. He hadn’t even considered what would have to happen after that. At the very least, their new friendship was over. But, if Ren had really done that–and,possibly, the other things–then the tour was in jeopardy. They’d need to find a new opening act. Would they have to honor refund requests for fans who’d bought tickets to see Ren? His breath quickened, his pulse pounding, as sweat dampened his forehead. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.
“What do we do?”
Then, against all odds, Seong Min grinned. “I have an idea.”
The plan, once laid out, was deceptively simple. It hinged on Tae Hyun’s ability to perform and deceive. He would have to pretend he’d heard nothing, that his trust in Ren was unwavering. His chest tightened with anger. The easy camaraderie he’d shared with Ren, the sense of shared experience, had been so comforting. Now, he’d have to weaponize that trust, just like Ren had apparently done to him.
Tae Hyun huffed, checking his phone again, hoping Jason had reached out. Still nothing. He nearly tried calling but held off. Jason was busy. Tae Hyun would have to handle things on his own. He messaged Mina instead, asking her to send in his style team to help him prepare for the night’s performance. At the last moment, he decided to change things up, swapping out his all-white outfit for the backup look, a custom-made electric blue holographic tank top paired with black low-waisted joggers and chunky black platform sneakers with neon blue accents. It was a bold statement and a far cry from the pristine white ensemble he’d originally worn. A small act of defiance, perhaps. Or a subconscious need to distance himself from the vulnerability of any future paint attacks.
After dressing and being made up, Tae Hyun found Ren backstage, joyfully laughing as he joked with his bandmates.The contrast between Ren’s carefree demeanor and the venom he’d spewed just hours earlier sent a shiver down his spine. Tae Hyun fought to quell the anger bubbling beneath the surface, reminding himself that this was a performance. A performance for an audience of one.
He donned his game face and the high-touch, megawatt smile he’d perfected over years in the spotlight. He strode towards Ren with the practiced ease of a seasoned idol.
Ren spotted him, offering a friendly wave as Tae Hyun approached. “Hey!” He did a quick once-over, his eyes lingering on Tae Hyun’s electric blue outfit. “Wow, that look is totally fire! I wish I had that kind of wardrobe budget.”
Tae Hyun chuckled, playing along with the banter. “You’re halfway there just being on this tour, right?”
