Page 18 of Idol Lives
Jason watched David leave the room, the expensive folders tucked neatly under his arm. He couldn’t help but grin, overcome with sudden relief at having finally passed on the responsibility of running Brightstar to someone who could actually do it. “Looks like we could trust him after all.”
David, already at the door, paused and turned, a glimmer in his eyes that Jason couldn’t quite decipher. Then he smiled. “Everything in this business is built on trust,” he said as the doors closed behind him.
06
The thumping bass thrummed in Tae Hyun’s chest, a second heartbeat to match the rhythm in his veins. Even echoing in the emptiness of the Guardian Skylight Arena, the familiar beat ofBoy With No Shamefelt like home. His body responded on instinct–a sharp tilt of the head, hips swiveling in time with the driving beat. Daniel and Jenny mirrored his movements, shadowed by Javi, Malik, Skylar, and Ember–a dazzling wave of limbs, their glittery outfits catching the fierce stage lights. Tae Hyun wasn’t the tallest or the most muscular of the group, but every inch of him exuded a coiled energy. His precise footwork was a mesmerizing counterpart to the sinuous grace of his upper body–a blend of sharp angles and hypnotic fluidity. It should’ve been exhilarating–it was exhilarating–but the thrill was edged with a bittersweet ache. For a fleeting second, the spotlights blurred, and he saw Jason’s grin flash in an empty luxury box, just like back in Incheon–enthusiastic, genuine, entirely his.
Then, the lights flickered, and the music sputtered into silence, replaced by the irritated groans of a disappointed crew.
“What the hell?” Daniel grabbed the sweat towel tucked into his waistband and mopped his brow. “I was really intothat.”
“Yeah,” Javi agreed, strolling upstage with a playful grin. “I get such a great view of your ass during the bridge.”
Tae Hyun chuckled, rolling his eyes. Javi and Daniel had only recently started openly flirting, but Tae Hyun had long ago seen how they looked at each other. And the fact that they felt comfortable doing it in front of everyone meant something. But that easy camaraderie was also bittersweet, reminding him of his long-ago early days withXTC. And it was the closest he’d felt to being at home since arriving in Tokyo.
“I wish you two would just fuck and get it over with,” Daniel’s twin sister, Jenny, announced, her voice echoing in the stillness. “It’s hard to move around through all this testosterone.”
Javi casually shrugged. “I’m down if he is.”
“Just don’t let Mina catch you,” Skylar teased, “or she’ll–”
“Catch them doing what?” Mina loudly cut in as she approached the stage.
“It’s nothing,” Tae Hyun assured her, forcing an innocent smile. “What’s up with the sound?”
Mina shrugged, frowning with obvious frustration. “I’m still waiting for the full rundown, but I overheard some techs talking. My Japanese isn’t great, but I think I caughttransformerandblown circuit.”
“Damn.” Tae Hyun huffed, genuine annoyance replacing his placidly friendly expression. He’d needed this rehearsal. It was a return to normalcy after weeks of upheaval. “Any idea how long–”
Mina stopped Tae Hyun with a raised index finger, pressing her other hand against the earpiece she wore. Then shenodded. “Looks like the jury’s reached a verdict. I’ll be right back. Hopefully, with good news.”
“If it’s a blown transformer,” Javi suggested, “it could be hours.”
Malik chuckled. “Just what the hell do you even know about that?”
“I’m a journeyman electrician, asshole.”
Malik snorted again. “Electrician asshole sounds about–”
“Listen, everyone,” Tae Hyun cut in, sounding a touch too bright, “everything’s fine. Our choreo’s tight, and our bodies are loose. A little break won’t hurt anything.”
Daniel nodded, tossing a sly grin towards Javi. “I don’t know. Maybe we need to loosen up a bit more.”
“You all looked plenty loose to me.” Ren strolled onto the stage, no longer in costume afterSweet Beast’s soundcheck and dress rehearsal. He still looked effortlessly cool in his street clothes, with an understated punk vibe. Of course, he also spoke excellent English. He offered Tae Hyun a polite bow. “I enjoyed the performance. It’s my first time seeing it live.”
Tae Hyun returned the bow out of politeness. “Thanks, Ren.” He gestured towards his dancers. “Everyone, this is Ren Yoshida, the leader ofSweet Beast. Ren, this talented bunch is my crew.” He introduced each dancer by name.
“Nice to meet you all,” Ren replied with an easy smile. “I wish I could see the rest, but it sounds like we’ll be down for at least several hours.”
“See?” Javi nudged Malik with his elbow. “I told you.”
Tae Hyun frowned. “Is that official?”
Ren nodded. “According to my manager, yes. The electrical team’s working on it, but they say we won’t be back on stagefor a while. Still on schedule for tomorrow, though.”
Tae Hyun huffed a little louder than he meant to. “Alright, everyone. You heard him. Let’s take a lunch break. But stay close by in case we can get back on stage.”
“You got it, boss, “ Jenny replied, slinging an arm over her brother’s shoulder and leading him away.
