Page 51 of Idol Prize
Never? As in, Andy would never be allowed back inside if he didn’t surrender his phone now? He petulantly huffed, acting like he’d just been sent to his room. Two could play at that game. “Fine. Whatever.”
Andy held the power button until his phone shut off and handed it over. Once the PA collected his keys and wallet, she handed him his claim card and wandered off. With a scandalbrewing, it couldn’t be a coincidence that the show was collecting phones the moment contestants were in sight of the gate. Sighing, Andy grabbed his suitcase handle and tugged it along behind him, his anxiety ramping up with every step closer to the gate. No one else seemed bothered by anything beyond the anticipation of the competition resuming. Wait, no, there was a group of guys huddled beside one of the chunky, abstract stone pillars dotting the plaza outside the main entrance. And another, off to the other side. Whatever the news was, it was spreading despite the show’s attempt to control information access by taking everyone’s phone right away.
“Sacramento!” Leo’s voice echoed from the entrance gates. Andy glanced back as Leo wandered toward him, his suitcase in tow. He spotted Andy’s suitcase, frowning. “Hey, wait a minute. Did you go somewhere for the weekend after all?”
Andy nodded. “I did. Ended up spending the weekend with Min Jae and his grandma.”
“Min Jae? I see how it is now.” Leo chuckled as he finally caught up with Andy. “I remember when you two couldn’t be in the same room without dropping the temperature ten degrees. Now you’re practically best friends.”
Andy forced a casual laugh, suddenly certain that everyone knew what had really happened at Min Jae’s. “It’s not like that. He told me it was just the two of them when he asked me. How could I say no to someone’s grandmother?”
“I’m just fucking with you.” Leo lightly punched Andy’s shoulder. “You probably had way more fun than you would’ve with me.” His breezy grin briefly disappeared. “Turns out, my parents hate it here. And they don’t speak a word of Korean, so I had to translate everything.” He huffed, rolling his eyes. “But that’s all done now, thank God.” He leaned in close. “Have you seen the latest?”
Andy quietly grunted. “Not really. My brother texted me something about it, but production practically snatched myphone from my hand while I was looking it up. What do you know?”
Leo leaned in closer. “Somebody got outed.”
Andy's blood froze solid so fast he almost fell over. “Holy shit,” he called out, loud enough to catch glances from some of the others walking by. He quickly lowered his voice. “Who?”
“It's Hyun Woo. Somebody outed him and he dropped out.” Leo sighed. “One of his exes, I think. I read theK-Star Dailystory about it on the way back here. They had pics of them together and screenshots of their texts. And the comments? They were seriously ugly, man.”
Andy's blood began to thaw as the fires of his anger bloomed. Hyun Woo was outed? Who would even do something like that? His supposed ex-boyfriend and some bloodthirsty tabloid reporter would, it seemed, ruining someone’s career over jealousy and clicks. Andy had never even clocked Hyun Woo as gay. He’d hidden it well, but it didn’t matter, in the end.
Andy had no jealous ex-boyfriends to worry about–just a string of meaningless hookups who probably thought all Asian guys looked the same. But he had Min Jae now. They weren’t boyfriends, but they were definitely something. Or, they were, until they’d gotten off the train and learned of Hyun Woo’s supposed fate. Now they were in danger, too. The master-class fan service Leo had been so impressed by wasn’t just a storyline anymore. Not after what had happened over Chuseok. It was potential evidence, ready to be twisted by some overzealous sasaeng or bloodthirsty tabloid reporter into a scandal a thousand times more dangerous than a simple rumor.
Andy’s eyes desperately darted through the crowd, frantically searching for Min Jae. They had to talk before the cameras started up again. If they weren’t already filming everything, of course. But Min Jae wasn’t anywhere on the plaza that he could see.
Andy quietly huffed, turning back to Leo's narrow-eyed gaze. Was that suspicion? “Sorry, just–”
“It’s fine,” Leo cut in, his expression relaxing. “I kinda want to put off going inside, too. But I don’t think either of us have to worry about getting eliminated today, so we may as well get on with it.”
Andy nodded, warm relief at not having given himself away already thawing his anxiety enough that he could at least play the part. “Yeah, you’re right. Break time’s over, I guess.”
Andy and Leo grabbed their suitcase handles and followed everyone into the bustling lobby. All 50 contestants–no, all 49–had gathered into the tentative cliques that had formed over the previous month, surrounded by a small army of cameras, boom mics, and lights. At least a dozen PAs hovered nearby, anxiously holding their clipboards or turning away to speak into their headset mics.
Andy spotted Min Jae across the lobby, talking with Woo Jin. Min Jae’s mask was already back in place, blandly smiling and nodding as Woo Jin was no doubt filling him in on his weekend. He gave no indication that he knew what had happened to Hyun Woo. But he had to know already, right?
Andy stepped forward, moving toward Min Jae, when a PA loudly announced that they all had an hour to get unpacked and changed before transferring to the Vision Center for the elimination ceremony. Shit. There were cameras everywhere, and he was running out of time. When Min Jae finally turned his way, Andy caught his eye, lifting his chin, eyebrows raised. We need to talk. Min Jae responded with a tiny shake of his head. No, not now. Andy sighed, nodding as he imagined what Min Jae would’ve said. The Hyun Woo news changed nothing about their plan. They would’ve been at risk anyway. Just follow through with what they agreed on. At least, that’s what Andy hoped Min Jae would say. Forcing a conversation would only make them look suspicious. Andy turned away, the moment lost.
By the time Andy and Leo made it back to their room, Tae Oh and Si On were already there, gossiping as they unpacked.
“We don’t know if it’s even true,” Tae Oh suggested as he transferred his rolled up underwear from his suitcase to a drawer in the cabinet beside his bed. “He could have a family emergency or something innocent like that.”
Andy swallowed his wince at that word. Innocent. As if Hyun Woo being gay made him guilty.
Si On snorted as he hung up a leather jacket. “Or maybe the producers found out and leaked it themselves to get rid of him before he became a problem. You never know.”
Andy practically tossed his suitcase on his bed. “We don’t know anything for certain,” he sternly reminded them, “except that Hyun Woo is a talented performer and strong competitor.” He pointedly glanced at the camera hanging in the corner of the ceiling. “So let’s not speculate behind his back, okay?”
Tae Oh at least had the decency to look guilty for his blatant gossiping. “Sorry, hyungnim.” He shot a glance at Si On, who frowned.
“The producers haven’t said anything,” Si On countered. “If they didn’t want us talking about it, they’d say so.”
Leo shook his head at Si On’s prickly defiance. “Of course they haven’t said anything yet. It’s only just happened. But, you’re an idiot if you think any of this footage will make it into the next episode.” He elaborately shrugged. “Maybe you should think about maximizing your camera time in case you end up getting sent right back home tonight.”
Si On’s sudden, stricken face almost made Andy laugh. He immediately bowed. “I’m sorry, sunbaenim.”
Leo shook his head. “Whatever. Don’t sunbaenim me. Just do better.”
