REX
Rex stares at the digits almost fading in the palm of his hands.
'Should I call?' he contemplates.
It's been almost two days. People get drunk and cause mess all the time but never in his life something like that happened ever.
It is supposed to be embarrassing but thinking about it makes his lips curl upwards in amusement. How she practically stripped him in front of the whole club... usually girls are either throwing themselves on him or steal shy flirty glances. But she was something else, interesting. So determined, so focused so not fake that it intrigues him. He cannot remember the last time someone caught his attention. He's been too indulged in self pity all this while...
So, should he call?
But what would he say? She'd probably think he's petty looking for that shirt. Moreover it wasn't even her fault to begin with.
Rex decides against it.
"Jun! You got selected!!!" Lee hyung screams bringing him back to reality.
"What?" He asks confused, looking up from the table he's scrubbing. It's still early, there will be customers coming in a bit.
"The rising star! You got selected!"
"What?" He asks again, this time fully attuned, but in disbelief.
Rising star is a popular reality singing show. There will be two categories of contestants, idols whom the organizing committee invites to showcase their talent and obviously for popularity of the show, and common contestants like him who are selected on the basis of audition.
There's elimination in each round, one on one. The winner is decided on the basis of fan votes and judges' decision. So, the more fans you have the more chances of winning. Unfair, but yes. And idols like to take up the challenge against rising talents and reassure their grip in the industry. Mostly one of them wins, as expected. But there's been exceptions. And if you're lucky enough, you can get noticed by the companies investing and hit a jackpot.
Maybe because he's been a victim of bad luck way too many times that now it seems like an audacity to have hopes. But nevertheless he decides to give it a try.
"The first show will be in ten days from now... we've to prepare your dress...and makeup, and your CV, yes,...if we're lucky we can get to meet some real catch there! I hear Aster's Kang min will be there, if we can meet their manager...I used to be friends with him back in the days..."Lee hyung keeps on babbling.
"Hyung... enough for now!" He sighs! He doesn't dare dream again.
"Hey! You got this." Mr. Lee pats his shoulders and Rex nods at him with a sad smile. He owes this man a lot.
They both know getting their hopes high will do nothing good in the end....but it's just that the world survives on hope and he's but a mortal human being.
At least he has something to look forward to for the coming...2-3 weeks maybe, that too if he's lucky.
The next couple of days are really busy. Lee hyung almost has to close the cafe, because there's so much preparation to be done. Rex feels bad for involving this man in his mess, but what can he do when hyung insists that it's his business as well.
Song selection, practice, costume trail...10 days are gone in a blink.
It is the day of the first show. Honestly speaking he's nervous, rejected as he's been , on and again to grow a thick skin by now...this is the first time ever, he made into a big show. There will be contestants mostly younger than him, having advantage of being fresh picks and contestants who've already achieved fame...and then some old rags like him.
He's decided to sing his own song today, this one he wrote a few weeks back and sang in the bar for the first time that day....that day. That day reminds him of that face, and unbeknownst to himself he relaxes. He feels like he can get through this in one piece.
He's taken temporary leave from singing in the bar. They'll take him back though, he knows for sure. The manager is fond of him, also their business seems to have gone up since they hired him.
"Are you nervous?" Lee hyung asks while he was getting his make up done.
"What's there to be nervous hyung!" He replies with a smile.
"I know! Let's rock it!" Hyung tries to cheer him up.
He nods.
"Did you hear Kang min and So-ra will be here?" He hears someone say.
"Yes! And Sang hoon too, from KM entertainment you know."
"Woha...we really don't stand a chance, do we?"
"Let's give our best! Last year mi-jeong was a competitor here, look at her now! She's the queen!"
Yes, Jung mi-jeong , he remembers her, from their old company. She used to train with them in the beginning but she left before they went bankrupt. She was always hardworking. He doubts she remembers him though.
"You're Rex right?" He looks up when someone calls hin by his stage name. Well it's not really surprising to find known faces here when you're long enough in the circle and have tasted all the waters.
"Yes, this is me!"
"Well... I'm your fan!" The boy who looks apparently younger than him says.
"Huh?"
"Yes! Moonlit bar? I'm a regular there."
"Oh I see!" I
He smiles, a warm feeling spreading in his chest, to hear the word 'fan'. Well he does have some 'fans' but they mostly don't recognise him outside the bar. Outside the bar he's no one.
"I really love your lyrics...do you think we can do a Collab? I do rap by the way." The boy continues to speak.
"Se Jin come here! Let's practice!" Someone calls him from behind.
"Oh this is Zen, my partner, he does vocals too, like you...Zen,this is Rex! I told you about him!" The boy named Se Jin introduces his partner who looks anything but interested in the conversation.
Rex passes a polite 'social smile' to not appear rude. Zen just spares him a glance. What a brat! Rex internally rolls his eyes.
CONTESTANTS PLEASE PAY ATTENTION, WE'LL START THE SHOW SHORTLY, PLEASE BE PREPARED AND ENTER WHEN YOU'RE CALLED.
Everyone in the green room gets busy after the announcement. Rex takes a deep breath! 'I got this.' He tells himself.
"Did you write this song?" One of the judges ask.
"Yes" he briefly answer and nod.
"What is it called?"
"The dead star."
"Can you elaborate?"
"Well...after giving away all its light when a star dies, it either vanishes from existence or converts into a deadly black hole. I think it's the same for human beings, after hitting the dead end, we can either choose to retaliate or make a comeback at life..." He tries to explain but he feels the words are falling short. He's never been good with words unless in the pages of his diary where no scrutinizing eyes are judging him.
Some of them nod.
"How did it go?" Lee hyung asks on their way back.
"Well...okay, I guess, I didn't mess up the singing at least."
"Did you meet Mi-jeong?"
"I saw her, but I don't think she remembers me."
"She does, she came to me earlier and asked about you."
"What, me?" He asks genuinely surprised.
"Yes, she said her company is thinking of forming a new boyband and asked me to try for your audition. The're looking for somewhat experienced candidates so that they can make a debut ASAP, and you happen to meet that criteria..."
"It's not that easy hyung...."
"I know Jun! But what's wrong in trying! Look at your face, your voice! The only thing you're lacking is 'opportunity'."
"Only if the whole world revolved that way." Rex gives him a half smile shaking his head.
3 days later.
"You got selected for round 2 Jun!! This is hugeee!"
"I can see it!" He says looking at the list of 20 selected contestants for round 2, he can hardly believe his eyes.
.
.
.
Round 3
10 contestants. Surprisingly he makes it again. The show has already started airing. People are voting for him. People, who claim to be his fans .It doesn't feel real for some reason. In each shooting he'd find at least 10 more people cheering for him. Is this really happening?
He doesn't follow social media much. If he did he could see the number of fans are far more than he perceives. He practices day and night, this is his last chance, he's to give it his all. After a long time he can see rays of light in the pitch black screen of life again. Maybe he won't be a dead star just yet.
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