Chapter 19 #2
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.”
The tension in the room slowly evaporated as Tae Oh excitedly shared his family’s Chuseok weekend activities.
Andy barely listened, nodding along as he unpacked.
Si On’s reaction to Hyun Woo’s situation was another warning.
Andy doubted that his was the only room quietly speculating about the rumors.
He needed to get his head back in the game fast. Distractions were the last thing he needed during the elimination ceremony.
As the current, and, hopefully, continuing number one rank, he’d have half the cameras in the room pointed at him.
If only he could somehow connect with Min Jae beforehand.
Andy pulled rank on his roomies, grabbing his toiletry bag and claiming the bathroom to get ready first. Maybe he’d find Min Jae already out in the corridors.
Or, he could just knock on his door across the hall.
After fixing his hair, he spent a few minutes applying a simple boy beat–just enough so he wouldn’t look washed out on camera in the extra bright studio lights.
Leo used his age privilege to take Andy’s spot when he was done.
Tae Oh and Si On didn’t bother waiting, using portable mirrors to get ready while Andy got dressed in his black Dream Boy Project tracksuit.
He ducked out of the room before Leo finished in the bathroom, using the flimsy excuse of grabbing a coffee from the cafeteria, to give him a chance to track down Min Jae.
The door across the hall was open, so Andy poked his head inside.
Empty. He went to the cafeteria next, taking the long way past the fitness center, just in case.
A few of the guys were there, eating, but no Min Jae.
Asking someone from production was always a possibility, but that would only make it obvious.
Sighing, Andy gave up and served himself a coffee. Then, he grabbed a second coffee for Leo, just to be nice, and froze when he spotted Min Jae passing by the cafeteria exit. Andy nearly called out, but the moment was gone. It was too late. Forcing things would only make them worse.
Andy finally found Min Jae sitting beside Woo Jin when he boarded the bus. He caught Min Jae’s gaze and smiled as he walked by. Min Jae’s brief answering smile was packed with as much warmth as a moment would allow, before he turned back to his quiet conversation with Woo Jin.
The bus ride back to the SBN Vision Center was filled with enough nervous energy that Andy could’ve charged his phone with it.
Half the Dream Boys were on their way to be eliminated, but the deafening chatter punctuated by emotional outbursts and the occasional roughhouse play made it hard to tell who was concerned about going home.
The few whispered conversations Andy witnessed could’ve just as easily been about that very thing.
But he knew at least some of them had to be about Hyun Woo, too.
“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” Leo said as they speculated about ranking predictions. “You’ve got a huge chance of hanging onto the number one rank.” He frowned. “I only hope I can stay in the top ten.”
“You absolutely will,” Andy assured him, glancing at the back of Min Jae’s head. “And I’m not so sure I won’t drop to number two tonight.”
Leo leaned in close. “Did something happen between you two this weekend?”
“What?” Andy swallowed hard as the coffee in his stomach threatened to make a second appearance. “What do you mean?”
Leo shrugged. “I don’t know. You keep looking at him. Did you guys get into a fight or something?”
Andy shook his head, hoping it looked casual. He was still way too stuck in his head. “No, we got along fine. And his grandma was everything. I had a really nice time.”
Leo examined Andy with a shrewd, narrow-eyed glare for long enough to make him uncomfortable. “Okay,” he finally replied, relaxing his expression and leaning back into his seat, “if you’re sure. I guess I’ll get back to worrying about the elimination.”
The manic bus energy had finally begun to settle as they pulled up to the studio entrance at the Vision Center.
No crowds this time since it wasn’t a mission challenge.
No audience for the eliminations except anyone watching at home.
Andy and Leo walked through the backstage area, where the show’s stylists offered touchups to everyone’s face and hair.