I turned back to look at Sanghye, who was scribbling our order on a tablet. "Anything special you want to eat?" he asked.
"I don't know~ anything that doesn't have to do with pineapple," I replied, glancing around the restaurant. It looked more modern than I remembered — more tables, more people, more noise. It felt like time had slipped past faster than I could catch my breath.
"Okay then~ two kimchi pizzas, let's go!" Sanghye confirmed the order and leaned back in his seat.
"I… wanted to ask you something," I muttered, rubbing my face, still embarrassed to bring it up.
"Sure, go on. Tanks? Battleships? I'm all ears."
I took a deep breath, summoning what little courage I had. "I… think I might… like guys? I don't know, ever since the training with Iris…"
"Whoa! For real?" Sanghye grinned, pressing his index fingers together. "Like, want-to-snuggle-with-a-guy kind of like?"
"Ugh—don't say it out loud!"
"Hey, if you don't want me to joke, then listen seriously: do what makes you happy, Seokjin. Ever had those school days you didn't want to go to class, but after graduation you realized those were the best days of your life? That's how it is. I try to live fast and soak in every bit of fun I can— cuz someday, when I'm old, I won't have the strength to do any of it again."
"You just don't want to live with regrets, huh? Oh—pizza's here already?"
"Nice!" We each took a steaming tray of kimchi pizza from the waiter. The rich scent hit my nose, warm and tangy.
"Smells amazing," I said.
"Right?" he chuckled. "So, how was practice this week? rough?"
"Pretty tough actually, but for someone like Mr. White, nothing's too hard, baby~" I mentioned my stage name, taking a bite and licking my fingers in delight.
"Hah! Tell me you didn't spend a whole week just coming up with that line," Sanghye laughed. "The selection day's in two days. I hope you nail it, We'll all be there cheering you on."
"Thanks… for not giving up on me," I said, smiling faintly at my lap.
"Always, lil'bro. Where you go, I go." He reached across the table and gave my shoulder a firm pat.
Thump! Thump!
Suddenly, I heard a drum on the restaurant TV.
Sanghye's voice faded away slowly. "Now go kill it—Mr. White[1]!"
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! The sound of drums echoed through the hall as people poured into the grand classical theater — the stage for the D\8/ auditions. A sea of fans screamed beyond the red curtains. Iris Jun Ho caught my eye and gave me a thumbs-up as the crew scurried about, adjusting cables and lights.
"No matter what happens out there…" he whispered, "I want you to look at the audience — really look at them. Feel their warmth, their energy, their love. Let it carry you forward. That's what makes a true super idol." He squeezed his water bottle until it burst into a spray, smiling brightly while I was sitting in the makeover room.
I nodded. A mechanical arm extended toward me, brushing makeup across my face. When I opened my eyes again, the mirror reflected someone radiant — like a deity sculpted for the spotlight. I told the bot to add a streak of eyeliner under my eyes, shaped like a tear. My left iris glimmered pink under the highlight. i heard them chanting my stage name.
"White! White! White!"
The roar of the crowd pulled me toward the stage.
"And now," the announcer boomed, "the final contestant! The man everyone's been waiting for — the Wolf of SPI, the one and only, the flawless, the fierce—"
Prrrrrt-rat-ta-ta! went the snare drum.
"WHITE SEOKJIN!"
The red curtain parted. I stepped into the blinding lights of the stage. A thousand seats stretched before me, every one filled with faces — screaming, crying, cheering.
And for the first time, I didn't feel afraid.
[1] Totally not a Breaking Bad reference. Lol