mistalee_

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Winter Chu has everything figured out. Ever since he attended the concert of a popular boy band as a child, he has never wanted anything more than to become an idol himself. 

And with his exotic half European half Korean features gaining him a ticket to be a trainee in a popular entertainment agency, Winter is sure he is well on the road to becoming one.

But Fate is a witch and after three years of struggling as a trainee, he realises this is as far as the road goes. When the line up for the company's next boy group drops, his name isn't anywhere near the list. Worse, his best friend's name— with whom Winter made the promise of 'conquering the stage together'— is there at the top. Bold and shiny. 

Just when things couldn't get any worse, Winter is forced to make a gambling decision.

Thrown into a new, no-name company with handpicked strangers, it is a race against time as Winter buckles up for his much delayed debut. But life isn't a bed of roses and hand in hand with the cruel reality of the entertainment world, his past comes crashing down on him as his best friend —now a rookie super star— waltzes back into his muddled life screaming muted revenge. 

What happens when the second chance Winter sought out isn't as easy as he thought it would be? And what happens when even with a knife hanging on his neck, Winter is slowly falling in love with said ex best friend? 


This is a quirky coming of age story about two teenage boys trying to find themselves and each other while trying to chase after ambitions as big as the ocean.

Stardom For Dummies

In my life, there hadn't been many instances where I had regretted my life choices. Putting a grasshopper inside Kim Hyun-sik's trousers in second grade as a part of a dare, refusing to eat for three days— basically forcing my parents to accept my career choice at the age of eleven, packing my bags from my tiny town in Busan after getting visual casted during a family tour to Seoul, meeting Liu Xuejun on my first day in the agency as a trainee, becoming best friends with him; I've never really regretted anything in my life. 


Even leaving him without an explanation for something that wasn't his fault. 


But here I am. For the first time in my life, an inexplicable regret crashes down on me, sweeping me breathless. I almost stagger in shock, but Xuejun's hand that's still gripped in mine tightens, steadying me. Xuejun's eyes are cold, ruthless even, as they take my appearance in but his hands, they're right around mine, holding me from falling down. And I don't know if it's an action of kindness. 


"You, Park Tae Joo, every staff at PBS, my parents, everyone," Xuejun hisses, sounding extremely alien to me. "I hate every single one of you." 


I don't dare reply. I might be blunt at times but even I knew when not to say something. Xuejun breathes out heavily, like it's taking him everything to not break down. My heart plunges down when I notice the traces of wetness at the corner of his eyes. "Xuejun—" 


"I'm not going back. At least for today." His voice is curt. Firm and finalised. But unlike his harsh voice, his eyes are red and vulnerable. Then he adds sarcastically, "And since you lost sleep and caught a cold for me, take responsibility." 


"He says he needs a day off. Just today," I speak quietly into the phone. 


Last night, after Liu Xuejun had shared his location to me, I had texted Chin Hae that I would send him back by tomorrow morning. But after his ruthless home run to my sanity a few minutes back, I steeled my heart and explained the situation to his bandmates as best as I could.


"So unlike Xuejun," Chin Hae groans into the phone. "The manager is so mad. The agency still doesn't know. We just told he went to a relative's place without informing everyone. Winter, skipping today's schedule is not a choice."


I sigh. "Chin Hae, trust me. We just need one day. He'll be back tomorrow. Say the relative died or something. Make up something." 


Chin Hae's voice goes down a few octaves and he sighs back. "I'll see what I can do. Good thing today is just a radio show." 


Hanging up, I glance meekly at Liu Xuejun who's standing a few feet away. We had just returned the sauna ticket and Xuejun was in celebrity gear. Mask, fake glasses, a cap and hoodie— he stuck out like a sore thumb in the quiet residential area. His hands rested inside the pockets of the hoodie, feet shuffling and he looked like a tiny brat who was sulking after not getting his way. 


I slowly walk back to him, hands held behind my back. 


Liu Xuejun glares at me. "Don't talk to me like I'm a kid." 


A laugh bursts out of my chest. Sure, Liu Xuejun had changed in many ways but it was during times like this that I could see that he hadn't changed much. 


CHAPTER 5 (PT 2) - Coffee