They both stepped forward at the same time. Ever the gentleman–at least for the cameras–Min Jae stopped first, gesturing for Andy to proceed. Nodding, Andy continued down the risers to the glossy studio floor, Min Jae a shadow at his back. A low murmur rolled through the other contestants. What was happening?
“Two Dream Boys,” Si Woo finally continued. “Centers for the signal song,Number One. Leaders of theKingmakerteams. And our current, top two-ranked contestants. How do you feel?”
A PA appeared at Andy’s side with a handheld mic. Startled, he nearly jumped. Then he took the mic, offering the PA a slight nod in thanks. He held it to his mouth, and his mind went blank. “I’m sorry, but, could you repeat the question?”
Laughter rippled behind Andy. Even Si Woo chuckled. “I asked how you feel.”
“Ah.” Andy grinned as he went flush. Even his ears warmed, dammit. “Well, I first want to congratulate the Kings of Heart sitting behind me.” He quickly turned back, nodding to Leo and Min Jun. “I probably wouldn’t be standing here without them.” Then he turned to Min Jae, whose gaze was firmly locked on Si Woo. “And I want to thank Min Jae, too.” Min Jae’s eyebrows shot up as he slowly turned toward Andy. “We may be rivals for the top spot, but I doubt I’d be standing here without him, either.” Andy would’ve paid a million bucks to see the shock on Min Jae’s face. So worth it.
“And that’s the charm that our Dream Makers love so dearly, Andy Kim.”
Andy held the mic to Min Jae. “Okay, your turn.” Another ripple of laughter. He was on a roll.
Min Jae almost rolled his eyes as he took the mic and turned back to Si Woo. “I’m honored to be standing here before such atalented group of performers–” He paused for a beat. “–and an exemplary rival.” He briefly bowed toward the camera. “Thank you to the Dream Makers for making this dream a possibility.”
No chuckles for Min Jae. That was fine. He could do things his way, too.
“Thank you both,” Si Woo said. “I’ll now announce who our Dream Makers have chosen as their number one Dream Boy for this elimination ceremony.” He paused for an imaginary drumroll as a beat of cold sweat began to run down the center of Andy’s back. “Our number one Dream Boy, winning this first elimination challenge, is Andy Kim.”
The studio literally exploded as confetti cannons fired from the ceiling rig. The theme song blasted from the speakers. Andy blinked, his ears ringing. Was that really happening? A heavy hand clapped onto his shoulder. Leo, who’d come down from his seat, his eyes wet with fresh tears. “Andy! You did it! Number one!”
Kyun Woo and Seo Jin, the only unranked members of Andy’s team jumped up and rushed down from the risers, smiles wide and bright. They were also crying, but only partly from joy. They still celebrated right along with Leo. And Min Jun. And the rest of the team, apparently, who’d all abandoned their seats to congratulate their former team leader.
Andy could only stare, a dumbfounded grin slowly spreading across his face. The cameras were all pointed at him, the bright lights almost blinding. Si Woo stood in the distance, gesturing for Andy to walk up and take his seat. Maybe it was real. Seeing the absolute joy on his friends’ faces, the genuine shock and applause from the other contestants, and the giant screen flashing his name, meant it had to be real. He was number one.
Andy turned to congratulate his rival, but Min Jae was already gone. He looked up at the risers, spotting him standing at his new chair. The number two chair. There was almost no telling what was going on inside his head, but Andy couldprobably guess. Min Jae’s ramrod straight posture and perfectly composed smile gave a little away.
When Andy finally climbed toward the top row, Min Jae offered him a pleasant smile and a polite bow. Up close, Andy could almost hear the screaming inside Min Jae’s head. He wanted to reach out to him, to calm him, to assure him that everything would be alright. The number two spot guaranteed him a position in Pr1ze just as much as the top spot did. But that would have to wait.
Andy took his seat as Si Woo closed out the broadcast, thanking the Dream Boys, and the Dream Makers in particular, for their gracious support. But Andy barely heard any of that. His mind was too busy wrestling with the idea that he–an unknown American who’d basically just appeared on Korean TV out of nowhere–had risen to the number one spot on Korea’s number one idol survival show. He’d already pinched himself a dozen times, sure that he was still fast asleep in his dorm bed. Did they do that in Korea, too? He had no idea.
But the feeling continued into the evening, Andy’s body moving on autopilot, producing smiles and thank yous when required, until his mind finally caught up. The contestants had already been bussed back to Sky Village by then, and were enjoying a bittersweet banquet in their honor. It was no dinner at Palate, but it was a generous step up from their usual meal service. Plus, they had beer.
“I really won,” Andy announced, cutting Leo off in the middle of a story about all the girls his parents had tried to match him with.
Min Jun nearly spit out his beer. “You’re just now realizing that?”
“Sorry.” Andy grinned, chuckling as his cheeks warmed. “I’m a little–” He paused, turning to Leo. “How would I say scatterbrained in Korean?”
Leo chuckled. “Hell if I know.”
Andy shrugged. “Yeah, well,” he continued in Korean, “I guess it just took me a while to believe this is really happening.”
“We’d probably say something like you lost your mind,” Min Jun offered, to everyone’s surprise. “What? I speak English, too.”
Andy and Leo both burst out laughing, suddenly robbed of their secret language. Leo continued with his story about traditional parents concerned with him choosing just the right mate. Andy was glad his parents weren’t like that. As if they’d jump on the apps or something, pinging a grid of shirtless torsos to find out if they had good jobs and respected their elders. Andy half-listened, still only half-present, until he emptied his glass. “Hey I’m gonna see if being the top ranked Dream Boy gets me a second beer.”
“Good luck,” Leo replied. “See if they’ll give you one for me, too.”
Andy wandered toward the banquet table, his attention zeroing in on a tray of kimbap, when a moving shadow in the far corner caught his eye. Min Jae, already changed out of his Dream Boy Project uniform into a dark t-shirt and jeans, paused beside the exit door, scanning the room to ensure no one was watching before slipping out.
Andy frowned. That wasn’t suspicious at all. His curiosity piqued, he set his empty glass on the table and took a step toward the door, returned to quickly snag a piece of kimbap, and shoved it into his mouth. Chewing, he resumed his surprise surveillance work and made a quick path toward the exit. Min Jae was just rounding the curve in the corridor to the left. Andy followed him, not exactly trying to catch up. He wanted to know where his rival was headed in such a secret hurry. He stayed on Min Jae’s trail when he turned down the Dragon Wing corridor, even more confused. Had Min Jae decided to get a jump on rehearsing for the next mission or something? A mission they hadn’t even been told about yet? But Min Jae continued past the practice room door, stopping at a plain,unmarked service door. He opened it without looking back and slipped through. Still intrigued, and now a little concerned, Andy hurried to the door and discovered a service stairwell leading up to the roof.
Andy gasped as he stepped outside, suddenly presented with a rolling landscape carpeted with twinkling lights and the distant towers of Seoul. An instant, magical escape from the pressures of the competition and the babbling, beer-drinking Dream Boys gathered in the banquet hall. Not to mention all the cameras.
Andy closed the door behind him as quietly as he could. He spotted Min Jae standing on the far side of the roof, and walked over to join him.
“I’m pretty sure we’re not allowed up here,” Andy announced.
