Tomorrow House [2/2 Final]
❇ Title: Tomorrow House [2/2 Final] for everyone
❇ Pairing: Chen-centric, slight!Chen/Yixing, side!Xiumin/Luhan, side!Kris/Suho
❇ Rating: R
❇ Length: 10,600+ words
❇ Warnings: Language, Violence, Implied Sexual Content
❇ Author note: First of all thank you, Universexo Mods, for this exchange!! Secondly, thank you for the prompt! I’m also a big A.R.M.Y. so this calls out to me. /crey I think I might have strayed away from the actual flow of the lyrics and just based it on the feel of the song itself. I hope you’ll still like this anyway. T_T Lastly, thank you to my betas, L & C, for sticking through with me.
❇ Summary: Jongdae just wants to sing. Will tomorrow simply be another day?
The moon was almost full when Jongdae looked out the window. He had moved to the dorm that the company gave him a couple of weeks after he signed his contract. Because he was busy preparing for his debut, Jongdae hadn’t been able to visit Tomorrow House for a long time. It was a good thing that his former boss had connections, since he and his boyfriend visited Jongdae almost every week. Sometimes, they even brought Yixing with them. That night, only Minseok visited since Han and Yixing were busy at the nightspot.
“Hey, Jongdae, sit down,” said the older man. “You need to relax a bit already. You don’t have pressing schedules, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, okay,” the other one replied. “I just can’t believe I’m this close to reaching my dream.”
“And all of us will be there to celebrate it with you,” Minseok added. “But, right now, I want to watch TV. My favorite show is on.”
“What’s on?” said Jongdae, sitting down next to his friend on the couch. “Cool! I love those two!”
The two became quiet as they started watching what was on the TV. It had been a while since Jongdae had watched television but in no time, both he and Minseok were already laughing at the show’s hosts. The BaekDo show started out as just a homemade talk/music/variety show, named after the two hosts, where they interviewed random people who would pass by the street where they were shooting, and get their friends to lip synch to popular singers. The viral videos were an internet sensation and the show was picked up by a major TV network, keeping true to most of the original format. The pair now shot in a studio and had the actual singers and artists as guests, but they still had a segment where they interviewed random strangers out in the streets. It was also broadcast mostly live with only but a few prerecorded segments.
“Ooh, this is gonna be interesting,” Minseok commented and looked at Jongdae, who tried to keep a blank face.
The BaekDo show had Shin as their guest, and the artist had just got on the stage singing ‘Tomorrow’ - although lip-synching would be the actual description. The rounds of music awards show had just finished and as predicted, ‘Tomorrow’ and, by extension, Shin had earned multiple accolades. Hence, the singer was doing the variety show stints.
“Alright! Just fresh from receiving multiple awards including Song of the Year in many award-giving bodies, it’s Shin!” said Baekhyun, one of the hosts, as he introduced their guest. The singer took a seat in between the hosts.
“Let’s get right down to it then,” D.O., the other host, spoke. “You’ve been one of the most awarded rookie soloists since a long time, Shin. How do you feel?”
“Oh, D.O.-ssi,” answered the singer. “I can’t describe this very powerful feeling inside me, with the success of my song. I only have my company to thank, the producers, everyone who helped in my debut, my family and friends, and especially our CEO, Mr. Jung, because without him, this could never be really possible.”
“Wow, spoken like in a true award show,” Baekhyun commented in a deadpan voice. “D.O., did you prepare the trophy?”
Minseok and Jongdae laughed so hard. The hosts of the show were variety gold, and had an infectious quality that really made their antics quite funny.
“Bullshit!” Jongdae screamed at the TV, already relaxed enough to act that way as the show went into commercial. “Everything he says is bullshit!”
When the show got back on, Jongdae and Minseok were surprised when a short clip of the former’s debut showcase aired. When it ended, D.O. was back on the screen saying, “That was our bubbling-up artist feature for the week. He’s a dark horse from GEnt that coasted under everyone’s radar. Going by a single name just like our guest tonight, he is Chen.”
“That’s right,” Baekhyun interjected. “I was there at his debut showcase just a couple of nights ago. It was a quaint little affair, even the usually rabid fans were soothed by Chen’s voice.”
“Hold up!” said D.O., as the camera focused on his intense reaction. “You were at the showcase? How??”
“I was invited to represent the show.” Baekhyun opened his mouth to say something more but was quickly interrupted by his partner.
“And when were you planning to tell me that you were there. You told me you had a hair appointment. That’s unfair!! PD-nim, I want tickets to Chen’s first concert! This squid stays at home.”
“What? What do you mean he has to come with me?” D.O. continued his tirade, speaking to someone behind the camera. His facial expressions were so genuine that Minseok and Jongdae could not help but roll around all over the floor.
“Fine, but I get backstage passes!” The MC even stuck out a tongue at the other one just for emphasis.
“Anyway,” Baekhyun drawled out. “We’re back with our guest for this episode, Shin!”
Before the singer could speak, D.O. blurted out, “Wait, how do they spell Chen’s name again?”
Baekhyun spelled it out causing D.O. to further comment, “That’s also close to how you spell your name, right Shin?”
“Umm... I guess so,” answered their guest. “But as senior, I wish him luck.”
“Ahh... such a good gesture,” said Baekhyun. “Now, let’s get to questions that your fans sent to us on Twitter using #AskShinOnBaekDO.”
“First tweet question,” D.O. spoke as he scrolled through the tablet. “From @baekmedyo: Shin, why do you only lip synch or make pre-recordings? I can’t wait to hear you live.”
“Umm... yes,” the singer faltered. “I try to sing live as much as possible even though it probably looks like it is being lip synched only. Even though there are pre-recordings, most of my performances have always been live. I’m sure my fans have already heard me live. I am just able to completely mimic what I have recorded.”
“Told you he was just speaking bullshit,” Jongdae said, throwing a cheese puff at the TV.
“Hey, don’t waste the cheese puffs,” Minseok grabbed the bag from between the two of them and placed it on his lap.
“Next question,” Baekhyun continued. “Oh, whew! This is one hardcore question. From @lielailai. Did I say that right? Anyway, the question goes: D.O.-oppa, it’s not just their names that are close to each other. Please listen to Shin and Chen’s voice together. The quality is really close too.”
“Really?” said D.O. and once more looked at someone behind the camera. “Can we do that right now? Ready? Let’s hear it for ourselves.”
The show played a sound clip from Chen’s showcase side by side with ‘Tomorrow.’ Baekhyun and D.O. were listening intently and nodding to each other, while Shin was looking almost constipated.
“Wow... our viewers are also really good listeners,’ said Baekhyun. “There really is something similar between their voices. What do you think, Shin?”
The singer cleared his throat. “Well... umm... how can I say this? My song has been such a great hit, and I also thank my fans for making my single album also do well even though there are so many artists in the industry today. I also look up to my seniors and I idolize a lot of them. I started out imitating their voices just so I can find my own place. I think that is what is happening now with an upcoming singer like Chen. I find it humbling and it would be such an honor if he is making me a role model.”
“When pigs fly!” Jongdae screamed at the screen once more. “Go on, make me barf even more!”
“Well, aren’t we getting a bit ahead of ourselves?” D.O. rolled his eyes at the camera, to which Jongdae and Minseok responded in glee.
“Alright, let’s have one more question,” said Baekhyun. “From @shinebrightshin, it goes: Shin-oppa, why didn’t you have any comeback at all? We don’t want our star to fade. My friends already say Chen is hundred times better after we went to his showcase.”
The singer was visibly bristling in anger by now and before the hosts could say anything more, Shin said, “I don’t believe that your friends are my true fans. I didn’t have any comebacks because I was busy preparing a great song and a great album for all of my true fans. To be honest, I also helped in composing some of the songs in my album and now that everything is ready, I am proud to announce that I actually have a comeback scheduled in two weeks. My new song will be released next week and as for this issue with Chen, I only have one thing to say. I will not back down if there is a sing-off between us because I believe that the superior voice will always come out on top. The award-giving bodies have already said so.”
“Whoa, did you hear that, viewers?” said Baekhyun excitedly.
“Shin just challenged Chen to a sing-off,” D.O. interjected. “Didn’t you, Shin?”
“Yes, a singing challenge between me and Chen, any time, any place,” said the guest haughtily.
“How about next week then?” asked Baekhyun. “D.O.?”
“Yes, that would be perfect!” answered the other host. “Chen, I hope you are watching this broadcast, because we are inviting you, as well as Shin to come here on our show next week for the biggest sing-off challenge of the year!”
“I’m definitely ready,” said Shin.
Suddenly, the TV screen was turned off.
“What the-?” exclaimed Minseok. “I was still watching that!”
“Oh, no! Oh, no!” Jongdae was pacing around restlessly in front of the TV, still holding the remote tightly. “Minseok, didn’t you just get what they said?”
“Eh? Shin and Chen in a singing challenge. So?” Suddenly, realization dawned on the older guy’s face. “Oh, wait. That’s you! You’re Chen! Haha! Oh, no!”
Jongdae’s cellphone started ringing that special tone just for that one person. “Junmyeon’s calling.”
Jongdae could only see darkness as he felt himself being pushed forward forcefully. He only went out for his afternoon run but the next thing he knew, someone had covered his mouth and nose with a piece of cloth. The last thing he remembered was the feeling of being yanked back before he passed out. Now, Jongdae didn’t know where to walk and wanted to stay put, but he was being shoved hard. His hands were tied behind his back and it had started to hurt. He heard a door open in front of him.
“You are a good for nothing, dimwit!”
Jongdae heard his former boss’ voice. He realized he was in the VEnt building.
“I-I’m sorry, Mr. Jung. I didn’t think…”
It was Shin. He didn’t sound like his usual smug self. Jongdae heard fear.
“That’s right!” There was a slap. “You do not think. You only do what I tell you to do. And now, you’ve cost me a lot. A sing-off. Idiot! Do you really want the whole world to know that this company’s hit song was only ghosted?”
“I…”
“Shut up! You’ve forced this hand on me and now you will pay the price.”
Suddenly, Jongdae heard someone nearby clear his throat. “Boss?”
“Aah… yes. Do you have him?”
Jongdae felt himself being shoved once more and he stumbled a bit as he took a few steps inside. His blindfold was taken off and the young man saw that he was inside the CEO’s office. Mr. Jung and Shin were in front of the former’s desk. The setting sun shone brightly through before it was to give way to darkness, a feeling not unlike what Jongdae was going through at the moment.
“Jongdae, Jongdae, Jongdae,” said the older man. “How have you been? Those retards at G treating you well?
Jongdae didn’t answer him.
“Aww… little Jongdae is shy.” A sinister grin was on the other one’s face. “Well, I’m sure you want to know what you are doing here.”
“Mr. Jung, why is he-” Shin started to say but the CEO just backhanded his face once more.
“Yes, about that,” began the man. “It’s quite simple really. I want you to sing for me one more time, little Jongdae. Nothing special, just this idiot’s comeback song.”
“What makes you think I would even consent to that?” Jongdae spat out, unable to keep quiet anymore.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Mr. Jung’s voice trailed off as he took a few steps towards the window. The man suddenly turned back to face Jongdae and shouted, “Because I will kill you.”
Jongdae kept his mouth shut once more. He could only swallow.
“And you know I can, Jongdae. This wouldn’t be the first time I did a crime to get what I want. And no one will be the wiser.”
Jongdae saw the older one smile.
“My boys here do a clean job. I don’t know about you, but you really shouldn’t take shortcuts where there are no people around to witness your kidnapping. How your poor mother will cry her heart out when she hears the news that you died!”
“Don’t you dare show yourself to my mother ever again!” Jongdae gritted his teeth. He knew he was in no position to make a threat, but he wanted the bastard to know that he wasn’t going to go down without a fight.
“Tsk! Tsk! Jongdae, is that how you treat the man who made your dreams come true? ‘Thank you so much, Mr. Jung!’” The man’s voice went higher in pitch to mimic Jongdae’s. “You were such a sweet boy, Jongdae. I only want you to sing a song for me, my little one. Maybe an album or two every couple of years or so? I’m not angry at you for defecting to that damned G company. But don’t I also get a piece of the pie? Since I did bring you out of that backwater of a province.”
Jongdae did not know what to think anymore. He just started to pray in silence.
“Don’t worry, little Jongdae,” the man continued. “I’m going to let you go, of course. I’ll let you go back to that whiny little grandson of my mentor. Ha! Fancy himself to be a music producer, eh? He doesn’t even know how to make out a sharp from a flat. But, that will happen only after the sing-off. I need to teach that brat, Junmyeon, a lesson about messing with me.”
Jongdae was still silent.
The CEO clapped his hands loudly. “Well, silence means yes. Let’s get started. Boys, escort our guest to the studio.”
“What about the other one, boss?” said one of the goons.
“Do whatever you want with him,” said the older man nonchalantly. “Just keep his face clean. I still need that to earn some bucks for this decrepit company.”
It was two days later and Junmyeon was beside himself with worry. He, Yifan, Luhan and Minseok were at the studio where the BaekDo show was filming. The four of them were early and planned to stall the producers and show’s hosts themselves. Or perhaps apologize to the fans should Jongdae not really show up. They’ve tried very much to find the young singer. No one saw Jongdae though, or even knew where he went to a couple of days ago. Luhan and Minseok were sure of one thing though, that this wasn’t a normal thing for the young man they’ve treated as their younger brother since they’ve met him.
Minseok noticed his phone was vibrating. The caller ID showed Yixing’s name. He picked it up and quickly answered, “Yixing? Any news?”
“I’ve been trying to call you and Boss Han for half an hour now,” said the man on the other end.
“Sorry, sorry,” said Minseok. “Han must have his phone on silent.”
“Okay, okay,” Yixing’s voice was a bit muffled. “We’ve found him.”
“Jongdae? Where?” Minseok asked eagerly, when suddenly someone grabbed his phone away from.
“Yixing? Where is he?” Junmyeon’s voice was raised a bit, causing his husband to squeeze his shoulders to calm him down.
“Ahh… Junmyeon-ssi… uhh…” Yixing started to stutter. He still wasn’t used to talking to Jongdae’s new boss. “My umm… roommate knows where he is.”
“And?” Junmyeon was getting impatient.
“He says he saw Jongdae enter the place where he works a couple of days ago. He… umm… he worked with Jongdae before.”
“Get to the point, Yixing. We’re in hot water here.” It was all Junmyeon could do not to roll his eyes.
“We’re umm… we’re going to VEnt building. Kai thinks Jongdae’s still there.”
“Who’s Kai?” Junmyeon was too wound up to make sense of what the other man was saying.
“Kai’s the dance instructor in VEnt. He saw a couple of big guys dragging Jongdae in a couple of days ago. He was tied up and blindfolded.”
“Damn that Jung Ji-hu! I never thought he’d stoop this low. How did you only get this news now? You said you and this Kai person were roommates.” Junmyeon closed his fists so tightly his knuckles had become white.
“I-I haven’t really been home since this morning. Kai and I are on our way to get Jongdae.”
“Are you sure?” asked Junmyeon, concern in his voice now. “He’s sure to be guarded.”
Suddenly both heard a loud, muffled groan.
“Umm…” said Yixing. “I guess he’s not now. Kai has a black belt in taekwondo.”
“You two are already there?!” Junmyeon half-screamed. “Okay, okay. Just get here safely. We’re already at the studio. I’ll have clothes and make-up ready.”
“Give us time,” said Yixing. “We’ll be there as fast as we can.”
Some time before at VEnt, Jongdae was pacing back and forth in the small room they once used to change clothes in while the building was under renovation. Jongdae wanted to escape. Today was the day of his sing-off and he didn’t want to let Junmyeon down. No, he didn’t want to let himself down. This was his chance to prove himself to the world. It was more than besting Shin, more than getting back at his former company. This was supposed to be the real start of fulfilling his dream.
There was a sudden ruckus outside. He heard two men groaning in pain and the sound of bodies dropping to the floor. The knob began rattling. Jongdae felt the pounding of his heart. The door opened to reveal a familiar face.
“Kai?!” Jongdae exclaimed.
“Jongdae!” said the other man, as both grabbed each other for a hug. “Thank heavens! I knew something was fishy when I saw those goons drag you in.”
“How did you know it was me?” asked the singer.
“I’m your dance instructor,” Kai raised an eyebrow. “I know what your body looks and moves like even though it’s been months since you ran out of here. I missed you! You didn’t even contact me.”
“I-,” Jongdae stopped midway. “I’m sorry. I wanted to, but I didn’t want Mr. Jung to know where I was. Didn’t matter, since he apparently knew where I was all this time anyway.”
“Isn’t it a coincidence that my roommate is the guy who’s madly head over heels for you?” Kai grinned, teasingly.
Jongdae’s face grew red. “Don’t tell me. Yixing?”
“Bingo!” Kai let out a chuckle. “Come on, he’s waiting outside. I believe you have an appointment to keep.”
When the two went out of the room, Yixing was in fact standing just a short distance away. He had just gone off the phone with Junmyeon. When he saw Jongdae, the man immediately ran towards his co-worker and grabbed him in a tight hug.
“I’m fine, Yixing,” Jongdae said with a soft smile. “They didn’t hurt me.”
“I was worried,” the other one declared, unable to look at Jongdae in the eye.
The singer placed his thumb and forefinger on Yixing’s chin, forcing the other to look him in the eye.
“I’m glad you’re here,” said Jongdae, before he leaned in to place his lips on Yixing’s.
“Okay, okay!” said Kai, interrupting the two. “Clock’s ticking. You two can get a room later.”
“Can’t we wait a little more?” Junmyeon asked the show’s producer. He had already been warned that they were already running late and the studio could not afford any more time than what was allotted since it was a live show. Some time before, he received a text from Yixing and they were still some ways off.
“Mr. Kim, I believe I’ve already told you that we are running a live show here,” said the producer. “This is not some taped variety show where shooting can last for hours.”
Baekhyun, one of the hosts, made his way towards the two and asked “What seems to be the problem?”
“I just wanted to ask for a bit of an extension,” answered Junmyeon. “Chen is running a bit late because of the traffic.”
Suddenly, Jung Ji-hu had also made his way to the little group. “Oh really? You were here early. Why couldn’t he come with you then?”
“Yes? Why couldn’t he?” The producer also asked, agreeing with the other man.
“He had a scheduled appointment with his dentist,” said Junmyeon, saying whatever he could from the top of his head. “He’s just stuck for a bit in traffic.”
“Well, isn’t that convenient?” said Ji-hu, deliberately inciting something. “I mean, PD-nim, my artist, Shin, has been here for a couple of hours now. The show was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago. Why are we all being made to wait for a newbie who hasn’t even had a proper debut and is already acting like a diva?”
“I wouldn’t say it that far, Mr. Jung,” Baekhyun interjected.
“Look, Mr. Kim. The show will start in five minutes, whether your artist is here or not. That is all I will have to say,” declared the producer. “Baekhyun, please be at your marker.”
The producer walked away with Ji-hu at his side, the two conversing on their own.
Junmyeon could only let out a sigh. He might be the grandson of one of the best music producers of the past generation, but Junmyeon knew he still hasn’t earned the respect from the bigger players of the industry.
“Junmyeon,” said Baekhyun, interrupting the other man’s thoughts. “May I call you Junmyeon? I know a thing or two about the rare traffic jams we get and how it can really screw up our schedules. So tell you what. How about I mix around the program since this is still our show anyway? I mean, the producer can act all high and mighty, but there can only be so much control over the chaos of a live show. I’ll put the sing-off at the latter part of the show. Besides, I’m sure it will bring in the ratings for the second half of the show and heaven knows the station needs those latter-half ratings seeing as our timeslot is against some of the real music shows.”
“Can you do that really?” Junmyeon felt hope rising within him.
Baekhyun winked at the other man and said nothing more, making his way to his marker as the light signals turned on.
Junmyeon took a deep breath, and as he turned around he saw Luhan waving his arms around animatedly at him. He quickly made his way to his best friend who said, “Jongdae’s here.”
Moments later and Junmyeon entered the dressing room where his artist was being made up. He was glad he had such an efficient coordinating team as they had managed to dress Jongdae in less than a couple of minutes. Minseok and Yixing couldn’t believe their eyes at the speed of Jongdae’s transformation before them. Kai and Yifan were also there, but the two already knew the ins and outs of the dressing room procedures.
“Jongdae!” Junmyeon exclaimed. “I’m so glad you’re alright. No, you don’t have to answer so soon. Noona needs to put that finishing touch on your lips.”
When the coordinating team was finished, Jongdae made his way over to his music producer/manager and gingerly gave him a hug, not wanting to rumple his clothes or smudge his makeup.
“Okay, we still have some time,” said Junmyeon. “Baekhyun’s running the show and the sing-off won’t be until the latter part. Please tell us what happened.”
Before Jongdae could answer, the door swung open and someone behind them said, “Jongdae, you’re here. I’m so sorry.”
“Shin,” answered the other man. “It wasn’t your fault.”
Over the next few minutes, both men related what happened over the past few days. While they were talking, the gears in Junmyeon’s head had already begun working.
“Jung Ji-hu really is a bastard,” the man declared. “Okay, here’s what we are going to do.” He began to related his plan to everyone.
Half an hour later, Junmyeon was standing at the sides where guests would come in. The show was set up in a way that was somewhat like most music shows, but had a more intimate stage and less audience since fans were know to become a bit rowdy at times which would disturb the flow of the program.
“So, Kim Junmyeon, your grandfather finally let you out of the dungeons, huh?” Jung Ji-hu was standing beside the shorter man. “It’s your first sole-produced artist and already he’s letting you down. Are you prepared to lose this sing-off?”
Junmyeon kept a neutral face on. “I have a good artist, inside and out. I believe in him and I would rather put my money where my mouth is.”
Before the older man could give a retort, the lights signaled that the show was back from commercials.
“And now, ladies and gentlemen,” Kyungsoo, the other host, began. “The moment you’ve been waiting for. It’s time for the sing-off of the century: an award-winning balladeer with his comeback song, against a newbie, who will make his debut on this stage right here. Are your ears and hearts ready? I believe we passed out tissues during the commercial break.”
The audience laughed at Kyungsoo’s antics.
“Aigoo!” Baekhyun exclaimed. “Someone already asked for a bucket. I hope she fills it up with tears though and not something else. Wink! Wink!”
More laughter from the people in the studio.
“Alright, let’s get on with this sing-off,” Baekhyun declared. “With his comeback song titled, ‘Never Let You Go,’ here’s Shin.”
The audience screamed loudly as the music began to filter through. From the sides, Jung Ji-hu was grinning widely. He himself oversaw the quick production of the song that Jongdae had a recorded a couple of nights before. It was really slated to become Shin’s comeback a long time ago before Jongdae disappeared from the company. The music was ready and only Jongdae’s vocals were needed. The station where they were at had a strong policy against lip synching but because Ji-hu did not do much production editing, it sounded like it was still live. Of course, he had to grease a few hands in the studio too so that the vocal track would still be played despite the rules. Jung Ji-hu always gets whatever he wants, no matter the cost.
Shin stepped out and the screams grew even louder as he began to “sing” his first line. Jung Ji-hu, of course, knew that the singer was a good lip-syncher. Shin wasn’t allowed to sleep until he had perfected lip synching to the various inflections that Jongdae intentionally put into the vocals. He should have punished Jongdae for doing it, but he believed that humiliation of the young man not appearing today would be enough for now.
Suddenly though, Ji-hu thought he was seeing an apparition. For a minute he thought Jongdae was standing opposite him on the other side of the stage. ‘No,’ he thought to himself. ‘That’s impossible. Jongdae is under lock and key at the office. No one knows he’s there.’
Ji-hu did a double take and this time he was sure it really was Jongdae he saw standing on the other side of the stage. He took a step back, wanting to go to the other side to see if it was really him.
“Going somewhere, Mr. Jung?” Junmyeon suddenly asked.
Ji-hu suddenly noticed Yifan and Kai standing beside him. He looked back and saw two large bouncers behind him, with unfriendly looks in their eyes. Somehow, Ji-hu thought this wasn’t playing out as well as he expected.
It became real when Ji-hu saw that Shin was just standing there while the vocal track continued. A loud buzz went through the audience as everyone was wondering what was happening. They wanted to know why there was still the sound of someone singing when Shin wasn’t even opening his mouth.
Shin then raised his hand to signal for the music to be cut off. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to say. All this time, it was not my real voice that you have heard in ‘Tomorrow’ and now in ‘Never Let You Go.’ To tell the truth, my company has been ghosting my voice all this time. I’ve known about it all this time, but I did not say anything about it for fear of getting fired or worse. Not until today.”
Shin was genuinely looking apologetic, but the buzz in the audience was getting louder and angrier. He continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the true singer of ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘Never Let You Go.’ Chen, come join me out here.”
The music for ‘Tomorrow’ suddenly filtered through the speakers. There was still a buzz going on but most of the people were in anticipation. Just as the first line was about to start, Jongdae, as Chen, stepped out and onto the stage to sing. He made his way and stood beside Shin throughout the first verse.
Chen looked at his sunbae and signaled the other with a nod of his head. Shin took a breath and suddenly his real voice went into the microphone and out through the speakers as he sang the next verse. The audience was enthralled. No other sound could be heard other the two as they sang the whole. Chen and Shin, with smiles on their faces, gave everyone a treat as they harmonized through the last chorus and ended the song with sustained notes.
“Don’t give up you know. Don’t get too far away, tomorrow.”
-----
Chen looked at the vast ocean of pink lights before him. He was basking in it, banners everywhere, balloons, and even more lights everywhere.
“It’s really pretty.” He heard a whisper at his ear, and he smiled at his friend. They had just finished the duet for ‘Tomorrow’ with Shin as his guest singer.
“Everyone!” Chen said to the microphone, and was received by screams from the audience, fans who came to his first major concert. “Please anticipate for my friend, Shin. I am pleased to announce that he will debut soon as part of G Entertainment’s latest group to capture your hearts.”
❇ Pairing: Chen-centric, slight!Chen/Yixing, side!Xiumin/Luhan, side!Kris/Suho
❇ Rating: R
❇ Length: 10,600+ words
❇ Warnings: Language, Violence, Implied Sexual Content
❇ Author note: First of all thank you, Universexo Mods, for this exchange!! Secondly, thank you for the prompt! I’m also a big A.R.M.Y. so this calls out to me. /crey I think I might have strayed away from the actual flow of the lyrics and just based it on the feel of the song itself. I hope you’ll still like this anyway. T_T Lastly, thank you to my betas, L & C, for sticking through with me.
❇ Summary: Jongdae just wants to sing. Will tomorrow simply be another day?
The moon was almost full when Jongdae looked out the window. He had moved to the dorm that the company gave him a couple of weeks after he signed his contract. Because he was busy preparing for his debut, Jongdae hadn’t been able to visit Tomorrow House for a long time. It was a good thing that his former boss had connections, since he and his boyfriend visited Jongdae almost every week. Sometimes, they even brought Yixing with them. That night, only Minseok visited since Han and Yixing were busy at the nightspot.
“Hey, Jongdae, sit down,” said the older man. “You need to relax a bit already. You don’t have pressing schedules, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, okay,” the other one replied. “I just can’t believe I’m this close to reaching my dream.”
“And all of us will be there to celebrate it with you,” Minseok added. “But, right now, I want to watch TV. My favorite show is on.”
“What’s on?” said Jongdae, sitting down next to his friend on the couch. “Cool! I love those two!”
The two became quiet as they started watching what was on the TV. It had been a while since Jongdae had watched television but in no time, both he and Minseok were already laughing at the show’s hosts. The BaekDo show started out as just a homemade talk/music/variety show, named after the two hosts, where they interviewed random people who would pass by the street where they were shooting, and get their friends to lip synch to popular singers. The viral videos were an internet sensation and the show was picked up by a major TV network, keeping true to most of the original format. The pair now shot in a studio and had the actual singers and artists as guests, but they still had a segment where they interviewed random strangers out in the streets. It was also broadcast mostly live with only but a few prerecorded segments.
“Ooh, this is gonna be interesting,” Minseok commented and looked at Jongdae, who tried to keep a blank face.
The BaekDo show had Shin as their guest, and the artist had just got on the stage singing ‘Tomorrow’ - although lip-synching would be the actual description. The rounds of music awards show had just finished and as predicted, ‘Tomorrow’ and, by extension, Shin had earned multiple accolades. Hence, the singer was doing the variety show stints.
“Alright! Just fresh from receiving multiple awards including Song of the Year in many award-giving bodies, it’s Shin!” said Baekhyun, one of the hosts, as he introduced their guest. The singer took a seat in between the hosts.
“Let’s get right down to it then,” D.O., the other host, spoke. “You’ve been one of the most awarded rookie soloists since a long time, Shin. How do you feel?”
“Oh, D.O.-ssi,” answered the singer. “I can’t describe this very powerful feeling inside me, with the success of my song. I only have my company to thank, the producers, everyone who helped in my debut, my family and friends, and especially our CEO, Mr. Jung, because without him, this could never be really possible.”
“Wow, spoken like in a true award show,” Baekhyun commented in a deadpan voice. “D.O., did you prepare the trophy?”
Minseok and Jongdae laughed so hard. The hosts of the show were variety gold, and had an infectious quality that really made their antics quite funny.
“Bullshit!” Jongdae screamed at the TV, already relaxed enough to act that way as the show went into commercial. “Everything he says is bullshit!”
When the show got back on, Jongdae and Minseok were surprised when a short clip of the former’s debut showcase aired. When it ended, D.O. was back on the screen saying, “That was our bubbling-up artist feature for the week. He’s a dark horse from GEnt that coasted under everyone’s radar. Going by a single name just like our guest tonight, he is Chen.”
“That’s right,” Baekhyun interjected. “I was there at his debut showcase just a couple of nights ago. It was a quaint little affair, even the usually rabid fans were soothed by Chen’s voice.”
“Hold up!” said D.O., as the camera focused on his intense reaction. “You were at the showcase? How??”
“I was invited to represent the show.” Baekhyun opened his mouth to say something more but was quickly interrupted by his partner.
“And when were you planning to tell me that you were there. You told me you had a hair appointment. That’s unfair!! PD-nim, I want tickets to Chen’s first concert! This squid stays at home.”
“What? What do you mean he has to come with me?” D.O. continued his tirade, speaking to someone behind the camera. His facial expressions were so genuine that Minseok and Jongdae could not help but roll around all over the floor.
“Fine, but I get backstage passes!” The MC even stuck out a tongue at the other one just for emphasis.
“Anyway,” Baekhyun drawled out. “We’re back with our guest for this episode, Shin!”
Before the singer could speak, D.O. blurted out, “Wait, how do they spell Chen’s name again?”
Baekhyun spelled it out causing D.O. to further comment, “That’s also close to how you spell your name, right Shin?”
“Umm... I guess so,” answered their guest. “But as senior, I wish him luck.”
“Ahh... such a good gesture,” said Baekhyun. “Now, let’s get to questions that your fans sent to us on Twitter using #AskShinOnBaekDO.”
“First tweet question,” D.O. spoke as he scrolled through the tablet. “From @baekmedyo: Shin, why do you only lip synch or make pre-recordings? I can’t wait to hear you live.”
“Umm... yes,” the singer faltered. “I try to sing live as much as possible even though it probably looks like it is being lip synched only. Even though there are pre-recordings, most of my performances have always been live. I’m sure my fans have already heard me live. I am just able to completely mimic what I have recorded.”
“Told you he was just speaking bullshit,” Jongdae said, throwing a cheese puff at the TV.
“Hey, don’t waste the cheese puffs,” Minseok grabbed the bag from between the two of them and placed it on his lap.
“Next question,” Baekhyun continued. “Oh, whew! This is one hardcore question. From @lielailai. Did I say that right? Anyway, the question goes: D.O.-oppa, it’s not just their names that are close to each other. Please listen to Shin and Chen’s voice together. The quality is really close too.”
“Really?” said D.O. and once more looked at someone behind the camera. “Can we do that right now? Ready? Let’s hear it for ourselves.”
The show played a sound clip from Chen’s showcase side by side with ‘Tomorrow.’ Baekhyun and D.O. were listening intently and nodding to each other, while Shin was looking almost constipated.
“Wow... our viewers are also really good listeners,’ said Baekhyun. “There really is something similar between their voices. What do you think, Shin?”
The singer cleared his throat. “Well... umm... how can I say this? My song has been such a great hit, and I also thank my fans for making my single album also do well even though there are so many artists in the industry today. I also look up to my seniors and I idolize a lot of them. I started out imitating their voices just so I can find my own place. I think that is what is happening now with an upcoming singer like Chen. I find it humbling and it would be such an honor if he is making me a role model.”
“When pigs fly!” Jongdae screamed at the screen once more. “Go on, make me barf even more!”
“Well, aren’t we getting a bit ahead of ourselves?” D.O. rolled his eyes at the camera, to which Jongdae and Minseok responded in glee.
“Alright, let’s have one more question,” said Baekhyun. “From @shinebrightshin, it goes: Shin-oppa, why didn’t you have any comeback at all? We don’t want our star to fade. My friends already say Chen is hundred times better after we went to his showcase.”
The singer was visibly bristling in anger by now and before the hosts could say anything more, Shin said, “I don’t believe that your friends are my true fans. I didn’t have any comebacks because I was busy preparing a great song and a great album for all of my true fans. To be honest, I also helped in composing some of the songs in my album and now that everything is ready, I am proud to announce that I actually have a comeback scheduled in two weeks. My new song will be released next week and as for this issue with Chen, I only have one thing to say. I will not back down if there is a sing-off between us because I believe that the superior voice will always come out on top. The award-giving bodies have already said so.”
“Whoa, did you hear that, viewers?” said Baekhyun excitedly.
“Shin just challenged Chen to a sing-off,” D.O. interjected. “Didn’t you, Shin?”
“Yes, a singing challenge between me and Chen, any time, any place,” said the guest haughtily.
“How about next week then?” asked Baekhyun. “D.O.?”
“Yes, that would be perfect!” answered the other host. “Chen, I hope you are watching this broadcast, because we are inviting you, as well as Shin to come here on our show next week for the biggest sing-off challenge of the year!”
“I’m definitely ready,” said Shin.
Suddenly, the TV screen was turned off.
“What the-?” exclaimed Minseok. “I was still watching that!”
“Oh, no! Oh, no!” Jongdae was pacing around restlessly in front of the TV, still holding the remote tightly. “Minseok, didn’t you just get what they said?”
“Eh? Shin and Chen in a singing challenge. So?” Suddenly, realization dawned on the older guy’s face. “Oh, wait. That’s you! You’re Chen! Haha! Oh, no!”
Jongdae’s cellphone started ringing that special tone just for that one person. “Junmyeon’s calling.”
Jongdae could only see darkness as he felt himself being pushed forward forcefully. He only went out for his afternoon run but the next thing he knew, someone had covered his mouth and nose with a piece of cloth. The last thing he remembered was the feeling of being yanked back before he passed out. Now, Jongdae didn’t know where to walk and wanted to stay put, but he was being shoved hard. His hands were tied behind his back and it had started to hurt. He heard a door open in front of him.
“You are a good for nothing, dimwit!”
Jongdae heard his former boss’ voice. He realized he was in the VEnt building.
“I-I’m sorry, Mr. Jung. I didn’t think…”
It was Shin. He didn’t sound like his usual smug self. Jongdae heard fear.
“That’s right!” There was a slap. “You do not think. You only do what I tell you to do. And now, you’ve cost me a lot. A sing-off. Idiot! Do you really want the whole world to know that this company’s hit song was only ghosted?”
“I…”
“Shut up! You’ve forced this hand on me and now you will pay the price.”
Suddenly, Jongdae heard someone nearby clear his throat. “Boss?”
“Aah… yes. Do you have him?”
Jongdae felt himself being shoved once more and he stumbled a bit as he took a few steps inside. His blindfold was taken off and the young man saw that he was inside the CEO’s office. Mr. Jung and Shin were in front of the former’s desk. The setting sun shone brightly through before it was to give way to darkness, a feeling not unlike what Jongdae was going through at the moment.
“Jongdae, Jongdae, Jongdae,” said the older man. “How have you been? Those retards at G treating you well?
Jongdae didn’t answer him.
“Aww… little Jongdae is shy.” A sinister grin was on the other one’s face. “Well, I’m sure you want to know what you are doing here.”
“Mr. Jung, why is he-” Shin started to say but the CEO just backhanded his face once more.
“Yes, about that,” began the man. “It’s quite simple really. I want you to sing for me one more time, little Jongdae. Nothing special, just this idiot’s comeback song.”
“What makes you think I would even consent to that?” Jongdae spat out, unable to keep quiet anymore.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Mr. Jung’s voice trailed off as he took a few steps towards the window. The man suddenly turned back to face Jongdae and shouted, “Because I will kill you.”
Jongdae kept his mouth shut once more. He could only swallow.
“And you know I can, Jongdae. This wouldn’t be the first time I did a crime to get what I want. And no one will be the wiser.”
Jongdae saw the older one smile.
“My boys here do a clean job. I don’t know about you, but you really shouldn’t take shortcuts where there are no people around to witness your kidnapping. How your poor mother will cry her heart out when she hears the news that you died!”
“Don’t you dare show yourself to my mother ever again!” Jongdae gritted his teeth. He knew he was in no position to make a threat, but he wanted the bastard to know that he wasn’t going to go down without a fight.
“Tsk! Tsk! Jongdae, is that how you treat the man who made your dreams come true? ‘Thank you so much, Mr. Jung!’” The man’s voice went higher in pitch to mimic Jongdae’s. “You were such a sweet boy, Jongdae. I only want you to sing a song for me, my little one. Maybe an album or two every couple of years or so? I’m not angry at you for defecting to that damned G company. But don’t I also get a piece of the pie? Since I did bring you out of that backwater of a province.”
Jongdae did not know what to think anymore. He just started to pray in silence.
“Don’t worry, little Jongdae,” the man continued. “I’m going to let you go, of course. I’ll let you go back to that whiny little grandson of my mentor. Ha! Fancy himself to be a music producer, eh? He doesn’t even know how to make out a sharp from a flat. But, that will happen only after the sing-off. I need to teach that brat, Junmyeon, a lesson about messing with me.”
Jongdae was still silent.
The CEO clapped his hands loudly. “Well, silence means yes. Let’s get started. Boys, escort our guest to the studio.”
“What about the other one, boss?” said one of the goons.
“Do whatever you want with him,” said the older man nonchalantly. “Just keep his face clean. I still need that to earn some bucks for this decrepit company.”
It was two days later and Junmyeon was beside himself with worry. He, Yifan, Luhan and Minseok were at the studio where the BaekDo show was filming. The four of them were early and planned to stall the producers and show’s hosts themselves. Or perhaps apologize to the fans should Jongdae not really show up. They’ve tried very much to find the young singer. No one saw Jongdae though, or even knew where he went to a couple of days ago. Luhan and Minseok were sure of one thing though, that this wasn’t a normal thing for the young man they’ve treated as their younger brother since they’ve met him.
Minseok noticed his phone was vibrating. The caller ID showed Yixing’s name. He picked it up and quickly answered, “Yixing? Any news?”
“I’ve been trying to call you and Boss Han for half an hour now,” said the man on the other end.
“Sorry, sorry,” said Minseok. “Han must have his phone on silent.”
“Okay, okay,” Yixing’s voice was a bit muffled. “We’ve found him.”
“Jongdae? Where?” Minseok asked eagerly, when suddenly someone grabbed his phone away from.
“Yixing? Where is he?” Junmyeon’s voice was raised a bit, causing his husband to squeeze his shoulders to calm him down.
“Ahh… Junmyeon-ssi… uhh…” Yixing started to stutter. He still wasn’t used to talking to Jongdae’s new boss. “My umm… roommate knows where he is.”
“And?” Junmyeon was getting impatient.
“He says he saw Jongdae enter the place where he works a couple of days ago. He… umm… he worked with Jongdae before.”
“Get to the point, Yixing. We’re in hot water here.” It was all Junmyeon could do not to roll his eyes.
“We’re umm… we’re going to VEnt building. Kai thinks Jongdae’s still there.”
“Who’s Kai?” Junmyeon was too wound up to make sense of what the other man was saying.
“Kai’s the dance instructor in VEnt. He saw a couple of big guys dragging Jongdae in a couple of days ago. He was tied up and blindfolded.”
“Damn that Jung Ji-hu! I never thought he’d stoop this low. How did you only get this news now? You said you and this Kai person were roommates.” Junmyeon closed his fists so tightly his knuckles had become white.
“I-I haven’t really been home since this morning. Kai and I are on our way to get Jongdae.”
“Are you sure?” asked Junmyeon, concern in his voice now. “He’s sure to be guarded.”
Suddenly both heard a loud, muffled groan.
“Umm…” said Yixing. “I guess he’s not now. Kai has a black belt in taekwondo.”
“You two are already there?!” Junmyeon half-screamed. “Okay, okay. Just get here safely. We’re already at the studio. I’ll have clothes and make-up ready.”
“Give us time,” said Yixing. “We’ll be there as fast as we can.”
Some time before at VEnt, Jongdae was pacing back and forth in the small room they once used to change clothes in while the building was under renovation. Jongdae wanted to escape. Today was the day of his sing-off and he didn’t want to let Junmyeon down. No, he didn’t want to let himself down. This was his chance to prove himself to the world. It was more than besting Shin, more than getting back at his former company. This was supposed to be the real start of fulfilling his dream.
There was a sudden ruckus outside. He heard two men groaning in pain and the sound of bodies dropping to the floor. The knob began rattling. Jongdae felt the pounding of his heart. The door opened to reveal a familiar face.
“Kai?!” Jongdae exclaimed.
“Jongdae!” said the other man, as both grabbed each other for a hug. “Thank heavens! I knew something was fishy when I saw those goons drag you in.”
“How did you know it was me?” asked the singer.
“I’m your dance instructor,” Kai raised an eyebrow. “I know what your body looks and moves like even though it’s been months since you ran out of here. I missed you! You didn’t even contact me.”
“I-,” Jongdae stopped midway. “I’m sorry. I wanted to, but I didn’t want Mr. Jung to know where I was. Didn’t matter, since he apparently knew where I was all this time anyway.”
“Isn’t it a coincidence that my roommate is the guy who’s madly head over heels for you?” Kai grinned, teasingly.
Jongdae’s face grew red. “Don’t tell me. Yixing?”
“Bingo!” Kai let out a chuckle. “Come on, he’s waiting outside. I believe you have an appointment to keep.”
When the two went out of the room, Yixing was in fact standing just a short distance away. He had just gone off the phone with Junmyeon. When he saw Jongdae, the man immediately ran towards his co-worker and grabbed him in a tight hug.
“I’m fine, Yixing,” Jongdae said with a soft smile. “They didn’t hurt me.”
“I was worried,” the other one declared, unable to look at Jongdae in the eye.
The singer placed his thumb and forefinger on Yixing’s chin, forcing the other to look him in the eye.
“I’m glad you’re here,” said Jongdae, before he leaned in to place his lips on Yixing’s.
“Okay, okay!” said Kai, interrupting the two. “Clock’s ticking. You two can get a room later.”
“Can’t we wait a little more?” Junmyeon asked the show’s producer. He had already been warned that they were already running late and the studio could not afford any more time than what was allotted since it was a live show. Some time before, he received a text from Yixing and they were still some ways off.
“Mr. Kim, I believe I’ve already told you that we are running a live show here,” said the producer. “This is not some taped variety show where shooting can last for hours.”
Baekhyun, one of the hosts, made his way towards the two and asked “What seems to be the problem?”
“I just wanted to ask for a bit of an extension,” answered Junmyeon. “Chen is running a bit late because of the traffic.”
Suddenly, Jung Ji-hu had also made his way to the little group. “Oh really? You were here early. Why couldn’t he come with you then?”
“Yes? Why couldn’t he?” The producer also asked, agreeing with the other man.
“He had a scheduled appointment with his dentist,” said Junmyeon, saying whatever he could from the top of his head. “He’s just stuck for a bit in traffic.”
“Well, isn’t that convenient?” said Ji-hu, deliberately inciting something. “I mean, PD-nim, my artist, Shin, has been here for a couple of hours now. The show was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago. Why are we all being made to wait for a newbie who hasn’t even had a proper debut and is already acting like a diva?”
“I wouldn’t say it that far, Mr. Jung,” Baekhyun interjected.
“Look, Mr. Kim. The show will start in five minutes, whether your artist is here or not. That is all I will have to say,” declared the producer. “Baekhyun, please be at your marker.”
The producer walked away with Ji-hu at his side, the two conversing on their own.
Junmyeon could only let out a sigh. He might be the grandson of one of the best music producers of the past generation, but Junmyeon knew he still hasn’t earned the respect from the bigger players of the industry.
“Junmyeon,” said Baekhyun, interrupting the other man’s thoughts. “May I call you Junmyeon? I know a thing or two about the rare traffic jams we get and how it can really screw up our schedules. So tell you what. How about I mix around the program since this is still our show anyway? I mean, the producer can act all high and mighty, but there can only be so much control over the chaos of a live show. I’ll put the sing-off at the latter part of the show. Besides, I’m sure it will bring in the ratings for the second half of the show and heaven knows the station needs those latter-half ratings seeing as our timeslot is against some of the real music shows.”
“Can you do that really?” Junmyeon felt hope rising within him.
Baekhyun winked at the other man and said nothing more, making his way to his marker as the light signals turned on.
Junmyeon took a deep breath, and as he turned around he saw Luhan waving his arms around animatedly at him. He quickly made his way to his best friend who said, “Jongdae’s here.”
Moments later and Junmyeon entered the dressing room where his artist was being made up. He was glad he had such an efficient coordinating team as they had managed to dress Jongdae in less than a couple of minutes. Minseok and Yixing couldn’t believe their eyes at the speed of Jongdae’s transformation before them. Kai and Yifan were also there, but the two already knew the ins and outs of the dressing room procedures.
“Jongdae!” Junmyeon exclaimed. “I’m so glad you’re alright. No, you don’t have to answer so soon. Noona needs to put that finishing touch on your lips.”
When the coordinating team was finished, Jongdae made his way over to his music producer/manager and gingerly gave him a hug, not wanting to rumple his clothes or smudge his makeup.
“Okay, we still have some time,” said Junmyeon. “Baekhyun’s running the show and the sing-off won’t be until the latter part. Please tell us what happened.”
Before Jongdae could answer, the door swung open and someone behind them said, “Jongdae, you’re here. I’m so sorry.”
“Shin,” answered the other man. “It wasn’t your fault.”
Over the next few minutes, both men related what happened over the past few days. While they were talking, the gears in Junmyeon’s head had already begun working.
“Jung Ji-hu really is a bastard,” the man declared. “Okay, here’s what we are going to do.” He began to related his plan to everyone.
Half an hour later, Junmyeon was standing at the sides where guests would come in. The show was set up in a way that was somewhat like most music shows, but had a more intimate stage and less audience since fans were know to become a bit rowdy at times which would disturb the flow of the program.
“So, Kim Junmyeon, your grandfather finally let you out of the dungeons, huh?” Jung Ji-hu was standing beside the shorter man. “It’s your first sole-produced artist and already he’s letting you down. Are you prepared to lose this sing-off?”
Junmyeon kept a neutral face on. “I have a good artist, inside and out. I believe in him and I would rather put my money where my mouth is.”
Before the older man could give a retort, the lights signaled that the show was back from commercials.
“And now, ladies and gentlemen,” Kyungsoo, the other host, began. “The moment you’ve been waiting for. It’s time for the sing-off of the century: an award-winning balladeer with his comeback song, against a newbie, who will make his debut on this stage right here. Are your ears and hearts ready? I believe we passed out tissues during the commercial break.”
The audience laughed at Kyungsoo’s antics.
“Aigoo!” Baekhyun exclaimed. “Someone already asked for a bucket. I hope she fills it up with tears though and not something else. Wink! Wink!”
More laughter from the people in the studio.
“Alright, let’s get on with this sing-off,” Baekhyun declared. “With his comeback song titled, ‘Never Let You Go,’ here’s Shin.”
The audience screamed loudly as the music began to filter through. From the sides, Jung Ji-hu was grinning widely. He himself oversaw the quick production of the song that Jongdae had a recorded a couple of nights before. It was really slated to become Shin’s comeback a long time ago before Jongdae disappeared from the company. The music was ready and only Jongdae’s vocals were needed. The station where they were at had a strong policy against lip synching but because Ji-hu did not do much production editing, it sounded like it was still live. Of course, he had to grease a few hands in the studio too so that the vocal track would still be played despite the rules. Jung Ji-hu always gets whatever he wants, no matter the cost.
Shin stepped out and the screams grew even louder as he began to “sing” his first line. Jung Ji-hu, of course, knew that the singer was a good lip-syncher. Shin wasn’t allowed to sleep until he had perfected lip synching to the various inflections that Jongdae intentionally put into the vocals. He should have punished Jongdae for doing it, but he believed that humiliation of the young man not appearing today would be enough for now.
Suddenly though, Ji-hu thought he was seeing an apparition. For a minute he thought Jongdae was standing opposite him on the other side of the stage. ‘No,’ he thought to himself. ‘That’s impossible. Jongdae is under lock and key at the office. No one knows he’s there.’
Ji-hu did a double take and this time he was sure it really was Jongdae he saw standing on the other side of the stage. He took a step back, wanting to go to the other side to see if it was really him.
“Going somewhere, Mr. Jung?” Junmyeon suddenly asked.
Ji-hu suddenly noticed Yifan and Kai standing beside him. He looked back and saw two large bouncers behind him, with unfriendly looks in their eyes. Somehow, Ji-hu thought this wasn’t playing out as well as he expected.
It became real when Ji-hu saw that Shin was just standing there while the vocal track continued. A loud buzz went through the audience as everyone was wondering what was happening. They wanted to know why there was still the sound of someone singing when Shin wasn’t even opening his mouth.
Shin then raised his hand to signal for the music to be cut off. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to say. All this time, it was not my real voice that you have heard in ‘Tomorrow’ and now in ‘Never Let You Go.’ To tell the truth, my company has been ghosting my voice all this time. I’ve known about it all this time, but I did not say anything about it for fear of getting fired or worse. Not until today.”
Shin was genuinely looking apologetic, but the buzz in the audience was getting louder and angrier. He continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the true singer of ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘Never Let You Go.’ Chen, come join me out here.”
The music for ‘Tomorrow’ suddenly filtered through the speakers. There was still a buzz going on but most of the people were in anticipation. Just as the first line was about to start, Jongdae, as Chen, stepped out and onto the stage to sing. He made his way and stood beside Shin throughout the first verse.
Chen looked at his sunbae and signaled the other with a nod of his head. Shin took a breath and suddenly his real voice went into the microphone and out through the speakers as he sang the next verse. The audience was enthralled. No other sound could be heard other the two as they sang the whole. Chen and Shin, with smiles on their faces, gave everyone a treat as they harmonized through the last chorus and ended the song with sustained notes.
“Don’t give up you know. Don’t get too far away, tomorrow.”
-----
Chen looked at the vast ocean of pink lights before him. He was basking in it, banners everywhere, balloons, and even more lights everywhere.
“It’s really pretty.” He heard a whisper at his ear, and he smiled at his friend. They had just finished the duet for ‘Tomorrow’ with Shin as his guest singer.
“Everyone!” Chen said to the microphone, and was received by screams from the audience, fans who came to his first major concert. “Please anticipate for my friend, Shin. I am pleased to announce that he will debut soon as part of G Entertainment’s latest group to capture your hearts.”