F1' The Alchemy of Us

The whole world was loud again. But not in the kind that hurts, but the kind of noise that makes your bones remember that you're alive. One K-pop group, Thousands of voices chanting only one name — "Aurea! Aurea! Aurea!" — the fandom of the group Aurea is called 'Ausmoon' like a single heartbeat pulsing through the whole stadium. From the side of the big stage, Alessia Reyes could see the lights glowing and stretching out like stars trapped in a stadium. Philippine Arena was glittered beyond the whole stadium glass, and for a moment there, she couldn't tell if the reflection on the water was a firework or her own tears from joy. This was supposed to be everything she ever wanted. And maybe it was. But even in the scream of adoration, excitement, there was these small, traitorous whisper voice inside her mind — asking, "Is this really enough for you Alessia?" but then she woke up into realization that she's about to perform. "Last five seconds girls!" Marcus Rowe, their manager, shouted to let them know there about to begin, tapping his headset to speak. "Let's go make history, girls! You got this!" Hailey tap Alessia's shoulder to speak, laughing through the nerves they felt. "Alessia if I faint in the middle of the concert, please just kick me." Hailey is the main vocalist in the Aurea group "Don't worry you'll survive this Hailey, okay?" Sophie smirked at Hailey, already checking her in-ear monitor to see if it works. "We have been already trained too long for these girls, 2 years and 5 months so let's go get it!" Sophie is the main dancer of the Aurea group Isla cracked her knuckles and grinned and started jumping. "I'm so ready to burn the stage tonight!!" Isla is the main rapper of the Aurea Group And then there's Anya, she's quiet as always, a little bit scared but she will manage, she whispered into the ear of Alessia, "We got this all together, right? Alessia?" Anya is the main visual of the Aurea group Alessia smiled at Anya and spoke. "As always Anya, I'm always here beside you so don't be nervous." And there's me, Hi! My name is Alessia Reyes and I'm the leader of the Aurea group and I'm also from the Philippines who debuted into a K-pop group in the Seoul South Korea under the Global Arts Entertainment, it's the agency who held our groups. But there's 7 groups in total under the entertainment itself. And yes, it was my home concert tonight in the Philippine Arena. When the lights cut. The screen behind them have exploded into gold. Aurea group, five powerful girls in the Aurea Group. The crowd is screaming until they heard the intro song played and the stadium was filled by millions of people watching them. When they heard the music started, it was like the second nature. Every movement of the dance hit like an ocean wave. Every lyric they sang was a like prayer stitched into a perfect melody in harmony, "I climbed through shadows, but I found my dawn." The last few words in the song. As they stop the song to interact with the audience Alessia could see holding sign raised high in the audience — it said "ALESSIA, YOUR MY SUNSHINE!" and another one it said, "MY AUREA FOREVER!" — and for every heartbeat she felt, she wanted to reach out to the fans and tell them that she wasn't as perfect as they thought she is. But the perfection was the currency of fame she handles. So, she just kept smiling, singing, glowing under the heat of ten thousand flashlights towards the stage. After the encore of the Aurea group, the backstage was in total chaos — it was laughter, the sweat, the reporters waiting for them outside, the sweat smell of adrenaline they have. When they arrive to the cooling room, Hailey was the first one to collapse on the couch, panting of breath. "Guys I think my soul just left my body during that last high note I sang; it was awesome but also pretty exhausted." Sophie tossed her a towel to Isla. "I think your rap is now trending again on social media Isla it was pretty sick you rap without even breathing." Isla sprawled on the floor. "Oh, thank you but guys we did it again tonight! We have another sold-out stadium in Manila Tonight, the Philippine Arena is pretty awesome though. So next concert here we go—It's Paris concert time!" Anya is the one who notice that Alessia is not feeling well after tonight's concert so she spoke to her privately, Anya handed Alessia a bottle of water to drink and to calm a little bit. "Alessia, you looked... so tired and distant for a second out there, every time we have concert you used to be excited but now it felt like you're hiding something from me." Anya said "I'm fine Anya, don't worry" Alessia said softly. But her eyes is looking towards those exit doors she saw — the doors that lead towards the sound of fans still chanting outside and waiting for the Aurea come out again but of course they can't be shown again. "I was just uhm... thinking about something." Alessia said "About what? Love?" Sophie teased Alessia to tell the truth Alessia hesitated to tell them, then she shrugged. "Just where it all begins. You know? Like after the lights go off after the concert and we go back to reality." Hailey groaned to hear that word Reality. "Oohhh please, not another philosophical crisis and you're words of life. We are too tired to think about that now so let's just go home and rest." Everyone has laughed to what Hailey said, but the tension is snapping like a rubber band in the room. But still, inside Alessia's chest, that question have echoed again: "What would have happened when the dream becomes like cage in the future? No more freedom? Or Just full of Control we're they can't say no" When they have arrived to the Hotel, everyone went to sleep early to rest but later that night, Alessia has stood on the hotel balcony alone for fresh air, barefoot, hair is undone, and the Manila wind was tugging at her oversized hoodie she wearied. Below in the balcony in the hotel they stayed, fans are still waiting outside in the hotel, some are holding light sticks, some crying to see them. Even the security can't handle it anymore She loved all the fans, all of them. She really did. But fame itself had a price to pay, and lately, it felt like someone else was paying it for her. Her phone buzzed — she looks at the notification and it's a new message from Tobias Fischer himself, He's the CEO of Global Arts Entertainment. "What a great performance you have tonight Alessia. A lot of people are now becoming your fans and you're becoming more famous as a group now so next week, more practice in the studio for the next concert and prepare yourselves for thousands of interviews in Paris and whole Europe. Make sure to keep the image flawless, don't put any issue because you're the face of the group Alessia so make sure to act like it." She was shocked to read the notification and she tremble when the CEO of the company himself message her but she turned off the screen to breath and to think if she did the right thing the moment, she steps into that audition room because lately, she started to regret it but she never told anyone, not even her best friend Sophie. The big city lights have looked blurry into her eyes now, even though she wasn't sure if it was the humidity of the surroundings or the tears falling. "Hey, why are you still awake Alessia? It's already 3am right now" a manly voice called from behind the door. Only to see it was Elijah Grant, their songwriter for the Aurea group but he's more like a family to the group now rather than just a songwriter itself because he came to every concert that Aurea has, he's like a therapist to me when I have problem's because he gave me the best advice to make me feel better and some people love him for who he is— he's tall, A very kind person, those ocean blue eyes when I look at him. The sort of calm energy I feel that made everyone breathe easier when he's around. "Sorry I just can't sleep right now Elijah I have a lot going on inside my head right now, and I didn't even notice that it's 3am already but you should go to sleep now Elijah" Alessia finally admitted about her worries. He stepped closer to me and standing beside me while leaning on the balcony while looking at the view. "So too much noise inside your head huh? You shouldn't let that affect you, you know, you're a very hardworking person and I know you since the beginning so you should trust yourself rather than overthinking If you have made the right decision until now" he said "Wait how did you know that I was thinking about the group and my decision? Are you a mind reader now? HAHAHA" she said He is smiling wildly while looking at me and laughed "Well maybe HAHAHA, but actually it's because I know Alessia, your usually not like that, I notice that your more distant and quieter as a person now. The Alessia I know is very loud, talkative, and very annoyingly happy person on earth so what changed you? I'm worried about you and if you continue to be like that, more people will notice you." The way Elijah said it felt like my whole world has colors again, not the usual black and white color I see when I'm scared, depressed but he's so gentle to me, and too close to each other that he pulled me closer, put his hand on my chin while looking at my lips and eyes and there it is, Elijah kissed me. I closed my eyes and it felt so good that his lips are so gentle while we kissed because he the first man to ever kiss me, but it's not right, I'm not allowed to date someone because one of the rules of being a K-pop Idol is no dating so she pushes him back gently and Alessia look away and turned her gaze back to look at the stars. "I'm so sorry Alessia, I didn't mean to kiss you, I feel in love with you and I can't help myself to kissed you, please just forget the moment that we kissed and act like it never happened? Please forgive me Alessia." He spoke "You don't have to worry Elijah, I forgive you but let's not do that again because you know that you work for us and it will be awkward for us and you know that the management will never approve of this, you know that I can't love someone right now, not until my contract will expire Elijah". Elijah leaned on the railing beside her. "I know I know, I just thought that maybe I have a chance with you but our love is forbidden so I know that we can't be together hahaha." She laughed softly, shaking her head to kill the awkwardness. "HAHAHAH oh you know you're such a poet person, you do have a chance with me but maybe it's not right for us, I don't want us to lose our professions." He laughed. "HAHAHA oohh but you inspire bad poetry for everyone." For a few second, the beautiful night stood still for them — the distant noise of traffic, the wind flowing into the hair smoothly, and thankfully the fans have already left before someone else saw them kissed but the quiet pulse between the two of them who have understood what it really meant to be seen by millions but known by none personally. Alessia didn't say anything at that time. She didn't have to. Sometimes silence says more than any lyric ever could. The next morning, the girls are screaming everywhere and the headlines were everywhere too. "AUREA's HISTORIC HOMECOMING CONCERT SHATTERS RECORDS!" "ALESSIA REYES — THE VOICE THAT BROKE WORLD RECORDS." "AUREA: MORE THAN A BAND, A MOVEMENT IN FUTURE." Hailey dancing around the hotel room showing the billboard post "We're trending in ninety countries right now! Do you even understand what that means?!" "OMG! It's worldwide domination? We are going to be Hella rich and famous too!" Isla screaming in excitement, flipping through all TV channels only to see they are the news in every channels now. "It's completely a takeover the world in the internet" Sophie corrected Isla, scrolling through comments in the social media. "And probably a hundred percent zero sleep for the next two years now, people want to see us so they have to booked in event's so no time to rest this time girls!" Anya smiled, sipping her morning coffee already. "Well, it's super worth it." Alessia woke up from the noise but she sat quietly in the couch, reading one comment on i********: that caught her attention again: "Alessia doesn't look happy on Aurea anymore, I can see it on her face so let her be free." Her throat tightened as she saw it. Fame was strange — it could love you and doubt you in the same breath. Marcus burst in screaming in the room, clapping his hands of happiness and proud Manager. "Pack all your things, ladies! Paris is calling for us now! And the jet leaves in 1 hour so faster and be ready. The media is waiting for us at the airport. So, no scandals, no crying, no surprises, but only smile." Hailey raised her brows. "No breathing air either huh?" Marcus rolled his eyes. "Not until without permission Hailey so go prepare." Everyone laughed again. Alessia joined in to packed, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. As she finally zipped her suitcase, Alessia whispered under her own breath, "Let's keep shining, Aurea, just keep on fighting until we're done." Hailey heard her whispering and hugged her to comfort. "Until the end of our contract, let's do this leader." They smiled at each other "Until the end" Alessia said to Hailey, Alessia thought of that for a few hours now. Even if she doesn't know when will that time come yet. Elijah's saw them and he watched her laugh with the others, her hair catching the morning light like a halo. She looked untouchable, radiant person — the world's favorite dream. But he has seen all the exhaustion behind her every smile. "I hope," he murmured to himself, "the world will learn how to love her gently and to make her smile if I'm not there by her side." And somewhere far across the other sea, an engine has roared to life — unaware that soon enough, two worlds would collide and crash into each other.