Dating an Idol

Sixteen: LUCKY CHARM

"I was chosen as one of the trainees who will join the new idol survival reality show," said Mael on the other line.

I was talking to him on the phone. I just got out from my part-time job in a convenience store and was on my way home. It has been one week since I moved into Skye's place.

"Oh, really? That's good news!" I said. "Congratulations!"

"I don't know how to feel though. I'm happy and excited yet nervous. Imagine getting judged in front of the whole KPop community. It's nerve-racking."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. This is the big break that you've been waiting for all your life. You gotta give it your best, okay? We'll be cheering for you."

"I dunno. Just thinking about it is making me nervous already."

"How about Gianna?" I asked as I waited for the pedestrian crossing to turn green so I can cross the street.

"She didn't make it to the reality show but don't worry about her, she's doing good with the training," he said. "How about you? How have you been?"

"Good, I'm good. I found two part-time jobs. I'm actually on my way home now from the convenience store I work at."

"How about the place you're staying at? Is everything good there?"

"Yup, everything's fine. I'm all good. You don't have to worry about me. I'm perfectly fine. You need to focus on your training," I said as to stop making him worry. I know he's still worried about me.

I was getting myself ready to cross the street when the huge LED billboard on top of one of the many tall buildings in front of me started showing clips of Crest 88. It instantly caught my full attention. And seeing Skye made me miss him more.

I haven't talked to him recently, he must be so busy. I haven't heard anything from him since we had that conversation about groceries and the claw machine.

"Are you still there?" I heard Mael asked from the other side of the line.

"I'm sorry I wasn't really listening. But yes, I'm still here," I said.

The pedestrian crossing went red again, I noticed. I missed the green light.

"That's alright. I was just talking about some random stuff here. Nothing important," he said. "I think I need to go now. I will call you back tomorrow when I get the chance."

"Sure, sure. Please say 'hi' to Gianna for me."

"I haven't really had the chance to talk to her but I will if I get to see her. You take care, okay? Message me if there's anything you need help with."

"I will, don't worry. You take care, too. The both of you."

"Okay, I will. Don't worry. Bye," he said before the line went dead.

I slipped my phone inside the pocket of my jacket and waited for the pedestrian crossing light to turn green again.

I crossed the road when it did and went to the nearest bus stop. I took the bus and went home.

When I reached home and opened the door to the condo unit, I was surprised to see a pair of shoes near the doorway.

My heartbeat doubled in an instant. Did someone come? Who could it be?

It couldn't be Skye since he was still in Japan. Was it someone he knew? Someone close to him that knows his door passcode?

I carefully took my shoes off and slowly sneaked in to check who it was. I walked closely to the wall and slowly took a peek to see who was inside the unit.

My heart became even more erratic when I saw someone sitting on the couch with his back on me. But to my relief, he turned around and it turned out to be Skye.

I showed myself and heaved a deep sigh of relief while holding my chest.

"You scared me!" I said. "You should have told me that you're coming. You're about to give me a mini heart attack."

He just smirked. "Why would you expect someone else to come here?"

"I dunno," I said as I took off my jacket and took it to the living room. "I was just getting paranoid, I guess. Plus you changed your hair color again so I didn't recognize you from the back." I slumped on the opposing single couch.

"I had to change it for the MV," he said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

He had changed his hair back to black. His new haircut looked good on him. It made him look younger than he actually is.

"I thought you're still in Japan," I said.

"I was. We just landed here in Seoul like a couple of hours ago."

"You just got back from Japan?" I asked, surprise.

"Yup."

"And you went straight here?"

"Yup."

"Awwww, that's so sweet," I said. "You must be so worried about me to check on me first thing after you got back here in Korea."

"Nope. I was worried about the house. I know how messy and disorganized you are so I want to check if the house is still in good shape with you here." He looked serious.

I took a throw pillow and threw it on him. He caught it with one hand laughing.

He giggled so much that his eyes disappeared. I've never seen him laugh that way for the longest time. It warmed my heart.

He checked his watch before he stood up. "I gotta go."

"Already?" I asked, disappointed. "But I just got here."

"Yeah. I need to be back in the dorm before they notice that I'm gone. I just sneaked my way out. Actually Eun helped me sneak out and I promised him that I'll be back in one hour. It has been one hour and thirty minutes already. He must be freaking out by now."

"How long have you been here?"

"About an hour."

"You should've told me that you're coming."

"That's fine, I just really wanted to check on the house," he said as he took a step closer to where I sat down and ruffled my hair.

He was just teasing me, I know. I stood up and punched him on the arm.

"Ouch! That was hard!" He said laughing. "What have you been doing while you're in the Philippines? Were you taking boxing classes?"

I just pouted.

He laughed some more before he reached into his pocket. Then he handed something to me.

It was a pink unicorn keychain.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get you anything else. We didn't have the chance to shop while we were in Japan," he said. "But I saw this on the sidewalk and I instantly remembered that the claw machine I bought for you doesn't have a pink unicorn in it. This will do."

I took the keychain from his hand and examined it. "This is really cute."

"Bring that with you wherever you go," he said. "From now on, that would be your lucky charm.

But I don't need no lucky charm, I thought as I looked at him. I already have you.