Play It By Ear

Episode Two Aftermath

Episode Two

Aftermath

Unbelievable.

It was five-thirty in the afternoon, not even 24 hours since Yihwan’s band members figured in an almost-fatal road accident, and his agency had already called him in for an emergency meeting.

For a reality TV show.

Three months ago, Steven signed a contract with cable network HBS Plus for a new TV show called All-Kill Champion. The ambitious talent-s***h-reality show aims to put current idols and idol trainees in teams who will be competing in weekly music challenges. But Steven’s injured wrist put him out of commission, and Yihwan was called in as a replacement.

“Choesonghaeyo. I’m not cut out for this,” Yihwan insisted, shaking his head vehemently. “There’s no shortage of talent here at AmEnt—why not them?”

“Yihwan-ssi, listen.” Shim Kijoo, Amethyst Entertainment’s talent head, rested both palms on the table as she spoke. “I understand your apprehension, but please consider the business side of things too. We’ve already spent a lot for the EG Project comeback that’s unfortunately not going to happen anytime soon, and we need that money back to fund our other talents’ projects.

“Besides, if you guys are inactive for very long, people are going to forget you. We’ve seen debuting new groups from the Big Three in the last five months, and they’ve been releasing hit after hit after hit. All-Kill Champion is a way for you to stay visible and relevant.”

Yihwan rubbed his temples. His overall health may not be at 100%, but he was coherent enough to absorb the valid points of his sunbae’s arguments. And he wasn’t an unreasonable man. He recognized an opportunity when he saw one, and this was one of them.

But him and reality TV? Not exactly a match made in heaven.

Because reality TV is anything but, that much he knew from when they did a 72-hour documentary of their most recent Japanese tour. Production directors often relied on scripted scenarios to keep things interesting. After all, who would want to watch three men do the same routine for twenty-four episodes? Audiences looked forward to seeing something fun and dynamic, and it was the production people’s job to deliver just that.

While the documentary was well-received among fans, something about the show’s format didn’t sit well with Yihwan. He wasn’t happy with the idea of selling something manufactured as real.

Besides, his resting murder face wasn’t exactly broadcast friendly. Yihwan’s TV appearances might be few and far in between, but cameramen seemed to have a knack for capturing his scowl, and netizens have had their fun with those images. Their fan café even had an entire thread of photos dedicated to his brooding face.

Lastly, this reality TV thing needed a certain kind of charm, wit, and brazenness—traits Steven possessed. This was Steven’s schtick, not his.

“Here.” Kijoo pulled an envelope from the pile of documents on her desk and handed it to Yihwan. The label on the envelope had the All-Kill Champion logo and the word CONFIDENTIAL printed on it. “This will help you learn more about the show.”

“I need time to think about this.”

“Well, the show starts filming its pilot episode in a week, and their press conference is in three days. That’s all the time you have.”

* * *

How Gabriel still rocked the dark circles under his eyes was a mystery, but Fi wished her boyfriend would go home and get some rest instead of getting a crash course on patient care. But she let him fuss over him anyway, knowing it’ll put his mind at ease. Besides, having him near brought her great comfort.

His was the first face she saw when she woke up hours ago, and the sight of him smiling through his tears was enough to get her all choked up. “Good morning, mahal ko,” he had whispered.

He had never held her so tight.

“So…do I need alcohol to clean the wounds?”

“I’d advise against it because alcohol could be a bit harsh on the tissue. Antiseptics are fine.” The nurse did a quick check on Fi’s temperature and blood pressure and took down notes. “Your safest bet is just some clean, warm water and soap.”

“Got it.”

Fi listened in on the conversation, her hands clasped loosely around a glass of warm water. Her entire body felt sore, but though she knew she had to stay in the hospital for further observation, she wanted nothing more than to just go home.

Home, in this case, was not the old, two-storey house she grew up in in the Philippines, but a studio-type apartment unit she was renting in Seokchon, a district a few kilometers from work. With Gabriel’s help, Fi had turned that otherwise cold little studio into a cozy living space, and she would certainly prefer to snuggle up in her small reading couch than lay on this hospital bed.

“Filipina-ssi…I’ll just check your bandages and see if everything’s in place, is that all right?”

“Sure.”

Nurse Kim put away her clipboard and carefully tugged at the string holding the back part of her hospital gown together, exposing the right side of Fi’s back. Gabriel, who was seated at Fi’s left, got up to have a look as well.

“The impact of the crash caused some glass shards to dig into your skin. There are several cuts at the base of your neck, your shoulders, and your back,” the nurse explained. “But it’s really fortunate that none of them did any major damage to your nerves. Some of the cuts didn’t need stitches at all.”

Gabriel’s hand rested gently on Fi’s clothed shoulder. “When do the stitches come off?”

“Normally, it takes a week.”

“All right. Anything else I should remember…?”

“All of Ms. Legaspi’s tests came back clear so far, so there’s probably no immediate concern.”

“Thank god.”

Nurse Kim turned to look at Fi. “But if, at any time, you encounter dizziness, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, confusion, severe headaches, or any pain that’s out of the ordinary, come to us right away.”

Fi nodded, and the nurse offered her a warm smile before tying the string of her gown back together.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll go ahead and continue my rounds.”

They both thanked the nurse as she left. As soon as they were alone, Gabriel returned to his seat by Fi’s bed. “Hey.”

She smiled at him. “Hey.”

He took her hand in his so gently, it was almost as if Gabriel feared a small amount of pressure would break her. “You can talk to me if you need to sort things out, okay?” he said and kissed her knuckles. “It’s not a joke what you just went through.”

He wasn’t wrong. Dreams of the crash have so far made it difficult for her to get some decent sleep. Every time she would drift off to dreamland, her subconscious would hijack her stolen moments of rest by playing back her mental footage of the accident. Maybe she needed to talk about it, just so she could process things.

“I will, Gabe. Thank you.”

Gabriel smiled. “Anniya. Thank you. For being here.”

She tried one-upping his radiant grin, only to groan when she stretched her busted lip.

“Hey. Easy on the smile, now. I can live without the big, sunny ones for a few days.” Gabriel got up and leaned in to kiss her uninjured brow. “Are you done with that glass of water?”

Fi looked down at the glass she was holding. “Oh, yeah.”

“Let me take care of that…”

Silence blanketed the room after Gabriel retrieved her glass and proceeded to make sense of the mess on the bedside table, which was a lively spot of color in this plain white room. Earlier, Gabriel brought in a basket of fruits and flowers together with Get Well Soon cards and balloons from her co-workers. The outpouring of love and care was something she was grateful for, but she still couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

One, because she didn’t know how to tell her mother about the accident without giving her a heart attack, and;

Two, because she had not yet seen the other people she was in the van with: Steven, Minchan, and their driver, Yukwon.

Perhaps the latter was easier to do since they were all staying in the same hospital. What her Manila-based middle-aged mother didn’t know (yet) won’t hurt her.

“Hyungnim?”

“Yes, mahal?”

“Help me out of bed, please. I want to see Steven, Minchan, and Yukwon oppa.”

* * *

“Noona!”

Seeing Minchan frantically put his cup ramyun away and welcome her with outstretched arms filled Fi’s heart with relief and joy. Gabriel held the door open for her, and she hobbled on her crutches on the way to the magnae’s bed. Her eyes brimmed with tears when they finally shared a big hug. “Oh, Chan-ah…I am so, so happy to see you.”

“Me too, noona.” Minchan’s face was lined with worry when he pulled back from the embrace. His eyes darted to Gabriel, who approached the foot of the bed. “I was half-conscious the entire time. I saw everything. I remember everything. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at Steven hyung about that stupid sausage. Maybe then you both wouldn’t have taken your seatbelts off to clean the mess. Maybe—”

“No, no, no…Chan-ah,” Fi stopped him and patted his cheek gently. “It’s no one’s fault, okay?”

Minchan pursed his lips and reluctantly nodded.

“Were you able to see Steven and Yukwon oppa?”

“Not yet. But I heard they’re both okay.”

“Dahaengida.”

Fi looked over her shoulder when she heard the door open. Minchan’s mother, a tall and slender woman in a crisp blue blouse and matching skirt, walked in, a couple of bags in her arms.

“Omonim, annyeonghaseyo,” Fi greeted with a bow. Gabriel did the same and quickly offered to help the woman with her things.

Once her hands were bag-free, Minchan’s mother approached Fi and cupped her cheeks affectionately. “Aigoo, aga! I am so glad you’re okay!” she exclaimed, her tearful eyes mirroring Fi’s.

“Ne, omonim…we are sorry to have made you worry.”

“Shhh. I’m just happy you are all alive and safe.”

A single tear escaped Fi’s left eye, and she quickly brushed it away. Looking into Mama Song’s eyes reminded her of her own mother.

“Omonim, we’ll go ahead so Minchan can get some rest…but may I ask you for a favor?”

“Of course, Fi. What is it?”

“May I please hug you?”

The smile on the woman’s face was so much like Minchan’s—bright, sincere, and every bit comforting—when she opened her arms wide and said, “Of course, child. Of course.”

Fi stepped forward and gave her a big, tight hug.

East Genesis Project Comeback To Be Delayed

byul.co.kr | October 15

Amethyst Entertainment announced today that East Genesis Project’s scheduled comeback next month will be postponed indefinitely, following their road accident on the 13th.

In a statement released today, Amethyst Entertainment said, “We are happy to announce that EG Project members Steven Bae and Song Minchan are both in stable condition. At this time, they are still under observation for other possible trauma they might have incurred during the accident.

“Due to the fracture on Steven Bae’s right wrist, the drummer will not be able to continue any future activities until he has fully healed. Meanwhile, Song Minchan will be spending his recovery period with his family.”

COMMENTS

[ +3,341, -1,346 ] I’m bummed that their comeback has been delayed, but I would rather have this than a funeral. Thank god they’re all safe.

[ +2,100, -962 ] Read a rumor somewhere that Jo Yihwan may be taking over Steven Bae’s slot for All-Kill Champion. Wonder how he’ll fare. He may be musically talented but he lacks variety skills.

[ +1,665, -2,670 ] A drummer with a wrist fracture? Sounds like Steven Bae’s career is over.

[ +1,210, -345 ] This is so out of topic but has anyone seen AmEnt’s PR guy on the news lately? Holy s**t he’s hot.

[ +673, -1,502 ] I feel like the next news about this band will either be about disbandment or retirement. Not complaining.