Self-Indulgence

1. Hiatus But Not

"Stop sulking, Yin. We'll all be back before you know it." Changmin wrapped me in a tight hug, ruffling my hair as he did so. The fans who were standing some distance away taking pictures started screaming at the action.

"I can't believe you're still doing fanservice right before you're about to enlist" I rolled my eyes at him. He chuckled and winked in response before giving me a small wave and walking into the military training base. I stood in my place and watched him walk in until I could no longer see his back. Only then did I turn around and walk back to the car.

"You'll be fine, Yin. Taekyun will be coming back in less than a year." My manager reassured me upon seeing my forlorn face as I entered the car.

"But what am I going to do until then? The company wants me to release more solo music, but I don't want to do that anymore. It's so lonely going solo. I need people. People are my only source of entertainment." I whined, slumping in my chair and stamping my feet like I was throwing a tantrum.

"I'm sure it is very entertaining for you annoying people all day." My manager, Minki, said sarcastically. "Well good news for you is you won't have to make a solo comeback. The company just rang me a few minutes ago and said they have a job that could keep you busy for the next few months."

I perked up in excitement.

"Really? What is it? Is it a show? Am I finally going to be able to be a judge on an idol survival show so that I can feel superior to all the contestants while pretending to act humble?" Minki raised his eyebrows at my words.

"That's why you keep asking us to get you a spot as a judge?" He asked half in disbelief.

"No. Well, maybe partly. I mostly just think it would be fun." 

"Okay whatever. No it's not a survival show. It's an acting role. For 'Up to Hell'".

"The Netflix show? The horror one everyone's talking about? Damn how did Modstar pull that?" I smirked at the thought of the company actually doing me a favour for once.

"Technically they didn't pull anything. Elijah Davis had to pull out of it yesterday because of schedule clashes so they were trying to find a replacement. I guess they heard the last of the Hab2t members was enlisting and that you would have nothing to do so they called and offered the role."

"You mean I don't get to act with Elijah? He's so hot though." I pouted at the thought. 

"Sometimes I question if you really are straight." Minki remarked.

"Oh don't worry, as straight as my tiktok fyp." I chuckled. He didn't need to know that I couldn't be further from the straight side of tiktok. After all, I hadn't lied to him—as far as I knew, I really was straight. I had just somehow ended up on the other side of tiktok and had absolutely no intentions of leaving. "Besides, even if I wasn't, telling someone associated with the company would be the last thing I do."

"That kind of hurt, but I agree." Minki chuckled, knowing my words were not said with bad intent.

"When does filming start? It's in America right?" I asked.

"We fly out to New York in tomorrow morning. You have a day off for the rest of today. Don't do anything crazy." Minki warned as he dropped me off in front of the apartment where all the members stayed.

"Sweet,  see you tomorrow!" I yelled back as I ran into the building.

***

I had been lounging on the couch finishing up the last episode of Squid Game when a text came through from one of my best friends, Han Sena. Sena and I had been classmates back when we went to performing arts school, but now we rarely saw each other. She had made her debut two years after me and her group, in10, was mad popular as well.

From JHan Sena: changmin enlisted today right

To JHan Sena: yeh i sent him off this mornin

From JHan Sena: so r u gonna b releasing solo music now

To JHan Sena: nope company got me an acting role

From JHan Sena: oh cool which drama

To JHan Sena: up to hell. the netflix show

From JHan Sena: holy shit fr?

To JHan Sena: nah just fvcking w ya

From JHan Sena: u ass i just got so excited for u

To JHan Sena: lmao jk i rly did get a role in up to hell

From JHan Sena: omg go away im not talking to u anymore

I chuckled before throwing my phone aside and pulling open my laptop and searching for details about the movie. The female lead was Mikaela Constance Miller who had originally been a singer but after her group broke up had turned to acting instead. It was a good choice because she had more fame now than she ever did with the group. 

Male lead Stanislav Lukasha Plevnik, or just Luka Plevnik as he was more commonly known, was the real reason the show was so highly anticipated though. He rose to fame 11 years ago after starring in a gay film which gained worldwide popularity. Even I had watched it and it had made me a huge fan of Luka. However, since then, he had avoided any association with the film or the lgbtq topic itself and had been involved in multiple dating scandals with high-profile female celebrities. 

Of course his fans still supported him because they had somehow concocted up this story that he was actually gay, but his management was keeping him closeted and all the supposed girlfriends were just media play. I didn't totally believe it, but damn his fans could be really convincing with their videos analysing all his actions and coming up with different theories. Although, being a celebrity myself, I had watched a lot of videos of my own fans shipping me with my members and of course that was totally not a thing.

With Luka's ice blue eyes still staring at me on my screen, I shut my laptop and got ready for bed. I had an early flight tomorrow.

***

Author's Note:

I'm starting this story the night before my biology exam but inspiration hit so it is what it is. Also, just an fyi this story was very very loosely based off of larry (iykyk). I changed it quite a lot so it's not that similar but there's still some parallels. It's also a really self-indulgent story because this was one of those stories you make up in your mind to entertain yourself with but then I decided I wanted to write it out. I just threw a bunch of things I liked into it to make it even more self-indulgent hence the title lol. Anyways hope you enjoyed the first chapter!