Bada debuted as a girl group but after disbanding she is about to debut as a solo idol in America.Bada was the least favorite of her girl group and no one expected her to be the one to go solo and everyone has their doubts, especially her. While Bad...
The crowd chants my name in time with my heart. Pulling my headset on I bounce on the balls of my feet. I missed this rush, this feeling of being summoned like a goddess to her people. When my girl group BDGH disbanded I thought I'd never sing again. Especially since I wasn't the one everyone expected to go solo. Deiji was, the leader. She was the one everyone was ready to go solo. But it's me, They're waiting for me, chanting my name, wearing my merchandise, waiving blue glow sticks in the air just for me.
The music cues up and I rush out onto the stage, adding a bounce to my step without even thinking about it. I glance to my side out of habit and my heart aches when I find the spaces beside me empty.
BADA BADA BADA
The crowd's chants bring me back and I scan the LA arena, filled to the brim with thousands of fans, some new and some from BDGH. All the way from Korea to America. The lights make it hard to distinguish any faces in the front row but I'm sure mom and dad and all the members of my girl group are there. I'm sure they're cheering me on.
BADA BADA BADA BADA
"Hiiiii!" I scream back waving my hands.
"HIIIII!" They echo. I can't help but giggle my vocal cue already coming up.
"Keep chanting guys, I like it."
BADA BADA BADA
I bounce back and forth between my feet, the guitar hitting an insane riff behind me as it climbs up to cue me in.
"It kind of sounds like a heartbeat yeah?" I ask. They cheer back. "I think I'm gonna call you guys that now. My heartbeats. That's the fandom name, I'm taking no more suggestions." I wave a dismissive hand as the stadium fills with screaming and clapping and whistling. The guitar fades out and I whirl back around, stomping my foot into the ground.
"Don't ever take no for an answer!"
Tears prick at my eyes somewhere between bitter and sweet as I sing every part to myself, pull off every choreographed step on my own, with all the cameras angled at me at every moment. I resist the urge to tug my sequined dress down even though I have black shorts under it. I learned that one fast as a baby debut with BDGH. I step out with every twist and turn, taking up the entire stage.
BADA BADA BADA
My fans chant the entire set, only pausing to cheer between songs or to sing along to the chorus. On the final note fading out, they surge forward and I walk to the edge of the stage. Just like I thought, my parents and bandmates stand front row, jumping and clapping. My dad whistles loud and proud, like any American not afraid of being heard. I wave to them and then raise my arm higher to wave to all of them. My eyes skim the crowd and then Deiji waves her hands and points down the row. I follow her fingers down until I see him, Gun from AfterParty standing, applauding me. He smiles at me when he catches me staring and I quickly pick my jaw off the floor and wave. I gather myself as I tear my eyes away and press a kiss to my hands to fling it out to the crowd. I hurry off stage trying to catch my breath.
A few moments later Deiji, her platinum blond hair acting like a spotlight among the swarm of people between us, my parents and my other bandmates rush toward me.
"Did you see him?" Deiji throws her arms around me. "He came to see you, front row nonetheless!" She giggles locking her arms around my neck. Mom, the only person capable of separating me and Deiji, pries her off and gathers me into a hug.
"You were fantastic out there, sweetie." she kisses my cheeks and my dad squeezes us into a hug.
"You were amazing," Dad whispers. "I'm so proud of you." he gives us one more good squeeze before stepping aside for Gi and Hae. Gi's head barely comes to my nose, making her the shortest in BDGH and me the second shortest. She wraps her arms around my waist, her brown hair spiraled in loose ringlets around her head. Hae, with her freshly dyed purple hair, throws an arm over my shoulders and pulls me to her side. She's only an inch and a half taller than me but she controls every room she enters.
"Always knew you'd be first." she sighs. "But I'm right behind you." she winks and presses a kiss to my head. "Good job brat."
Deiji wraps us all up in a hug "you were everything." Deiji whispers. "And..." her eyes flicker ahead. "Gun is walking this way right now." she nudges Gi and Hae and they all take a step back as Gun strides up to me, no one bothers to stop him because he just looks like he belongs here, among the lights and glitter.
"Bada." he grins on my name and my heart flutters. Gun is both mine and Deiji's ultimate bias and he's here at my concert. "I heard you were going solo." he glances at Deiji. "I always thought if anyone in BDGH would, it would be Deiji." he nods to her but she has much better control of herself and just shrugs.
"Bada was always running while everyone else was walking." she smiles at me.
"I see that now." Gun returns his eyes to me. "And I can definitely see why."
My cheeks warm under his gaze. Thousands of eyes on me is nothing, but Gun's makes my knees weak.
"I–thanks." I clear my throat. "Thank you."
"How rude of me," he chuckles, "your voice must be tired." he slides his phone from his pocket and hands it to me. "If you put your number in I can text you and you can let your voice rest." he flashes a perfect smile, his teeth so white they practically glow. Deiji nudges me and I nod.
"Yeah, yeah, yes." I type my number in and hand it back to him. He steps to my side and wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"May I have a picture?
"Uh hu." I nod. He doesn't drop his eyes from mine as he clicks the button freezing the moment forever. He holds the picture between us and I want to die. I look like every other fan staring open-mouthed at Gun.
"Perfect." he tucks his phone away. "Rest up, Bada."
I glance at my parents, a slight frown as their eyes follow Gun until he's out of view. Deiji, Gi, and Hae step in front of me. Hae leans toward Gi. "I think he broke her."
"Bada?" Deiji waves a hand in front of my face. "Bada," she repeats. "You in there?"
"He... Gun..."
The same grin stretches over all the girls' faces.
"Yeah?" Deiji nods.
"He... my number."
"Mm hmmm." Hae bobs her head, crossing her arms.
"He's... He's..."
"He's definitely gonna call you." Gi giggled. A high-pitched squeak escapes my lips and I'm bouncing again.
"Gun is going to call me!" I stamp my feet and grab the girls as they circle me.
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