Stardust || Dokyeom ✔

twenty nine

THE SPRING SCOUTING FESTIVAL arrived.

Colorful tents sprung up in the state park; vendors of all trades and backgrounds parked their little carts along the pavement. Men, women, and children alike ambled around the festival, buying food and drinks, playing games. But all the color stole no attention away from the main spectacle of the weekend – the magnificent stage erected in the middle of the colourful chaos, surrounded on all sides by white plastic chairs.

Eun Ha watched from a distance as Seok Min joined the other contestants by the right staircase, preparing for the show. In little more than an hour, the Spring Auditions would begin – a simple, three-hour long event that could very well change Seok Min's life forever.

A long table stood before the stage, ten seats placed evenly behind it. In half an hour, the entertainment representatives would arrive – the general audience would start taking their seats maybe fifteen minutes after. Of course, Eun Ha only knew all this because she'd read up on the festival a week in advance, and had the entire weekend's program practically memorized.

She couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of remorse and envy, looking at the gorgeous teenage contestants as they lined up for makeup backstage. She was supposed be there with them, lining up behind Seok Min to have her hair fixed, makeup done by hired professionals, later performing onstage in front of entertainment spokespeople.

And well, she'd never imaged that she'd actually be there, not as a performer but a member of the audience, anticipating the auditions from her seat a painful five yards away from the stage. It was bittersweet, really, and she suppressed some tears as she watched the events from her wheelchair.

Suddenly, hands came over her eyes. They were cool, light, and smelled slightly like mint soap.

"Seok Min!" she whined, though a smile stretched across her previously pouting lips. Laughing, the boy in question removed his hands from her face and bent over to kiss her forehead tenderly.

"Are you excited?" she asked, as he walked in front of her and handed her a stick of cotton candy. Lemon-flavored, her favorite.

"Terrified," he admitted.

"It doesn't show. You look great," she confessed, smiling. He did. He wore a sleek, black suit and red tie, and his hair was elegantly gelled back so he looked more like a dark, fairytale prince than a performer.

"As do you. Though that isn't unusual," he said, winking. "Do you want to get closer to the stage?"

She nodded, and he pushed her over to the very front row, making sure she got a good spot. "So you have the best view of me," he explained cheekily.

Just as she was about to respond and keep his silly ego in check, the nervous chatter of aspiring performers arose. She turned.

Five black cars had pulled up at the park entrance, all tinted windows and special plate numbers.

Her heart rose in her throat.

The entertainments had arrived.