Supernova

Star

"Ready?"

I nodded at my manager as I shrugged on my jacket, following him out of the artist's green room, down the long corridor to the VIP exit to the stadium we had just performed at, my bodyguards flanking me. As we came out of the stadium, the fans waiting behind the barricade screamed and waved, camera phones in hand. I raised my hand and waved to them, smiling tiredly, before getting into the waiting van.

"The fans are out in force." My manager smiled at me from the front passenger seat before nodding at the driver to go. 

Understatement of the year. 

The fans had been out in force ever since our comeback five months ago, pushing our comeback album to diamond status in record time, breaking the record for views for our music video, ensuring our every appearance on talk shows were the highest rated, and packing the stadiums at every single venue of our sold out world tour. 

Janie's strategy had worked. We'd had the most successful comeback of any group in K-pop history. We were one of the most sought after music groups in the world now and the offers for collaborations, endorsements and other things were pouring in. Janie and the team had their hands full managing it all carefully to ensure we were never overexposed, getting the balance right. Of-course, the group had a say, but we'd always been on the same page and we trusted her. We had to, or else we'd be overwhelmed.

The group had been running at full steam, going flat out, from that very first comeback show. I'd settled into a very familiar routine of being shepherded from one place to another, being briefed in the car sometimes, hours and hours in practice rooms, perfecting performances and rehearsing endlessly, not to mention the hotel rooms that had blurred into one. I'd been too busy and too tired to think of much, but I had managed to stay grounded and not lose myself.

The car drew into the basement VIP car park of the hotel, coming to a stop near the VIP elevators. I waited while my bodyguards got into place and my manager had opened the door before I stepped out of the van and into the elevator with him, heading straight for the floor that had been exclusively ours since our arrival.

"Get some rest, Lee Jinhae." My manager squeezed my arm gently as he dropped me at my room. "You did great tonight."

"Goodnight hyung." I smiled at him as I entered, shutting the door behind me, dropping my bag to the side and stretching. I walked over to the large windows overlooking the cityscape, looking out at the lights and just letting the tension ease from my body. It was late but, despite my tiredness, I was still wired and not quite ready to go to bed yet. I needed to wind down. 

I went to my suitcase and dug out my sketchbook and pens, flipping through the pages till I came to a blank one and settling by the window. One of the things that had kept me sane through the months and the touring had been sketching cityscapes at every place we'd stayed in. It had started out as a stress reliever, but had grown into a little project and I'd managed to collect quite a number now. 

I was about to start, when my phone began ringing. 

Not my personal phone, but my private one. The one that only one person knew I had.

I hit answer and held the phone to my ear.

"Long time no see, Jinova." The familiar voice said. I laughed. "Busy?"

"As always." I replied, sitting down on my bed. 

"Yes, I saw you guys were off travelling the world. Did you get my text?"

"Yes."

"You didn't reply. Come on, Jinova, don't make me beg." I laughed again. "Do you have something for me?"