Page 47 of Wish Upon a K-Star

I haven’t seen Minseok the last four days. The first day he didn’t come over, he texted me that he had a headache. The next he said he needed to help Robbie with recording. And the third he didn’t even give an excuse. Just said he was busy.

I tell myself that it’s fine. This doesn’t mean he’s growing bored with me. This isn’t the beginning of him ghosting me. He’s an idol; idols have busy schedules. I know that better than anyone.

Still, I wanted to see him before our schedule today. Because we were invited to be guest hosts on HBS’s Music Showdown , which means my return to a weekly music show for the first time since Helloglow disbanded.

I was already freaking out about the show and then I got the schedule last night, and Pink Petal and Kim Ana are both promoting new music. So, we’ll all be in the same place for the first time since the midsummer festival.

My phone buzzes as I walk back from the restroom. I’ve already had to pee twice this morning, probably because I nervously gulped down two Americanos.

I pluck the phone out of my pocket, but the message isn’t from Minseok like I’d hoped.

Sohee: Eonni! I can’t believe you’re the guest host for our debut week! Make sure you take care of us!

I can practically hear her squeals through the text and it eases my nerves a bit.

Maybe I can just focus on that. Kastor’s album came out last Friday, which means they’re doing the circuit of all the weekly music shows.

I type back: Fighting! See you out there!

She sends five muscle emojis and I can’t help laughing at her enthusiasm.

I’m still smiling at how cute Sohee is when I look up and see Minseok walking toward me. I almost don’t recognize him at first. He’s wearing a cap low over his eyes and a face mask. But I’d know his gait anywhere.

“Minseok-ah,” I call, and he pauses but doesn’t look up. For a second, I think he’s going to walk right past and ignore me.

My anxiety flares. Is he mad at me?

Finally, he looks up. “Hyeri-yah, you’re here already?”

I try a smile. “Yeah, I was nervous, thought I’d get reacclimated to the space.” Then I hesitantly add, “How are you?”

“Fine, good.” The answer lacks any of the familiarity we’ve built up recently.

I wanted to convince myself his strange shift in attitude toward me was just in my head, but it’s definitely not. He steps into his dressing room; it’s right across the hall from mine.

The old me would have let him go. The old me wouldn’t have wanted to push too hard for fear of making a bad impression. But this isn’t right. I walk into the room after him. The staff isn’t in there, so it’s just us. Good, we’ll need privacy for whatever this is going to be.

“Are you mad at me?” I start to ask as he pulls off his hat and mask.

“What?” He spins around, clearly surprised. And that’s when I see the bloom of a bruise on his chin.

“Oh my god, what happened?” I rush up to him.

He grabs my wrist before I can brush my fingers over the mark.

“It’s nothing,” he says, grabbing his mask again.

But I stop him from putting it on and lean in to examine his chin. It’s already an angry purple, which means it’s at least a few days old.

“Is this why you’ve been avoiding me?”

He shrugs.

“What happened? Ran into a really tall door?”

“Ran into Jongdae’s fist,” he finally says, dropping onto the couch.

“JD hit you?” I sit next to him.

“He’s not really happy about this.” He darts a finger back and forth between us.

“He punched you because of us?”

“He punched me because he’s being an asshole right now.”

I can’t believe my relationship with Minseok is getting him into physical fights with his best friend. “Should I talk to him?” I wonder aloud, though I’m not sure if that’ll help or make things worse.

“Leave Jongdae to me. We have bigger things to figure out between us.” He scoots closer to lean his head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize staying away would make you think I was mad.”

“I might have been projecting,” I admit. “Plus I’ve been spiraling about today. Kim Ana is promoting.”

“Oh crap.” He shoots upright, turning to run his hands down my arms. “I didn’t even read the lineup, I’m sorry.”

I smile at his sweet concern, already feeling better. “It’s fine. You’re here and so is Sohee. I’ll be okay.”

“You’ll be great. And I’ll be right next to you.” He pushes my hair behind my ear gently, then leans in to kiss my cheek.

I sigh as I turn my head for a real kiss. I know it’s risky, but it’s been days since we’ve been together and I need this right now. In the quiet before the storm, when it’s just the two of us. It grounds me. But when I hear the jiggle of the doorknob, I lurch away from Minseok, pushing him a bit too hard in my hurry to avoid getting caught.

He drops off the couch with a grunt just as Hongjoo and Hanbin walk in.

“Ah, there you are,” Hongjoo says. “Did you get confused? Your dressing room is across the hall.”

“Yes, sorry.” I jump to my feet as Minseok pulls himself back onto the couch.

“Minseok-ah, you good?” Hanbin frowns at his own charge.

“Yup, just a bit off. Probably need some caffeine.”

“I’ll grab you an Americano.” Hanbin scoots back out.

I hurry to join Hongjoo, shooting an apologetic glance back to Minseok as I slip out the door.

Never in my year as a member of Helloglow would I ever have used the word fun to describe a broadcast experience. But honestly, I’m having fun.

It helps that I have a script again. Something to anchor me when I have a blank moment. But for the first time ever, I go rogue a few times. Making small jokes to play off something Minseok does or says. And every time he gives me an approving grin or wink it emboldens me. Maybe I do have decent broadcasting instincts. I just needed to get out of my own head. Or maybe I just needed the right partner to bring it out in me.

I’m the interviewer for the debut segment with Kastor. It’s a bit nerve-racking being up there alone.

But the interview spaces on these shows are as small as a cubicle, with only one cameraman to film. So, it helps make me feel enclosed and safe.

Plus, the girls are absolutely adorable. It’s strange and fun to see how they defer to Sohee as their leader. And watching them give her a hard time as one of the oldest in the group makes me laugh. The tables have truly turned from when Sohee was the beloved maknae of Helloglow.

“Sunbae,” Bomi says. She smiles so big that her gums show, something I’d have been self-conscious about, but she doesn’t seem to care. It endears her to me. I can tell she’s just having fun and it’s a refreshing change.

“Yes, Bomi-yah.”

She giggles at the familiar address I use. “Can we convince you to do the dance challenge to our song?”

“Oh?” I glance toward the PDs; this wasn’t in the script. But they don’t seem upset about the tangent. “Um, it’s been a while since I’ve danced.”

“Oh, come on, Eonni,” Sohee says, clinging to my arm. “It’s been, like, a year. You can do it!”

I sigh and agree. Bomi and Sohee rush forward, teaching me the moves. I feel awkward at first, but I realize it’s not as complicated as I feared. And soon, I’m so determined to do well, I don’t care how stilted I probably look trying out the moves.

“Okay, I think I got it. Music, cue!” The chorus plays, and I actually keep up with the other six girls. We end on an agreed-upon pose where I’m in the center of a circle of jazz hands framing me as I cup my own chin.

I’m the first to break the pose with a self-conscious laugh.

“You were amazing!” Sohee insists.

“Yeah,” Bomi agrees with her big gummy smile. “We should make you our seventh member.”

“Kastor only has six stars,” I remind her. “I will just cheer you on from here on Earth.”

The girls laugh at my bad joke and the PD signals us to wrap up. I say the closing lines before introducing the next performance. And when the red light turns off, I am enveloped in a hug from Sohee.

“Oh my god, you are a natural at hosting! Were you hiding this the whole time we were in Helloglow?” She gives me a suspicious glare.

“I swear, I am barely holding it together.” I laugh, but I feel good. I know the segment was fun. I know I did a good job. And I didn’t even need Minseok to fill in the gaps this time.

“Sohee is right, you’re such a natural. I hope you do more of these, Sunbae,” Bomi says with a sweet smile. The other girls gather to agree emphatically. And I make a mental note to take the whole group out to dinner. It’s what sunbaes are supposed to do. And I am suddenly really fond of them all.

“Good job,” Minseok says, coming over as Kastor is ushered off by their manager to prepare for their performance.

“When did you get here?” I ask with a self-conscious flush.

“I snuck in at the end. You’ve still got good moves.” He bumps my shoulder with his.

“I almost passed out with anxiety. But it was kind of fun,” I admit with a grin.

“Look at you, growing some confidence on broadcasts. Soon you’ll abandon me for bigger and brighter things.”

I laugh, punching him playfully on the shoulder. But my stomach does a little uncomfortable flip at the mention of working without him. Does he mean he’s looking forward to OCM being over?

Stop it, you’re overthinking things again, Hyeri .

“Hey, you good?” Minseok asks, brushing a wayward strand of hair from my shoulder before letting his hand trail lightly down my back.

“Yup,” I lie, trying to hide my worries.

“We have a little bit of time before the next segment. Do you want to get a snack? When’s the last time you had a famous HBS commissary cookie?”

I know I shouldn’t. Technically, I’m still watching what I eat. But it’s been almost a year since I’ve had an HBS cookie. And they really are amazing.

“I can tell you want one,” Minseok says in my ear. It makes me shiver. But I guess that’s what thinking about cookies will do to a girl.

“Just one,” I promise myself.

“Yes, just one.” Minseok laughs as he grabs my hand and pulls me into the elevator.

“Ya, no holding hands in public.” I pull away.

“We’re the only ones in here.”

“Really?” I nod up at the security camera in the corner.

“Fine, have it your way.” He sighs in a heavy and dramatic fashion. “But it’s your loss, I’m a really phenomenal hand-holder.”

I laugh as the doors open. “Says who? Your mom?”

“And Junie. Jun loves holding hands.”

“He does not.” I roll my eyes as I follow him out of the elevator.

He lifts his phone to his ear. “Yes? Junie? What a coincidence, I was just telling Hyeri about our sweet nights of hand-holding I always look forward to.”

“Stop being weird,” I tell him, but he just grins at me as he ducks into the commissary.

I laugh as I chase after, so caught up in him that I don’t see the person stepping into my path until I’m about to collide with them.

“Sorry,” I murmur, starting to bow when I realize I’m face-to-face with Kim Ana.