“Excuse me, may I borrow your pen?” Jiyong asked a female staff as he couldn’t find the other contestant who borrowed his pen. He had to quickly jot his idea down before his brain start to form another idea or worst, erase it from his memory.

Two months since the fated night, his drunken friend’s craziness brought him to this round qualification. Who would imagine the shy guy that never like to sing at karaoke room captivated the whole nation since the very first audition stage? His phone almost blown off with the amount text and call from his friends, saying their surprise and wishing his luck. His parents were another story, at the end they only hoped the best for him after an earful of thirty minutes scolding.

“Yes?” she raised her head and for a split second, Jiyong was shocked with her beauty. Why didn’t she work in front of the camera instead behind of it?

“Oh,” he quickly recovered under her questioning stare, “I have to write down some arrangement idea to be practiced with the band, but I lost my pen earlier.”

“Oh, sure.” She smiled at him. If earlier she was beautiful, with that smile she should do make up brand CF. “Here,” she gave him her pen.

“Thank you.” He smiled at her.

With a pen in hand, he immediately looked for some cozy spot to write. He even got another idea and wrote it right away along with the previous one. The band liked his idea and suggested some more. He finished his practice turn in success.

Just as he came out from the practice room and back to the great hall, all the attention fixed at two people stood at one corner.

“Why I got newbie without any preparation?” it was the main PD of the program, Jiyong recognized him from the earlier briefing. And the one who got the lashing was the pretty staff he borrowed pen from. “You should have at least pen and paper ready, you’re a PD! Aish, forget it.”

Washed with guilt and regret, Jiyong looked at the troubled pen in his hand. Before he could walk the distance toward the senior-junior PD, the angry senior fled away with heavy step. Jiyong tried to catch up, but the PD already crossed the hall and walked out the door.

“I’m sorry… because of me you got scolded by your senior.” He told the female PD when he reached her.

“Ah, you saw that?” she jerked in surprise. Jiyong blinked at her. Didn’t she know almost everyone in this large room was distracted by the earlier commotion? That main PD didn’t need any speaker for his voice to be heard even at a soccer stadium.

“It’s okay. Do you just finish practice with the band?” he got another of her smile. How could there was any get angry at face with such angelic smile?

“Yes, I’m sorry and thank you. Here your pen.” He gave her pen back, wishing all his good luck to get another chance to meet her.

**

Still overflowing with the adrenaline rush, Jiyong walk off the stage, tried his hard to school his expression not too happy. He had just finished performing for the duel stage, where two contestants face off one against another, fight over one passing ticket at stake. For one who didn’t like to take the mic at karaoke room, he surely has too much talent hadn’t be shared. Behind the stage, staffs and camera had waited for him. He recognized one of them.

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