CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Ending Catastrophe

Mingyu groans at the sight unwrap in front of him. If there is one thing he hates about being a perfectionist in his costume design, it will be seeing the outfit he sewed with his own hands snap off. One of the drapes he stitches under Minghao’s left sleeve fallen from its thread. Why did he not check it beforehand? He cannot afford having his piece out on the stage looking imperfect.

“Come with me.” He drags the actor in a rush towards the border between the side stage area and backstage. Arguing with the boy is not the best thing to do so he might as well comply. Minghao kindly nods and decides to hum his solo while waiting. He plays with the bottle in hand to cure the boredom. After a couple of tosses, he stares at the half-empty bottle keenly.

“I wonder if she’ll like it.” The boy mumbled while he swirls the water, forming a mini tornado. In the back of his mind, he already senses its failure. There is lack of confidence because his heart does not seem to be at ease. With his brain worry over the next scene, there is also his confession to be concern about.

“Myungho? Aren’t you supposed to be at stage right?” Wonwoo walks by the backstage hallway, planning to head to the restroom before the curtain call comes. “Mingyu has a last minute adjustment to do.” He shows his arm and a metre of white cloth to him.

“I see. He’s still as clumsy as always.” Wonwoo laughs a little and it surely does not make the main subject happy about it. “Have we talked before for you to mock my imperfection?” The wardrobe master questioned in a salty manner. His childishness is showing and that is enough to tickle Minghao’s sense of humour.

“You guys might be one of those famous pairing that girls ship in an alternate universe for all we know.” Minghao playfully interjected. “I rather be shipped with you, Myungho. You’re probably the cool guy in the group.” Mingyu chose to join along the joke.

“Whatever,” The assistant director rolls his eyes when he begins to feel left out of the conversation the two friends are engaging. Remembering his real intention, he heads straight to the restroom where as expected, empty since most of the crew members are preparing for the curtain call.

“Myungho?” His name is being called in a questioning manner yet again but this time his head almost snaps and eyes widen when he sees Shinyoung running straight at him and Mingyu. The fellow is still keen in fixing the outfit to realise the time. “Kim Mingyu, what do you think you’re doing? Yerin is looking for him at stage right, right now.”

“Wait!” The boy yells more incoherent stuff over at their direction when Shinyoung impatiently drags Minghao from Mingyu. Before he can neaten up the finishing touches, his actor friend is no longer in sight so he reckons he can do it in the dark with tiny bit of light.

“Uh, Shinyoung? Help?” The girl curses after she manages to make Minghao stay put in his spot. There is still a scene act by Seungkwan and Sujeong before he goes on stage. To hear Soonyoung’s voice through her earphones that are connected to the walkie-talkie is never a good sign. At this kind of time, he rarely delivers good news.

Shinyoung ruffles her hair in annoyance. Luckily, screaming is not an option. Since Minghao helplessly eyeing on her distraught self, he curtly interrupts her mini tantrum. He can see her trying her best to muster a smile yet it is so small that anyone probably miss it if they are a distant away from her. She is going to pass it back but he tells her to keep it.

‘He’s the only one that keeps me sane tonight.’ She contemplated softly in the back of her mind whilst playing with the bottle’s cap. Once he turns his face away from her, there is it again.

The faint glow she witnessed in the photoshoot picture. Even though the only view she has is his side profile, she is glad to see his face calm. She wishes for more time to learn about him. He is interesting to be with and she can use a good chat with him whenever she is down in her sea of assignments. She feels there is a connection somewhere in the current state of relationship and willing to give a chance. But…

Why is there this uncomfortable sensation thumping against her cage?

“Shinyoung!”

Oh, right.

Her head shakes to return to reality before she spins on her heels, breaking into a swift jog. With her brain pondering what is happening to her tonight. She seems to easily get distracted and accidently trips on a cable. The bottle in hand rolls off her grasp and she lets it go before standing up to check out whatever Soonyoung’s trouble is.

“Blue shirt. Jeans. Red cardigan. A woman in her late thirties.” Jennie mumbled as she carries out her random mission given by the younger male. She can barely see anything in the dimly lit audience area. It is logical that if she cannot see them, that means the audience cannot see her roaming around. It is not ideal to disturb their concentration with her walking all over the place.

Along the way, she meets with Yanan who questions her being in the area instead of the backstage to get ready for the curtain call like most of the creative teams. Once she shares her current activity, the same-aged boy bobs his head understandingly. He also kindly states there is no one walking through the entrance with the exact same fashion.

“Is it his mother? If it is then she is already late. Very. The show almost ends.” He continued in a hush. “No, it’s not his mother. He told me that it is just someone he knows.”

“That’s not helpful.” Jennie agrees with Yanan right that instant. If this person is important to Minghao, he should have let the administration team know to make sure this woman is around and reserve a seat for her from the start. Yanan lightly pokes on her side arm, to get her attention. “I think you should head back to the stage. His scene is up next.”

“Sure.” The girl answered shortly and is about to leave Yanan by himself when she catches movement on the second floor. She instinctively follows what she quickly registers as a stranger clad in complete black from head to toe. Again, unlike their production outfit, there is not a single strand of blue and pink on theirs.

“No one is allowed to be there aside from the technical team.” Jennie uttered mostly to herself and immediately breaks into a run to the backstage, hoping to snatch Jiyeon’s walkie-talkie in time before her prediction occurs.

And it is not a good one.

Wonwoo wipes his hand clean after washing up. He figures from the time displayed on the digital watch, the end is about to arrive at its station. His phone is dead unfortunately so he cannot buy any more time to stay in the restroom. He likes it in there aside from the stench it offers because the stillness in the air eases his mind. Yet there is something about that night’s uncommon airy atmosphere disturbs his likeness to the silence. So he turns the knob to leave the confined room.

Or that is what he is planning to do anyway.

“Uh…” The assistant director spoke to no one but himself, wondering if this situation is suppose to happen. The answer is a bright red ‘no’. His eyes close and a sigh escapes his mouth. He tries turning the door knob again, shaking them hastily. To his dismay, his assumption is right. He is locked in.

“I knew this can happen but why does it have to be me?” Wonwoo smacks his forehead against the door when he remembers the door’s condition. So he begins to bang on the door and waits for any response on the outside. There is bound to be someone still lingers in the hallway to hear him. Therefore, the knocking goes on and on…and on.

“Alright everyone. We’re clear to be at stage left. Let’s go.” Yerin announced softly but loud enough for everyone who is standing on her side to move to the mentioned area. Once she received the cue from Junhui, she ushers her team to walk faster and as soon as they do, the stage darken.

It is pitch black. Save for someone’s glow in the dark shoes, they can make their way out of the side stage safely. Yerin gasps in shock when she feels a hand grab hold of her arm. She sighs in relief when she listens to Chan mutters a line of apology for surprising her.

“Aren’t you supposed to help Myungho putting on the stunt thingy?” The girl asked upon recalling the reason why the boy is close by. Chan nods briefly even though Yerin cannot see any small gesture he does. “I did and Myungho already knows most of it anyway so it’s quick to do.”

“Goo-” Before Yerin can finish her word, her ears pick up a sound of something crackling under her feet. Or rather, Chan’s feet. Follows after is the boy mumbling, “Who left their bottle here-”

“Just leave it there. We’ll clean it up after.” With that the two are the last crew members that leave the stage right vacant.

There is no one in sight. It is a great opportunity for anyone to sneak in and do whatever they please. After minutes passes by, nobody seems to step into the area which in reality is foremost the worst decision any production member ever make.

This is it.

After this scene ends, it is his last time doing the same thing. Acting is all fun and tiring at the same time but the boy figures the scene is not entirely for him. He has been contemplating about rejoining for the past few days to come up with an answer to every offer given by his kind friends. He calls them that but really, they are close enough to call his family.

Every single one of the people he meets through and in Rose Quartz and Serenity Production teaches him a lot. Some are on a more personal level than others. Frankly speaking, he was relatively awkward around them yet they gave him chances to slowly open up. His fellow co-actor complimented it though, saying that is actually quick for anyone to be close to anybody within the production where everyone knows everyone.

Minghao smiles at the thought as he slowly climbs up the scaffolding for his dramatic scene. It will be his last time to be Shin Minseo. If he can pull this through, that will be one final time for everyone to see the character in action. A part of him is proud to play such important character. Usually he only gets small role in his elective theatre acting classes.

He reckons he has Wonwoo to thank for putting high level of trust to act it out on his behalf. Personally, it is interesting to learn that it is his first time in the production as the assistant director. Hence, it was his first time picking out casts for the play. Also there are his friends: Mingyu, Seokmin, and Jungkook for supporting him in their free time, when they are not busy with their individual tasks in the RQS.

And there is Shinyoung. When he thinks about her from higher up, he makes an attempt to find her figure on the second floor. It is not a good idea because she is talking to who he assumes to be Soonyoung. From afar, he wishes he can hear what they are conversing about.

The boy stops reminiscing. That is not the right time to do so. He has an entire night to see it. So he adjusts the straps wrapped around him, smiling a little as he feels giddy to finish his part. With it safely attached, he wonders why he still feels agitated. Everything is according to plan, right?

‘Where is the spotlight?’ Minghao quietly glances at the direction where a light should shine on him ten seconds after Sujeong exits the stage. He glimpses upwards to see the rest of the automated lights are in the same dark state. That is enough to cause more worry wash up on him.

The Chinese actor heard of it before. People saying how he is blessed with excellent sight in camera visuals and keen ears to listen to the voices of nature. When he is standing securely in the dark, his ears detect a recognisable sound.

It sounds like something crackling. A noise one can hear while camping in the woods or by the beach. Whenever one listens to it, there are warmth surges in their mind, acting like a catharsis to campers. But in this situation, he does not feel the calm wave because…

“EVERYONE EVACUATE! THE BACKSTAGE IS ON FIRE!”

 MEET THE CREW