Page 40 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 13-16
The drums kicked in, low and slow at first, and building. Jun swallowed. Su-jin reached for his hand, almost shaking. Jun gripped back, trying to send confidence to his maknae. They’d done this. Somehow, in a matter of months, without BBB3.
On the screen, one by one, each of them appeared. There were a few gasps in the crowd. Jun dared a look back at the Korean fan contingent. A few had hands over their mouths. Émeric’s camera angle suggestions had been brilliant. That was a man who knew how to make art, and how to appreciate a body, clothed or unclothed. The camera turned in a circle, all five members of 5N looking down at the lens through a facade of rubble. Their bodies were covered in dirt and soot, carrying tools, dressed in their work clothes, shirts strategically unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up to bare shoulders or forearms. One by one, as the camera turned, each member hefted their tool, putting it to work, breaking, cutting, and tearing away at the ruin surrounding the camera until it could see them clearly.
Before you I was a seed.
Germinated on their greed
Now I bleed
And you let me be
The camera rose, focused on Geun as Yohei sang:
A perfect wound, a fallen tree
Geun fell back, back stiff as a board. Getting that shot had been hard. They’d covered a crash mat with powder. It showed up beautifully now, dust rising around Geun’s body as he lay prone, eyes closed.
Someone screamed and was hushed. Jun smothered a smile. Geun had a fan.
It was almost exhausting watching the film. His body reminded him of each shot, the way he’d cut himself taking the dive from the altar. Jaewoong had highlighted the blood, making it shiny and bright against a gray scaled image.
The tent roared, coming to their feet as the screen faded and the credits came up. Those closest reached out in congratulations. 5N came together, bowing and calling out to their support team.
A few pleasantries later, everyone stood up and the chairs were moved to make space for mingling. Jun and the other 5N members took pictures with fans. Jun tracked the other four members as he worked the room. Yohei and Geun were tag teaming Su-jin, making sure their youngest member was never left alone for long. Security around the edges were on alert but relaxed. The crowd was pleasant, chatting with each other, and the local and non-local personalities present.
It was happening. Had happened.
Mi Hi trotted up to him, Gigi hanging back a few steps. Someone caught her attention and she paused, still keeping half an eye on Mi Hi, but turning away as she saw Mi Hi skid to a stop in front of Jun.
Mi Hi held her phone up to Jun. “It’s blowing up. The video dropped ten minutes after we showed it here and it’s just skyrocketing.” She grinned, eyes so bright she almost looked like she’d become a child again in her delight.
Jun leaned in. “How are the comments?”
She grinned. “Really good. Some people are surprised and there’s lots of chatter. Which is just perfect. So much conversation. Lots of suggestions about what the five of you can remodel next.”
“Nope.” Jun shook his head. “We’re not remodeling anything without Collin. I might know the difference between a two-by-four and a one-by-eight now, but someone still has to tell me where to put them.”
Mi Hi giggled. “That’s not what Armada said. Jaewoong fixed her closet all by himself yesterday.”
“Jaewoong has many talents.”
Someone called Mi Hi’s name and she sailed away.
“Photos outside,” Cedric said, coming up to Jun. “It’s all set up.”
Jun nodded and signaled the other four. They made their way to the external stage where the local bands were on break between sets. For a good ten minutes, cameras flashed and various people from the mayor to the local alderman and the bands who had been playing joined them on stage for photos. Someone tossed a drone up to take a big photo with a lot of the attendees and even cooks from the food trucks came over to get in the frame. With time up, Jun was grateful to jump down to the surface of the street and let the band, the same one he’d sung with before at the restaurant, take over. Jun wasn’t singing with them tonight, but Su-jin was, which was attracting a lot of attention as they set up.
Jun jostled into the crowd, looking for Damian. Most everyone was crowded around the food trucks along the edges of the street. He stopped in the middle in a clear area. Down the street a little he caught sight of his alpha talking to Linda by a streetlight. It was getting dark, though barely. Illumination had come on up and down the area.
“So this is what you’re doing while you’re thinking.”
A cold thrill passed through Jun. Merchari.
Jun turned towards the hushed male voice addressing him. A man in sunglasses and a short brimmed hat wearing a tan coat and a beard stood just behind him and to the side. There was no one close to them, just the two of them standing in the middle of hungry people ordering food.
Sevastyan hadn’t warned them. They were supposed to have one more day. What did that mean?
Jun turned away, scanning the people within view. Richard, Damian, Cedric, Holden, and the rest of 5N were all in sight, though at a distance. Someone was even snapping a picture of him at that very moment. He breathed through his nose, dropping into that headspace where he could do anything. That distant, clear place he’d found in the mountain resort washed over his limbs. Thought crystalized and narrowed down to a small array of points. Everything he’d gone over with Émeric the day before came rushing back.
