Chapter 10 - Seoul Concert

"Hi" I approached Michelle. She was quite shock to see me for the way she acts. She hides the little boy slowly behind her back. I can say it is a boy with the way he was dressed. A green sweater with his hoodie almost covering his eyes and his brown boots that's so cute on him.

Michelle didn't say much but Eli kept on calling me to go "Ian, let's go. The arcade's gonna close up soon". I crouch down to level the kid's height. "Hey, what's your name?" he was shy at first but slowly, he raised his hand to put it in his mouth like a pacifier "Michael". He continue to play with him thumb and I stood up because Eli kept on shouting. I said goodbye to Michelle and told her I'll see her around.

We didn't have that much time to communicate because of Eli. She just smile awkwardly and I walked towards the car. We played at the arcade for almost three hours until Eli accepted defeat. She wanted to kill more zombie but I kill more than what she killed. We ate up and went back to the hotel.

As soon as the elevator opens on my floor, I saw Jer waiting for me at my door. When he saw me, he waved and showed me a beer he was holding on his left hand. I smiled thinking that, he is celebrating because he found the man behind the scandal.

I opened the door and invite him to come inside. He went after me and straight to my bed. He put the beer on the side table and lie down, his feet still on the ground. "Is something wrong?" I asked him first. He just stare at the ceiling.

"You remember when you stared at the ceiling and didn't sleep at our house the first night you slept there?" he then looked at me smiling. I chuckled remembering how stupid I must have looked "Yeah, it was lame". He then sit up and hold one bear on his left and threw me the other.

"You are going to experience more criticism, scandals, and judgment" he started. I sat on the chair next to the bed. I listened on how should I present myself with others, not to fight with anyone and just tell him if I want to date someone so that he can make it official rather than receive a lot of rumors and how it affect me in a way.

I was looking down listening to what he says then it went silent. When I look at him, he was dozing off. I laughed and I make him more comfortable in his sleep. I slept on the couch because Jer took the bed to himself. I don't like sleeping with him because I was kicked out on my own bed the first time we slept in Carlo's house.

I was awaken by the commotion inside my room. They were having a meeting and they are so loud. When they realized that I am awake, they told me to get up and join them. I thought of sleeping again but I know I can't sleep anyway. I sit right next to Eli on the bed while others are either standing or sitting down on the floor.

As soon as I sat down, they gave me paper to read. I was confused so I ask Eli what's going on. "They have a theory on who drugged you". I look at her not processing what she said. She told me to wake up already and find us who that was.

We worked three hours for this papers. I was told that these papers are the conversation of the people behind the incident. I told them to leave it to the police and they'll do the their part. They told me it is better if we solve it before the concert.

I just do the work and I think they still don't know that I haven't eaten anything yet. Eli, ordered just in time for lunch. They ordered Korean food; like that black noodle called Jajangmyun, it was tasty and there are meats as well. I tasted their favorite kimchi and it was even more delicious. I'll say it is my favorite side dish here in Korea.

The meeting ended with a relief. We found some proof that someone did drugged me. I told them to let the police handle it onwards. They agreed and Jona told me if I want anything more. I was craving some ice cream so he bought it for me. I know it's been a hectic these past days but Jona is still calm as the situation gets resolve one by one.

We played video games, did some work out. Eli is dead tired on the floor after a 10 minutes work out. We had meetings, vocal rehearsals, dance practice, and I even had a session with my health coach. He examines my body before going to concerts. He always takes good care of me, he gave me some tips on how to get my mind balance.

He didn't want me to think too much on concerts. So, he gives me a great deal of advice and counseling. I'd say I am in a great mindset in some way when he do that. We went back to hotel to get some rest. Tomorrow is the d-day and we haven't heard a thing about the culprit. I was about to sleep when they told me police wanted to see me.

Jer, Eli and I talked to the police inside my room. They explained to me the situation and that they found who is the man behind the incident. They talked a lot of procedures and explain every detail of the investigation. They presented a video for us to watch.

Elliot was the first thing that popped out of the video. He is one of my dance crew member. He was already partying near the bar counter. Then, a man came to him and gave him a pill, a white one, then the guy went out to dance with his friends. Elliot ordered a drink and came to our room.

He smiled and gave me the drink. It looked like the one we were drinking so I drank it without thinking. I drank more drinks like that but no pill. Then, I started acting out. The video ended just when I collapsed to the floor. The police closed the laptop and they looked at me. They told me they'll arrest him now. I answered "not now".

They were confused but Jer explained to them that Elliot is one of the main dancers on his team. He knew all the routine and if we change him now, it will ruin my concerts choreography. I was still bewildered with the fact that he did that to me.

I was always good to him and treated him like a young brother. I didn't do anything that would cause him to do this to me. I was confused even more on who should I trust in this team. The police said their goodbye and they told us to contact them if I change my decision. We didn't need a translator because Eli knew how to speak 8 international language.

Eli told me to get some rest and not think of anything right now. She told me that I should talk to Eric, my health coach, to get some advice or just talk to my mom if I want real advice. I was so deep in thought that I fell asleep.

Not knowing what to do with Elliot, I called my mom the day after yesterday. She wasn't picking up and I went to Eric instead. We talked for two hours straight, did some counseling and he gave me some advice but what I want to hear right now is an advice from my mom.

After a few more try, my mom answered and she was sorry that she couldn't picked it up early on because she was having a meeting with the school board. She was a member of the school's board member in Manila for quite long time now.

She said that "No one can decide except you but remember that every action has reasons. Why don't you talk to him". At 12 pm, I went to see the dance crew and practice until 1:30 pm. I can't concentrate because Elliot kept on popping into my head and seeing him here is making it worse. I called for a time out and after a short break, we resumed and I kept it out of my head.

The concert will begin in 2:30 pm so I need to do my make up and all. I felt fresh and ready for the concert. I told them I was ready to talk to him but only after we finish this. Jer and Eli said okay but I still feel the anger that is building up because of Elliot. Elliot doesn't know anything at all.

The show starts and the big screen showed a video that we shoot long even before we started this tour. It's more like a short film that we shoot in New Zealand and the scenery there was marvelous.

I was really nervous with these kinds of things even now but a lot of people prepared this and I can't just blow it up. I got ready and they shouted 10 seconds and I positioned myself in there they shouted something in Korean and I think it is the go time because suddenly the lifted went up then the next thing is I'm in front of thousands of people.

The show started and I changed to 6 outfits and rested for 5 to 15 minutes for a short video. It's rest time for every song or two. I interacted to my fans after ending a song and they were very upbeat every time. It pumps me to continue to be as hyper as I can for them and it was very rewarding every now and then.

"Are you having fun" I shouted as high as I can. They screamed. "Yeah? Well, I am not yet ready to leave but it is time for me to go". I said feeling a little sad. There were a lot of screams and I said while walking backwards, waving at them ""Thank you all for coming and I really hope to see you all again. Khamsamnida, annyeong!" I learned that a while ago. They taught me some things as Hanna, assistant of the director for this event, was very playful and we clicked in some ways.

I felt like I always bring something, a piece, of them every time I go to tours and interact with my fans. I felt more hyper in the stage and more open to people. The adrenaline to just, you know, run around the whole stadium and jump as high as I can and sing as good as I can. We lose too much energy in just dancing alone and it really burns you out. Without those cheers and screams of those who adore you, it really is exhausting like for real but with the fans' support you get to like reward yourself with a smile and say "I am okay" and continue with your day happy.