An Angel's Heart

The Competition

"Are you sure you're ready?" Pha asked Yo for the fifteen time that evening. Yo couldn't help but roll his eyes. He'd sung in front of thousands of angels in Heaven, so singing in front of students at their University didn't seem that daunting. Pha, however, was more nervous than any of the contestants.

"I'm ready," Yo insisted, turning to give his boyfriend a hug. "Why are you so worried? You'll still love me if I fail, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Pha said. "It's just that you already have a lot of people interested in you. Do you really have to let everyone see you looking so beautiful?"

"You're sweet," Yo kissed Pha's nose, thinking the man was joking but Pha was serious. He couldn't bear the thought of how many people would want his baby after tonight.

"Let's get ready people!" Ging called everyone to order. "Five minutes to show time!"

Yo and the other contestants lined up in their places while Pha and Pring stood ready at the edge of the stage. When the lights came on, the first dance began. The song played for less than four minutes, but with the heat of the room, the closeness of the crowd, and the difficulty of the steps, the contestants were sweating by the end of the first number.

Unfortunately for them, it was just beginning. They ran off stage while the guests were welcomed, the competition was announced, and the judges introduced. One Moon and one Star for each faculty was called on stage to introduce themselves and then they were off again to change costumes.

As last year's Moon and Star winners, Pha and Pring were the announcers. After the first costume change, the pairs came out to answer questions for the judges then they ran back again for yet another costume change. Finally, each contestant came out for their individual performances.

Yo watched from the side of the stage while Ming did a Muay Thai demonstration. Yo tried to clap to show his enthusiasm but Pha was behind him. With the taller man's arms wrapped tightly around Yo, it was difficult to move at all.

Pha had his face snuggled up in Yo's neck at every opportunity, trying very hard to resist the temptation to leave marks all over Yo to make sure everyone knew he was taken. When Ming finished, to tumultuous applause, Pha had to follow Pring out to announce the Engineering Faculty Star and then it would be Yo's turn.

When Yo's turn finally came, Pha announced him with a trembling voice before Yo walked on stage with his guitar. He went up to the microphone and smiled brightly at the crowd, earning a round of "oohs" from his supporters.

"Thank you," Yo said into the microphone, giving the crowd a moment to stop clapping. His adorable face and sweet voice made even more people shout for him, so he had to wait longer, but when they were finally done he continued. "I've been so warmly welcomed here, and I can't express how grateful I am to have the chance to be here with you and share this experience."

Yo paused for more applause and some cat calls that made him blush attractively. Then when he felt the room begin a low buzz of anticipation, he began to play.

"Take me into the beautiful. Won't You take me back again? With a love unexplainable, come and fill up this dry land. Let it open our eyes to see a world we've never seen. Let it open our hearts up to feel You inside of us. You're here inside of me!" Yo sang in his beautiful voice, while the crowd took a collective gasp. "Take me into the beautiful, where the rivers flow with a love that never ends. Oh, I wanna go to the beautiful. La-la-la-la. Take me into the beautiful, where the faces glow with a light that never dims. Oh, I wanna go to the beautiful. Come on and take me again! Da-da-la-la."

Pha was speechless, Yo was better than he'd imagined, better than he remembered from that night at the club. On one hand, he was so proud, Yo was perfect. On the other hand, he felt his jealousy rising. Pha couldn't look out at the crowd, he knew he'd see desire in the eyes of many, desire for someone that was his. Closing his eyes against that thought, he focused on Yo's voice.