CHAPTER 12: Pageant
"Yah, where do you think Kai's dressing up? What country are they representing?" a female voice from outside the dressing room asked her friend.
"I don't know, I think it was Philadelphia."
"Oh really? Isn't that an American state?"
"Mollasseo [I don't know]," the other girl shrugged, and added, "I suck in History, especially in terms of geography, so don't ask me those questions. What I know is Luhan-oppa is already sitting outside, waiting for the programme to start, with his classmates. "
"Waa~ Let's go outside, I also want to see Luhan-oppa. Kyaa.."
And footsteps from the two girls slowly faded from Jiyeon's and Soyeon's ears. They were at the girls' dressing room. And Soyeon was dressing Jiyeon up.
"Kai Luhan~ Waa~ They're so handsome~" Soyeon mimic the girls in an intimidating way. And then she rolled her eyes while spraying Jiyeon's hair.
"You also noticed that?" Jiyeon asked Soyeon in disbelief.
"Yeah, Kai and Luhan became popular in just a blink. Why'd that happen?"
"That's what I've been asking myself this whole time," Jiyeon shrugged as she removed her robe.
"Omo, you look so pretty Jiyeon-a. You're like a goddess. I'm so proud of myself that I turn an ugly duckling into an elegant goddess." Jiyeon glared at Soyeon's reflection at the mirror. "Of course, that was just a joke. Bbali ka [Faster], go dress up. The show's about to start. So excited." She almost jumped out of the floor from excitement.
After dressing up, she was surprised that only her and Soyeon was the only one in the room, so she assumed that the show's about to start.
When they went out from the room, a familiar voice suddenly whined, "Ugh... It's about time for you to get out." They saw Kai leaning on the wall, looking at his wrist watch. And when he finally lifts his head up, he saw a girl with an angelic face and who looks so elegant. He slightly dropped his jaw when he realizes that she was Jiyeon.
As for Jiyeon, she thought that hair gel looks good on Kai, and he looked like a grown-up man with his get up, which is good. When she noticed that was not saying a thing, she said, "Kai?"
Reality knocks into Kai's world, making him to shake his head. "Let's go." And he actually offers his arms to Jiyeon. Of course, Jiyeon cannot reject his offer.
'Well, I won't see this every day, right? A gentleman Kai,' Jiyeon mock Kai in her thoughts. She wraps her arm around Kai's. And she really needs an escort at this time because she feels like she's going to get blisters from her tight shoes. But of course, she will show no signs that she's injured at the ramp.
"Omo, Break a leg, Jiyeon-a," Soyeon said in English and hugged Jiyeon. "I'm going to watch you outside. So excited." She jumped to release some of the excitement around her body and started skipping to exit the back stage. She almost tripped which made Jiyeon scoffed. But Soyeon keep her cool and start skipping again until finally she went out from the backstage.
Jiyeon gulped from the fact that the show is about to start. She can feel some sweat on her head, good thing, she had a fan as her props, so she fanned herself with it.
"Good luck," Kai said.
"You too, let's just pray we won't fall—"
"Won't fall for each other, why not?" Kai mockingly said.
"Aigooo... this kid," Jiyeon slapped Kai's shoulder with her fan.
Then, the electronic-fashion-ish music plays. Jiyeon suddenly feel the pressure. They're at number 8. The first one who'll go to walk first is the boys, then the girls, and then by pair. Jiyeon looked at Kai, and she was envious but at the same time amazed on how composed Kai is. And she find another cool side of Kai.
And when it's finally Kai's turn, she bids him another good luck and watch Kai on the TV back stage. And she feels like he's really a model, his face shows confidence even he's wearing a cocky face which still shows confidence, and when he pose in the middle....
"He's so handsome and cool," she said in a low voice. However, some girls, who were also watching heard her.
She snaps back from reality, and realized what she just said. And she felt some electric gazes aiming her. She just sighed and ignored those girls and went back to line. Finally, Kai is done with his solo catwalk. And he went back beside Jiyeon.
"How was I?" Kai asked Jiyeon.
"I hate to admit it, but you're good," Jiyeon smiled and gave him a two-thumbs up.
"Thanks, I hope you'll do great."
'He's such a bipolar person: he can be a cocky person sometimes, but can be a good person sometimes. Why are you like this Kai?' Jiyeon thought. However, while thinking this, she was smiling straight at Kai, subconsciously.
"Why are smiling at me like that, that's unusual," Kai said, smirking. Snapping back Jiyeon to reality. "Hokshil, neo joha hanya? [Perhaps, Do you like me?]" Jiyeon blinked from what Kai said, remembering her saying that on the dance studio.
Jiyeon was speechless, don't know what to say. Then she suddenly realized, 'Why the heck I am hesitating?' she thought.
"Aish... Seriously, Kai. You still have the time to kid around, especially at a time like this," Jiyeon frown.
Kai just laughed and said, "Chill, I don't want to stress you out."
"Well, you're not helping," Jiyeon said. And she noticed that the last guy's finished ramping. So it's the girls' turn.
"Don't worry. If you're worried not getting an applause, worry not, our section has the loudest claps in the room." Instead of giving a snide comment, she just listen to what he was saying because she actually appreciate the concern. When she looked around, she noticed that only Jiyeon has an escort beside her, and the rest of the guys were taking a water break on the side.
Now she's feeling guilty that she was treating Kai like that, despite his soft side. Kai earned some respect from Jiyeon.
"I really appreciate the concern, Kai. But why don't you take a break like the others?" Jiyeon said.
"Well, thanks for the concern Jiyeon-a," Kai sarcastically said. "But I think I'll be more fine here." He beamed at Jiyeon.
Now she's more feeling bad. But she must not lose focus at this time because 2 more girls, then she's up. She inhaled and exhaled.
'Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Don't think about your foot. You're going to be okay. You'll be great just like Kai said. Just walk with poise, stand straight and look tall. No slouches. Don't think too much. Be awesome. You're just going to walk and pose, then that's it. Simple. Just think you're walking in front of no one. Be comfortable. You can do this, Park Ji Yeon!' Jiyeon encourage herself in her mind.
Then she suddenly feels the intense pressure from the fact that the girl in front of her starts to walk in the ramp. Subconsciously, she grabbed Kai's hand to release the pressure.
Kai was about to say mock Jiyeon, but decided not to, because he's actually liking it—Jiyeon hold his hand with her cold and sweaty palm.
'Fierce mode: on,' she thought when finally the girl returns.
[A/N: Stage looks like this:
________________________________________
_______MAIN RAMP_______
| RAMP1 | | RAMP2 |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |_______________________| |
STAGE
_______ ____EXIT TO BACK STAGE____________
]
All the pressure in her body was suddenly gone in just a snap. She removed her hands away from Kai's and starts walking elegantly as her character. She wore a fierce yet angelic face. She walks into a dark room where only the spotlight is only light (of course there are small spotlights also lighting the whole stage) and is only focused to her. She walks to ramp one and when she's finally at the end of the ramp, she flipped her fan magnificently and fanned herself—which serve as her pose. But her fierce mode was turned off because she didn't receive any applause from the audience.
'What the hell's happening? Where's our section?' her mind was panicking and starting to feel the pressure again. And she was distracted by the beam of the light from the spotlight, but she's trying her best to keep and look cool.
And in a split second, a man stood up, and Jiyeon was pretty sure it was Baekhyun and made a loud clap, and followed by many. And she even receives some cheer from her section. Jiyeon was trying to hold her smile, because it won't look cool, so her fierce mode was turned back on and exits her way to ramp 2, and exits backs stage.
When she's finally sure she's out of sight, she jumped behind the stage. And then, she saw Kai staring at the TV. She went straight to Kai and asked, "How was I?"
"It was horrible..." her eyes dropped from Kai's comment and she thought, 'is that why I didn't get an applause?' "—ly awesome!" he continued.
Jiyeon jumped out of excitement and subconsciously hugged Kai tightly.
Well for Kai, he call this a chance, so he also hugged Jiyeon tightly. However, Jiyeon was still not snapping from reality and still on her fantasy land. And she feels like her wings are flapping gracefully and flying higher than the clouds.
And for Kai, he's forever loving the feeling, ignoring all the stares they were receiving. 'I wish this won't last,' Kai thought. And he was beaming and he was also infected by Jiyeon, and they both taken to their fantasy land. However, with different reasons.
Jiyeon: Because she did awesome in her catwalk
Kai: He was being hugged by Jiyeon.
"Ehem," an abrupt cough interrupts the two.
Then it feels like a scratch from a DJ's booth filled their ever loving BGM (background music). And Jiyeon was taken back to reality, and realizes that she was being hugged by Kai. Yes, Kai was still in his fantasy land.
"Kai!" Jiyeon shouts at Kai so he could remove his hug.
But instead of removing, he slowly opens his eyes with a dreamy look to Jiyeon. And he stupidly said, "I could just kiss you." Note: in a slow motion way.
The guy and Jiyeon's eyes were both surprised. The guy separates the two. "Oh," Kai said when he exits his fantasy land.
"What the hell did you just did?" Jiyeon said to Kai.
"Wait, what? Well, you don't just hug a guy, especially if you're a girl," Kai sarcastically said, returning Jiyeon's words earlier to her.
"Ehem," once again, the guy coughed. And both Kai and Jiyeon brought their attentions' to him.
"D-Do Min Joo seongsaeng-nim," They both said and then bowed.
Do Min Joo cleared his throat and said, "Well done, you two. I'd just like to say that as the muse and escort of the class, you will be representing our class if we receive an award on every category."
Both nod, and Do Min Joo exits the back stage. The two stared at each other, feeling awkward-ish.
"Alright, everyone go into your lines by pair. Hustle!" Their organizer shouts at the back stage.
Kai and Jiyeon looked into each other, and went immediately back to their line.
"So, is that all are we going to do?" Kai asked Jiyeon.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean our pose? Doesn't it seem like it's too simple?" Kai said unsurely to Jiyeon.
"So you want to change our routine in this last minute?" Jiyeon said as she checked the first pair to walk to the ramp.
"How about I kiss you in the cheeks by the end of our pose," Kai said, beaming. But Jiyeon lifted and eyebrow showing that it is not funny. "Ooor not?" he shrugged in a little bit sarcastic way, and added,
"How about kiss you in the hand before our po—"
"No kissing please. We may screw this up for our section if we do that."
"Fine."
"You don't seem like nervous like before, are you?" Kai said.
"Yeah, the audience was great."
"Told you so, let's do our best in the runway." Kai raised his hand, and they do a high five.
After their high five, their queue was exactly up. They walk side by side, and separate. Jiyeon walk at ramp 1, while Kai walk in ramp 2—according to the choreography. They met at the center of the main ramp. They exchange positions while doing their pose. And Kai held Jiyeon's hand and turned her around, as if they were dancing. And Kai catch Jiyeon by the end of the turn, they look deep into each other's eyes. And Jiyeon did a 270 degree turn, horizontally. And they both exit the the main ramp, Jiyeon exit at ramp 2, while Kai exits at ramp 1. Instead of going straight back to the backstage, they paused and faced the audience, just like everyone else. Girls wait on the right side of the stage, while guys wait on the left side until all pairs are finished.
As for the finale, boys and girls walk altogether. Girls enter ramp 2 and guys on the ramp 1. They met at the center of the main rap, and keep walking until they exit the opposite ramp they've been to. And went back to a straight horizontal line.
Everyone clapped as they were finished walking. The emcee starts to walk in the front accompanied by the SMA's student council –Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu.
"This is a great night, isn't it?" The emcee said. "Let's cut it to the chase, let's do the awarding." Everyone clapped and cheered their sections.
"For our first category—slogan making. The best three slogans are already on the hands of these handsome young men behind me. Annyeong, Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu." The emcee smiled at them, and the three slight bowed to the audience.
'Please, Please. Jebal (Please). Let Boram win this one, at least for third place!' Jiyeon prayed.
"For the third place. Kim Naeun from section 1-C! Congratulations!" And the representatives of section 2-C came to the main ramp, and accept the bronze medal from Junsu. "For second place, Roy Kim from section 2-A! Congratulations!" Likewise, the representatives of that section came to the front and accept the award from Yoochun.
'Jebal. Jebal. Boram from section 3-B,' Jiyeon thought and prayed.
"And finally, for the first place— Lee Hong Ki from section 4-A! Congratulations!"
People from his section cheered him up, as well as everyone. But Jiyeon just sighed and clapped. And also unfortunately for Chen, his art was not good enough to be on the best three.
"Let's move on to the next category: Essay!" The emcee waited for the audience to stop clapping before continuing his lines.
"I bet he's going to win the first place," Jiyeon whispered to herself talking about Luhan.
"...Congratulations!" The emcee said. But Jiyeon was still bluntly clapping, not listening to the emcee's speech.
"Girl, you're up. Your partner—Kai—is ahead of you," the girl beside Jiyeon elbowed her while she was clapping calmly.
"What?!" Jiyeon freaked out, and her eyes widened. And when she looked at the ramp 2, she saw Kai already walking to the main ramp. Jiyeon panicked, and hastily walked on ramp 1, trying to keep pace with Kai. She sighed when finally she is the same pace with Kai. They met in the center. Kai receive the medal, while Jiyeon receive its box.
After announcing the champion in essay contest who is Hyunseung from 4-C, they went back to their position. And it is time to announce the winner in the kitchen battle contest.
"The best table setting of the evening was the Hawaiian paradise from section 4-C!"
"For the best beverage, the Indonesian Jakarta Delight from section 2-A!"
"For the best appetizer, congratulations again to section 4-C for their Hawaiian cheese rolls!"
"For the best main dish, the classic Italian Lasagna from section 4-A!"
"And lastly, for the best dessert, the Philippine Letseflan deluxe from section 3-B." Kai and Jiyeon went to the front, and they can see that their section were celebrating and cuddling D.O and the cooks.
"And finally, we're up to the main event of the week. Who will be our first Mr. and Ms. United Nations?" Everyone starts clapping and cheering, getting excited. And Jiyeon was just there, kinda hoping that she won't win. It's fine for her if Kai wins, but she's really not fond of winning this thing. Because it's really not her thing.
"Unfortunately, there are no runner-ups for this competition. So we'll get going to the grand champion." The emcee coughed first before he open the envelope. "Oh, both winners came from one section, amazing! Drum rolls, please!" The emcee ordered, and the DJ started to play a drum roll SFX (Sound effects). "Give it up for... Mr. and Ms... Philippines!"
THE NOTE: HCOMMENTSSSSSSSSSS HAPPY HOLIDAYS GUYS!
Gosh. really sorry for being country-biased hahahaha