From Skid Row to Superstardom: An Idol System Novel-Chapter 128: Black Swan (5)

"Are you nervous?"

"No."

"I feel like I’m going to throw up."

"Go do it in the bathroom, far, far away from me and never return."

"Traitor."

At Jamie’s cartoonishly hurt expression, Ari burst out laughing but told the blonde boy how he really felt since there were no cameras around.

"I’m not kidding. You can see how white my outfit is. Go throw up far away, brush your teeth, and don’t come back."

"You’re supposed to comfort me because I’m in distress."

"Oh? Is that what you’re here for? Ahem..." Ari cleared his throat before putting on his best mocking baby voice.

"Thwere thwere, evewything will be okway wittle Jamie. Okway? Big bwother Awi says so."

As the bright blue eyes glared at him, Ari mockingly patted his back before jumping away so Jamie couldn’t grab him.

"Disgusting. Don’t talk like that."

"Hey, I’m just giving you what you asked for."

"I can’t believe you’re not nervous at all. People are really coming to see us perform. And I’m the leader of my team. Ughhhhh." Jamie groaned, his hands reaching to clutch his head before moving away at the last moment as he remembered the hair stylist’s words.

Jamie’s blonde hair was currently styled in a half-up, half-down braided top knot with several pieces hanging around his face, which had a light layer of makeup covering up any blemishes and his eye bags.

Like the rest of his team, whom he had briefly abandoned, he was dressed in a black suit that emphasized his height and the lean muscles on his body.

Unfortunately, that tall body was currently crumpled up on an uncomfortable, folded chair in another team’s waiting room.

"I didn’t say I wasn’t nervous, I’m just not nervous enough to throw up. You’ve been practicing hard, so don’t worry about it. Actually, even if you want to worry, isn’t it too late? The performance is in a couple of hours."

"Ughhhhh."

Seeing Jamie still groaning with a pale face, Ari briefly stared up at the ceiling, wondering when he became a councilor before gently patting Jamie’s back.

"Wow, look at me, I’m Jamie. I’m tall and talented and get to wear a black suit that makes me look like a cool mafia boss leading a cool-looking mafia team. Even if I somehow suck, like Rapunzel, my long, beautiful blonde hair and amazing voice will somehow save the day. How greedy."

Seeing the familiar twitch of Jamie’s ears that indicated he was happily listening for compliments, Ari chopped the back of his neck in irritation, being careful not to mess up his hair.

"Get out of here, blondie. And don’t try to wrestle me. If you mess up my white outfit, I’m sending you straight to the underworld."

"In your dreams. I’m leaving. Thanks." Jamie grumbled before fist-bumping Ari and then slowly trudging out.

The rest of his teammates were staring at the two of them with strange looks.

"What?" Ari asked while looking around.

"The two of you are pretty close." Leo stared at Jamie’s retreating back and Ari’s face that was covered in face paint.

As someone who had been on Jamie’s team the last time, he knew how friendly Jamie was, and he often saw him and Ari eating together, but seeing him come to another team’s waiting room to complain about nervousness and get comforted in a strangely harsh way was a strange sight to him.

It was like watching a large dog get comforted by a disdainful black cat.

"I tolerate him," Ari replied neutrally.

It was the second time somebody had said this, and he didn’t understand why it was news.

Seeing Leo just stare at him silently, Ari got up and carefully stretched.

Like the rest of his team, his outfit was all white; in his case, he wore loose white pants to conceal his ankle brace, plain white sneakers, and a white turtleneck that wrapped loosely around his upper body.

Instead of his usual makeup of a white base, red lips, and black graphic designs, his face was painted completely white, and he had asked the stylist to use the specialty products he bought to paint a hidden design on his face.

Since the sound check had been performed earlier, and everyone on his team got styled quickly, they were just waiting for other teams to finish with the stylist, and then they would have one more quick recording to play a game to decide the order in which they would go.

And soon after that, they would have to be on stage.

Ari took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

Like he told Jamie, he was still a little nervous, but since the team had put in the work and run trials, he just wanted everything to go the way he had planned, and he wanted his ankle not to buckle.

"Team Black Swan? Time to gather up." The stage director, Sherill Lanole, opened the door to their room, and Leo nodded at her before walking out first as everybody followed.

Ari was the last one to leave the room, and he saw Mathew and Suzuki Rei waiting for him.

Mathew looked ready to offer his arm and back to give him a piggyback, which Ari completely ignored since he was tired of him apologizing for accidentally injuring him, and Rei was looking at him strangely.

Having gotten used to the strange, silent stares throughout the week, Ari just ignored them and limped slowly as they were led to the large room where all the different teams wearing their stage costumes were standing around with MC Ryan Leary standing at the center.

Today, rather than wearing a school uniform, Ryan Leary was wearing a dark burgundy suit, accompanied by red-tinted sunglasses and a red watch.

Ari took a look around, noticing the different outfits of the other contestants.

Benjamin’s team wore streetwear-style clothing with jerseys, hats, baggy pants, and bandanas.

Three other teams, including Levi’s team, wore all-black suits, just like Jamie’s team did.

Two teams wore red and black clothing, including leather tops, mesh shirts, and spiky accessories, while another team fully committed to a cute concept, donning pastel-colored knit sweaters, cute animal hats, and pink pants.

Somehow, Ari’s team was the only one wearing all white, making the two groups stand out in the sea of dark colors.

When all of the groups settled down, Ryan Leary gave them an apologetic smile as he began speaking.

"He~llo contestants! You all look amazing today. I know that we were supposed to play a game to decide the performance order, but according to the PD, there’s been a change of plans, and the order has been decided ahead of time."

- What?

- Why?

- booooooooooooooo

At the complaints of the contestants who were looking forward to a fun game to loosen the tension and choose their order, the MC could only smile apologetically.

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But this gives you all more time to rest, right? We wouldn’t want you to get sweaty or mess up your outfits. The PD is looking out for you all, I promise! So let it go just this once!"

Ryan Leary put his hands together as if he were begging and bowed his head, and the contestants ribbed him for several minutes.

Hearing the news that the game was cancelled, Ari was secretly pleased even as he wondered why the sudden change.

He couldn’t understand why the PDs who were committed to capturing everything would skip an important scene on performance day.

Glancing around, most contestants looked confused at the change, upset, or indifferent.

The only one who looked immensely pleased was William Forbes.

Seeing that he also looked slightly relieved, Ari glanced between him and Carlos, who was standing toward the back of Benjamin’s group, covered his mouth, and whispered status.