It was blacked out. Rubbing his face, he closed his eyes and tried to settle into the back seat.
'Wait… witch, if I don't have my phone, how will I know if I am progressing?' He frowned and his fingers itched to check his phone. He saw the screen appeared like it did before entering his phone.
*Use points?*
Shun did his best not to stare at the screen.
"Yes," he whispered rubbing his upper lip to hide his lips.
*Points used- mental link*
'What does that mean?' Shun frowned.
*Mental link- answer mentally.*
Shun's eyes widened for a moment, before he nodded happy to know he did not need to speak aloud. How odd would people feel with him talking to himself. They would think he was crazy.
'Just like the old man back home,' he remembered.
Shaking his head, he wondered what was going to be asked of him. He was losing his phone, so… does that mean he wouldn't get to use it at all? Inwardly groaning, he really should have read the contract before signing it. He was just so excited and that darn witch said it was a task to win.
"I wonder if we are picking Ah Ping up too," he wondered aloud and attempted to look out the window, only to realize he couldn't see anything.
Sighing, he just went through his stats and tasks again. Lulled by the drive, he fell asleep with his head resting against the back of the seat. He didn't know how long he slept, but he was shaken to wake. Blinking over at the driver, he felt the drool slipping down the corner of his lips. Quickly wiping it off with the back of his hand, he cleared his throat and nodded thanks to the driver. Grabbing his bag, he exited the car to see a large compound in the distance.
"You'll walk down the road to the compound. There will be someone to explain what to do next," the driver stated and Shun thanked them. Walking down the path, he looked around to see so many trees. It felt like he was in the forest and a part of him wondered if this was to hide prying eyes from what was happening.
'This feels… weird,' he frowned to himself, 'I mean, what if they do something bad! I wouldn't know where I could go for help. This is a bad idea, witch. Why couldn't I just stay at the studio with Wen Dong and be in the group Manager Quang and Manager Ling is making?!'
*…*
'Of course you have nothing to say…' he rolled his eyes, 'You just want me to take longer with your magic. Fine! I will play, but I WILL become an idol and then I will find you!'
He said determined and walked down the path with vigor. When he could see the 2 leveled building in marbled white, he found his eyes big. This place was magnificent, similar to pearls found in the deepest oceans from his past. They were so rare, people killed one another for them. He wondered if people would kill each other for this building.
"Xiong Shun," a woman spoke up and he walked to her, "Your electronics, please."
"Are we not going to get to use our phones at all? Not even for pictures?"
"No electronics in the building. Everything would be filmed and used for the television show. You've signed the contract and waiver. Did you not read it?" The female looked at him with a blank stare and he wiped his face offering a wavering smile.
She shook her head and pointed to the door when he handed his phone over. She explained to just keep walking straight through and paused at the white dot on the floor. Thanking her, Shun followed the direction. He pulled the door opened and walked through the blank walls. Such a small corridor made him feel claustrophobic, but he told himself to breathe.
'Breathe Shun. You are not locked in the cabinet. You are not home. You are not 5,' he reminded himself, 'You have to do this for Xiong Shun and everyone.'
Stopping at the white dot on the floor, nothing happened for a moment. He looked around wondering if there was another white dot somewhere, but the wall before him suddenly parted. Brown eyes widened, he blinked as the bright light flooded his eyes. Rubbing them, he heard a voice he recognized.
"Gege!"
'Ping?'
His eyes adjusted and he smiled over at the young boy. He took a step forward, but felt his foot wavered underneath him. The floor he was standing on was moving and he fell onto his butt with his jaw dropping in shock.
'Magic!' He cried inwardly, 'Witch! What are you doing?!'
*…*
"Shun!" Ping had ran over to a sitting Shun, who was staring at the floor with shock coloring every part of his face and body, "Sit with Kiki and me!"
Shun felt himself being dragged with his wobbly feet. When he came out of his shock, he heard greeting toward him. Clearing his head, he smiled and greeted everyone in the room. More trainees joined, none of them looked as terribly shocked as he was. Maybe this contraption was normal for the other trainees, but not for him!
It scared the crap out of him!
"Ah Shun! Look, Kaiden is here too!" Ping whispered to him buzzing in his seat, "He is really good. I hope we become friends."
"How could he not? You're too cute," Shun patted the boy's head and received a bright smile.
He looked at the well-known trainee and greeted him when the man settled in a seat. Then, a voice spoke up from a speaker somewhere in the room. Shun was looking around the place and wondered if this was the witch. Did the witch planted him to come to this place and trapped him? Was this where it was going to kill them with its magic?
"Trainees, welcome to Project Idol: Finding the Next Idol Group."
Shun joined in the claps, still suspicious of the witch's magic involved.
*…*
'You can't tell me you aren't involved.'
*…*
"Come to the stage and preform your prepared dance and song."
The speaker stated and Shun felt his blood run cold. What… what?! He was to prepare something?! He… He didn't know! He looked over at Ping who was speaking with Kiki and he frowned. Why didn't his little friend tell him he needed to bring something?!
"Ah Ping, did you know?" He whispered.
"Of course, gege," Ping smiled, "Don't worry, Kiki and I prepared something. What are you going to do?"
"Why… Why didn't you prepare with me too? Kiki?"