Idol Girlfriend 101

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They were a hit.

Fans and non-fans alike were loving their fresh appeal. They were strong performers on stage with lots of energy and charisma. Fans equally loved their more dorky sides off stage and gobbled up the commercial as if they had been starved for weeks. Non-fans were seeing a new side to the group, one that was a little more approachable.

And Hao Jie's popularity exploded.

He started getting invited onto more and more shows, some with the group and some on his own. Their stylists were quick to maximise the effects of the ad, playing up the boyfriend look. They started giving him messier, fluffier hair and started dressing him more casually with stylish variations of the T-shirt and jeans look.

He wasn't complaining; it was a hell of a lot more comfortable than the tight clothes he wore for stage performances.

Backstage in the waiting room, he sat with the other members on the couch waiting for their turn on the music show. One of the shows he was on recently started playing and before he could grab the remote to change the channels, Xiao Bao had already hidden it deep in the corner of the couch.

They watched as he did his signature sexy dance followed by an attempt to do popular girl group dances. Hao Jie cringed and flushed as he watched himself do all sorts on the show, at one point having to act cute. The other four hollered and catcalled, loving every minute of it.

They always knew he was a star but the world had still been sleeping on him. The others had brighter personalities and tended to overshadow him when they were doing shows. But now that he was going alone, people were starting to see the different sides of him. Plus, it was hilarious to watch a buff 6 feet tall guy wear cat ears and make nonsensical high-pitched sounds.

A few knocks rapped on the door and a head peeked in. It was the emcee for the show they were just watching. A short stocky man with a bald head and a crooked smile, he had a hilarious sense of humour and was loved by housewives.

"I see you guys are watching the show too," he commented as they gathered around him, taking turns to shake his hand in greeting. He pointed at Hao Jie, "You did great, the producers and editors are in love with you. Look how much screen time they're giving you. Even when you did nothing but laugh they put you in."

Bowing his head, Hao Jie thanked him repeatedly, "It's thanks to you too, you always noticed when I stopped talking and threw questions my way."

Laughing, the emcee clapped him on the back, "It's because I like good kids like you. Next time bring the whole group of you. Ok, I just dropped by to saw hi because I heard you were here. I have to head off, see you next time."

Once he left, Xiao Bao pumped his fist in the air and yelled in happiness. "YEAAAAHHH! Hao-ge you're the bomb! We should go on the show when we're promoting our next album."

The others nodded, buzzing to get on stage now that they were all pumped up with excitement.

Luckily for them, they were up next and all that energy was channelled into their performance. They went crazy on the stage, going all out with their dance moves. Jia Wei's high note was clearer than ever before and Xiao Bao took his rap to the next level.

Still high off the adrenaline of performing, they burst into their waiting room. Sweat dripping down their faces, they guzzled down bottles of water while watching the playback of their performance on the monitor.

Their manager entered the room, giving them a thumbs up, "You guys were killing it today. Just got approval from the company, we're going for some Korean BBQ for dinner. Go ahead and get changed, I'll meet you at the van in 20 minutes."

The room erupted. Could their day get any better??!

They started getting undressed, wiping themselves down with towels. Xiao Bao was the only one who stood still, eyes shifting from side to side. Sensing his restlessness, Su Yang turned to him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking of taking a quick walk around the other wing just to get my appetite ready."

Jia Wei and Wen Yi shared a look before snickering, "And who might you hope to run into at the other wing?"

"From memory, that's where the girl groups are usually allocated. He probably wants to strut while he's dressed in his stage clothes."

Xiao Bao rolled his eyes, "So what? You heard the manager, we kicked ass today. I've got to make sure they remember how cool I was."

"Go, go, go. Just make sure to get back here in 10 minutes," Hao Jie waved him off agreeably. He was feeling generous from how well things were turning out today.

The rest of them had switched to their own clothes, each had their own variation on what they preferred. Hao Jie wore a plain white T-shirt with his usual black jeans and blue sneakers. Su Yang stuck to his androgynous high fashion with his oversized black shirt that managed to look both complicated and minimalist at the same time. He paired it with loose black pants, black slip-ons and a black brimmed hat. Jia Wei's style was preppy in contrast with his jeans, boat shoes and varsity styled sweater. Wen Yi always went for comfort in his matching tracksuit and bucket hat.

"I'm going to go say bye to the directors and producers before we leave. You guys can stay here and wait for Xiao Bao," Hao Jie said as he pulled a black cap on.

"It's okay, we'll come with you. I don't think I can sit still right now," Jia Wei and Su Yang followed him out.

When they got back, Xiao Bao had just finished getting changed into a denim shirt and black ripped jeans. They headed out together to the van, waving at fans who were waiting for them outside the studio.

At the restaurant, they sat in front of the grill salivating while waiting for the meat to cook. It was almost worse to have to watch the meat sizzle in front of you compared to if you had to wait for the food to be cooked in the kitchen out of sight.

Bowls of rice started disappearing and the plates of meat started stacking up as they devoured the food. Hao Jie groaned, rubbing his stomach in satisfaction. The only thing that could have made the meal better was if he could have a glass of ice-cold beer to wash it all down. Unfortunately they had another shoot early morning tomorrow.

"I've got good news. Protégé called while you guys were doing the music show. The drink that you guys did the ad for is doing really well. They have a new product that they were planning to bring out in the next two months and they want you guys to be the ambassadors again," their manager announced.

"Shit, what is up with today. Maybe we should buy lottery tickets on the way home," Wen Yi exclaimed, gaping at the good news.

Su Yang frowned slightly, "Will we be able to make it? Isn't that around the same time we're meant to be performing at the concert overseas?"

The manager nodded, "We'll have to work out the timings with them. It might be tight but we should be able to make it work on both ends. It's a win-win situation for both them and you guys to work on another ad together. It'll be tiring but it'll be a good boost for your exposure."

Hao Jie agreed and suggested, "It's fine, we're not afraid of being tired. Is there anything else we can do for the ad? For example, Su Yang and Wen Jie could help to write a short jingle or melody for it."

Both of them nodded in agreement, it would be a good way to remind people that they could produce their own work too.

"Hmm, it's not a bad idea. I'll bring it up with the company once we get more details confirmed."

Back at the dorm, Hao Jie lied in bed with his earphones plugged in. One arm tucked behind his head, his mind started drifting. Today felt so surreal. They had debuted to the public 3 years ago and it hadn't been an easy journey. They were slowly gaining popularity and recognition but what he really wanted was for acknowledgement from those outside the idol world and industry. Their group may have been packaged as an idol group but he hoped that people would be able to see that their individual abilities went beyond their looks. Today, he felt like they were finally moving in that direction.

His eyelids started getting heavy but he couldn't help wondering, 'I wonder if they'll send her as the representative again. If the previous ad did well, that must mean that she must have gotten acknowledged for it right?'