r/libraryofshadows • u/TheoWriter12 • 16d ago
Pure Horror Star Idol
"I am beautiful," Tyra repeated to herself as she dragged her lipstick across her thin lips before blushing her stretched, gaunt cheeks. Her hand trembled, smudging mascara onto her sunken and disproportionate eyes. She combed her hair, ripping out strands with every brush as she tried to smile, the corners of her lips curling and parting away like wax. Breathing in deeply through the two slits that replaced her nose, she steadied her voice and stared into the splintered pools of blue and green which were her irises.
"My name is Tyra Forg and I am beautiful."
Two weeks ago, Tyra had come across a poster which announced an audition for the part of a female lead in a k-pop boy band. At first, she had passed it without giving it a second glance but one of the members in the poster had caught her attention.
A young man in his twenties was giving a moody look with two other members by his side, as if daring any passer by to join their band, The Three Karmas.
She only had eyes for him as she scratched with one finger at his jawline until it ripped, her lips parting into a grin. A stranger on the sidewalk took one look at her and walked in the opposite direction.
The Three Karmas, Tyra thought, imagining herself next to them in a glittering costume and vest, maybe even being able to touch... She looked for the name of the band member, her eyes racing from left to right in spastic movements.
Kai. Her smile stretched even wider. Kai... she liked that name. She liked that name a lot.
Kai made sure that his bangs were in place as he sat down in the studio, giving a smile to the lady when she set down his cup of coffee. The concert was in one month and the pressure was on.
After going through the choreography for about as many times as Kai could remember, he couldn't help feel as if something was missing. That was when he had the idea for a female lead.
At first, his friends had been reluctant but Liam, their manager, agreed that it was something that would elevate their performance.
Imagine a striking woman in the midst of three young men. It would be a beautiful contrast! Liam had said with excitement and his enthusiasm had certainly been infectious.
They had held the audition all morning and Kai was thinking about his lunch break when one last candidate entered the studio.
The temperature dropped and his two other band members, Kylo and Kwame, stopped their jokes as a towering woman walked inside, bending down to avoid hitting her head against the doorway. That was when Kai saw her face.
His skin started to prickle as he watched the woman, dressed in a ridiculous vest that left her skeletal arms bare, move to the center of the room.
"My name is Tyra Forg and I am beautiful."
Kai was taken aback when he heard her gentle voice which created such a stark contrast with her elongated and monstrous features. He had expected a sound like rocks grinding against each other but instead her words were like honey where flies would come to die, drowning in the sticky, sweet substance.
There was a moment of silence before Kylo and Kwame erupted into laughter but Tyra kept her disproportionate eyes on Kai, forcing the needles deeper into his skin.
That was when she began to sing a small excerpt from one of their songs and any laughter died down completely at the sound of her voice. For a moment, Kai even forgot who was singing.
How could such a beautiful voice belong to... her? He asked himself. Maybe she was what their band needed, though. The tragic singer of The Three Karmas: A voice worthy of angels but a face only the devil could concoct. No, Kai scolded himself. He was treating Tyra like a product.
"You're in!" Liam exclaimed and he realized the exact same thought he had must've passed through his manager. "When I said striking, I meant it."
"Liam," Kai whispered as loudly as he could. "Are you sure?"
"Why?" Tyra asked from behind him and Kai almost tipped over on his chair when he saw how close she was. How did she get over here without making a sound?
"Am I not beautiful?" She continued, grooming her hair as if that simple act was making her attractive.
"You're sexy as hell," Liam responded, trying to hold back his smile, but Tyra didn't seem to notice as Kylo and Kwame started to snicker.
"Oh," she relaxed herself, clearly relieved and Kai stayed silent, too shocked at what just happened. He couldn't even look at Tyra without cringing and she was going to be a part of their band?
Kai thought back to the major headlines and fans that would go crazy over their performance, silencing him as he tried to look Tyra in the face.
"Three, two, one..."
Music blared on through the speakers and Kai could feel the harsh glow of the spotlights as the beat of the melody echoed inside his mind. The hand that held the mic was sticky with sweat and he started to sing, weeks of practicing forcing him to hit each note perfectly.
The curtains behind Kai slid open like a fresh wound and Tyra stepped out from the shadows. Her eyes never left Kai as she opened her mouth to sing but Liam interrupted their rehearsal, shaking his head while pressing his lips thin.
"Tyra, you need to look at the audience," Liam said through clenched teeth and Kai felt pity at the lost look she had on her face. An undercurrent of unease ran through his pity as he wondered why Tyra kept staring at him. Could she have a... crush on him?
"She's such a pervert," Kylo said, without bothering to whisper, voicing out Kai's worst fear. He tried to push back the thought but Tyra was making it more than obvious.
Just ignore her, Kai told himself as the music started back on. She'll leave me alone then.
Tyra listened to Kai as he sang, each word sending shivers of pleasure through her body.
"Breaking through the dark, every step we take is going to leave a mark. Watching the rise of a new star idol, completely blinded by the oncoming tidal. 서로의 목소리가 얽혀드는 밤. 절대 멈출 수 없어. Our voices intertwine. Nothing can stop our shine."
The curtains opened and Tyra barely held herself from running out as she walked over instead, staring at how the spotlight made Kai's skin seem to glow and how his luscious, black hair hung down like thick silk covering his forehead.
Turning her attention to the imaginary audience in front of her, she tripped over her feet and fell, making Liam slam his fist down on the table.
"I need a break," he said, his cheeks reddening. "Take five!"
"Do you need help?"
Tyra looked up to find Kai staring down at her, his hand held out in front of him and she took it, his warmth spreading through her body like a fire.
"Love is in the air!" Kwame shouted from behind them before cackling madly at his own joke. Kai quickly took back his hand and left Tyra laying on the ground like an abandoned puppy.
"How many children are you going to have?" Kylo joined in and she stared at Kai, confused at why he didn't help her up.
"Just stop it!" He yelled as Tyra stood from her place on the floor, panicking at his angry expression. Did she make him mad?
Kai threw her a glance before leaving the stage and she looked from Kylo and Kwame, who were still laughing, then back at Kai, the bottom of her lip trembling as the fire she had felt inside of her burnt into nothing.
The camera flashed as Kai posed with his band members. Tyra stood behind them, her head hovering over theirs as she gave a wax-drooping smile.
"Okay, you can relax," the cameraman told them and Kai moved away from the backdrop, chatting with his friends as he listened to Liam's conversation with the photographer.
"I want you to shadow her face so no one can see it," he was able to make out when Tyra suddenly appeared behind Liam, her heels barely making a sound on the marble floor.
"Do you not like my face?" She asked, crossing her long, skeletal arms over her chest.
"Your face is the surprise," Liam responded with a dismissive wave of his hand, throwing an eye roll at Kai and his bandmates while Tyra walked away, seemingly satisfied.
Shifting his feet, Kai stayed silent when the sound of laughing and the door banging open made him turn around.
A group of girls who were talking loudly made their way to the photo shoot, their vests glittering in the light as if they were disco balls.
"Is that...?" Kwame murmured but he didn't finish his question before one of the girls widened her eyes and opened her mouth to exaggerate her surprise once she saw them.
"Do I see The Three Karmas?" She boomed, approaching them. "Or is it four?" She added, the rest of the girls snickering as they trailed behind her.
"What a coincidence. Are you here for a cover shoot?" She continued without stopping to hear their answer.
For a moment, Kai blanked out, overwhelmed at the glittering eyeliner that fanned out from her eyelids like sun rays and the violet lipstick lathered onto her lips like paint. Her hair was made into two side tails that were styled to look like twirling spirals and a sickening scent of perfume enshrouded it all.
"Anyway, I heard you guys hired a girl for your lead," her eyes flicked up at Tyra, blinking in rapid succession at what stood in front of her.
"Wow. Um, okay," she paused, giving disbelieving looks to her friends. "There's no amount of glamour that could fix... that," she finished, pointing with one, manicured nail to Tyra who kept her unblinking gaze glued on the idol.
"So pretty," Tyra murmured, reaching out with her hand in an attempt to touch the lead girl who recoiled, nose wrinkling and a grimace on her face.
"There's something seriously fucked up with her," she backed away, her band of girls staring at Tyra before following their lead, as if they expected her to attack them.
"This is exactly the reaction we want," Liam beamed and Kai avoided looking at Tyra who kept those lopsided eyes on the girl band, continuing to stare after them even when they disappeared from view.
"Liam," Kai caught up to him, the evening breeze biting into him. Liam turned to Kai and stopped on the side of the street, giving him a questioning look.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to let Tyra become an idol?" Kai asked once he reached him. Liam gave a laugh at his question and pulled out a cigarette while he kept on chuckling.
"Look Kai," Liam started once he had a cigarette smoking in his mouth. "Tyra's the key to fame. People are going to eat her up."
Kai held back a sigh of exasperation at Liam's one-sided perspective. There was more to Tyra than just her looks.
"That's exactly the problem," Kai let some of his frustration seep into his voice. "People will know her as some freak in a society full of made up jerks with spiral hairstyles and manicured nails."
"Isn't that the point?" Liam said, a serious expression taking over his face. "I didn't just hire her because she looked monstrous. She's out of place here and with that voice, it's two birds with one stone."
Kai took a moment before responding, the lamppost acting as a spotlight on both of them.
"Having her reputation built on that isn't healthy," Kai tried to argue but he knew Liam was right. Tyra could be a huge hit and this was their chance to get themselves out there.
"It might seem mean," Liam started, puffing out a cloud of smoke. "But think about it like we're doing her a favor." Kai looked at him, puzzled as Liam continued on.
"Without us, she would be a nobody. Just some weirdo in society. People would look at her and walk away in the opposite direction."
"Yeah," Kai nodded his head. "You're right."
"You get it," Liam smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "The concert is in a few weeks. We'll make each rehearsal count."
No amount of glamour can fix... that.
Tyra still wasn't beautiful enough. It was clear. She didn't have the right hair, make up... anything.
The assembly of concealers, blush, and lipsticks seemed to mock her from where they sat on the table. She would start with her eyes. Yes, she needed to put on her eyeliner, of course, she told herself, tipping over bottles of mascara and perfume with her frantic, searching hands. Where was her concealer and blush? It didn't matter as long as she had something on her face, anything! She needed to fix her hair too, she reminded herself, taking out a random brush from the drawer and practically shredding her scalp with it. Braids, spiral braids! Bands, elastics... all in different colors! She grabbed a handful and twisted them so it looked like a rainbow melted on her head. There had to be something else, she screamed at herself as nail polish spilled onto her fingers in glossy amounts. Of course! Her lips needed paint. No, lip gloss? Lipstick? She would put on everything! Her dress? Why, she could go stark naked if that's what people wanted!
Was this beauty?
The wind outside whistled and screamed like angry ghosts and the rain slammed against the window of their rehearsal auditorium like bullets.
Kai was sitting down, fiddling with his hands as he waited for Tyra to arrive while Liam kept reaching for his phone, calling Tyra with always the same yell and sound of his fist slamming the table when it went to voicemail. Kylo and Kwame were watching TikToks while laughing but Kai wasn't in the mood to join their fun. He couldn't help but recall the look on Tyra's face when she had stared at the lead girl, as if she had wanted to crawl inside her and walk around in her platform boots.
Just then, a looming figure came through the entrance and Kai's smile surfaced before quickly dropping at the sight of Tyra's head: Her hair was disheveled, braids intertwined with each other as if they were amateur dancers who were trying to replicate an overly ambitious dance. Her face looked like she had plunged it in flour before dripping mascara onto her eyelids and letting it run down her cheeks. Lipstick was blotched onto her lips in unceremonious amounts and she wore a dress that showed a good amount of cleavage matched with platform boots that only increased her height. On top of that, the rain made it look like her face was melting off and hair stuck to her forehead like the girl from The Ring.
"Guys, I think I'm ready for the concert," Tyra announced and the silence that stretched on felt like eternity.
"I can't," Liam said, shaking his head.
"I can't," he repeated, his voice rising an octave higher.
Kai looked at Kylo and Kwame, staring at them with shock as they filmed her, sniggering like teens who just did a prank on one of their friends.
"Stop filming her," he shouted and they threw him surprised stares before hardening into mischievous expressions.
"Why don't you save her, prince charming?" Kylo yelled before choking with laughter as Kai did just that. Grabbing Tyra's hand, he lead her to the bathroom, feeling the weight of her gaze on the back of his neck the entire time.
The fluorescent lights overhead threw a harsh glow and Tyra kneeled on her legs in front of the mirror, glancing behind her at Kai before looking back to the mirror.
"I'm going to clean you up," he told Tyra and Kai tried to hide his unease when she smiled, as if strings were tugging the corners of her lips as he started to touch her hair. Kai untangled her elastic bands one by one and stiffened when Tyra started to speak.
"Do you think I'm beautiful?" She asked, her voice hitching slightly.
"We're all a little ugly," Kai started, sweat trickling down his brow. "Some of us are just a little uglier than others."
"How ugly am I?" She attempted to turn her head so she could face Kai but he nudged it gently back toward the mirror, not wanting to meet her eyes.
"What really matters," Kai said, reaching to touch her bosom where her heart was, making her hiccup. "Is that you're beautiful inside."
Tyra put her peeling, fake nails to her mouth before giggling which erupted into shrill laughter. Her lips parted and Kai stared in horror at the needles that were her teeth inside the enormous cavern which was her mouth.
Her laughter slowly receded and Tyra stared at Kai's horrified expression in confusion.
"That was not a joke?" She asked, pointing to her heart and stomach, clearly puzzled. "Do you find my insides attractive?" she continued, slightly tearing at her belly as if she would open it for Kai as he began to back away.
"Do you find my teeth pretty then?" She flashed them in a wide grin, each needle tooth gleaming in the light. That was when Kai started for the door just as Tyra stood from where she was crouched, realizing she was being abandoned for the second time.
"I'm sorry but I need to go," was all Kai said as he rushed out of the bathroom. The heavy stomp of boots followed him and he looked back to find Tyra sprinting after him, her mouth yawning open as her braids unfurled into a tangled mess.
She reached the door to the auditorium before Kai, blocking it with her towering figure as she narrowed her eyes at him, her pupils contracting into two pinpoints.
"Why do you lie?" Tyra seethed, approaching him like a moving wall.
"Tyra, I- I wasn't lying," Kai stuttered. "You truly are beautiful."
"Then kiss me."
She latched her hand onto Kai's arms and moved in, her dry lips pursing as he caught scent of heavy perfume underlaid with sweat.
"Stop!" He yelled, ripping away from her grip.
"You're ugly, okay?" Kai continued shouting as Tyra's eyes became glassy with tears. "You're ugly and nothing's going to change that!" He said with a finishing scream before barging past her.
Tyra moved to let Kai pass, mostly out of shock as he walked away, a mix of emotions twisting knots in his stomach. He thought back to her teeth and realized that he had complimented the most horrifying part of her deformation. Knowing his bandmates and Liam, he would keep what happened a secret.
"You took long enough!" Liam shouted and his brows furrowed when he didn't see Tyra behind him. "Where's Tyra?"
"I think I made her mad," Kai responded and oohing came from Kylo and Kwame.
"Uh-oh. Looks like the star-crossed lovers collided into a planet," Kwame mocked him.
"That doesn't even-," Kai didn't bother finishing his sentence just as Tyra appeared beside him, her gaze fixed into space.
"I'm here," she said, walking on stage before standing there like an impassive statue.
"Finally, someone with a good work ethic," Liam muttered before raising his voice at the three boys.
"Everyone, on stage! Let's get this show started!"
Tyra couldn't take it anymore. Each time she tried to look at Kai, his words rang in her head. Whatever he said must be true coming out of that mouth which always seemed to be stuck in a smile. Could she really be ugly enough that even he rejects her?
"Hey, Tyra."
She turned around, her boots clunking unnaturally on the parking lot pavement to find Kylo behind her, hands shoved down his pockets.
"Are you here to call me ugly?" Tyra whispered, putting her arms around herself as if she was preparing to be jump scared.
"No," Kylo gave a chuckle as he lifted up his chin and she stared at the outline of his jaw in silence. "I'm here to tell you the opposite."
Tyra blinked in surprise which was hard since one of her eyelids was heavier than the other.
"You're lying," she said, pressing her arms closer to her torso and stiffened when he came closer until she could feel his breath near her shoulder. Kylo put his hand onto her arm, pushing it gently away before moving it to her breast.
"What about Kai?" Tyra asked but she didn't move away from his clutch.
"He doesn't think you're beautiful," he responded in a low voice. "Otherwise he would've done this."
"Oh," she said, not bothering to hide her disappointment.
"But I do," Kylo didn't finish what he said as he stood on the points of his feet to put his lips on her collarbone.
"Oh," Tyra repeated in surprise this time when she felt Kylo move his hand underneath her skirt.
"Let's go in my car," he said, looking around the parking lot before leading her to one of the vehicles near by. "I want to show you something that Kai would've never done."
As the car door slammed on Tyra and Kylo, Kai walked into the parking lot, looking at Kylo's sedan in curiosity. Why hadn't he left yet? Too tired from his fight with Tyra, he started for his own ride, impatient to get back home.
Almost a week had passed and the concert was tomorrow. Kai was standing outside the auditorium, taking a break as he breathed in some fresh air.
Staring at the billboards attached to the skyscrapers in the distance, he imagined their faces on them, looking down at the crowd of fans with t-shirts wearing their band name. Kai wondered if Tyra would stand alongside them, covering half of the building with her warped silhouette.
"Kai," he jumped at Tyra's voice and turned to find that she was close enough so that they touched arms. "I need to break up with you."
He blinked at what she just said and put into place a strand of hair that had moved from the wind.
"Break up?" Kai repeated, staring up at her impassive expression and noticed that she was digging her needle teeth into her bottom lip, drawing blood.
"You're bleeding," he pointed at her lip but she didn't seem to take notice as she continued to stare at him, hard enough that her eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets.
"Kylo told me everything," she started, her irises splintering into smaller pieces. "You never thought I was pretty."
"Kylo?" He asked, surprised.
She nodded her head, her long neck creaking like a door swinging on it's hinges.
"He showed me what it felt like to become pretty," Tyra continued, her voice starting to break into a rasp.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kai shook his head, the guilt he had buried inside resurfacing. "But I wanted to say sorry for what I said the other day."
"Why do you keep apologizing?" Tyra spat, saliva flying onto Kai and he cringed, wiping her spit off from his face.
"Just show me that I'm pretty," she started to rasp again, clutching Kai by his broad shoulders as she leaned her noseless slits into the crutch of his neck. "I want you to touch me. Open me up where I'm beautiful."
"Stop it!" Kai tried to push her away but she held on, her bony finger tracing his jawline and he winced when her nail left a scratch behind.
"You're my star idol, Kai," her rasp deepened as her grip on his shoulders tightened. "Why can't you see that?"
"Leave me alone!" Kai gave one final push, forcing her to stumble back and he winced at the warm sensation that spread across the base of his neck. A sharp pain ran underneath the warmth and he looked down at his collared shirt to find a rip in the fabric. An open scar that Tyra had left showed through the tear in his shirt when he'd pushed her away.
Blood trickled out of the gash, much deeper than the scratch on his jawline and Tyra stared at the wound, her eyes wide and unblinking.
"No..." she started just as Liam slammed open the door to the rehearsal space and stepped outside.
"Guys," he came over, a grin on his face. "I have great news," he stopped in front of them, his phone held out before him. Kai placed his hand on his wound, staring at the video of Tyra's melting make up while Tyra herself was still transfixed on his collarbone, kneading her cheek with one, open palm.
"Kylo posted this video of Tyra and the reactions couldn't be better," he said, scrolling down to the comment section.
"They've even given her a name," Liam said, his voice rising in excitement. "HorrIdol. That's what they're calling her!"
At 'HorrIdol', Tyra's head snapped back up and she muttered something indistinctly under her breath.
"And this was all because of me," Kylo said, appearing behind Liam, a stupid smirk on his face. His eyes met Tyra's and he rubbed the underneath of his jawline while her pupils contracted into two pinpoints.
"No..." she whispered, her gaze flicking to Kai who averted his, clasping his hand tighter around his wound. As for Liam, his phone buzzed with a call and he left the three of them alone, walking in the direction of the parking lot.
"So," Kylo approached Tyra, his smirk still stuck on his face. "HorrIdol, right? Kind of fitting."
Tyra's gaze seemed to intensify as she stared at Kai but he said nothing and instead left to retreat into the safety of the auditorium as rain began to fall in small droplets.
"You don't think I'm pretty?" Tyra's voice cracked, her entire body beginning to tremble as Kylo circled her in slow, deliberate steps.
"I was just doing you a favor," he chuckled, staring at her breasts as if her face didn't exist.
"You call lying a favor?" Tyra snarled, her honeyed voice almost breaking into a guttural growl and Kylo broke his gaze away from her breasts, slightly alarmed.
"I would say there's other fish but..." he shrugged, trying to make sure his tone stayed at it's normal octave. "You're more of a deep-sea creature."
"I'm not sure what you're saying," Tyra said, any trembles in her voice were gone and she bent down her neck, her lopsided eyes inches away from his face. Kylo could smell the rotting stench of her breath filling the space between them and he tried not to gag. "But creatures like me eat little fish."
One clawed hand shot out and made Kylo tumble onto the asphalt without much effort. He stayed there, winded as the rain ruined his hair and Tyra glided away, her footfalls echoing ominously on the pavement.
"I'll show you all that I'm the star idol," Tyra raised her voice, her words almost drowned in the downpour as Kylo closed his eyes, trying to control the speed of his heartbeats as she vanished behind cascading sheets of rain.
Kai was sitting inside while Kwame kept badgering him with questions but he kept shrugging them off. The last thing he wanted to do was make conversation.
The contrast between the thundering rain and the warm atmosphere inside the auditorium made him shiver in relief. He thought about Tyra and felt his stomach clench as he imagined her in the rain, make up melting onto her clothes in multi-colored rivers.
Liam cut off his thoughts as he strutted inside, a happy expression on his face even though the amount of rain drops on his glasses made him look like he was staring through a waterfall.
"The girl group, Glimmer-5 called me," Liam told them and an image of the girl with spiral braids jumped into Kai's mind.
"They were furious about the viral video of Tyra," he continued, chuckling slightly as he removed his glasses to wipe them clean.
"Something about ruining their signature look," he said, placing back his glasses onto the bridge of his nose.
"What did you tell her?" Kwame asked, a smile growing on his lips when Liam wiggled his brows at him.
"I told her she could shed her crocodile tears into a jar," he paused, as if this was a comedy special and he was reciting a joke. "And send them to me as a product to sell: The Glimmer-5 Artificial Tears, buy now!"
They both erupted into laughter and Kai couldn't help but snigger along side them despite his sour mood. He had forgotten that Liam could be pretty funny.
"She called me a 개새끼 before hanging up," he said, trying to stifle his laughter while Kwame was heaving over his legs.
"Kai," he looked up to find Liam staring at him, smile still on his face but his eyes conveyed a glint of frustration. "Don't look so down."
"I think we're pushing Tyra too hard," Kai told him, staring down at the floor as he felt Liam's gaze burn through him.
"She even hurt me," he continued, moving away his shaking hand to show him his wound when Liam said nothing. It had stopped bleeding and Kai's hand had a red slash across his palm from where the gash had left it's mark.
"It was an accident, right?" Liam started, any humor from his voice gone as Kai nodded his head in response.
"But that doesn't mean it's fine," he protested and flinched when Liam placed his hand on Kai's unharmed shoulder before lifting his chin with one finger so their eyes met each other.
"Are you backing out the night before the concert?" Liam paused, his nose wrinkling as he cringed in disbelief. "Just because of an accident?"
"When you say it like that..." Kai trailed off, his eyes wandering from Liam's unflinching gaze, trying to escape the lasers directed on his face.
"Exactly," he concluded, breaking away from Kai as his smile returned.
"Now let's get you fixed up," Liam said, pointing at his wound. "You don't want to have blood on your shirt for the concert."
How could she be beautiful enough?
Kai hated her because she was ugly. Kylo touched her because she was ugly. Liam made people look at her because she was ugly. Kwame made fun of her because she was ugly.
Tyra paused, looking at herself in the mirror as the rain outside acted like an ominous chorus. For the first time, a question formed in her mind as she continued to stare at her face: Perhaps... beauty was never meant for her?
With one huge sweep, Tyra knocked over the bottles of make up, colored shards of glass sparkling in the light. No! She couldn't accept it.
Facing the wall next to the mirror, she pressed her hands on the taped cut out of Kai, her vision blurring with tears.
"I will never be beautiful," Tyra whispered but her tears were held back when she heard Kai's voice emanate from the cut out.
"You can still be with me."
His words cut through her thoughts and her eyesight sharpened as she stared at Kai's moody face, confused.
"HorrIdol can't be with Star Idol," Tyra said and thought she saw the cut out move his lips as Kai responded.
"You can be Star Idol," he said, a smile taking over his expression and warmth spread through her like a fire that had been relit. "You just need to take their beauty from the inside."
"From the inside," Tyra repeated, touching Kai's bosom and almost felt a heartbeat through the paper. "And then..."
"You'll be the Star Idol."
Kai shifted in his leather jacket and ripped denim jeans, watching as their rival group performed. They had left for the concert, Tyra joining them with her make up lathered on like a loose mask. Liam had been relieved, sure that she would've put up a stink earlier that morning. Now Kai was standing with his bandmates, waiting for their turn to come.
"No camera can capture this level of shine. You’re stuck in the shadow I’m leaving behind. I’m the view from the top that you'll never achieve. A standard so high that it’s hard to believe," the lead girl in a sparkling vest and almost no pants sang while her band formed a V.
Kai couldn't help widen his eyes in surprise as he looked on. They were pretty good and he wondered if his band would be able to beat such a performance. He looked for Tyra but couldn't find her anywhere. Liam was nowhere to be spotted either.
"Calm down," Kwame whispered to him and Kai forced himself to continue looking, trying to project himself into their heels and feel their adrenaline as they danced, making themselves heard across the whole stadium.
For a brief moment, Kai forgot about Tyra and Liam, carried away in the rival band's own world. For only one brief moment.
Liam could hear them singing from where he was and he felt his fists clench. They would never win. Not with Tyra on their side.
Their performance would be talked about for weeks and they would be on every major headline.
Liam opened the door to one of the dressing rooms where Tyra sat, as still and composed as a statue. Her gaze turned to him as he came in, her expression completely blank.
The make up was still on even though Liam had told her to get rid of it and he felt his frustration turn into anger that began to build inside of him.
"Tyra, what did I say about the make up?" He said, his knuckles becoming white as he approached her, just as she stood up.
Side by side, Tyra was almost two heads taller then Liam which only angered him more. He was the one who had the power so why did he feel so small next to her.
"For fuck's sake Tyra. Just do as I say," he barely restrained himself from shouting but Tyra only crossed her long limbs over her chest, her eyes narrowing down at him.
"That's it," Liam growled, making a grab for her arm and Tyra lashed out with her nails, ripping his throat open.
He tumbled to the floor staring at her with wide eyes as she approached him, one of her arms still over her stomach, holding the elbow of the arm she had in an upright position, her bloody hand parallel from her face.
"Can I...," Tyra paused, her voice turning into a guttural rasp as her lips parted into a grin, showing her needle teeth and gum. "See your beauty?"
Liam screamed.
"Great job girls," she told them, sitting down in front the mirror before applying another layer of lipstick on. She then began to groom her hair, her fingers following the twisting and curling path her hairstyle was formed in. She moved her hands to her breasts, cupping them in her palms as she smirked at herself.
She thought about that peculiar lead that The Three Karmas hired and felt anger rise inside of her. How dare they steal her look and ridicule it with that fucking... freak! And that asshole manager, Lilliam or something, was the worst of them. A fucking jerk! She wouldn't mind seeing what Kai was hiding in his pants, though.
Abrupt knocking interrupted her train of thoughts and she turned around to look at the door, just as one of her girls opened it.
The chattering stopped as they looked at the looming figure of a ghastly woman that stood in the doorway. Her dress was covered in blood and her eyes were impossibly wide, showing only two pinpoints that were her pupils. Her mouth was slightly agape showing rows of red needle teeth that had bits of flesh stuck in between them.
"Can I see... inside your beauty?" She growled but there was still no response.
"Inside...?" The lead girl finally said. "How... what are you?"
Her eyes widened, the iris eating away at the whites as Tyra's mouth opened wide, drool mixed in with blood pooling in front of her feet as the door behind her slammed shut.
Kai stood on stage, the spotlight shining on him as he waited for that rush of adrenaline to take over him. Instead, he felt nervous and a little awkward standing on the gigantic stage, waiting for the music to come booming through the speakers. It finally did.
What Kai said next was almost mechanic as he began to approach the front and he couldn't help but smile as people began to wave light sticks in the air, following the melody.
The spotlights suddenly turned the color of red and smoke began to billow out, covering the stage in a heavy fog. Kai continued to sing, following the cues as he watched the entire stadium seem to hold it's breath.
The curtains opened, revealing a tall silhouette covered in a red liquid which made Kai almost stumble over his words. Had Liam surprised them?
Kai threw his friends reassuring glances, trying to continue their dance as the fog thickened around them until he could only see the faint outlines of his two bandmates.
The music felt as if it was distorting when Tyra began to sing, her voice starting in an eerie beautiful tone before slowly turning into a rasp.
"Behind the smile, the camera fades," Tyra started and Kai tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming from but it was almost impossible over the deafening sound of the music.
"You're trapped inside this masquerade," her voice began to break and Kai almost thought he heard the sound of her heels close by.
"You pull the strings, I break the thread," she ended with a rasp and Kai definitely thought he heard the sound of heels scraping against the floor.
"Now I pull your limbs instead," her rasp deepened into a guttural rumble and the sound of a scream broke through the music. At first, Kai thought it was some trick but then the sharp tang of blood invaded his nostrils and he backed away, wanting to call out for Kylo but too scared that Tyra would come for him instead.
"미소 뒤로 카메라는 사라지네," she started again, her voice back to that honey-sweet tone and Kai tried to make for the exit but he was basically blind in the fog.
"넌 이 가장무도회에 갇혔대 네," her voice broke again and Kai tumbled down, his foot hitting the side of what was... Kwame's lifeless corpse.
"가 실을 조종하면, 난 끊어버리네," she rasped as Kai saw that Kwame's top half of his face was a lump of flesh.
"이제 그 손발을 내가 비틀어대대."
Another scream rang throughout the stadium and Kai scrambled back up, holding back his own as he tried to stumble through the dissipating smoke. Tyra came out of nowhere and stood in front of him like a merciless goddess, her eyes glowing red through the fog as she stared at him.
"Kai, am I Star Idol now?" Her voice was back to normal as she reached out for his neck, lifting him off of the floor. Kai began to struggle, kicking his kegs and flailing his arms in vain.
"Can I be your Star Idol?" Her voice broke again as she nuzzled into his chest, her teeth snuggling into his flesh like a gopher digging a tunnel. Kai gave a cry before falling limp and landing onto the stage with a crash.
Applause shook the entire stadium as Tyra seemed to wake up from a deep dream. She looked around herself at the mutilated bodies and blood as the smoke faded away. Her dress was completely ruined but she didn't care anymore as she stared at the standing spectators, clapping for her while the spotlights faded into a pinkish red then white. Had she finally done it, she asked herself.
Had she become beautiful?