Idol Pursuits, page 28
“Sounds perfect.”
Sun-hee returned to the house. At the front porch, she paused and looked back. The two singers assessed each other again, uncertain when they’d meet again. “You make a great couple,” said Heather.
Sun-hee smiled shyly. “It worked out.” As Heather drove down the shaded drive, she watched in the rearview mirror as Sun-hee entered her house and new life.
The town of Perpetua consisted of one main arterial that snaked along the rugged coastline of central Oregon. This simple layout made the market easy to find. A clutch of brightly colored tents enveloped the public library, marking the entrance to what promised to be a modest civic affair. Several merchants were hastily setting up shop when Heather arrived. The morning fog had apparently dissuaded many patrons from venturing out so early. Water droplets flecked her cheeks. The light drizzle that had persisted throughout her visit showed little sign of easing. She drew her jacket hood a bit tighter to ward off the moisture.
A quick walk through the sparse market was all it took to find the stand Sun-hee had referred to. Two large canopies had been strapped together. Under one, a harried woman with three young girls hastily prepared food. The other canopy gamely sheltered a clutch of picnic tables from the pervasive coastal elements. Two men ate there, loudly debating the results of the prior evening’s Timbers/Thorns doubleheader in Portland.
The delicious aroma of home-cooked food that promised ease and comfort on that chilly Sunday morning caused Heather to take notice of the offerings. Stepping under the awning, she removed her hood. A girl of no more than 12 stopped stirring the immense pot of soup bubbling between them. “Wow, you’re pretty,” she gasped.
Heather smiled. “Not as pretty as you.”
The girl blushed at the unexpected but welcome compliment. “Momma, look.”
Marcy paused the unwrapping of a recalcitrant loaf of unsliced bread. “Oh, you must be Heather. I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”
“I can come back in a bit.”
“Oh, no. We’re ready. Just a slow start this morning. What’ll you have?”
Twenty minutes later, Heather finished one of the best home-cooked meals she’d ever tasted. A generous slice of local cheddar on a perfectly grilled whole-grain bread was paired with a heady mixture of fresh garden herbs and vegetables in a decadently rich tomato soup.
After returning the tray of dishes, Heather opened her purse, but Marcy refused payment. The two playfully bargained in reverse, but Marcy ended the matter by insisting that Sun-hee would never forgive her for charging. Heather graciously conceded but managed to quietly slip a couple of twenties into the tip jar when the family became preoccupied with a sudden rush of customers.
Not ready to hit the road just yet, Heather embarked on a stroll along the sea, the sounds and smells of which, if not the sight, beckoned from nearby. She found an entrance to a seaside pedestrian path two blocks from the market. The trail led to a viewpoint where an unclaimed bench overlooked a clutch of tidepools near the mouth of a rocky cove. Across the water, through the gradually weakening fog, she could barely make out the towering mass of a cape jutting dramatically into the Pacific.
Nearby, a father leaned forward, explaining the peculiarities of local marine life to two young children who appeared fascinated by the nature display before them. She felt compelled to join them in exploration but acknowledged the unsuitability of her shoes for the activity. Instead, she sat back to enjoy the meager sunlight, which struggled to penetrate the moisture-laden air. A soft breeze tickled a million tiny spruce needles nearby, causing them to hum their relaxing chorus. The sweet scent of blossoming lemon verbena put her at ease.
Heather woke suddenly, perhaps 30 minutes later, judging from the light. The sun’s warmth indicated that the morning marine layer had lost its battle for the day. In her peripheral vision, she saw three young women standing near the low-slung wooden fence to her left. Occasionally, one or more of them would turn in her direction before whispering to the others. When Heather made it clear she’d noticed, the one in the middle spoke.
“Did we wake you?”
“Oh, no. I was just resting my eyes for the drive.”
The three whispered excitedly once more, then turned as a group to face her. “This might be a reach, but are you by any chance Heather Moon?” asked the blonde.
Heather blushed and smiled. “By some chance, I am.” Fan encounters didn’t happen so often in the States. She made a point of entertaining them at every opportunity.
Introductions were made. The curly-haired blonde was named Aly, the dark-haired Latina called herself Paloma, and the hijab-wearer went by Nabila. They all appeared in their mid to late 20s.
“I can’t believe this is happening. We love you,” said Nabila.
“We grew up listening to your songs,” said Paloma.
“I own physical copies of all your albums. Even the really hard-to-find early ones,” added Aly.
“You’re my favorite singer ever,” continued Nabila.
“That’s very nice of you to say,” responded Heather, somewhat flush from the intensity of the praise.
“Our friends won’t believe us when we tell them,” added Paloma.
Heather was peppered with questions about the former Made in Heaven members, her present life, and future plans. An obligatory round of ussies and autographs followed. Heather patiently obliged every request.
Finally, Aly said, “We should let you go. I’m sure you have somewhere important to be.” The girls parted ways with their idol but no more than 20 yards away, stopped, and spoke animatedly. About what Heather could only guess. Paloma then split off and returned to the bench while her companions waited. “Before you go, may I tell you something?”
“Certainly. Sit down.”
The girl did so but appeared shy. Heather’s patience won her over eventually. Words trickled forth. Slowly but earnestly, Paloma spoke. “Your music. It entered my life at a dark time,” she said. “Once, I nearly…” The girl hesitated to continue. Heather put an arm around her shoulder, suggesting she needn’t dwell on the details. “Well, anyway, you told us to never lose hope. The truth is I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for you.”
Heather knew she needn’t respond. They sat for a long while, two strangers bonding in silent empathy. Eventually, Paloma’s friends returned to collect her. The group bid farewells once more.
Before they went far, however, Heather called out. “Would you do me a favor?”
“Of course,” they responded in unison.
“Always believe in yourselves. Promise?”
The girls smiled and waved without saying more.
Eventually, they drove away. Heather watched their progress as they joined the coastal highway, skirting past the restless waters of the rocky cove before disappearing around the fir-draped point of the cape.
She lingered there on the shore a while longer, enjoying the sun, the sea breeze, and the blossoming verbena.
-The End-
Cast of Characters
Made in Heaven: The main focus of our story. Conceived as a hybrid act, the all-girl indie K-pop group features a seven-member dance unit, five of whom double as musicians in the band unit.
Heather Moon (20): Made in Heaven’s main singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist. Known for her vibrant and charming personality, she has a powerful voice despite her diminutive stature.
Grace So (20): With a dominant personality, she is the group’s rapper, lead guitarist, and de facto leader. She often feels compelled to bolster Heather’s shaky confidence.
Sun-hee Ahn (20): A Korean native, Sun-hee is the group’s talented singer and keyboardist. Her sweet voice contrasts beautifully with Heather’s powerful vocals.
Mindy Ito (24): Mindy is the talented veteran drummer for Made in Heaven. The daughter of a half-Japanese/half-Korean father and a Ukrainian-American mother, she is a former member of the disbanded pop-rock group WeR5.
Erin MacLeay (20): Recruited as the band’s bassist, she’s a Korean American from the tiny flyspeck town of Harper, Oklahoma. Her sheltered upbringing left her underprepared for life in the big city.
Vanessa Nguyen (21): The group’s dance specialist, Vanessa, is a Vietnamese American from Garden Grove, California. Her dance excellence landed a full scholarship to St. Ignatius, a fact she often brings up.
June (Jeong) Kwan (21): Made in Heaven’s main visual and talented dancer, June dreams of becoming a top model and has the looks to achieve it.
Other cast members:
Glimmer Blue: Formed at 37-G Entertainment, they’ve achieved global fame as one of the top girl groups in K-pop.
Mi-Ok Nae (21): Main singer of supergroup Glimmer Blue, who beat out Heather Moon for the position when the group was first formed.
Steven Shepard (23): Originally from Mesa, Arizona, he is a student filmmaker at St. Ignatius University. Tapped to direct several of Made in Heaven’s music videos, he befriended them in the process.
Magnus Holmberg (30s): A Swedish music promoter known for out-of-the-box thinking.
Cesar Abanto (30s): Husband of Magnus who helps him co-manage bands.
Nigel Wilson (30s): A graduate student at the Southern California Institute of Psychoanalysis who provides cut-rate therapeutic counseling services.
Daniel Hwang (20): A childhood classmate of Heather’s who started his own blood testing company.
Dong-jun Lee (50s): A prominent and wealthy investor in 37-G Entertainment, also known to abuse his position of influence.
Dalton Lim (22): A Singaporean film student from UCLA who serves as cinematographer on several Made in Heaven videos.
Marielle Brodeur (30s): An aspiring fashion designer from Quebec City, Canada, who works for a costume rental house and creates outfits for Made in Heaven on the side.
Dae-hee Moon (40s): Heather’s father, with whom she shares a turbulent relationship. To accommodate his never-ending career ambitions, he has relocated his family from Korea to Los Angeles and back again.
Ji-woo Moon (40s): Heather’s mother who strives for family harmony despite the challenges.
Andrew Moon (19): Heather’s immature, if brilliant, younger brother.
Danya Kay (30s): Professional dancer and friend of Vanessa’s. Tapped to choreograph Made in Heaven’s first dance-oriented music video.
Ye-jin Kwan (40s): June’s aunt, who fled as a refugee with her before they settled together in the U.S.
Kimmie Green (30s): A talented, if exasperated, indie music producer who champions women of color in the music industry. She uses her extensive background in R&B to produce lush-sounding records.
Eric Yoon (40s): A concert promoter from Korea who now works in Los Angeles.
Alvin Parth (50s): An agent with Voxatone Music, a record label in Los Angeles.
Zachary Noah (30s): An artists and repertoire (A&R) representative with Voxatone Music.
Roh Gyeong (30s): An associate producer on Dominion, a Korean TV reality show. She learned about Made in Heaven through her contact Eric Yoon.
About the Author
Upon graduating from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Robert Rioux spent two decades working in the Hollywood entertainment industry, rubbing shoulders with struggling dreamers and top-level achievers. A year spent circumnavigating the globe ignited an intense admiration of the world’s varied cultures. Now married and living in Cascadia, Idol Pursuits marks the author’s first attempt at trilogy form.
Thanks for reading! Please add a short review on your favorite book site and let me know what you think! It means a lot.
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https://www.rprioux.com
Also by Robert Rioux
As Robert Rioux
IDOL PURSUITS TRILOGY
Book One: Debut
Book Two: Comeback
Book Three: Legacy
As R. P. Rioux
Swimming Through the Dawn
Morning Finds the Breeze
Arrows Pierce the Sun
For links to YouTube playlists of music referenced in this series, please visit: www.rprioux.com
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Robert Rioux, Idol Pursuits
