Charttoppers - 1. Off the Rails

Far above the noise of the bustling city below, the luxurious apartment on the top floor of the modern Ryder Tower building was peaceful and quiet. Early 2000s chill pop music could barely be heard coming from the speakers, while a beautiful Siamese cat slept curled up on the soft, peach-colored sofa.

The cat’s owner sat beside it, gently stroking the animal’s back.

“Are you really going to sleep all day, Cheops?” Samson Flynn asked. “You’re going to miss one hell of a party, you know.”

The cat, named after the famous Egyptian pharaoh, didn’t seem to register the young man’s light voice at all – it kept purring contentedly, not even opening its eyes.

“But you should start getting ready unless you want to miss the party too,” a young woman came from the kitchen, carrying two cocktail glasses in her hands and handing one over to Samson.

“Mmm, mimosas! You’re so good at this,” the guy cooed as he took one of the tall glasses from his friend’s hand and took a delicate sip.

“Good to know my years of bartending weren’t for nothing,” she replied as she plopped down on the sofa next to him.

“Cosmetics degree and a master mixologist! Gurl, you truly are the whole package!” Samson raised his glass, clinking it against his friend’s. “But wait, what do you mean ‘I’ have to get ready? What about you? Don’t tell me you’re going like that?”

The guy pointed at his friend, Anna, eyeing the casual outfit she had on – tight faded jeans and a dark purple shirt with a big cleavage. Ugh, it’s so unfair how girls get to wear all the best clothes, he thought. Luckily, his profession gave him the freedom to experiment and wear almost anything he wanted. He could afford to buy virtually any piece of clothing and have the best designers create custom-made outfits according to his wishes. When it came to his live performances and music videos, costumes and visuals were just as important as the music. It was just one of the perks of being a mega-popular singer.

“Of course not, darling,” Anna smiled, seeming almost offended at the question. “I was just about to go and change. But you, we gotta get you all dolled up!”

Other than being his best friend, Anna was also Samson’s hair and makeup person-slash-occasional stylist. The two were inseparable since high school, so it was no surprise that as soon as he got a record deal, Samson dragged Anna out of the club she was bartending at and employed her as his full-time makeup artist.

Besides being a way for the young singer to help his best friend earn more money, this was also a great excuse for them to spend more time together. Ever since Samson dropped out of college and moved to New York to chase his showbiz dreams, he and Anna barely saw each other. Now, they were once again the unstoppable duo that made haters pressed and turned heads wherever they went.

However, Samson had another reason for wanting to keep Anna close – she was a great support system for him, which he desperately needed due to the lack of approval from his parents. The disappointment and judgment he received from his mother and father when he announced he would be foregoing his law studies to become a singer was something he could write a whole album about. They were still on speaking terms, mostly due to his older sister and her little son – whom Samson adored. Still, he and his parents didn’t really see each other frequently, and most conversations they had would include jabs and cynical remarks about his profession.

Luckily, with Anna by his side, Samson felt like he could take on – and over – the world. That was exactly what he attempted to do with his first album. Released almost two years ago, Bleed Out made him a star, though not exactly an A-list superstar with megahits and millions of streams. Instead, he had a niche following of very loyal and passionate supporters.

Being somewhat feminine and flamboyant, Samson decided to come out as gay as soon as he released his first song. He thought there was no point in hiding it, as it was quite obvious. Even if it wasn’t, he was not willing to be anybody but himself. If he was to succeed in the business, he would do it on his own merits and being true to who he was.

Of course, this affected his career from the start and caused him to face some homophobia. Critics would often put him in the ‘gay singer’ box and dismiss his music as throwaway pop tunes with no real value. Even though he worked extremely hard on his performances and concerts, none of his songs managed to really break out and become proper hits. Still, Samson never regretted coming out and being openly gay. In fact, he was even more determined to come back stronger than ever and prove to everyone that he has what it takes to succeed. He would make people see that he is a proper artist and that he can create meaningful songs that speak to people.

Despite all of the obstacles he had faced along the way, the moderate success of his debut album opened many doors for him and helped him meet many other celebrities – one of whom he was about to see that very night.

“Everyone’s going to be at Ash’s party, so you’ve got to look extra good,” Anna said after she emptied her glass. “Have you thought about what you’re going to wear?”

“I don't know…” Samson looked up as if deep in thought, before replying just a second later: “Something sexy! Come on, let’s do my hair and makeup first, and then I’ll go get changed.”

Having finished his drink, Samson got up, but not before giving his cat a light kiss on the top of the head. “Be good, Cheops,” he whispered and then followed his friend down the hall to the luxurious bathroom.

For the next forty-five minutes, the singer sat in a big armchair, singing along to top 40 hits on the radio, while his friend did his hair and makeup. His nearly flawless, tanned skin didn’t require much cover-up – just a smidge of concealer here and there – but dark eyeliner was a must! It was Samson’s favorite makeup product and quickly became part of his signature look. Fans – and even friends – could barely even imagine him without it.

Finally, after finishing his hairstyle by applying some wax to his black, wavy hair, Anna stood back and admired her work. Her friend’s radiant smile as he looked at his reflection in the large mirror on the wall told her everything.

“Oh my gosh, I don’t pay you enough! I’m loving this look, it almost feels wasted on a party! I feel like I should be shooting a music video right now!” Samson gushed, turning to look at his hair from all sides and admiring the way the eyeliner went perfectly with his dark, chocolate eyes.

“Honey, I’d work for you for half the amount just so I don’t have to bartend anymore,” Anna replied as she washed her hands in the nearby sink.

“Ok, that can be arranged!”

“Wait, forget I said that. Bitch, I will ruin your weave!” Anna yelled after Samson as he giggled and walked out of her reach, moving to the adjacent room.

The singer’s closet was nothing short of an average-sized boutique, with every wall covered in shelves filled with articles of clothing he had bought or been gifted in the last few years. Samson approached one of the racks and browsed through it, humming a catchy pop tune. Ash’s party was a big event and he had to look amazing for it.

“Perfect,” he exclaimed as he stopped and took out an oversized, maroon silk shirt with a matching silk belt – it looked more like a sexy bathrobe that a movie vixen would wear in an attempt to seduce the brooding, masculine protagonist.

Standing in front of a large floor-to-ceiling mirror, Samson quickly undressed himself and put on a pair of tight black pants. He then sprayed some of his favorite perfume on his body and put on the silk shirt, closing only a few of the lower buttons, leaving the entire upper section open, showing off his slim, tanned chest. He loosely tied the silk belt around his waist and put on a black string necklace with a gold, star-shaped pendant around his neck.

Just as he completed his look by putting on a pair of shiny black shoes, he heard footsteps and looked up. Anna stood at the door, her eyes wide in surprise.

“Dayum, are you going there to perform? Because Ash is the one releasing new music,” the girl looked him up and down with a smirk. “Seriously, Sammy, that look is fire!”

“I know, right? Gotta make an impression. I can’t very well have Ash stealing all the attention,” Samson said matter-of-factly. “It’s bad enough that he’s releasing his song three weeks before me.”

“Maybe it’ll be trash?”

“Yeah, right, have you met him? His fashion sense may be dull, but his music is so good!” Samson said in honest admiration.

“Why don’t you two do a duet then?” Anna asked half-seriously.

“Yeah, as if he’d work with a small fish like me. Maybe one day, you never know. But if he and I joined forces… It’d be nothing short of show-stopping,” the singer smiled, taking his friend’s hand as she twirled around, showing off her tight, floral dress. “By the way, you look great! There’s no one else I’d rather go with!”

“Aww, thank you! You’re still a sweetheart beneath that showbiz persona, aren’t you?” the girl said, linking their arms together.

“Persona? How dare you,” Samson winked, leading her out of the room. “Now let’s go, we’ve got an appearance to make.”

~~

“Everybody having fun?!” the DJ spoke into the mic, his deep voice booming throughout Emperor, one of the hottest clubs in New York.

It was the place to be, especially among the elite, and for that reason, extremely hard to get in. That night, however, the club was reserved for the Off the Rails release party - a brand new single by Korean superstar Ash Khong.

Only a hundred lucky fans who won invites through Ash’s official fansite were able to attend. The rest of the attendees were DJs, singers, other celebrities and media personalities. The high-profile event was supposed to mark the launch of the campaign leading up to Ash’s second album.

His first record had been a big success, and not just in his native Korea, but overseas as well, reaching number one in over thirty countries and being certified triple platinum. Now, the pressure was even greater to match or even outdo that success with his second offering. Well, second solo offering. As one of the six members of K-pop boyband 2Good, Ash had been enjoying success since the age of seventeen. Now, at twenty-three, he was already becoming established as a solo artist and was ready to embark on the promotional campaign for his sophomore album.

Club Emperor was just the first stop on the road.

The crowd went wild as the DJ hyped them up, but then the loud, throbbing music suddenly came to a halt. Everyone in the venue knew what was about to happen. Samson and Anna, who had been sitting comfortably in their own booth in the VIP section along with other celebrities, turned their heads to the main stage. The moment had come for the star of the night to appear!

“I hope you’re ready, because it’s time for the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Please welcome our host, AAAASH!” the DJ announced, sweat dripping from his heated face.

As the spotlight suddenly came down, a tall, dark-haired guy with pale skin took to the stage, met by screams from the audience chanting his name. He smiled, showing off his perfect white teeth, while his teal eyes scanned the crowd before him. Dressed in a black leather jacket over a tight, white shirt, dark jeans and black combat boots, he looked more like a random clubgoer or bouncer rather than the superstar that he was. Still, he exuded charisma and that boy-next-door charm that got him noticed in the first place.

“How are you feeling?!” Ash shouted, trying to outvoice the crowd. “I hope you’re having fun, but we’re only just getting started. First of all, I want to thank you all for coming here tonight! This is a special night for me because it’s the premiere of my new single Off the Rails, and I’m going to perform it for all of you in just a minute!”

While the celebrities and media cheered and applauded, fans screamed their lungs out, eager to hear their idol serve them new music.

“Also… Also, can I say just one more thing,” Ash started speaking again, waiting for the crowd to quiet down. “The song will be available for download and streaming as of midnight, so check it out. Now, I think that was enough talk, let’s play some music! Please welcome my amazing dancers!”

The crowd roared once again as six dancers came on stage - three male and three female - standing in their well-practiced formation behind Ash. What seemed to be hundreds of smartphones suddenly lit up in the audience as people started recording the performance. As the first beats started playing, everyone in the crowd went silent, as if absorbing every single note and every lyric. The slow sounds of an acoustic guitar in the intro were quickly replaced by a hard-hitting beat as Ash sang over it, his deep vocals a perfect match for the pop-rock vibe of the song.

The dancers behind him moved in sync, executing their choreography perfectly. Then, as the beat dropped after the second chorus, Ash joined them for the breakdown, showing that all the dance training he had in his boyband days was not in vain.

After the final chorus, Ash - who was nearly out of breath - motioned for the equally exhausted dancers to stand beside him. Marcus, an African-American dancer with a chiseled jawline, plump lips and short, curly hair, made sure to stand right next to the Korean singer, as they all linked hands. He quickly glanced at Ash before averting his eyes, smiling happily to the crowd.

To loud cheers from the audience, the singer and his dancers took a bow, high on adrenaline after a job well done.

“Damn, he’s got moves,” Anna said as she clapped, standing next to Samson.

“He does. And the song is a fucking bop,” the singer nodded, keeping his dark eyes on the stage. “Get ready to work overtime tomorrow - because my wig is incinerated!”

“Seriously, I didn’t expect him to come so hard.”

“I know. I love him and I hate him at the same time,” Samson retorted. “But that’s fine, a little competition is always good, right? Keeping each other on our toes, that’s what we do. That just means I gotta bring my A-game.”

“And we all know you will,” Anna said. “If anyone knows how to slay, it’s you.”

“We’ll see in a few weeks, won’t we,” Samson pursed his lips, envisioning his comeback. His plans were big this time, and no one would ruin them for him - not even Ash.

His heart still pounding hard after the performance, the Korean singer said goodbye to his dancers and sat down on a chair they brought for him before they left the stage. He spent the next several minutes talking about the song, what inspired it and what kind of sound people can expect from his new album. Even though the press and the fans were ready to ask a million other questions, the singer made it a point to limit the Q&A session to thirty minutes only, after which he came off the stage and went to mingle, greeting fans and celebrities alike.

It was important to Ash to build a strong sense of community with his fanbase - the self-proclaimed Phoenixes. Many of them had been following his career since his beginnings in 2Good, and he was grateful for each and every one of them. Of course, there were some overly-obsessed fans who thought they were entitled to know every little thing about him, but he always fought hard to preserve his privacy and keep his personal life as secret as possible.

One of the main reasons for that was the fact that he was gay. Back when he was in the boyband, their record label strongly discouraged, and even prohibited each member from dating - or at least dating in public. That was one of the key rules in order to maintain their fanbase, which mostly consisted of teen girls.

Now that he was flying solo, Ash could date anyone he wanted, but he still wasn’t allowed to come out - at least not to the general public. His family, closest friends and record label all knew his secret, but they wouldn’t talk. That was the unwritten rule everybody followed.

After spending some time with his fans, the Korean superstar moved over to the VIP section for some schmoozing with his peers. It was something he always took in stride, managing to chat with everyone as if they were the best of buddies.

It wasn’t long before Ash felt a hand on his shoulder and a smell of floral perfume in the air. As he turned around, his eyes fell upon a slender figure in a half-open silk shirt. Or was that a kimono? He wasn’t sure anymore.

“Hey, the man of the hour,” Samson smiled flirtatiously. “Flawless performance out there. Those moves SENT ME!”

Ash chuckled, giving the other guy a hug.

“Glad you enjoyed it. How are you? Long time no see.”

“I know, we haven’t seen each other since… what was it, the Teen Idol Awards? And I’m feeling great, having an amazing time here with Anna,” Samson replied, pointing to his friend a little further away. “Seriously though, great song, I loved it!”

“Thanks,” Ash replied, smiling genuinely. Samson was one of the people he enjoyed talking to. He knew the guy had a bit of a diva reputation, but he also knew that that was mostly just for show. Sure, Samson was flirty, ambitious and flamboyant, but he was no stuck-up diva. Ash honestly appreciated his humor and easy-going nature.

“So, when’s the album dropping? Summertime?” the tanned guy asked, handing the other singer a glass of champagne.

“Why? So you can postpone your own?” Ash smirked, cocking an eyebrow.

“You wish, honey! You know I’ve never been afraid of some friendly rivalry,” Samson was quick to reply. “I just don’t want to steal your thunder.”

“How generous of you, I’ll keep that in mind,” the Korean guy smiled. The back-and-forth between them continued for a few more minutes, until their glasses were empty.

“Well, I won’t keep you any longer, I know you’ve got a lot of hands to shake tonight,” Samson said, patting Ash on the shoulder. “See ya on the charts, ok?”

“You bet! I’ll be waving at you from the top spot,” Ash winked before walking away, mingling with some of his other guests.

Of course, that did not mean Samson and Anna got much time to just enjoy themselves. As soon as they left the VIP section, they were swarmed by reporters who were eagerly waiting to get a statement from one of the many celebrities at the party.

“Samson, are you here to support Ash or scope out the competition?”

“Samson, what did you think of Ash’s new song?”

A barrage of questions came his way, but the singer smiled charmingly and stopped for a brief moment, Anna by his side. Even though dealing with pesky journalists was not his favorite hobby, he knew how to play the game.

“We adore Ash’s new track, and yes, I came to support him and have fun,” he nodded. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go and prep my own song release. Three weeks, babes,” he added, taking the opportunity to do some self-promotion. He then waved at the reporters before slipping out with his best friend in tow.

~~

It was early in the morning when the party finally died down and the last of the guests left the club. The only ones left at that point were Ash, a few members of his team and some of the club employees responsible for cleaning the place.

Now dressed only in his t-shirt and pants, the singer made himself comfortable in the VIP lounge, laying on the soft leather seats. A tall glass of water sat on the table next to him, which he drank to avoid a hangover.

“Lauren, you’re still here,” Ash said as he noticed a woman in her thirties approach him, her long, red hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a teal business suit, holding a cell phone in one hand and a notebook in the other.

“Of course, I had to see things through,” the woman said, inspecting one of the seats. After making sure it was clean enough, she sat down, opening her notebook.

“Did you enjoy the party?” he asked, unmoving. His legs were killing him from all the walking and standing around.

“Of course, you did a great job. I think we’ve got a hit record on our hands,” she said, and Ash was surprised to see that she almost cracked a smile. “Still, we need to check how things went, whether the party was a success.”

“Of course it was a success, are you kidding me?” Ash rolled his eyes and picked up his glass, taking a sip of water. Lauren, his publicist, seemed to have no sense of fun and no life outside of her job. She was all work and no play. It made her very good at her job, but also very dull to be around. “The performance went great, people had fun, they loved the song.”

“That’s all fine and dandy, but you know the label isn’t interested in whether people had ‘fun’,” she replied, using air quotes. “We need to give them concrete data - number of guests, number of downloads, streams, media quotes, social media impressions…”

“Fine, and why do you need me for that?”

“Don’t you want to check your Twitter and Instagram and see people’s reactions?” Lauren asked, as if that’s the most normal thing someone would be doing at five in the morning after partying all night.

“Sure, but not right now,” Ash moaned. “Maybe not even tomorrow. Why don’t you select the funniest comments and print them out for me,” he suggested jokingly, just to see Lauren huff and close her notebook with a slam.

Just as she was about to reply, one of the dancers appeared, sitting on the backrest of the seats where Ash was sprawled out.

“Hey, you coming or what?” Marcus said, his fingers gently touching Ash’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I was just about to come looking for you,” the singer replied, getting up. “Get some sleep, Lauren. Whatever you need to send to the label, it can wait a few hours.”

With that, Ash and Marcus left the room, going out the back door where Jason, the singer’s driver, was waiting to pick them up.

It was a brief twenty-minute drive to Ash’s extravagant apartment in Manhattan. As the elevator door opened on the twelfth floor, the two guys came out disheveled and flustered, looking around to check if anyone was nearby. Once they were inside the apartment, they made quick work of their clothes and stumbled together into the shower, kissing and groping each other. It had been a long night, and being so close together yet unable to show their affection was torture. Yet, that was their relationship in a nutshell.

Ever since they started dating a little over a year ago, both Ash and Marcus knew what they were signing up for. They were aware they would not be able to really be together in public, so they had to settle for those moments of intimacy when they were alone, away from prying eyes of the world. Knowing that did not make it any easier, though.

“I’ve been wanting to do this all day,” Marcus whispered seductively into Ash’s ear as he nibbled on the Korean’s earlobe and then went down to kiss his neck. The singer groaned in pleasure, squeezing his lover’s wet and naked body closer to his own.

Slowly, the dancer went lower and lower, licking across Ash’s chest and abs before dropping to his knees to get to the main prize. By that time, the singer was already fully hard and Marcus wasted no time in wrapping his lips around the throbbing, wet erection.

“Fuuuck, that’s good,” Ash moaned, his fingers finding their way to Marcus’ head and guiding it to the singer’s cock. Not that the dancer would have gone anywhere - he was enjoying himself far too much, his eyes closed as he licked and lapped at his lover’s hard member while warm water showered both of them.

It wasn’t long before the Korean felt he was going to burst, so he pulled away, motioning for Marcus to get up.

“I don’t wanna cum just yet,” Ash smirked before locking lips with Marcus. Both moaned into the kiss, their hands running wild over each other’s firm, heated bodies.

“Then come and play with this,” the other guy suggested as he turned his back to Ash, sticking out his bubble butt.

The singer didn’t need to be told twice. He lubed up and stood behind his lover, his chest pressing firmly against Marcus’ back while his erection sunk between the dancer’s butt-cheeks.

Marcus gasped as he felt himself getting filled. The more Ash pushed in, the more his lover wanted it, craving desperately to be filled to the end. Soon, the sounds of skin slapping against skin echoed through the bathroom as Ash pounded hard, his hands firmly gripping at Marcus’ hips.

His lover’s moans always brought out Ash’s wild side to the surface. In just a matter of minutes, he was too far gone and there was no way he could hold it in any longer. Grunting loudly, he slammed his hips into his lover over and over as he shot his load inside Marcus.

As was always the case when the guys were as aroused as they were that night, things weren’t over just yet. After round one in the shower, they moved to the bedroom, where they flipped roles and went for round two. This time, however, it was Ash who laid on his stomach while Marcus got on top, driving his long and meaty erection deep into his lover.

Finally spent and satisfied, the boyfriends lay together in the comfy king-sized bed, trying to catch their breath. Their naked bodies glistened in sweat, their arms and legs entangled.

“Fuck, who knew you’d have that much energy left in you after all that shower action,” Ash laughed, his ass feeling sore. He traced Marcus’ firm pecs with his fingers, his own pale skin a sharp contrast to the dancer’s dark complexion.

“I always have energy for this,” Marcus spoke in a low voice as he grabbed his boyfriend’s butt, making him aroused all over again. “You should know that by now.”

“I do. And it still surprises me every time,” the singer replied, closing his eyes and sighing, resting his head on his lover’s chest. He was ready to have a peaceful night sleeping in his boyfriend’s arms, but it was all spoiled when Marcus spoke again.

“So, I couldn’t help but notice it, Samson seemed very flirty… again.”

His mood ruined in an instant, Ash opened his eyes and lifted himself up, turning to look at Marcus. This was a conversation they had already had.

“That’s Samson, it’s how he always is. Who cares?”

“I do. I saw you two talk tonight,” the dancer replied.

“And? Did I do anything inappropriate? Let’s hear it, since you like keeping an eye on me all the time,” Ash felt annoyed. Even though he did not want to fight, he couldn’t stay silent either.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Marcus asked defensively.

“You know what I’m talking about. After the performance, you just had to take my hand and steal glances at me. Everyone was looking at us and recording!”

“Oh, please! We were all euphoric, caught in the moment. It meant nothing,” the other guy explained. “Are you so afraid of being outed that I can’t even look at you in public anymore?”

“That’s not fair,” the singer defended himself. “You know I’m not afraid, I’d have gone public with you long ago if I could. But if the label-”

“Oh, fuck the label!” Marcus shouted in annoyance. “How many times am I gonna have to hear about the damn label?”

“That’s easy for you to say. You don’t have a contract with them - I do,” Ash said, but there was no reply. They both knew it was true - Ash was always in a more difficult position. He was the superstar of the two. All eyes were on him and, whether it was fair or not, his career somewhat depended on his perceived sexuality. At least that was what all record labels were telling him from the start.

“Baby, you know I don’t want to be with anyone else, and I’m trying as hard as I can,” the singer pleaded, trying to reason with his boyfriend. Sometimes it felt like they would never get used to this downside of fame.

“I know,” Marcus finally replied, just a tiny bit calmer. His hand found its way to Ash’s once again, their fingers entwining. “I just get really sick of it sometimes.”

“Me too,” the singer spoke softly, kissing his boyfriend on the cheek. “But we’ll get through this, I promise.”