The Bait and the King of Pop
Michael Jackson was the most awarded genius artist in the history of popular music. He was widely considered one of the greatest musicians in all of human history. Setting aside "minor" elements like singing, dancing, performance, career, and producing, his status in Hollywood could be summarized in a single phrase: he made Thriller. It was the best-selling album of all time, with over sixty-six million copies sold. He was a living legend in real-time.
And when Sion told people he was going to work with such a man, the reactions around him were explosive.
"MJ? Damn, you're working with that guy? You've really got some crazy momentum, don't you?"
A gruff, distinctive voice echoed from the receiver inside his house.
Sion narrowed his eyes and thought, As expected, his image was incredibly good during this period.
"MJ is a once-in-a-lifetime genius. A monster. Meeting him will change your entire life."
"Just like how I changed after meeting you, Jack?"
"Bwahahaha! Where are you right now?!"
"At home. Why?"
"Because I want to fly over and give you a big kiss!"
"The media will probably report on our inappropriate relationship by tomorrow."
"Ah~ that's true. Those fly-like bastards are always crawling everywhere."
The sound of something being poured—glug, glug, glug—followed from the other end.
"Are you drinking again?"
"It's coffee. Coffee!"
"......Hmm."
"Ah, seriously! It's not like you're my wife, so why do you have to nag me every time I have a drink! I can't stand it! And I can have a drink once in a while! Why, are you living without eating whipped cream?!"
"Psssssh..."
"See! You're eating it!"
"That was a sound effect I made with my mouth. But I think I do need to start eating it again. I haven't been able to gain back the weight I lost for The College Player."
"Well, with you running around to clear your schedule every single day, of course you won't gain weight no matter how much you eat."
"Buy me some meat, then."
"Why is a rich kid like you asking me for food!"
"I'm not world-class yet. You made a fortune from Batman, Jack."
"Hmph, tsk tsk. Will beef do?"
"Oho."
"I'll send a private chef over to your place, so get ready to receive him."
"......Wait, really? I was joking."
Sion quickly backpedaled as his joke threatened to turn into a full-blown reality. After updating the legendary actor Jack Nicholson on his current situation and exchanging warm, friendly banter, he hung up.
The next call connected to another legendary actor in Hollywood.
"......MJ? Ah, so it was him."
"You sound like you already knew."
"The president of MTV called me directly to ask if you're a good fit to work with."
"I trust you gave a good answer?"
"Of course. I told him there's no bigger star than you. But still, MJ. You're working with someone truly incredible. Appearing in his promotional video will be a wonderful thing for you as an actor. Especially for an actor with a hot image like yours, the synergy will be off the charts."
"I think so too. I think acting to his music will be incredibly fun."
"Since MJ's image has improved 'again' recently thanks to his appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, there shouldn't be any issues."
"......"
Sion couldn't bring himself to answer that.
After hanging up the second call, he sat on the sofa, closed his eyes, and fell into deep thought. Indeed, up until this point, Michael Jackson's public image was quite favorable. His interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired on February 10th of this year, had revealed the "wounded boy" inside him, rather than just the "overwhelming pop star" the public was used to.
The public always wants to know a star's secrets.
It was a case that fit that saying perfectly. In fact, prior to The Oprah Winfrey Show, Michael had maintained a strict policy of mystique. He rarely did interviews unless it was related to his performances or music. It was a strategy to escape media attacks, protect his privacy, and communicate with fans solely through his music and performances.
However, this approach gradually bred various rumors. Some people made up lies about Michael just to make money off him—even his acquaintances and family members.
Whether it was a change of heart after maintaining that same stance throughout the '70s and '80s, Michael finally revealed his "human" side through the Oprah Winfrey interview.
Sion thought of that event as: "The King of Pop has finally spoken."
After that, his PR strategy shifted dramatically. Moving away from his previous image of an "angel" or a "hero," Michael took on the position of a "martyr" or a "pure artist," directly confronting the media. And the public, having come to know the "human" Michael, chanted his name and cheered him on.
But that image of his would suddenly plunge into the abyss due to a single event.
The so-called Michael Jackson child sexual abuse "false accusation" scandal.
To successfully pull off this golden opportunity, preventing that scandal from happening had to be his top priority.
Whew. I need to map out the timeline and the cause-and-effect relationships properly once more.
Although Sion had regressed with many memories, he surprisingly remembered this particular event in meticulous detail, down to every single timeline.
When he had been living in self-imposed isolation with a ruined face before his regression, the news had literally broadcasted updates about Michael Jackson all day long, without a single exaggeration.
And for some reason, I... sympathized with him.
Of course, Michael Jackson was completely framed, whereas Sion's downfall was due to his own actions. Still, the media had attacked Michael so viciously that it felt like they were trying to kill a man, and Sion felt a sense of kinship in that cruel and heartless nature of the press.
The American media, hungry for sensationalism, had driven Michael into a corner without mercy, and the American police, desperate for a major achievement, had investigated him to the point of character assassination.
And now, they were right on the cusp of that event.
Originally, I was planning to get Olga to introduce me to a production company so I could shoot a movie, but I ended up getting caught up in something several times bigger.
But like everything else so far, it felt more like a case of "actually, this is better."
Networking with Michael Jackson.
In so many ways, could there be a better opportunity than this?
A great musician, and an incredibly kind soul. A being who had to absorb all the malice and jealousy of the world. A man who had suffered almost his entire life as the media's favorite prey.
...And now, I'm involved with such a person.
Since they were going to work together anyway, Sion wanted to share the miracle he had experienced to clear that unjust suffering.
Tom Preston, the president of MTV, was a man who lived with a thorough businessman's mindset. While his core nature was humane and diligent, handling countless affairs had naturally equipped him with the "cold" mindset necessary for business.
Because of this, while many only saw a star's outward appearance, Tom was someone who tried to see the "aura" within. When Tom first saw Sion, this thought crossed his mind:
He's the real deal.
He seemed cocky, yet there was restraint in his actions. He was a star who perfectly controlled every aspect of his private life, never forgetting to thank the employee who brought him the water he ordered.
Although Tom had insisted on seeing Sion in person "just in case," he had felt that this moment might end up being a waste of time. But business was business.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lee."
"Pleasure to meet you too, Tom."
Sion gave a light wink.
Laughing off the playful attitude, Tom introduced MJ's agent and greeted Charlie Kang, who had accompanied Sion Lee.
With the four of them gathered, they immediately began the meeting to handle the "big agenda."
"To put it simply, we at MTV want to collaborate with MJ's team to produce a documentary of sorts that will showcase the heat of the Dangerous Tour to the American audience. We want to give it a slightly cinematic feel, with the concept of the hottest young star of today meeting the King of Pop."
"Hmm..."
Next, MJ's agent spoke.
"We plan to shoot a special Michael Jackson music video that highlights Sion's image. The concept is simply him walking down the streets of Europe while listening to the music. Since Sion is highly regarded among industry insiders for his excellent ad-libbing skills, we feel we can trust him completely with this part."
"Sounds fun. I've always enjoyed listening to Michael's music."
"The schedule is... as we informed you beforehand, it's a one-month schedule for July. While Michael tours across Europe, Sion will shoot with him in each city. Originally, this part of the tour was canceled, but for some reason, Michael stepped up and said he wanted to do it... so that's how it turned out."
"Will there be any footage of me shooting together with Michael?"
"Well, there might be a scene of you entering the backstage, but he's an incredibly busy man."
The agent replied in a somewhat indifferent tone.
Summarizing what had been said so far, Sion neatly filed the information away in his mind.
For some reason, Michael Jackson had decided to resume a portion of the European tour that he was originally supposed to rest during. In his past life, this period was actually a tour maintenance break, but history had shifted slightly.
Still, to be able to mobilize that massive tour crew at his own whim and proceed immediately...
In a way, it was an absurd feat, but the fact that he made it possible proved Michael's star power once again.
"In any case, please keep your contact with Michael to a minimum. He's in a rather sensitive period right now. He's an artistically delicate person, and we don't want any noise during the tour."
"Understood," Sion replied confidently.
"And secondly, do you know how to dance?"
"Ah, when you think of dancing, you think of me, and when you think of me, you think of dancing. My body has been tempered in all kinds of Hollywood clubs."
"......"
"Hey, Yi-siony..."
At Sion's playful attitude, the agent's expression stiffened ever so slightly, and Charlie Kang, sitting next to him, let out a long sigh.
In any case, Sion wasn't lying. He had never formally learned how to dance, but he had certainly danced a lot.
And I have no intention of approaching Michael Jackson first anyway.
July arrived.
A man let out a long sigh inside a hotel room.
They simply won't let me do anything my way.
Skin turned white from vitiligo. Yet, unmistakably a Black man.
The name of the man who possessed this contradiction was Michael Jackson, a name known to the entire world.
Michael was currently on his resumed European tour, resting in a room of a twenty-eight-story hotel after arriving in London, England.
It was already two in the morning.
But he could hardly fall asleep.
As a superstar who had reigned at the absolute peak for nearly ten years, he suffered from long-standing occupational hazards: anxiety, depression, and panic. Because of this, he usually needed medication to fall asleep, but tonight, he didn't want to take it.
Just before leaving the US for the tour, his agent had sternly scolded him when he expressed excitement about meeting a certain man.
"No to Sion Lee. You must absolutely not meet that man."
As someone at the absolute pinnacle of the American music industry—practically treated as a historical figure—his private life was thoroughly protected.
But... it was closer to control.
After watching the movie Fragments of You and the sitcom The College Player, Michael had fallen in love with the youthful charm Sion displayed on screen and became his fan. He had truly looked forward to this tour.
To be told not to meet Sion in person under such circumstances...
He was slightly upset, but Michael simply said "I understand" and returned to his room. He knew all too well that if he threw a tantrum, people would get scared.
What a shame.
Though he possessed overwhelming talent and fame—to the point of being called the "King of Pop" for several years now—he was an incredibly kind and pure man who had no desire to wield that power.
Thus, like a child throwing a silent tantrum, he had refused his medication for a moment and was nursing his disappointment alone.
Michael sat alone in the massive suite, staring blankly into space. It was an act close to meditation, meant to control the stress rising within him second by second.
How much time had passed?
"Dangerous-!!"
His own voice echoed from somewhere.
"Huh...?"
Snapping out of it as he immediately reacted to the music, Michael Jackson realized he could faintly hear his own song playing from somewhere.
No, it was a bit strange.
The tempo was much faster and high-pitched. It sounded as if someone had sung it after inhaling helium gas...
Michael looked out the window, tracing the sound.
And it began to sound even clearer...
"She's dangerous! That girl is too dangerous!"
"She takes my greenbacks and steals my time!"
"She calls me her honey pot, but her eyes are always on my wallet! That bitch!"
"......? Is this my song?"
Of course, it wasn't. It was a song sung by a Michael Jackson parody artist.
Wondering where on earth that sound was coming from, Michael's gaze drifted downward outside the window.
One floor below his hotel room, on the floor of a protruding balcony.
Something was spinning round and round, emitting an incredibly brilliant, colorful light.
Along with the song, it made all kinds of percussion and ad-lib sounds like clack-clack, bam-bam!, ha-ssip, heup! hee-hee! hoo!
A quiet night, a luxurious hotel.
A strange, comical toy designed for children, completely transforming the time and space, creating an utterly mismatched atmosphere.
Michael couldn't take his eyes off the spinning top.
How fun. I want one.
The King of Pop's eyes sparkled with childlike innocence.
After spinning noisily for a while, the top stopped.
Then, a hand suddenly reached out from inside the balcony, grabbed it, and pulled it back in.
Should I ask Vanessa where I can get one?
Just as he was thinking that with disappointment, the sound of gears winding—click, click, click—followed.
Then, with a whoosh, the top shot out again, spinning with loud lights and sounds.
Hearing the song She's dangerous! starting up again, Michael felt his mood lift slightly. Leaning against the railing, he naturally began to hum along.
And as if hearing him, someone suddenly poked their head out from the balcony below.
"......"
"......"
Their eyes met, and Michael was instantly captivated by a thought: Have I ever seen such a handsome man in my life?
Fair skin, dirty blonde hair falling gently down his face.
The man looked up at Michael and smiled softly, as a cool breeze blew from somewhere, gently brushing against Michael's cheek.
Sion Lee.
Just as he had promised his agent, he did not contact Michael Jackson.
He had simply understood his tastes and thrown a bait.
Solely to meet him as one individual to another.
That girl is too dangerous!
Sion blinked quietly, like a crocodile waiting to drag a deer into the water.