A/N: This AU came from an unusual love I have for hip hop, Kpop (Korean pop music), and of course, Dragonball Z.
I usually write AUs with some sort of dark atmospheric element, and I was contemplating the often dramatic and pressure-filled lives of musicians, particularly Kpop, I decided to write this AU to explore such topics using our favorite ambitious characters.
You don't have to know anything about Kpop or hip hop in particular to enjoy this story, but I will make references to both industries from time to time. For those of you unfamiliar with the structure of the Kpop industry, musicians are often trained for years before choosing to be featured in a boy group and must undergo rigorous lessons in vocal quality, dance, and etiquette. Most groups have at least one rapper, sometimes two, that can also sing.
Anyways, the DBZ guys in this fic are all younger, ranging from 17 to 23 and are not related unless otherwise stated. Bulma and Chi-Chi match their love interests ages, respectively. No power levels or ki here, just romance, angst, fame, and fortune :)
Enjoy!
Oh ready or not, the show will start.
Are you ready or not?
There's no preview, just go.
Show me yourself, ready or not.
Vegeta walked along the beach, face upturned towards the sky. Ocean water sprayed from the surf, misting over his caramel skin and gently weighing down his dark, flame-shaped hair. He stopped on the edge of the tide, letting the cold water crest over his bare feet, effectively soaking the bottoms of his dark jeans.
The sun was just beginning to set, casting a tangerine glow over the water's surface. A slight breeze kissed the sand and fluttered his sheer white dress shirt, which was unbuttoned to midchest, exposing the rippling muscles of his fit physique.
With an exaggerated sigh, Vegeta ran both of his hands through his hair, resting them behind his head as he flexed his broad chest. He looked straight into the horizon and bit his dewy bottom lip, pulling it into his mouth before giving a smoldering glare to an imaginary person in the distance.
"Excellent, Vegeta! More just like that!"
Click.
"Yes, pose for me," the photographer encouraged. "Step into the water slightly. That's it!"
Click. Click.
Vegeta did as instructed, loosening the tension in his body in order to get the perfect picture. Due to his brash nature, he was considered coarse and rude by others, but he was always a professional even if he had traded a solo rap career to be featured in a joke of a boy band.
Not that he hated his life- he was far more successful as lead rapper in Kaio Ken than he had ever been alone, but there was something so degrading about being treated like a painted doll and not a musical talent.
He lived for his music and he would give anything to become a legend. Unfortunately, such ambition meant sacrificing independence and he often felt like his soul was being sucked out of him by stylists and manner coaches.
"Hands in your pockets," the photographer suggested loudly and Vegeta complied by shoving his rough hands into the front of his jeans and flexing his chest once more. He then affected a deep scowl and turned his head upwards, looking down at the camera haughtily.
The man crouching in the surf whistled suggestively before showering the rapper with praise over his looks, pausing to check the shots on his camera screen.
"Perfect. You look like a god."
Vegeta almost broke into a smile upon hearing such flattery, but he kept in character, silently reveling in glory beneath furrowed brows.
He knew he looked good; he had always been attractive in a different way than most men. Where the rest of his bandmates had boyish good looks, his were more chiseled, regal, earning him the nickname "The Prince" from the fans. It also helped that his rap skills were akin to lyrical royalty.
Before signing with his current group, he was talented, but the demographics of the market preferred something different, so he eventually made the decision to join Kaio Ken for more exposure.
It wasn't necessarily a move he was proud of but Vegeta knew when to appreciate his good fortune.
The photographer continued to compliment the rapper on his photogenic nature and as he looked out across the glistening sand, he inhaled deeply.
It was in moments like this that he actually didn't mind being in the group and-
"LOOKIN' GOOD, GETA!"
A booming voice with a masculine lilt rang out across the beach and Vegeta turned from his intense focus to find the rest of his band waiting by the staff hut in the sand. Flailing his arms around like an idiot and grinning from ear to ear was the second oldest in the group- Kakarot.
Though everyone insisted on calling him by the stage name Goku, Vegeta decided he liked keeping the younger man in check, so he chose to use his birth name. The unusual tactic also helped the rapper keep his distance from Kakarot's constant attempts at becoming best friends with him.
Not that Vegeta didn't tolerate the man, but he was constantly irked by how easy everything came for the younger. He hardly had to work hard to achieve the level of the others and Vegeta was loathe to admit that he was a tad jealous.
"GETA! GETA!"
And annoyed.
With a huff, Vegeta returned to his pose, only for the photographer to take one more picture before looking at his camera display and waving the rapper away.
"That's all for you," the camera man declared. "Bring that tall guy over here. His long body will make for some good shots lying down."
Frustrated, Vegeta stomped away, all his earlier grace fading once more thanks to the idiot cheerfully dancing in the sand several yards away. As the rapper approached the staff hut, Kakarot only seemed to get happier.
"Geta, ya looked so good!" the younger man exclaimed. "How do you pose like that? I never really got taught that as a trainee."
That was another thing that bothered Vegeta. The rapper had spent eight long years as a trainee at Planet Entertainment before even getting a shot at a solo career.
Kakarot, on the other hand, had spent three years at Kame Entertainment before being offered almost every contract that a boy could ever want. He then quit music, instead preferring to live a peaceful life in the mountains with an old geezer who taught him martial arts.
While the moron was away squandering his gifts, Vegeta had relative success on his own, but thanks to Kakarot's initial refusal to be placed in a band, Vegeta was offered the contract by Kame. He was picked along with four other trainees to form Kaio Ken, a hip hop group that was hard enough to earn respect, but still flashy enough to have fangirls in almost every country.
Then, just before their debut, Kakarot emerged from the forest and Kame immediately bent over backwards to offer him a contract, no questions asked. No long years of training to regain his status in the industry. No long hours in the studio practicing pitch, tone, or rhythmic flow. Just one look at his pretty face and his resume and that was it.
And in what group did that lumbering buffoon get placed?
Yes, Kakarot was the fifth and final member of Kaio Ken and had been for almost a year. But that didn't make his behavior any less abrasive to the eldest.
"They want you now," Vegeta mumbled, reaching for a towel to wipe off his feet. He hated the feeling of wet sand squishing between his toes.
Kakarot gave him a lop-sided grin before practically running off to the photoshoot. Once there, the crew directed the tall band member to take off his shirt and lie on his back in the sand, looking up pensively at the sky.
Vegeta had to admit it was a great shot, but part of him wished the man was just as clumsy and ill-mannered on camera as he was in real life.
"Careful, old man," a voice behind the rapper taunted. "Your jealousy is showing."
The eldest member turned to find his lavender-haired bandmate glaring at him smugly, leaning back against the wooden wall of the staff hut.
Trunks wasn't the youngest of the group, but he was pretty close. At only nineteen, there was still a lot left for him to learn, but he had worked hard to earn his way into the band, and if there was anyone who could hold a handle to Vegeta's rap skills, it was the pretty boy.
Vegeta grunted under his breath and rolled up the damp bottoms of his jeans. "I'm not jealous of him," the rapper growled, already annoyed at where this conversation was going.
Trunks ran a hand through his long, lavender hair and grinned as the straightened locks parted beneath his fingers. Vegeta still wasn't used to the bandmate's new hairstyle; Trunks had practically sported a bowl cut when their debut album came out, but now the young man decided he liked his hair past his shoulders.
"Hey, Goten." The younger rapper called over yet another band member- the youngest at seventeen. He had the day off from his prep school and he was taking full advantage of it.
A shaggy haired boy appeared from somewhere behind the hut with a sandwich and a fizzy soda in his hands. The kid was like a bottomless pit, always eating when their manager wasn't paying attention. "Yeah?" Goten inquired, looking around cautiously.
"Is Vegeta jealous of Goku?" Trunks asked the youngest, hooking a thumb in the direction of the photoshoot where Kakarot was owning the camera.
Goten swallowed a bite of his food and nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah. You're way jealous," he told Vegeta before grimacing. "I mean, I think there's like a healthy competition between you two…. or something…"
Vegeta scoffed at the reply. "No, healthy competition is what Trunks and I have," the rapper explained curtly. "There is no comparison between Kakarot and I."
"You got that right." Trunks was grinning devilishly, baiting his elder, but Vegeta wasn't in the mood for his usual games.
"Fucking brat," the rapper swore under his breath before turning around and scanning the beach. "Where is Gohan?" It was almost the man's turn for pictures.
Goten threw his sandwich wrapper away in a small makeshift trash can and shrugged. "I think he's in the hut reading or something," the youngest offered, looking Vegeta right in the eye, intent on pleasing his elder.
The rapper had always considered the boy's constant attention somewhat creepy, but Trunks had assured him it was nothing more than idol worship.
"Go get him," Vegeta ordered, watching the youngest waddle into the hut to go fetch their resident nerd.
"You know you're still the leader, right?" Trunks stated after a few moments of silence.
Vegeta didn't reply but looked over at the lavender-haired member and gave him a curt nod of understanding. Out of everyone, Trunks was the one the rapper respected the most; perhaps because he saw a lot of himself in the younger man. The kid was constantly bantering with him, but they shared a mutual understanding on the subject of playful shit-talking.
Trunks didn't force any more conversation and the two looked out over the beach and enjoyed the view as Kakarot frolicked and laughed in the surf as instructed by the crew.
"Found him!" Goten returned with Gohan in tow, and the taller of the two squinted as he took off his glasses, preparing himself for the camera.
The final member was such a bookworm, invested in a career outside of music after they all had outgrown their appeal with age. Vegeta didn't really understand the need for scholarly pursuits, but Gohan's knowledge came in handy quite often. If he had a second favorite in the group, he supposed it would be the tall, passive man.
Gohan was quite agreeable to be around, unless you pissed him off. Then he was probably capable of killing something or destroying property. But for now, he was level-headed, awkward, and currently making his way over to the photoshoot in nothing but faded jean cut-offs and a tight neon, floral print tank. The stylists loved to go crazy with his appearance and the fans seemed to love it. Honestly, anything was better than the horrid green tracksuits he preferred.
With a sigh, Vegeta crashed into a lounge chair, his job of herding the band members now finished. For the next hour, he watched the others get their pictures taken, running lyrics through his head about the kind of life fame had brought them.
Everyone wanted a life like theirs, but they were still getting started, discovering themselves gently amongst constant attention and pressure. The problem wasn't becoming somebody in this industry, it was staying who you were to begin with.
"Vegeta! Group photo!" a staff member yelled out, and the rapper complied with a groan. It was dark now, but they needed some moonlit photos to match the "day and night" theme of the next album.
He made his way toward the shoot, adjusting his shirt as he walked. By the time he made it to the others, Vegeta noticed a growing group of girls several yards away. Security was putting up a makeshift fence to contain the screaming fans who were holding various notebooks and pictures.
"Look!" Kakarot exclaimed, pointing towards the chaos. "We should sign their stuff after we're done."
"We do not have time," a high-pitched voice declared from a few feet away. Vegeta winced at the grating sound of their pushy manager, Frieza. "We have a schedule to follow, remember?"
Kakarot's demeanor inflated and he pouted slightly, but then the camera was on him and the man became a work of art.
The group was maneuvered into several photos, some serious, while others were more "behind the scenes" in nature and would be included in the photo book that came with the album preorder.
As the men posed, the screaming from the fans reached a crescendo and Frieza forced the photoshoot to an abrupt halt, sneering at the crazed fangirls. He ordered everyone off the beach with his strained, pitchy voice.
The band begrudgingly waded out of the surf and made their way back to the hut to change.
"Oh Kami! Goku, I love you!"
Vegeta snapped his head up from his disgruntled walk and turned to find Kakarot over by the fans, shaking their hands and signing their memorabilia. The man wore such a carefree expression as girls reached over the fence to touch his spiky hair or grab at his arm.
The eldest watched on with incredulity, certain that Frieza would run after the wayward member and scold him almost immediately. But no such thing occurred; instead, the petite manager rolled his eyes further up on the beach.
"Go get Goku and bring him to the bus," Frieza ordered before turning and mumbling to himself about having to run a circus of spoiled "monkeys".
Of course Kakarot wouldn't get reprimanded for breaking the rules. Everyone liked him and he did whatever the fuck he wanted while Vegeta was constantly reminded to be more "pleasant" and "less aggressive".
Frustrated, the rapper turned on his heel and stalked over to the madness, ready to be home and in his bed after a good meal.
The girls surrounding Kakarot were completely mesmerized by the tall band member, but as Vegeta arrived, the mood drastically changed.
"Holy shit! It's The Prince!"
Suddenly everyone was rushing to the other end of the fence, most of the girls leaving Kakarot behind, handing back a signed notebook to nothing but air.
The fans were frantic, trying to touch Vegeta, and he was quickly reminded why he didn't mind the band once more.
He was a lone wolf, but who could resist girls who would die just to touch you?
A particularly eager fan shoved an album in his face along with a sharpie and Vegeta accepted the items with a smirk before uncapping the marker with his teeth.
The girl practically fainted at the action and the rapper signed her album with a grin. He paused when he noticed it was his solo album, the outer paper cover worn around the edges from heavy use. Surprised, he numbly handed it back to the fan and went down the line, signing everything that was thrust in his path.
At one point, he looked over to find Kakarot still standing by the fence, though no girls were begging for his attention. Instead, the tall man was smiling sadly, watching Vegeta interact with the fans. His eyes were almost hollow, but still he remained, waiting for the rapper to say his goodbyes and start his journey back to the bus. He fell into line beside Vegeta as they walked.
"I bet it's great to be loved like that," Kakarot mused, looking around at the beach lit by the faint light of the moon.
Vegeta quirked a brow, genuinely surprised at the other's melancholy mood. "They were excited to see you too," the rapper found himself saying, even though he didn't care much for the other or his disposition.
Kakarot shook his head softly. "I know, but I always find myself comparing us," he explained, voice cracking a little. "What you have…. I want that."
Stopping in the sand, the rapper cocked his head. "What do you mean?"
The taller member shook his head once more and continued walking, his lumbering form disappearing into the horizon.
Vegeta tried to wrap his mind around the other's sentiment, but nothing came. "You have that," he whispered into the breeze, though no one could hear him. "What more could you want?"
No one was around to reply, but Vegeta found himself craving the answer more than he thought possible. He looked up at the few stars he could make out and wondered for the first time if there was something he didn't yet understand about the life he had chosen.
A/N: Also, for anyone interested, I made an edit of the "album cover" for the band on Archive Of Our Own under the same username. An imaginary "track list" for their first album is below with the actual artists in case you wanted to listen.
Track List for Kaio Ken
1) Zero For Conduct (Block B- BASTARZ)
2) The 7th Sense (NCT U)
3) Interstellar (Monsta X)
4) Silver Spoon (BTS)
5) Halo (Block B)
6) ONE SHOT (B.A.P)
7) Two Moons (EXO-K)
8) BTS Cypher 4 (BTS)
9) Asian Glow (Wutan, Don Mills)
10) Trespass (Monsta X)