Game Of Survival | Yang Jungwon

76

They needed her.

They were 8, not 7.

I look down at my phone, it's September 2nd.

The deadline was getting closer.

She needed to come back.

I knew her leaving wasn't a good idea. But I was only the messenger, not the decider. I grab my phone, texting Lilia to come to the company in an hour.

I might lose my job, but it's for the team.

____________________________

"Now,"

Lilia looks at me confused. I watch her glance at the camera recording her in the empty room and I wave it off. "Don't worry, it's only for me to see. Now,"

"Enhypen. Soloist."

Her eyes widen.

"I thought I had until the 27th?" She asks and I nod. "You do, but it's the 2nd. It's just a short type of survey before." I tell her and she nods slowly.

"Why did you first decide to be in a group?"

___________________________

Jungwon's POV

"What's this?"

We all look at our manager confused as we're suddenly called to have a meeting with him.

We watch as there's a video on the TV screen, and it's Lilia.

"I heard your talk earlier today. Your talk about what's been happening recently with Lilia."

I look at the other members, all their heads cast down.

"I want you to watch this video. It was taken an hour ago."

The video starts to play and we watch Lilia look at the camera.

"Don't worry, it's only for me to see. Now," Minhyuk starts.

He starts to ask Lilia about the Enhypen and Soloist contract. We all concentrate on the screen to hear her answer, but she doesn't answer.

Our manager asks why she decides to be in a group, and my heart sinks as she explains why. I knew she wanted to be in a group for her brother, but I was still saddened each time I remembered.

She then talks about why she liked being in a group after that. In how she grew a bond with us and how we became her family.

"Then why did you choose to sign the soloist contract?"

I listen carefully, watching her reaction.

"You already know. Even Heeseung knows, and Jake, and I'm not sure who else was told but you all know."

I look at Heeseung, I watch as he looks at me too. I then look towards Jake.

What is it they know that I don't?

"For the members."

I turn my head back to the screen.

For us?

"I wanted to see if they were better as a 7. Better as an all boy group. Better without me."

"And what were the results?"

She can't possibly think we're better without her.

"They are."

"I can see their achievements and them as a team grow so much in the couple of months I wasn't with them compared to when I was."

I sink back into my chair, frowning at the screen. I look at the members and not only did Heeseung and Jake look at me with a guilty expression,

All of them did.

"Do you miss them?"

"Of course I do. I'm home alone, call out if anyone wants food or has any clothes they want me to wash, but i'm always met with silence. I walk around to wake others up but realise no ones there.

I wait for people to enter the car but realise no ones coming. I make food for 8 people yet there's only me. I even have to give food to my neighbors or the receptionist because I make too much."

I feel my heart ache for her. It hurts.

"I sometimes cry at night. Nightmares come back sometimes. I find myself waking up, walking around my apartment looking for them. I look around everywhere, looking for a sign of life, looking for someone to hold me? Someone to tell me and show me I'm not alone, but I find no one.

I cry even more. I stay there for hours, crying like a pathetic lonely girl. I question why I did this to myself, but I end up smiling.

They're better without me there right? They've been doing amazing and I guess that comforts me? I force myself to sleep after that, even if I'm scared to close my eyes, I still do."

I watch the screen. Silence.

"T-that's it. Thank you for your time."

The video stops, and I look at our manager.

"The reason I showed you this video is because she's feeling the same. Both Lilia and you boys feel a void, it's damaging everyone."

"I'm sorry but.. you guys knew? You all knew she left for us?" I ask everyone, and they all stay silent. "You couldn't tell me? After the amount of times I started to be a jerk thinking she was selfish and didn't care, you let me think that knowing she did it for us?" I stand up, looking at them furious.

"I know I don't have the right to be mad at you. It's my fault for being a jerk towards her. But you still couldn't let me know?" I ask them. They all stay silent.

I leave the room, finding myself walk towards the Enhypen producing room I damn well knew she was in.

Opening the door, I find her sitting on the chair facing the computer, before turning around to face me with wide eyes.

"Do you really think.. we're better as seven?"

Welp.

As you can sense this book is around its ending point, but not fully.

Let's choose the outcome.

Option 1- depressing

Option 2- happy