You're the One

-20- The Ultimatum

TW: Homophopia

It was Monday. Even though his personal life was a disaster, Chan still had a job to do. If he worked hard today, he would be closer to giving STAY the comeback they deserved. He was sure they would eventually forgive him for the missed vlive. However, he had no idea how he could approach Felix. Chan had to do something. Maybe he could ask Jisung, or was that cheating?

He managed to shower and get out of the apartment without seeing anyone. That was extremely rare. Little did he know that Seungmin had seen his shoes at the front door in the morning, and ordered everyone to leave the premises. As he walked towards the JYP building he received a text. "Mr. Park has invited you to a meeting at noon today. He said it was important, so you better be here by then." Looking at his watch, Chan started to jog. He would make it, but it would be close.

Park Jin-young's corner office was located at the top floor, giving him the best view of Seoul as possible. When Chan entered the office, he was standing by the window looking out. He didn't turn around and Bang Chan knew better then to say anything. He hated these power games, so he waited patiently, letting his mind idle. Eventually Mr. Park gave up and turned around. He looked disappointed in finding Chan still standing, like it was expected of him. Score two for Bang Chan. "Sit down," the old man barked with irritation. He always tried to be soft spoken, so this was out of character. The manager had said it was important. "Something big is up", Chan thought.

"Saturday Stray Kids attended a house party at Ateez, is that right?," Jin-young began. Oh shit! "That's right," Chan confirmed. His stomach was turning. "I'm an idol, songwriter and producer, Chan. But first of all I'm a business man. I have a product to sell – and that's you. You and your "Stray Kids". Park Jin-young looked like he had tasted something sour. " Your group have a lot of fans. Naturally a lot of them dream of becoming the girlfriend of a Stray Kids member. However, there are those who for some disturbing reason, fantasize about the members being boyfriends." The disgusted look on his face was obvious as he spat out the last word. "To some degree we feed into these fantasies, with the cuddling, hand holding and so on. But that's supposed to be fan service, Bang Chan. I don't want actual, perverted faggots on my pay roll."

Chan's heart was racing. The slur didn't bother him, he was bi, not that Jin-young would know the difference. To him Chan probably more than qualified for the label as a perverted. No, what really bothered Chan was that the owner of his record label was pissed off, and this might end up hurting Felix in some way. He was holding his breath, waiting to see where Mr. Park was going with this.

"Imagine my surprise, when an employee at KQ Entertainment reached out to me, to let me know that there are two homosexuals hiding in Stray Kids." This was bad. Who had overheard them in Seonghwa's room? Who the hell had ratted them out?

"We trusted you, Bang Chan. We trusted you with the selection of band members and we have let your 3RACHA self-produce. I'll admit that your group have done fairly well, but you have utterly failed as a leader when you allow two of your group members to share a room in your apartment, on a regular basis."

Minsung.

Fuck!

This wasn't about him and Felix. Park Jin-young had found out about Minsung. This was all about Minho and Jisung living together as a couple. Because they were a couple. And because Chan thought they deserved to live together as such, he had approved their sleeping arrangement, when it came up.

"We all make mistakes, Chan." Jin-young was trying to speak in a fatherly tone. The attempt disgusted Chan, but he didn't let it show. "I will give you the chance to fix this. I give you two weeks to decide which of them will have to leave Stray Kids."

Bang Chan's head went blank. It looked like everything around him was shrinking – like he was being dragged away into a dark tunnel. His body was going numb and he realized that his mind was trying to protect him from the emotional damage taking place deep within him.

Park Jin-young was asking him to get rid of a member of Stray Kids. Nine or none. Eight is fate. Previous trauma was making it difficult to breathe. Mr. Park was asking him to choose between Minho and Jisung? How could he?

"And if I can't do it?" he croaked. "Then I guess we have given you too much freedom and too much responsibility for you to handle. I would be forced to relive you of some of that responsibility. For you're own good off course." The smile plastered on the old man was probably supposed to convey a mixture of concern and sympathy, but all Chan saw was a cruel man.

"As I said - you have two weeks to decide. You're dismissed until then." The former idol turned towards the skyline again, signaling that the meeting was over.

To Chan however, it felt like Stray Kids was over.