Stigma ✔

|49|

Bae JooHyun.

Even though we were given a break of a few weeks, unfortunately it did not mean we had no schedules at all. All five of us had workout first thing in the morning after breakfast following which we all had different schedules.

I finished workout and was ready to go home and relax till my next schedule when Manager Oppa walked home and told me I was called to the agency. I simply nodded at him and changed into a different set of clothes and made my way out of the room towards the exit.

The rest of the girls had left a while back as they had immediate schedules back to back but I stayed back because I am free for a few hours now.

Manager Oppa is waiting for me at the entrance and together we make our way towards the parking lot. For some reason I was not affected by the call to the agency anymore. The reasons could be endless and I had learned not to worry beforehand. It was just more troubling.

 I plugged in my earphones as I leaned my head against the window. The curtains were closed as usual but I was still able to see outside from the little slit in the curtains. We were stuck in traffic and I peeped into the car right next to ours. 

In the car there is a small family of four. While the mother drove the car, the father sat at the back with two kids who were strapped to their seat. Light music could be heard from the car as it bounced from the movements of the kids as their dad encouraged them on. Their mother was sitting in her seat very quietly but her expression spoke wonders. 

Her smile as she looked at her family in the back was so contagious that a smile formed on my face too. What a blessing it must be for her to be this happy.

Before I could think anymore, the car started and I watched as they are left behind as we take a right turn towards the agency.

We take the artist entry to the building as usual and in no time we make it up to the conference room. 

A few of our junior managers, SM artist director and PR head are already seated in the room. The worry that I was trying to keep away all this time comes back as I see the solemn face of the staff and the game face of our director who was known to sport that face when telling bad news. 

We all settle down quickly and I fold my hands in my lap nervously. 

"Okay, we'll start the briefing. A few days ago we received a tip that the existence of our contract has been leaked to a third party and since we are not sure of who it is, we can assume that it is in the hands of someone who intends to leak it.

Since that is a situation we cannot see ourselves blindly going in. Hence, this meeting was called."

I sit in my seat shocked, feeling an ominous feeling take over me.  That hoax, that lie that was made was bound to come out in the open. My father always used to tell me that no lie can be hidden forever, no matter how good that lie did to a person. 

That contract was the reason I ever got a chance to meet Jin and get to know him personally. In our line of work what is basically very impossible for idols, we got a chance to experience something very close to bliss. However, it is also the truth that that contract was made up so as to cover a mistake we both had made. 

In such a situation, there is only one thing a company does for it's artist.

"Wh-what have you decided?" I fearfully ask, trying my best to keep my emotions in control.

They give me a pitiful look as if they know what's going on in my mind. "It is not something we have decided. This one came from them itself. They propose to release a statement saying that you and Mr.Kim SeokJin are no longer a couple and have decided to just to part ways due to respective busy schedules."