**[UNEDITED 161026]
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"He wanted him to quit the company."
Quit the company.
Quit.
"Mwoya?!"
"W-what are you saying?"
"Come again?!"
All the eyes were on him. Jaws dropping to the floor. Breath hitched.
I cough pretentiously, "A-am I hearing this right? Oppa, you're telling a joke, aren't you?" My eyes glued into his, hoping he would tell us that it's not true but what I witnessed is just a dead seriousness. "Oppa.."
He sighed, eyes narrow to the floor, "Manager-hyung bumped into me and asked me to discuss with him about Kai's current condition. I tried to come up with any lies, I swear, but then he got a call from hospital and.. that's when he found everything out," he trails off. Leaving us with an utter shock.
"ㅡHe thought that quitting him for now would make the fans believe that it's Kai himself, who wanted to leave due to the tragedy happened to him few months back and not because he was kicked out. You see, he also told me not to let the outsiders know about his amnesia or not, there will be more wild gossips spreading."
That's an acceptable reason, but still...
"But, that's too harsh! He can't just dropped him out of this group as easy as that!" Minseok rebelled.
Suho tried to calm him down by holding his shoulders, "I know, Minseok. That's what I said to him too. B-but, you know how strict he is. He already signed the lawsuit and I can't do anything.."
"WhaㅡNo! No, this can't be happening! Jongin cannot leave this group! I'm not approving any of this." Kyungsoo said with a stern voice. Even the quiet-Kyungsoo-oppa is getting hot by this news.
I've never seen this side of himㅡunless when Chanyeol and Baekhyun annoyed him, that's an exception.
"Yeah! We can't let him quit no matter what! Suho-hyung, can't you beg Soo Man for another chance? He only listens to you out of all us here." Sehun then asked with pleading eyes.
Unfortunately, those unresistable eyes won't change the mind of Lee Soo Man.
Only but earning a defeat sigh from the latter. "Sehun-ah, you know it's useless. What he say goes. There's nothing we could do," he said, "A-and, I'm sorry, guys. I'm such a bad leader. Really, really.. sorry. I'mㅡ"
Kyungsoo hissed at the situation and abruptly make a stand that is enough to catch our attentions. He straightly dashed out the practice room, slamming the door behind him. "Yah! Kyungsoo-ya, where are you going?" Chanyeol shouted in attempt to stop him but only getting ignored in return. He pouted, "I think he's sulking."
"Let him be. He's just frustrated, that's all." says Jongdae as he lean his back on the couch and sighed.
I feel bad for him, though.
I pat Suho on the back softly before he could blurted any words out of his mouth, "Gwenchanha, oppa. The things happened is not because of your fault, okay?" he nodded slowly.
"We.. will have to pay a visit for Jongin tomorrow to get him sign in the contract papers." he mumbled under his breath that it still sounds clear through the silence in the practice room.
"I miss my bro.." says Sehun pathetically.
"You're not alone, Sehun." They chorused.
With that, all of them emit a long, deep, audible sigh that is accurately expressing their current mood right now; feeling so helpless about the situation now. I was more than sad and frustrated. It's Jongin we're talking about, it must be hurtful for him to let him know that he can no longer be in EXO, be the idol star like he dreamt of.
But then again, he already forgotten all of that. How could he understand the situations now?
"I know we all supposed to.. Uh, be sad 'bout the news but hey, look into the bright side, everyone. Jongin is off now so he wouldn't be in any stress or pressure for now. Also, I'm hoping that the media sites stopped interrupt his life anymore. What should we focus now is to lead him to remember us again. Who wouldn't want our Jongin back, huh?" I tried to lightened up the mood which I'm afraid would not working.
But, after a second, they started to raise their chin up slowly with a hopeful eyes.
Chanyeol ruffled my hair, "True, totally agrees with you. Y'know what they say, 'there're hidden benefits behind all this mess.'"
• • •
The next morning. Hospital. Krystal's POV.
"How was it? Did he actually sign the contract?" I immediately asked just as when Suho stepped out of the room.
"Oh, yes. Although he was hesitated at first, I managed to convince him. Not to worry so much, he doesn't seem much affected like how we expected him to be." He said calmly.
I sighed in relief. The image of Jongin throwing fit soon disappeared the moment I heard him.
"He's doing fine, anyway. Erm, come to think of it, you never visit him anymore since the last time, right?" He smiled bitterly, "I know how much you've been longing to see him, Soojung. You should really go see him yourself."
Was I too obvious? Of course, I cared for him more than myself.
I frowned, "It's still seems hard for me, I.. I don't think I can."
"Have faith in yourself. A fruitful results comes from a great efforts, Soojung."
I sighed in defeat, "Yea. Maybe I'll go.. see him today."
...
Today, I bravely decided to face Jongin and speaks to him personally. I've put a lot of my patience while waiting for this day. My inner feelings do not help either, it's making me hard to hold myself.
Slowly, I approach the door only to found him sitting on the bed while staring at the window sedately. The moment I saw him, my mind was unknowingly went back to our memories, flashing in front of my eyes like an old movie.
It felt nostalgic yet full of angst.
He notices the door clicks and hastily turned his back to met me by the doorway. He eyes me with his usual straight-face with a slightly parted lips.
Beat.
Beat.
Beat.
There, enough to make my heart racing in a pace.
The first thing I thought as entering this room is to pretend to act normal as if I'm not affected by everything. Pretending that I'm just some kind of a friend and not his ex-girlfriend. Not the girl he used to love. Just simply a friend to him, like how we used to be back then.
Let's pretend.
I tried to pull off my sincerest smile ever, "Hello there, am I distracting you?" No answers from him. Nonchalantly, I pulled a chair beside his bed to sit. "No? Ha ha ha," I awkwardly laughed and bit my lips.
This is so embarrassing!
"I came to see you~" I happily said as I shows off my eye-smile. A forced one.
Yet again, no respond was shown by the latter. He kept staring at me like I'm going to go insane or something. I pretend to pout, "Do you still remember me?" I pretend to asked when in fact, I already knew the answer; no. "Now, hey again. I'm Soojung, Jung Soojung. We used to be a close friend, you know!"
He blinked a few times quizzily.
"I'm not lying! S-see," I grabbed my phone from inside my sling bag and showed him the picture of me and him in a school uniform together. "I-it's actually our first selca. We are schoolmates." I unconsciously blushed.
I watched as his eyes staring at the picture with furrowed eyebrows. If this way could make him remember me quickly, then please be it.
"You," I mutters cautiously, "still don't remember me?"
He just simply shook his head stiffly.
It did breaks my heart a little but it's okay. I'm not okay but it's okay. I should always be okay.
Smile.
I grinned happily, knowing that he's finally loosen up a little bit in front of me. I took the chance to starts a casual conversation with him, "Do you remember your name?"
He shook his head again, looking down.
I softly smiled, "It's Kim Jongin. Kim. Jong. In. Be glad you have a nice name."
He looked up to meet my eyes for few seconds then back to his lap, fidgeting the hem of his hospital gown.
Damn, those dark-brown killer eyes.
30 minutes later...
Sighs.
Uh, he's so quiet that I'm losing all my words already. Good thing, the female nurse came in breaking the silence between us while carrying a tray of foods for Jongin.
"Good morning, Jongin-ah! I came here to serve your foods," Ms. Shin, Jongin's personal nurse said friendly, placing the tray on the coffee table beside his bed. "Oh! Soojung-ssi, you're here as well! Must be great for Jongin to have you as a company. At least he has someone to talk to."
I chortle by her comment. "Alright, I'm going for now. Do enjoy the foods, Jonginie!" she said again, livelier.
I get up to bow, "I'll surely make him eat well. Kamsahabnida."
I turned to Jongin who was watching us silently. My attention then dropped to the served foods, "Oh look, they accidentally gives you mushroom soup. Aigoo, didn't they know you hates mushrooms? Ah, it's okay. I'll go ask for a change. Wait eh."
I noticed his weird stares towards me as I reached for the bowl of mushrooms soup but I just shrugged it off.
____
[A/N]; CUT! I'll stop right here fr now hehe. expect a more exciting part of KaiStal on the next chapter!
everyone who were always voting for this story, who were putting it in their reading list, and even commenting, to every single one of you, THANKIEW and AI WUV YU! \( ^ 3 ^)~♡ you're my only determination to keep writing. ^^)9 you don't know how your single effort could make my day! 너무 감사합니다, 사랑해요~♥
Love you always,
애리 ☄