MINJAE'S POV
If there was anything I hated more than being told what to do, it was impromptu meetings.
And of course, they had picked today ㅡ my free day ㅡ to fix an absolutely useless meeting.
NOVA's conference room was smaller than the joint one. Me, Seojin, Hyun, Ren, our individual managers, and Director Choi who oversaw all of NOVA's promotional strategy and had been looking personally victimized by my existence since those photos dropped four days ago.
After the general briefing, the other members were excused and I was left alone with him.
He opened his laptop, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Numbers first," He muttered as he turned the screen to face the table. "Streaming is up thirty-one percent across all platforms since the arrangement started. Merchandise pre-orders for the next quarter have already exceeded last cycle's final numbers." He paused. "I'd say we're doing a great job."
"Great." I deadpanned.
"We want to push farther."
"Of course you do."
Director Choi looked at me and I looked back without missing a beat. We had done this specific exchange many times over six years and it always ended the same way ㅡ him pushing, me pushing back, both of us eventually landing somewhere in the middle that neither of us loved.
"The current dynamic reads well publicly," he continued. "But the audience wants progression. Right now, it reads as two people who are possibly involved. We may need to start pushing for definite involvement."
My brow raised. "Define definitely."
"You know…less scripted moments." He pulled up the shot photos on his laptop. "This looks arranged."
Of course it did. It was arranged and I had spent an hour arguing in whispers two inches from Han Jisoo's face while a photographer told us to relax which remained the most unreasonable request anyone had ever made of me.
"So what are you suggesting?"
"You both need to start working this out by yourselves. I've spoken to his manager. You should build a certain sense of familiarity. The awards are tomorrow night. You can make plans."
The awards. Where we would beat AURORA. Every. Single. Year. We would never lose. Losing was failure. Anything but getting the top was failure. And I never failed.
"You want to take away the structure."
"Just trying to make it look natural."
I pinched my nose bridge. "It's not natural if we don't even like each other and tomorrow, I am going to beat his ass again at the awards."
Director Choi sighed. "That's not an issue. I'm aware. Just go ahead with this, okay?"
I stood up, adjusting my sleeves. "As you please. May I leave?"
He stared at me for a second too long and then sighed. "Of course."
Without another word, I walked out and found a corridor behind the stage that was empty, and I stood in it and took five minutes to be genuinely, completely angry in private.
Not at Jisoo. But at myself. That this was spiraling out of my control. I hated losing control over my life.
My phone rang as I was getting to my dressing room and I looked at the screen.
Hyunwoo.
I stood in the corridor for a moment staring at my brother's name and doing the mental calculation I always did when he called ㅡ what does he want, how long will it take, how much of myself will I have to manage during it. Then I picked up because not picking up now only delayed the conversation to a worse time.
"Hyung," I said.
"What is this?"
Right. Of course, he'd been following the news about my new 'Scandal'.
"We need to talkㅡ"
"They're forcing you, aren't they? I know that's not real."
I looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Look, not now."
"Minjae." A pause. "You need to end this whole thing."
I closed my eyes briefly. "We've had this conversation."
"Then let's have it again. You know how things like this end. I've seen it end. I watched it end my entire career."
"Your career ended for different reasons."
"My career ended because I trusted companies that didn't have my interests at heart." He snapped. "Sound familiar?"
"Hyungㅡ"
"You're not happy. You haven't been happy for the last two years, you told me that…"
My chest tightened and I squeezed my eyes shut. "I tell you a lot of things, Hyunwoo."
"So, they weren't true?"
I leaned back against the wall and looked at the ceiling. Down the corridor, Ren emerged rubbing his eyes, he took one look at my face and the phone in my hand and turned around, going in the opposite direction.
Smart kid.
"I'm handling it."
"You're not."
"Hyung."
"I'm your brother, Minjae. I can say it."
"And you've said it fourteen times. I got it." My fingers itched to hang up but I held fast.
"And you're not listening. How is he? Jisoo?"
That made me pause. "Why?"
"Because you haven't mentioned him once. Not in all these years that we talked about work. You never mentioned him."
My gaze strayed down to my feet. "Not relevant."
"He kinda is."
"Hyunwoo…" I pushed myself off the wall. "I'll call you back later. Maybe by the weekend."
"You won't."
"I'll try." I shrugged.
"That means you won't."
I didn't bother to reply to that. "Bye."
And I hung up.
I needed some air. The good kind of air and noise.
I started walking out of the company, phone to my ear as I called Seojin.
"Hello?" He answered on the fourth ring.
"Are you free tonight?"
There was a pause. "Why?"
"I want to go out. You know…" I trailed off, stepping out of the building and sliding into my car.
"Minjaeㅡ" his tone shifted. "Your face is everywhere right now. If someone photographs you at a club."
"I can wear a cap."
"Your face is on a billboard in Gangnam-daero. A cap isn't going to do anything."
"Are you coming or not?" I asked exasperatedly.
He sighed. "Fine. I'll call Hyun."
The car took a turn onto the next street. "Don't call Hyun. He'll tell the manager. Hyun has a conscience. We're not allowed to go out right now, the awards are tomorrow so Hyun will definitely tell on us."
"Fine. I'll meet you in Itaewon by 9pm. We'll just get a private booth."
"Bye."
**************
The club was small enough to not draw attention but also loud enough that you could feel the music in your veins as soon as you stepped in. Seojin and I had found it two years ago when the Company had imposed a heavy burden on us, leading us to find a safe place where we could clear our heads.
We walked in, hoods pulled low as we made our way to the back, paying for a VIP booth where we could sit privately and have a few drinks.
I leaned against the leather couch, dragging a glass of scotch to myself. "Fuck, I really needed this."
Seojin nodded. "I can't believe you talked me into this."
A rough laugh escaped me and my gaze strayed outside in time to catch two people walking into the adjacent booth.
My brows furrowed and I tilted my head.
No way.
Was that…Jisoo?
What the hell was he doing here?