Matching Key (JoongNine AU)

Code VII

Nine

"P', I'm so sorry for worrying you. Please, don't look so down. It's not your fault...", Kim tried to comfort me who stayed at his bedside. After he was revived from the fainting spell on set, the photoshoot was halted. I wanted to send him to see a doctor, but, Kim insisted he was alright and only asked to rest at the hotel.

"No. I should have objected when they wanted to finish the beach shoot in a day. Now is a hot season, more so than usual, the news already warned about limiting outdoor activities to prevent a heat stroke. Nong, so sorry, P' will take better care of your schedule to not let this happen again".

"P', listen first. I...actually...skip eating dinner yesterday and breakfast this morning...since this is a beach shoot, I wanted my abs to look good, no baby tummy... ", Kim said with guilt marring his face. I sighed in distress. The common problem that I had to face for every artist under my care, insecurity of their body image that caused their eating habit to go haywire.

"Kim, didn't P' already say you shouldn't do that?. Rather than skip eating, maintaining your body by exercise is better. Besides, even with a little tummy, nothing that can't be perfected by pro makeup, they could even define a non-existent abs", I said while rumpling his hair. Kim just nodded, and still looked guilty. "Alright, P' will order food to be sent here. Please eat and take a good rest. The crews will discuss your schedule changes with P' after this, you don't have to overthink, oyy, my baby bro. Nong Fah, please help to make sure he eats, okay?", I said to the other male model who stayed in the room with Kim. Fah nodded, and I walked out of the room.

To my surprise, after ordering room service for the kids lunch, I saw Joong sitting at the lobby area, and looked at me with a calm face. I had forgotten him in the chaos just now, and only now remembered that he had asked for the cash, but I had yet to give. He might be hungry too, since there's no way to buy lunch then.

"Sorry, I forgot about you...", I said, and continued, "come, we go for lunch at one of the good stall outside. I'm not too keen on eating hotel's food, too bland for my taste".

"Too bland, or you are trying to save money?", he asked back with a teasing smile.

"Oyy, I almost forgot your smart mouth too. So what if I am frugal, it hurts no one, and the stall's food is really delicious. Ah, sorry, are you not used to cheap eatery?". Joong suddenly stood up, pulled my hand to walk outside to the verandah, away from other people. After we were safely private, he turned and faced me.

"First, I am a Prince stucked in a tower, now my stomach is made of gold? Food is food, Nine, price won't define its' taste. Stop looking at me as if I am a shallow person".

Again I was scolded. What's with his bold attitude towards me liked this? Are we supposed to be close already? The contract is not even sealed.

"And, another thing, you're bad at hiding your displeasure too, it is written all over your face, the furrowed brows, the small pout, the rapid breaths. Aren't you supposed to be pleasant to your artist? You treated Kim nicely, why can't you extend the same courtesy to me?".

"We have yet to sign anything, Joong. If I wanted to, I could just ignore you right now, without the contract, we are not yet bond by any terms. Besides, I already offered you a favourable chance to change manager, which could solve all this mess anyway, but you are stubborn".

"If I am stubborn, then you're a coward. Never face a challenging type of artist such as me? You are pushing me away, without even working together at least one time to judge me. You said how dare for me to judge you, liked I know you so well. Then, what you're doing as a 'favour' for my so called comfort, is just you rejecting me in a polite way based on judgement alone. So, who actually bit his own words right now?".

Without realising, I felt the sudden dampness in my eyes. Shit! Why do this guy made me feel so out of tune? He kept saying the right thing, that I had thought in my mind, but never voiced out, dismissed them as trivial, but hearing it came out from someone else's mouth, made me admit, that what he said was right. Burning. My heart was simmering in heat, though what he said made sense, it hurt me still nonetheless. I took a deep breath to calm myself down.

Yet, before I could say another word, Joong just stepped forward and embraced me tight. He hurt me, but at the same time, the comfort of being held in someone's arm, caused me to bury my face in his chest...and cried. It was not really because of him; the pressure that I felt since Kim fainting, up to our bickering just now, was actually, just the end of a long time stress that I held inside, and only now found an outlet.

For now, I could no longer pretend, to be alright.