Are We Too Late or Am I Too Soon? (Completed ☑️)

CHAPTER 05

From: My Sun☀️

Hin, we just got here at the filming location.

To: My Sun ☀️

Okay. I'm on my way now to MMG. Will you be home for dinner later?

From: My Sun☀️

I'm not sure.
Although we have a lot of scenes to take today.
So maybe not?

To: My Sun ☀️

Okay. Just text me later when you're bound home

From:. My Sun ☀️

I will. I love you. Take care. Don't hesitate to call me if you need me, please?
I'll leave my phone with P'Yui.
I told her to tell me when you call.
So call me, okay?

To: My Sun ☀️

Okay, I will. I love you, too. I'm about to drive now
Let's talk again later.

From: My Sun ☀️

Okay. Please be careful.

After reading the message, New put his phone down at the passenger seat.

He agreed to meet with P'Jack today. He knows he's going to convince him to agree to marry Mint, but he's already decided. He's not leaving Tay.

---

"Hi, Phi". New greeted the older when he entered the conference room. There are only two of them in there. The blinds are brought down to give them both privacy from prying eyes outside the room.

"Hi, Nong. Sit here." P'Jack gestured on the swivel chair on his left.

One employee knocked on the glass door before entering. He's holding a tray with two cups of coffee and some pastries.

"Thank you. Please just put it down here." Jack instructed the employee. When the latter left, he served the coffee to New and offered some pastries which New declined.

"So you saw the statement the company made yesterday?" Jack asked New.

"Yes, Phi. Wonder what took them so long."

"Well, they thought the news will die down soon since the articles written about it were taken down just hours after it broke out but...I guess we somehow underestimated the number of people invested in both of your lives."

New did not respond and just looked at his hands on the table.

"So you talked to Mint the other day?"

"Yes, Phi."

"And she was not able to convince you."

New looked at Jack. "Phi, I know an innocent child's future is at stake here. And believe me, I really thought about this but I can't just throw away what I have with Tay just to protect a child that's not even mine!"

New knows he sounds selfish right now, but he just cares less. He loves Tay and he can't just marry anyone else even if it's just pretend.

"New, you are like a son to me and best believe that if I see another option that would entail less damage, I'd go for that in a heartbeat! But this is the best option we have now!"

New turned his chair around and groaned, frustrated that he and his manager just can't see eye to eye.

"New, a lot are at stake now. For one,  if people find out that your relationship with Mint is just for show, it will not just affect the two of you. It will affect your co-artists as well. Our best selling point is our loveteams and if yours is fake, fans will assume that the others are fake, too. If fans stop supporting you guys, sponsorships and endorsements stop as well. No one will buy your merchandise anymore. The whole company will be jeopardized, too, and it might result to bankruptcy. If it closed down, a lot of people will lose their jobs. Would your conscience take that?"

New turned towards Jack. "You're exaggerating, Phi."

"It is a possibility and you know it. 60% of our income comes from our love teams. Sold-out albums of our singers contain mostly of love songs which were used as OSTs of your series and movies. People are suckers for romance, and if you ruin it for them,  if they find out the company has been lying about the two of you, they won't just abandon you both. The whole company will go sink with your ship."

"We don't have to tell the people that we're fake, then! We can just say we fell out of love or something that's why Mint got involved with somebody else!" New countered.

"There's the issue, too, of Mint getting involved with a man whose wife's family has powerful connections. Having a mistress is one thing. Bearing another child with another woman that could inherit their riches is another. Imagine what they can do to Mint and her child if they find out that the child is Mr. Gee's. I don't think they would care even if Mint is one of the biggest stars in the country now."

"I don't think they are capable of killing her, Phi." Although New said it, even him doubts that they won't. They are powerful, afterall. Even if they would not really resort to violence, still, they might do something bad to Mint and her child.

When New became silent, Jack spoke again.

"If all these reasons are not enough, then think about Tay."

"What?" New got riled up by the mention of Tay's name. "Why is he getting involved in this?!"

"If people find out about the two of you, Tay will also be labeled as a homewrecker. People will assume that you and Mint cheated on each other. Tay's reputation will be ruined and his career will go down hill as well. He's been in the industry for years. Imagine, all of that will be gone in a just a blink of an eye. Then there's also the issue of your sexuality coming out in the open. I don't think none of you and Tay would want to come out under these circumstances."

If New feels heavy a while ago, he definitely feels heavier now. He wants to protect Tay. But protecting him would mean leaving him and just the mere thought of it breaks him.

"New, all we're asking is for you to temporarily get married with Mint. We can just make up stories in the future when it's time for you to get divorced."

New felt defeated and cried. "Phi." New's sobbing and heavy breathing makes it hard for him to talk. "Phi, I can't hurt Tay but I want to protect him badly, too. Why can't I do both? Why is this so hard?" New put his head on his arms on the table and cried even harder.

Jack approached New. He's also on the verge of tears now as he watches New break down. He gently stroked the younger's back.

"Son, I wish I could really help you. I'm sorry that you should be the one to suffer when you've done nothing wrong. But you're the only one who can save us, now. Let's just hope Tay will still be there when everything is over."

---