OPEN YOUR EYES (BLIND I) - MUSIQ SERIES PART 2

27. TICKING CLOCK

The atmosphere inside MusiQ was very tense even after the program reveal because of how the CEOs had been like during the evaluations as well as what Dara had told them. They were aware that things inside the company were not as good as they used to be, but at the same time no one seemed to want to make a move towards peace and reconciliation either.

Without having to think about the evaluations but still not knowing anything about the program, Heejin felt lonelier than ever. She realised she had been leaning on Hikaru a lot before the evaluation but, as she was finally back home and she no longer had to practice with him, it was as if she was back to square one, although without Mrs Kim in sight.

"Aren't you going to see Axel or something? You are technically not busy now," Juiyu asked her as they hung out at the bench under the cherry blossom tree beside the trainee dorm. "I heard he is the only C1K member without schedules at the moment. Duyi said he asked the managers to not schedule anything for him."

"We haven't really talked to each other after that day..." Heejin admitted, looking down and fidgeting with her fingers. "He seems afraid."

"Afraid of what? I don't get it."

"The rest of the company. Every time he moves even an inch closer to me they send him death glares. I don't know why they keep doing that after the CEOs explained everything, but he has been acting strange ever since."

"He is not only avoiding you," they heard Eunae said as she walked towards them carrying coffee cups. "Old Axel is back."

"What? Old Axel?" Juiyu asked shocked while Heejin just sighed as she was already expecting it.

"It's even worse now. I talked to Joontae the other day and he will not even talk to the boys that much. Not even him," Eunae said handing them their coffees. "Well, he is not really talking to me either, to be honest. After the evaluations he just texts me to ask how I am doing but nothing more than that. He does not even call our parents now."

It was at that moment that Heejin remembered the promise she made to his mother during the trip to Doncaster about protecting him and making sure old Axel would not return. It seemed like she could not even keep her promise for more than two months.

"Heejin, don't blame yourself for it, okay?" Juiyu assured her, sensing her distress.

"How can I not? I not only failed to protect myself but also him. I was okay with most of the trainees not even wanting to come close to me, but I'm worried about Axel. Boyfriend or not, he did nothing to deserve this."

"I think you need to talk to each other," Eunae told her. "He does not listen to me, but maybe he will listen to you."

Since she had nothing to lose, Heejin took out her phone and decided to call Axel to try to meet, but he did not pick up the first time and decided to call again, only that time he hung up instead.

"Maybe he's doing something important?" Eunae tried to excuse him.

"Wait, let me call Duyi," Juiyu said and did a video call with him.

It took him a few seconds to pick up, but he eventually did and Juiyu saw he had his headphones on, so it was the perfect opportunity to ask him directly.

"Is Axel over there?" Juiyu asked.

"Yep, right here with me. Why?" Duyi asked her confused.

"He just ignored Heejin's call. Didn't you see it?"

"Wait a second."

Since talking about it while he was in the room would give it away too much, he stood up to leave the room and, in the process, they saw that they were inside the studio at their house along with Jax working on some music.