ASTRONOMY | SEUNGJIN

30 - Face to face

This date is going better than Beomgyu expected. They decided to go to a restaurant by the beach that Hyunjin recommended. It was going great! Beomgyu thought that Taehyun was a bit intimidating initially, but they got along pretty well! Beomgyu feels good about this one, about Taehyun.

"Arrange marriage? That seems cruel," Taehyun remarks while Beomgyu talks. Apparently, Beomgyu needed a date for the family event. He needed to prove that he actually had someone, and with that, they wouldn't force him into the arranged marriage.

"You want us to date...?" Taehyun questions, not entirely understanding what Beomgyu was trying to say. "Yes, but it doesn't have to be real. Have you heard of fake dating?" Of course, Taehyun has heard of fake dating, but he doesn't get the point of it. Why do it fake when you can make it real?

"So... do we have a deal? It won't last long, I promise." Beomgyu pleaded. "Sure," Taehyun replies. It was only for a short while, and what could go wrong? Although he was skeptical about this, he still agreed only because Beomgyu looked desperate.

"Hyung look!" Jeongin shows the email he just received. "It's scheduled for tomorrow, but I don't think you can come," Jeongin says to the older who was in bed resting.

"I'm not that sick, it's just light fever." Seungmin defended. "It's not just light fever, hyung. Your temperature is high. Don't worry about the meeting, I'll be there for your sake." What awful timing! Why must he catch fever today out of all days?

"Okay, fine, I'll sign the contract in advance. Make sure that they sign this, ok? Do not make them leave without the artist signing this, got it?" Seungmin was desperate. Yes, he was sick, but he was still willing to do anything for that collaboration. "Don't make them leave unless signed, got it, hyung." The younger repeated.

"Are you sure about this? Since when were you willing to show your identity? What happened to keeping it anonymous?" Taehyun and his endless questions. Though he can't be blamed, this was something Hyunjin wouldn't usually do.

They were on their way to SMK Company to finally discuss the collaboration. "Yes, I'm sure. Don't worry, it's also part of the agreement to keep my identity unknown."

Jeongin was patiently waiting for the artist to arrive, sitting in the meeting room alone as someone finally enters... Kang Taehyun. Alone, why was he alone? Where was the artist? They need the artist to specifically sign the contract, not his manager, so where was he? Even before Jeongin could speak, Taehyun had already spoken.

"He'll be here, he just needed to use the comfort room," the manager explained.

"Oh, okay, please take a seat." Jeongin offered. Finally, the moment he's been waiting for, the artist finally showed up. Jeongin offers a hand to shake. "Glad you could come, Mr. -"

"Hyung?!"

"Innie??"

Both were greeted with astonished expressions. Jeongin was in disbelief, he should've known that HJ meant Hyunjin. But then again, how was he supposed to know?! "I didn't know you worked here, Innie. If I knew, then I would've agreed the moment I received the email."

Another problem, the sole reason why he didn't tell Hyunjin the details about his job is because he works for SEUNGMIN! How would they each react if they knew this information?!

Hyunjin takes a seat, looking at the contract lying flat on the table. "Is this the thing I have to sign?" He asks the younger, who was still in shock. Was this why he was earning so much? Why keep it a secret though? So many thoughts lingered in Jeongin's mind that it was too late when he realized that Hyunjin had already signed the contract.

What was he going to do now?! "Hyung- I-i think you should, uh, sign the contract after we've discussed about it maybe? I mean, you haven't even met my boss yet-" Jeongin protested, but that did not stop Hyunjin, who was done signing it. Haven't met my boss yet didn't seem right because, if you think about it, they have met.

"I trust you, Innie. Now that I've signed it, you can show me the proposal." Wasn't he supposed to see the proposal first? Oh well, he can't back out now since he already signed the contract.

Although Jeongin is in literal crisis, he managed to keep his professionalism and presented as if he wasn't having a mental breakdown right now. He did what Seungmin asked him to do, and at the end of the day, they still ended up signing the contract.

"Make sure that they sign this, ok? Do not make them leave without the artist signing this, got it?"

But at what cost? How would Seungmin react if he knew that the artist he desperately wanted to collaborate with was Hyunjin- his EX?! How would Hyunjin react when he realizes that he just signed a contract, meaning he has to work with his ex- Seungmin?! This wasn't going to end well, but Jeongin just hopes for the best.

"I like it! Let's proceed with this collaboration as soon as I get to meet your boss." Hyunjin was happy about the collaboration; he actually liked the concept and idea. Why does Jeongin look so lost, though? Did he not want Hyunjin to do this collab? Was he still shocked that Hyunjin was the artist? Maybe he was just tired.

"Wanna eat lunch with me, Innie?" Hyunjin asks the younger "Sorry hyung, maybe some other time. I have work to do," Jeongin declined. "But we have a lot to talk about, hyung! Why were you keeping this a secret?!" the younger added, his thoughts finally syncing in.

Hyunjin scratched his nape, not really knowing what to reply to Jeongin. "Well, you see-" interrupted when someone unexpectedly entered the meeting room.

Jeongin froze when he entered. What was he doing here? Oh no, this is going to be bad..

"My apologies for not being here earlier-" he looks up, seeing him face to face. The person he has been trying to avoid all these years was in front of him right now.

"Hyunjin...?"

"Seungmin..."