𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 | csc

𝙭𝙭𝙞𝙞.

The recording went silent for a moment before a voice was finally heard.

"Knowing you, i trust you have been working out your side of the agreement Hyunjae." 

"Hey that's the ceo. . . talking to hyunjae. . ." Seungcheol said, trailing off as Aerin nodded in confirmation to his thoughts.

"Come on dad don't be silly. But have you been working on your agreement?"

"Yes yes, i have the article pre-made and the documents ready but it's all a matter of how quickly you eliminate of your leader. It's you, my daughter, who wants her gone but in order for that to happen you must at least uphold your side."

"But Daddy! You can just terminate her contract and kick her out!"

"Well if you would have told me you wanted the leader position before we released your information to the press then i could have, princess, but the group is too far in now, something has to happen to her."

"UGH! THIS IS SO UNFAIR!" 

"N-now now my darling i am trying my hardest. . .but do you really have to be the leader that much?"

"ARE YOU INSANE? OF COURSE I DO. She thinks she can waltz in and claim the spot that i've wanted for so long just because she's the oldest!? I will crush her pretty face with or without your help. And in fact, i've already found someone who can help me. and a few others who will have to."

"who would that be?"

"Obviously-" The recording cut.

"And that's where the battery dies." Seungcheol stood there looking almost paralyzed as he refused to move a muscle of his body or his bewildered face

He inhaled sharply. "So Hyunjae was- no is really out to get you. . . we were right?" Seungcheol slowly walked towards the girl sitting on his bed and went to sit next to her, shifting himself to directly see her face.

"Yup. And apparently she has a little accomplice who we don't know shit about because the STUPID FUCKING RECORDING DECIDED TO STOP." Seungcheol didn't even try to calm down the enraged girl. Who wouldn't react that way when finding out that their best friend and trusted co-member was actually plotting her downfall even before their debut?

Aerin trusted Hyunjae, she built a special bond with her and now she finds out it's fake? If she didn't have Seungcheol there with her at that moment she would have for sure spiraled down farther than she already had.

The silence was so painfully pierced through by Aerin's sniffles and Seungcheol immediately brought her into his embrace. They weren't even close like that but all she needed was to be understood in that moment when it seemed that no one else could. "Just let it all out Rin." and with his words multiple sobs escaped Aerin and her tears stained his shirt. Seungcheol didn't even give a shit. The girl in front of him was so broken and it seemed that she had been bottling up so much for so long. 

Sure Aerin was able to talk with Seungcheol about her superstitions but never once had she let her true emotions show. He was here to help her, not listen to her cry about how her life was falling apart. But now she could feel his comfort, she could feel that this wasn't about a deal; it never was. He genuinely cared for her.

A few minutes had passed before Seungcheol had an epiphany. "Rin. . ." The girl looked at the man who embraced her.

"So I mean i was initially bullshitting about Jeonghan but he left his phone out last night and i saw a chatroom between him and Hyunjae. . . not to mention he's been heading out almost every night and nowhere to be seen whenever we don't have a schedule just like you complained Hyunjae was doing." Aerin's eyes widened, it was now time for her to be stunned;

"Are you saying you think that Hyunjae and Jeonghan might be. . ." 

"What i'm saying is it's not impossible i mean as much as i trust Jeonghan with me personally, i could never know what's up his sleeve and well. . .he's pretty notorious for pulling shit."

"wait what? I thought you said you trusted him why do you think he'd help her? I mean i've never met before what would he have against me?" Seungcheol sighed as Aerin innocently looked at him.

He scooted a bit closer to her and looked off to the side before speaking, "So you know how i proposed the idea of me helping you? In a very 'i help you, you help me' type of way?" Aerin nodded.

"Well Jeonghan is genuinely like that. If Hyunjae offered him something good or possibly knew something she shouldn't, it wouldn't be any surprise to me that he would help her i mean the man legit has connections because of his family. But how exactly he could play a role in this? I'm not sure. Plus, i don't think he would ever go this far. Even I wouldn't believe that if it came out to be true." The female idol took a moment to process the information just given to her before flinging herself on Seungcheol's soft bed and screaming into the mattress.

"This industry is fucked up huh?" Seungcheol said in a hushed tone as he laid down on his side next to Aerin who did the same and looked her in the eyes. 

"Cheol. . .can i uh stay here for tonight?" Aerin quickly realized what she said and went to clarify what she meant to a surprised Seungcheol.  "Wait! um well i mean i don't really feel comfortable at the dorms and I need some time to think everything through away from them." There was a brief moment of silence before Seungcheol decided to speak up.

"Of course you can. You can take this room and i'll go set up on the couch-" Aerin stopped the man who had already gotten up from his spot on the bed by grabbing onto his wrist.

"No! The couch is more than fine i just wanna be away from the dorms. Ok you know what fuck that i can already sense where this is going and it's too corny let's just share the bed." Seungcheol hesitated for a moment.

"It's just sleeping right? We'll put a pillow in the middle. It's more if you're comfortable with it. You're the host after all."

Seungcheol didn't know why he was so nervous, Aerin was right they were just sleeping nothing more. But of course the fact that the two had confessed to each other only the day before most definitely wasn't helping his nerves. In fact, he was so nervous that he failed to realize that he had yet to tell any of the members she was sleeping over or had even come over at all. Sure Mingyu opened the door for her, but knowing him he probably shrugged it off and forgot.

But instead of coming to his senses, he ended the night falling asleep next to Aerin who rested in some of his smaller pajamas, a pillow separating the two but their countless thoughts connecting them.