Our Beautiful Restriction - [NewJeans Fanfic]

Chapter 0: Attention?

[ DATE: 7/20/2032 ]

It's a cold and rainy night in one of Asia's most bustling cities, with the drizzle of the raindrops encompassing the blinding glow and echoing whispers of the people.

"Damnit, how many times do I have to run this thing back..?"

However, for one person in particular, everything seemed to be the complete opposite.

"100% was obviously too much reverb, but now it just sounds.. empty."

The shine of the city lights was nowhere to be found, except for very few gleams of red and yellow that seeped through stained and crimped curtains.

"60% maybe? Agh, no.."

Accompanying the said ambience were feint pulses of dulled blue and orange here and there, reflecting off of a rundown PC monitor that barely kept together, flickering quite often.

"It's literally just the first chorus, come on.."

Whispering under their breath, the person's mutters of frustration became ever more quiet, gradually being overcome by their deep groans of annoyance and the deafening whirls of their PC's cooling fans trying to keep things together.

"..."

Eventually, all the small sounds add up and become too much to bear - prompting the person to begrudgingly get up from their office chair with a loud squeak as they removed their headphones.

"Whatever, I'll just finish it within the week.."

They say to themselves, scratching the back of their head - trying to fix their rather long and untidy hair.

A few seconds later, they then take a heavy step or two to make their way to bed, to which they lousily and carelessly flop onto facefirst.

"Ugh.."

Letting out another frustrated groan, they wipe their sweat onto the bedsheets before facing the ceiling, placing their arm over their eyes.

"I'll finish it next week.. Tch. I've lost count how many times I've said that.."

They say, following up with a sarcasm-filled chuckle before going silent once more for a moment.

"..."

Showing an empty expression, their weary eyes dart around the room - then landing onto the previously mentioned monitor nearby.

"Ah.."

They sigh, sitting back up and crossing their arms - getting onto their feet a few moments later as they slowly approached a dusty shelf nearby, with hints of reminiscence coming off of their voice.

"..."
"To think that, at one point, almost everyone rooted for me to become.."

Their hand then traces over a plethora of what seemed to be Elementary Level Science Books, all of which were leaned aside a collection of stained Award Certificates and Medals, mostly gold ones too at that.

"..An astronaut, or a doctor."

They shake their head, wiping off the dust their fingertips had gathered.

"Granted, I always knew those dreams were just me being a kid.."

Afterwards, their attention then shifts to another object on the shelf - with their face displaying a more grim expression this time around.

"..Yet."

Their hand then reaches out a peculiar pen stored inside a glass casing - which was labeled with the logo of a once well-established Law Firm that's now long gone.

"Even when I tried.. things still didn't go as planned.."

They say, moving the encased pen ever so slightly more into view before scratching their eyes.

"Such was the life I, Ryu, lived out.."

I then walk back toward my office chair, taking a seat as I lazily twirled about on it.

"A supposed child prodigy, known for his smarts.."
"I had the entire world waiting for me to make it big in life! But now.."

I quit my pointless exclamation and close my eyes, taking a deep breath as the reality of my current situation flows back to me.

"Here I am.."

With a blank expression plastered on my face, only accompanied by slight tints of disappointment, I then eye my PC monitor again, which was keeping track of my latest song releases' streams.

"From 252.. then dropping to 91.. heck, even 71..?"

Needless to say, my reach was less than ideal when it came to my personal ventures. From music, to writing, to even art. Granted, I had not much of a choice.

Ever since my parents died, I never had much of a support system, both emotionally and financially.

All my dreams of becoming successful in life, whether in the court or in the clinic, were crushed as quickly as expectations were built for me back then.

So, I've since resorted to simply writing for any tabloids or magazines that might have a topic or two that I'm well-versed in, along with releasing songs and sing covers every now and then, when I felt like it.

Unfortunately, as much as I am an avid writer and musician at heart, and as much as this career path was always a guilty pleasure/what-if for me, things have just been dull.

Life's just gone downhill, and downhill, and downhill.. Honestly, at this point..

"I don't even know what to do anymore.. I'm just going with whatever I feel like doing."

So, while most of my friends are out there making names for themselves, and convincing me to get my head out of the gutter, I just sulk up here in my room - trying to come up with one thing, anything, to somewhat brighten up my evening.

"Well, there's that one book I've been planning to write.."

A streak of realization and remembrance comes across me as I then open the drawer beneath my PC desk, pulling out an old notebook from it - containing countless scribbles and sketches.

"I was so excited for you, really.."

I remember the rough concept I had for the book draft in hand, and how I wanted to explore uncharted themes with it - in contrast to my old works. Of course, I couldn't find enough motivation or inspiration.

"Sorry I couldn't come up with anything to make the most out of it-"
*DING!*

I then ponder about what I could've done with what was one of my numerous unfinished projects - one which felt different.. although I've said that countless times before already.

"I thought I already muted you.."

Anyhow, before I could mull over things any further, a pesky notification from my browser then catches my notice with its loud sound. I wasn't interested, obviously.

"News?"

Rolling my eyes, I then quickly swipe on by the many other notifications that had clogged my screen since I had basically isolated myself for most of the evening at this point, not wanting to open any conversations or anything as I then found the notification that had snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Tch, what kind of news would be so relevant to me that I'd bother reading it anyway-"

..or at least, that's what I thought..

"..."

[ Nearly a decade after their rise to international stardom as one of K-Pop's leading 4th Gen Groups.. ]

"..Isn't that-"

..as my eyes widened upon seeing a name I hadn't heard about in years.

[ ... ]
[ ..HYBE Labels has announced the disbandment of NEWJEANS. ]

"...-"

A name that I wouldn't expect to nab my attention at this time, in this way.

[ TBC. ]