Battle of The Bands

Finale

Chapter 14

Finale

My phone is ringing. It feels like it’s been ringing for hours. I don’t doubt Changbin or Seungmin, or maybe Jisung are trying to reach out to me. Trying to convince me not to leave Stray Kids. I’ve already made up my mind. I quit. I don’t care anymore. At this point I’m just patiently waiting for tomorrow so I can finally die. As soon as The Dazzlings finish their performance it’s over for me. I’ll be the first to die. I at least want to get a nice rest before I die. “Y’know, I am extremely disappointed in you,” a familiar voice says from nearby. I jump up, confused as to how someone’s in my room. To my surprise Hyunjin was standing before me, the morning light hitting them just right. “Why are you in my-” “Shh, that’s a secret. The point is that I’m very disappointed in you.” “Uh, why?” “How could you, the main vocalist in Stray Kids quit!? I was SO looking forward to seeing you guys perform! Y’know we were so kind to let Stray Kids perform before us and we were excited to finally see you sing only to hear that you quit. Honestly, that was pretty anticlimactic of you.” “Good. I’m absolutely done.” “C’mon, don’t be like that. Stray Kids wouldn’t even be in the finals if it weren’t for me!” “Huh? So you’re the one who rigged the results!?” “Of course I am! Who else would’ve rigged it if not me!? I wanted Stray Kids to perform because I wanted some real competition.” “You’re still getting it, it’s not like all of Stray Kids quit. Just me.” “No, no! I wanted to see you specifically perform!” “Too bad then. Can you like, leave please? I’m in the middle of having self deprecating thoughts.” “Nuh uh. You’re going to school today and you WILL perform.” “Nope.” “You.. I’ll kill you right now!” “Cool.” Hyunjin sighs. “No, I won’t kill you. Minho will kill me for killing you because they want to kill you themselves. But you’re still going to school.” “N-” Before I could continue protesting Hyunjin shaped their finger and all of a sudden.. I was back in school. In my hello kitty pajamas.

“How did you-” “You don’t need to know. Now go on and hang out with your fellow strays.” “B-” Hyunjin pushed me away from them. However, they just so happened to push me right in Seungmin’s direction. We bumped into each other, falling onto the ground and getting the attention of random students. “Ouch..” “Jeongin? Are you.. Okay?” Seungmin’s tone shifts from worry to confusion when he sees me in my pajamas. “I was brought here against my will. I didn’t even plan on coming in today,” I said, getting up dusting off my precious hello kitty pants. “Right.. You wanna, like.. Explain? What happened?” “I guess I just got super stressed out about everything, I still am. Please don’t try to convince me to rejoin, I just can’t.. Maybe.. Maybe if I separate myself from Stray Kids The Dazzlings will stop targeting you guys.” “Stop targeting us? We’re their opponents. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the group or not, they’re going to target us. In fact.. I’m sorry but you leaving just feels selfish to me. We’re all struggling but we know we can’t give up. You’ve been preaching this whole don’t give up stuff to us yet you’re the first to give up? It doesn’t make sense. The group is in shambles now because of your decision. And you know that song Changbin was working on? He finished it only to find out you left the group. YOU were the most important member yet YOU gave up on us. Our death is guaranteed now, so thanks for that.” “I..” Seungmin is right, he always is. This was incredibly selfish of me. But it’s my decision. I never wanted to be a part of this anyway. I never wanted to be in a group. From the beginning this was meant to be temporary. Stray Kids was never going to last. 

“I know you’re upset that I’m leaving but I can’t take this anymore. You know I never wanted to be in a group, that I wanted to work alone. And you know that Stray Kids was always going to be temporary. If we actually win, what are we going to do? Continue as Stray Kids? You probably would’ve but I never planned on staying in this group.” “What are you saying? So you’re telling me this whole time while I thought you finally found people you enjoy being around, it turns out you never enjoyed being around us?” “I don’t mean it like that. You all are good people but I just can’t bring myself to get closer to others. I may have seemed open but that’s just not how I am.” “You’re just looking for excuses, right? It’s obvious. Is this about what’s been going on with Chan?” “Don’t even start me on him. I don’t know if he’s under the spell or not but I don’t care. Being around him I just can’t think properly. I feel so on edge around that guy it’s unbelievable.” “So? That’s no reason to quit!” “I just gave up, okay! I get discouraged easily, I give up easily! I’m a pathetic piece of shit who can’t go through with anything!” “Yeah, you’re a piece of shit. Giving up on us right at the end of our journey. You know you’ll be the first to die so why not die with the rest of us?” “What..?” “Y’know what? I’m wasting my time, I have a song to practice.” Seungmin walks past me, side eyeing me. He even bumps into me on purpose.