Chasm.| Seo Changbin

Sixteen.

It wasn't peaceful but it was better than fighting. For a whole month, the two males didn't see eye to eye and were having a cold war. Stella didn't like that at all but it was better than fighting and punching.

Her tour started in Japan, moving to the Philippines, and then the USA. She was currently in LA for her seventh concert and it was going smoothly. She was excited about the LA concerts cause her brother, Felix, would be attending the concerts since he was filming a drama there.

During the first month of the tour, Changbin took different measures to protect Stella, as he promised.

First, he granted her a private room where she could change and keep her personal stuff away from the rest of the concert staff for the whole tour. It was a new rule that he set and no one understood why he did that since she was used to being surrounded by her trusted staff all the time.

When the company's management suggested renting a full house for all the staff, because surely it was cheaper, Changbin objected. He demanded Stella get a private apartment or a hotel room, but she wouldn't be staying with other staff members at all costs.

Changbin's preparations were objected at first but then, they were granted. It was bothersome to have a different arrangement compared to the normal ones, but the staff got used to it by the third concert. Although Stella tried her best to act normally around the two males, the unexplained tension was very obvious to the staff. 

But that tension never reached the current level. And that tension wasn't between Hajoon and Changbin, it was all for Stella alone.

It was fifteen minutes before she centered the stage for her first LA concert. She was dressed in her costume. Her make-up and hair were done. But she was shaking as she sat on the opposing sofa from Hajoon with an iPad in her hands while she scrolled down the published photos with wide eyes.

"That's exactly what I warned you of and you didn't listen," Hajoon said calmly.

Stella gulped. "B-But.. How? Who published those photos?"

"Is that really important right now, Ella?" He snapped. "What's done is done! We have to control the damage! You can't have a scandal with your staff!"

Stella flinched. 'Scandal'. That's how the news described the published photos.

They were photos from the day she went hiking with Changbin. Someone snapped photos for them from behind. A photo of them looking at the wide horizon. A photo of Changbin looking at Stella with a smile. A photo of them holding hands. A photo of Stella resting her head on his shoulder.

A scandal!

"I-I.. I can give a statement." She stuttered. "My fans will understand if I tell them the truth!"

"What truth? That you were wishing upon the setting sun? Can you hear yourself?" Hajoon snapped, not liking the explanation she had given him earlier. "We need to fire Changbin and publish a formal apology for your fans."

"What?" Stella jolted, putting the iPad down. "No! Why would we fire him? What wrong did he do?"

Hajoon's eyes turned blood red. "What wrong? He just made a fucking scandal for you! He harmed your image."

"The one who snapped those photos did!" She yelled, turning in her seat to fully face Hajoon. "And it's odd! Those photos were taken almost two months ago. Why publish them now?"

Hajoon leaned forward, closer to Stella "It might be Changbin himself." He shrugged.

"What kind of nonsense is that?" Stella chuckled humorlessly, rubbing her exposed arms up and down.