Eight | W2S

SEVENTY SEVEN.

Sigh...3 chapters to go - I can't even begin to tell you how inexplicably sorry I am for this chapter...I felt empty writing it fr

okay update...just finished editing and about to upload and this is the first time I've ever actually cried writing a chapter I am SO SO SO SO SORRYYYYYY!!!!!

SEPTEMBER, 2026

"They'll be fine," I smile, tugging at Harry's hand, trying to pull him away from where he was intently watching Sam playing on the floor with Juniper. "Sam is great with Juni, you know he is," I remind him. 

Since Juni, Sam and Harry had slowly been rebuilding their friendship. It was taking its time, but considering that he'd agreed to let Sam babysit Juni on his own really showed that the trust was coming back. 

He nodded his head. "I know, I just - hate leaving her this young," he sighed, and it had been that way for a while. He'd returned to Sidemen filming a month or so ago, after somehow managing to get an extra few weeks off, and it had been taking its toll on him. 

Today was my first day back, and I was excited to see everyone again, of course, but the thought of being away from Juni, potentially missing some milestones...it was just a lot. 

"Me too," I agree softly, giving his hand a squeeze. "But today is just a meeting. Hopefully it shouldn't last too long."

Harry's demeanour shifted a little. "A very last minute meeting at that," he said, sounding frustrated. "It wasn't in our calendars last month, I only knew it was happening because of you."

This was news to me. "I only knew about it because JJ told me -"

"Exactly," he interrupted, but making sure to keep his voice down, not to disrupt Sam nor Juni. "Which probably means everyone else is in the same boat. Does it not seem weird?" 

I ponder about it for a moment, before ultimately shrugging my shoulders, heading towards our front door, quietly slipping out. "Maybe, but maybe you're thinking it through too much. Could've just been a case of miscommunication," I suggest, although we both know it's unusual for something like this to slip through the gaps. "Tell you what, I'll message Kon. He always knows about this sort of thing."

To: Kon

What's going on with this meeting today? 

What meeting? 

There's nothing in my calendar for today 

?????? that's bizarre, JJ told me that we had a meeting today 

Could be a business meeting? I don't go to those 

Maybe yeah 

"Kon has no idea about this meeting," I tell Harry as we both settle into his car. In my peripheral vision I can see him making an 'I told you so!' face, so I continue. "But, he did make a good point saying that it might be another business type meeting. He doesn't come to those ones, does he?" 

Harry murmurs in agreement, but he doesn't look totally convinced, something that puts me on edge, slightly. 

The drive to the studio feels longer than usual, and there's definitely an unpleasant vibe in the air when we walk through the double doors, where we're usually greeted by several crew members running around, busy with one thing or another.