Autumn is a second spring

82. Media

In the dim light of the hospital's VIP ward, Kao leaned back in his chair and pressed his fingers to his temples, massaging away the tension that had been building since the accident. 

Ohm was stable for now, having been moved to the ICU, though his condition remained critical. The doctors had said they needed to keep a close eye on him until he regained consciousness, which left everyone in a painful state of waiting.

Kao's mind, however, was on more than Ohm's physical state. He'd spent the last few hours fielding phone calls, answering questions, and dodging prying inquiries from the media.

 Somehow, news of Ohm's accident had leaked to the press, and despite their best efforts, the paparazzi were circling SZ Entertainment like vultures. He couldn't blame them; after all, Ohm was a public figure. Still, it was a nightmare to manage, especially given the added wrinkle of the fan club reactions.

Outside, a crowd of fans gathered, split into two factions: the "Resistors," Ohm's solo fan club, and the "Beansprouts," the diehard fans of OhmFluke. 

The agency had done its best to keep the story straightforward—thanks to Earth's quick thinking, they managed to pin the accident on the slick roads and rainy conditions rather than Ohm's drunken state, which could have caused even more chaos. But even so, the fans weren't satisfied with vague statements. They wanted answers, and most of all, they wanted Fluke.

Kao clenched his jaw, feeling the stress settle deeper into his bones. 

Where was Fluke? Nobody had seen or heard from him in weeks, and the rumors were already starting to spread. 

The agency had issued a statement that Fluke was on a hiatus due to health concerns—a half-truth, but better than admitting he had seemingly vanished. The crowd, however, wasn't appeased. They were demanding to know why Fluke wasn't at Ohm's side, questioning if something more serious was going on.

In the room with him, Yacht, Yoon, and Earth sat in tense silence, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. The pressure was mounting, and they all felt the weight of the situation.

 Yacht had taken the lead on managing the public relations nightmare, but Kao could see the strain in his eyes.

Yacht rubbed his temples, his expression grim. "I still can't believe First chose this time to go on his annual leave. The PR department is a mess without him," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice.

Earth gave Yacht a look of mild exasperation. "P' First hasn't taken a single day off in the last two years. He saved up all his leave so he could go on this honeymoon trip. I don't think it's fair to blame him."

Kao cleared his throat, his voice steady and authoritative. "We are not here to blame anyone. What is done is done. Right now, we need to focus on handling the fallout. P' Yacht, what is your plan?"

Yacht straightened, running a hand through his hair as he considered his response. "We already announced that Fluke was taking a break for health reasons. Given the situation, I think it's best to stick with that story. If we tell fans he is gone missing, it will cause a panic. They are already worried about Ohm. We don't need to add fuel to the fire."

Kao nodded thoughtfully, appreciating Yacht's levelheaded approach. "That's a good call. For now, we will keep it under wraps. But if anyone manages to dig up more information on Fluke's whereabouts, we will have to be prepared."

Yoon, who had been silent until now, shifted in his seat, his expression troubled. "Earth," he said, turning to him, "have you found anything yet? Any idea where Fluke might be?"

Earth sighed, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his frustration. "I have tried everything I could think of. I followed every lead Ohm's team found, but none of them went anywhere. All I know is that Fluke was in Europe for a while, but now? He could be anywhere. I have checked with mutual friends, contacts, but it's like he disappeared into thin air."

The words settled heavily in the room, and for a moment, no one spoke. The silence seemed to echo, filling the air with an unspoken worry that gnawed at each of them.

Kao frowned, his brow furrowing as he considered Earth's words. "Fluke has always been the one holding us all together. He has been our anchor, the one everyone can rely on. And yet... now he is gone, just like that."

He took a slow, deep breath, his mind clouded with concern. "Fluke isn't the kind to share his problems openly. He has always been the one helping others sort out their issues while keeping his own struggles hidden. But whatever he is dealing with now, it must be serious. Serious enough that he felt he had to leave without a word."

The weight of Kao's words pressed down on everyone, and they exchanged glances, each of them silently grappling with their own worry for their friend. 

Fluke's absence had left a void, and without him, their group felt unsteady, as if something fundamental was missing.

Yacht sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "If he needed help, he knows we would all be there for him. But... Fluke has always been stubborn when it comes to asking for help. Maybe he thought he could handle it alone."

Earth shook his head slowly, his gaze distant. "Fluke has always been there for us. I just wish we could be there for him now, wherever he is. I have looked everywhere, done everything I can think of, but it feels like he has just vanished."

Yoon's expression softened, and he placed a hand on Earth's shoulder, offering a small gesture of comfort. "You did everything you could. If Fluke doesn't want to be found... maybe he needs this time for himself."

Kao's gaze drifted to the window, where the rain drizzled down in a slow, relentless rhythm, mirroring the tension that weighed heavily on his heart. "I just hope he is safe," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

The others nodded in quiet agreement. They all shared the same fears, the same gnawing worry for their friend. Fluke had always been the one to keep them grounded, to bring them together in times of hardship. He was more than just a friend or a co-worker; he was family.

They sat in silence for a while, each of them lost in thought. Outside, the murmurs of fans and the flashes of cameras reminded them of the storm brewing beyond the walls of the hospital. The fans were relentless, demanding answers and assurances that they couldn't provide. The situation felt like it was spiraling out of their control, but for now, all they could do was wait.

Yacht finally broke the silence, his voice low but resolute. "We will keep managing the fans as best we can. I will put together a statement, something to hold them off until we have more to tell them. If the situation escalates... well, we'll deal with that when the time comes."

Kao nodded, grateful for Yacht's composure. "Good. And in the meantime, if any of you hear anything—anything at all about Fluke—bring it to me immediately. I don't care how small or vague it seems."

They all agreed, and the quiet determination in the room solidified into a shared purpose. They would keep looking for Fluke, keep fighting for Ohm's recovery, and keep holding the agency together as best they could. It was all they could do for now.

As they prepared to leave the ward, Kao glanced once more at the door leading to the ICU, where Ohm lay fighting for his life. He thought of Fluke, wherever he might be, and a pang of sadness tightened in his chest. 

This family they had built, this tight-knit group, was fraying at the edges, but Kao was determined not to let it fall apart.

They would get through this—together.