A STAR FOR A STAR (XIAH FANFIC)

CHAPTER 19

Two days later . . . .

            Everybody were very busy with the preparations for the upcoming concert.

            "Okay . . . . everybody . . . . dance rehearsal is over for now . . . Se7en, Moniqa and DBSK will be having their rehearsal for their songs in a little while . . . . Please prepare . . . " one of the staff members announced.

            The DBSK boys looked at Se7en and Moniqa sitting in a corner of the room. They were talking with each other. There were times they would catch Moniqa staring at Xiah. They could see the sadness in her eyes, and it made them pity her very much. Ever since their rehearsal started, Xiah had been constantly avoiding Iqa. He wouldn't even look at her.

            Many of the other staff members and dancers both from Sony Music and Avex Trax were already very confused. They already noticed that Xiah and Moniqa haven't talked with each other ever since the rehearsals started. And all of them could see that he was avoiding her deliberately.

            "What's wrong with Xiah and Moniqa?" the DBSK boys'  manager asked U-Know.

            U-Know looked at Xiah. And then he gently shook his head. He didn't want to say anything.

            "Everybody is already making a big fuss about their cold treatment with each other. Where is Xiah anyway? He was here a moment ago . . . . Where did he go?" the older man said to the other DSBK members.

            Jaejoong and Micky started to look at each other.

            "Maybe he just went out to . . . . to . . . ." Micky tried to find a perfect alibi for his friend.

            "Maybe he went with Max . . . ." Jaejoong said with a smile.

            "Yeah . . . . Max went out to get something he left in the van," Micky lied.

            Their manager looked at the DBSK boys. He knew that they were trying to hide something. But he just to let it go. He didn't want any problem.

            "There he is . . . ." U-Know said as he pointed to Xiah who just arrived with Max.

            "Where have you boys been?" their manager asked angrily.

            "We went out for a while," Max answered.

            "For what? You know that rehearsals are going to start . . . ." the older man said again irritatedly.

            "Sorry . . . hyung," Max apologized.

            "Okay . . . . Just get ready . . . . And Xiah . . . . what is wrong with you and Moniqa? You still have more than a month before . . . . you know what . . . . So even if you are already starting to get on each other's nerves . . . . just try to pretend. Smile . . . and act that the two of you are lovers . . . . I know that it may be already very hard with you . . . . But for your sake . . . please try to bear with it a little while longer," the older man said to Xiah.

            Xiah stared at their manager. He wanted to say something, but somehow the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. Then finally after several minutes . . . . he was finally able to say what was on his mind.

            "I . . . . I . . . . I don't want to pretend anymore," he softly said.

            "What?" their manager asked with shock in his eyes.

            "I can't stand it anymore . . . ." Xiah said with desperation in his eyes.

            "Xiah . . . . This isn't the right time and place to discuss that  . . . that matter," their manager said with a nervous voice. He was very afraid that someone might hear what he was saying.