I woke up the next day without Joshua beside me. I understand. Meeting is kind of early today. I woke up at 8:50 so how can I do this.
I arrived at the meeting and saw everyone there. Except Joshua.
"Take a seat." The representative of our CEO told me. "We can now start the meeting."
"We're still waiting for Joshua." Seungcheol said "Somebody ring his phone."
"I'm calling him. He isn't picking up again." Dino said.
What's wrong with him?
"Okay. We're complete now. Let's start."
"But-" Seungcheol still trying to reach Joshua.
"This is Atty. Park." Rep motioned to the guy in suit beside him. "He was specifically requested by Mr. Hong Joshua for this matter."
"Good morning. I'm Atty. Park. I have known the Hong family for a long time. Joshua's mother personally asked me to help him. That's why I am here."
I see. So Joshua has been busy dealing with this issue alone.
"All right. So Shua-hyung has a plan. Do you happen to know where he is?" Asked Jihoon.
Atty. Park looked at the Rep who said "Go ahead, Atty."
"I will start the discussion now."
"Did he just ignore me?" Jihoon looked at Seungcheol.
He took many white envelopes from his briefcase.
"First envelope contains the request of Mr. Hong to voluntarily terminate his contract with the company."
"Termination?!" Mingyu covered his mouth. Everybody are looking at each other, trying to clarify if they heard it right.
Termination? Leave the company?
I can't move. My mind is not thinking straight. I want to stand up to dissent. I want to complain. Just like what everybody else is doing right now.
I looked down at my hands and knees. They're shaking.
"Yes." Atty. Park continued. "He's terminating the contract and thus leaving the company. Second is his hand written apology letter to the public. This will be released at the same time as the company's statement for this matter. It says he takes full responsibility, requesting to leave the guy in the issue and Seventeen from this. This also states that he will be going back to America for good."
Now everybody stood up. Except me.
"Why is he going back to America?" Seungkwan's voice is shaking.
Back to America? Is he really leaving me?
I want to stand up and scream my lungs out but I still cannot move. My brain is flooded with so many thoughts and emotions. What is happening? I am so dizzy.
As if not hearing the complains, Atty. Park continued "Third is the hand-written letter of Mr. Joshua to the group. I didn't read it, but he told me it's more of a thank you and take care letter. Here." He handed it to me.
"Now. As for the action of the company." The rep said "We will ban you from meeting each other in your personal rooms."
Everyone gasped. I can't understand what they're saying. They're all buzzing in my ear.
"You will go outside with your managers. You should not be with any other of the members. Refrain from meeting other friends whether from other boy groups or girl groups."
"I will also be taking legal actions against the hateful statements towards you. So, you'll be seeing me more often these days." Atty. Park added.
"Do have anything else to ask to Atty?"
No one answered.
"I'm taking that as none. Atty. and I will go ahead for we have many other things to do. Meeting adjourned."
They left us in the conference room.
I just sat on the chair. I still find everything hard to comprehend. I want to pinch myself but I cannot lift a finger.
I can't believe this is happening.
"Vernon.." Seungkwan cried in his arms.
"This is temporary. We're still together."
"Minghao is right. We just have to bear this." Seungcheol held Jihoon's hand.
"This is a small sacrifice compared to what Shua-hyung did." Mingyu said.
Everyone looked down and I can hear them sobbing.
Joshua is leaving me. I don't know what's happening. We just had a celebration last night. Was I dreaming? Or this just a dream?
Somebody wake me up.
"What was he thinking? We could have passed this together, right?" Dino looks so frustrated. He is crying and gritting his teeth.
"Yeah. We've been a lot and under fire for various reasons. But we faced everything together." Minghao believes this is not the best solution.
He's right. We could have helped Joshua. He doesn't have to face this alone.
Seokmin stood in front of me, me who's still finding strength to move.
"Hyung, Shua didn't tell you this?"
"He didn't tell me last night." I managed to utter some words.
"Last night? You were together last night?"
"Yeah."
He grabbed my collar "And you haven't picked up any clue that he will do this?"
"Stop that. This is not helping." Wonwoo grabbed Seokmin's hand. His veins in his forehead are popping out. I can't read who's or what's he mad at.
"Seokmin-ah." Soonyoung also held him.
Seokmin isn't listening to them and he somehow managed to lift me from my chair.
"We.. only talked. Ate, drank, slept together."
"And you don't know? This is about him, Jeonghan. He is the focus of hate now, Jeonghan. And you didn't check if he's okay?"
"He..was..smiling"
He was smiling at me the whole night. He looked at me so dearly. Was it all a facade? Was he faking it?
But I felt it. I knew it was genuine-
I just had a flashback of his smile last night.
He.. he was hurting.
"He was smiling?! If I were with him, I could have understood it. I could have convinced him. I saw him a while ago. I saw the pain from the smile he gave me! You tell me you know him better? HAH. You're making me laugh."
"Seokmin, STOP." Wonwoo said now in a firm voice.
He balled his right fist but suddenly he let go of me and I bounced back to my chair.
Seokmin's words are echoing inside my head. How did I not know?
I believed that he will never do this to me. He promised that he will never leave me.
"Don't leave me, okay?"
He just smiled.
He looked at me with those ethereal eyes but they were teary.
He was laughing. We had so much fun last night. He even watched me sing FFU.
Oh.
"Guys, I have a plan. Are you in?" I said.
