Max's POV
My eyes were closed and my head hurt a little, all the things that had been happening lately is wrecking my brains into pieces and I'm not really that enthusiastic about it.
Currently, we are on our way to our scheduled performance and nobody is actually speaking with each other. I knew for sure something had happened between Zanaya and Cali, I can't seem to find the right timing to ask about it.
After that night where Cali snapped at Zanaya for being allowed to date, the dorm had been nothing but filled with tension.
And our boss calling the three of us to his office doesn't really help either. The conversation I had with him still lingers in my mind.
"Is everything understood Max? You, of all four, should know the consequences. You trained the longest and you saw everything that had happened to those who didn't follow. This isn't a game. There are things that you need to sacrifice in order to be where you want yourselves to be."
I slowly nodded at his words, the heaviness on his tone didn't go unnoticed by my sensitive hearing.
"Zanaya dating couldn't be helpful at this point but if any of the rest of WHISTLE gets into another dating scandal on your rookie years, it's either you glow or blow. I'm not even talking about the effects of it on your contract,” I heard our boss stated and my head hung low as his words sunk deep engraving on my brain so I will remember.
After the confirmation of Zanaya and Seth's relationship, the three of us were called to the office for this, a reminder of what our priorities should be.
And I know it. What he said was right. The company paid every penny, for everything food, every clothes and every hour we stayed in our dorms since I started training and I am very much aware that our group has not yet reached half the breakeven point after all the promotions. This isn't actually the time we should be playing.
We agreed to this. We said yes because we have dreams. We wanted this, each one of us. Our lives are connected, if one gets shot, we fall down as a whole. This isn't a one man's game.
"You can go back to your dorm and have a rest. Your schedules have been moved for a week so you guys can rest and do a reflection," he stated before turning back on his papers. I bowed one last time before I exited the room. I didn't know I was holding much of my breath until I was out.
Our boss, he had always guided the four of us. Some people think he's some bullshit who throws whatever he wanted on the table but to us girls, he isn't.
He is our father, and he's been there for us guiding us along the way. Things may be hard but we understand. Plus, we should be thankful enough that he's being cool about Zanaya and Seth's case.
To be honest, I understood his point. I've been abroad but Korea is a different case. Our culture is different and our idols have learned to embrace that culture for so long.
It's not like we can change everything the way we wanted.
Media is harsh and so are people. Whatever we do or we didn't do, we will be criticized. Whatever we say or we didn't say, we will be judged.
Forgetting a line, laughing over it, is being called unprofessional. Doing adlibs, hyping the crowd is considered shouting and being arrogant. Those aren't even half of what people called me for.
And I know. I see them. It's unfair but I can't say anything about it. That's what industry had taken away from me - freedom.
I'm not complaining honestly, because I knew this is how things work even before I started. And it's not like me complaining will change anything. In fact, I knew it would get worse as people will see as some whiny brat.
I felt my phone vibrated breaking me off from my train of thoughts and I had to resist the urge to smile when I realized who sent me a message.
GUCCI: Nini, where are you?
I bit my lower lip as I felt butterflies getting wild inside my stomach.
He's not the first person who calls me Nini but I get jitters whenever he does as his deep voice makes it sound even sexier.
Me: Why, miss me?
Sky and I, the relationship that we have don't have a label. We're not dating but I'm pretty sure we've established that one isn't allowed to date another.
From the recent events, it would be wise for me to end whatever it is that we have but I decided otherwise.
Sky is a drug that I had started to get addicted to. I don't know when it started but I did, so I'm not sure I'd be willing to give him up easily no matter how tight everything has been lately.
My members and his members don't know of course. We're not sure how they will react and I don't want it to be the reason for the both of us to avoid each other.
GUCCI: Well, it depends. Will I get a kiss if I see you?
A cough involuntarily escaped my lips the moment I saw his message but before I can even respond, the van halted indicating that we've already reached the venue.
We were heading inside and my eyes caught a familiar figure, actually, a lot of familiar people - SHADOW.
Sky saw my form and the nerve automatically grinned. Even the other boys were waving their hands. I shake my head in disbelief. How can these boys act like this when there are people around?
I guess the fact that people already know that Zanaya and Seth were dating made it a known fact that the boys knew us.
We were moving towards their direction and before I can even reach Sky, my eyes widened when Cali pulled Storm 's arm after the guy went past her.
Seth and Zanaya were quick to act because they covered and acted as if nothing is happening. My eyes caught how Storm removed Cali 's hand from his arm and the painful expression showing on her eyes broke me.
Zanaya was quick enough to pull Cali away from everyone and my eyes caught Sky's. My face stern and he understood.
A long sigh escaped his lips and he backed away.
I hate it.
I hate it when my members cry.
And why do they always have to cry because of the boys from SHADOW?
With that in thought, I turn on my heels and followed the girls, Sky already out of my mind.
I know it isn't fair and I know I shouldn't be taking everything out of my frustrations with him because he technically didn't do anything wrong, but can you blame me?
WHISTLE is my family and we always take care of our family first, right?