Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
I hold her as tight as I can. “I’m okay.”
“No.” She’s shaking in my arms. “I can’t lose you. I won’t survive it, fuck the haters.”
I want to laugh, but I feel too weak. “Yeah, I’m sure they’ll respond well to that.”
Rae stands and looks over at us. “I’ll go get the doctor, the guys have all been standing outside for hours, both groups, Suho had to be pulled back because it looked like he was seconds away from hitting a doctor for not letting me in.”
“Suho.” I laugh and it hurts my lungs. “Always Suho.”
“He talked to me,” Rae whispers. “He told me a truly good leader never abandons their teammates, which I’ve always known but he asked me how hard it’s really been compared to the success and said I’ve been weighing them against each other. I’ve been so focused on making sure you guys succeed that I’ve forgotten about my first job.”
“Your first job?”
He smile spreads across his face. “Being a big brother. Taking care of you, it’s not just my job it’s my privilege.”
I nod. “I know, Rae. And I’m sorry.”
“For loving someone so amazing?” He shrugs. “The shock was a lot, but it brought us together with our Juniors, once and for all… we have the comeback stage in a few days. I hope you can see it.”
See it.
Not participate.
My stomach drops.
That’s right. I’m no longer in the group.
So I can only nod and say. “Me too.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ari
Five Days Later
Comeback Stage
“No. Legally, in his contract it states that—” I get interrupted immediately. Sookie’s doing great, he’s out of the hospital and the diagnosis was POTS, which is what was messing up his dancing and air during choreography. They’re still running more tests to figure out why his heart stopped and the only thing they’ve come up with is stress, along with his disease. Until recently, it hasn’t been something people really know about. But maybe, just maybe, he can use this as his purpose, to bring awareness to something so scary. He’s a fighter, and he’s someone who wants the best in everyone. My smile feels new, it feels like healing as I watch him. This can be a huge, amazing, good thing, out of something so damning to an idol.
I take another deep breath. I’m no longer working for the label but I can at least try to advocate for him. “He belongs in SWT, Sai and you know it.”
“I know it, you know it.” He agrees. “But the public is split.”
“Just, allow him to continue group activities after the comeback.”
Sai let’s out an exhausted sigh. “I can’t decide if seeing him on stage will inspire people or cancel him.”
“Let him perform.” I beg. “Please. He can bring awareness.”
“He needs more tests done, he can barely dance—”
I interrupt him. “—He’s strong, let him perform.”
“I heard.” He pauses. “That both groups have a song together, I approved it, but I’ve only heard parts, is he on the song?”
I smile even though he can’t see me. “Wait and see.”
“Fine. But if this comes back on our label it’s on you, you will take the fall.”
“Done.” I have zero hesitation for the first time in my life as I look over at Sookie, he’s been staying with me for the past three days and it’s been incredible, we’ve had time to ourselves and what’s even better.
I have him, without cameras.
The last episode that abruptly ended had a twenty percent watch rate throughout the country is unheard of, so it’s safe to say the scandal is still running strong, but people are curious and we can use it to our benefit, hopefully.
I walk into our shared bedroom, he’s on his laptop writing music, looking just as beautiful as the day I met him. “Need to let off some steam?”
He smiles away from me. “Sure, wanna go for a run?”
“You’re performing.” I blurt. “So maybe we save the lungs until we have a final diagnosis?”
He nods his head slowly. “I can’t believe we had no idea.”
“The human body is complicated. But you know what’s not?”
“What?” He frowns and closes the laptop.
“The heart, it carries the soul you know, and it’s not complicated at all, it makes total sense that you would carry someone there, that you would allow the blood to flow, the body to work, the brain to get blood. At the end of the day, the heart decides everything, so what an important decision to give that to someone, right? Who gives their actual heart, the main commander of the body, to another soul? Well, the answer is that the heart and soul are together and when the heart isn’t sure, the soul goes, them, that person, them. My heart has always been yours, so whatever happens, whatever hits our way. Just know, you have both.”
He reaches up and grabs my face, then presses a kiss to my mouth, it’s soft and full of aggression at the same time. His lips are so soft as they move against mine.