FACE THE SHADOW || SVT 14TH MEMBER

𝟬𝟬𝟲

06.

THE INTANGIBILITY OF PRINCIPLES

In which Achlys thinks PLEDIS is a setback.

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October 7, 2020

EVERYTHING MUST COME to an end.

This is something Achlys has mused about on certain sleepless night. Even if energy can't be created nor destroyed, the shape it takes ceases to exist when the time comes — the source is constant yet it's form varies. She likes to think that, on the greater scheme of life, nothing comes to an end (instead, it just grows) and it's the temporality of human existence that gives permanence, or the lack thereof, such importance.

Nevertheless, there was the anomaly of art to account for. The song of the nightingale persists, even if the nightingale itself doesn't. The song she hears it's the same song all the generations before her heard. The song, not inherently made of energy, resists it's transformation.

Even if SEVENTEEN once ceases to exist — she mused — there would always be their music. She liked this thought.

Days later, once again thinking during one of her late nights, she concluded she had jinxed herself, because just four days after a similar conversation aroused within the group. 

As had started to happen well before their debut, Seungcheol rushed to gather all fourteen members in a room to talk. They quickly fell into the living room, pooling around the couches (some throwing themselves onto them, some on the floor, and some bringing chairs knowing the lack of places to sit fairly well).

Achlys, sat with her legs crossed on a chair just to not be crushed between the other members, listened to the conversation going on. Joshua commented on a song cover he wanted to do, Hoshi explained an idea he had for a song, and Seungkwan excitedly described a program he had been asked to participate in.

Everything was going well, as always. The smiles everyone wore only fell when Mingyu finally broke his uncharacteristic silence and posed a question no member knew how to answer.

"I've been thinking a lot about it lately," he started during a brief pause in the chatting of the group, "Specially since we published our last album, it's just been a constant thought—"

"Okay, okay, we know you've been going through it," Jeonghan stopped him from rambling, "Early midlife crisis— but what is it?"

Mingyu took a deep breath, scratching his head, "Contract renewal. We haven't talked about it."

The silence after that was uncomfortable, Achlys noted, specially when compared to the one between the members before Mingyu talked. She pursed her lips, looking at her hands and scratching her knuckles. SEVENTEEN had an expiry date, designed to cease come a special day.

"I mean," Hoshi broke the tension, "I just didn't think we had to talk about it?"

"Of course we have to talk about it," SCoups sighed, pushing his back further into the sofa, "We need to know how all of us think about this."

Hoshi shrugged, "I just don't think there's much to talk. We have CARATs and each other, and it isn't fair on PLEDIS if we betray them. Yes, their way of taking care of us has been rocky, but they have done it, which is a lot as it is. I thought we would all renew our contracts."