Mine | Jaeyong

Chapter 43

There was a time when life wasn't this complexed for Tasting and it was just, simple? To put it at that.

Jisung had vented all of his frustration into Taeyong. 'She's only nine! Some weird man could have taken her if she said you were probably outside the gate! I know you were lost but getting drunk with those totally great friends of yours is just...' That would make anyone guilty, she wasn't even his sister. But he classed her as his sister, partly. Daisy had run up to Taeyong and reassured him that it was okay, she added a kiss to his cheek which fueled his happiness.

Jisoo must have called him about 50 times, urging him to pick up. So he finally did. Of course, as he expected she started freaking out about how everyone knew about his secret. He expected it... Of course, he expected it... anyone would. 'Taeyong! They're going crazy! Agh!' He ended up hanging up, he always did when he had nothing to say, he didn't want to be rude... Even though it was very rude (and it made him look arrogant), but what was he supposed to say 'Hooray!' or  'Oh no...?' He couldn't say anything, but he could say both of them with sarcasm, but that is seen as ruder than hanging up.

He sighed as he put his phone into his pocket.

Taeyong got to his feet and told Jisung he was going to leave and go to the company to clean up a few instances, which is what he did. He opened the door after putting his shoes on and with that, he left. He looked like a lost cause to be all honest and Jisung tutted as he cleaned the dishes watching that brother of his leave without saying anything. 'What shall I do Daisy? He's crazy.' Jisung pouted.

Taeyong put one foot in front of the other, down the staircase. He was lost in his thoughts, he had walked out of the building in the same mindset, with his hands tucked into his pockets to get the warmth as they started to go numb a little without it.

He must have walked for around 5 minutes, you see, the company building wasn't that far away from the apartment. The convenience of the apartment being there was why Jisung chose that place.

The peace didn't last long, right as he was nearing the building, reporters and camera's where suddenly blocking the way and crowding his view, the fear settled in. 'Are you really gay?!' and 'How do you feel about the situation Mr. Lee?!' Where being shouted at him, no, many more remarks and questions were as well. He didn't know where to look so he just kept his head down and slowly shoved his way through the crowd like he was told to usually do, but honestly he could feel the sweat building up on his neck. 'People who knew you from school-years have spoken up about a private relationship you had! Is that true? You dated a man in a Catholic school?' That one made his heart throb in a negative way, who would expose him like this? Probably other's heard the rumours or spotted it all and gave it to the press so they could get the money. These reporters would rip skin apart to get the fine juice of drama and scandals. He was used to that, he had been involved in a fair share of scandals in this idol lifetime, but this one was definitely going to be and is the worst he had experienced. All because he stands out from the crowd, he wanted these people to experience their own karma, his personal life had nothing to do with them, just because he was in the spotlight... It's unfair that they had to invade his privacy like this, just because they feed off of situations like this... It wasn't fair.

But that was the price of being famous. If he knew this would happen to him in the past, he would of never set foot into that audition hall. Except, a part of him didn't regret it at all. There were good and bad things, of course.

When he finally got pulled out from the reporters trap by his managers and staff, he was brought into the building. Finally he was safe to catch his breath, stuff like that really would egg that developing fear of Claustrophobia, but he didn't have that phobia luckily. He just felt rather attacked, it was pretty violating, being that close to someone really disrespects space.

His stomach started to ache again, and his head was throbbing. He just felt like he would throw up, drinking alcohol was truly a terrible idea... It just made him ten times more tired than he already was. He just wanted to go and sleep but his life was dragging him away and ordering him not to. Jisoo, his favourite manager or helper or secretary he liked to call her (because she wasn't like his other mean managers, more friendlier and did as he said), had ran up to him. 'Tae! The CEO wants to talk to you in the meeting room, make it quick and maybe he won't react badly. Okay?' She pat him on the back and he just made a short smile and followed her, his short smile just showed he didn't register properly anything she just said, just rolling with the situation. Until that last part replayed in this head. 'React badly...? What's bad with me being gay?' He asked, too late, he was shoved into that meeting room door that was down the corridor.

This place was hectic, the building. He started to hate it little by little each day that passed by.

He was told to sit down, he rubbed the temples of his head that were hurting and made his way to the seat opposite his boss. He couldn't look the CEO in the eyes, he was probably going to say something terrible, that, he wasn't prepared or up for.

'Are you dating a man?' He had asked.
Taeyong shook his head. What a pleasant greeting... It's nice to see you too.

'Good.' The CEO took Taeyong by surprise, his boss leant forward and sipped his cup of water he must have gotten from the water fountain outside. 'If you were dating it would be a larger issue, because you wouldn't of told us. Your sexuality doesn't bother us. It's just tough luck to those female fans of yours.' He had collected all of the paperwork on his desk, patted it into neatness and tucked it into a folder. Taeyong could only blink.

'Really? I'm okay!?' He had wide-eyes like a puppy, he truly thought he'd get a scolding, he usually did... It reminded him of his previous headmaster...

'Yes. In fact there's been a rise in following and sales overnight, this isn't hurting your pride, you're getting attention. I am using this attention as an advantage!' He spoke, giving Taeyong a smile.

Taeyong looked down. 'Why? Usually people are against me, why...?' He found it very hard to believe.

'Oh, being gay is cool in the music scene. Nobody has come out since Yuta, that guy... But unfortunately we know nobody's heard from him in a few years. He broke the contract and said he'd travel the world with his friend. Make sure you won't do that, understand Taeyong? Don't get with someone. It could affect our company, we rely on you. Yuta's company just plummeted. We can't let that happen! Tomorrow, I'll bring out some paperwork and you can sign it, so that doesn't happen.' He had stood up and began pacing around the room, the CEO. 'I am just happy for your publicity at the moment, and I want you to perform at the New Years event tonight. Okay? I feel like we can play your song Whiplash, that always does well.'

Taeyong just sighed, talking about Yuta was hard enough. His favourite singer left right when he was really struggling too, or was it when he was training? Perhaps both. Either way, it was difficult.

'I actually...' Taeyong began to speak, he felt like he would vomit so he steadied himself and inhaled and exhaled before speaking again. 'I want to perform another song. Whiplash is too... Wild and sexual. I want to perform a love song... One with vocals, I have been practising for a while, and my vocal trainer said my voice was up to scratch now-'

His CEO instantly butted in. 'Oh, no-no, it's much better if you perform Whiplash. We can't risk it. Now, it's better you go and prepare. We already signed you up, it's in 6 hours.'

'W- but that's too soon!'

'Taeyong, you should know the music career is always like this. Now, Jisoo will be driving you to the event, don't play up, you understand me?! I don't want another one of those arguments again, like last time with that boy Chanyeol!' What was his word, was his word. So Taeyong obeyed and nodded his head, he always got in trouble... As idols sometimes made fun of him and mocked him, he can't stand that. He was fed up with people being rude, he wanted to teach them a lesson but his image and managers always told him not to.

He got up, bowed to the CEO and slowly made his leave from the room only to be quickly pulled on the arm by Jisoo. He started to think... This world is so crazy... If only people... If only fans knew what he had to go through. He always put on an image, fans knew simple things about his life and other various facts, they didn't know him. He wanted to change that, he wanted to be himself, not this person he was told to be.