✓Crotchet || MCND Castle J

Chapter 21 - The Right Answer

Castle J's POV

She isn't answering my calls again. Last night, we talked about having dinner together and I'm supposed to pick her up. I called again...and again. I sent her multiple text messages and voice mails the entire afternoon. She never goes over an hour not replying even when she has class. I'm starting to get worried.

"Hyung." Huijun opened the door to the vocal room I'm in. "Manager noona wants to talk to you."

"Okay," I answered, not taking my eyes away from my phone.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Huh?" I looked up at him. He nodded to my phone. "No, it's nothing."

"She said to go there now."

"Who?"

"Manager noona. You've been out of yourself. Are you okay?"

I stood up and went past him by the door. "I'm fine."

I went to the office and noona led me to a small room. I feel the tension in her posture and I realized something was wrong.

"Sit down." She said as she locked the door. She sat across from me. "Do you know about the threats Minji was receiving?"

I looked at her, my eyes wide. "How do you know her?"

She sighed. "You took her here last summer, she often visits around the area to eat with you guys, and she's the reason you're going in and out of the company during practice hours. Do you seriously think I don't know that? It's my job to make sure you guys aren't doing things against the rules."

I gulped and hesitated for one second before asking, "You...aren't the one giving threats, are you?"

She laughed softly and the tension eased a little. "Of course not. In fact, I'm also receiving them."

She handed me her phone and I saw pictures—Me and Minji hugging at the park, walking closely down the campus halls, even the time I kissed her forehead was captured. There's a message on each picture, saying the pictures will be released and will ruin MCND's image even before our debut if we don't do what they want.

"I'm not scared," I said, handing her back the phone. "Whatever story they will release, it'll be a lie and we just have to come out with the truth."

"What is the truth, Seongjun?" She asked. "Is it enough to stop this? Remember, you're a rookie. You didn't establish a name yet to go through this. You can be easily buried before you even go big. No matter how talented you are."

"But that's what the company is for, right?" I said, so sure of myself. "You can clear my name off any rumors and then we can start over."

"We can do that. But you know it's still up to the people how they'll receive it. It wouldn't be the same."

I leaned back in my chair. "This is so unfair."

"It is." She fiddled through her phone and, after a few seconds, she handed it again to me. "Minji sent me these earlier."

I stared at the picture of her notebook with all those messages I'd read that time she showed it to me. I slid through the photos until I saw the dead dove lying on the floor and the message that accompanied it. My blood immediately boiled with anger. This is the reason why she's ignoring me.

When I handed back the phone, manager noona just stared at me, giving me time to calm down.

"I can't...do it," I said after a while. "I can't push her away."

"I know." She nodded. "But think about her and your members, too. It's not only you who'll have a hard time."

My eyes were shaking when I looked at her. "I'll talk to her," I muttered.

She gave me a sad smile. "I'm so sorry, Seongjun-ah. I can't do my job better."

"It's not your fault," I said and left.

I returned to my usual vocal room, only to see Seungmin inside.

"Seungmin-ah, what are you doing here?"

"It's Bic." He said. "I thought we agreed to use our stage names so we won't be confused on cam."

"Sorry." I started to make my way to a chair.

"Hold up." He held up a hand and I paused, looking at him sheepishly. "We're you crying?"

"No," I answered immediately. I certainly didn't cry but I'm not aware of the state of my eyes right now. It must've looked droopy.

He studied me for a few more seconds but decided to brush it off. I sat down at the chair farthest from him, afraid he'll ask more questions.

"What time is our group practice?" He asked.

"After dinner. You should be doing individual training right now. What are you doing here?"

"I just danced for two whole hours. Let me rest for a bit." He leaned his head against his arms on the table and closed his eyes.

I watched his relaxed figure. He's been working hard for more than five years and now he's finally going to debut, with all of us. How will my decision regarding this issue at hand affect the four of them? It's possible that I could ruin this chance for them and that's not good. I was supposed to be their leader, thinking about the group. Not being selfish. But Minji...is this really the only way?

"Yah," I called.

"Hm?" Seungmin answered, not opening his eyes.

"You know we're debuting in a few weeks, right?"

"Hm.."

"If something happens that will cause a delay, would you rather find a way to prevent it even if you have to sacrifice a very important thing, or would you proceed with the delay without knowing when the opportunity to debut comes again?"

He opened his eyes and looked at me. I can tell he's curious about why I'm asking this question but he just answered. "It depends on what's more important, I guess." He said. "But if the delay is because of me, I'd rather want the four of you to debut without me. Especially if I don't really want to lose that important thing."

I think about what he'd just said. I'm ashamed to be called their leader right now. I don't deserve it. I've been pondering about choosing them or Minji. I've never even thought about saving both and sacrificing myself. Whatever I decide on doing, it'll be unfair. It's just the matter of choosing who it will be unfair for.

The answer became clearer. Which is more important? Which choice will have less casualty? There is a solution that I've never thought of considering. It's unfair, I thought again but manager noona said to consider everyone. Not just myself. It's an answer I pushed at the back of my head and refused to think about, where only me will make the sacrifice, where it'll be unfair only for me. And possibly, for Minji.