Chapter 32

Kim Jongin

Background music: http://youtu.be/VMGh3Ts5-WQ

"Jongin?"

Kai looked up from the book he was reading, recognizing the light and floaty voice. Aisha stood in the doorway of his hotel room. After the concert, the Fist let the girls move to their hotel. There have also been some issues with getting plane tickets back to Korea, which was why they were still there a few days after K-Con was over.

He patted the space next to his bed. She hesitantly came closer and slid onto the bed, propping herself up with the pillows. He bookmarked his page and turned to talk to her. She didn't have her mask or makeup on, and honestly he couldn't have been more happy to see that. He noticed that her eyes were full of worry. His brows furrowed.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She took a deep breath and shook her head no. "What's wrong?"

"It's Sage..." she said quietly. "For the past few days she's hardly ate, she hasn't slept much, and she keeps twisting her ring around and crying. When I try to ask her about it, she snaps at me. And no, she's not on her period. We went through that mess while trying to contact you guys again."

Kai's eyes widened in shock. "Luhan hasn't said anything to us about it...he does seem a bit distant though."

"Well...I heard her talking to the Fist on concert night...it was weird. I asked her about that too and she just closed up even tighter. He said something about 'seeing him with someone else' and that 'it was for the best.'" she paused. "Has Luhan been cheating on her?"

"Absolutely not!" he exclaimed. "He's been too heartbroken to even think about seeing someone else...He's been kind of worried too because she hasn't been texting him or wanting to go out with him anywhere."

"I'm really worried." she sighed. "The Fist must've done something to her...she wouldn't eat her favorite American food."

"Think she'll talk to me?" he asked. She shrugged.

"I haven't seen Minha either..."

"The Fist said that her, Sooyoung, and SangJun left a few days ago. Something about a business emergency." he said. Her brows furrowed.

"Why would they leave without telling us?"

He shrugged. "I'll talk to Sage for you, okay? You can stay out of sight because you may pick up on something only a best friend can." She nodded, taking a deep breath. He leaned over and pecked her lips. "It'll be okay." She nodded and the two got up and walked down the hallway to Aisha and Sage's room. Aisha stood outside the door as Kai slowly opened the door.

"Sage?" he asked softly. He saw her buried under the covers, hair up in a messy bun, slightly sniffling. She turned to see who it was. He saw that her eyes were red and blotchy.

"Oh...hi Kai." she said quietly. "I thought you were Aisha checking on me again." He noticed she had her glasses on, which was a bit unusual. They were also askew which was also not Sage. Aisha was right, something was wrong.

"Aisha has been a bit concerned about you..." he said a bit slowly.

Sage snorted. "She's always concerned about me, honestly. I'm okay, just feel a bit sick."

"Not to be rude...but if you were sick wouldn't you go to the doctor?"

"I don't need a doctor. I just need to rest."

"Sage..." he said, sitting at the foot of the bed. "None of us have really seen you out and about...the girls are worried, we're worried, Luhan's worried..."

He saw her flinch when he said Luhan's name.

"Please don't say that." she whispered.

"But it's true. He's been wondering where you've been. Why haven't you been answering his texts or calls? You've been basically ignoring him and I don't think that's right so-"

"Kai. Stop. You don't know what's going on." Sage snapped.

"You're right. I don't know what's going on. None of us do but you. And the only way that we all figure out what's going on between you and Luhan is if you tell us."

"It's more than Luhan, Kai." she snapped again. "It's just too much..." She faded off and shut herself up again. Kai was feeling a bit irritated now. He stared at her, hard. She rolled her eyes. "Just leave me alone."

Just then, the rest of Jewelz came in and sat around her bed. Kai assumed Aisha went to go get the other girls to encourage/coax the truth out of Sage.

"Ya know, Miss America, we're not leaving until you start talking." Minji stated sassily. "Don't make me cuddle you. Seriously, don't."

"I really don't want you to." Sage rolled her eyes again. "And you guys can sit here all day, I'm not talking." Kai could see the girls' patience being stretched, except for Aisha. She calmly took Sage's hand out from underneath the covers and saw that her ring finger was red from twisting her couple ring around it so much. She held Sage's hand and took a deep breath.

"I don't know what's going on with you, but whatever it is...I'll be there for you. You know this. You're my best friend. Whatever it is you're going through, I'm here. I want you to know that. And you know these girls will be there, too." she said calmly and quietly in English.

"It...it's just...Minha...you know how she left and SangJun and Sooyoung? Well...Minha and SangJun....he fired them. There. He fired them and anyone else involved in keeping our secrets from him." Sage said back in English. Everyone's eyes widened. "That's why it's taken so long to get back to Korea..."

"I don't believe this..." SunJung said. Sage sighed.

"I have proof. Sadly." She pulled out her phone and unlocked it. She scrolled through her phone until she found the proof.

To: Minha:3
Msg: Hey...are you okay?

From: Minha:3
Msg: As I can be...I'm looking for another job, and I think I found a good place for me. SangJun and Sooyoung too. What about you, sweetheart?

To: Minha:3
Msg: I...I've been better...I don't know what to Minha....

From: Minha:3
Msg: What’s the matter? Other than you having to witness me and the others getting fired....but I promise we're fine, just waiting for the call to see if they'll hire us. If it's the Fist I will personally take a trip back to America and have a bat to his head before he can answer his phone!

"You knew...and you didn't tell us?!?" Minji's temper flared. "Why the hell did you not tell us that our MANAGER got fired?!?"

"Minji, calm down." HeeYoung said in Chinese. Minji stared at HeeYoung coldly.

"She still should've told us instead of hold up in here like a recluse!"

"Girls." SunJung snapped at them. "Stick to Korean or English."

"If Minha is gone...then that means..." Kai said slowly.

"It means I have to go." Sage said softly.

"Go?" HeeYoung asked.

"I'm...I'm going home..." Sage elaborated.

"Okay, you clearly need a doctor." Minji said. "You do NOT need to go home because you kept a secret from us about our managers being fired. Wait have they been replaced?" Sage nodded. "Oh perfect. I'm guessing we meet them when we get to Korea again. Get your crap together!"

"Minji...you're really pushing it." Sage snarled.

"What about college?" SunJung asked.

"Yeah...I've been thinking about that..." Sage said slowly. "I don't even think I'll go."

"Oh girl...hold up! You have one. More. Year.