Chapter 34

Kim Jongin

BREAKING NEWS
Rising Girl Group Jewelz is terminating their contract with SM after a dramatic but successful year of being together. They asked to terminate their contract from SM and are now vouching a change to a different comapany. The group will go to court on September 16 to see if they can officially leave SM and move to a different company. The name of this company that they wish to transfer to is unknown. More details are to come.

Background Music

Kai punched the wall with his fists. He felt the throbbing pain pulse through his hands. Had those weeks they were together mean nothing to her? He yelled in anger again as he tore the newspaper up and threw it into the trash can. He slumped down onto his bed and raked his fingers through his hair, feeling the scars on his heart begin to reopen. Why hadn't she told him? She could've at least told him about the court case dates. They were in two days! He hadn't heard from her in a week. The last time he saw her in person was the trip....everything was bittersweet but memorable....He closed his eyes and tried to keep the tears from spilling out as he took in sharp painful breaths.

*Flashback*

"Are you okay?" he asked Aisha again. Her emerald orbs came back to reality and she gazed over at him. Her stain looked a bit redder than usual. Had something happen at work? She nodded, smiling a little bit.

"Are you sure?" he persisted. Aisha leaned her small frame against his as they sat on the picnic-like blanket. For some reason she wanted to have a camp out before she started college again so they packed a tent and went off to a park that you could camp out at. She taught him how to make 'actual good' hamburgers over a fire and the 'perfect way' to toast marshmallows. It was nice seeing her more American side show through. Despite the closeness the two were sharing, he felt like she was holding something back, and he wanted to know what.

"It's...it's actually the Fist." Aisha finally said. "He...he discovered my stain...today at work." His eyes widened. "I...I forgot to do my makeup at home and so I was doing it in the warm up room. He yelled at me, demanding what it was. I said that I had hurt myself while practicing. Naturally he didn't believe me."

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking her hands into his.

"Well...everyone knows about it at SM now. He was yelling at people to get out of the way and that I had busted my face. He took me in for treatment today...I'd forgotten how the laser felt. It hurt like hell. That's why it's so swollen and pink and whatever. That's why I asked for the sudden stay the night trip. I had to get away."

"I'm sorry..." he said sincerely. "Was that all he did to you?"

"He took me to the hospital because he didn't know what it was. When the nurses told him, he demanded treatment right then and there. The nurses found the surgery Umma had saved for me so they used that." she sighed, watching the embers die in their makeshift firepit.

Kai wrapped his arms around her, making sure he didn't touch her inflamed cheek and kissed the top of her forehead. "At least the paparazzi didn't see it...right?"

"I'm pretty sure the world saw it. He wouldn't let me fix my mask or anything." She sounded very hurt still. "Pretty sure it'll be in the media ASAP."

"ASAP?" he asked.

"As Soon As Possible. It's an English thing." she replied. "So much has changed this year...our break is over now, I'll be starting college on Monday...you'll be at SM..." She faded off.

"But...you'll be there when classes are over..." he said slowly. She didn't respond, which worried him slightly. "Everything's going to be fine." The fire finally went out, leaving the setting bathed in the huge full moonlight with millions of twinkling stars.

She poured the bucket of water over it for good measure and crawled into the tent. Kai waited for her to signal that it was okay for him to enter. She stuck her head out and beckoned him in. He saw that she changed into her pajama tank top and shorts. He already had his pajama pants on and stripped off his shirt, revealing a white tank underneath. The two slipped into their large sleeping bag they decided to share, snuggling close.

"Our break was too short." she sighed. He nodded, resting his chin on the top of her head. He still felt like she was hiding something. "What was it...two weeks?" she sighed again. "I'm glad we got to actually focus on going on dates though."

"Me too." he said, pulling her even closer to him. He rested his hands securely on her back, tracing circles on her back. He felt her shiver and muse purring sounds. He smiled, thinking back to their wonderful dates to dinners and movies and then just practicing dance routines together randomly. He smiled at the pleasent memory of making the scrapbook with her. Now that the break was over they'd been so busy during the first week. It was nice, doing this.

He felt her soft lips press against his neck, catching him by surprise. His heart rate sped up at an alarming rate. Her lips danced up his neck and to his mouth, kissing him slowly, making him feel so weak his body forgot it even had knees. He forgot where he was and moved his hands to pull at her hips and move them to his. He kissed her back just at intimately and coaxed open to where he could please her more, forget about her worries. He was delighted to find her tongue sliding against his. He heard a soft moan come from Aisha. He pulled at her tank top, arms sliding up underneath the fabric and pulling at the skin on her back. She moaned a little louder and he felt her body shutter against his. He felt her delicate hands slid under his shirt, making him shiver as she explored his toned stomach and chest. Her hands left and turned to tangle fingers in his hair. Aisha began pecking his lips profusly as he moved his hands out of her shirt and into her hair. They both finally broke apart, panting slightly.

"I'm in love with you..." he breathed against her now swollen lips. He could hear and feel her heart pounding wildly. "And I'll stay in love with you today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, and for the rest of my life..."

"I'm in love with you too." she whispered, lips capturing his one more time before settling in his arms. He watched her eyes slip shut and relax, and there was something absolutely beautiful about seeing someone you're in love with fall asleep, safe and content, in your arms.

*End Flashback*

"So, you saw it too?" Kai opened his eyes, and looked at the figure standing in the doorway. He tried to blink away the memory but it resulted in more tears.

"About...Jewelz..." he sputtered. He finally was able to see he was talking to. D.O walked over and sat on Kai's bed with him.

"The rest of the boys are a mess of anger and sadness." he informed Kai. Kai sat up from the bed, looking down at his reddened hands.

"I should've known...why didn't Aisha tell me?" he asked. D.O shrugged.

"Well, we did know that they were going to leave. We're trying to leave too...but I didn't expect them to leave so quickly...."

Kai swallowed hard, still wondering why Aisha hadn't told him. He thought her insecurity that last night they were together was the port wine stain incident...how he regretted not going with his gut that night...he closed his eyes again, putting his head into his hands. He remembered her wish of being more discreet with their relationship, which had bee tough. It simply didn't make sense to him. D.O could see Kai's shoulders shaking with sadness.

"It'll be okay." D.O said, patting Kai's back. "I'm sure she had her reasons..."

*Second Flashback*

"Where are the girls?" Kai asked that afternoon, passing by Jewelz's empty practice room. His companions shrugged. "They should be here..." He walked into the familiar room despite Tao's and Sehun's protests.

A small unfamiliar woman was talking angrily to someone on the phone. She barked a "You better find them! Those brats are making me look bad!" Kai immediately he knew it must be Jewelz's new manager. If he had to put up with a woman like that as a manger, he doesn't blame them for on purposely being late.

He bowed once the grumpy woman took notice of him. "My name's Kim Jongin, Kim Aisha's boyfriend and dancer of Exo K. Do you know where she is, ma'am?" She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I clearly know that you're Miss-Mute's boyfriend. I'm sick of the drama that I've had to hear that you two started. Least she got that big ugly stain off of her face. Disgusting. I can't believe you dated her despite the mark. Ppffft I bet you didn't even know about it. Anyway, as you can clearly tell, the girls aren't here. No, I don't know why. Personally I'm glad they're gone, I can continue to clear up rumors about her mark." she huffed. "You've got your information, now leave!" she snapped, shooing Kai out of the room.

"I told you it was a bad idea, Hyung." Sehun said. Kai pulled out his phone. He absolutely had to know where she was, make sure she was doing okay after the unexpected laser surgery, when the next little camping trip was, and how to get out of SM. He dialed in her number and waited for her to pick up. It was refreshing that she could talk on the phone instead of strict text-only.

"Yeobaseyo?" Came her sing song voice. "Miss me, love?"

"Aisha! Where are you? Aren't you supposed to be at SM?"

Silence.

His anxiety rose.

"I'm sorry, Jongin. It's the first day of college, so this week is going to be super busy." she said sincerely. "Plus, we can't stand our new manager or dance teacher."

"Okay, I'll try to stay out of your way." he said. "And I don't blame you. How's...the unexpected laser surgery?"

"Still a bit swollen, but it's not purple-red looking anymore. It looks more like a darkish pink."

"I'm glad you feel better, Noona, and I also want to know..." he paused. "What are we going to do about getting a different company?"

More longer than usual silence.

"We're...we're working on it okay? It's really hard."

"Oh...okay." he said slowly. He heard someone shout in the background and a burst of laughter.

"Seriously Sage? I'm sorry, Jongin, I have to go." He heard her sigh in exasperation. "Sage burnt some of the birthday meat for SunJung on the stove...And the others are too busy laughing at her misfortune to do anything about it. Honestly, even though I'm the maknae of this group, I feel like the leader sometimes."

He chuckled. "Okay, I'll call you later. I love you."

"I love you, too."

He hung up and told his friends about what she told him. They nodded and muttered that it made sense and that they'd be back soon, after all, they still had to figure out how to get out of SM.

*End Flashback*

"Kai...do you want to talk to the other members?" D.O asked in a low tone, trying to give Kai some space. He didn't realize how much the little masked dancer had such control over Kai's emotions. He lifted his head up from his hands and nodded, shakily getting up from the bed and going out to meet with the other members. Half of them were sitting on the couches, staring at the newspaper in disbelief, wonder, and hurt.

"First it's the drama with Aisha's stain, and now they're leaving..." Suho said, brea