Chapter 7- Explanations

Kris

“Explain these pictures,” Mr. Lee said firmly.

They were pictures with Sariah and me. Although the person was sensible enough to block her face, I could still recognize her. There were pictures of the time we first met when I lent her my phone and pictures from today. The rumor read something about me spotted with a girl who seems to be my girlfriend. Ha, I wish. Wait what?

“Those pictures, I don’t know how people got them, but that rumor isn’t true, she’s not my girlfriend,” I explained.

“Good,” he quickly said, “Because you know you all aren’t allowed to date, it’ll bring down your reputation and the company’s reputation.”

When he said that, it completely threw me off. Who does he think he i, my parent?  He can’t tell us what to do with our lives.

“Aren’t allowed to date? That’s just unfair,” I began, becoming slowly infuriated. “Yes, we have a career but it shouldn’t interfere with our personal lives.”

“It will, the fans will become infuriated, and you never know what could happen, it’s a risk,” he added, with some concern written on his face.

Who was I kidding, that concern was probably for his own company’s reputation not anything else.

“Well, it’s a risk I’m willing to take and it’s actually my problem, because the fans will be angry at me, and something to add, if they’re really fans they would understand,” I retorted. “Oh and as I mentioned, we’re not dating.”

“Well you will have to clarify that to the public,” he stated. “Do it at the concert next week, publicly. You will tell them that it’s just one of your friends who’s more like a sister to you and that there’s nothing between you all.”

“Fine,” I complied.

I knew it was the only way out of this situation. I now had to lie to all of my fans, for better probably. I had no other choice, I have to do as I’m told, but the thing is, it’s a lie. Meaning that the rumor the person posted can someday be true.

                                                                                                                        ~o0o~

Sariah

I stared in disbelief at the pictures with Kris and me. They had concealed only my face but obviously I could recognize myself.

“Unnie, are you secretly dating Kris?” Talia asked me and I was still stunned on seeing myself on some news feed.

“What? Hell no! I hardly even know the guy,” I defended. Okay, that last part was a lie.

“Then what about these pics?” Emily questioned.

“I don’t know how people got those-”

“Paparazzi, stalkers, sasaengs,” Alex listed.

“You wanna explain?” Keana-Lee asked, more like told.

“So yes I did meet him today but he approached me, and he wouldn’t stop following me,” I started.

“He likes you,” Alyssa bluntly said.

“What? No!” I reacted.

“He does, you just can’t see it,” she added.

“Whatever, I’m not looking for love,” I responded, crossing my arms on my chest.

“People don’t look for love, it comes to them,” Leah said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“Ma Chérie,” Alex began, “You’re just afraid what happened to you would happen again.”

“Unnie, that was 2, going on 3 years ago, you need to forget that, you can’t let it ruin your life forever,” Talia stated.

The two pulled me into a tight embrace, causing a teardrop to trickle from my eye. Soon it became a group hug and I felt comforted to know that they were all here for me. That they were all trying to make me feel better but deep down, I knew that their efforts were still futile. When they finally pulled away, I wiped the