“Yah! Kang Maru when will you show up for practice? At this rate we’ll never be able to do another gig if you keep on doing this.” Maru felt his ears ringing when he was caught off-guard by a call from his band mate, Hyunseung.

Maru sat up from his bed and brush the top his hair with his free hand. He had almost forgotten about his band. His days are now busier. Even being an assistant manager left him no time for other things except to eat and sleep. The group’s popularity had really soared. Now that they’re preparing for a concert tour and doing fansignings, there were never enough people to help around the company.

He thought about his schedule for next week. There's a vacant slot before the start of the group’s tour domestically and internationally. Initially, he was only active during local promotions but the management changed it last minute and has him along throughout the whole tour.

“Let's do a gig next week. It’s short notice but I don’t think I’ll be able to do another one after that. "

Giving up the band seemed to be the logical choice at the rate his work was going. Now that he was starting to commit as a full-time manager, there was no time for his band, Zero. There were also other reasons- personal ones that he’d rather not think about.

"Seriously? You're quiiting?"

Maru shrugged. "Don’t have a choice. My job pays my bills. Probably with all the practice I missed for the past couple of months, I'm sure you guys hate my guts for bailing out these past couple of weeks."

His band mate from the other line laughed, sounding like he agreed with his words. “Maybe. Okay. We’re kind of disappointed but we know you have a job. Most of the ing comes from your ex and that diva guitarist of ours.” Even though he couldn’t see his friend, he could hear the cheeky smile on the guy’s lips. “Kwon had gotten worse ever since you delivered a right hook on his face when he got his tongue on your Yoojung’s throat."

Remembering that day darkened his mood. He stopped considering Kwon his friend ever since. It was a move from his friend’s part and his ex to go behind his back. If he hadn’t seen them that night, he was sure they would have kept it secret and he’ll be a fool thinking he still had a relationship with Yoojung. Maru couldn’t help but reply coldly at his friend on the phone. “I don’t care about them. Clearly, they deserve each other.”

Maru shook his head and sighed. “I’m sorry that I don’t have more time for gigs like before. Maybe next time we’ll get to jam together but I don’t think after this last one, there will be one anytime soon.”

 “That .” Hyunseung sounded disappointed. “Make sure you keep that promise to jam with us. I don’t care if you don’t include the two but don’t forget the rest of us.”

The young manager almost smiled and nodded. “Sure thing. It’ll be my treat then.”

It was a slow progress, developing a decent relationship with his personal manager together. If you call Maru bossing around communication then Taekwoon had somehow had been able to communicate with the younger manager better than most people. It was hard though to get the answers from Maru outside work. The only time he did that was one time.

Only a day left before the concert and they’re doing one last rehearsal before the actual date. He and the rest of the group woke up early for it, excited and at the same time nervous about the whole thing.

At such a crucial day, Leo assumed that Maru will be the first one in rehearsals but it was already 9 in the morning and his manager was nowhere to be seen. Rehearsals had started an hour ago.

“Our manager is still not here.” Taekwoon couldn’t help but say to Hakyeon. He got the man’s number through the other managers and tried calling him, but there was no answer.

Hakyeon was also clueless on where his friend was. According to him, it was unlike Maru’s character to be late especially in his job.

“Has anyone seen my manager?” Taekwoon turned to ask the staff.

“He said he’s going to be late. He said something about personal reasons or something.” One of them replied.

What could have happened?

Half an hour later, Maru finally arrived, apologizing to everyone.

"That’s what you call a zombie." Ken couldn’t help but comment when he saw the young manager.

Taekwoon turned around upon hearing Ken’s words and saw Maru not looking his best. This is the first time Maru had looked like a zombie as Ken described. The man’s eyes were sunken. His clothes were wrinkled and completely different from what he usually wears to work. The fitted shirt and dark blue denims and Timbaland shoes was too casual than his usual attire.

"Har.Har." Maru heard the vocal and sarcastically laughed. He wasn't in the best of moods, his body screaming for sleep. It has been awhile since tried staying up for more than a day and was having a hard time getting his bearings together.

His farewell gig last night blew out of proportion. His band mates threw a party together with the other bands they've collaborated with and the bar where they performed. It lasted throughout the night making lose sleep.

Maru’s head pounded, giving the feeling of a headache and a bit of dizziness. He chose a corner where he could see everything and just sat there not wanting to be a disturbance to anyone.

"Maru~ " Hakyeon beamed when he saw him and attempted to approach him.

"Don't mind me. We don't have a lot of time for practice, so use it wisely. You have solos. Make sure you have perfected your routines." He put the palm of his hand in front of him to stop his friend from coming nearer. He wanted no fussing from his friend.

It made the leader of VIXX smil