Chapter 10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author POV

Myungsoo pacing around in the living room and keep looking at his phone. He then dialing the same number for the hundreds time again. Sungjong who leans at his room door frame cross his hand and sigh. It’s been two hour already seeing the visual of INFINITE look so anxious. He worried too, but seeing Myungsoo like that does not helping at all.

“Stop it hyung. Just wait for a while. I’m sure everything is okay.”

Myungsoo glare at the maknae and ruffle his hair in frustration. It’s almost 9.00pm and Sungyeol still can’t be reach. He didn’t pick up his calls and did not reply his messages. Sungyeol never had done this before.

When they end their dance practice, Hyoan brought them home first saying that Sungyeol still got something else to settle. It’s been 4 hour since then and not a word from Sungyeol. He doesn’t know why, but a lot of bad thought came across his mind. The dorm felt empty without the choding around.

“Click~~~”

The main door open and Sungyu tired face appear follows by Hoya and Dongwoo. Three of them just came back from 2 hour shopping from nearest groceries store for their dinner. Both of their managers got a meeting with other staffs, so they will be by themselves tonight. Sungjong took the plastic bags from Dongwoo and Hoya hand and bring it to the kitchen where Woohyun preparing for their dinner.

Sungyu slumps on the floor while taking off his jacket. It’s was chaos when they trying to run from their fans who spot them at the store. Hoya just chuckle at Dongwoo, who kneeling down beside Sungyu.

“What happen, hyung?”

Sungjong look curious at the scene played in front him. Looking at Sungyu sour face and Dongwoo guilty position, the childish hyung must done something again.

“Dongwoo hyung laughing and play around in the store until some fans spot us”

Hoya can’t hold his laugh anymore when he imagined back what happen. The sighted of Sungyu smacked Dongwoo in the store with a pack of rice cake was really funny. Even with that, Dongwoo still playing around and laugh his famous laugh that gained attention from some fanatic fans. Result from that, they “played” hide and seek with the fans and didn’t manage to get all the stuffs asked by Woohyun.

In the middle of the member’s laughter and Dongwoo who wrestle Hoya down to keep him shut, Sungyu notice Myungsoo who not effected by the members chaos and keep looking distance. The leader stands and walks to the boy.

“Myungsoo ah~~ what’s wrong?”

“Hyung ah~~~…..its Sungyeol…….he didn’t come home yet, he didn’t pick up my calls and reply my messages~~~”

Everyone stop and shift their eyes to Myungsoo sudden outburst. Sungyu face turns serious and fish out his phone. He walks to the kitchen to find Woohyun. All the members were curious and tailing Sungyu behind.

“Did you call Hyoan hyung, Hyun ah?”

“I did. He said he don’t know anything and don’t call until 10.00pm because of their staffs meeting”

Sungyu try calling Sungyeol’s number and it was disconnect. It’s whether his phone is turned off or the battery is dead. Sungyu try again and receive the same result. Everyone start to worry that something might happen to Sungyeol. Because no matter how troublesome the boy is, he never like to make everyone worry about him.

“What if Mr.Choi kick out Sungyeol hyung and make him cut all contact with us????”

All the members shift their attention to the tremble voice of the maknae. The youngest of were in shock state like he just realizes something and tugging the leader shirt. With that remark, Myungsoo walk away to the living room and try calling the choding again.   

“Don’t say something like that, Jongie ah~~ Mr.Choi won’t do that, trust me” Dongwoo smile and pull the maknae into hug to calm him. Dongwoo know that Sungyeol is the source of energy to the youngest.

“Hyung~~”

Even Hoya who the most calm and mature among them start to feel lost and looking for comfort in Sungyu. Seeing the leader who is in silent state, make him more anxious than ever. Although Hoya looks strong and full of charismatic aura, he actually depends on Sungyu a lot.

“Hold on!!!! Hold on!!!! Stop with all the crap speculation and lets have dinner now!!!!!”

“Myungsoo!!!! Get your here and eat!!!”

“Sungyu hyung and Dongwoo hyung, sit!!!!”

“Hoya and Sungjongie, get the plate for me. Now!!!”

Woohyun took over the situation and rush over the member in full authority for dinner. He needs to do something to distract them. Woohyun know that Sungyu starting to lose his focus. He cannot let that happen. Sungyu is the pillar. Their group dynamic might crumble if Sungyu lost his focus.

Hearing the main vocal instruction, all the member moving in line and settle themselves at the dinner table, including the leader. They all eat in silent with a lot of thought running in their mind.

Myungsoo still eyeing his phone from time to time that make Woohyun to take it and put in his pocket. The visual of the group know better not to complaint. Because the sweetest person like Woohyun can turns scarier than the leader when he is annoyed.   

The silent is killing Dongwoo’s appetite. Normally, the choding will be the clown to make the dinner merrier. Now it’s all gloomy and awkward. He hopes nothing happen to Sungyeol. Dongwoo glance to Sungyu who just holding his chopstick and spoon and look at his rice bowl. He sighs and put the roll egg on Sungyu’s spoon because he know the guy won’t eat if nobody urge him.

Suddenly Sungyu drop his chopstick and spoon then stand up. He goes to sink and wash his hand.

“What are you doing, hyung?” Woohyun also stand up at the leader’s antics.

“You guys stay put and don’t go anywhere. I’m going to find him”

“Find who?”

The familiar voice startles all of them and they shift their attention to the owner of the voice.

“YAHHHH!!!!! WHERE DID YOU GO??? WHY DIDN’T YOU ANSWER MY CALL??? WHY DIDN’T YOU REPLY MY MESSAGES???  WHY???!!!!”

Sungyeol put both of his hand on his ear and duck his head to avoid the flying spoon thrown by the outrage Kim Myungsoo.

Sungyeol smirk in victory when he success in avoiding the flying spoon but his smirk didn’t last long when another spoons land gloriously on his forehead. This time it’s a gift from the furious Woohyun. Sungyu sigh witnessing the chaos in front of him. This is the first time ever that he didn’t even mad when they playing around at dinner time. Instead, the leader smile watching Dongwoo laughing non-stop, Woohyun nagging non-stop, Myungsoo and Sungjong wrestle Sungyeol down and Hoya continues eating like nothing happen.

This is the normal INFINITE, he thought.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All the members continued eating in peace after satisfied interrogated and scolding the troublemaker. Sungyeol said that after some talking with the director, he asked Mr.Choi permission to spend some time with Daeyeol. About not answering the phone and reply Myungsoo’s messages, Sungyeol admit that he turn off the phone because his phone battery getting low. Sungyeol then decline the dinner politely and go to wash up because he was still full from dinner with his little brother.

(In the bathroom)

When Sungyeol close the door, he slide down on the bathroom floor and frown. He bring his knees together to his chest and land his forehead on the knees.

(Flashback)

“There is no need for me to read, sir. Even you ask me for hundred times, I will still make the same decision”

Sungyeol took the 2^nd and the 3^rd document and hold it on his chest dearly. He already decided. There’s no need to think when he know his choice clearly.

“Are you sure, Lee Sungyeol? If you choose to leave, you still got a new contract for actor and will be a full-time actor like what you dream of when you join the Woollim’s acting department. But if you sign the 6 months agreement to prove yourself and fail, there’s no chance for actor contract anymore. You will lose both. The INFINITE and your only chance to be an actor. You won’t regret?”

Sungyeol hold tightly both of the documents and flash a smile.

“No, I won’t, sir. It took me 1 year to joined Woollim’s acting department and 3 years of hard work to be acknowledged as a trainee actor. But it took only 1 month for me to realize my dream to be in performance department to become an idol and a singer. What make you think that I will give up on INFINITE?”

“After 6 months, if it’s really true that I’m not fit and talentless as claimed, so be it. I will leave willingly and won’t blame anyone on my own failure. But If I succeed in proving what I worth, please don’t touch any members as the next target. Especially Sungjongie”   

Sungyeol said that with full determination and slight warning. It’s done. He said it. There is no more taking back his words.

Mr. Choi smile warmly at Sungyeol. Looks like the boy in front of him is not dumb after all, thought the director.

This boy knows his own limit by saying that. Sungyeol always portray himself as lack of confident and ambition makes others have no intention to give him any new opportunity.  Sungyeol never had been given any big role because everybody wants everything to be perfect, so nobody ever know the choding’s limit.

By mentioning Sungjong’s name shows that Sungyeol knows how all of this scheme work. If he leaves, the youngest might replace him to face the same situation. Since they debuted, he and Sungjong were said as an addition for the team, but not as an asset. Sungjong proved them wrong by became the balancer of the team, but still not far from Sungyeol’s position. So Sungyeol knows that if he fails, he’s out. But if he succeeds, somebody else might become the next target. And Lee Sungjong is the close target after him. So he agreed with a hidden deal to protect the precious maknae of his.

Mr.Choi sighs in relief and wish for the best. 

(End of flashback)

Sungyeol took a deep breath and stand up. He can do it. He swore to put his life in this 6 month.  He determines to bet everything to make sure that he will stand on the stage as INFINITE. He will prove it and he only have himself to rightfully claim his position in INFINITE. He can’t say a word to the members about this if he wants to successfully survive this game.

Sungyeol clenched his teeth and wash up to clear his mind.

A/N: A new update~~~~~~~~ Hope you guys like it……..Our Sungyeolie came out strong to prove himself…..let pray and support him ~~~~~~~ ^_^

Please leave a comment, critic, recommendation and your opinion on my story so far…….i’ll be happy and more spirited to continue~~~~~ I’ll welcome all ^_^