Chapter 2: Dream

I’m sorry. I will come back and explain everything. I’m sorry, really.

Namjoo had her hands holding her phone very tightly while walking in rush to Plan A building. There was a sudden meeting with the CEO. It wasn’t giving her a good feeling. There might be something, and she might not gonna like it.

This dawn, Eunji logged out from their group chat, leaving a vague apology. Nobody replied, but she’s sure everyone tried to contact her immediately, including herself. But as if knowing already, no one succeeded. Her number was off since then. Their managers didn’t know anything. And it surely concerned her.

Shivering from the strong wind, Namjoo clutched her arm while walking towards the entrance. She’d been trying to calm herself, thinking every possibility that’ll come. Maybe Eunji wanted to postpone the comeback, it’s okay, they weren’t particularly ready anyway. Or maybe Eunji wanted a very long holiday, it’s definitely okay, she’s visiting Europe in two weeks anyway, everyone loved long holiday. Or perhaps, she’ll do another drama, the very long one, it’s … okay, they’d been away for long already anyway. It’s okay, that eonni would come back.

But when she sat down, joining the meeting, she learned it was way bigger than what she’d expected.

“What do you mean Eunji is leaving?” trembling in anger, Bomi unconsciously raised her voice. “There is no way she giving up this.”

“Bomi, calm down,” Chorong said, although she didn’t seem calm either.

The maknaes were quiet. Namjoo held her phone tightly, trying to adjust to the news. The youngest was exchanging look with Naeun, it’s clear on her gaze that she didn’t understand what their CEO told them.

“Is it true, Sajangnim?” Chorong carefully asked, realizing the question sounded stupid.

Sighing heavily, he nodded. “Yes, her contract is canceled, she has signed it three days ago,” the CEO, Choi Jinho, repeated his previous statement.

“And you just told us today? It doesn’t make sense,” Bomi mouthed. “It’s Jung Eunji we’re talking about, I …”

“Bbom,” the leader held main dancer’s hand.

Everyone could feel the atmosphere changed, it’s getting tense. “But why?” quietly, Naeun spoke.

Looking up to Naeun, Choi Jinho inhaled deeply, “she’ll tell you.”

“Of course,” Bomi expressed her disbelief, “so now you’re playing ‘you tell, no, you tell’?! Can the company just tell us what is happening right now? First, it still doesn’t make any sense that Jung Eunji leaving her group, second, there must be a play here, and we should know, Sajangnim.”

“We … basically have the right to know,” Namjoo, too, argued. “If she’s really leaving us, leaving the group, it only makes sense for us to learn what’s truly happening.” she’s trembling, her voice shaking, but the gut to speak was too strong.

“Is she … is eonni, in debt or something like that?” Hayoung mouthed nervously.

“Did she break the rule?” Naeun hit the button.

It silenced everyone.

Eyes on her. Hayoung gasped in disbelief. Bomi glared angrily. Chorong held her breath. And Namjoo was simply frozen in surprise.

That moment, they realized it might be the most possible answer. And if it really was. The rule she broke might be so serious, something really heavy that could easily push her to cancel the contract. And thinking what it could be had them so nervous.

“It’s …” Naeun quietly continued, “… either she leaves, or she has to leave.”

And as if her trigger was pulled, Bomi glared at her CEO, “shouldn’t you help her?! How can you let this happened?! She has been doing her job so freaking well. She’s your favorite daughter, for god’s sake! You should have done something!”

“Yoon Bomi!” Chorong snapped.

“I just can’t believe this, Eonni! She’s Jung Eunji, urgh!” Bomi just lost control, leaving her seat, she walked to the side of the seat row, walking back and forth. This side of her was new for everyone. It’s a strange day. And the news had turned her even stranger. Avoiding everyone’s eyes, she’s trying to get herself calm.

“Is there any possibility to cancel all of this?” Chorong asked. “I mean, it’s only three days ago. Give us time, we’ll convince her. We’ll go to her place right now and talk, we’ll do something. Please, Sajangnim.”

“She basically has left.”

“What do you mean?” Naeun spoke again.

“Her house is now part of Plan A’s property, and some of her assets too, she’s maybe … not in Seoul anymore.”

“What the hell is happening?!” Bomi yelled, eventually.

“Sajangnim …”

“The last thing she asked me was to tell you this all by herself. Give her some time, she’s having hard time …”

“Oh god, Sajangnim!”

“That’s bull!”

“I’m sorry.” The old man could only close his eyes, sad and disappointed as well.

*

[BREAKING] JUNG EUNJI QUITS APINK

Earlier today Apink main vocal Jung Eunji reportedly left her group and Plan A.

In an official statement Plan A Entertainment announced that starting today Jung Eunji will no longer be part of Apink and Plan A Entertainment. Plan A explained that Eunji had decided to end her contract due to personal reason, no further explanation was made until this post was released.

[BREAKING] APINK EUNJI LEAVES HER SEVEN YEARS GROUP DUE TO PERSONAL REASON

[+3,004/ -296] Please tell me this is a dream! I cannot believe this. Eunji would never betray Apink. There must be something. I’m really sad and confused right now.

[+2,784/ -309] THE HELL IS HAPPENING?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER?!

[+2,660/ -178] Is Eunji planning to do solo instead? The thing is I don’t know who I should trust anymore.

[+2,004/ -1,806] I always think the company mistreating her talent. Plan A has to explain completely and tell us what is really happening. They cannot just kick Eunji like this.

[+773/ -1,606] Get your head straight! Plan A didn’t kick Eunji, she wanted to leave by herself! It only means she ditched Plan A and APink!

[+303/ -832] One word for her. BETRAYAL.

[+1,992/ -263] Please don’t jump in assumption. Eunji is not that kind of person, we all know. Let’s wait and believe in her.

*

Many said that in times of crisis, people tend to appreciate small things around them. Something like sunset and its charming color, or the sound of heavy rain outside your thick glass wall, or how the dry leaves falling helplessly on your balcony.

Well, Eunji was surely not part of those people. She’s too busy to even realize the sun had set.

It’s been a week since she signed the cancelation of her contract. The first thing she did was selling her house and moving to somewhere smaller. She surely didn’t need a apartment with three rooms anymore; getting to rent something modest outskirt the city was more than she could ask for, it even had a balcony.

Not only selling that five-years-saving apartment, she had to sell her car too and emptied half of her bankbook. It surely took almost everything she earned the whole time working under Plan A. It’s definitely more than a lot, considering she earned the most among her members.

The process was quick, though. Eunji didn’t waste her time. She needed to move and settle things. And think.

The news was released a couple of days ago–that she’s quitting Apink. People were undoubtedly shock, angry, felt betrayed, sad and surely, disappointed. She could imagine. That’s one of the biggest cost she had to pay. Her heart broke, not only because she had to part way with her amazing fans, but also for the dream of her life that shattered in pieces.

This moment, right now she’s not more than an empty body.

She cut all the connection she had. She turned off her phone. No internet, no text, no call. She wouldn’t be able to handle the media, her company promised her to take care of it. Call her coward and selfish, but staying away from public kept her sane. Only few people knew where she was, and those few were literally just her family and her personal manager. She didn’t even tell her members, yet.

Once she’s ready, she’ll tell them by herself, she promised herself although … she wasn’t confident enough to tell when that time would come.

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