"Ji-Hun? The office is ready." Their manager said as the members were confused as to why Ji-Hun wanted to talk to the CEO or to their manager.
"Why?" Iseul asked Ji-Hun he just ignored it and winked at all of the members before he left the practice area. The members were so confused about it.
October 7, Friday / Practice / Luminous Music CEO's Office.
"Who's dating?" The CEO said as he got up from his seat. Their manager and even the Assistant of the CEO were shocked.
"Me. and Minsu." Ji-Hun, not on second thought, said it as he was looking up to the CEO. The CEO was hesitant to do something with it as he sighed and sat again from his seat.
"How long."
"Before the comeback"
"Do you know, on your contract, it says that you can't date?"
"I'm aware"
"Why did you do it then?"
"We can keep it a secret," Ji-Hun said, trying to fight for his love for Minsu. As the room started to heat up, Their manager moved closer to Ji-Hun.
"Let's just talk this out for some time, okay?" We have to cool things do-"
"You are officially out of the group." Their CEO decided as all the people inside the room were shocked. They all looked at the CEO who was extremely angry at Ji-Hun for not following the said contract.
"Can we talk this out, Mr. CEO? That decision should not be rushed!" Their Manager tried to convince the CEO. But it seems like it didn't try to listen at all.
October 8, Saturday / Practice / Dorm
The members woke up by the sound of their alarm on Minsu's phone. Iseul went to the kitchen while the two, Hyun-Jung and Minsu are inside the bedroom.
"I think Ji-Hun's in the bathroom early," Hyun-Jung said before Minsu nodded as it kinda makes sense. After a few minutes, Ji-Hun was taking so long with the bathroom. Hyun-Jung decided to go in front of the bathroom door and knocked at it.
"Ji-Hun? Are you done yet? We're gonna be late." Hyun-Jung said after knocking. Iseul, While cooking, looked at the scene before it was now quite suspicious since there was no sound of the showers running inside the bathroom.
"Ji-Hun? Are you there?" Hyun-Jung added, asking of Ji-Hun inside the bathroom. Once he twisted the door handle, it was not locked. Hyun-Jung came inside to see that there was no one there.
"Iseul, did you see Ji-Hun? We thought he was in the bathroom?" Hyun-Jung said and once Minsu overheard the conversation, He rushed outside the bedroom.
"I don't know too. I thought he also woke up early to go to the shower. It was suspicious that I didn't even get to hear the shower running inside. I thought he was done or something." Iseul said before he turned to stove off. It was very important for him that Ji-Hun was missing.
"Where's Ji-Hun?"
"We don't know too, Minsu," Hyun-Jung answered. All of the members were worried before Minsu went to the closet to check Ji-Hun's things until he found out that it was gone.
"WHERE'S JI-HUN'S STUFF?" Minsu shouted across the room before the members ran, only knowing that his spot in their closet was empty.
The members, in their boxers, ran towards the parking lot, seeing their manager outside their van.
"Why are you not re-"
"WHERE'S JI-HUN?"
"We texted him, we even called his relatives and they didn't answer. We also came to the point to post this on social media about where he is"
"WHERE'S JI-HUN?" Minsu kept repeating as Iseul explained what they did earlier.
"Please go dress up. We'll discuss this later on." Their manager said, looking down on the floor as Minsu kept asking where's Ji-Hun.
October 8, Saturday / Practice / Luminous Music Lobby
"Where's Ji-Hun?" Minsu said as soon as he opened the door. On the lobby, there was the CEO and Ji-Hun... With his luggage?
"Ji-Hun! We were so worried about y- What's happening?" Minsu said as soon as he saw Ji-Hun. he was looking at the luggage then he turned his head to the CEO.
"Ji-Hun's out of the group. He's just signing other contracts about this matt-"
"What's the matter? Ji-Hun didn't do anything wrong!" Iseul defended.
"He did something wrong with the contract. Dating one of the members of your team." The members wer shocked but Minsu felt the chills everywhere on his body. It felt so unreal for him.
"How..."
"He told me directly." Their CEO said before Minsu gulped. He was stunned by this moment. He really can't do anything about it. As the members watched Ji-Hun signed on a paper, He immediately grabbed his luggage and looked at the members. He forcefully smiled for the members before he looked down.
"Goodluck, M41." Ji-Hun tried not to shred some tears as he left the building, slowly. The members were stunned and even trying to hold their emotions together. They can't do anything about it. They don't want their CEO to be more angry to them.
"Go to the practice area and practice your stuff." Their CEO said before he slammed the door on his office. Just then, the members cried in an instant before Minsu went out of the building, trying to catch up with Ji-Hun who was taking his luggage in the cab.
"JI-HUN!" Minsu said, rushing all the way to the man. Ji-Hun looked in Minsu's direction before Minsu approaches him.
"I love you."
October 12, Wednesday / Practice / Luminous Music Practice Area
It's been days since Ji-Hun left the group. The members literally can't focus on everything they do and they can't even do anything about their situation. The M41 felt so empty without Ji-Hun.
"Can you make your voices loud and clear? I can't almost hear all of you." Their vocal coach said but it wasn't enough for the members to make their voices clear.
"I know this is hard for you guys. But we have to move forward..." Their Vocal coach added as the room became silent.
"We have to proceed forward... For Ji-Hun. He wants this group to succeed... Let's take a break." Their vocal coach gave them time to take a break. as she left the room, The members were still quiet. It doesn't feel the same for them anymore. It was just not right for them.
"It doesn't feel right. This doesn't feel right." Hyun-Jung said, sharing his feelings with the members.
October 13, Thursday / Before Schedule / Dorm
"Still no Ji-Hun, huh?" Hyun-Jung said as soon as he got out of the bathroom. The members can't even respond to it. Minsu was already dressed since he got up earlier than the other members as he was just sitting on the couch, waiting for everyone to finish.
"It's too embarrassing to perform on stage without Ji-Hun. We have a mall guesting schedule today." Minsu softly expressed, Looking down at his palm, as he was bored playing with it. The members and even their leader were quiet after Ji-Hun left the group.
October 13, Thursday / Mall Guesting / Mall
"Let's give it up to, M41!" The host of the event said to the audience using a mic before the members went on the stage, smiling.
"1...2...3."
"Hello, We are M41" The members were trying their best to look at the audience even though the audience knew something was wrong.
"Is M41 a 4-membered group? Where's the other one?"
"Where's Ji-Hun?" People started gossiping in front of the members before the members went to their positions for their performance. The members still tried to smile as they didn't want to ruin the performance. Everything felt so embarrassing for them but they still tried to do their best with it. After the performance, the audience softly applaud before the members thanked them. Just then, after the members went backstage, Minsu started crying.
"Minsu?" Iseul said, looking at Minsu who started shedding tears.
"I can't do this... I'm the reason why Ji-Hun's not here. I'm the reason why Ji-Hun got kicked out of the group..." Minsu said, sobbing before Iseul hugged him, comforting him in the best way possible.
"It's not your fault, Minsu. Everything that happened is not your fault." Iseul whispered to Minsu's ears. Hyun-Jung came close to Minsu to caress his shoulder to comfort Minsu as well.
October 13, Thursday / After Schedule / Dorm
Minsu was still crying after they go home. Their manager can't even do anything since the CEO himself was the one who made the decision. The members all went to the bedroom as they felt so exhausted physically and emotionally from all the mess their CEO gave to them.
"What day do we have no schedule?" Iseul said, looking at the members who seem to be tired.
"Sa...turday" Hyun-Jung said.
"Let's find Ji-Hun on Saturday." After Iseul said that, Minsu, who was facing the wall, looked at Iseul in an instant. Hyun-Jung looked at Iseul as well.
"Did I say something wrong? Am I being canceled right now?" Iseul said, smiling at the members.
October 15, Saturday / No Schedule
"Make sure to have your masks, shades, and cap ready. We don't want other people to see us." Iseul said, already wearing the things he said. After the members were ready, already in disguise, they left their dorm and took the elevator to go to the ground floor.
Once they stepped outside the building, Iseul took a cab and told the driver a location where Ji-Hun might be.
"Where are we going?" Minsu asked.
"This is the first place I knew Ji-Hun is," Iseul answered before the cab stopped right in front of a small house. Iseul paid the driver before the members stepped outside the cab. Iseul slowly walked towards the front door as the members were behind him.
"This is Ji-Hun's parents." Iseul softly said to the members before he knocked three times on the door. Someone answered and opened the door for the members.
"Mom? Someone's at the door..." Ji-Hun's sister said as her parents came to see who it is.
"Hello? Can we help you?" Ji-Hun's Mother said as she looked at the members. Not long, the members took their masks and shades off, which made Ji-Hun's sister scream in happiness.
"M41? OH MY GOD! M41!!!!" Ji-Hun's sister said before her mother covered her mouth.
"Please! Come in!" The mother said as she closed the door behind her after the members went inside.