Chapter 36 - Gege Will Go Nowhere

Jin clenched his fingers into his clothes and closed his eyes. He knew it wasn't his fault. He knew his old friend and band mate passed due to… but there was a part of him that felt it WAS his fault. If he would had picked up that phone call. If he would had visited when his friend asked. Maybe it wouldn't had happened.

'I couldn't! Too many people would follow and know what happened. I couldn't risk it!'

He shouted the excuse in his mind. Suu Jin was seen as a perfect idol prince, one to adore and admire. The truth was, Suu Jin was a coward. He was too afraid to lose his credibility, his title, his stardom. It costed his friendships, his happiness, and his privacy.

"That is enough," Manager Yaotzu frowned with dipped brows, "If you three are to go through with this, you would need to work together and fake it for the cameras. That show records 24/7 and there are mics everywhere. You may even wear some for clearer vocals. Can you do that? If not, then there would only be more speculations and gossips."

"He is right," the former manager sighed, "Your duet is coming out soon. This is a good opportunity to promote in front of millions of people and to show the world good faith with Suu Jin. We may not be happy with the fallout, but we cannot deny his popularity. I won't push you two though, because I know it will be difficult. It is up to you two."

Pangu and Yanny looked at one another before looking at Suu Jin.

They nodded and Suu Jin inwardly sighed.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

==

[Shun was on the hill far enough away from the castle that he could see from where he sat. It looked majestic, beautiful, and a symbol of life. He sighed and picked at the grass below him. Closing his eyes, he hummed an old tune his mother once sang, a lullaby for all the children. When he parted his lids, he found his face heating up when his crush squatted before him.

"You have a nice voice, Prince Shun. Why have I not heard you sing before?"

Prince Peter, the most handsome and perfect prince was here with him. Again. He wasn't complaining! He just wondered why this sought after prince continued to spend time with him, even when his parents were not visiting his mother or father.

"I sang in the light festival," Shun smiled and watched the prince sat beside him.

"I could barely hear your voice," The handsome prince smiled at him, "Could you sing for me?"

He turned away and looked down at the grass. Cheeks flushing and ears hot, he closed his eyes and began singing a hymn of a lost nymph in the magical forest. He felt a hand on his bicep and he turned, still singing, to stare into those pretty eyes that just made him want to swim in them. As his singing slowed, he was wondering if he was imagining Prince Peter leaning forward and how those pretty lips were inching closer and closer-]

"Ah!!!"

Shun quickly shot up, heart beating quickly from his dream and the shout. He looked down to see Ping was screaming in his sleep. Quickly grabbing him into his arms, he rocked the boy and hushed him back to sleep. Humming his mother's tune, he looked over to see the other trainees entering the room. He shook his head and continued to console the shaking child in his arms until Ping was snoring again.

"Is he alright?" Kaiden questioned bending down to touched Ping's forehead.

"A nightmare," Shun replied softly.

"Of what?" Heeang questioned, "I don't have nightmares anymore. Why does he?"

"You are a spoiled rich boy, Heeang. Not everyone has that privilege," Taemeng stated with the coldness of winter.

"What the hell! Why are you always like that with me? Huh? Jealous or something?"

"Oi, let's get out of here. Let him rest," Mikey yawned, "Since I'm already up, I'm gonna get something to eat."

"You keep eating and you'll get fat," Heeang huffed and left the room with the others.

Taemeng and Kaiden stayed. Shun sighed and leaned back in bed to have Ping snuggled closer to him. He reached for the covers, but Taemeng already grabbed it and proceeded to tuck them in. Shun laughed as his face warmed. This Taemeng was actually really sweet, even when he screamed at the boy.

"Gege…" Ping mumbled and then whimpered.

"I am here. Gege is here," Shun spoke softly and carded his fingers through sweaty black hair, "Gege will go nowhere. No one will hurt you again, didi. I promise."

Shun closed his eyes for a moment as he remembered Xiong Shun's past and how they had met.

[Xiong Shun, quiet when not singing or dancing, had been running around the town to get his stamina up. It didn't matter what time of day it was, he had to train and be better, be ready, become able to do anything for the sake of becoming an idol. Pulling out the sweaty earphones, he stopped running and bent his upper body over to take a breather.

The sun was beginning to set, coloring the sky in oranges and yellow.

Deciding to walk the rest of the way home, he heard noises somewhere in between two buildings. The buildings were closed for the day and he furrowed his brows in confusion.

'What was making all those noises then?'

He could hear cans hitting the ground and walls as he neared, then laughter and shouts. When he came into view of what was happening, his brows dipped and his lips scowled. There in front of him were 3 teens he recognized throwing things at a curled up boy.

"Hey!" Shun shouted running toward them, "What the hell are you three doing?!"

"What? It isn't your business! Go away!"

"You must think you are so tough picking on a child," Shun spit out, "Wait until I tell your mother."]