Chapter 71 - Just Acquaintances

Suu Jin had gone live.

Everyone who was anyone was watching it. InstaMe almost crashed from it and the chat looked like it was on 100x speed from all the people writing in the chat box. Emerald eyes didn’t bother looking, because those eyes were busy scanning through articles and forums. Yes, the idol prince wanted him to be paired with Xiong Shun, because being fandom shipped was a good way to lead to becoming a couple. Yet, he didn’t expect the silver haired male to receive so much hate.

There was websites and Weebo accounts dedicated to shit talking Shun. Even videos blaming the man for trying to make him, Suu Jin, gay. The ones that made his blood boiled were the ones saying they wished Xiong Shun was dead. He reported those users and those sites. It took him half a day to do so after meeting with his manager, and that in itself made him even angrier.

Xiong Shun’s face, the hurt, the pain in those blue eyes were all he saw since they parted. He knew Shun wouldn’t accept that their relationship must be hidden, that he was dating another, that he would ever thought Shun would still accept him. He rubbed his face and took a deep sigh. Looking at the camera, he smiled and began speaking.

“Hello everyone. Thank you for watching me today. I know many of you have questions and have seen all the stuff written about myself and Xiong Shun.”

He paused and made sure to get his thoughts together.

“Xiong Shun and I are friends, mere acquaintances. He is close to my cousin Ping Ping, so it was no surprised I would meet him too. I have no feelings for him. We are in the same circle, so we are bound to work together as well. I hope you all support us. As far as hate towards him, I know my Cherries would not be the ones to do that, right?”

He smiled with a look that stated, ‘If you did, then you do not deserve to be my fan.’

“I do not take kindly to people who threaten other peoples lives. Please do not be hateful. What do I promote, Cherries? Come on, I know you know it.”

Though the chat was flashing quickly, he saw all the hearts and flowers emotes flooding the chat. He let out a soft chuckle and nodded his head.

‘Good. Let them all remember to never threaten Xiong Shun again!’

“I promote love and happiness. Xiong Shun is a great idol, so please continue to support him. Please, if you have questions on our relationship, there is no need to. Xiong Shun and I are barely friends. He was ill, so I felt I should care for him. My baby cousin Ping Ping is busy debuting with his team, it would hurt him if he knew his best friend was sick. That is all there is. Nothing more.”

He leaned closer to the screen for a moment and sent the most charming smile he could muster.

“Now, I will sing my debut single for you, since my guest starring on Oppa Oppa Show was cancelled.”

Wen Dong and Ping Ping were watching, finally making sure to have their phones with them to check on Shun. Watching Suu Jin… his face… they’ve seen that face before and it only spelt a simmering anger that the idol prince didn’t want to show. Both of them had been there when Jin left 1Luv and when the pinkette was with Gina and that mess of a relationship.

All of them… they’ve seen the face Jin was wearing, but it looked more intense. To everyone else, they wouldn’t recognize the heat in those eyes, but they did.

“Ping Ping…”

“Ah Dong…”

They stared at each other for a moment, as if speaking to one another through blinks. Manager Quang called to them and they let out a deep sigh and stood. Wen Dong quickly ran up to their manager and frowned.

“Manager Quang, Jin just went live, says he is not in a relationship with Shun and they are just acquaintances. Should we do anything? Prep maybe?”

Quang Zhi rubbed his chin and checked his phone for a moment.

“Hm, if they ask, say you are not at liberty to discuss it, or that Suu Jin and Xiong Shun have said their peace.”

Wen Dong nodded and wrapped his arm around Ping’s shoulder. The young pinkette looked up at him with a frown and he sighed. Patting the curly pink hair, he looked over at Tee and Marik at the other end of the other entrance. Waving at them, they smiled and waved back.

“Ping Ping,” Wend Dong shook his shoulders, “Let’s do this!”

“Yay…”

“Ping Ping,” Wen Dong tried again, “Let’s do this!”

“Yay.”

“Ping Ping,” Wen Dong gritted out, “I will trade you with Tee then.”

“No!” The pinkette grabbed and held onto him.

Laughing, he cupped that baby face and looked down so they were looking at one another.

“Let’s do this then!”

Ping let out a laugh and nodded, shaking his shoulders like Wen Dong did. He would do this. He would do it well. For Ah Dong. For Ah Shun. For Ah Jin. For his family.

While Zhi and Mei studio’s new group was showcasing themselves at their 4th television show, the protagonist was lying in his bed. Tears were streaming down his eyes and he continued to wipe them away. In his hand was his phone, and on the screen of his phone was Suu Jin’s live.

Shun had replayed it over and over on the specific part where they were nothing more than acquaintances. Nothing more. They were nothing. They were always nothing.

'This was how Suu Jin felt, this whole time…'

“I hate you. I hate your stupid face and your stupid smile and your stupid laugh and your stupid touches and your stupid kisses and your stupid stupid stupid!”

Shun growled at himself for acting this way. Suu Jin was nothing to him now! Just acquaintances?! Hah! They would become nothing then! Shun would never see that stupid pink hair idol prince again!

Sitting up, he wiped at his face forcefully. Slapping his cheeks to get rid of his heartache, he was determined to not let Suu Jin ever get in his way aga-

*Ring Ring*

His heart sure was not listening to him.