Chapter 324 - FAKE CHAPTER. DON'T UNLOCK

KJ was writing a song in the studio when Dasom burst in, holding his phone in front of him. He was talking via video chat with someone.

"He's here!" Dasom exclaimed at the caller. "KJ is here with me."

"Who is it?" KJ asked. Dasom handed him the phone and to KJ's pleasant surprise, it was Jinhyun.

"KJ!" Jinhyun smiled widely.

"Jinhyun!" KJ greeted. "How are you doing? Why have you been out of touch for so long?"

"The lessons are killing me!" Jinhyun complained. "Studying has never been my strongest suit."

"You shouldn't have left in the first place!" Dasom scoffed. "Being all mighty and honorable. Who gives a shit about all that?"

"You'll never get it!" Jinhyun laughed. "Besides, to be honest, I miss my time with you guys but not the media scrutiny. It used to get on my nerves."

Jinhyun was always vocal about his dislike of the media and it irritated him whenever they were stalked by paparazzi. After his past relationship with another celebrity got media attention, he had avoided dating anyone.

"How are things on your end?" Jinhyun asked. "I saw the wedding pictures Dasom sent me. Both of you looked beautiful. I wish I was there."

There was a hint of regret in his voice. While Dasom had taped the whole wedding ceremony and sent it to him, he sincerely wished he could have attended it in person. Seeing KJ getting married in a proper ceremony was really heartwarming and for a split second, Jinhyun also pictured himself as a groom while his red headed bride beamed at him.

"He's still hung up on that girl from the cafe," Dasom snickered. Ever since Jinhyun had told him about his mystery woman, Dasom had been needling the poor guy continuously.

"What gir?" KJ frowned. "You found someone there?"

"Not from here," Jinhyun said, shaking his head. "I...saw this girl at a cafe back home. And I sorta like her."

"Wait, you were dating someone?" KJ asked in surprise.

"I wasn't dating her," Jinhyun clarified. "I saw a really beautiful girl at a cafe. I was so mesmerised that I drew a portrait of hers on a tissue paper and had a server give it to her."

"You didn't ask her out? That's just insane!" KJ laughed. "You're the Idol King! Any girl would be lucky to go out with you!"

"I will ask her out," Jinhyun said. "Once I come back home, I'll meet up with her. I told her that if she's still single after two years, we'll meet up."

"What makes you so sure that she'll be single?" Dasom asked.

"Yeah, she might find someone else," KJ shrugged.

"Probably," Jinhyun sighed. "But I know she's the one. It doesn't matter whether we meet after two years or twenty. I know she'll be there. This girl is it. I'm telling you. We're fated to be together."

"Please don't tell me you've also thought about the names of your future kids," Dasom said, rolling his eyes. 

To their shock, Jinhyun said, "I did. But it's a secret."

Dasom shook his head in disbelief while KJ smiled at his lovesick friend. Jinhyun was resolute when it came to his own feelings. No matter what happened, his loyalty never faltered and KJ was really happy to see that he was seriously considering a future with someone. 

"Who knows, we might have junior EXOTIC members in the future," Jinhyun mused. 

"Probably," KJ said in a cryptic tone. Someone called for Jinhyun in the background.

"I gotta scoot!" Jinhyun said. "The class is about to start. Bye!"

"Bye!" KJ and Dasom said together before hanging up.

"He looks happy," Dasom remarked.

"Yeah," KJ agreed. "I'm glad he's doing well. I really miss him at times."

"I miss all of EXOTIC," Dasom admitted. "Even Ash."

KJ did not say anything but nodded sadly. He missed being on stage with his members. Even if Ash had betrayed them, the memories they had were irreplaceable. Every moment connect to EXOTIC included Ash and it was impossible to forget his existence.

"I wish things could go back to what they were," Dasom said. "If there was one thing I could remove from the past, is Ash's betrayal. Pretend it never happened and we could go on to remain together as EXOTIC."

"You can't change the past," KJ said. He felt it was ironic coming from him. He may have changed the past but set their future on a destructive mode. Changing the past always had consequences which he learnt the hard way.

"We can't," Dasom agreed. "If only we were not close. I mean, why couldn't we be like other groups? Professional yet distant. EXOTIC started off with four of us who were strangers, bound by business contracts. The closer we got, the worse the feeling of that betrayal was."

He was right. EXOTIC was not like many other music groups which were staying together for the sake of money. They stuck together for their friendship. When their initial contracts were over with Mystic Entertainment, they could have chosen to go their separate ways. Yet, they chose to continue with EXOTIC as a group for a decade. The bond they shared was unshakeable.

"What he did shattered us," KJ said, feeling sad. He was full of regret for not seeing the monster within Ash. The latter had hid that monster so well that even KJ, his closest aide, could not sense it in him. To them, Ash was a quiet and reserved yet caring guy who would look out for his members no matter what.

So how did all come to this?

"If only we could erase him from our minds," Dasom said quietly. 

"EXOTIC is still four members," KJ said firmly. "Betrayal or not, Ash was a core member and we can't change that. As Jinhyun said, it's either all four of us together, or none of us. Because EXOTIC is nothing without any one of us."

He patted Dasom's shoulder. The youngest one was extremely nostalgic over the past couple of days since he was missing his members dearly.

"Thanks KJ," Dasom said, feeling grateful. "For everything you've done for us. I don't think I could have made it this far if you and the others hadn't taken care of me."

"You're our youngest member," KJ smiled. "Our little brother. It was our duty to take care of you. So don't fret. We'll always be there for you. At least I will be."

Dasom gave him a small smile. KJ was right. Despite Ash's betrayal, EXOTIC was and will always remain a quartet. 

It was either all of them or none of them.