"Rising Stars?" Jia asked, her mouth agape.
Her mother had always been with 'Crawling Man,' yet now she's a part of Azure and 'Rising Stars?'
"Yes," Cindy cheerfully exclaimed. "Have you heard of that show? I know you're not fond of idols, but you may want to give it a shot now that your mom is editing the show."
"Uh, sure, yeah," Jia awkwardly said, reaching for the glass of water. "So, you were in the Azure headquarters just now?"
"Yeah," Cindy answered. "We're busy editing the elimination episode. Actually, the reason why I came so late is because of this one trainee. He suddenly barged into my office and asked me to give him a good edit. Can you believe it? He's a fool if he thinks I'll conform to his requests," Cindy scoffed.
"Who is it?" Jia asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. She wasn't interested in any other trainee except for June, but she still wanted to keep up with the drama of the show.
"I think you might be familiar with him even if you don't watch Rising Stars. He's been all over the news these days. June, was it? That trainee—"
Water spilled out from Jia's mouth like a water fountain, wetting the ingredients laid out on the table.
"Jia!" Cindy exclaimed, quickly retrieving a napkin. "What was that for?"
Jia ignored her mother's scolding and harshly wiped the water on the corner of her lips.
"June? June, you said?" Jia clarified.
Cindy was still confused as to why her daughter was acting that way. She continued to wipe the table as she answered Jia.
"Yes, June. Choi Joon-ho," her mother said. "Does that name ring a bell?"
Jia felt her heart stop, and then she leaned against her chair to properly internalize the news her mom had shared.
June? The love of her life, June, personally went to her mom's office...and she wasn't there?
This was preposterous!
"So, do you know him?" Cindy asked.
"Know him?" Jia exclaimed. She practically breathes in June! June is her life!
"Well, as I said, he told me to edit him well on the elimination episode. But there's no way I'm going to do that," Cindy continued.
"Did you at least listen to his reason?" Jia asked.
"There's no use," Cindy responded. "I don't want to talk with the likes of him. He thinks that he could order me around just because his parents are Choi Si-woo and Choi Min-ah."
"It hasn't been proven," Jia quickly defended.
"What?" Cindy asked.
"It hasn't been proven yet," Jia repeated, slower this time. "Sure, there is evidence out there. But there's nothing that directly points June as the son of the Chois."
Cindy suspiciously raised his eyebrows. "You seem to know an awful lot about this issue."
Jia merely sighed. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with being the son of rich investors."
"There is a problem," Cindy countered. "Especially when said parents are the ones responsible for rigging the last season of the show he's currently in."
"You don't know his backstory," Jia stubbornly said.
"And you don't know his backstory, too," Cindy countered. "I'm sensing something here. Do you know this guy?"
"I know him better than you," Jia stuck her chin up.
"Since when did you become a fan of idols?" Cindy asked. "I thought you weren't interested in any of that."
"Well, you thought wrong," Jia said. "Things have changed, and maybe if you would have contacted me more often, then you would know about my hobbies."
Cindy let out a deep sigh. "That's why I said I'm going to make it up to you, right?"
"You want to make it up to me, huh?" Jia asked.
Cindy nodded. "Yes."
Jia smirked as she looked her mom in the eyes. "If you really want to make it up to me…then do this for me, Mom."
***
June sighed in frustration as he walked out of the Azure headquarters.
After Minjun gave him a cute little speech about his parents, he suddenly felt awakened.
June cared too much about something he couldn't change, and it was amazing how a pep talk with a little kid was the only thing that changed his mind.
Of course, he could have done this the easier way. June could have taken up Minjun's offer to post June's real story, and that would have eased the situation a little bit. It would also be the faster route. However, this method wouldn't really ensure that people are going to believe in the post. In their minds, June was already the son of rich tycoons who didn't have a sense of humanity.
So, in the end, he decided to go for the longer, more satisfying route.
While filming the elimination episode, June was itching to curse Robby off and tell everyone the truth. However, he held back.
June made a conscious decision to remain silent during the elimination episode to remain ambiguous. He knew that by not revealing his thoughts, he had kept everyone guessing.
His decision to stay silent wasn't just about ambiguity; it was also a strategic move. June understood the power of perception. By not speaking, he had made himself appear more pitiful, and right now, he knew that sympathy would be his most valuable currency.
June's plan was to ask for an interview similar to the one that Ren and the others had — one that only he and the editing team would know about.
However, that plan all went down the drain after Cindy didn't even bother listening to his proposition. June was sure that he'd melt the older woman's heart once she heard about his real situation.
Luckily for June, he had a backup plan.
He's very determined to show everyone that they are wrong, and he can even go as far as doing this.
June brought out his phone along with a calling card from his wallet. Then, he dialed the number. It didn't take long before the person answered.
"Who the fuck is calling me at night?" the man cursed.
"It's me," June said in a deep voice.
"June?"
"Yes," he confirmed. "Are you still down for that half-naked shoot?"
