It was raining cats and dogs, turning the streets into rivers of gray. Office workers, drenched and miserable, walked along the sidewalk, their minds far from the usual gossip and office politics. All they wanted was to escape the gloomy weather and curl up in the warmth of their hos. But as they arrived at the lobby of Azure's building, they couldn't help but talk about yesterday's biggest revelation.
"Can we even take him back?" one woman whispered, her coat soaked at the hem.
"We can't!" her colleague hissed, shaking his head as he tightened his grip on his briefcase. "The contract is void. Besides, they already replaced him with Joonie."
"Honestly, it's a loss on our part. We let go of one of the biggest idols of the generation. We should have waited until he was proven guilty or innocent."
They both shivered, though it wasn't just from the cold. The news had rocked Azure Entertainnt to its core. June-the golden boy of EVE, their moneymaker-had been proven innocent. The charges that had turned his world upside down had crumbled to dust, leaving everyone wondering what was to happen next.
As the conversation died, the office workers caught sight of soone walking toward the building. They blinked, unsure if they were seeing things.
"Is that...June?"
June strolled through the office like the sun had broken through just for him. He wasn't hunched over or hiding under a hood. He walked confidence that turned heads even on a gloomy day like this. His smile was radiant, and his posture scread freedom, as if he wasn't just accused!
The office workers were left frozen, jaws slack as he passed by, heading straight for the doors of Azure.
Much to their surprise, June stopped before them, his wet hair clinging onto his hair and so droplets on his skin. Nonetheless, it didn't make him less good-looking. Instead, it made him look even more charming!
"Can I please use your ID cards to enter?" he asked with a bright smile. "I already lost my card."
The office workers turned to each other before absent-mindedly agreeing.
Inside, the atmosphere was no less tense. Up in Lei's office, things were falling apart faster than anyone could control.
"How can this be?" Lei's voice cut through the room as he slamd the phone down. His sharp eyes turned toward Dan, who stood awkwardly by the door.
Dan winced, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "I-I don't know. She changed her story. There's nothing we can do about it now, sir."
Lei paced the room, his mind racing. "Nothing we can do? Are you kidding ? We had everything planned!" His hands clenched into fists. "Where's Scar?"
"Scar?" Dan squeaked, shifting uncomfortably. "Well, I still can't reach her. Her family—" "They've disappeared," Lei growled. "You don't think I know that?"
Dan swallowed hard. Scar had been their trump card-the girl who had been at the club that night, who could have buried June with one testimony. Lei had promised her an acting contract, a fast track to the spotlight if she just did this one thing. And she had agreed, reluctantly. But now? She was gone, vanished like smoke in the wind.
"The photos you have," Lei continued, his voice low and dangerous, "are worthless. They only show him in the club. They don't prove anything."
Dan remained silent, trying to co up with a response, but nothing he could say would calm Lei down.
"And now the victim's family is off the grid." Lei pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. "She's out of our reach. There's no witness left to pin this on him." "Maybe we can still—" Dan started, but he was cut off when the door creaked open.
June stepped into the room, bringing with him a sudden, almost eerie calm. He didn't seem fazed by Lei's fury or Dan's nervous energy. He was just... there, smiling like a man who had co out of the storm on the other side.
"I'm just here to collect sothing," June said, his voice as smooth as ever.
Lei's eyes narrowed. "Jay already collected all your items," he spat through gritted teeth. "You can't be here. You're not part of Azure anymore."
June's gaze drifted lazily across the room before landing on Lei. The tension was thick, and Dan felt a chill creep up his spine as June and Lei locked eyes. There was sothing unspoken between them, sothing that made Dan want to be anywhere but here.
"Did you renovate your office?" June asked. "Why does it look...worse than before? Did you lose all of the money once I was out of the company?" June asked in a teasing tone.
For a mont, silence hung in the air. Then, Lei sneered. "You still think you can continue your career like this? Even with the charges dropped, you're nothing without EVE. The other companies won't touch soone like you-a defiant, troubleso idol with no loyalty to their agency."
June's smile didn't falter. In fact, it seed to widen. "Is that what you think?"
Lei's expression hardened. "I know it."
June's eyes sparkled with amusent. "Let's see."
Dan shifted on his feet, glancing nervously between the two of them. He wasn't sure what was more unsettling-Lei's barely contained rage or June's calmness.
"You're not going to find another company," Lei continued, his voice laced with venom. "You think you can walk out of here and just sign with soone else? You're dreaming. The industry doesn't work like that. No one wants a liability."
June chuckled softly, shaking his head as if Lei had just told him a joke. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not here to tornt you, Lei."
Lei raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that. "Then why are you here?"
June paused, his eyes locking with Lei's again. "I'm just here to say thank you."
The words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to go off. Lei and Dan both looked at him,
confused.
"Thank you?" Lei echoed, his tone sharp with disbelief.
June's smile never wavered. "Yeah. Thanks for letting out of Azure for free."
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