Chapter Eighteen 

Without knowing the sole reason, SEVENTEEN has been summoned to a sudden meeting at the entertainment without another word. Their manager had arrived at their dorm at around one in the afternoon and had dragged them all out and into the mini van they used to travel around with. 

"What's this about, hyung?" Seungcheol asked, leaning closer to the front seat of the mini van. Everyone was nothing but confused about the abrupt situation. What exactly was going on?

"You'll find out at the entertainment," was all their manager said. 

All of the members anxiously looked at each other, trying hard to predict what exactly was happening. Was there a sudden comeback proposal? Did a song of theirs get leaked to the media? Or was there something they didn't know of?

Shortly, SEVENTEEN had arrived in Pledis Entertainment, and to their surprise, there were a bunch of reporters waiting outside for them. Extra security had been summoned to act as a human barrier from SEVENTEEN and the reporters. 

Even if they were quickly rushed inside, Dino was able to catch a sentence from a reporter's mouth, "Is it true that you're dating Hwan Hyejin?"

In an instant, Dino could already sense that the entire meeting in the entertainment would be because of him. He wanted to doubt himself, but he had a strong gut feeling that he couldn't ignore. 

They were in the meeting room inside the entertainment, secured safely from the reporters outside. SEVENTEEN was nothing but confused when they were seated down, waiting for someone else to come. 

That someone else ended up being the CEO of their entertainment. And it had to be a big issue if the CEO were to get involved. 

"Do you all know why you are here?" the CEO, Han Sungsoo, asked after everyone was seated. 

SEVENTEEN shook their head as they looked over to each other. Seungcheol was the most worried. As a leader, he has to lead them properly. If he fails to do his job, he will be the one who will take the fall. 

Dino was afraid that others would get hurt by his selfish actions. If what the reporter outside asked had something to do with the meeting they were having right at that very second, it meant that something had happened overnight. What exactly could it be?

Han Sungsoo's eyes traveled across the SEVENTEEN members before it landed on the youngest. "Lee Chan."

Dino was startled by the sudden call, especially since it was their CEO who had called them. "Y-yes?"

"Do you know what you have done?" There was a serious tone evident in his voice. 

Dino slowly shook his head. "I don't think so?"

Han Sungsoo sighed, his shoulders were slowly hunched. "Lee Chan, the news all over the Internet are about you and Hwan Hyejin."

The silent room was then filled with small gasps as the members's eyes slowly widened. 

"What?" Dino was just as shocked as the others. So this has something to do with last night. And I thought I was careful enough to not get caught...

"Yes," Han Sungsoo answered, rubbing his temple. "So much has been caused. Luckily, the damage is minor. Just tell me, Lee Chan. True or false. Are you dating Hwan Hyejin?"

Dino's heart raced after hearing the question. This was what it was all about? A scandal?

"Lee Chan. Please answer me."

Dino lifted his head to look at their CEO and finally shook his head. "No, daepyonim. I am not dating her."

"Are you telling the truth?" Han Sungsoo had his fair share of doubts. 

"He's telling the truth, daepyonim," Wonwoo interjected all of a sudden. 

"Yeah," Jeonghan added, firmly nodding his head. 

"Okay, how about I change the question? Lee Chan, do you like her?" 

There it was. The question had arose. Either way, Dino knew the day where he would have to be honest would come. He just was never sure what to do. To tell the truth or think of a believable lie?

Dino looked at the others for reassurance. Seungcheol was telling him it was alright with just his eyes. Jeonghan worriedly glanced at the youngest. Joshua looked confused as always. Jun too. Hoshi was silent, together with Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu and The8. Seungkwan was silently observing and probably thinking about what he could do to help. Hansol was giving Dino a small smile when he glanced over to him. 

My members... I have failed them all, haven't I?

"Lee Chan, you still haven't given me an answer," Han Sungsoo repeated, a little impatient this time. Outside, they could hear more screeching of tires and the flash of cameras. They were loud. "You kids can hear that, right? We need to know the truth in order to calm the storm. Lee Chan, I want you to be very honest and tell me the entire story. Now."

Dino silently sighed before he began without looking at the other members—he was too afraid of the emotions they will hold, "Yes, I do like her, daepyonim. But I have never once confessed to her or asked her to be my girlfriend. We're pretty much just close friends."

Han Sungsoo snapped his fingers and in an instant, a man carried a laptop to place in front of the CEO. Han Sungsoo turned the laptop around so that SEVENTEEN would be able to see what was on the screen and finally pressed play. 

It was a video clip that was going viral around the news. It was a video taken from last night. A perfect captured video of when Hyejin and Dino waved goodbye before they both headed home after hanging out alone together. 

"Would you like to explain this, Chan?"

Dino had never felt so enraged with different emotions. He promised to protect her and his group but he wasn't to protect a single thing. He knew of the consequences, and he was careful. But why was he not careful enough?

"We are not dating, that is the end of everything. That's all that matters, isn't it?" Dino was trying hard not to raise his voice, but because the emotions came rushing in, he couldn't help but slightly raise it at the CEO. His eyes trembled with tears he was trying to hold back. They weren't tears of sadness. They were hot, angry tears. 

"Yes. It doesn't matter afterwards. If it is true that you two aren't dating, it will be easier. We can sue the person who uploaded this video and go on with our schedules. Since these are false matters and articles, they will not affect us whatsoever. Understood?" Han Sungsoo looked around to make sure that everyone understood what he was saying. 

"Yes," everyone else replied before they were dismissed. 

Once outside, Dino stormed out on the other members. He needed some alone time. He needed to calm down. 

He was slowly caught up by Seungcheol and Jeonghan, who held him back from causing another scene. 

"Hyung! Please! I want to be alone." The tears slowly streamed down. Feelings overwhelmed him and he wasn't sure what to do. 

"I would let you have that alone time if we were back in the dorm, but we're not. It's risky to lose yourself to your feelings here, Dino. So many eyes will be watching. We don't want more articles to arise," Seungcheol reasoned out to him. 

"Dino, please, just wait until we had back to the dorm. Okay?" Jeonghan lightly pleaded. 

Seeing that the members were getting affected by his feelings, Dino snapped out of it and tried to calm down. Wiping away the hot tears, Dino nodded and followed the two back to the group. 

"Dino..." Mingyu said, walking over to him. 

Jun threw his arms over the youngest. Without a word, he comforted him with a hug. The8 slowly joined after, gently patting him on the shoulder. 

"Dino, you are not alone. Don't ever forget that," Seungcheol told him, cupping the youngest's face. 

"You'll always have us by your side," DK said, smiling at him. 

"Come on, we have to get back to the dorm. The maknae's not doing too well," Woozi said. 

"Okay, everyone. Let's continue this at the dorm," Jeonghan said, slowly guiding a few members in the front. 

Strategically, they all walked in a group with the maknae in the middle, so that he would be protected. He was too young—at least, in the others's perspective—to deal with something like this. 

The shutters of cameras gone off while other cameras were turned on for recording. More reporters had arrived at Pledis Entertainment and were trying their best to get SEVENTEEN's attention. Luckily, they made sure every little word made it out through one ear after entering the other. 

Once in the mini van, Dino looked out of the tinted window and felt the hot tears stream down his eyes without his consent. He closed his eyes, tired of all the emotions that has came rushing in. 

Hoshi, who was sitting next to him in the mini van, reached out for the maknae's head and pulled it closer until it rested on the older one's shoulder securely. Without any words, the members knew how to take care of each other. Though they might fight and get into heated arguments, at the end of the day, it was because they loved each other too much and they wanted only the best for everyone. 

That was how Dino felt too. He wanted to do his best to protect everyone around him and he would get too sensitive that he'd say things he would never mean. Even if he would get mad at the members for not listening to him or simply because of a stupid reason, in the end, he still loved and care for them. 

What about Hyejin? Hyejin was the one person whom he wanted to protect with his entire life, yet, he was not able to do even that. He had failed her. He had one job, yet he failed. 

Dino tried not to cry out loud in the mini van because his manager would be able to hear him. But even idols had their breaking points. This was Dino's.

+ + + 

"Here, some hot milk," The8 said, kindly handing him a red mug filled with hot milk that he whipped up from the kitchen. 

Dino weakly smiled at his hyung before taking it from him. "T-thanks, hyung..."

"I hope you'll get better soon, maknae. We don't even know how Hyejin's taking all of this," The8 said, sighing. 

Of course. Hyejin. 

If Dino was not handling this well, how was Hyejin handling it? From her book on Wattpad, she mentioned something about not being able to deal with big news. She would go into shock, for a day or even a week. Dino grimaced, hoping she would be fine. Although he wasn't there to comfort her directly, he hoped she would at least be able to feel his concerned heart. 

I'm so sorry. I failed everyone. SEVENTEEN, Hyejin, my company. I have caused the group's name to get tagged along with a stupid scandal that isn't true. I have triggered Hyejin to fall into a shock. Why can I never protect the things I love around me? Why do I always end up destroying them? I'm so sorry, everyone. I wish I could disappear one day. I want to disappear. And when I do, I hope no one finds me. 

~Author's Notes~ 

Short chapter, I'm sorry T.T And, Dino, no... :(