~You're quite young, what a shame.~
"I knew it! Eiziel, how is this fine? Isn't the symptoms getting worse? This isn't normal anymore, you know?" Ilina felt a headache and held back the urge to pace back and forth while berating her young careless and hard-headed son. After she heard an incident happened to her youngest, she even ditched her beloved husband who she was accompanying on a business trip to make sure her child was fine. But she would just be welcomed by his uncaring attitude as if she was only making a big deal out of nothing!
The young man who took mostly her features and her mother's still looked calm in the sofa while sipping coffee. His distinctive face seductive and arrogant even if he was quiet, making it obvious that he was never well-behaved.
She put her phone down on the coffee table and drank some tea to settle down her worries and impulse to get angry at her lovely son who she felt needed some spanking. "Why can't you take this seriously? I've had it checked from a reliable elder and it was said that the problem might not just result to you being alone your whole life, it might even put you in danger. Even your fortune isn't that different from what the doctors said!"
Eiziel smiled calmly as he put his cup down gently, his pair of attractive dark eyes curved showing a confident and unaffected glint and his wild, seductive charm were multiplied by the beauty mark on the left corner of his eyes. "Chill, mom. I'm fine. It was just caused by stress and exhaustion. You shouldn't believe in things without much basis of. The future won't be that easy to predict. I'm the one who controls my life."
"I've heard that before." The ageless beauty looked at her son without any trust.
"I'll be cutting back my works for a while if you're really insisting. Anyways, my scheduled gigs had already been finished. I'll lay low from the industry for a while. I'll be better after a rest."
...
"I'm not fine!! Why am I not getting better?!" Eiziel lamented sadly. "I can't have sex! Fuck, it's so frustrating!"
A beautiful young woman in a formal office attire that showed her appeal sadly pat the lonely and burdened back of the pititiful man who were crying on the table. "There, there. We can find a solution. I will surely help you."
The usually glamorous and gorgeous man who were just pulling his hair in frustration now looked like a madman but actually could easily mingle in the cutthroat entertainment industry in one of the first rate countries where competitions weren't anything like elsewhere, sniffled as he looked at the woman with gratefulness. "Diane! You're so nice! Wuwuwu! I don't want to die a virgin."
Diane nodded with determination much more than her dedication to her works as a very capable special assistant. "My idol will definitely push down men and create a rated pg scene with them!"
"Can you do that elsewhere?" Stefan who have a dull expression as he looked at the two really inconsiderate people who really doesn't care where they were. Not only was he the only one doing work here for a long time now, he couldn't even focus on anything with their noises after Eiziel barged in his office and Diane followed after somehow knowing the former's visit and his ears and soul were being hurt by their choice of subject. He wasn't even angry about how his beloved fiancé dropped everything to come by not for him but for Eiziel. He just wanted peace so he could finish his works and could finally sleep to escape the truth that he wasn't loved as much as his cousin who's only similar to her beloved characters in the novels and comics she reads and is a really talented celebrity.
The two who were in the middle of praising each other looked at him simultaneously and narrowed their eyes.
Stefan who felt his hairs standing up with those sharp looks stopped the urge to hurriedly put his paperworks up to cover his face and felt the need to show his pride as a man so he didn't back down and even offered some advice. "Isn't the root of the problem with you being unable to finally be deflowered is because you refuse to try what your doctor and Auntie Ilina had been suggesting? If you keep on being stubborn and doesn't acknowledge it, how are you going to have sex?"
As if he was taken aback by the truth, the person who could be shameless and dirty just to not be out-argued blinked in surprise and couldn't make a coherent answer for a while. "Well,… that…"
"Stefan has a point there, Eiz. Maybe you should try it first. If it doesn't work and nothing changed, we could just find another way. Cutting corners here is pretty risky and solving it normally might be more safe."
Stefan who quickly made a conclusion that if Eiziel went away to heal his soul and maybe become pure and less thick-faced, Diane would definitely spend more time as his future wife without thinking of her idol. Feeling excited that a bright future might be near, his eyes softened and nodded enthusiastically. His Vijandre genes increasing making Diane blushed a bit.
Eiziel didn't notice that the couple in front of him began making eyes at each other and got lost in thought. It's not like there was anything heavy of a reason on why he kept ignoring his love ones convincing of him to go and heal himself. There wasn't a traumatic or life changing experience anymore. As a healthy, a bit vain person, how could Eiz accept the fact that his mental state wasn't quite normal and he was sick in the brain?
He was perfectly fine. These past few years, he had been in a number of relationship and don't have any problems with being intimate with his ex-lovers. He wasn't ready to be serious then and he just got curioused about sex when he was 23. So he went and tried it but who knew…
Anyways, more than being sick, it was now a big deal for him not being able to have sex. He was obviously above most people in almost everything, not being able to do what normal people do is a huge damage to his ego.
Then, if going back to his home country could maybe cure this bizarre condition, then he'll go.
"Then I'll go." After making a decision, Eiziel was back to his confident and composed self again as he stood up, the grace learned and ingrained to him ever since was back again. "It's unexpected that I'll have my first time with a hunk from the same country after all these years but it's fine, too."
Stefan: "I don't think that's the point."
Not caring for Stefan, Eiziel went and hurriedly prepare for the trip.
Not long after, Eiziel arrived in S country. It was the middle of the year so the weather wasn't much different from A country. He looked at his companions and noticed how dark his cousin's face. "What's with you? Is that jetlag?"
"It is," Stefan could only say. Of course not! Heck, his vacation that could have been just a world for two with Diane have to be spent with this problem child, how could he be happy? If he could be away from Eiziel, he would gladly worked tirelessly for a year but who would've thought that he would be shameless and take his girlfriend with him on his search for his sex cure! It was rare as well, as their older cousin would keep an eye and help with their work. Well, it was actually for Eiziel as the family were supportive of him finally agreeing on finding a solution for his peculiar condition. Stefan wasn't even invited. But how could he let Diane be alone with Eiziel for a long time? Be lead astray wasn't a problem, the possibility of cheating were zero. Stefan might be overthinking but he was afraid of being forgotten by his fiance. It nearly happened before so he have to guard more to make sure there won't be a possibility of it ever happening this time.
In the name of being a representative of the family's support, here he was, conscientiously offering himself as a free manual labor.
While Stefan deals with their luggage and waiting for the car that will fetch them, Diane took out her tablet and showed her research to Eiziel beside her about things in the country but it was mostly about the entertainment industry. "…Some shifts had happened to the business lately and the tension of competitions between agencies had become much fierce as a new but strong player had came in strong in the game. Idol groups and net personalities were on the rise as a result of the movements behind the scene," Diane smiled in a way that could only mean that she was thinking of an evil plan. "So it won't be hard to swept up an existing but crumbling company to save us the effort of starting from scratch."
"I thought you're going to lay low for a while?" Stefan asked after catching up to the two heartless people.
"It will just be a casual thing. After all, this industry is where beautiful boys are."
Stefan scoffed at his cousin's pretentious posing. "You sound like a lustful pedo— Oof!"
Eiziel smiled charmingly at Diane who elbowed her tactless boyfriend. "Looks like we'll be here for a while. I'm gonna visit the restroom for a sec."
The airport was a bit empty as not much of events were going on right now as holidays of the country had just passed but there was still a lot of people looking at the three tall individuals on a corner and though their faces were covered by either glasses or masks and were wearing casual clothes, it couldn't be denied that they were excellent people based on their movements and there was a high chance they were good-looking as well.
Especially the other man who were extremely eye-catching even though he wasn't doing anything special.
Eiziel had always been used to being the center of attention, especially after he went to work as a model and a part-time actor so he just flashed a teasing smile to the people who couldn't help but sneek a couple of looks at his way while he was walking towards the restroom making a few people blush and their heartbeats sped up.
On seeing the line in the restroom, he felt a bit reluctant but was mostly lazy to go around finding another one so Eiz just stood on the back of the line. Seeing that it would take a while, he also fished out his phone like the others and went to look for the current news in the country.
As men weren't that fussy doing their thing in the restroom, the line moved at a faster speed than the women's restroom on the side and Eiziel could hear clearly what they were talking about as they looked on their phones and gossiped with their friends when he was nearing at the entrance.
"Hansel is finally being axed from the drama. Ah! Finally."
"Yeah. I've always felt that Rocen's part on Love High is just redundant and unnecessary. Whenever he was shown, it was always just being a good for nothing gangster antagonizing everyone."
"He's an effective bully but I get tired with the same thing over and over again. Seriously, it's obvious how hateful he is when the crew have to just give him the same script so he could act with the other outstanding actors."
"In my whole history of living he's the only one I keep on seeing in the internet with nothing but scandals."
"Yeah. All he's ever done is trash youths role. I now feel hateful and tired seeing his face. Seriously. Bad publicity is still a publicity but aren't they lunatics for just promoting a waste of space? He's clearly not an idol."
"Well, anyways, I also hope he stopped being a bother anymore with this last work. Isn't the last scene of that attention whore is him being sent away by his family? Will the shooting be here? I wanna see him and throw some rotten tomatoes or something."
"Stupid. The episode is on tomorrow night. The crew had definitely finished the scenes already. They need to edit it and such."
Eiziel looked at the direction of the girls talking with a bit loud voices but didn't think much of it and just entered the bathroom as it was his turn.
.
Thank goodness the restrooms were clean. After finishing his business, Eiziel washed his hands and made his way back to his companions. He had forgotten about the things he'd heard as he doesn't care much. He had known from the start that entertainment industry had always been a murky circle. Luck, talent and being flexible could land you to the top. There was so much to look out for and a few things needed to be sacrificed but just one wrong move could lead an aspiring celebrity to be buried until they can't even appear anywhere near everything relating to the show business.
He was passing under a balcony on the second floor of the airport when he felt a familiar feeling like when a camera was focused on him and a shadow loomed over him making Eiziel instinctively paused his steps. When he made a quick glance on what it was, he saw that it was a man who had jumped off from the stairs on the side. He stood straight and the eyes underneath his blue fringe glowed as he looked at Eiziel.
Eiziel remained unblinking as he quickly analyzed the situation and observed the other.
Two tall and good-looking figures stood face to face in close proximity for a while as they looked at each other making the people nearby who saw what happened and the others who were attracted by the sudden changed of mood felt confused.
The taller man with a lazy posture wearing a black hoodie with his blue hair messed up from the jump and covered up his eyes, smirked in a way that makes those who saw feel he was up to no good then suddenly removed the sunglasses of the man in a light long sleeves shirt. The man already was quite eye-catching even with the glasses but now that his face were shown fully, some people couldn't help but gasp as they have now know what a seductive beauty really looks like with him raising his eyebrows a little and narrows his dark attractive eyes making the mole on the end of his eyes be highlighted adding to his appeal.
In a quiet surrounding, a low timbre voice with a slight teasing and naughty tone tickled everyone's ears was heard. "As expected. How good-looking." It wasn't sure if he was happy or mocking but the laugh with that comment made some people's hearts skipped a little.
Oho. Eiziel's lips curved up a little in interest but even before he could open his mouth to answer, a commotion upstairs broke the weird mood and the man in front of him glanced at that direction. The smile disappeared and Eiziel could feel a dark and big anger emanating from the other for a while before disappearing making one think if it was only his imagination as he smiled widely.
Eiziel looked at the second floor and saw some people looking down. "There he is! Please don't run anymore, young master!"
"See ya." Eiziel heard before a gust of wind from the man's movement passed by him as the man ran then chucked back the glasses he removed from Eiziel.
Eiziel remained standing after smoothly catching his sunglasses while looking at the man who was running and the people who was after him passed by then he put his sunglasses back. After he couldn't see them anymore, Eiziel continued making his way back while connecting informations and making a guess about the interesting encounter in his head.
"You look like you're in a good mood. Did you dumped a big one in the—"
Eiziel remained unaffected by his stupid cousin after giving him a kick and saw a car stopping not far and a uniformed driver got down holding a sign with their names. "Let's go. Our ride is here."
.
A while later, on the same spot near the restroom, a tall man wearing a simple shirt with an eyeglasses and mask made a disappointed sound as he looked around. He touched his nape and some of his blue hair then he pulled down the visor of his hat as he sighed. As expected, huh.
.
Stefan with his insistence of not letting his girlfriend finally venture the wrong path by being with Eiziel for a long time chose to live in a bought house from a friend while his cousin would stay in a villa that's under their family's properties. The two house were quite far from each other but was in the same area so it wouldn't be hard to visit each other.
Eiziel doesn't have much of opinion about it as he refused to stay with a lovey-dovey couple, in addition to his cousin being extremely irritating at times.
After settling down and resting for more than a day, Eiziel welcomed Diane in the new place he would live in to plan for their next move. Looking for cure and whatnot, he won't be able to just stay at a place without doing anything for a long time. He wont be able to stand boredom and being idle. Anyways, from what he saw, it looked like the entertainment world in the country would be fun to join in. He was up to it even if it would be challenging. The more exciting it was, the better.
So the rest of the second day in the country were spent analyzing how things in the industry worked. Stefan passed up the work not different from his usual days and volunteered to be the assistant to two thorough people who even traced and predicted the stock market. After ordering some take outs as their dinner, Stefan who can't tune in and keep up with their dedication and diligence parked himself quite away from them. After lessening his presence on the other end of the couch, the 'assistant'' decided to slack and began scrolling through his phone. He became bored and even looked through the current gossips and such in the country.
"Oh. Eiz, you're trending." He said after seeing a news and a photo of Eiziel. There was even a video where he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday so it wasn't just a made up post to gather attention. "Looks like you were filmed in a shooting yesterday. The drama crew had made it clear but lots of people were speculating that you're here to work." Stefan laughed after seeing some haters but coughed when he looked up and saw that he was being watched by two scary people. "Some said that your glory days abroad had ended and could only return home with your tail between your legs to beg some scraps in the country."
"Aren't you happy?" Eiziel commented calmly.
"Cough," Stefan quickly straightened his expression and pressed down the feeling of laughing on his cousin's account as he handed his phone. "I'm just glad that we're having free publicity and wouldn't have to spend money on it."
Ignoring the idiot, Eiziel read some posts and he looked for a bit more on the flow of the discussion to understand the situation. As expected, what happened yesterday was a shooting where the director wanted a more natural reactions from passer-bys and some realim to the scene. It was a pretty gutsy move that needed the actor's skillful execution of his role. Well, it was that or just a way to put someone in trouble. It was maybe the latter after he remembered the conversation he heard about that person yesterday.
Remembering the interesting man, Eiziel made a note to himself to look more later and didn't pay any thought to the dissing about him. The insults were totally just made up, downplaying his image and the obvious paid accounts would mention names from time to time, praising them. He scoffed at it and tossed the phone back to Stefan. He have few works and his aim for being in the industry wasn't for money or popularity. He doesn't even have an account on social media available for the public. He had never needed public opinion or care about it.
"Sure. How pitiful I've become that I could only buy an entertainment agency to have some work. Buhuhuhu." He uttered dripping with sarcasm. "Woe is me that my assistant could only be a poor domineering president. Haa. I've really fallen so low."
"Yeah, how pititiful." Stefan stood up after hearing the doorbell and spare himself from the anger. He consoled himself as he made his way back with their takeouts that he would have his turn of making fun of his abnormal cousin. Or maybe he should pay some professional internet dissers himself as from the look of how passive these fake anti-fans are, it clearly looked like the person that hired them were on a small budget.
Diane heard the evil cackle of her sweetheart and knew that he was planning something that would probably blow back to his face and lovingly told him off. "Stop thinking of stupid things and hurry with the food. I'm hungry."
The henpecked future husband quickly forgot his petty revenge and quickly served the food.
.
After finishing his scouting their future work field with Diane, Eiziel remembered that he reminded himself to personally check out the interesting man he met yesterday as he was having a hot bath in the tub. Although, Diane had already told him a short introduction about Blaze, the idol group the man were a part of, as it was under an old agency but it wasn't doing great even before and Diane classified Sweet Potato Entertainment as a company that needed an overhaul to get back on its feet. She said that Blaze were the only ones who were keeping the agency intact and they weren't doing a good job with their choices for the band's development. Knowing that the group had only debuted for a year and couldn't even make a physical album then were drowned by scandals but could still be popular and keep a dying company going, just made him more curious.
So he picked up his phone on the side and searched for the Love High's official website. Eiziel looked at the comments but couldn't make anything out of it, he chose to watch a few episodes. Broadcasting platforms were getting as popular as the television so dramas could now be watched in the net without the hassle of long commercials with a low price and could start watching it from the start even if the drama were now ending.
The drama were the common fairytale youth love with just different conflicts and tragic spice to it with a cast of good-looking artists as the finishing touches. Similar to what he heard, the man called Rocen really have the same script. Eiziel opened another page to looked at the man's past roles and it was really the same! Without making a guess on it or jumping to conclusions, he went back to the drama's latest episodes then watched the part he was accidentally added in and his interest were picked once more seeing the talent on this particularly good looking man.
If his act throughout the drama were monotonously antagonist, the last part where he jumped down from a relatively high height as he was escaping from his escorts and encountered Eiziel in a short moment gave the 'Hansel' character a different feel to it making the viewers think more of his actions in the past. Especially when it came to the scene where he was handcuffed in his family's private jet. His posture was casual and languid making those who saw him think that he doesn't care about anything at all and just wanted conflicts but when the camera zoomed in to his face as he looked out of the window, the man's brown red eyes slightly obscured by his blue hair somewhat looked glassy and unwilling. When the plane started to take off, his eyelids droop and the shadow casted by his long, pretty lashes pinged something in the viewers chest and the way he looked away after a while, his profile looked extremely hurt. Like he had worked hard on something but still ended up not achieving anything.
Some viewers couldn't sympathize and still hated his act but few felt that that last scene made the character take a sharp turn.
[ What the heck? Why am I feeling that last bit? ]
[ He's obviously just an unnecessary waste of space in the drama but how come that looked made me overthink some things?! ]
[ He's still just hateful for me but I somehow felt affected? ]
[ More than the lonely look, I more or less dig the short flirting! ]
[ Upstairs, you clearly haven't understood it thoroughly! The lonely, unwilling look in the end was because Hansel might not have a chance to see that sexy mister in the future! Get it?! Get it?! ]
[ (Screaming like a hog being slaughtered) Got it! Got it! ]
[ +Infinity! ]
[ I actually like that part most as I've gotten tired of the shit of the lead characters. It's a shame that the ship had sunk even before hitting the water. Edit: Also that mister were just an unexpected passerby, too, according to the crew. ]
[ Sigh. I know, right? I don't even care if Hansel doesn't change, just partner him with that hottie but the crew thought otherwise. ]
[ Saddened and wouldn't continue watching nymore. ]
[ No one care! Be on your way, trash! My Lucas don't need you watching him as you can't even see what a good acting is from a total garbage! ]
[ Go back to where you came from you filthy people! ]
Eiziel became thoughtful as he closed the website and searched more about Rocen and Blaze. He swiped through the countless and seemingly endless scandals then played a song of the group.
Compared to other rising idol groups, Blaze had always been pititiful as Eiziel read how their debut were extremely thoughtless, their songs were the fewest in number in all groups and since the debut, they haven't been able to perform as a group again and could only work individually.
Eiziel could think of a couple of reasons why that happened but it was really pititiful to even think about it so he just concentrated on the song. Blaze released five songs, the three were upbeat type that really lifts ones mood and the rest were slow ones and the gentle type to reached out for the listeners emotions.
Curioused, Eiziel clicked one of the song's video of it being performed. It was the debut performance that wasn't even their own concert.
He then saw five good-looking boys in a shiny outfits with similarities. The video were just barely on average quality in his eyes but could still show the energetic and mood uplifting dance steps of the five individuals on a small stage. The video couldn't show much but he could see how talented the five was.
Eiziel watched the other videos and paused on a familiar face but we're unexpectedly younger and more handsome with a small smile on it. "So, which one are you? How curious."
.
"You're quite pititiful, aren't you? Eh, Rocen?" Drace chuckled as he put a refilled thermos of hot water on the bedside table of the man who was sick. "You've finally have an off but could only spend it lying on the bed."
Rocen gave a look to his cruel roommate. "That's why you shouldn't laugh at me."
"Is this because you aren't used to being praised by the netizens or something?" Drace snickered as he continued making his tasteless jokes. "Drink more water. Maybe you should just rest tomorrow to give those haters an off, bro." Then he looked at him eagerly like he wanted to convey something.
"Your puns are the same as you." Rocen said after sitting down and pouring water on his mug. "Short."
Drace who have a passionate complex for his height deficiency glared at this ballsy man. "Don't include my height in this! And that doesn't even have any connections!"
Rocen remained expressionless as he drank water. "Now do you know how I feel?"
"Shortie, come and let's cook. Imma show you how a true reaction to delicious food works with my ability!" Lem who were currently in his anime printed pyjamas wearing a round eyeglasses with a swirly line on the glass cut in after he opened the door.
"Fuck your shortie! You're the shortie!"
Lem raised his hand and showed how tall Drace is compared it to his body. "I don't think so."
Drace charged planning to fight for his dignity. He could beat this one without worrying about it being unfair. The other one was sick. "Don't call me shortie!"
"Oh. How about petite?" Lem asked as he was running away.
After the door closed, the loud activities outside could still be heard but it was muffled so Rocen could finally have some peace. He lay back down again but countless thoughts began to run in his mind keeping him awake. His slightly light eyes stared at the ceiling of the old dorm their group were currently staying at.
But his thoughts and worries were currently irrelevant right now as he still have lots of work to deal with. Sick or not, he would have to show up, so it was better for him to rest now and slowly deal with the things he have to deal with.
It was fortunate that his fever was gone the next day and could already travel early in the morning for his next variety show.
After Rocen arrived at the location, he greeted the crew who were setting up with a smile even if he was ignored by most of the people there.
"Good morning." An amused voice greeted him unexpectedly as he made his way to the other guests of the show. As a the youngest and being a newcomer, he had to show his respect to his elders and seniors but iothers would usually ignore him or just make a perfuntory nod. No one would greet him first.
It was sudden as well so Rocen were surprised for a while before finally looking at the other person with a familiar to greet them when he was welcomed by a smiling beautiful face with his dark eyes showing a naughty, unrestrained glint. "G-good morning."
"Un. How polite and diligent."
Rocen was caught off guard when the other suddenly leaned closed to him and he could see the beautiful features of his face magnified. He felt his heart skipped to only beat wildly. Rocen felt his face starting to get hot and he held back his breath unconsciously.
"Unexpectedly, you're quite young. What a shame."
"Ah?"
"I don't go for kids. Well, work hard!"
Rocen remained stunned as he watched the man casually walked away. Why… does he have a sudden impulse to get angry?
Author's corner:
Sniff. Covering their face, teary-eyed. "Darling…I, I just heard something breaking."
Eiz: "Maybe I could wait for a few years?"
Rocen: "Author… please give me some tissue. My eyes are leaking painful liquids."