I woke up from a very bad night sleep.
"Ryuu...?" I got out of the bed and looked around for him. Yesterday, when I had gone back to my other apartment, I found out it got broken into and completely ransacked. So, all NIGHTFALL members came to a conclusion that living with Ryuu was the best decision as the building he lived in also housed many politicians and businessmen so the security was Z-level. So, I didn't have to worry about my life as much.
He was cooking breakfast for us in the kitchen. I didn't show much worry after the first talk we had yesterday but I knew all four members were dying inside more than I was. They hadn't even done anything and there was a good chance that they will get dragged into this as well which scared me even more. The dark thoughts about our uncertain future started flooding my brain and it felt like I had no control over my own body. I fell back against the wall hyperventilating and crying as the guilt and regret took over me.
"Ace?!" Ryu rushed to me and that was the last thing I knew before everything turned black.
...
I woke up to a few police officers standing by my bedside making notes and whatnot.
"Oh... You're awake. We sent the letter to your legal team but given your condition... we called an ambulance. It'll take you to hospital first for medical examination and if deemed healthy, we will be taking you to police station for interrogation. This is a rather... high profile case given your status as a world renowned celebrity and so due to public pressure, we can't relax. I hope you cooperate with us." A police officer said.
There were in fact paramedics which made me a little tense up but it had to be done. I just braced myself for the interrogation and decided to follow them to the ambulance.
After an excruciatingly long half an hour drive to the hospital, I was admitted and some quick tests were run through but in the end, I was deemed healthy and stable enough to be taken in for interrogation.
Once I was transported to the police station, I stepped out and saw a sea of reporters with cameras in their hands. The light flashing almost blinded me. A second may have passed and I had at least fifteen reporters shoving mics up my mouth asking questions about the allegations levied against me. Police officers helped me a little but it was obvious someone had relayed information to the reporters that I would be present at the police station today. It was confusing but my mind was still in a haze given how everything had been playing out so far. I had gotten too used to NIGHTFALL that I didn't realize how lonely and small I felt now as I was being bombarded by reporters. I climbed up the stairs to the entry to the station when I turned around and looked at all the reporters.
"I will fight for my freedom. To my fans who are scared and worried, believe in me." I entered the police station instantly. My lawyer was already present in the building.
"Ace, have they harassed you or anything?" He asked but I shook my head.
And then we entered the worst stage and little did I know how nightmarish everything was going to become.
"So... Mister Ace Lee... age... 26... Male and world renowned singer." The police officer inside the interrogation room read my biography. "Rest assured... we also want to find the truth. You know how public is. To them, you're as good as guilty. But I will mention all the allegations and then... we will see what happens, alright? So, mister Joyce, anything you want to say?" The officer asked my lawyer.
"Not as of right now. You may talk about the allegations."
"Alright! Quite a complex case." The officer took a chair and picked up a piece of paper. "I have everything typed out in bullet points to help. So, first allegation, on 12th December of year 2018, you received illegal content in the form of revenge porn. And then... on July 30th of the following year, you and that man alongside your friends gang raped that woman in question. Second, you owned a club that is now being accused of assisting customers in sexually harassing women in the premises and also for spiking drinks. Third... and the worse. We have received chat logs where you were seen selling off women to rich businessmen. On 4th of November in 2021, you offered exactly five women to a businessman for a price of 45 million dollars."
"I... see..." I barely even got these words out though I knew I could easily rebuttable the last one but the other two were going to take time as they had to register drug test on all the employees of the club. "Let's start with... last one. Actually... the translation is incorrect there." I handed my phone to my lawyer so he could show them the chat logs that in fact I was guessing a female pop group's net-worth... as you can see top part and later part were cut off and some of the messages were also removed from the original chat..." It sounded so stupid when I said it but the chat log that police received from some source weren't complete chats and I was talking a girl group's net-worth being forty five million. The original chat was in Japanese language and it looked like someone just translated it using google translate and ran with it.
"Fucking bullshit..." The police officer rubbed his temples as he read the chat from original source, that being, the phone from which that chat was sent from. The officer then double checked it from a Japanese officer and the allegation was dropped.
"Alright... so you're not completely irredeemable monster but other two are not exactly something to scoff at either." Police officer said.
"I know... actually... that video... I do admit I received the video but I didn't know it was a revenge porn at the time. I just ignored it since... to me it seemed like a mere bad quality amateur porn and not something I'm interested in. So... I actually told the person who sent to stop sending me porn."
"Hmmm...? You were friends with this guy? And you think I will believe you knew nothing? I do watch NIGHTFALL content... We do know you were not really friends with those four guys and you want me to believe you knew nothing about people you spent so much time with?" Police officer rebutted.
"These are merely assumptions you are making and frankly, they are groundless. My client is a world-class celebrity who meets countless people on daily basis. You can't expect him to put everything he receives on text under scrutiny. There is no real reason for him to assume the worst and especially that it was revenge porn. How often does a person even receive revenge porn for it become something they're actively conscious of?" My lawyer fought back.
"Fair. Last... the club. It will be fair and simple. A drug test. A urine test should suffice. Basically, the alleged drug is available in powder form only. So, if any of the club staff tested positive for it, then we will have a massive evidence to work off of. We will appreciate continuous cooperation given... that chat log was... I will have police look for the original source and see what we can do. If you want to press charges, we can look into it."
"I will look into it but not right now..." I responded.
As the two of us exited the station, the reporters lunged at me again. They had been sitting outside hour a couple hours while I was inside getting interrogated.
"Would you like to say something to the fans?" A reporter thrusted mic into my face. It was probably to get a reaction out of me but I didn't fall for it.
"It's not the end of me. I... will win." I responded. I wanted to mention NIGHTFALL but I decided to just mention myself. Those four would be worried sick.
But on my way back to Ryuu's apartment, I read the news online and at least one was cleared up but then the news hit that the police had received video of a woman being dragged by her foot in one of the clubs I owned and the news article linked a video which did in fact belong to the club I owned yet I had no info of it ever being happening.
"It's just one after the other..."
But that wasn't where it stopped, the antis got too rowdy and did something that became irreversible. They ended up going to Tai's house and vandalizing it. I received a message then from Tai telling me to fuck off and never come back.
I knew he was worried sick about his pregnant wife who must be in absolute shambles right now but it still hurt me so much. I just couldn't ignore it despite knowing he doesn't really mean it.
On my request, the driver dropped me off at my own residence. I entered the house and shut down all the doors and windows. I then quickly called Rex.
"What happened to-"
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! FUCKING ASS! You. ruined. everything."
With that he hung up. I just didn't know how to react as I was still in shadow about the truth. My next best bet was Ryuu.
"Ace...?" Ryuu picked up the call.
"Please tell me what happened?! Why did Tai and Rex just tell me to fuck off?!"
"Sorry... but... I think it's for the best. Leave the group."
"LEAVE?!" I couldn't believe what I had just heart. I smashed the TV in fit of rage. "LEAVE?! THE FUCK?! You were there acting all brotherly till yesterday and now out of fucking nowhere you are asking me to leave?!"
"Actually... Tai's wife had a miscarriage. The stress she got from your scandal and then... when their house was vandalized... Her blood levels rose and... I don't think I have to explain it all in details. Tai and Rex don't want to see your face..." He explained carefully and calmly. Ryuu was the leader so he always was the one mediating fights and even now he was acting like a leader to us.
"I..." As I heard the news, I fell onto the floor with shards of screen piercing my hand. "Why...? Why.."
"LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE FUCK! WE KEPT TELLING YOU!!! BUT THEN YOU WENT AHEAD AND BEFRIENDED THOSE FUCKING RAPISTS! You! It is YOU who ruined everything!!" It seemed like Rex had snatched Ryuu's phone.
I couldn't even apologize to them because what I had done was irreversible. My own inferiority complex had costed us a life. I just sat there looking at my hands as I realized that I had blood on my hands now. I slowly got up and walked over the bathroom and took out my sleeping pills. Innocence... career... family... do I even deserve it now...?