Jun stood silently in his Boss' office as the man looks him over, trying to gauge why he was there. He knew it wouldn't be an easy meeting and had considered leaving a letter to the group explaining himself. It would have been a better alternative and easier, but it didn't seem fair to do that to the man who raised him for six years.
So, he waits the few agonizing minutes for the Pledis CEO to ask him why he's there and he gave his answer. He was like a second father to him, someone he often came to for advice and it hurt to stand in front of him like this and disappoint him.
"C-CEO-sunbaenim, I am quitting Seventeen and returning to China." Junhui kept his face blank, as he pulls out his contract and places it on top of the man's desk. The stapled pages are thick with fifteen pages all together, each one filled with about a half dozen signatures. Only the final page was different. It was blank and he quickly flips to it.
The dark word font stands out strikingly against the page and his eyes are drawn to the main word in the center. Termination. Jun chokes, feeling bile rising in his throat but he swallows it back down. Below it were two blank lines for their signatures and the man looks it over briefly.
Pledis CEO raises his eyebrow in concern at the teens swollen eyes and patchy skin. It was obvious that he had been crying, but why he had no idea. He had thought Jun was happy at his company. "Can you at least tell me why you want to quit the group?" He asked.
"I'm not wanted here and the members dont need me. They never did. I'm just a number in this group and I barely exist in it. The members all have someone to lean on and talk to, they have each other, but I have no one and I'm tired of not being appreciated."
Tears slid down his cheeks and Jun closed his eyes, not wanting to see the pity in his eyes. He didn't hear the man stand up, but he feels the tissue pressing against his cheek and Jun opens his eyes in surprise. "Thank you." He says, taking the tissue and wiping his face.
"Jun. If your sure this is what you want then I will cancel your contract and you can go home." Jun held up his hand. He couldn't believe that he was being let go so easily. Why wasn't he angry?
"You're really going to let me go." "It doesn't take a genius to see how miserable you've been in our last two fansignings and concerts. Besides, I may have already spoken to your manager about it and he clued me in on what he thought the problem was about."
Jun couldn't believe that man even noticed it. "H-How did you? I thought i had hidden it so well." Pledis CEO laughed." Junhui, you should know that you can't really hide anything. Your face is so expressive that whatever your feeling comes right out into the open."
Jun's face was flushed at the older man's laugh. Had he really been so easy to see through? And if so why hasn't his members noticed it?
The CEO could practically see the wheels turning in his Chinese's son's head and tsked his tongue. 'This child.' He thought affectionately. "Junhui, I have always made it my priority to know whats happening among my groups."
"Right." Jun laughs, his mood lightened.
"You want to know what else I've noticed since you've stepped into this room." "What's that?" He wondered, blinking in confusion.
"It's that you really don't want to leave." He finishes. CEO stands and walks around him desk stopping in front of him. "You want to stay Junhui, but feel like you don't deserve to stay. Am I right?"
"I have a favor that I would like you to do for me first. Is that okay?" Jun nodded quickly. He would do anything to have his pain go away. "Alright, then I want you to tell the members everything that you told me. If you do that and still want to leave afterwards then I'll rip your contract." He could do this. At least he hoped that he could.