A / N: All the thanks of the world go to the beta reader BigTimeRush-BTR, who helped and still helps to translate this huge work for you, dear readers. I hope you'll enjoy the story!
"Guys, this is the final decision," Griffin repeated with his usual wry smile. "The marketers have concluded that the album will be unprofitable. Boy bands are a thing of the past."
"But that can't be true. Maybe there's a miscalculation?" Carlos asked desperately and somewhat naively.
The general director only shrugged his shoulders. "Carlos, even if the marketers had forgotten to add one or two zeros, it wouldn't make things better."
"First of all, your age is already higher than the average age of a boy band. Guys, you're twenty-two, and girls who are twelve to eighteen years old aren't interested in old idols like that," one of Griffin's subordinates began coldly.
"We're still young and beautiful!" James objected angrily, then glanced in the mirror to make sure he was still attractive.
"Secondly, your sound is outdated. Even if we find you a new sound producer, it won't solve all your problems," the other woman continued, ignoring the outrage.
"And even if it does, the revenue won't make up for all the loss. It would be cheaper to create songs on the computer, without having to support you and the studio," Griffin finished. The marketer didn't quite agree with the phrase, but he tactfully kept silent.
Gustavo abruptly stood up from his chair. "That can't be right. Big Time Rush is my most popular band of all time!"
"Yeah. By the way, our first album was third on the Billboard 200!" Logan objected and raised up his index finger. "And our show won first place at the World Music Awards!"
"Well done, but that was in the past," the director replied as if nothing had happened and stroked the furious Logan's head. "If we hold on to what we had, we'll be penniless in the future."
The usually-stubborn Kendall pressed his palms together pleadingly. "Griffin, we'll figure something out. Give us time. We've never let you down!"
"No, you haven't, but the statistics are telling. Every song is getting fewer and fewer listens, so I need new stars. I liked you guys, but this is business."
Griffin affirmatively ended the discussion and left the office, and Kelly resented his indifference. At least he could pretend to be sorry, but she could not dwell on that thought. She knew that in the next few seconds, Gustavo would react to what was happening. A composer's emotions are always unpredictable, and sometimes even unsafe.
"No, no, no!" Gustavo shouted at the top of his lungs, then took the closest object to him and threw it against the wall.
"Calm down. We'll definitely figure something out. Right, guys?" Kelly said with a strained smile, turning toward the group.
"Yes, of course. We won't let it go!" Carlos answered cheerfully and pushed the other guys along.
"You'll be pleased with us, Gustavo. We promise," Logan said, and Kendall and James nodded in agreement.
Gustavo looked gloomily at his stupid and stubborn but still well-liked dogs. "We've been lucky many times, but now we're screwed. Griffin's orders are for you to return to Minnesota tomorrow, so you can pack your bags."
Half-heartbroken but with hope still lurking inside, the boys sluggishly headed for the exit.
"Don't we at least get to say goodbye?" Kelly interrupted them. "Come here, guys."
Gustavo watched them longingly at first, but then he came over and joined the hug. "I'll miss you dogs, even though you annoyed me more than anyone else in the world."
"We will too, Gustavo. We will too," Logan said sincerely.
"Old friends and acquaintances are waiting for us in Minnesota, and our childhood was spent there," Carlos said, trying to cheer up the other boys and himself. "Where he was born, he came in handy, didn't he?"
James nodded regretfully, and Logan shrugged. The speech didn't help much, but at least it plunged them into memories of their homeland.
"It's time for us to say goodbye to the others," Kendall said unusually quiet.
The breakup went faster than expected. Kendall was no stranger to it, because he had already felt the pain of loss after Jo's departure. Carlos would find new empty heads like the Jennifers in Minnesota, and James had never had any problems with girls in principle. Only Logan never decided to meet with Camille. Of course, they didn't formally meet, but everyone understood perfectly well that the relationship wasn't quite over.
"Are you sure?" Kendall asked when Logan announced his plans.
He didn't look sure, but he nodded nonetheless. "She won't want to see me."
Kendall didn't answer. It was hard to focus and give the right advice at a time like this.
"So that was it. We've said goodbye to whoever we need to say goodbye to, and it's time to start life from scratch." He glanced around the room. No, no one seemed to have forgotten anything. The space was empty and lifeless, just like the gaze of the boys standing next to him.
"More precisely, continue life from the old, abandoned things," Logan corrected.
"Well, where you were born, you're useful!" Carlos said with a strained smile.
"Forget that, I'm sick of it!" James said grudgingly and headed for the exit.
"Don't be offended. He needs to cool down." Kendall put a comforting hand on Carlos' shoulder. "Katie has been waiting in the car for a while now. Let's talk later."
"I know we all don't believe it, but Gustavo will think of something," Logan said desperately. "Probably…"
"Even faster than you think!" James, who was out of breath, cheered when he reached the room. "How long are you going to stand there? Gustavo is waiting outside the hotel and he has an idea!"
"So soon?" Kendall was surprised. "Let's go!"
"All right, dogs, listen up," Gustavo began as he paced around the car. "Before all this commotion, I was preparing a new song for you. It's going to be a real hit, if we make a great arrangement of it and refine the rhymes..."
"The lease is up, and I'm not letting you in the room," Bitters objected, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Where the hell did you come from?" Gustavo asked in shock, ready to reprimand the insolent receptionist, but Kelly interrupted him with her checkbook.
"Is that enough?"
"The first installment is supposed to be for at least a month…"
"Griffin won't be happy if I write it off, and we need our own money to record a new track," Kelly interrupted.
"Technically, you don't have to sign that contract and you can keep us here for a couple more days," somebody said from the car. The thin voice and cold tone made it clear almost immediately that it was Katie. "It's not the season for new stars, so there's plenty of rooms. Oh, and you won't have to pay taxes."
"Honey, I'm the one who decides what's enough and for who."
"But, Reggie!" Katie said in a much more wistful and heartfelt tone. Bitters blushed a little. Nobody called him that anymore.
"Listen," Kendall said, stepping closer to him. "You and Katie have always gotten along better than any of your peers. Admit that my brilliant sister has brought you more than a thousand dollars, and you're waiting to kick us out."
Bitters confusedly shifted his gaze from one side to the other.
"That's right, we've always supported you and saved your mercantile ass more than once," Katie added.
Kendall nodded in order to seem more convincing.
"All right, stop pressuring me! Here, this key belongs to you for exactly two days and not a day more. Now get out of my way!"
Not wanting to waste time on trivial matters, they all ran to the room to put their suitcases back inside. The only question on their minds was whether Gustavo could change Griffin's mind.