Contract Marriage With A Grumpy Idol

10: Still A Human

Augustus' phone vibrated. Again and again as he lied asleep in the softness of his cushion.

He realized that it was Shawn's number that greeted him too early in the morning, flashing by the device's interface over and over. As if the reason he was calling was too urgent not to wait for later, or just when Augustus was awake and alive from temporary

Why the hell was Shawn calling too early in the morning? And why the hell was his notifications countless, with numerous messages from his band mates, Cait Emmanuel, with Shawn occupying most?

Unknowledgeable, he picked the annoying piece of metal and watched as the ringing stopped. When it finally did, he rolled his eyes and was about to fall back to his bed upon feeling his head spin.

The phone rang again.

Sighing in irritation, he swiped the green button upward.

“Shawn?”

“August.”

“Dude, it is still too early in the morning. I have not even stood up to wash my face and prepare a cup of coffee. What the hell is the matter now? I have not read your messages yet, so I am clueless. Is this something urgent?”

“Yes,” Shawn responded in an instant and without thinking twice. “It is much important than urgent matters, Augustus. Are you sober now, dude, or do I need to slap your face so you wake the hell up?”

“Wow, that is harsh of you. I guess I am, though. Now, what?” Augustus muttered. He rolled his eyes. “You do not believe, no?”

“I can not talk to a drunkard still in his hang over.”

“Dude, I can clearly understand what you are saying right now. I am also answering you straightly without deranged terms and obscene ideas. Come on.”

“All right, then. Come over here, at the mansion. In thirty minutes, or as soon as you can. Make it quick. I do not care if you do not take a bath or something.”

“Look, I am getting nothing from this whole ordeal, Shawn. Why the hell are you ordering me to get there? Maybe I will understand and actually move quick if you tell me.”

“You know, what? F*ck you, August!” Shawn cursed loudly.

It was the first time Shawn ever did that. There were moments where they would be playful backstage or during practice and rehearsals, exchange curse words while laughing along with their silly little antics and inside jokes.

But this— Shawn seemed... furious. For a reason he could not name, the genuine rage coming from the intensity of his voice and the madness in his tone caught Augustus off guard.

He clutched his phone near his ear in confusion, feeling an urge to further ask, but to no avail as his mouth seems zipped and locked, making him unable to speak.

“It feels so nice to finally get my sh*t out to you directly, and I am not even sorry for that,” Shawn blew out, “Augustus, dude, how did you end up like this?”

Like what? Augustus wanted to ask. He ended up like what?

“I do not remember you being this careless, heartless even. You can not blame me and the rest of the boys for being disappointed, displeased. Let me ask you, do you even know where your husband— your contract husband is? Do you even realize you did not come home with him and he is not around?”

The memories of the night prior flashed back to his consciousness when Shawn mentioned it. The bar, Veronia. A case of tequila and his thirst for liquor. He was drunk and high. And then, Rion Nathan came and asked him to go home already.

Rion Nathan was sent there by Calyx as a request to make sure he would not initiate issues worthy of an early morning scandal in frontpages and news.

And?

What happened by then?

What could have occured for Shawn to suddenly turn to the beast Augustus used to fear?

Did they lose Rion Nathan? Was he not home yet and the management was trying to look for him, but to no avail? Did something bad happen to the little crybaby?

If he lost him, then what about it? It was not like he would care about getting no sight of that man ever again.

Was Shawn— or anybody, expecting him to look over a guy like he was a mindless kid? Or babysit a twenty-something-year-old gold digger?

If he maneuvered his way toward fame and wealth, then Rion Nathan could surely do so much more, too. That freak will still be able to go home and find his way. He can, for sure, recognize his surroundings, the directions, and be at the mansion even with one sprained ankle, a broken kneecap, and injured arms.

If he was not home yet, then Rion might arrive anytime soon. Not that he cared about him, though.

The least thing they should worry about was losing a grown-up man. If it was a little kid who could not speak straight and recognize places, then sure, he would be stumbling out of his blanket to drive around the city and nearby towns just to find him. The thing was, Rion Nathan was not a kid.

Also, there would be many people Rion Nathan could ask help from. People would be genuinely willing to help a person lost in his track. Whatever information he could gather, he could use it to the best of its utility. Rion Nathan was not a d*mb person either.

In another thought, people might even recognize him and realize he was Rion Nathan Maestra. With all the news full of his face throughout the month he was together with ‘Augustus Immaculata of Zero Degree’, there was no way he would be unknown in the streets—

“Augustus, are you still there? Or you really do not give any d*mn?”

“I am still here,” he cleared his throat, “But no, I am unaware of where he might have gone after last night. Anyway, my husband— my contract husband is already a grown-up man, Shawn. He can take care of himself, even when he is alone. He will not die.”

“Why am I even surprised.... you clearly do not care about the poor guy at all,” Shawn clicked his tongue audibly.

Augustus could picture him frowning deeply. With his head shaking in displease. His expression was irritated and eager. It was a habit of Shawn's, a very familiar event will never forget about his friend from all their years together.

Shawn has always been a soft speaker, the gentlest in the group. He expresses himself based on logic and not the flow of his feelings. He hated sudden bursts of emotions. He was not too showy. The guy was often called a chill man, too. And he was the brightest and calming person in the group, although it was Calyx and Hans who were assigned as the clowns. Shawn has been like that since their trainee years, and even after all these times, until they were together in the same group.

So, when Augustus heard of Shawn's loud grunts and complaints like a mad man, he knew it was bad for him, he knew he did something terrible. If Shawn could probably send out a flying fist through their screens, he would have done that already.

Now, he just had to find out what the problem was...

“Rion is here, Augustus. With me in the mansion. You have to leave your suite, now

Come here. See him and what you have done— rather not done.”

“I do not care—”

“Listen to me, you f*cker. You will go here. No buts. And I also do not care if you do not plan to care. You have caused this, so bear the consequences and be a f*cking man.”

Augustus was speechless the entire time Shawn was speaking. He was asked a few questions, but not one response was made.

In the midst of it, he has bitten the bottom of his lips in utter blooming guilt within him.

If Shawn was enraged a few minutes ago, Augustus could now say that he felt exactly the same to himself.

He hated Rion, see to it that he could literally feel his blood boiling upon sighting that man just once. Hence, he could have been rejoicing by now. However, no. He was ashamed. He felt bad.

Even though he kept on convincing himself not to feel for his contract husband, he could never condone such approach to Rion Nathan, or, generally, to anyone.

He was glad that Shawn seemed to have picked the signs up. The latter did not pressure him to speak and say a thing. He was speechless. He was still processing things.

God d*mn it. Really, he was not supposed to feel bad at all. He told himself he should not feel guilty over a thing involving his contract husband. That was just Rion Nathan Maestra. The man he despises for signing a document that meant selling his own self and his dignity for money.

“I… Shawn, I will be there in a few...”

Picking up his keys after hastily changing shirt, Augustus ran toward the elevator of his penthouse, almost tripping even out of rush.

Downstairs, a sea of reporters has already pooled around the lobby and outside the compound. He did not care. He dove straight to the middle and dangerously swayed his way out of the circle to his car, swooping any hindrance away with the best of his strength.

There was only one thing that occupied his mind that he did not feel any regrets despite having crushed and squeezed. Rion Nathan.

Just to reach the mansion the fastest as possible, he didn't care if he gets a ticket for going over the minimum speed for driving.

He did not care.

Getting a ticket for overspending would be worth it. Getting his car scratched would be nothing. Risking his license was around the thousandth thing in his mind. All he was concerned about was to reach the mansion and see Rion Nathan's condition for himself as soon as possible.

Shawn was sitting by the couch when he arrived. With rage, Augustus was met by the boy's furious gaze and fast approaching steps.

He did not care.

Instead of meeting Shawn and apologizing for leaving Rion Nathan to his care, Augustus stormed up the stairs toward his contract husband's room.

He did not know. He did not know where the sense of urgency came from. He did not know when the pints of guilt in his blood began rushing to cloud his system and make him a nervous walking creature as he slowly approached the place where he supposed Rion Nathan was resting in.

As soon as the door was completely open for him to see the situation, Augustus found a mess in the sheets, a few drops of already dried blood by the floor. The initially white bedsheets were tainted, too, and there were dirty piled clothes by the side. Evidences of the severeness.

Aside from those, the injuries were visible, too, that he did not have to ask how bad Rion Nathan was according to the doctor.

Rion was lying on his back. He was facing the ceiling with a dead expression, not even bothering to throw Augustus a single look— the same way the pop star did not glance at him while he was being beaten and taken away. His shirtless figure was covered in bandages and gauze, too— like a mummy.

His eyes were lifeless. Unlike the few times he saw those same orbs while he was with his friends and Zero Degree.

Augustus felt something stuck in his throat. Guilt. He could name it guilt. And he was near to choking with too much of it. Seeing Rion only intensified the building of his inner demons choking him.

“Rion…” he finally mumbled, almost stuttering in the process.

The beaten Rion Nathan finally looked up and pretended to only have noticed the singer's presence in his room. He did not speak, but his eyes were transferring a message of disappointment and grudge.

The first thing Augustus saw was Rion's exhaustion in the eyes that gazed at him blankly, almost gone in the small space caused by his swollen skin trapping it in between purple and expanded organs.

Augustus could not believe that he was the same man who used to look too angelic in his perspective. It was an undeniable fact that Rion Nathan looked good and handsome, though, evident with the offers their company was receiving just to have him in magazine shoots despite them constantly replying that Augustus' contract husband was not down for any matter that would catch too much attention.

But now, his face was unrecognizable. If they did not know him personally, no one would ever believe if he claimed that he was Rion Nathan Maestra, even while presenting a valid identification card. He looked like somebody else. Very far from the doe-eyed wh*re Augustus hates to hell. Rion looked fragile, weak, defenseless.

“I do not know you are still alive, Augustus Immaculata— thanks to me. And what a shame that I am not even sorry for saying this, so I hope you just died...”

“Rion Nathan… I am sorry.”

“Sorry?” A subtle chuckle escaped Rion's lips. But it was swallowed almost abruptly as the pretentious laugh turned to ugly and broken sobs he could not help but elicit, “Do not make me laugh. F*ck you. Will that sorry bring me back to the time before this happened? Will that take all the pain away? A sorry will not change what you caused me, Augustus.”

“I know—”

“I know—”

“Despising me is okay. I am more than fine with that because we feel the same, I hate you to the gates of hell, too,” Rion continued between uncontrollably spilling tears he could not even wipe off his eyes.

Augustus nearly launched forward to grab a handkerchief and dry Rion's face for him. His primal urge was telling him to go after the guy and comfort him.

Rion just would not like it. And although he used to get compliments that he was a comforting person to be with, he knew if would not be the same with Rion. Especially when he was the reason why Rion got hurt, why Rion was breaking.

“Hey, Rion Nathan...”

“Hating me is okay. Calling me names is okay. But watching someone do it to me before almost beating me to death without moving that d*mn body to get in between the situation? I am genuinely sad for you, but you are f*cking pathetic! Are you even human? You are worse than a mere animal, Augustus.”

“I was not sober, oka—”

“Exactly! You are a f*cking drunkard. That is why you were too drunk to even realize that someone who just wanted to protect you became the one to catch bullets in front of you while you have fun!”

Rion's voice rose an octave.

And he has never lost composure like this. He was as calm as Shawn, as composed as Janvick, as good as Hans when it comes to acting, and as easy-going as Calyx. Maybe that was why he immediately clicked with the group.

In the past month, those two times they have met in the mansion, they spent it arguing with Augustus starting the quarrel. But never did Rion yell at him like this, nerve did he show weakness.

This...

This was all new to Augustus. And somehow, he could not bear to see him in that condition. Breaking. Fragile. Beaten like a pulp.

Rion continued, still with tears streaming down, “But even if you were not intoxicated last night, by the amount of grudge you have against me for no particular reason, I still doubt that you will care about me. I still doubt that you will stop that man from beating me.”

“And of all the things I doubt, one is only for sure; you are the most terrible person I have ever met. You might even cheer for that stranger. You might throw him bills so he beats me harder and makes sure I get permanently injured. You might even help him get rid of my body down a flowing river, to make the crime perfectly done. You can be best of friends with him.”

“I do not even know him. But he said you did something to them, to his sister. He was picking up a fight, completely mad and raging like a bull. The only missing thing is him pulling out a gun and shooting you— us, right in the head. Do you even know how scared I was, not just for myself, but for you, too? You do not.”

“You were sitting right next to me, Augustus! Yet, you never paid any spoonful of attention. Even though he was trying to get near you and attack you, you did not care. I do not know what you did to that Guiller or whatever that man's name is, but you are horrible and I am not even surprised if you have done something heinous!”

Augustus wondered how Rion could still manage to yell continuously. He wanted to shut Rion up, not because he was getting guiltier in every word he uttered, but because he was straining himself and the corner of his lips were bruised and swollen still and his jaw was fractured, too, according to Shawn's earlier story.

Nonetheless, he stayed in his place. Unwanted to invade Rion's space.

“I… protected you. Because I promised that I will make sure you do not get into any scandal that night. I vowed to Calyx and vowed to myself that I will do that for Zero Degree and Cait Emmanuel, too. That was my biggest mistake. And f*ck you. Do you know why I did that, even if I can literally leave you be? Aside from my promise, I did that because it is still basic human decency not to let him touch you while I am aware of his intentions and you will be unable to fight and defend yourself. That is the thing you lack, Augustus!”

“Rion Nathan, you did not have to protect me...” Augustus whispered, more to himself than to the man he pertained to.

He looked away in shame and guilt, more guilt, and then even more...

If anyone was aware of how Rion actually viewed him ever since, it was Augustus Immaculata himself who could feel it through keen gazes. Rion despised him, it was a known fact even to Zero Degree. And Augustus thought it was simply sensible.

He was nothing but terrible around his contract husband.

With that being said, Rion was supposed to hate his guts. So, why the hell would be go past shielding him against Guiller? It was the biggest mystery for Augustus, although Rion has already said that Calyx and his friends were part of it. Basic human decency? Rion could have dropped it especially for him and he would not mind.

Sure, his face would have been damaged. He would be fightless like a soldier who left his sword. And it would not be Rion's business.

His looks were one of the reason he got to where he currently stood, and breaking it would mean losing one of his assets to stay in the industry.

But for all Rion cares!

He hoped Augustus just die? Then, he could have just flew off and let Guiller do him the favor. By then, Rion would be completely free from the wrath of the ruthless Augustus Immaculata. And Augustus was sure that the company would not make him pay for his father's bills if that was the case.

Although he sounded too ungrateful in spite of being saved, Augustus could not help but be mad. Feel anger toward Rion for being the d*mbest man alive, for not knowing the importance of flight during crucial and dangerous situations.

He wished Rion was not too kind. He wished Rion chose to be selfish. He wished Rion was furious enough to leave him be. He wished Rion did not do that at all. He wished Rion would curse the sh*t out of him, worse than he already did, just until he was degraded and feeling useless.

But who was he kidding? He was just guilty and ashamed.

Augustus could not bring himself to say a thing. Any word might come out like daggers straight to the already beaten boy. And he knew himself better than anyone else. He knew he that instead of letting out a thank you, his urges would tell him to blame Rion for what he caused to himself.

“Augustus, that man was mad and I am not an exception from his feral. When he realized that I am your husband, he got even more enraged. Do you think I only acquire good things and fame from getting involved with your oh-so-famous name? I have suffered through aggressive fans and now your in real life enemy because of you. You do not tell me I am here for your popularity now, let me tell you it is the worst thing to ever happen to me!”

“I do not know what sh*tty engagement you had with Guiller's sister for him to be that furious. I do not care. I will not even ask and try to find out. But since I got tangled into your mess, how cool was that?!” Rion muttered in a sarcastic tone, “Plus, take this. He did it in a bar, in a public place! All within a high risk of getting seen and filmed for the world to see. But he still did it! You must have taken him and his sister down so bad that he ended up as deranged as that.”

“He insulted me, even if you were just nearby. And you probably heard his words with a voice too loud, you just did not care. He called me— us, slurs for being gay. Called me disgusting and nasty marrying you. He degraded my whole existence like I am the first person to ever do the most disgusting sin to ever exist! Where were you? Sitting like a king on your throne, relaxed, drinking in a bottle of tequila and drowning yourself like the miserable alcoholic that you are!”

Rion's words were like continuous hard slaps of reality and truth. Him talking was direct arrows to his body, and he was bleeding with too much hits.

Augustus looked down his feet in an attempt to hide his face. He knew he was terrible.

Enough.

He blinked a lot of times and watched his knees tremble. Pondering how much more did Rion endure while he passed out due to excessive alcohol intake.

The sudden outburst of honesty was his mind's wake up call to suddenly reckon the past month. How he treated Rion. How he was driven by fear of trusting the man all this time. How he hated him instead of being nice and getting to know him deeper before he judges if he could be worthy to befriend or make an acquaintance while they were stuck in the one year contract.

What the hell was he doing all those times he could have tried to hear Rion out? This ordeal would have been a lot better if he was nice and sound.

And if was absurd that despite that kind of treatment, Rion was still a ‘decent’ human being to protect him from Guiller, to stand up against the man because Augustus was too drunk to even manage a conscious thought.

Rion Nathan...

Oh, he did him so heinously.

“Sorry...”

It was the only word to come out of Augustus after minutes of keeping his mouth shut.

Especially right now, Augustus knew that nothing would be able to heal Rion's deep wounds and the stabs of the bloody knife inside his chest. His physical bruises and fractures would soon come back to normal, but the lonely and helpless feeling under Guiller's attention that night would surely be scarred in his mind, he would be forever traumatized.

“I do not need your apologies and sympathy, Augustus Immaculata. Just leave me alone for now. I want to be alone,” Rion kept his bruised face blank and emotionless.

“Rion Nathan—”

“And you do not have to say sorry to a wh*re, to your contract husband.”

Even with constant denial, Augustus lost in the battle between his heart that screamed apology, and mind that kept on telling him that he owe Rion nothing. It was more logical to side with his mind. However this time, the former won.

For unknown reasons still strange to him, he could feel his heart tearing apart as he looked solemnly at Rion.

Was it because of Rion Nathan and the man's eyes while he glared at him with those disappointed orbs? Maybe.

Or was it due to the guilt blooming in his chest because of what Rion just told him, that the man saved him from the wrath of Guiller? More likely.

Rion was miserable. And it was all because of him. He was the only person to blame for why all of this happened.

He felt his heart clenching in pain, a thing he has not experienced for a while now.

Augustus Immaculata, although heartless and bound not to feel any sympathy in Rion's perception, he was still a human capable of feeling an array of different emotions after all.

He could still feel everything a normal person could also experience. He could still feel happy whenever something delightful happens. Mad when someone does him wrong. Sad when he feels unworthy and lacking. And hurt when heartbreaking stuffs turn forth.

In his own perspective, he would claim that he was the worst, too. In agreement to Rion's possible view of him. A freak.

Nonetheless, deep inside, Augustus Immaculata, although cruel, was still a human after all.