Contract Marriage With A Grumpy Idol

6: Contract Offer

“Rion, man...”

“What is it again this time, Mack?” Rion asked frustratedly.

He clasped his palms against his face and hid. He wanted to disappear. He wanted to disintegrate. He wanted to leave. He wanted to go somewhere far away. A place he will not be recognized. If that place still existed in the present, after Augustus Immaculata came and made him known.

“You... really slept... in that private penthouse. The unit owned by Augustus Immaculata. The... suite that no one else has ever seen the interior of, except Augustus himself and Zero Degree— probably their manager and handlers, too, of course.”

“Yes, d*mn it, Macko,” he replied weakly, “Whatever you say...”

“You were... also with the whole band last night. Zero Degree. Janvick, Shawn, Hans, Calyx, and Augustus. Do you realize how scandalous, this is? Yet, this is so lucky of you! Man, Rion, do you know how many people — including me, desire to have a chance to experience the things you have done? You are not even a fan of Zero Degree, but yoh managed to scurry in their life and cause havoc in one night! This is not something they will easily forget in their life. You are a phenomenon. A memorable moment. I am d*mn envious...”

“It is quite unbelievable and unlikely to happen, yeah? But it did. It is almost fairy-tale-like and fiction-like, right? And it is.”

Macko nodded enthusiastically at each of Rion's questions. Thrilled. The hint of excitement never left his face since. He was grinning from ear to ear. Anticipating the next thing Rion would say.

About the Augustus' majestic yet mysterious suite. About Augustus' room. About Augustus himself. Or about any of the Zero Degree members. Whatever. He would eat up whichever.

It did not come.

Instead, Rion snarled in obvious frustration and said, “Now, please just do not think about it, Mack. Treat it like it did not happen at all. Forget about it, as I want to do so, too. Stop mentioning anything regarding this. Quit repeating the same questions, too. Just please?”

“No,” Macko replied instantly, frowning. He shook his head in defiance. He sulked in disprove. “Not until I get enough information from you. Man, I can literally be the second luckiest person in this hall if you tell me what you know.”

It was one of the times Rion wished Macko could vanish for a while. Despite the comfort the red-haired guy brought in the silent and eerie morning in hall where Zero Degree left them, Macko could be a nuance. Could be too loud and energetic. Too much for him to deal with. Too much of a disturbance in his inner conflicts that shout at him internally already.

“Mack...” Rion muttered lowly, to beg, to plead. Hoping Macko would get what he implied. Wishing Onew would step in and, as the one who often understood things first, stop Macko from asking.

“How does the suite look like? A simple detail will do to satisfy me, Rion. Come on, man. You can be a lot nicee to me. You know I have been a fan since they released their very first song!”

Rion blew a puff of breath. He sighed rather too loudly, then weakly accommodated the red-haired questions, although not in the mood.

“The unit... it is pretty. Fair and exquisite. Neat for a busy and freaky personality, for a pop star. It is fine and luxurious. It is something you will expect for a rich and big name like his.”

“And you really married him—?”

“Yes, and actually, no,” Rion growled frustratingly. That question again. He has asked Macko not to say that same line as much as the latter has repeated it again and again. “Mack, will you just... shut up?”

“Calm your rod, man,” Macko frowned at the faint aggressiveness in his tone, “There is no need for you to go feral, all right—”

“No. Can you just... maybe, leave me here. Alone. Just for a while, please? I need to be alone.”

“I cannot and I will not,” Macko remained stoic, unmoving, and unwilling to abide by the request, “Rion, we are not home yet. We are still in Zero Degree's agency, a foreign place to you. If we leave again, you might pull some crazy stunt once more. Remember last night? It is a mess— a beautiful one at that, but still a mess. See where it brought us?”

“For f*ck's sake, Macko, I am not a kid. And I am not drunk now. Do you think I am some crazy bastard who will make another scene after seeing my face printed in tabloids and circulating articles and the social media right now?”

“All right. I am just playing around,” Macko giggled playfully. He raised both of his arms in the air, a surrendering gesture. “I guess we will just wait for you outside this room, okay? Or we will wait for Zero Degree or Janvick to come back before we knock in and call you. I will not like it if I receive a punch in the face, my nose will not.”

Rion sighed in relief once Macko and Onew departed. Then, he was left in the room. In peace. Only with himself and the screaming voices in his head.

Earlier, Janvick came and ask for his number. Or for his new number, a new way to contact him, if ever he has already changed addresses after being possibly bombarded with countless annoying messages and calls after his details were published online.

He had none to give. He was planning to change everything. To disappear. To live a new life. As if to create a new personality out of scratch. Whatever way it would take him, he shall find peace again.

Janvick lead them into that empty room from the hallway. The man left and promised to come back.

And then, half an hour after he sought isolation from his friends, a knock echoed in the white. Scrambling through his ears. Drumming loudly as his heart rate immediately followed the beat.

He blinked nervously when a creak from the wooden door soon followed. Looking up to find the slab that separated his tiny confinement from the world, the door flew open.

A woman around her late twenties entered the space, invaded his personal one, and bursted the bubble he has temporarily built. In her back were Macko and Onew, both who had their heads hanging low for an unexplained reason.

Macko stepped forward and gestured at the newly arrived girl. Taking the pleasure to introduce an important individual in all these ruckus, he said, “Rion, man, this is Cait Emmanuel. She is Zero Degree's manager, handler, the one mainly in charge of them. If you are not yet aware.”

Rion gave Cait Emmanuel a subtle nod. When his eyes landed at the woman's heart lips smiling brightly and eyes looking down at him in a stool, his heart leapt. It continued to race frantically.

He was nervous. He was shaking an trembling. He was overthinking what was to come. What Cait Emmanuel was about to say. Whatever the result of the meeting with Zero Degree and Augustus Immaculata was.

“Good day, Mr. Rion Nathan Maestra,” Cait Emmanuel started politely and warmly, “It is nice to see and meet you. And thank you so much for agreeing to let the band bring you in this boring place.”

“I thought I had no choice. Whether I go with them or not, your people will still come looking for me in any corner of the city,” Rion replied sarcastically, immediately not liking the way Cait Emmanuel was presenting herself. With cold eyes despite the smile in her face. With plastic curve in the lips and a corporate mask.

“You do not. That is true,” the woman cleared her throat. “So, I know you do not have all day. I will go straight to the point. Discuss it. And leave you thinking for quite a while. Mr. Rion Nathan Maestra. Do you mind if I lend you an urgent offer?”

Just as Rion expected. The woman was straightforward. She had one goal when she came. She did not have to sugarcoat. And she sought it as soon as she could.

Cait Emmanuel was intimidating. Powerful. A woman who would carry herself with overflowing confidence. Someone who would not back off an argument. A strong and independent party. A person you would find hard to mess with.

She did not even wait until the air between her and Rion, alongside Macko and Onew, has become a bit comfortable.

Her intentions were the only thing keeping this going. And she looked nowhere else than the end of it.

Rion admitted to himself, if only he was not in that situation, Cait might have impressed him. He might have developed a crush on her. After all, she was cool. Admirable.

However... he could not help but think, what offer? What kind of thing would Cait Emmanuel be laying for him to think of?

Will they make him sign an agreement so he would shut the f*ck up and never speak about Augustus Immaculata forever?

Orr will they ask him to pretend not to know Augustus Immaculata?

Will they ask him to step up, show himself in public, and deny the issue?

Will they have him lying and ask him to act like the bad guy holding Augustus Immaculata hostage, so they could spare the latter?

Will they make him say that he planned all that to make a fuss and it was not true?

Have they plotted a story to make the public believe already?

“I think I will not mind hearing one. It is just not a guarantee that I will accept it,” he briefly muttered, immediately pursing his lips in a straight line as to not elicit any more emotion for Cait Emmanuel to read.

“Great!” Zero Degree's manager flashed a grin.

As innocent as the woman looked, with thick glasses hanging by the bridge of her nose and a neat attire that would send off unemployed admirers out of shame, Cait's grin sent chills down Rion's spine.

For a reason he could not name, it was horrifying. Those kind of smiles from businessmen were signs of upcoming havoc.

Should he be scared now and start scurrying away from that building as early as then? What was Zero Degree's manager up to? Or what was the company itself up to to save their valued artist?

With Rion's approval after she gestured a request, Cait sat down a stool. She pulled it from beside Rion so they would be face to face.

As soon as she was set, the rambling started. It went on, and on in a blur. It was a lot. And Rion might have only gathered a few. Very little pieces of it.

Even Macko and Onew were not listening. They will not be able to comprehend every single word and point just too. Onew could. Interestingly, he would have understood effortlessly. But sprouts of wireless earphones were stuck in his ears. He was unwilling to participate and hear from the world.

And what caught his attention was a vague one. Bothering, too. It was not what he has expected.

It was infuriating.

“What did you just say?”

“Are you against it, Mr. Maestra?”

“Clarifications... you... want me to sign a marriage contract. And your company wants to make this set-up officially bound legally. And I will get tied with that freaking homophobic pop star for a whole f*cking year for signing it? Are you guys going nuts?!” Rion said. Almost growling.

Fuming mad, he rose from his seat. His feet met the floor in a slam. One, then two, and three. He walked away from Cait Emmanuel. A hand on his waist, while the other flew to his temple.

Macko looked at Cait Emmanuel in apology. The woman did not seem to mind at all, however. She was still sitting on her stool, arms crossed, with a gentle and great posture and full composure. He walked towards Rion and patted the latter in his shoulder—

“Yes. We want you to do those,” Cait Emmanuel responded. Unfazed. Stone-faced.

“Not to be disrespectful, hmm, Ms. Cait Emmanuel. Excuse my attitude. But have you and Zero Degree's management lost your abilities to think rationally?!”

“Man, hey...” Macko hushes. He pulled on Rion quite harder and made the latter fave him. “Rion, man. Tone down your voice, please? At least keep it lower. You are speaking to a person older than us, and it is a lady. You might want to pay a little respect and contain yourself even just a bit, hmm?”

If it was another situation they were in, Rion would have disobeyed for fun. And for the pleasure of seeing Macko riled up and stressed.

It was not.

So, thankfully, Rion listened. He fell down and went back to his seat near Cait Emmanuel. He chewed on his lips, still annoyed, but moved in accord to Macko's request.

Although, his eyes stayed darting. Flaming. Burning. Targeting Cait Emmanuel directly with a gaze he rarely give people, unless he hated them to hell.

“Just so you know, anyway, Mr. Maestra. Contract marriages. Those are not a new thing these days, especially in industries like ours. Or in high class integrations. It is mostly done for convenience. For the best benefits of the arrangement to avoid the worse. Businessmen, millionaires, and many celebrities, even those you do not know of, are in such a relationship. All for its effects. It is a mess, fraudulent, manipulation, a gamble. Of course. But it is worth the time, in most cases. After a year, however, it will be cut legally for you You do not have to worry.”

“Convenience and benefits, you said...? And for freaking whom? For that homophobic and troublesome singer?” Rion smirked, pissed. Completely annoyed.

Cait Emmanuel's words sounded ridiculous to him. Hilarious, even.

Was she hearing herself? They were real people. True breathing humans. With their own lives. With their own will and decisions. And this is not fiction. This is the real life.

“Yes.”

Rion heaved a sarcastic loud sigh. “And you are sure, too. Why do you have to care this much about a jerk? Of all the people, of Augustus Immaculata? Why can you not just let him fall, break, and lose his all? Maybe then, he will realize how sh*tty he has been all these years.”

“You do not question why someone cares about a person important to them, Mr. Maestra.”

It shut him up. Rion's brow creased. He froze.

Right.

Cait Emmanuel. Even with her dark and cold eyes while she looked at her, she was a genuine person. She cared for Augustus Immaculata. Like a loving mother to her son. Like a biological sister to her brother. Like an owner to her pet.

In business, no one would go this far for a simple partner. May they lose investments and stock holders or not, it will not matter.

Unless the person they will lose mattered so much.

Sure, Augustus Immaculata might have been a pain in the ass. As someone who barely knew the singer and cared about him, his actions were outraging already. How much more could it have been for people who were directly involved to him He was a complete asshole. With scandals here, issues there, and negative news everywhere.

For a while, Rion thought, how could a woman, as powerful as Cait Emmanuel looked, afford to care a lot about Augustus? But who knew better than those people who were close to him?

“Man, please...” Macko chided in, apologetically bowing to Cait Emmanuel as he made his way toward Rion. “Augustus is not that bad, I assure you. He deserves the world.”

Of course. What was he even expecting from Macko? He will defend Augustus Immaculata. Zero Degree. And everything regarding his favorite boy group.

Even though he himself hated Augustus Immaculata, especially after the recent news that showcases how much of an assh*le the pop star was, he knew that Macko adores and idolizes that man. More than anyone else.

And Macko knew about Augustus Immaculata better than he was aware.

Rion blew a puff of breath. Calming himself. This was not the right time to let out all his pent-up frustrations from the concurring path of bad luck he needed to get over with before he lost the battle.

“I am sorry,” he said. More to Macko than to Cait Emmanuel. More to the fact that he might have hurt Macko's feelings for attacking Augustus for no exact reason at all, but a grudge he could not guess the start of.

“So, Mr. Maestra. Going back to what I was saying, can I?”

“Go on, I guess?” Rion nodded.

“Thank you. As it was, this thing will be an arrangement for convenience. Not just for Augustus, but for both parties. You, being the second.”

“And?”

“Having your doubts and all, it is normal. I do not blame you for not trusting this at all,” Cait Emmanuel added, sensing disinterest from Rion's question. “Moreover, I have had my research about you. If you do not mind— which I know you very much do, but I wish for your pardon and understanding as it is necessary so we know of you more.”

It was not like he had a choice still. It was not like he could go feral and yell at Cait Emmanuel once more, tell her how infuriating it was. He has already had a fair time to be mad over his information leaking that morning.

Whatever Cait Emmanuel and Zero Degree's management could have found out about him, he was sure the public already knew them, too. His name. His age. Birthday. Address— email or his home. His history in school, possibly. His background. His ancestry. His mother and father....

“Nothing much as the public knows, you see. But more than the things published in articles and news such as losing your job, we have also learned that m you are about to lose your father over an eye tumor, cancer. That is something the media did not pay much attention, lucky you. But we know that he needs immediate surgery so he can live longer.”

Rion's eyes widened in shock.

It was Rion's last straw.

His eyes widened in shock and he broke down. Completely. His eyes started to tear up. His knees started to tremble. He could not look up.

“I honestly sympathize with your father's condition, Mr. Maestra. My mother died because of breast cancer three years ago. Since then, I have started donating for cancer patients. If I knew you, I would have prayed for him, and did more to sent help. He is nearly blind, in need of a cornea transplant. However, having that surgery will not guarantee him a longer life, but will only help him see the world until his last breath. He will still need to undergo surgery to remove his tumor.”

Stop.

He wanted to tell Cait Emmanuel to just f*cking stop.

He has stayed away from home to escape that sh*tty reality he could not handle. But until then, it was still haunting him dead. It hurt. To see his father suffering, but still smiling and telling him not to worry and just save money for himself and his mother. It hurt. To hear his father speaking as if he was giving his last words before he died.

“Where did you even seek those? Please stop...” Rion muttered weakly.

He silently prayed for the ground to just eat him alive. Swallow him wholly.

He did not know what to tell Macko and Onew. He did not know how to face his friends after this. He has not told them about his father's real condition. They only knew that he needed maintenance because of mild diabetes. Never did he open up about the real deal.

“Where or when did we get these does not matter, Mr. Maestra,” Cait Emmanuel keened, “As I have said, this will be a marriage of convenience. That reason being stated, I know you have already gathered enough clue about the possible offers we can promise you.”

“F*ck that.”

“Your father will be provided enough funds for treatment. His surgery and full recovery will be covered. Taken care of by the company once you sign the one-year contract. Note that you do not waste any opportunity once it knocks on your door, Mr. Maestra.”

“F*ck that. F*ck that convenience. Why did you even have to bring my parents— my father into this?”

“Because we need you, Mr. Maestra. Clearly, you see. Without any doubt, though, you need us, too,” she said, flashing the infamous corporate smile she often wore, “Zero Degree's trademark has reached places initially unreachable for boy groups in their generation. They already hold so much value that it will take us more than ten years to build another big name, yet, that is only a possibility and not a certain thin. Zero Degree are the company's pillars. And Augustus Immaculata is the biggest name inside the agency.”

Rion was silenced.

A bit offended, hus shoulders pointed down. He needed them. Just as much as they needed him.

“Back to the terms of this agreement. Your father will immediately undergo a cornea transplant and we are now in search of a donor. We will do you all the favor. And if you wish, he can also undergo the surgery to remove his tumor as soon as you sign the contract.”

“I did not ask for that.”

“Soon, you will,” Cait Emmanuel said it with great confidence. Never did her eyes waver. They were sharp and keen. Emotionless as steel. Cold and straightforward. “If you sign the contract, your father will live longer. Maintenance covered. Financial position at soar. But if you back out of it anytime after settling the agreement, if you cause any breach, we will make sure you pay with everything you have. If you want your parents to die paying your bills, worrying until the afterlife.”

“That is a threat.”

“You can say that,” she shrugged, “so, think about it. Once. Twice. A lot of times. I will be waiting to hear back from you.”

“I… think I will need some time to weigh that matter.”

“I will leave you now and set you free, then, if you do not mind.”

Rion nodded weakly.

“And here. Call me when you have already changed contacts,” Cait forced a small smile— probably the most genuine Rion ha seen of her that day.

The manager then pushed a business card in front of Rion before she left the room for the three boys.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Cait Emmanuel blew out a loud sigh.

She was fifty percent sure that Rion Nathan Maestra will call her back in an hour. The remaining fifty percent can be divided into two; into the twenty-five percent guess that Rion Nathan will or might take some time until the next day, and the other twenty-five percent of the possibility will be their misfortune. Left in the dark. Unlucky of them. And it will be pulling Zero Degree down a shallow cliff, then into nothingness. Rion will and might abandon the offer, and they will never hear a word from the guy again.

However, she wanted to be positive. Still. She should not assume. She should not overthink. Everything would go to plan. Everything would be in their favor in the end. She just has to be patient, they have to be. They can only hope for the best during this tough time.

Rion has to accept this deal. Augustus has to clear his image. Ans Zero Degree has to continue to function and promote as a five-member group.

If not...

Then, Cait did not know what she would do anymore.

Nonetheless, the room Cait just walked out from remained quiet. Awkward and silent. Eerie and gloomy.

Macko and Onew looked at each other, with the latter shaking his head to deliver an implication. Do not ask. Keep their questions to themselves. Shut the hell up for once. At least not yet.

Rion was going through a lot already. And them asking him about his father would only make things worse.

They did not want to burden Rion more. They did not want to add another cause of stress. They did not want to be more of his conflicts.

Macko could feel his heard breaking while he looked at the anxious and problematic Rion. Ruined and teary in his seat. He walked over his best friend and patted Rion's back.

“Man...”

“Mack..." Rion whispered back, then chuckled madly to himself, “What... do you mean a… contract marriage? With Augustus Immaculata...? This is beyond an absolute joke…”

Onew went over the two other boys and joined the circle. They let Rion cry and let out his frustrations.

~

On their way home, Macko and Onew sawlt in the front and left the backseat for Rion to have the alone time he needed.

The car was silent. Only the faint and muffled beeping of vehicles from outside their space could be heard. The three boys' breathe. And then, nothing else.

Rion sighed loudly. Louder than he kept on doing for a while now. After a few hours of just driving around the city as per his request to Macko, he palmed his face and made his mind up.

Horrible. Yet it would come with great benefits in his favor, too.

However bad as it sounded, and however terrible it would be for him with Augustus Immaculata, he also could not just disregard the fact that, without any doubt, he needed this. He needed Augustus Immaculata. He needed Cait Emmanuel. He needed this deal.

“F*ck this…”

That offer was pure bullshit…

… but he was desperate for it, badly.

“Hello…” he uttered lowly when Cait Emmanuel picked her phone up and answers his call.

Macko and Onew heard him talking. They glanced at Rion through the rear. Macko smiled at him reassuringly, as if extending an unsaid promise that they will never leave Rion alone all throughout this journey. That they will always be by his side. And that they will always provide moral support to the extent of their power.

“This is Rion Nathan Maestra, Ms. Cait Emmanuel,” he said nervously, and with a fear of his voice breaking and coming out as if strangled, “I… I will sign the contract.”