Contract Marriage With A Grumpy Idol

7: Arrangements

“Where and when did you meet your husband, Rion Nathan Maestra, Mr. Augustus Immaculata?”

Augustus snapped back from his reverie as a familiar reporter stepped forward and asked. Hector Ramos from the show business segment of the television's fifth channel. Notorious in his field. Feared by a lot of celebrities due to his unstoppable questions.

Bothered, he looked around to find Cait Emmanuel and ask for permission whether he should proceed to make up a story and tell Hector Ramos and the press about it.

Cait was not around.

The camera flashes were blinding. The rolling films were focused on him. The media was silent while they all waited for his response. And then, loud, as murmurs echoed around the hall when he seemed unwilling to speak.

All the attention was on him. He could not roll his eyes. He could not snarl and frown visibly. He almost cursed his current position and wished he was with Zero Degree, at least.

“When and where did we first meet, huh?” he finally muttered, repeating the question as if in need of further clarifications.

Hector Ramos then nodded, then grinned rather annoyingly. Smugly. As if flaunting dominance for making Augustus Immaculata contemplating his words for a while in fear of f*cking it up.

“Go on, Mr. Immaculata. You do not want everyone waiting, do you?”

Why did the company let such a man with absurd questions slip in? Thinking about any possible scenario in his head alone was burdening. With his creative and romantic side, it was still to no avail. He wanted to wince in embarrassment and cringe at every story he thought of.

The question only remained hanging in the air. Left unanswered. He could not bring himself to make up a prompt full of lies to feed these parasites.

Why did he even agree to do this press conference and invite the media so he could speak regarding his ‘marriage’ with his ‘boyfriend’?

F*ck that.

If they wanted him to make this sh*t believable in any least, they should have provided him a script to follow and familiarize himself of. Not this out of the blue imagining any event where he was supposed to have met Rion Nathan Maestra.

“I...” Augustus tried to start again. Only to stop as soon as his mouth opened.

He clenched his fist and pressed his teeth together.

Lies.

Whatever lie he would think of could be enough. He just needed a few more.

He just needed to get this over with. He just wanted this to be over.

“Feel free to dump the question though, Mr. Immaculata. We do not demand anything from you if you are not yet ready to tell the story about you and your ‘husband’,” Hector Ramos retorted confidently. Stressing the word ‘husband’ as if he was implying a knowledge of something the rest were not.

“No, I do not mind,” Augustus retaliated, faking a forced smile in the process. Hector was playing this game, and so will he, “You know, everyone knows me as an alcoholic, sees me as one, too. I have become a scandalous figure, a disgrace to Zero Degree, some even say. People sees me as someone unworthy of the still expanding fame and popularity I have.”

“That man you are talking about, Rion Narhan— my husband...” he faked a cough. “Rion was there during my hardest times, stayed during my lowest, chose me still when the world hated Augustus Immaculata. He believed in me. He trusted me. And he became my inspiration. The moment I met him somewhere I will not name months ago, it was love at first sight.”

“When everybody, including mine and the group's fans even, believed the media when they painted me dirty, believed each lies told by stories and rumors that were not even the whole truth at all, Rion Nathan reminded me to stick with what I know of. Because I am the only one who know better about myself. People will criticize you and hate you no matter what. Humans are naturally hateful, eh. But he said, as long as I have peace of mind and clarity, I will be fine.”

“Rion Nathan told me not to care about what people who hate me say. He told me to only listen to those who love and value me, to those who stay through all the odds. He said karma will take them off their tracks while I remain stoic and grand in mine. Rion Nathan, that man is my cornerstone. My solitude. He is my all...”

“I didn't know Augustus Immaculata believes in love at first sight? That is so sweet of you and Mr. Maestra, though,” The same man, smirking as if he knew the reality behind this facade, asked once more.

Augustus almost yelled at the stubborn reporter who kept on throwing him succeeding questions. And he had to refrain from going berserk.

Calm down, August, he chanted to himself.

Augustus felt like puking. His stomach started swirling. His head turned light.

How was he even able to say those with a straight face and a mask hiding his distaste... it was over and beyond his utter disbelief.

“I did not know that The Augustus Immaculata believes in love at first sight? That is so sweet of you and Mr. Maestra, though,” Hector Ramos, smirking as if he knew the reality behind this facade, replied.

Brat.

He wanted to go berserk. He wanted to tell at Hector Ramos, tell him to leave the podium and stop asking d*mb questions. He was just restraining himself from making any idiotic stunt. Calm down, he chanted to himself.

“I actually was not one to believe, despite the group singing about it in a few of our songs. But it was not until I met Rion Nathan, though. See, maybe someone will really come to challenge your beliefs in the most unexpected time and moment. Who knows, no?” Augustus keened, grinning back to Hector.

He has spent a lot of years in front of the camera. In front of people who watched him with wary gazes, waiting for him to say or do something that could cause his own downfall. With a pretentious nature blooming and developing from the little honest boy Augustus Immaculata, he would not argue with the fact that he was sometimes untrue.

Everyone prayed for his and Zero Degree's way downhill, but it never came despite the circumstances. They stayed loved and cherished, looked up to and idolized. Sometimes, he himself thought he never deserved any of the adoration.

If not with the testaments and fan mails and letters he read, he would have quitted a long time ago due to the overwhelming feedback of popularity.

Even pissed, Augustus flashed a calm smile and wished Hector Ramos would leave the podium already, or a staff would tell him to go off.

The reporter did not.

“Final question, Mr. Immaculata. Is Rion Nathan Maestra really your husband? Did you really get married the other night? Well, to be frank, Rion Maestra looks handsome. He can pass as a model of fashion brands, to say the least. Is he really a normal city boy, and not in the same world as us?”

“Good one,” Augustus nodded, impressed, “Sometimes, I ask myself the same question, Hector Ramos. Rion Nathan Maestra is too perfect to be mine, no? Hot, handsome, smart, and all. But... here he is, currently married to me, all mine, and I am also his property in exchange. Surreal, right? And believe me, I have asked him to try modelling or being an influencer a lot uncountable times already. He said he wants a simple life. With me. Even though admittedly, my life is not even simple, as I am a well-known singer...”

Really, it was a d*mb question.

Augustus could not believe that they still had to clarify whether he and Rion were married, when it was a known fact that this press conference was announced as an indirect confession that the marriage was legitimate— in the public and law's sense.

The fuss has not gone down even after days. Augustus and the company continued to receive countless deals and interview invitations. They were constantly asked to make an official statement regarding Augustus Immaculata and Rion Nathan Maestra's apparent ‘wedding’.

So, there he was. Sitting alone. With his members nowhere to be found. With Cait Emmanuel missing in action, too. Left on his own to make white lies and convince the public of whatever his story was behind the camera.

He looked down lazily. He blew a puff of breath and willed himself to continue, although he wanted to vanish from therein. He wanted to go back to his suite, pound on his bed, and sleep for hours.

And it has to be as soon as possible. He did not know when did his energy start to diminish. But he was tired. And drained. And exhausted. He might pass out any minute.

“RION NATHAN MAESTRA?!”

“OH MY GOD, HE IS HERE FOR AUGUSTUS!”

“TURN THE CAMERA TO RION MAESTRA'S DIRECTION. QUICK!”

“FILM HIM!”

The sudden catastrophe brought by the presence of the last man Augustus wanted to see that day made his ears perk up in horror.

The pop star looked up in tremor, and there he was, Rion Nathan Maestra. Standing by the hall's entrance. With Cait Emmanuel. As the latter pushed him forth and urged him to walk over Augustus.

Rion smiled weakly. When he looked up, his gaze met Augustus' burning one. Their eyes did not linger for more than five seconds as Rion turned to Cait Emmanuel and flashed a worried look.

“It is okay,” the manager tried to comfort the newly arrived guest.

“I hope so,” Rion replied politely.

“SCOOT OVER. MR. MAESTRA IS NOW HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ALONGSIDE AUGUSTUS!”

The announcement from Cait shushed the crowd. Only murmurs remained echoing lowly.

“Augustus,” Cait muttered, eyes widening to give the pop star a knowing look. “Be nice.”

Augustus winced.

Why did they have to bring Rion there? It would have been over in any minute. But since they had another one to interrogate, the conference will only last longer. And it might even become worse...

He stood up, anyway, and helped Rion to sit down. He pulled a monoblock chair and smiled sweetly, gesturing Rion to drop down and comfortably place himself beside the singer in front of the crowd, “Sit here, baby.”

Deep inside, Augustus almost jumped off his seat. He wanted to bang his head on the wall. Baby. What a cringe worthy word.

Of all the things the management could tell him about like a made-up story where they met and how they fell in love so he would not have to make it up on the spot, why did it have to be that ugly endearment?

“Thank you,” Rion breathed out. With a shaky and trembling voice. With a forced and nervous smile.

The singer knew he was about to tear up. He could feel Rion's shoulder shaking in anxiety. The latter's knees were also wobbly, and if he did not make it on time to sit, he would have collapsed on the ground, foolishly and embarrassingly. His eyes were also visibly teary.

For a moment, he felt disappointed. Rion Nathan Maestra was not that smart. He could have spared himself of the horrifying first time in front of this huge and intimidating crowd.

Was he even aware of what he was facing? Did he even know how to act in front of the media? Rion will just make a fool of himself, he swore to God.

Why did he even show up? If the company asked him to, Rion could have said no. After all, he could do this alone. Without Rion to ruin it all.

Or did he want the attention, too, and want to use this as a stepping stone to get more known? Augustus wanted to laugh. Everything people around him did was use him for their own good.

He reminded himself that he should not treat Rion Nathan Maestra differently from the others. He was not his friend. The only people he could have fair in was Cait Emmanuel and his friends. Aside from them, no one else deserves his trust.

Without any choice but to make the most out of this show and the obvious act the company wanted them to portray, he sighed. What else could he do?

He reached out. He took Rion's hand and rubbed a thumb against the latter's palm. He then intertwined their fingers, tangling each between his own.

Rion, shocked, flinched at the sudden contact. In surprise, his gaze shot up to Augustus' already waiting gaze.

The singer smiled, whispering, “You will be fine, hmm?”

Rion nodded, and mirrored the smile. He knew this was all facade. And he just has to play along with it.

But then, he really was not too fond of endearments. He never was. Even when he was still with Afaela, his ex-girlfriend, never did he make use of endearments. And neither did he hear the woman call him such sweet words. They only address each other using their first names.

So, yes, if you ask him how it felt to be called ‘baby’ by Augustus Immaculata — also known as everybody's dream boy —, well, it felt weird and nothing else.

Weird. However, it sent him almost tumbling back. He was unable to process the voice Augustus Immaculata used. It was different from the agressive snarl he kept on letting out when they first talked. Or from the arrogant tone he usually played.

For a reason Rion could not name, it somehow relieved his nerves.

When Rion finally was able to breathe a few inhales, he looked forward and up. Meeting the people in their front. While their hands stayed connected, entwined together, pressed above the table.

Numerous cameras flashed. Almost blinding his sense of sight. It was too bright. Too unusual.

Rion was never used to being in the spotlight. He never liked to be in the middle of everyone's attention. He was an introvert. He was socially anxious.

But there he was, currently the talk of the town. After a night he was not even in control of, he was suddenly sitting alongside the singer of Zero Degree, Augustus Immaculata. All because of one drunken night. And because of his misfortune. And for his father.

Feeling the eyes on them, as well as all the lenses straight and pointing and firing on him, Rion shook. His grip on Augustus tightened. He wanted to just vanish from existence.

He looked down. Hiding his face. Head parallel from the ground so he will not be seen under the large sweater hood he wore above his head. He held on the pop star for dear life, treating it as if an IV. That once it disconnects from his skin, he might just die and experience a severe seizure until he was unresponsive and breathing his last.

“They are holding hands! Quick, take a photo! Quick!”

“They are so sweet!”

“Oh, I am envious!”

“Look at Augustus comforting his husband!”

Rion heard everything. Mumbles. Whispers. Squeals. Yells. It was as if his senses, especially of hearing, turned functioning in triple heights than it initially was.

They were overreacting. The media. Were they usually like this in every event? And then, he remembered. They make everything a big deal. For the stories. For their own good. For the articles that would generate the most clicks.

Everything around here will be reported. Made into broader stance. And they have to be more conscious, cautious. They have to act better, to be more convincing, to look like a real married couple...

“Mr. Maestra, we have seen you shaking. Are you nervous?”

Finally, the silence came back as someone took the podium to send another question flying out.

It was Augustus who spoke, “Yes, he is. we are sorry. My husband is not used to this kind of thing, eh. This is his first time appearing for the public to see, you know? Rion is socially anxious, so take it as whatever. Anyway, I thought he will ditch me today and divorce me because he can not straighten in front of the media and I have asked for his appearance,” Augustus giggled said, giggling, also making most audience in the room chuckle. “He is so cute, is he not?”

Everyone agreed, nodded their heads, and stared at Rion in awe.

What the hell was cute with his nerves acting up?

Surely, Augustus was a superb actor. He was a convincing one. And Rion would give him that. To last in the show business, you will need not only a single talent, or you will be out. And Augustus Immaculata had multiple of them.

Rion faked a smile while gaping at the singer — to show the crowd's watching gaze that he appreciated Augustus' compliment.

“What, now, Rion Nathan? Flustered? Did I make your hearr flatter?” Augustus asked so suddenly, catching Rion off-guard that he had to look away with an unexpected blush in his face, “Oh, hey, stop rolling your cameras! My husband is blushing. Do not take or publish any photo, this sight is only for me!”

The joke made the hall loud again, full of giggles and tiny squeals.

“You look extra blissful, cheerful, and bright today than any of the other conference you have been in, Mr. Immaculata,” One man in his fifties from the audience yelled, “You look blooming and deeply in love. We are so happy for you!”

“I guess you can say that this is what love does to Augustus Immaculata?”

The headlines in articles, newspapers, and showbiz news were quite predictable, ‘What love does to Augustus Immaculata?’

It has left a mark to the public. And they were adored. Much more than initially.

It became quite inappropriate to read and watch for both Augustus and Rion. None of took time to browse through social media. They did not even want to remember it.

Though, it was tolerable enough. It was not too much for the benefits this set-up will bring in the future.

~

“You will be staying in Augustus' penthouse for the meantime while we get the mansion clean. Ah, will that be okay, Rion?” Cait Emmanuel asked the moment Rion has seated down backstage from the stressful conference, his first public appearance.

When he signed the contract, he was surprised to see another version of Cait Emmanuel. It was like the girl he met in the company to offer him that agreement vanished, and she was a completely new stranger.

She was nice and friendly, smiley and goofy sometimes. She made jokes to make him laugh and comfortable. She assured him that everything would be fine and he could call her everytime he needed something, or anytime Augustus Immaculata would act up and would need scoldings.

It was safe to say that he has grown a bit of liking for Cait Emmanuel. His first impression was wrong and they could literally be friends.

Rion nodded in response, weakly. His gaze stayed low and avoiding every eye inside the secluded room. It was too foreign. He was not with Macko or Onew. It was only Cait Emmanuel who he was somehow find of.

“Thank you so much for trusting us, Rion. I could not stress how much of a big deal this was. In exchange, believe that we will abide by the agreement. We are now taking care of your father.”

“Thanks to you, too, Cait. So much...” were the only words Rion was able to say.

Then, he was lead out of the room. Cait Emmanuel followed suit after ten minutes. They rode the same van that would bring him to the same compound he woke up in before the issue broke out.

Rion was about to release the tension from his nerves when he was finally sitting in the vehicle's backseat. He leaned toward the window and let his shoulders calm.

But then, an unfortunate — very unlucky — event occured and he rather stiffened even more. Augustus pushed open the van's sliding door and slipped inside in a haste. The pop star gave him a stern glare and went past, situating himself alone at the last row of seats.

Rion sighed once more. Thank God the j*rk did not sit beside him...

~

“So this becomes easy for the both of us, please stay out of my business and I will stay out of yours. Is that clear, f*g?”

Rion winced.

The suite's door was not even shut for more than five seconds. Cait Emmanuel just bid her goodbye and told Augustus to act nice. And there he went again...

“You know, Augustus Immaculata, now I get why you were under fire for being homophobic just the other week. I am not even surprised,” Rion said as he shook his head in displease. “Because you are one heck of a walking homophobe.”

“I do not like the way you speak to me.”

“And I do not like the way you speak to me as wall, Mr. Immaculata. I should have expected you to become this arrogant in real life. I do not know what my best friend saw in you and how you got him defending you from time to time. I nearly thought something has to be so special in you, but I guess that will be too time-consuming if I spend a second figuring out what. I might see none.”

“You are getting into my nerves,” Augustus frowned, side-eyeing Rion competitively, unwilling to back down and stop and surrender from the debate. “You should be acting nice and fine because I am paying you. But, oh well... what do I expect with someone who is only here for the benefits of my fame, popularity, and for the money he will get off of this deal. You are not far from being an escort at this point. A paid man. And I can not believe I will have to live with you for a whole year, claim you as my husband, and be a godd*mn actor. This is nasty.”

Augustus' words stung. Deeply. A paid man. He was not different from an escort at this point.

As much as Rion wanted to ignore the attacks, especially the personal ones, he could not. It hurt that Augustus Immaculata was right. It sucks that Augustus was too honest and blunt. He did not have to remind him of the reason why he agreed to this. For the money. For the benefits of it.

However, he could not defend himself as well. He could not say that he was not here for the pop star's popularity. For a reason, he saw no sense in telling him that this was solely for his father, so his Dad would live a longer life.

Rion gritted his teeth and stopped his tears from flowing out. With all his might, he tried to maintain his composure. No, he should not be crying in front of Augustus. If anything, the last sh*t Augustus had to witness was his breakdown, his most fragile moment, his weakest state.

Rion looked away and made himself busy in observing the suite's interior.

Interesting. Suddenly, it was worthy of his distraction, of his attention.

The pop star was cruel. Blatant. He was simply the worst. He could not care any less. And Rion's feelings would be the last thing Augustus would probably consider.

If ever Rion let Augustus test how weak he could always get because of hurtful and sharp words, he felt fearful that the pop star would just use it again and again to woo him, to break him until there was nothing left.

He was not the strong man people, or Macko and Onew and his family, thought he was. He might have seemed tough, but deep inside, he was not.

One painful remark would break him into millions of tiny pieces. He could easily crumble. Rion could never trust himself regarding the matter.

Augustus was a real j*ek. Insensitive. Terrible. After all, Rion has already expected him to be worse than this. It was not too surprising at this point.

And he made Rion realize it once and for all as he took advantage of the sudden change in the latter's expression and attitude.

“Why did you become teary all of a sudden? Were you hurt by that fact? Do you not like it when I said you are not any different from an escort? It is a much better title than a prostitute and a white, anyway. Do you prefer another term, perhaps the latter?”

“Why would it hurt me?” Rion keened sarcastically, “Of course, who said it is untrue? I am here for the money. I am here for the benefit of it. I am here because of the deal. And that is it! Do you think I signed the contract because of your perfect looks and conceited personality and your d*mn fame? What do I do with that when I can not even appear in public without shaking? You know, go and f*ck yourself, Augustus Immaculata.”

He watched as Augustus clenched his palm into a hard fist. That was when he knew he hit a nerve. With the way Augustus' jaw tightened, too, it was certain.

And f*ck him. He deserves the lashing. He deserved the wrath. If Rion was not too nice still, he would have said worse words. He would have ridiculed the pop star, too.

Augustus did not retaliate. He chose not to, probably. In a second, he was walking away and strutting fastly toward his room.

Rion heard an agressive push and slam, and then, Augustus was gone from his eyes' vision.

It was the time things has started to sink into him.

He was in the pop stars suite once more. Augustus Immaculata's private penthouse suite. The place Macko said was a mystery to everyone else except those who were close to Augustus.

God, how much he wanted wanted to back off already. Maybe run away to beg Cait Emmanuel to let him just stay with Macko and Onew with a promise to always hide from the public's eyes. Or hide with his best friends anywhere in the city or out of town.

He could be anywhere. Anywhere, just not in a place with Augustus Immaculata.

Unfortunately, he would really have to live with this homophobic singer.

On the other side of all he negativity, he was certain that Augustus, a famous pop star from Zero Degree, was a busy man. With lots of projects. Recordings. Interviews. And hectic schedule. He will barely go home. In this suite or in the house — mansion, they were planning to live in together.

For most of the whole year's days, if lucky enough, Rion was sure that the place will be left all to himself.

He might be living in the pop star's property for that long, but the thought of barely meeting him was enough compromise. It was not like he minded being alone. He could invite Macko and Onew to hang out together whenever he feels bored, anyway, according to Cait Emmanuel.

He just could not stand Augustus or the man's presence. Else, he would feel like exploding in fury a million of times in a daily basis.

This. This pretty much seemed like one fantasy of a little kid. A surreal imagination to live.

To get married with a perfectly looking handsome and hot Prince Charming— and it was undeniable that Augustus' looks were an epitome of perfection. To live in a beautifully built castle or mansion, which in their case, the unit— the suite could pass as a modern castle set only for the rich.

But Rion was not a little kid. He was not idealistic. And this did not look real to him, until that moment.

Still, it was not the perfect fairy tale. It was not good, not at all. Augustus Immaculata can not even act nicely, so how will he be fit in a role of a gentleman or a prince in this tale?

Impossible..