Chapter 3: Rumor

The rumored future collaboration between Crown and Empire Entertainment went viral, when some insiders from one of the leading agency Empire Entertainment posted a picture of Sandra Mendez's secretary inside the building. The rumor said that Crown Entertainment had sent a proposal to Empire for the said project, which both agencies refuses to confirm yet.

Crown and Empire Entertainment are the two of the largest and most successful leading agencies in the country over the years. But unknown to everyone, both CEO's of Crown and Empire Entertainment were actually good friends despite being rivals over the decade since the said companies were founded. The two treated the situation as just friendly competition, wherein, they didn't think merging and collaboration were necessary since they're producing different style of music.

However, everyone was thrilled when the rumor started circulating. But immediately, it died down after another shocking news of Thomas Mendez's successor flashed like a lightning in a sunny day.

Sebastian just shook his head and closed the television. "Rumors," he mumbled.

His friend Levi, the famous powerhouse rapper of Empire Entertainment, was rumored dating the most beautiful woman in South Korea, none other than Sandra Mendez.

Someone had bravely spread the photos of the two having dinner at the restaurant on social media wherein the time Levi tricked him to meet Sandra. Fortunately, the photographer wasn't interested in his existence, thus, he was not included in the frame as if there were only two people on the table.

He's not offended with that tho, rather, he's more grateful. His peaceful life finally brought back to him. Though, there were still people waiting outside their building, he's confident they're not after him anymore. That they grew tired of him already and shifted their attention to Levi who's more interesting and in the hot topic at the very moment.

Wearing his hoodie over his head, he shove his hands onto each sides of its pocket as he stood up and walked outside. The breezing air quickly kissed his body, which gives him slight chills all over when he stepped out of his house. He wanted to walk and get some fresh air before locking himself back alone in his working area to write a new song. Finding himself at Han River, he silently sat on the steps of the staircase and watched how the stars scattered all over in the night sky, feeling the cold breeze and the serenity of the place. It became a habit when his thought was somewhere else and couldn't concentrate in writing lyrics. The calmness of the river somewhat helps him collect his thoughts together.

He closed his eyes and sighed. But then, a loud thud of an object that looks like it has been thrown to the river distracted him. Opening his eyes, he saw someone who was standing in a distance ahead of him, facing he river. His brows furrowed as he saw the outfit that almost the same as his, but only looks bigger than her tiny frame. He bet its a girl, a rebel teenager, perhaps.

Shrugging his shoulder, he propped his elbows on his thigh and watched as that person fixed her huge hoodie to cover half of her face and walked fast, away from the river. The corner of his lips slowly lifted up as his gaze followed the girl until it disappeared from his line of vision. He thought she's running away from someone and he could use it as a concept to his new composition. He then shifted his gaze on the stars and heaved another sigh at his absurdity.

"I didn't know you're such an emo," said Levi who suddenly appeared beside him, making Sebastian startled.

"Tss"

Levi laughed then threw a canned beer on his direction which he thankfully catched before it hits his face.

"You're supposed to start writing my song now. So, what are you doing here alone?" Levi asked.

Sebastian opened the canned beer and chugged it down on his throat before responding, "I'm just breathing some fresh air"

"Oh. Is that how you do before you start writing? Internalization?"

Sebastian shrugged then stared at nothingness.

"You shouldn't be here," he said instead of answering his stupid question. He whipped his head on the side and scowled at his friend, "People might recognize you and--"

"And take a picture of us, then spread a rumor that we're dating?"

Sebastian's eyes widened in bewilderment. He suddenly felt scandalized at Levi's joke, but the latter burst out laughing while shaking his head in amusement.

"They wouldn't mind us, really Seb," Levi grinned mischievously.

"That was fvcking ridiculous!" Sebastian hissed which earned another heartily laugh from his friend.

Sebastian could only shake his head and finished his beer. Silence then enveloped the night when Levi's laugh finally died down and eventually followed by a heavy sigh. Automatically, Sebastian's forehead creased for his sudden change of mood didn't escape him. He then remembered the rumor between his friend and Sandra Mendez, then eventually recalled what he had witnessed that night of their unexpected dinner.

That woman again. He thought. It's been two weeks tho, and he thinks he had a trauma being involved with her. His peaceful life had been put in danger for a week because of her sudden mention of him and he didn't want to happen it again.

"The rumors.." Sebastian started.

"It's not true," Levi quickly answered without waiting for him to finish.

"Really?" he asked disbelievingly.

He saw it. He'd witnessed how close the two were and he couldn't put a name on how tender and emotional his friend's eyes when he looked at Sandra. He's not blind and most especially not dumb.

Levi's lips curved upward as he gently shook his head. "I thought you're genius. You should've seen that there's nothing between us, really" He grinned while opening another can of beer.

"I've seen it. I have four eyes," Sebastian pointed his rimmed glasses.

"Change it then. You surely didn't see it clearly," his friend laughed.

He didn't insist anymore and continued drinking until Levi decided to tell how he met Sandra. He wanted to stop his friend and say that he's not interested with their love story, but his friend was unstoppable and insisted what he wanted to say despite his protest. Thus, he didn't have any choice left but to pretend that his listening.

"It's a shamelessly vague past," Levi continued. "And the shortest among all her past relationships"

Sebastian's brows deeply furrowed when a sudden flashes of certain memory flooded him. 'Vague and shortest' took him to a sudden short trip down memory lane.

"She's not serious though.."

"Sandra doesn't seem the kind to take relationship seriously," he commented unconsciously. "There's an endless dating rumors tailed in her name"

Levi chuckled while he kept his eyes on the river. He didn't mean to say his opinion about her, but he couldn't help it. He really didn't like hearing and seeing her name for almost everyday in news and magazines.

"You're aware that rumors aren't true until proven and confirmed." said Levi, "Sandra is a very friendly person who knows her limitations," he added.

Sebastian looked at Levi with a crease on his forehead. "What do you mean?"

Levi sighed then smiled. "She's too friendly to the point that some people mistaken it as flirting"

Both decided to leave and go home after finishing all the beers Levi had bought. Sebastian slumped on his couch and massaged his temples, regretting that he accepted the beer in the first place. He groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. He thought of what his friend had said before they parted ways. He remembered the time when he had dinner with Sandra. Now he understood what Levi meant about her being 'too friendly' but still.. he's not convinced that the two didn't share deep feelings towards each other.

Shaking his head, he stood up and gathered his writing stuffs and started taking everything in his head down on the paper before it vanishes.

_________________________________

"Bro.." Simon whispered.

Sebastian's brows furrowed as he stopped writing and looked at his brother lazily.

"Is that true? After you.. Levi is now being rumored dating Sandra Mendez?"

"I don't have any rumors.."

"I didn't say you have! I'm just asking--"

"No. It's not true."

Simon's face lit up, like there's a heavy burden inside his chest suddenly lifted after he answered his stupid question.

"I knew it! Sandra doesn't like him! The rumors aren't true that her ideal type are tall, has deep voice, oozing with sex appeal and rappers! Makenzie, Jay, Dominic couldn't rap. They can sing and dance, but rap?" he shook his head, "Never."

Sebastian sighed then placed his palm in front of Simon's face to stop him from talking. "You can leave now," he said dismissively.

His brother gasped then held his hand which he quickly yanked as if he has contagious disease.

"Bro! Please write me a song about her!" he pleaded.

His hand hanged in the air as he flipped his head towards him too quickly that he thought his neck would break, "What?" He breathed.

"Give my song to other artist and write me a new one that describes Sandra Mendez!" he ordered

Sebastian stared at Simon in bewilderment. He can't fucking believe what he was hearing!

"Please Bro!"

"Does some screw in your head is really missing? What the fuck, Simon? We've just finish recording the other day!" he scolded when he finally recovered from the shock.

"I don't have screw in my head. Do not compare me to zombies, bro!"

Sebastian groaned and massaged his temples. The guy was really a pain in the ass. He suddenly questioned why of all people, did Simon become his brother? He thought his short life have lessened ten years.

"Please brother! I don't like what I recorded. It didn't suit me!"

He give up.

Sebastian stood up and left him in his studio. He's lucky he's his brother. But dammit. He couldn't just tell him to give his song to other artist just because he didn't like it. A lot of singers would kill to get that song for themselves and there his stupid of a brother just throwing it away? He fucking worked hard for it! If not for pitty, he already punched him in the face enough to make his nose bleed.

He went to the cafeteria and bought a strawberry frappuccino to cool down his head. Simonn did a very good job of killing every good nerve in him. He sat on the corner and looked through the window. He shook his head when he saw some people still outside the building with their phones and cameras on, while waiting for some artists to arrive or to leave without any assurance if their favorite artists will shows up. He then shifted his gaze to his right side and suddenly, his eyes landed to Levi who was calmly entering the cafeteria. Tilting his head, he stared at someone who was trailing behind his friend. His forehead then slowly creased when he couldn't recognized the person. He could already tell that it was a girl since she has a tiny frame and from the way she walked was somehow girly. He scanned her from head to toe. Her huge hoodie was covering half of her face and the way she bowed her head made her face more hideous and unrecognizable. Strangely, the person tailing behind Levi looks familiar.

"Bro!"

Sebastian groaned inwardly when he heard that annoying voice again. Simon sat acrossed him and gave him a goofy smile that gives him a bad feeling as to why he followed him there.

"I'll kill you if that's a bad news," he warned before his brother could open his big mouth.

Simon shook his head vigorously while the huge smile on his face didn't waver.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently.

He needed peace and he wouldn't get that if his annoying brother was just around the corner.

"It's about Sandr--"

"I don't want to hear it," He immediately cut him off. "Your song will be release next week and don't fucking dare asking me again to give you a new one. I won't--"

Instantly, he stopped lecturing Simon when the latter suddenly gasped exaggeratedly. "She's really here!" he exclaimed in glee.

Frowning, he stared at his annoying brother in puzzlement and wasn't able to utter a word when that punk quickly stood up and ran towards Levi's table while shouting 'Sis Sandra'.