CHAPTER 313: TIRED (2)

Staring at Chloé, who looked as stern and immaculately dressed as always, for a second, Ari felt like he had returned to a little kid being forced to sit at a table and apologize for fighting with her, even though she had wronged him first.

Something something about respecting the elderly, even if they were going senile from all the alcohol they drank.

He felt the urge to laugh at the random memory of his mom saying those exact words causing another fight with Chloé, but instead thought her words over.

If you asked Ari if he was tired, his answer would be-

Abso-fucking-lutely!

He was completely exhausted physically and emotionally.

The last couple of months felt like one gigantic incident after another, and he felt that the little pockets of peace he had gotten were not enough for him to really process everything that was happening right now.

He had thought that signing up for an idol survival show would be a simple, straightforward process for retribution against somebody who wronged him, but as he had seen, it was anything but that.

His personality was too harsh for entertainment, especially since he didn’t hold his tongue when wronged; he was never one to actively socialize with others if he didn’t have to, so there were times when it was grating to be around others 24/7, the PDs were evil, William was evil, public opinion was annoying to deal with.

The list went on and on.

It was tiring.

"I am a bit tired," Ari answered honestly.

"I think it’s more than a bit. This show..." Chloé paused, as her hand habitually reached out for a glass of wine that wasn’t there.

Recognizing the motion, Ari just sighed.

"You can order wine."

"You don’t like it."

It was a statement, not a question, and Ari shrugged.

"I don’t like a lot of things. And yet the world continues spinning. Just order some. Hopefully, it stops you from nagging me too much. I’m really not in the mood."

"It’s fine. I won’t drink."

"Is it? Just do it. Your hand is twitiching."

"I said it’s fine!"

If it’s fine, why are you yelling at me?

Ari: ಠ_ಠ

Chloé: ಠ_ಠ

As the two of them stared at each other, there was a knock on the partition.

"Are you ready to order?"

"...yes."

After putting in their food order with the waiter, Chloé grumbled.

"This is why I don’t have kids."

"Because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon?"

"As if you’re any better."

[She got you there.]

[Anytime someone cries, you turn into a deer in headlights.]

[Words of kindness and empathy when someone is going through hard times...none existent.]

[I will give you the acts of service that are well-intentioned but misguided, but even a robot can do that.]

[I guess you’re a bot?]

Ari: ಠ_ಠ

You just shut up.

Smacking the transparent blue window away, Ari focused on Chloé, who was back to typing on the laptop.

"I’m busy and returning to France on the last flight tonight, so let’s tackle the urgent issues. Everything else can be discussed over the phone now that you have my number. First, the Crouch family-"

"I’m suing them." Ari interrupted.

"Are you planning on trying to get into the entertainment industry as an idol?"

"Yes."

"Then you can’t sue."

As Ari’s eyebrow twitched, Chloé’s continued speaking in an unconcerned manner, "Lawsuits drag on for years, they’re messy, require money, and will inevitably mar the reputation of both parties even if you’re in the right. Disregarding the current issues with this show, a new group can’t have such negative press attached to it if it wants to succeed. And even more so if you debut as an individual act."

"So, I have to stay silent and take it even though they’re lying online? After everything they’ve done to me, I still stayed quiet and peaceful, and was willing to part peacefully. But involving my parents is a line that shouldn’t be crossed. I’m not just going to take it lying down."

"I know. So whatever you have on them, hand it over to me, and I’ll do it. While your parents and I might have our differences, at the end of the day, Henri and Ariella don’t deserve to have their names being tarnished in such a manner. Close your mouth and don’t argue with me. Even if you weren’t planning on suing, I was going to inform you that I would be doing so. Your providing information makes it easier on me. I’ll have Sabine contact you later to take over the details."

Chloé said in a voice that brooked no discussion before continuing, before Ari could interrupt her.

"Back to this show. I won’t ask when or why you suddenly wanted to get into the entertainment industry. I just want to know if it has to be through this show?"

"Why? You think I shouldn’t go into entertainment?"

"I’m not your parent, so I don’t particularly care, and even they wouldn’t care. It’s your life, your decision. I’m asking because I think you should quit this show and choose another avenue if becoming an idol is something you really want to do," Chloé said coldly.

As Ari opened his mouth to argue, Chloé held out a finger and began counting off her reasons.

"Listen first, then argue. First, the show’s treatment and management of you is irresponsible. While it’s gaining great popularity, shock marketing with you as the butt of every scandal is disgusting and terrible for your long-term brand image. There’s a reason your parents refused to post you online and kept you away from their work. Once things are on the internet, they will never be forgotten and will always be used against you at some point. Add enough stains to someone, and eventually they become spoiled goods that nobody wants to work with, even if half the rumours are false. It would be one thing if the show treated you like this and got rid of you, but either they can’t or they won’t."

"They can’t. My public votes were pretty high before they dropped. Everything is reset and the rules changed, so I’m unsure about now. Probably in the gutter." Ari replied honestly.

"Regardless of the public votes, even if you were eliminated, I think they would still try to keep you around. Especially because after speaking to Bing Yongsun, I can tell that he definitely wants to keep you by any means necessary, which brings me to my second point. This organization is messy internally, with two parties wanting two different visions and willing to use the contestants as pawns to further that goal. I don’t see it boding well in the future. You’ve at least noticed that much, right? The clear bias toward the Forbes boy."

"Of course."

"I won’t ask what he did to you, causing you to hate him, but I found out that his uncle is meant to be in charge of the group once the show is over. Naturally, he wants his nephew as the main person and has been trying to make it possible by any means necessary. Based on how things are currently going, do you think you would be treated well in that kind of group? After his nephew has been publicly disgraced because of you?"

"Doubtful. Any other reasons why I should quit since you’re laying it all on me?"

"Third and most importantly, I don’t think you fit into a group, much less working well with one."

’What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Chou chou, you can be quite selfish."

"Hey!"

"Let me finish. It’s not a bad thing. If, after all the love, time, and care your parents poured into you, you weren’t selfish, it would be quite disappointing.

If you’re going into the entertainment industry, especially as an idol, you must be selfish to stand out and do better than everyone else. There are limited spots at the top, which means some rise and some fall. You seem like a riser. Visually, you’re striking.

Talent-wise, you’ve been good at everything you tried since you were young and are not afraid to work hard to get good.

Personality-wise, you can be charming, don’t take the opinions of others seriously, speak your mind, and have no fear, which is good because you stand out in both positive and negative ways.

But you can be selfish, which doesn’t work well in a group.

You are a child who always has to have the last word, likes to get your way, who refuses to be wronged and will be vocal about it even though things might play out better in your favor if you were silent, hold others to your personal standard whether they want to or not, and at the end of the day, will probably do and say what’s best for you even if it might negatively affect the other people you’re grouped with.

I’m not saying this with malice, and I know you don’t act with malice in mind; I think those are good traits to have, and I like those traits in you.

It makes you stand out and makes people like and admire that about you because most people don’t like their life like that.

Those who support you like that about you as well, but ultimately, they’re a fan of you and not the group.

It might be fine now because you’re in a survival show, but let’s say you make it into the group.

Then what?

Be honest with yourself, with all the things I listed, would you want to be in a group with a person like that, or would you think it’s tiring to have to work with a person like that for however long your contract lasts?"

As Ari just stared at her, Chloé gave him a pitying glance.