Relocating to a more spacious place, everyone—and I mean everyone—packed into the VIP lounge that had been rented exclusively for the Bread Music artists. No empty seats. No escape routes. Just vibes, tension, and impending tea.
Quick roll call, because this shit is stacked.
August, Kang Ian, Mika, Ahn Jae, and Silas—our K-pop adjacent menaces.
The Kweens, obviously: Aqua, Pink, Kitty, and Javi, maximizing their joint slay like it's a competitive sport.
Yone, Ryu, and Corsair holding it down as our J-pop adjacent trio.
Nikola, Leo, Nox, and Isaac—the global pop boys, international and mildly terrifying.
Monarch, Eli, and Jordan—our P-pop adjacent group with a subtle but undeniable hint of C-pop spice.
Every single Bread Music artist formed a loose encirclement, and right in the center of it all stood none other than Bobby and Lili.
All eyes on them.
Bobby was sweating bullets—like full-on survival mode—while Lili stood there radiant, unbothered, glowing like this was just another completely normal Tuesday.
"I don't care who speaks," Aqua said, arms crossed, already seated, "but we are all sat and we need the tea. Piping hot, preferably."
And so, it begins.
Bobby and Lili took turns, trading perspectives like emotional ping-pong. How they first met. How their "dates" were very obviously disguised as artistic meetings. How things went down with Foca. Nothing vague, nothing dodged—just brutal honesty with details.
The room was locked the fuck in.
Even Leo paused his game mid-round, which is borderline historical and should probably be documented.
When story time ended, the silence hit first. Then came the reactions.
"Wow…" Nox finally said, clearly impressed. "You guys are in pretty deep, huh?"
"It just kind of happened," Bobby admitted, cheeks already betraying him.
"Hold up!" Pink suddenly yelled, snapping everyone's attention to him. "Miss thang here said something earlier. What was it again?"
Pink closed his eyes, raised one finger, and dramatically tapped his long acrylic nails against his head with the other, searching his mental archives like it was life or death.
Then—click.
His eyes flew open. Like, flew.
"I remember now," he said, voice dripping with theatrical menace. "Miss thang over here said she's Bobby's girlfriend for now… and that in one to two years, she'll be his wife."
The Kweens gasped in perfect synchronization. Olympic-level dramatics.
"Are you for real?" Monarch asked, staring at Bobby and Lili with genuine shock—and maybe a little fear.
"If I'm being completely honest…" Bobby started, glancing at Lili with pure, unfiltered adoration before facing the group again. "We know it's still early—"
"No shit, Sherlock," Nikola cut in immediately.
Bobby cleared his throat. "It is far too early for both of us, and we're still in the beginning stages. We'll take our time. We won't rush. But… getting married is the end goal. Hopefully."
He didn't even try to hide it. His face was a full-blown tomato.
"It's gonna happen," Lili added sweetly, tilting her head just a bit. "One way or zhe other."
Everyone turned to look at her.
Because she said it gently.
But it sounded like a threat.
Silence.
Not the awkward kind.
The predatory kind—where a room full of artists, divas, and menaces are all collectively deciding how hard they're about to go.
Lili's sweet little addition—"It's gonna happen, one way or zhe other…"—hung in the air like a beautifully wrapped threat.
"…Did she just threaten marriage?" Isaac muttered.
"Nope," Kitty whispered, eyes sparkling. "She promised it."
"I'm scared," Leo said calmly, resuming his game. "But also strangely comforted."
Ahn Jae blinked twice. "Is this… a Western thing?"
"Oh honey, this is a French thing," Pink corrected immediately. "They don't date. They commit crimes of romance."
Bobby, now fully overheating, rubbed his face with both hands.
"Okay—okay—before this turns into whatever this is becoming—"
"It's already become," Aqua interrupted. "Continue."
Mika leaned forward, elbows on knees, eyes sharp. "So you're saying… you're serious."
"Yes," Bobby answered without hesitation.
That alone shifted the room.
Nikola exhaled slowly. "Then this isn't just a fling."
"No," Lili said softly, still smiling. "Iz never was."
Yone tilted his head, studying them like a character arc he approved of.
"You're calm about all this," he observed, looking at Lili. "Even with… this many people interrogating you."
Lili shrugged lightly. "If zhey are important zo Bobby, zhen zhey are important zo me."
That did it.
Jordan straight-up clutched his chest.
"Oh she's GOOD good."
"Holy fuck, dude," Eli said, staring straight at Bobby. "Congratulations on the relationship—but you do know things are bound to get harder, right?"
There was no joke in it. No edge. Just raw sincerity, laced with concern.
And Eli was painfully right.
Everyone in that room was genuinely happy for Bobby and Lili—but happiness doesn't erase reality. If anything, it makes the risks clearer. The reservations were there, heavy and unspoken, and every single one of them was valid.
"We know it's gonna be hard," Bobby said, nodding as he took it all in. "But I truly feel like what I have with Lili is something worth fighting for."
"Awww… honey," Lili cooed instantly, snuggling into his side like she'd been waiting for him to say exactly that.
"They grow up so fast," Javi sighed, dramatically wiping away a tear that did not exist, as the rest of the Kweens followed suit like grieving proud parents.
"Well," Eli said with a sharp nod, "I honestly salute your balls of steel, dude. If this is your jam, then the least we can do is support you."
"Yeah," Jordan added softly. "All of us will always be here for both of you."
"Thank you/Merci," Bobby and Lili said together.
But Lili's attention drifted.
Her brow lifted ever so slightly as she noticed Eli and Jordan sitting way too close to each other. Eli's arm was draped over Jordan's shoulders with absurd ease—like it had always belonged there. But it was the little things that caught her eye.
Eli unconsciously pulling Jordan closer.
His thumb gently rubbing Jordan's shoulder, absent-minded, intimate.
Jordan resting his head against Eli like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Everyone noticed.
No one said a word.
Ever since being teamed up at LEAVEN, Eli and Jordan had been… close. Not just close—extremely close. The kind of closeness that defies explanation and doesn't ask permission.
What were they?
Nobody really knew. And nobody speculated—out of respect. If they were ever ready to say something, they would. Until then, history would simply record them as very good friends.
As congratulations continued to pour in from the Bread Music family, August suddenly stood up like he'd been possessed by a creative spirit.
"We should commemorate this day with a song!" he announced.
And before anyone could stop him, he pulled out his phone and blasted the music through the speakers.
Of course—of course—August, unpredictable menace that he is, chose something wildly, violently out of context.
A somber piano echoed through the room.
Immediate confusion.
🎶 I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears… 🎶
August started singing with his whole damn soul.
"Uh… Augie?" Mika tried gently, gesturing frantically that this was not the appropriate soundtrack for a love story currently blooming.
But August was gone. Spiritually unavailable. Locked in.
🎶 These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase 🎶
Several people tried to stop him. All attempts failed. Eventually, they gave up, shaking their heads in defeated amusement.
Even Bobby and Lili were laughing—equal parts horrified and entertained by the sheer, morbid irony of it all.
And then, just as the music swelled and the chorus hit—
Lili stood up.
Everyone froze.
She walked over and joined August, much to everyone's complete shock.
🎶 When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears… 🎶
Her voice was soft and delicate, threading through the room like a secret meant to be shared. Anyone who heard it couldn't help but feel their heart flutter just a little.
August and Lili sang like they were onstage at a concert, completely lost in the moment. And everyone else? They just let it happen. They enjoyed the show.
And in that moment—right there—Lili officially became part of the Bread Music family.
She fit right in.
Hopefully the song choice didn't jinx her and Bobby's blooming relationship, though. Who knows. Fingers crossed.
When everything finally settled and someone asked August why that song of all songs—
He just shrugged and grinned, bright and unapologetic.
"I'm in my emo era!"
Golden retriever smile. No regrets.
****
PS - August's very great song choice was (My Immortal by Evanescence).