Chapter 4: Successor

'Shit'

Sebastian blinked for a couple of times and even rubbed his eyes to confirm that it didn't deceive him. But his brother's voice lingered around and everyone in the cafeteria looked curiously at Simon's weirdness.

"Sis Sandra!" he shouted as he ran towards the table where the two were seated.

Levi and Sandra, who was wearing a huge hoodie to cover her face, were both startled as Simon approached them. The latter shamelessly sat beside Sandra while wearing a creepy smile.

"Simon," Levi warned, but the stubborn guy just ignored him. "You're scaring her," he said, but again, he was being ignored as if Simon didn't hear nor see him.

Sandra pulled her hoodie downward and tried to hide her face more, but it was a futile attempt for Simon quickly grabbed her hand and shook it unceremoniously, making her gasped in surprised.

"I've met you, finally!" the guy exclaimed in full bliss as if there's a miracle happened just in front of his naked eyes.

Sandra couldn't utter a word. She was too shocked to response at the sudden appearance of Simon. She thought no one could recognize her because of her huge hoodie, but she was wrong and she didn't like it when she's wrong.

"How did you know she's here?" Levi asked instead not hiding the irritation on his face as he glared at the guy.

Simon, however, beamed and did not bother to take a look at Levi, "I just heard it from our boss while he was talking on the phone," he answered without taking his eyes away from Sandra, then smiled, if his smile can still get any wider, "I'm really happy to see you here, Sister"

Sandra smiled then nodded, which made Simon stood up and laughed manically as if he won a lottery, not minding the people around them watching him. She then looked at Levi worriedly, quite weirded out, and mentally asking if the guy was okay, but the latter just sighed and shook his head in displeased.

"Simon. Let's go"

Everyone in the table turned their attention to the owner of the voice. Much to Sandra's liking as her expression almost instantly changed from worried to excitement when she finally saw Sebastian again after their unexpected dinner weeks ago. She planned to visit Empire sooner, but her work loads hindered her to do so.

"Bro!"

"Sebastian"

Simon suddenly stopped from whatever he was about to say and gasped exaggeratedly for the nth times with eyes wide like a saucer. He stared alternately at Sandra and his brother, then pointed his finger to his brother while looking at Sandra. "Sis, you know him?" he asked, confused, shocked and disbelief.

Sandra nodded while grinning, eyes twinkling in delight at the person she's been looking forward to see again, "Yeah. We had dinner together with Levi, a few weeks ago," she answered.

Simon gasped again, this time more exaggerated than the first, then gave his brother an accusing look. Sebastian though, just shrugged it off and ignored him and proceeded to leave their table.

"Bro! Where are you going? I'm still talking to you!" Simon shouted trying to stop his brother.

"I'll give you the song you wanted if you follow me," Sebastian said without looking back.

Simon rubbed the back of his head then sighed. 'It's unfair,' he thought. It was the chance he's been waiting for, to finally talk to his ideal girl, but unfortunately he has an evil brother who would do anything to take it away from him! Sighing in defeat, he pouted and turned back to face Sandra again, helplessly, "I'm sorry Sister, I can't talk to you right now. I have to go. Bye!" he run after Sebastian, but then he stopped and turned back to her again. "We'll see each other again, right?" he asked expectantly.

Sandra could only nod making the guy squealed in bliss and ran again to follow his brother. Meanwhile, Sandra followed him with her amused gaze until he's gone out of her sight.

"Tsk. That idiot," Levi murmured then looked worriedly at Sandra. "You okay?"

Sandra nodded then removed her hoodie that covered her pretty face. So much for trying to hide her face, all thanks to that weird guy who screamed her name just awhile ago. She shook her head and smiled. Though Simon ruined her disguised, she's still happy to meet him for she haven't met someone as weird as he was.

________________________________

"Bro, is it true?" Simon tailed behind Sebastian as they walked into his studio.

The creased on Sebastian's forehead deepened. Immediately, he opened his laptop and played the song that his brother had just recorded yesterday.

"It doesn't really suit me, bro. You see? The description of the guy in that song is totally opposite of me! I don't start a fight, I don't wear eyeliner if I don't need to, I don't wear leather pants and leather jacket!"

"You're wearing leather pants and leather jacket now" Sebastian pointed out without looking at him.

Simon suddenly looked down to check his clothes and realized he's wearing exactly what the guy were referring on the song. He huffed. What a coincidence! He groaned and stomped his foot in annoyance. He really didn't like the song. Just reading the title already made him vomit. He's no way like that. He's perfectly fine and not crooked. What his brother was thinking when he decided to give it to him?!

"Bro! I want a happy song. Something like I'm singing for someone I love. That song is not my style! It's too deep, it hurts my heart. I feel like I was being dumped by my girlfriend when I haven't experience having a girlfriend! Give me justice, bro"

Sebastian didn't respond. He was silently listening to the song with his eyes closed. But Simon didn't stop and keep blabbering nonsense complaints, hoping it would change his mind, but unfortunately to no avail. Shaking his head, he sighed exasperatedly as he heard the lyrics of the song and couldn't believe his ears that it was his golden and angelic voice he was hearing singing those painful words. That awful song. It was different from what he used to sing. His songs were all about being in love and happy. But Sebastian made a three hundred sixty degrees shift to his style he's afraid his fans wouldn't like it. Yes, it's all about being in love, but left alone eventually that makes him bitter about love. Pretending to be in love while singing was already hard for him since he's never experienced it, what more if it's about being brokenhearted? How in the world he could justify it? Should he start watching tragic dramas now? He groaned. Does his brother just want him to portray his old self?

"I made a new song, but I want you to try this one first and if it flopped, I guess you're only good for one genre," Sebastian finally said.

Simon as usual, protested and forcedly accepted the song to prove his versatility which satisfied his brother.

"Your voice suits this song, you just have to feel it more than just singing it. That's the key to make a good song becomes great, Simon," said Sebastian, then played a different song with the same feeling and meaning as the first one, but sadder and more heartbreaking. "Just think that Sandra Mendez broke your heart," he added while grinning.

Sebastian could only shook his head upon remembering the time he was writing the song he gave to Simon. It was one of those lovely yet painful days of his past. Everything he wrote was actually based on his experiences.

'Unlike my heart, the weather is so damn nice'

He then sighed and stood up. He left his brother internalizing in his studio and slowly walked to the CEO's office. He knocked first before opening the door, he was not surprised when he saw Sandra inside. He saw her earlier at the cafeteria and he knew the very reason as to why she's there. Before the rumor was spread, his boss gave him a heads up about the Crown Entertainment's proposal project.

"Sebastian, have a seat," Mr. Park , the CEO said while beaming.

Sebastian silently complied and sat on one seater chair in between Sandra and Mr. Park.

"You knew him, Sandra?" Mr. Park asked.

His forehead creased and suddenly felt a bit nervous. There's a possibility that his boss will reveal his identity since Crown Entertainment firmly asked for Phoenix to be the main producer of the planned collaboration between Crown and Empire Entertainment. He just hope his boss would give consideration to him even though Mr. Park seems desperate to please the PR Director of Crown, for he's scared to mess a big project again.

"Yes, Mr. Park. We've already met before, he is Levi's friend," Sandra answered without leaving her eyes off to Sebastian.

Mr. Park nodded "Good. He will be one of the composers for our project. Have you already decided who among your artists will collaborate with our Levi?"

"Yes. I choose Bammie. I think their voices will blend well. My father already agreed to it, too. We'll make an announcement about this project once everything is settled. For now, we'll keep this as a top secret. If Empire wouldn't comply, I'll pull the project right away," Sandra said firmly while wearing her sweetest smile like a wicked angel. Dangerous.

Mr. Park burst out laughing making Sebastian and Sandra looked confused. There's nothing funny about what she had said yet this big tummy of a CEO shamelessly laughing his ass out in front of her. She shook her head. She's sure Mr. Park wouldn't think she's joking since she once proved her power. Their first appointment her father spontaneously passed on her was canceled by Mr. Park before because she's late for five minutes. Just freaking five minutes. The said CEO didn't accommodate her when she arrived late and the receptionist just told her that it was already cancelled. Of course she's got mad. She's never got mad easily, but she came there after a very tiring meeting only for it to be cancelled. That's why without any thoughts or approval from her father, Sandra pulled out the project right away before she leaves the agency, to which made Mr. Park shaken at her sudden decision. It's indeed the biggest project that any businessmen couldn't just let go of. However, Mr. Park became confident to think she has no right to do such without knowing how smart she was, that even her father was convinced with her reasons and excuses. He crawled to get the project back, and he learned the hard way not to go against the successor slash daughter of the notorious businessman, Sandra Mendez.

Mr. Park put his hands up as if surrendering when his laughter finally died down, "You're really like your father, Sandra, you're smart and heartless. You really deserve to be Thomas' successor," he commented that earned a grin from her.

She shook her head, while Sebastian looked away the moment his boss revealed Sandra's status in life. It's not a secret to everyone though. All people in South Korea knew who really Sandra is.

Despite having the title of the most beautiful woman in South Korea, Sandra Park was also known as the only daughter and the heiress of Thomas Mendez, the CEO and founder of the leading agency Crown Entertainment. She works at their agency as a model when she was fifteen, but her father decided to assign her as PR Director of their company when she finally reached the right age. As a good and obedient daughter as she was, Sandra declined all the huge modeling project offers abroad and decided to help her father to run their business. That position earned her a lot of attention for she's the one facing the media to promote their artists. Hence, the fame even though she's not a celebrity.

"Business is business Mr. Park. You know that more than anyone else"

Mr. Park laughed once again and Sandra just shook her head. Her gaze shifted to Sebastian who remained silent the whole time, so, she decided to talk to him.

"How are you?" she asked which made Mr. Park's laughter subsided.

Sebastian wasn't sure if the question was for him. His mind flew somewhere else from the past he didn't noticed that the two were already staring at him, waiting for his response.

"What?" he frowned.

Sandra didn't repeat her question, instead, she turned back to Mr. Park and asked if they're done and let his question hanged in the air.

"Do you have another meeting?"

"Yes," she answered, briefly.

"Okay. You can go now, we'll meet again and talk about the songs once their done with it"

She nodded then stood up.

She glanced at Sebastian who looked upset or what while looking at her, which made her raised her eyebrows but still smiled at him in return. Sebastian immediately looked away then stood up, ignoring her, and bid his farewell to Mr. Park. He then stepped out of the office without giving Sandra a second glance. The latter felt amused though. Never in her life someone treated her that way, except for her father when he's mad with her decisions. She was never been ignored by anyone, ever. Growing up, she became used to get all the attention wherever she goes.

Exiting the office, she followed him. Her lips stretched widely when Sebastian caught her, but the guy was really snob that he'd just frowned at her and continued walking briskly as if she didn't matter, when technically, she's his boss.

"What do you want?" Sebastian finally asked when he reached his studio and he still felt Sandra's presence behind.

"You," she said straightforwardly.

His brows furrowed then blankly stared at Sandra. "What do you want from me?" he queried, starting getting impatient than ever.

"Come with me," she grinned, "Let's visit my friend to give her moral support," she said playfully with her eyes glimmering in excitement.

Sebastian's lips pursed and didn't seem happy that Sandra Mendez was inviting him again, this time, personally. Sighing, he opened the door of his studio and briefly glanced at Sandra, then shook his head. "No. I'm sorry."

He then entered the room and closed the door leaving the woman scowling.