... (Trigger Warning for mentions of SA) ...

...

@dylan_w – Can't trust anyone in the industry. Throw him away.
@addyxoxo– Just say you want clout and go. Why wait until now to speak up? Feels sus 
@mazynaaa – One less industry plant to worry about. Pack it up, Noel.
@noel4ever– Be fr, if someone as hot as Noel looked at you, you'd be bragging, not crying
@kneel4noel– People like you disgust me. Hope you're ready for the consequences of your LIES

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Milo was disgusted by the comments flooding his page. He had prepared himself for an army of defensive fans to wage a war in his comments section, but the insensitive comments were making him question if the human behind them was sane. A ton of hormonal teenagers, most probably, but he knew that the number of working women who returned early from their nine to five just to have a rerun marathon of all of Noel's work existed too.

Milo never understood this kind of mindless worship. Previously, scandals of other idols triggered similar reactions, and he remembered ridiculing the exaggeration of the matter. Now however, he was starting to understand why it was such a big deal for some.

Still, Milo could not, in good conscience, say a word against Soha. Not when she had opened up on social media, a place for the whole world to do all the judging they wanted.

 And for the same reason, defending Noel didn't feel right either.

Milo really wanted to speak up against those calling him a deceiving hypocrite and whatnot. He just couldn't though. Not when it would imply calling Soha a liar. She was already facing a ton of backlash as it was.

"-denies all allegations. These claims are entirely false, and we will be pursuing legal action against Soha Baek for defamation. We will not be engaging further with baseless accusations. Noel asks the public not to waste their time on such lies and I suggest the same."

Milo's eyes searched the screen in surprise at hearing Manager Kim's voice. It was a reel update on a public statement made by the very same manager who still hadn't replied to Milo's message.

He let the reel replay in stunned silence because when he finally got Noel's side, something he had been waiting for before making a decision, it felt cold and dismissive. Like the problem wasn't big enough to care about.

"Sexual assault? You're calling an accidental brush of contact sexual assault? Milo Owen, don't tell me you came to the principal's office for such a small matter? This is hardly a problem worth taking action over, child."

It sounded like they were trying to tell the public it wasn't something worth believing since it was simply impossible to have happened. 

Milo pulled himself from the temporary trip his brain had taken down the memory lane and took deep breaths to calm himself. He knew it wasn't healthy to get so worked up over something that wasn't even part of his life. They were celebrities for god's sake. They lived in an untouchable world of cameras, glamour and fame. Such matters popped up every week, a celebrity accused of something terrible or a conspiracy about a public figure proven true.

And yet. Milo had met these people. 

He had been to multiple meet and greets, photo shoots, collecting content for the fan page. Hell, he even had the guy's manager's number. Noel had been his job, his hobby, his interest for the past five - six something years. Despite the handful of conversations, he had with him, Milo remembered and treasured each word exchanged.

Soha had invited him to coffee and that was the extent of his interaction with her, but she had been so warm and welcoming, sharing favourite shows, suggesting music and matcha flavours. She had apparently been a Noel fan as well and followed his page closely. They gossiped about him like old friends that afternoon. Sure, everything had gone back to being distant, she had become way more famous after the release of the drama with Noel. 

They weren't that otherworldly for him because these were people he had met. 

He scrolled through his @Markouholics page, full of all those edits he had worked on through various nights. Suddenly a comment caught his eye making his heart sink. 

@Naya_official – I feel for Soha. Y'all don't have to believe her. But if this happened to your sister, would you still stay silent?

He felt ashamed. Procrastinating was a bad habit of his and that's exactly what he was doing. Milo immediately clicked on his profile picture to type and post a simple message.

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Posted by @Markouholics

This account has been a huge part of my life for the past few years, and I'm grateful for every one of you. But I can't keep running this page like nothing happened. Markouholics won't be the same. I will be deleting this page soon.

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Maybe Noel really didn't do anything. Maybe he was being dragged online for no reason. Still, his response was extremely insensitive. That wasn't a statement Milo expected Noel to give, even if he was denying allegations. It was potentially triggering and very harmful to many victims worldwide, never mind Soha. 

Milo instantly started getting calls from his editors and admin after he made the post, no doubt asking him if he was sure of his decision. This was his biggest source of income, after all. Milo didn't know what he would do in that department, but it was a worry for later. 

All he wanted to do for now was lay on his bed (like he had been for the past two hours), turn on Netflix and distract himself from his lost income source, hobby and the memories that had resurfaced at the comment he had come across.

Maybe macaroni in bed. And some wine?

The world, however, had no plans of giving him a break since as soon as he got up to get some wine and lounge around in bed, his phone screen lit up, displaying a message from the person he had wanted a reply from, like, three business days ago.

Manager Kim

sub: attached is an official proposal from Metronome Entertainment. 

Mr Milo Owen, your platform has been instrumental in shaping public perception of Noel, and your recent announcement has not gone unnoticed. If even his most dedicated supporter is withdrawing, it raises serious concerns about the lasting impact on his career.

To ensure that assumptions do not dictate the narrative, we are extending an offer: spend one week with Noel. No staged interactions, no PR-driven agenda—simply an opportunity to see the truth for yourself. Should you still choose to step away afterward, that decision will be yours to make, based on firsthand experience rather than speculation.

We hope you will consider this carefully. Please provide your response at your earliest convenience.

Best regards,
Ankatt Manera
PR Manager at Metronome Entertainment

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