12 | The Jealousy
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Kim Rima ✗
I take a really deep breath before stepping inside the office room.
"Is there anything I can do to help you, Rima?" President Hong asks me without shifting his gaze from his work document. "I have a meeting in ten minutes so I don't have too much time to talk with you."
"I know," I state nervously, holding my breath reluctantly. "I just want to ask your suggestion about what I should do to prove my father that my passion of music is serious."
After meeting Yujin yesterday and faced the fact that Gikwang has finally found out about my real identity, I've been thinking about the fastest way to show my father that I'm not playing around with my passion of music.
Within three days, the engagement party will be held and I know it's impossible for me to do something extreme that can make my father believe that I am right.
However I think the only person who can help me now is President Hong, the only person who knows about my real identity other than Gikwang. He must have a suggestion for me regarding about how to be success with music; I mean he is the President of CUBE Entertainment, right?
"Ah, yes, I heard about the engagement news," he mumbles, still reading his work document. "Congratulations, Rima."
I frown and scoff with disbelief; he knows exactly that it's not me who is announced to be engaged on the news. I walk closer to his desk and put my palms on the desk, "How can I show my father that I'm serious about music?"
President Hong looks up from the document to me, "Rima, I know you love music. Your composing is great. I admit it but it's not enough."
President Hong intertwines his fingers and look into my eyes, "Success is not something you can develop within days or even weeks. Each artist endured their hard training days before reached their level now. Now my question is what kind of expectation you wish for to show your father?"
I am taken aback by his calm statement. His words hit me really hard actually.
I am really naive.
"Rima, if you really want to show your father your skill, hiding your identity is not a good decision," he returns his gaze to the paper. "I'm not going to force you to do anything. It's your life."
Before I can even reply him, he stands up and excuses himself, "Now I need to attend a meeting. Nice day, Rima."
I don't want to tell anyone about my real identity. Of course I don't want to tell the public about how I will be the music composer for BEAST. I want them to acknowledge me as Rima who loves music, not Kim Rima, the daughter of Kim family.
I have enough about people trying to find out about me when I was locked just because I am the daughter of rich family. Some people tried to get to me via e-mail or else. Some men even asked me out for date even before they met me.
Ridiculously real.
I walk to the elevator and push the button, waiting for the elevator to leave the building, "This is so complicated..."
When the elevator is opened, my eyes widen in surprise to see Gikwang is laughing with a girl with brown hair. He is patting her head, the gesture he often did to me.
"Ah, Rima," he notices my presence and steps out from the elevator, still having a bright smile on his face. "What are you doing here?"
I feel a pang in my heart. Why does it feel really hurt when I see him with a girl? Why does it feel hurt when I see him patting another girl?
Is this jealousy?
What... What am I thinking?
✗ Lee Gikwang ✗
I just return from lunch with Prepix crews when I accidentally meet Yong Soeun, the main dancer of a girl group of CUBE Entertainment. She is waiting for the elevator, getting ready to a dance practice.
I just finished my routine dance practice with Prepix crews and I want to take my bag I left in the practice room before heading back to the apartment.
"How's the preparation for your new album?" she asks me politely as we step in the elevator while Prepix crews tell me that they are going to catch up with me later.
"Good," I answer her and return another question to her, "How's the preparation for your new MV?"
"Ah, it will be really good if you agree to star in our MV," she teases me since I refused the offer to star in their MV due to my schedule. "Hyunseung Oppa is really nice to take the offer."
"Yah, you really like to make me feel guilty, don't you?" I ruffle her hair and laugh with her. I pat her head softly as the door opens up, "Good luck for your MV then."
When I turn around to step out from the elevator, I am really surprised to see Rima is standing in front of me. She looks really shocked to see me though.
"Ah, Rima," I greet her politely. "What are you doing here?"
Instead of giving me an answer, she slips in the elevator and pushes the close button quickly. When I open my mouth to stop her, the elevator has moved downstairs.
"Do you know her?" Soeun tilts her head. "She looks mad..."
I scratch my head awkwardly. I wave Soeun goodbye and take my bag before heading back to my apartment with confused feeling.
Is she avoiding me because I have found out about her secret?
I was really surprised when she told me that she is the daughter of one of the richest families in South Korea. Not to mention that she is not Junhyung's real cousin. She also helps us to compose our songs for the new album, the reason why Junhyung often visits her room.
But, still, she doesn't need to avoid me as if I am her enemy.
Once I arrive, I head to her apartment and knock the door, waiting for her to open it for me. When she has opened it and see my face, her eyes widen in shock.
"Y-Y-Yah!" I hold the door before she can close it. "What happened? What did I do?!"
"Nothing!" she replies but still trying to push the door to close. "W-What are you doing here?"
"Can we just talk without you pushing the door?!" I use all my strength to prevent the door from closing. Looks like I push it too hard that Rima can't hold on anymore.
She loses her power to hold the door while I'm still pushing it, causing me to lose balance and fall forward, "Y-Yah!"
With split seconds, I grab her arm because she is going to fall backwards. I manage to stand still with her face bumps to my chest awkwardly.
"Rima, are you-" I just want to ask her condition when I hear someone stops right behind me.
✗ Yong Junhyung ✗
"I'm in my room. Let's finish a new song."
A smile unconsciously forms on my lips when I read the reply from Rima. I quickly wipe the smile off because I know I will look like a lunatic to smile all of a sudden.
I grab my music book and head to her apartment after telling Doojoon that I will return when it's dinner time. I want to finish at least a song today because my deadline is chasing after me.
It's been four days since the last time I visited Rima. I still remember her scent when I kissed her long hair; I don't even know why I suddenly did that.
When her face was only inches away from me, I reached out my hand just to tuck her long hair aside. When I felt her soft hair, I trailed her hair just because I want to feel the softness with my lips.
I still remember how rapid my heart was beating that moment. It's a good thing that she suddenly pulled away. However I still don't understand why she acted really weird after watching a news about the engagement between a daughter of rich family and a young businessman.
Perhaps it's because the girl has a same name with her: 'Rima'.
I frown when I see her door is not closed. My jaw drops when I see Gikwang is hugging Rima, close to his chest.
"Gikwang?" I murmur his name and he quickly lets go of Rima with clueless expression. "What... What are you two..."
I feel an uneasy feeling fills my chest when I see Rima is blushing. She covers with the back of her hand, avoding my gaze. Gikwang stammers nervously, "I-It's not like what you think... It's an accident... I was-"
"It's okay," I quickly cut, not feeling that I want to hear his explanation. "I have to discuss something with Rima, if you don't mind."
"S-Sure...," Gikwang walks away, taking a quick glance on Rima. "I-I'll be back later then."
He gives me an awkward grin before leaving me and Rima alone. Rima turns around while I step in her apartment.
I watch her as she takes a glass of water to drink before giving me her music book, still having a really red face, "I-I'm sorry I haven't contacted you for a while. I need to-"
"You're blushing. You know that, right?" I take the music book from her and she flinches a little because of my question. She looks away, trying to hide her blushed face with her hand again.
"About the last song, I have added longer bridge part," she clears nervously. "You're going to sing on that part."
"I'm going to rap," I open the music book, wondering why she is really stubborn about my rapping part.
"You're going to sing," she repeats, crossing her hands. "You have a good voice so why don't you just sing?"
I know I'm blushing slightly because of her words. She is not the first person who tells me that I have a good voice in singing but she is the first one who keeps telling me to sing rather than rap.
"I believe in my absolute pitch," she takes off the ribbon which tied her long hair, letting her hair to fall down. "You are a talented artist, Junhyung. Show it to the world."
I don't reply her because I am stunned by her appearance. She looks really captivating even though it's not the first time I see her with her hair down.
"Where are your glasses?" I finally recognize what's different from her today; she doesn't wear her black thick-rimmed glasses.
Rima raises her hand to touch her face as if she just realized that something is missing from herself. I hear she mumbles softly, "Aigoo... I forgot to ask it back from Gikwang..."
A sudden realization crosses my mind.
"Don't tell me...," I murmur vividly, "...you like Gikwang?"
She doesn't need to answer it because her face tells everything. She tries to take the music book back from me, avoiding the topic, "I-I think I need you to look at this part... I-I'll show you..."
I grip the book tight but she tries to pull it from me. I grab one of her wrists and mumble with disbelief, "You like him..."
"N-No, I-I don't...," she tries to release herself from me abruptly but it's useless because I'm stronger than her. "L-Let go of me..."
She steps backwards, not realizing that there is a sofa behind her. She falls backwards on the sofa while my hand is still holding her wrist.
I prevent my body from faling on top of her with my palms, trapping her between my arms. My eyes meet with hers for seconds before I shift my gaze to her lips.
Why do I feel really uneasy with the fact that she is blushing because of Gikwang?
There are seconds of awkward silence before she tries to push me away but she uses no power at all, "Y-Yah! Yong Junhyung!"
I stand up and hold my breath. I put my hand on my chest until I can feel my rapid heartbeat. Why did I even stare at her lips just now?
What was I thinking?
What... am I feeling?
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