I finally get back home and I run straight to my room. I get out my notepad and start writing out lyrics. I write and write, I scribble things out, I throw failed lyrics to the ground, but for the first time, doing this doesn’t seem frustrating. Actually, in this moment, I feel really happy. Mina is the only thing on my mind, every word I write down I want to make sure shows exactly how I feel about her. I want this song to show how much I care about her, how much fun I have with her, how much I just love being with her. I want it to express how much I love her. Wait… me? Falling in love? I put down my pencil and think about Mina holding my hands at the ice rink, I think about her resting her head on my shoulder at the bus stop and how I could see her cute little moles up close, I think about her gummy smile and how I could sit forever just staring at it. I never thought I could feel this way about someone before, but here I am, and I think I could get used to this feeling. I get back to writing and trying to transform these feelings into words as best as I can, until a stream of light creeps in through my window and then.

*knock knock knock*

“Jeong? Are you really awake at this time?” Nayeon opens the door and looks at me dumbfounded.

“What do you mean I just got home, maybe a couple hours ago?”

“No, you got home before I did, I saw the light on in your room when I came in. I just woke up and went to get something to drink and I saw it was still on, I thought you fell asleep and forgot to turn it off.”

“Wait what time is it?” I pick up my phone, “Oh my god! Is it really 6 AM!!??”

“Yeah, you see why I was so confused now? Did you even sleep at all?”

“No! I guess I was up all night writing my song, I think I’m almost done with it actually, you want to see it?”

“Oh sure, I’ll take a look at it.” Nayeon reaches out her hand and grabs my crumpled up papers.

I bite my lip as I watch her read my lyrics. She looks at me and back at the lyrics several times. After a while I can’t take it anymore.

“Well?? What do you think?”

“I think so far…”

I can feel my back tense up with immense pressure and I almost want to tell her stop but I need to hear her opinion, she is the one that’s going to sing it after all.

“…so far it’s really good.”

All the pressure is released and I feel like a boulder has been lifted off my back.

“But…”

Suddenly the boulder turned into a mountain and crushes me.

“Oh no, but what?” I ask reluctantly.

“I can’t really figure out what how the song itself is gonna sound like if you don’t tell me the melody. Have you worked on anything yet?”

“Well, I kind of always had an idea of how it would sound.” I start humming the melody for the chorus, but I stop after a few seconds.

“Why’d you stop?”

“Cuz…”

“Cuz what?” Nayeon raises her eyebrow almost starting to look mad.

“Cuz that’s all I got…” I hide my face because I know what’s coming.

Nayeon gets up and starts hitting my in my chair with one of my pillows.

“YAH! YOO JEONGYEON! The contest date is getting closer and not only have you not yet finished the lyrics but you only have like what, 2 seconds, of the chorus for music?? What am I going to do with you? How am I going to sing a song when there’s no song!?”

“I’m sorry!!” I say with my face hiding between my legs. “You know I was never really that good with writing melodies! It’s hard for me ok!”

Nayeon ends her attack and throws her weapon back on my bed.

“Then find a producer. You gotta do something Jeongyeon, time is NOT your friend right now.”

“A producer? Where am I going to find one of those?”

Nayeon looks at me like I said something stupid. Probably because I did. She walks over to my window and opens up the curtains.

“Look at where you’re living!!”

“AH! Too bright! Too bright!!”

“Jeongyeon, you live in a university with one of the best performing arts programs in the country, in the world even! You could probably ask someone on the way to class who could write up the melody for you in their sleep.”

“Ok I get it, but, it can’t just be anybody. I want someone who really knows the feelings I’m trying to portray you know, someone with not just talent, but with heart.”

“Well you have less than two weeks left, lets hope you can at least find someone with talent, the heart can happen in post production.”

“Ugh don’t worry, I’ll get it done now get out!”

Nayeon sticks her tongue out at me as she walks out and closes my door and I decide to rest my eyes for a couple minutes.

15 alarms later and only a few hours of sleep, I manage to barely make it to my class on time. I sit down in my usual seat and listen to my English professor drag on and on about Charles Dickens and try to ignore the immature male freshman snicker in the back. I start getting bored at the sound of my professor’s rambling and take out my notepad and start thinking about my song. I try to envision how I want the melody to play out and start silently humming to myself.

“Who’s humming while I speak?” Ms. Geller says sternly as she looks around the room.

I hide my notepad back in my backpack and start writing down everything I see on the board, even though I have no idea what it is. Ms. Geller resumes teaching and starts to show off her physical copy of Great Expectations, which of course is in mint condition. I honestly could care less, and my head starts to bob up and down.

“Jeongyeon… psst Jeongyeon!”

“Huh what?” I pick up my head and turn left and nobody is there, and then I turn right and I see a bright gummy smile.

“Mina?? What are you doing here? You don’t have this class, trust me I would now if you were in here.”

“Oh really? What do you mean by that?” She says as she inches closer.

“I.. umm… I mean I’ve never seen you in this class and we’re like halfway through the quarter.” I watch her get settled next to me and rest her head on her arm as she looks straight at me.

“I’ve always been here, so I don’t know what you mean.” She stares deep into my eyes and I can feel a single bead of sweat drip down onto the ground.

I turn around and look at everyone and back at Ms. Geller. They act normally even though Mina is sitting right here acting this way. I turn back to Mina and she’s even closer than before.

“Jeongyeon you know what?” She says with an almost sinister gummy smile.

“W..wh..what.”

“I never got to hear you sing. Now, I know you’re not that confident with your voice, but I really want to hear it. Can you do it, right now, for me please?” She says with a pouty face.

What is with her? I have never seen Mina like this ever. But her eyes… I can’t resist those eyes… and that adorable pout doesn’t help either.

“Ok fine…”

“Wait really!? Ok I’m ready!” She sits up and stares at me intently.

“Ahem… I can’t control my trembling voice. Even my reddening cheeks. I can’t hide it. I try to act cool but, I can’t hide my heart. I think I love you… that’s all I got for now I can’t do anymore than that I’m sorry you had to listen to me.”

“Well… Jeongyoo.”

“Jeongyoo?”

“MS. YOO!”

Startled I jump up and see the whole class is missing. All I see is Ms. Geller staring at me with her bags packed.

“I was thinking of leaving you here, but I heard you singing in your sleep and I must say-“

“I’M SO SORRY MS. GELLER, I’LL TURN IN THE ESSAY ON TIME, AND I’LL NEVER FALL ASLEEP IN YOUR CLASS AGAIN I’M GONNA LEAVE NOW. I AM SO SORRY.”

I can feel all the blood rush over to my face and I gather all my things and run straight out the door.

“Wait Ms. Yoo! Well, she’s gone. I didn’t assign an essay yet and I was going to say she has quite the beautiful voice. She is a character that one.”

I run and run and run some more until I find a bench and drop all my stuff on the ground as l lay on it breathless. I can’t believe I slept through half the class, and everyone just left me! And to make things worse I was sleep singing and Ms. Geller heard me! I hide my face in disbelief. What was that dream anyway? Mina would never act like that! I should’ve known it was a dream from the very beginning, she’s not even in that class!

“Jeongyeon?”

Oh great, I can hear her again, did I fall asleep on this bench too?

“Jeongyeon is that you?”

I come to the realization that I am wide awake and that this is actually Mina above me.

“Mina! HI! What a coincidence seeing you here! HAHA.” I stand up and cringe at myself for saying HAHA, but I can’t take it back now.

“I know! I wasn’t excepting to see you till later, what class did you just have?”

“English, but I don’t know if I can go back there now.” I look over in my class’ direction wanting to forget what just happened.

“Oh no, why is that?” Mina looks at me worried.

“Um I’m just kidding, there’s just some guys umm… laughing at some jokes in class too much they’re just dumb, I didn’t mean it.”

“Ok, I was worried for a second there. Anyway, where are you headed now?”

“I guess I’m headed to the performing arts building.”

“Are you going to work on your song?”

“Sort of, I’m looking for someone to help produce my song. I tried doing it myself but, I’m just not good with this sort of thing.”

“I have a friend that might be able to help! I’m actually meeting her at the performing arts center right now! I’m sure she’ll help you!”

“Really? I mean I don’t even know this person.”

“Don’t worry I’ve known them for a long time, she is really good at writing music and she plays the piano extremely well I’m sure she’ll do it if I ask nicely, she’s helping me find the right music for my dance routine too!”

“Ok if you say so.” I have a bad feeling about this.

We walk towards the performing arts building but, I fall a little bit behind because all I can think about was that crazy dream with Mina. I shake my head and realize that the real thing is with me. I catch up to her and try to grab her hand, but she runs ahead when she sees her friend.

“Dahyunnie!!”

“Minarrring~”

Dahyunnie? Minaring? What am I hearing right now?

“Dahyun, this is Jeongyeon, she’s the girl I told you about.”

“You told her about me?” I was shocked.

“Uh.. well yeah we did hang out yesterday right? It was fun… so I told Dahyun about it, she’s my best friend.” Mina hides her face in her scarf, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Hi, nice to meet you Jeo-… wait you look familiar… have we met before?”

“No, I don’t think so?” Suddenly I realize that this is the girl that was practicing with Mina that one time I was watching her dance in the practice room. Oh no, I hope she didn’t see me!

“Yeah! I remember you now!

“Dahyun its not what you think! I was just-“

“You’re the girl that grabbed me and shook me around!”

“I did what now?”

“You don’t remember? You grabbed me in front of this very building and shook me around asking me where to sign up for the talent show!”

I totally forgot about that moment, and I couldn’t have shaken a worse person. How am I supposed to ask her to help me out now?

“Listen Dahyun, I am so sorry, I was just in a rush to sign up for the talent show and I just barely made it in time, but if it wasn’t for you telling me where it was I probably wouldn’t have made it so I’m really grateful!” I bow my head hoping she doesn’t kill me.

“Ok ok get up, I’m not that mad about it, and Mina seems to like you so it’s whatever.” She shrugs and has this smug look on her face.

“Dahyunnie~ I have favor to ask you!”

“Mhm what is it Mina?” She squints at Mina and then at me.

“Jeongyeon needs help with her song for the talent show.”

“Oh yeah?” She looks over at me, “What kind of help do you need?”

I remember when I saw the two girls inside the practice room and I heard Dahyun play the piano so beautifully. If anyone can help me, it’s her.

“I need help producing music for my song, I tried doing it myself, but I’m gonna be honest I at this stuff so I was hoping someone with a better ear than me could help out and your music is so beautiful I would really appreciate it if you could help me out.”

“Wait, how do you know how I play? Have you heard me somewhere before?”

“MINA UH *ahem* told me how you play piano and that you’re exceptional.” I say remembering that neither of them know I saw them that day.

“Well alright, let’s go into a practice room, I already reserved one for Mina and I, but we can check out your song too.”

“Dahyun about that! I need to talk to my dance tutor really quick, could you and Jeongyeon talk in the practice room without me for a little bit? I’ll be right down as fast as I can I promise!”

She’s leaving me alone with her? The only other time I’ve been with this girl was when I shook her brains out. I look over at Dahyun and she doesn’t look too thrilled about it either.

“Ahh fine, but hurry up I only reserved it for an hour!”

“Thank you! I promise! Play nice!” Mina runs ahead of us, and Dahyun and I head into one of the practice rooms.

Once inside, Dahyun goes straight to the piano. She cracks her fingers and stretches her arms.

“Alright, you got an idea of what you want it to sound like?”

“Yeah, kinda, want me to um…” I look out the door to where Mina is, and I don’t see her anywhere. “Want me to sing it for you?”

“Yeah if you can, its the only way I can get this started.”

“Right of course…” I take a deep breath and start to sing what I have so far. “Ok, that’s really all I got.”

“Well… that’s pretty good.”

“Wait really?” Shaking from nervousness, but I am really happy right now.

“Yeah, you have a nice voice too, are you singing it yourself as well?”

“Oh I could never! My voice is nothing compared to my friend Nayeon, she’s singing this for me, being on stage terrifies me. I’m just the woman behind the curtain I guess.”

“Wait Nayeon? As in Nayeon Im? The girl who sings the national anthem at all the important school events Nayeon Im? You two are friends?”

“Yeah that’s her, we’ve known each other for a long time. Why?”

“I’ll help you, I’ll produce the heck out of this song.”

“Wait really!? Wow Dahyun I don’t know how to thank you!”

“I do.”

“Anything! Just tell me!”

“Get me a date with Nayeon.”

“What?”

“You heard me, I’ll work on your song, but in return you have to get me a date with Nayeon.”

“Wait you can’t just do that! Why do I have to do this for you?”

“If you want I can bring Mina and make it a double date, that might give you more incentive.”

I pause for a second at the thought. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Oh cmon, she told me about your little date yesterday, also I can see the way you look at her, and just now at that pause when I mentioned her name, it’s incredibly obvious.”

“Does that mean Mina knows???”

“Ah so you admit it?”

I immediately shut up.

“You’re too easy.” She laughs at my face. “No, Mina doesn’t know, that girl could have half the campus following her around and she’d have no idea.”

I let out a sigh of relief.

“So do we have a deal or not?”

I take a minute to think about what Nayeon’s reaction would be to all of this… and if I can make this happen I could go on a double date with Mina…

“Ok, it’s a deal.”

Dahyun’s face lights up. I think this is the first time she smiled since we came inside the practice room.

“You know I was gonna do this anyway right?” She laughs.

“Wait a minute, excuse me??”

“But! You said we have a deal so you can’t back out now!”

Tsk she’s right, I guess I am easy.

“Anyway, since the deal is on, let me see what you’ve written so far.”

“Here.” I pass my notepad to her reluctantly because I know I can’t trust this tiny evil girl.

She takes a picture of it on her phone.

“Give me about a week, we can meet back up here and I’ll show you what I’ve come up with, in the meantime you finish the song and work on getting me that date.” She says with a smile.

“Oh yeah, NOW you’re nice.” I snatch my notepad back from her hands.

“Well of course, I got something I though I had no chance of getting. I’m ecstatic!” She says all giddy in her seat.

I raise up my notepad about to hit her annoying little face, when I hear the door open up.

“Oh here you guys are! I was looking around at every room for you!” Mina yells out.

“Alright Mina, what took so long?” Dahyun says, her smile gone.

“I’m sorry my tutor, had a lot to say. You guys get along well?”

“Oh we got along just fine.” Dahyun says holding onto my arm.

“Yeah we’re great!” I pull my arm right out of her clutches.

“Oh yay! So you’ll do the song Dahyun!?”

“Yupp! I’m gonna make it the best song I’ve ever produced, trust me ok Jeongyeon?” She says half smile smiling, almost as if holding a laugh.

“Yupp! Thanks Dahyun, anyway I guess I better go, I got some stuff I gotta do apparently.” I roll my eyes as I walk towards the door.

“Wait Jeongyeon!” Mina catches up and pushes me outside.

“What is it Mina?”

“I just wanted to say I really enjoyed our time together yesterday.” She says with her adorable gummy smile.

“I had fun too, thanks for showing me how to ice skate, sorry you had to hold my hand the whole time.”

“No no, I enjoyed it! Even holding your hand, don’t be sorry.”

 It seemed like she was reaching for my hand again, but I could feeI my face getting red by the second.

“Well I gotta go! I’ll see you later Mina!” I say running straight towards the exit.

Back at the dorm, I just lay on my bed and wonder how I’m going to convince Nayeon to go on this date with the little devil.

“Jeongyeon! You home??”

Oh great, she’s here, should I ask about it now?

“In my room!”

“Hey, how’s the song? Any progress with a producer yet?”

“Yeah about that…”

“Oh no, what do you need me to do?”

“What? You didn’t even let me finish!”

“You always start talking like that whenever you need me to do something you’re not sure I’ll do. Just tell me, if it’ll help with the progress of your song I’ll do it, cmon now let it out.”

“I need you to go on a date…” I grab one of my pillows and hide behind it preparing for the barrage of punches on target to my face, but when nothing happens I take peek over.

“You done?” Nayeon has this stern face like what I just did made her more mad than what I asked.

“I’m so sorry! They have a really good ear for music, I heard them play piano once and it was some of the greatest pieces of music I’ve ever heard in person, it’s just that in return they wanted me to get you to go on a date with them.”

“Ok I’ll do it.” She sighs.

“Are you serious? Nayeon you’re the best!” I get up and give her a huge hug.

“ Well I guess I have to do it if you really think they’re that good.” Nayeon wriggles free and sits down on the floor. “Who is the person anyway, how do they even know you know me?”

“Her name is Dahyun, she’s friends with the girl I hung out with yesterday, and I mentioned it to her when she asked if I was singing the song, I told her you were singing not me.”

“Oh?” Nayeon has a giant smirk on her face. “Oh she’s friends with the mystery girl huh? Why don’t you bring her along too? I wanna meet her the girl who inspired this song.”

“What?? No! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“I DO know that ever since you’ve been writing this song, you’ve been a lot happier. I’ll go on this date, but I want to meet the mystery girl too ok? Bring her, it can be a double date!”

“A double date? Dahyun did say she could…” I stop myself before letting Nayeon know too much. “Anyway… I’ll talk to Dahyun about it.”

The next day, after my morning classes, which I may or may not have slept right through again, I head to the performing arts building in hopes that Dahyun is there so I can talk to her about her date with Nayeon, and who knows maybe Mina is there with her. I look inside the first few practice rooms and some are empty and others had people already in them. After I look through the rest, I decide to text Mina because I can’t find either of them. I take out my phone, but as soon as I do someone covers my eyes. I can feel my head get pulled down backwards so it has to be someone shorter than me.

“Guess who?” I hear a familiar voice.

“Dahyun? Is that you? Can you stop this please?”

“Yeah I’m here. But its not me covering your eyes, guess again.”

“Mina?"

Suddenly, the bright lights shine back into my eyes and I turn around to recover. When I open them up again I see Mina staring straight at me centimeters away from my face.

“You caught me!” She says with her gummy smile, this time way too close for comfort.

I take a step back and a deep breath.

“I’m glad I found you guys, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

“Oh? You wouldn’t happen to have any news, would you?” Dahyun steps forward with a smile.

“Yeah actually, Dahyun can I talk to you for a second?”

I pull Dahyun aside and Mina is left behind waddling around waiting for us.

“Ok so I talked to Nayeon yesterday, she said she’ll go on a date with you.”

“WAIT REALLY????” Dahyun covers and and takes a deep breath. “You really mean that?”

“Yes, although she wants me to bring Mina along with her, I hope that’s not a problem.”

“No of course, I said you could bring her right? Besides I want Mina to be there anyway, I didn’t think Nayeon would actually say yes. I need her to help calm me down…”

“Ok so how about we do a movie and then dinner this weekend? Sound like a plan?”

“Sure! Anything sounds good if I get to see Nayeon!”

Seeing Dahyun’s smile and how it looks so genuine makes me happy, maybe she’s not so bad after all.

“By the way, did you have the time to work on any of the music yet?”

“Actually yeah, I did half the song already.”

“Really?? In a day? Can we go listen to it?”

“Sure! Keep in mind it’s just the melody, the actual producing will be done by next week. Let’s go to one of the practice rooms.”

“Mina come here! We’re going to the practice room!”

Mina runs over to us and wraps us both in her arms. With everyone helping me, would it be crazy to think I could win the whole thing?

 

 

Under the same sky

Let’s look at the same place

If I’m with you

I can do it

 

gateun haneul araeseo

gateun goseul barabwa

neowa hamkke handamyeon

hal su isseul geoya nan

 

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