Lay was lost in thought, swinging the single bag of groceries in his hands back and forth. His feet moved of their own free will, dodging busy people walking toward him, maintaining a steady rhythm, all the while his eyes stared at the ground at nothing in particular, being too preoccupied within his own mind.

“Umphff!” Lay grunted, as he suddenly collided with a man in a dark suit. “Watch where you’re going!” The businessman spat, before brushing himself off and walking away briskly.

Lay blinked, coming back to reality. He’d been zoned out, thinking about his band and the situation they were in. Too late, he called an apology to the businessman, who had already walked so far off, Lay could barely see the top of his head in the crowd of people weaving through the streets.

He looked down at the bag of groceries in his hands, making sure none of the eggs had cracked. The eggs were fine. The packs of ramen, box of waffle cookies, and jug of peach flavored water were all there. Lay began walking again, looking straight in front of him this time, to avoid any more collisions. Good thing too, because a few feet ahead of him, a sizable crowd of people was gathered around a single street performer. Lay narrowed his eyes to get a better look. The female street performer, singing in a light voice with a guitar on her lap, seemed very familiar.

“Thank you for listening! Your donations are greatly appreciated! All proceeds go to help out our very own soup kitchen!” The street performer was shouting, by the time Lay got up close to her. The flashy pink guitar was unmistakable. It was Leeyoung, the girl who’d auditioned for Planet X.

The crowd of people began to disperse, some throwing bits of change into the bucket beside Leeyoung before going on their way. The girl kept saying thank you to every person, before storing her guitar into a sturdy brown case she’d kept behind her chair. She didn’t notice Lay standing over her until she was getting up to leave.

“Oh, hey!” She greeted brightly, “You’re one of the guys from that band, right?” She had the same dark eyeliner and the same leather boots on from the audition, but her loose curls were tied to one side this time.

“Yeah, I’m…” Lay began, but Leeyoung had grabbed the chair she’d been sitting on and the bucket of change, disappearing from her performing spot into the building right behind it. Lay only realized then, that he was standing in front of the town’s soup kitchen. He’d never even noticed that there had been a soup kitchen there, so close to his house. He’d also never noticed this girl playing for donations before.

“What were you saying?” Leeyoung popped out of the building a few moments later, empty handed.

“Uh… I’m Lay,” Lay repeated, “I’m the singer and the second guitarist of Planet X.”

The girl lifted up her guitar case and slung it over her shoulder. “I remember. Have you guys made a decision about your band yet?” she asked.

“Umm… Well…” Lay muttered.

“No?” Leeyoung badgered, tilting her head to one side with a slight frown.

“Kind of… the guys thought we might as well just ask you… to try practicing with us…” At their last band meeting, Lay had reluctantly given the final agreeing vote to recruit Leeyoung to Planet X. In fact, Joongyu had been in charge of calling the girl to invite her to take the first guitar parts and try it out first, before playing with the whole band. Lay had just run into her first.

“Really? Does that mean I’m in the band?” Leeyoung remarked.

“Well…” Lay ran a hand through his hair.

“Well what?”

Lay furrowed his eyebrows. This girl wasn’t giving him any time to think. “Can you try out the guitar parts first? Basically, we just want you to be able to play them, since we don’t really have a lot of time left before the festival.”

Leeyoung gave a confident nod. “Sure thing. Is right now a good time?”

“Now? Oh,… well, I guess I do have the music at home…” said Lay.

“Great! I have my guitar with me, so we’re all good to go!”

Lay had never seen a girl so quick to make decisions. Usually, it took Lay a good bit of thinking before he made up his mind about anything. He had gone out to the mart with the purpose of stocking up for dinner for the week, but now, in a strange turn of events, he was bringing Leeyoung to his home. Not only was Lay’s mind a little hectic from her fast-paced approach to everything, but his stomach was growling. He wasn’t sure how this was all going to go, exactly. 

“Is that your dinner?” Leeyoung asked, as Lay led the way to his house. She kept peeking into the grocery bag in Lay’s hand, grinning to herself.

“Yeah… it should last me this week…” Lay answered.

Leeyoung nodded slowly, but didn’t ask why a high school student had to stock up with ramen for dinner all week, instead of eating home-cooked food. Lay was relieved she didn’t. Not that it would be too difficult to explain. The empty house they had now just reached would explain it all.

Lay stopped in his tracks. They two of them had reached the low, white, modern-styled rectangular building that was Lay’s home, and the first thing Lay noticed was his dad’s car.

“Are we here?” said Leeyoung.

“Uhh… yeah,” Lay muttered. He hesitated for a moment, standing in front of his doorway. His dad was finally home after three weeks. In the end, Lay just decided to let Leeyoung in. It wouldn’t feel right to turn her away.

The minute they stepped foot into the house, the strong scent of chili and tofu was everywhere. Lay ushered Leeyoung into the kitchen, to find his dad standing in front of the stovetop, wearing a bright yellow apron.

“Lay Lay! You didn’t tell me we were going to have company!” Mr. Zhang exclaimed over the sizzling of mixed vegetables, minced pork, and chopped tofu.

Lay’s face lit up, a fond grin drawn on his face. “You didn’t even tell me you were coming, let alone making dinner!” He laid the plastic bag from the mart on the countertop, displaying the components of what would have been his dinner to his dad.

“Ohh, stop trying to make me feel guilty! How bad would you have felt, Lay Lay, if you’d come home with this young lady here, and I wouldn’t have mad enough food to go around! It’s very fortunate that I’m a cook with a big hand, because we actually do have plenty for three.” Mr. Zhang raised his eyebrow teasingly at his son. “Well, don’t just stand there, introduce your friend here!” he cried.

After his dad happily invited Leeyoung to dinner, Lay found the three of them sitting around the dining table, plates of steaming mapo tofu in front of them. Mr. Zhang didn’t ask Lay too many questions about the band’s situation. He knew every single member of Planet X, and he also knew all too well what sort of issues developed in musical groups. As the dinner conversations continued on, Lay was all of sudden aware, that most of the talk was two-sided, between his dad and Leeyoung, he himself being left out in all aspects except for the fact that the topic of conversation between the two were mostly about him.

Mr. Zhang was telling Leeyoung how terrible Lay was at the drums; how he had no sense of rhythm whatsoever, when it came to setting a base tempo.

“So I thought for sure he would be one awful dancer,” said Mr. Zhang, “If you don’t have rhythm, you can’t dance! But I was completely wrong. It’s beyond me how it’s even possible, but when one of my choreographer friends taught Lay a couple of popping moves when he was seven years old, he got it right away. I swear, even if he is my son, Lay tends to be extremely weird sometimes.”

Both Leeyoung and Mr. Zhang burst out in laughter. Lay didn’t see how a father commenting on the strangeness of his own son was very funny at all. He scooped forkfuls of tofu and vegetables in his mouth.

Lay was sure that by the end of dinner, Leeyoung knew everything there was to know about Lay. His dad had even explained why Lay had to live off of ramen for days at a time: "I'm a music composer, so I travel a lot to work with my clients. Lay never knows when I'll be home and when I'll be leaving again. But he's good on his own. If he would just try to learn how to cook for himself instead of settling for ramen and junk food all the time!"

Leeyoung never stopped smiling as she talked and joked with Mr. Zhang. She was just as quick-tempered as ever, countering Mr. Zhang’s comments with witty remarks that made the man grasp his stomach in bouts of laughter.

“Can we help you with the dishes, Mr. Zhang?” Leeyoung asked, after the bullying dinner in which Lay was the prime victim of the two bullies was finally over.

“No no, you two had better get down and take care of business before it gets too late for you to go home, Leeyoung,” Mr. Zhang spoke as if he had known Leeyoung for years. He stood up from the dining table with his hands full of used dishes, making his way toward the kitchen. On his way, he stopped next to Lay, placing a sturdy hand on his son’s shoulder. “She’s very pretty, and wonderfully sociable,” Mr. Zhang said, clearly loud enough for Leeyoung to hear.

“What?! Baba!!” Lay uttered in disbelief. He had just met Leeyoung, and here was his dad, trying to play cupid, very unnecessarily.

Mr. Zhang just snickered to himself and left the dining room. Leeyoung had a smug look on her face, smiling cheerfully. Before his dad could drop any more unpredictable comments, Lay took Leeyoung down to the basement, leaving Mr. Zhang with the dishwashing.

Lay flicked on the lights in his basement. He and Leeyoung headed into the soundproof room, where the Planet X members had held the auditions, and where they usually practiced. For some odd reason, Lay felt that the basement, and everything in it, was strangely large and uncomfortable. He had never felt this way before, not in the countless times he’d been down here, by himself, sometimes for hours on end.

Leeyoung sat down on a stool and pulled her guitar out. Lay realized, she had grabbed the stool Myungsoo usually liked to use. She the strings of the pink guitar softly, tuning for the right notes.

“Do you have the music for me?” she asked.

Lay jolted. He realized, he’d been zoned out. About what, he didn’t know. He started looking around a little frantically, unable to remember where he’d placed the first guitar music for their Rock Festival songs. He felt more clumsy than usual. As he started going through a pile of papers scattered on a table near a wall, he suddenly shot a hand up to his left cheek. It was hot. He was blushing.

He finally fished out the two songs and handed them to Leeyoung. “Thanks!” she said with a smile. The darkly drawn lines around her eyes softened, and without realizing it, Lay’s own lips were curving upward.

Leeyoung grabbed a music stand, placed the music on it, and started the notes. Lay was left there standing, so he pulled up his own chair. She didn’t use a pick, so when she grazed her fingernails along the strings, the sounds were gentle, melodic, and resonant. Lay felt a tingle in his fingers. She sounded amazing.

“What’s this?” said Leeyoung. She held up a sheet of music.

“Oh… that’s not the festival music…” Lay reached out to take the sheet music from Leeyoung, but she pulled her hand back behind her.

“I can see that,” she said. Still holding the sheet at a distance from Lay’s reach, she peered at it more closely. “Is this self-composition? You have some sloppy music note writing.”

Lay scratched his head. The sheet music Leeyoung was holding was a song Lay had been working on, the first piece of actual composition he had started. He hadn’t told anyone he’s started writing songs.

“I wanna see what it sounds like! I’m gonna play it, okay?” Without waiting for Lay’s answer, she placed the sheet music back on the stand and started playing the song, fully, using her fingernails for a six-beat strumming pattern.

The melody was familiar, of course. Lay had written the song, and had played it himself, a billion times. But it sounded different when he heard someone else playing it. It actually sounded good, like a real song. He tapped his foot along. Leeyoung was even humming the vocal melody Lay had written in.

By the time Leeyoung finished the song, Lay was smiling to himself. He felt accomplished. He had written a song that someone else could actually play. “Lay, this is really good. Really, really good. But what about the lyrics?” Leeyoung asked.

“I…” Lay hung his head, the sense of accomplishment dissolving at the question. “I haven’t figured out how to write lyrics yet. Nothing I try to come up with… feels like it fits.”

Leeyoung nodded. “The melody is beautiful. I’m surprised you wrote such a ballad rock song. I thought your band pretty much only played punk?”

“Yeah… but I’m into any kind of music, really,” Lay responded.

“Me too. And this, I really like a lot,” Leeyoung complimented. Lay felt his cheeks burning again. Why was he blushing like this?

“I want this to have lyrics!” Leeyoung exclaimed. She started playing Lay’s song again, singing with ‘la-la-la’ substituted for the vocal melody. Lay chuckled. She had a nice singing voice.

Noticing Lay’s laughter, Leeyoung gave Lay a quick, mischievous glance, and then started adding words to the melody. “Lay’s dad is an amazing cook~ He saved Lay from a crappy dinner of Ramen and waffle cookies today~” She sang.

Lay burst out in laughter. “What are you doing!?” he cried.

“Lay’s dad has a great sense of humor~ He said I was pretty and sociable, and I think Lay agrees, but he’s too shy to admit it~”

Lay put his hand on his forehead and shook his head. Leeyoung continued singing, giggles mixing in with her words. “Lay doesn’t know how to write lyrics for his own song~ So I’m going to write them for him, but then the song is going to become a comic song~ It’s okay because singing about Lay is fun~”

“Okay, you can stop now,” Lay said in between laughs. Leeyoung shook her head playfully.

“I should be playing the Rock Festivals songs Lay’s band is going to play, but I wanna play this song, because I get to make up my own lyrics~ I think Lay should just give in and let me be in his band~ And then we can all rock out at the Rock Festival~!” Leeyoung finished off with a quick up and down strumming pattern that wasn’t a part of Lay’s song. She laughed out loud, slapping the body of her pink guitar.

Lay shook his head again. “Sorry, but I’m not using those lyrics for my song,” he remarked.

“Why not? I like it!” Leeyoung joked. Still giggling, she drew her phone out of her pocket. “Oh my gosh, look at the time! I need to get home!”

“Wait, but you haven’t even played through the Festival songs yet,” Lay replied.

Leeyoung was already packing her guitar into her case. “Lay, it’s 9pm. My parents aren’t going to like me telling them I was at a boy’s house practicing my guitar until 10o’clock at night. Can’t I just run through them at home, and get together to rehearse with the band later?”

She was pushing her lower lip out in a pout. With her eyes curved downward in her dark eyeliner, the pout was pretty effective. “I guess…” Lay replied.

“Yay! Okay then, I’mg going to take this music with me…” Leeyoung grabbed the two Festival songs and laid them on top of her guitar in her case, making sure to leave out the sheet of Lay’s own song. “Alright! I have to go!”

Lay followed Leeyoung up the stairs and out to the front door. Hearing them come up from the basement, Mr. Zhang called from the living room, “Be safe getting home Leeyoung! It was a greeeaat pleasure to meet you!!”

Leeyoung chuckled, sticking her head in through the kitchen so her voice could carry more clearly. “You too Mr. Zhang! Thank you so much for the dinner!” she shouted, her voice full of cheer. Lay could almost see his dad’s face, grinning at Leeyoung’s response goofily.

“I really want you to finish writing that song,” Leeyoung said to Lay, “With real lyrics.”

“How?" lay grumbled, "I’m pretty sure I at writing lyrics."

“Just…” Leeyoung paused, putting a hand on her chin. “Don’t try to invent made-up lyrics. Actually write about something in particular. Some event that happened that you thought was memorable, or someone you’d like to write about. Please finish it soon so I can listen to it with the real words next time, okay?”

“I’ll… try,” Lay answered.

“Sweet! That’s a promise, Lay! I’ll see you soon,” said Leeyoung, and in one quick motion, she kissed Lay on his left cheek, with one simple peck that left a cool spot over Lay's burning skin. She left without another word, her guitar slung over her shoulder, not looking back even once. For a moment, Lay stood in the doorway, a little dumbfounded by the girl and her quick, bright energy. He brought up a hand where Leeyoung had pecked him. He didn't know what to make of it: A thanks for the dinner? A joke? A trick to get him to let her in the band?

Lay strolled into the living room, where his dad sat on the couch with his laptop. “How was the date?” Mr. Zhang asked, wiggling his eyebrows at his son.

“Baba, I just met Leeyoung. I barely know her. And that was definitely not a date,” Lay corrected firmly.

“But Lay Lay,” Mr. Zhang added, “she’s such a keeper!”

“Geez Baba…” Lay slumped down in a seat next to his dad. “How long are you staying home?”

“I’m meeting with some producers in Japan next week. I’ll be home enough if you wanna invite Leeyoung over again.” Mr. Zhang was nudging Lay in the arm.

“She’ll be here to practice with the other band guys all this week,” Lay remarked, “But stay away from the basement if you’re gonna keep trying to get me to date her.”

Mr. Zhang fondly ruffled his son’s hair. “I may not be home too often, but you’re still my son, and I know you better than anyone else, Lay Lay,” he said, “And I can tell, you like her.”

Lay scoffed. He absently touched his cheek again, and sighed in relief when he felt that the heat had cooled down a bit, though they were still warm.

[A/N:]

Self Advertisement Alert:

So in about the past month or so, I've been working to enter in another writing contest! This contest is called The Month of January - Writing Contest and is a contest to promote healthy relationships between EXO fans and Babys, or fans of B.A.P. The contest is also centered specifically around Jongin, Kyungsoo, and B.A.P's Youngjae, whose birthdays were all in January. Isn't it a great idea?

If you guys are interested, my entry is called Turn! The main character is Kyungsoo, but the story features all of the B.A.P members, a few EXO members, as well as f(x) and Secret.

As always, Thank you so much for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed lost Lay and adorable Baba~