(7)

I didn’t have enough sleep again. My parents held a farewell party for me last night and though I constantly told them that I don’t need one, they said they already booked a karaoke room and money would be wasted if I didn’t come. I had no torch choice. With my throat sore, the “farewell party” ended last midnight sharp.

I’m moving to my new home today which is better than my parent’s home since it’s a lot closer to CUBE and I wouldn’t have to spend so much money on transportation. And I got to eat too, so...

I almost tripped at the sidewalk and lost my balance from time to time. I was aware of myself looking like a drunkard walking the streets but I somehow can’t do something about it.

But I wasn’t aware my eyes were already closed until my forehead hit something warm, and my nose feeling something cold just a few inches away. I blinked my eyes open.

“Were you just sleeping just now?”

I gasped and quickly stepped back, tripping over my foot and clumsily finding my own balance. It turned out I regained my balance by making my own version of a phoenix stance.

“Song Hyojung? Are you sleepwalking right now?” Yoseob walked closer and flicked a finger softly on my forehead.

I slowly straightened my back and cleared my throat so I wouldn’t look that shameful. I looked at Yoseob and smiled nervously. Behind him is the glass windows of CUBE and if he wasn’t there to stop me I could bump my head on it. Just imaging it made me wince.

I touched my own forehead, chills coming down to my spine from Yoseob’s warm hand. “I’m sleepy.”

“Wow, you were sleepwalking just a while ago, weren’t you? I’m amazed.”

“It’s one of my best talents.” I groggily replied and went in the building, Yoseob coming after me.

“You have practice today?” I asked, on my way to the elevators.

“Yeah, just for the morning. Why?” He pushed the triangle button pointing up.

“Just asking –“

“HYOJUUUNG~!”

Both Yoseob and I turned our heads a the same time to the voice going to our direction. Daeun was running t our direction, the girl I met by the coffee maker yesterday by her side. She was pulling her wrist towards us.

“Oh, Mi Ri noona.” Yoseob said to himself.

“That’s Mi Ri?” I asked Yoseob in a whisper.

“Oh, Yoseob-ssi, hello!” Daeun said once she got to us. She bowed quickly and turned to me.

“Hyojungie, I texted you yesterday, did you receive it? This is Jang Mi Ri!”

“I told you to let me put on makeup first!” I heard Mi Ri whisper angrily to Daeun and Daeun only pushed her sideways.

Mi Ri smiled weakly and I could only look at her. I thought she looked like me? This Mi Ri is the Mi Ri without makeup. I really now want to see how skilful she is in makeup she gets to be a very different person than she is now with it.

“I didn’t know Yoseob and you are close.”

“I wouldn’t say close-close, more like 12 inches close.”

“You know I’m not talking about that.” Mi Ri frowned, purposely making herself look cute.

“Mi Ri noona, why aren’t you around the past few days?”

The three of us looked at each other and came to the decision not to tell Yoseob Mi Ri had hard time with herself a few days ago. I was also glad that we didn’t tell Yoseob because seeing him confused like that was so adorable I wanted to look at him forever.

“You guys came in together?” Mi Ri asked.

“Yeah, Hyojungie was sleepwalking.” Yoseob grinned and I turned to him with a glare.

“Hey!”

“But it’s true!”

“Hey, hey, hey, guys. The elevator just closed a few minutes ago and weren’t any of you even aware of that?” Daeun sighed heavily and punched the UP button. The elevator opened up immediately and we all went in.

~*~

YS: Hyojungie! I forgot to tell you I tried doing another Japanese ver. of our song. Do you want to hear it? Kkkkk

HJ: You said you have practice?

YS: Later, later!

HJ: Okay, okay! Where?

YS: Same place where you accepted my friendship kkk

HJ: Whatever you say -.-

YS: That emoticon is so mean TT TT

~*~

After helping out the stylists in cleaning their makeup kits and their desks, and checking if I don’t have any more other schedules, I quickly ran to the studio. Yoseob was already waiting inside.

I was still at the door when he immediately yelled, “Don’t close!”

“I learn from my mistakes, Yoseob.” I assured him and left the door a few inches open so that the sound won’t spread through the hallways.

He patted his side for me to sit down. I took the paper from him before sitting down and looked at the song title. Another ballad. I only have few weaknesses (1) Coffee (2) Yoseob and (3) Yoseob singing ballads. I think that even though he would sing me an ear-piercing heavy metal song, I don’t think I would even complain.

He strummed his guitar a few times and hummed the intro. Oh my god help me. My lips were heavily pursed together, trying not to smile too widely, He was about to sing again. I inhaled deeply.

“So you guys were here!”

The strumming suddenly stopped and both sharing the same expressions again, we both jumped from our seat an turned to where the voice came from.

Mi Ri with her makeup was walking to us, pulling a stool she got from somewhere with her. Don’t tell me she was going to join us?

“I thought I heard someone inside and had to check. Sorry. What are you doing, Hyojung?”

“Um, Yoseob...”

I might sound mean but... I wanted her to leave.

“Hyojungie is rechecking my Japanese lyrics.” Yoseob smiled at her and I felt something in my stomach. What the hell.

“But isn’t that Yoon Hayoon’s job?”

“Well...” Yoseob looked hesitant and rubbed the back of his neck. “She scares me.”

“I could ask her to check your translations for you, then.”

“Hyojungie is theassistant so she’s good for me oo.”

“Mi Ri-ssi, um, is there something wrong?”

“Wrong? No, no, not at all! Why’d you think that?”

I gave off an uneasy smile. “Nothing, really. I like your eye makeup, by the way.”

“Thanks! Changed it a little so we would be differentiated from each other. They said we looked alike and I was like, ‘we dooo!’”

“Um, Mi Ri-ssi, can we start now?” I asked, already feeling bad for taking so much of Yoseob’s time.

“Oh sorry, sure go ahead.” She grinned.

Yoseob glanced at Mi Ri quickly before strumming his guitar again.

“Oh, Yoseob! I’ve just seen that guitar. Did you just buy it?” Mi Ri interrupted. I could feel a nerve snap on my forehead.

“I had it a long time ago.” Yoseob continued his chords but he couldn’t start singing with all the questions Mi Ri was asking. I’d say he was being annoyed already and I had to do something.

“Mi Ri, can we please let Yoseob sing?” I asked as nicely as I can even though I wanted to kick her out.

“Oops, sorry~” She smiled with her eyes and let Yoseob continue, but her phone rang too loudly I couldn’t hear what Yoseob was singing. One more time. One more freaking time, I’m going to send her out.

“I have to go. I’ll see you both when I see you!” She beamed and left together with her stool. Where’d she even get that chair from?!

When she left, I heard Yoseob make a small chuckle and tried to hide it while strumming the guitar.

“I heard that, you know.”

“You heard nothing.” There was a smile in his voice. “Should I start now or is there something you want to say first?”

I smiled and shook my head, but abruptly stopped when my company phone’s ringtone beeped inside my bag.

“Wait a second.” I muttered, and quickly found my phone and pulled it out to check the message.

To anyone not busy!! Problem at the closet rooms we need help *>o<* please come ASAP!

Are all staff here required to text so cutely?

I know the message was intended for me, as to what Soyoon said. I sighed deeply and put my head down. My luck has been kind of dead today, I had to mourn over it’s death.

“You have to go to work?”

“You don’t have to miss me so much.” I joked again and turned my head, his face too close it was getting harder to breathe. Our eye contact took longer than what I expected it to be.

“I-I mean... Y-yeah... I got a message from the clothing department...Sorry.”

“Yah, Hyojunige, this isn’t your fault. I’m the one taking your time. Sorry!”

I was a bit relieved that he didn’t comment about that.

I stood up, but couldn’t walk any further as Yoseob was holding the lyrics paper I was clutching so tightly. Forgot I even had it in hand even though I was tightly holding on to it like it would only be my only memory of Yoseob after I leave the studio. Our eyes locked again.

“Ah, the lyrics. I forgot.” I let it go but Yoseob only shook his head.

“Take it. We would resume our practices again the whole day tomorrow and the days after that.”

“Oh.”

“The Japan tour was postponed.”

“Really?” It was hard not to feel disappointed.

“But~ Since it’s postponed, we’ll be holding a charity concert somewhere; location still not confirmed. But you should definitely go. Understand?”

I gave him full thumbs up and grinned. “You got it.”

He smiled so brightly for a moment.

“What is it?” I asked.

“You don’t have to miss me so much.”