DAY 1 Seoul

Junhong is standing on the platform with his backpack tossed over one shoulder and headphones placed atop his ears.
His eyes keep flickering over to the big clock hanging above his head and it almost feels like he's counting the seconds until his train rolls in to take him to Seoul.
He's packed every little thing he could think of, his mobile and charger, clothes (only the really cool ones), snapbacks (the Knocksteady one placed atop his head at the moment), toothbrush and a towel, about 3 different notebooks holding his attempts to write lyrics and raps (he's not sure he's going to show them).
He even took 2 huge bottles of water and a packed lunchbox for the trip.
He's got all the things Jepp has send him printed and stuffed into his wallet and he's even loaded them onto his mobile as well (just in case) but he doesn't feel ready at all.
There's an extremely nerve wrecking uneasiness in the pit of his stomach and his skin tingles with excitement though he hasn't even left his hometown yet but the mere idea of reaching Seoul in a couple of hours turns him into a jittery mess.
Jongup has sent him around three encouraging messages already but it doesn't really help to calm him down.

The train finally approaches with a 10 minutes delay and Junhong takes a deep breath.
People push pass him, some getting out of the train, some trying to get in and he just stands there for a moment like glued to the spot.
"Are you getting in?" an elder man to his right asks and Junhong spins to stare at the short man clad in a uniform.
The man smiles at him but it's more of an -Hurry up already- kind of smile and Junhong nods.
He steps into the wagon and drops down on one of the seats without even searching for his seat number.
The train sets into motion and Junhong hugs the backpack closer to his chest.
It's cool inside the vehicle, much cooler than a couple minutes ago on the platform and now he's finally glad to be wearing a hoodie when a couple moments ago he was cursing himself for it.
He turns the volume of his I-Pod up a notch and fixes the headphones to sit comfortable on his head.
His head leans against the window as he's staring out to watch the scenery pass him by.

The train reaches Seoul a couple hours later and Junhong hasn't moved an inch during the whole ride.
His limps feel tired and his shoulders ache when he steps out of the wagon and onto capital city ground.
He stretches a little until his joints pop back into place and takes a deep inhale of air as people rush past him, some bumping into him as they hurry to get from one place to another.
The air tastes different here compared to his hometown and Junhong feels much cooler being part of the busy atmosphere of Seoul.

It doesn't take the awkwardness of notifying Jepp of his arrival away though.
He's not sure how to do it, whether he's supposed to call or text but he decides on the later because it's easier when he can ponder on the words for a while longer.

The text he sends is a simple state of facts, he's in Seoul and he's headed to the hotel, that's it.
It's merely a minute later that he receives a reply.

-Awesome! If you can get to the bus stop by the studio I'll pick you up there at 5 pm-

Junhong replies with a short -ok- because he doesn't know what else to say.
The simple fact that he's texting with Jepp Blackman is staggering enough to have him at a lack of words.

He leaves the train station and decides on taking a short walk around the city before actually heading to the hotel.
He's supposed to go there straight but the energetic buzz of the city draws him in and he just wants to feel it a little longer, feel like he's actually part of it and not just a visitor.
Junhong walks along various roads and he knows he won't get to actually see a lot of Seoul just using his feet but it's ok.
There are a million shapes and colors around him already and it's full of life and hecticness, rushed, loud, vibrant, basically all the things his hometown is not.

About an hour of walking and gaping at the alien atmosphere of the city life he takes a cab back to the hotel though he's supposed to go by bus but if he's honest he thinks he might have gone lost just a little.

When he gets to the hotel he finally sends two texts, one to his dad and one to Jongup.
His best friend replies instantly with a -Fighting Junhong! ...I'm so envious- and Junhong chuckles a little.
He drops his back pack onto the bed and takes out the food and water and his clothes.

The hotel room is not very fancy.
There are two narrow single beds and a small table in one corner, the walls are plain and the carpet is of a deep wine red color.
It doesn't really matter a lot to Junhong though because it does look clean after all and he hopes to spend nothing more than the nights in the room.

***

He takes the bus much earlier than necessary but he feels like he’s going to burst from the coil of excitement in his stomach, if he didn't.
His insides are at a turmoil on the mere thought of going to meet the person whose songs have gotten him through pretty hard times.
It feels like there's no outlet for the jittery feeling that hits his body in waves and he taps his foot onto the floor in an attempt to erase the knot in his stomach.
It's useless, merely gets him more nervous than anything and even breathing seems hard under the anxious feeling that presses down on his chest.
He's got no idea what to say or do when he stands in front of that person with no computer screen and miles to separate them and cover his nervous habits and embarrassing fan-boying gestures and mimic.

He knows he's going to stare, he'll try not to.
He's sure he's going to stutter, he'll try to form decent sentences.
He guesses he's going to be majorly awkward with his sanity biting him farewell, he'll try to not let it show.

The bus ride is short but Junhong takes the time to let his eyes gaze out the window, taking in as many details of the capital as possible.
It's loud and busy, many different people heading from one place to another, some business men in suits with briefcases, looking important, some elder ladies seemingly moving in slow motion as people rush by, heaps of teenagers, girls and boys alike dressed in casual clothes, walking in groups of 2 to 3 laughing loudly and exaggerated.

The scenery changes quickly and Junhong panics just a little when the busy atmosphere switches into a quietness that he's not expected.
The colorful houses and shops disappear and soon the buildings get bigger and appear in greyish dark colors.
He checks the bus number about 3 times and when he's about to check for the fourth his stop is announced though the speakers.

Junhong hops off the bus to find himself at what he'd call an abandoned place.
There's barely anyone on the street only a couple cars passing by and both sides of the street are lined with old buildings he's not even sure are being used anymore.
A wave of anxiety rolls though his limbs as he gazes around feeling even more uneasy than when he got on the bus.
His watch states it's 20 minutes until Jepp is supposed to pick him up so he decides to simply wait.
The minutes tick by almost agonizingly slow.

Slow enough to give time for all kinds of scenarios to form in his head.
The worries are gnawing at his sanity as he pictures all those "What if's" and "Maybe's" and they threaten to get the better of him so he keeps chanting in his head -You're good! You're good! You're good! Everything's good!-

He's got no idea what he's going to say when he faces Jepp Blackman, maybe it would be different if he were at one of his live performances, just another fan standing at the clubs backdoor waiting for his idol to step out.
It would be a short moment, not more than the blink of an eye, seeing him, asking for his autograph, going home and wondering whether he's really gotten to see THE Jeep Blackman.
This, though, won't be anything like that, he's going to actually spend time with the other, he'll be obliged to talk, say more than just a mere -I'm your fan, can you sign this?- and all he can do is hope that the words won't fail him.

"Hey! You're Zelo right?" A deep, low voice sounds to his left and Junhong's head shots up from where he's been staring at the concrete like it held all the answers to the mush in his head.
Right there, a couple steps from where he's seated Jepp Blackman is walking towards him with his signature black Obey hoodie on and a fitting snap back atop his head.
He looks like he's jumped straight out of a magazine, even though Junhong is sure the rapper has never been featured in one, he’d know because he'd probably own at least two copies.
Junhong scrambles to his feet, bowing at an almost 90 degree angle as he mutters a -Yes...yeah that's me.-
The elder smiles and nods and Junhong can feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins because this is a once in a lifetime moment right now and he's just so close to someone he's never in his life dreamt of getting to meet.
His palms are sweaty and his heart is racing, so violently he thinks he might lose consciousness if the thump-thump in his chest doesn't cease soon.

When Jepp comes to stand right in front of him there are exactly two thoughts occupying Junhong's mind -This is really happening!- and –Thank god he's tall!-.
The second thought is all and fully influenced by his best friend, who shortly before Junhong left for Seoul had no other mean of entertainment than to come up with various kinds of funny scenarios, one of them involved Jepp Blackman being a dwarf, only barely reaching up to Junhong's shoulder and Jongup found it utterly amusing when he pictured it for Junhong -Just imagine you'll have to look down on the guy you've been looking up to all this time! It's hilarious!-
But luckily Jongup is proven wrong in this very moment and Jepp is indeed tall and handsome and from what Junhong can tell up till now very friendly with his lips curved in a gentle smile and creases forming around his eyes.

“Have you waited long?” The rapper asks and for a moment Junhong merely blinks at him, star struck awe portrayed on his face.

When he does respond it's fast, in a mush of words, stumbling over them as he rushed them out.
He's talking nonsense, says how he's waited for 10, no 20 minutes, it's ok he came to early anyway, Seoul is a big place, he likes the city vibe though and -Thank you! Thank you so much for inviting me!-

He forces all that information into one endless sentence and when he's finished he's almost out of breath, cheeks heating even more as Jepp's lips spread into his signature smile, gums and teeth showing.

"Wow your satoori is rather strong when you speak fast." The elder laughs and Junhong feels the heat spreading from his cheeks all the way up to his ears.
He rubs his neck awkwardly and keeps his eyes down studying the concrete until Jepp chuckles a little.
"It's ok I used to have one too." he says and the way he intones the words has Junhong lift his head and stare at the elder because there's a different shade to his speech than the Seoul dialect.
"See?" Jepp laughs a little and Junhong nods, he's really never thought Jepp spoke satoori, actually he's always believed the rapper to be a born Seoul boy.

“So wanna go to the studio?” Jepp asks, smile still present on his lips and all Junhong can do is nod.

Besides their very short conversation the two of them don't really talk much as Jepp leads them down the road and Junhong doesn't know whether it makes him feel at ease or only fuels the nervousness burning underneath his skin but even though they are silent it's not really an uncomfortable moment of lacking words.
It actually helps his nervous mind that Jepp as well seems to have troubles coming up with a conversation and for now Junhong is content enough to just follow Jepp back to the studio.
His eyes remain set on the elder's back as he walks ahead and the thought re-invades his brain -This is happening! That is Jepp Blackman in front of me.-
He thinks he's going to have a 1000 questions coming for the man as soon as he finds the confidence to voice them aloud.
 

Junhong finds himself being lead into some kind of industry area of the city and for a moment he remembers the words he's heard a couple of times in his life -Don't follow and trust strangers- and wonders if now was the time to make use of that advice.
They walk down a long wide street with huge industrial buildings to each side.
Jepp leads the way behind one of those buildings onto what Junhong assumes to be the parking area.

He's kind of confused as he stands in front of some old loading zone, his brows roll into a frown and he starts nervously tipping from one foot to the other.
Everything looks kind of rundown and grey, not quite what he'd expected.
A low chuckle has him turn to look at Jepp who's flicking though the keys on his keychain.

"I know what you're thinking but wait with the judgment till you're inside."

Junhong is not quite convinced that his judgment is going to budge even a little.
The elder walks up the metal stairs at the side that lead up to the platform and Junhong follows him a little hesitant.
They walk up to one of the depots and Jepp slides the key into the lock next to it.
The shutter door is opened with a noise that has Junhong’s tooth ache and then they both of them step into a dark unplastered room.
The air is cold inside and Junhong feels the shivers crawl down his spine.
"It's up there." The rapper states and nods into the direction of a stairway.
They climb up the stairs together and Jepp leads him though another door.
Junhong steps only half way in before his breath hitches and he stares at the room quite flabbergasted.

The interior is like a 180° turn in comparison to the plain outer appearance of the building.
The walls are halfway covered with light-gray wood paneling, the upper half painted in a darker shade, the flooring is of a dark blue almost black carpet and there are all kinds of posters decorating the upper part of the walls.
He spots a little improvised kitchen corner to his left, coffee machine and fridge included.
Everything is kind of functional but with a charm and effortlessness that enchants him.
It's amazingly bright inside the room thanks to the huge skylight and LED spots in the ceiling and it isn’t even a bit cold but rather cozy instead.
The whole atmosphere is welcoming and more like that of a living room rather than the shabby studio he's expected.
His anxiety peels off of him gradually and his eyes gaze trough the room, taking in any detail while his mouth remains slightly agape.
 

There's a black haired guy sitting on a leather sofa in the corner flipping through a magazine.
Junhong knows the guy’s name is Himchan.
He's seen him in many of Jepp's V-logs but he's got to admit that he's never really paid much attention to him despite his pretty face.
He knows Himchan is someone who speaks his mind before thinking, someone who always tosses out jokes left and right, he's a touchy person and Junhong doesn't think Jepp really enjoys that part of the other's personality.
Jepp likes Himchan though so Junhong decides to like him as well.

"It's the prodigy!" The boy exclaims when his eyes land on Junhong's figure and he tosses the magazine aside and jumps to his feet.
It's mere seconds until Junhong finds the other invading his personal space, his face is so close he could probably count the pores in that flawless face if he wanted to.
"Woah! You really came kiddo!" Himchan mutters in amazement and his mouth is agape as he looks him up and down.
" you're tall." He exclaims and his hand hovers above their heads trying to measure their distance in height.
Junhong just stands there a little overwhelmed.
A low rumbling laughter sounds to his left and Junhong looks over to see his idol watching the scene with a big gummy smile on his face, eyes forming crescents.
"Give him some space Channie." He huffs and Himchan's lips draw a playful pout.
"But he's here!" he says like it has any relevance to Jepp's statement.
"And he's going to stay for a while so let him be for now ok?"
The pout doesn't leave the boys lips but he draws back anyway.

Jepp comes to stand next to Junhong with a smile on his lips.
"So what do you think now?" The elder asks with his smile forming into a full grown grin.
Junhong lets his eyes roam through the room once more and turns to look at the rapper.
He bursts out the first thing that comes to his mind and both elder boys break out into laughter.

"Can I move in here?"

"You haven't even seen all of it yet." Himchan says with a wink and opens the fridge to take out a bottle of water.
He points to the door next to the couch he's sat on a couple moments ago and Junhong turns to Jepp with anticipation clearly displayed on his face.

"Wanna check where recordings take place?" The elder asks and Junhong nods slowly.

He notices how Himchan's lips form a broad smile and his eyes follow him as he tags along after the rapper towards the door.

The door swings open and Junhong is left speechless for the third time that day.

The amount of equipment that is squeezed into the tiny room baffles him.
There’s barely space to stand or sit it’s all cramped in there but for odd reasons he feels comfortable.
It’s like he’s just stepped into GOOD Music studios or Jungle entertainment or any other record label that crosses his mind just that it feels so much better in here than it ever would in those places.
There's a huge mixer console that's probably seen better days but Junhong thinks it looks amazing. Two speaker towers are placed at the ends and in front of the set up are two leather chairs.
The black leather is slightly torn at the edges but they look very comfortable.
Behind all of that is a big glass wall and the small room behind it holds nothing but a microphone stand in the middle of its wooden surrounding.
The carpet looks kind of fluffy and inviting to just lay on it and take a nap and honestly Junhong wonders who'd put such a thing in there and if anyone shares his thoughts about it.

Jepp has probably seen his skeptical gaze at the flooring because there's a little chuckle resonating through the room before his deep voice sounds to Junhong's right.
"It makes you feel grounded when you're in there barefoot while recording."

The elder states and Junhong wonders if he's going to find out if that statement is true sometime soon.
In the left corner Junhong spots a keyboard and a stack of papers piled up next to it.
He doesn't really dare to move over there so he just squints his eyes until he sees the hand scribbled notes of what he assumes to be lyrics.

Jepp drops down onto one of the chairs and gestures for Junhong to sit next to him.

The elder starts to explain the equipment and Junhong nods and listens.
Jepp tells him that the studio belongs to one of his friends but he's free to use it, the slender blond one who's been in his V-logs a couple of times.
Junhong thinks he knows who Jepp is talking about; the strange guy who's always wearing a mask and never says a word.
There's a low husky laughter filling the air and Junhong wants to die of shame because he seems to have actually voiced that thought out loud.
"Daehyun's not all that quiet though. Maybe you two get to meet later." The elder says and though it's still embarrassing the smile on Jepp's face indicates he's not all that angry but rather amused about Junhong's statement.
Himchan's head pokes into the room and he grins.
"You know 'I Remember' ? He's the one doing the vocals." The dark haired male jumps into their conversation and Junhong just stares at him for a moment and blinks.
He knows the song, he's probably played it a hundred times whenever he got the chance to plug an earbud in or set his headphones atop his ears but he's got to admit he's never bothered to check who provided the vocals.
"Shocking right?" The dark haired boy grins and Junhong just nods in an actual state of mild shock.
Jepp laughs again and pats his back a little, the gesture comes so casually but so unexpected to Junhong that his muscles tense for the fraction of a second and he holds his breath.

Himchan winks and holds up around 5 flyers.
"I'm ordering take out. What do you guys want?"

They decide on Chinese takeout and Junhong asks about three times if it's really ok for him to join them for dinner and about five times he insists on paying for his food until Himchan threatens to throw him out if he said one more word about paying or eating by himself.

The food arrives 30 minutes later and the three of them gather on the leather couch.
Himchan and Jepp talk about the cover design for the upcoming mixtape and Junhong's happy just listening as they both of them discuss various ideas.

He digs into the food and lets his eyes wander through the room amazed by the amount of minor details he spots here and there.
There's a cupboard right next to the door, Jepp's CD's neatly placed on the highest shelve with the covers facing forward, Junhong owns each and every one of them, underneath he spots a collection of around a hundredth and more CD's of various artists.
He makes out a couple of classic ones mixed into the hip hop and RnB artists, there's Jazz music collections and some electronic compilations as well.

When he studies the posters he finds a mixture of event posters, a couple of art pieces and various reprints of street art.

As Junhong keeps taking in his surroundings, Himchan steals a piece of meat from his plate and Jepp offers him one of his in return and Junhong laughs a little awkwardly but accepts the gesture.
Junhong really feels like he's already part of their circle of friends.
He feels so welcomed by these two, like he's visiting family rather than his longtime idol.
It's a weird feeling, because he's expected much more awkwardness, much more tension and uneasiness but there's none.
Jepp asks his opinion on the covers coloring and for a moment Junhong's unsure whether to state his opinion or not but when he does the two males listen and nod and even take some notes of the things he suggests.

Junhong thinks it can barely get more amazing than this.

They stay at the studio until Himchan excuses himself to leave and after that Jepp and him stay a while longer just sitting and talking.
They talk for so long and about so many things that Junhong wonders if he'll be able to remember everything that comes up in their conversation by tomorrow.
The majority of it revolves around music but there are other topics as well and Junhong talks about school and his dad and he tells the elder about Jongup and about them dancing.
He likes the way Jepp's face lights up when he hears about it and with a few clicks to Yongguk's laptop he's on Jongup's Youtube channel that has 2 or 3 videos of them practicing.
It's embarrassing when Junhong clicks the wrong video, the one he'd decided not to show and Jepp sees him slip and fall but the elder laughs and smiles and then it's ok because Junhong simply joins in with his laughter.

When they talk about music it's about their favorite artists first and about the people who inspire them.
Junhong ponders for a moment whether or not to tell Jepp he's the one he's looking up to the most but then he eventually does and Jepp's lips spread into a big gummy smile that sets a weird feeling into the pit of Junhong’s stomach.
"I'm honored." The elder says and Junhong rubs the back of his neck because it all feels so surreal.
"You can just call me Yongguk by the way."
The younger nods and it's hard to suppress the happy smile from crawling onto his lips.
"Junhong." He mumbles and Yongguk repeats the name like he tries it on his tongue before he smiles at Junhong and the boy's lips stretch just a little more.
It all feels so casual and calm, Junhong's not even half as nervous as he was before, not even close to what he thought he'd feel like and he kind of likes it.

They don't talk that much about their collaboration only a couple of words are exchanged about it and when Junhong asks about the lyrics Yongguk has talked about before the other seems hesitant, almost embarrassed and tells him they'll look at them tomorrow when both of them are well rested.
Though Junhong really wants to see the other's works, the ones he wrote for him, he can't disagree with the man and simply smiles and nods.

At times during their talk Junhong finds himself only listening half-heartedly because he's more consumed with the deep tone of the other's voice than the actual words.
He knows it's not a good thing because they are supposed to work together and this is a chance to get to know each other more (something he's been dreaming of for a long long time) but he just can't help getting lulled in by the husky sound of Yongguk's voice.

The person sitting next to him is still Jepp Blackman and that fact has him all jittery still but the more they talk, the more he actually listens, the faster the other becomes Yongguk to him and Junhong realizes rather quickly how much he likes Yongguk as a person, despite the admiration he's already had for the rapper.

When they finally run out of topics for the day it's already pitch dark outside and Junhong can barely keep his eyes open anymore.
Yongguk laughs a little when the younger yawns and Junhong feels like the deep rumble wakes him up a little again.
"Are you tired?" The elder asks and Junhong nods because yes he's really tired right now.
He watches as Yongguk checks his watch and then stretches his hands over his head groaning quietly.
"Let's get going then. I'll take you to the hotel."
Junhong wants to decline the offer until he realizes he's got no idea how to get back at this late hour, it's at least one in the morning if not two already so he nods again with a quite -thank you- leaving his lips.
Yongguk just smiles.