Nayeon (new character note): she is Minyoung’s friend – the one who had been involved with the musical the previous year (the one mentioned in Chapter 1, but namelessly), and she is acting the lead girl part in the current musical. ß(technically the musical right now is a memory that Minyoung is thinking back on while she’s on the train, but let’s call it current for not to avoid any confusion)

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Some say that in the most vulnerable moments of your life, one discovers the most wonderful things. I say the most wonderful thing is finding someone who twists your vulnerability into something beautiful, and builds you a castle that makes you bold. Sometimes, it really isn’t about the difficult situation you are in, but the people who ease you into it. In that very year that we learnt to open up our hearts to others, a few hearts were stolen.

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Feet pounded vigorously into the smooth cement, as a fraying, orange ball flew across the air like a cannonball into the ready hands of an eager player. She spun around and pushed into the narrow open space amongst two frantic arms like a silent diver, two hands firm on the ball and ready to fire. Shoes shuffled around and squeaked as surrounding players jumped up with arms shot up, preparing to defend their hoop. The fiery ball leaves her fingertips and, swirling past the defenders’ hands by a few mere millimetres, swishes in, hoop shivering from the missed contact of the leathery ball. Panting followed as sweat rolled down faces and drip by drip, dampened the ground. “Enough for today!” an unstrained voice yelled from another side of the court, but the players were too drained to hear anything proper – they only felt the silent sound vibrations travelling across the heavy air that hit their reddened faces. They were routine enough though, to understand that they had been excused to leave. On a normal Friday, I would have been sitting here with Heejin watching the knock out teams train for their competitive basketball season, but slowly, even she had stopped coming. What originally was supposed to be Friday afternoon basketball sessions became watching training matches of other teams, and musical rehearsals had slowly replaced even that. I in a deep breath before heaving it all out, my eyes scanning around me. After the last few steps were heard as the players all shuffled out of the court gate, silence filled the open space like a poison gas. Receding back into the chair, a quiet but catchy bass popped into my head and after 10 seconds of thinking that perhaps I was imagining this whole thing due to my extreme boredom and exhaustion, I bopped my head to the music and concluded that I probably wasn’t. (If I did, I would’ve been an amazing composer since I wouldn’t have ever been able to think of or suddenly produce music like this on the top of my head)

Unable to contain my curiosity, I pulled my bag over my shoulder and moved towards the origin of the sound. I walked towards the fence and latched my fingers onto the net whilst I peered through the open back door of the hall. Some singers were on stage practicing their steps whilst the orchestra played along nervously with burning intensity in their eyes. Judging from the amount of mistakes and hiccups, it was probably one of their first rehearsals but nonetheless, it didn’t take away from the quality of the music they were playing. I noticed a familiar figure on one side of the hall, and after narrowing my eyes to clear my vision, I realised it was Heejin. This must’ve been the musical rehearsal she had been talking about all week.

I walked through the gate, hand instinctively closing it behind me as I made my way to the back door of the hall, poking my head carefully around the door to watch the rehearsal. After being sick of having to duck every time it seemed like someone was going to turn back and see me, I sighed and leaned back onto the wall of the hall, simply enjoying the music. The music stopped abruptly though, and just as I turned my head, confused and slightly disappointed at the sudden loss of music, a voice resounded across the hall. It was the voice of a boy singing what seemed to be a solo, and the orchestra continued playing a quiet accompaniment, building up to the chorus. This boy wasn’t the best singer I’ve ever heard, but his lower notes continually rung in my head and as the orchestra dipped in volume and came the of the song, his voice dominated the hall. The high notes were slightly rusty but in tune; the low notes captivating and rich. My feet pulled itself towards the door and I looked towards the stage, eyes pinpointed at the owner of the impressive voice. The music died down slowly and he continued to sway his head to the movements in the piece, and stepped to its rhythm. A wide smile stretched out onto my face when the music stopped, and I clapped and cheered. I always had a thing for people having nice voices. I just didn’t particularly expect that this voice belonged to Baekhyun.

He wondered around timidly for a second, unknowing of where he should place the microphone, but quickly shook out of his inner shy self when a teacher beckoned him to bring it over. Baekhyun looked curiously at my direction, probably wondering who that figure standing by the back door of the hall was. I experimentally lifted my hand up to wave, and I sensed him smile as he waved back excitedly. His wave eventually turned into a little side step dance as his friends approached him and he decided to entertain them for a bit. The teacher had yelled out a while ago that there was going to be a ten minute break before they start learning and practicing the girls’ parts.

“Hey!” a voice pleaded for my attention as I nearly jumped back from seeing Kyungsoo standing right in front of me. “What are you thinking about?” he asked curiously with a hint of a crooked smile on his face.

“God, I didn’t even see you. Where did you come from?” I replied, completely ignoring his question, albeit not intentional.
“Just back there,” he gestured to a small orchestra set up in the front of the hall, “I was playing an accompaniment to the song just then.”

I stared down blankly at my foot (and tried not to look surprised with my mouth hanging open) as he began moving out of the hall, all gestures showing me that he was inviting me to walk with him. I followed. He had been playing the piano right smack bang in the front of the hall, and I didn’t even realise?! I cursed myself for being so lacking of observational skills, and a bit bummed out that this could’ve paved out to be a conversation topic with Kyungsoo. “Ah right, yeah I heard it. Really nice song, I reckon it’d sound amazing when it’s all rehearsed and ready.” Curse my stupid-conversation-awkward-random-comments.

Even though I had not seen Kyungsoo in a few days, I always felt like I knew what he was up to because we talked so much over messages. We’d complain about our crap load of work, or he’d just be frowning upon the fact that all his friends have started using hair gel products, as he soon would also be swept up by this growing trend that came with age (in high school terms).

(chatting the other day)

KS: I don’t want to use hair gel… it doesn’t even work! No matter how hard I try with it!! I don’t get why Chanyeol uses it so much anyway… it doesn’t help him charm more girls, for all I know >:

MY: Haha you’re being grumpy again.

KS: NO I’M NOT.

MY: …

Our relationship was somehow becoming one that was more comfortable than close, but the constant things that people told me about how boys and girls could never JUST be friends had messed up my mind so much. The only reason I felt awkward with him sometimes would probably have been because I expected something more to blossom out of this friendship.

“Hey, you want to go back inside? I think I hear someone singing,” I began excitedly, as I edged him towards the direction of the hall again, “I don’t want to miss seeing Nayeon sing!”

I pushed him until he gave up on trying to resist and walked back to the hall by my side. As I was bobbing up and down on my way back to the music, I felt a pair of wide eyes gazing at my face. I thought I saw a hint of a smile as well, but I hadn't wanted to be delusional if there wasn't. Although I was able to ignore my inner thoughts and embarrassment, I let go of the breath I was holding in as Kyungsoo quietly walked back to take his seat amongst the orchestra. I felt my face flushed red, and in the meanwhile somewhere in the distance, I thought I saw Baekhyun stare amusedly at me.

A soft piano began playing at the front of the hall as I leaned my body against the side wall, halfway up the hall. I smiled at Nayeon when she spotted me, and she gave a little nod to me, less enthusiastic than usual. I guess even with such a musically talented and gifted person she is, she had her little flaws. She was still a bit unfamiliar with singing in front of others, but the teachers saw her as the most deserving of this important role in the musical.

She studied her music score with intensity boiling in her eyes, and I could tell she didn’t want to get this wrong. Especially since this was the first rehearsal session for her, and we all knew just how important first impressions were in this world. This moment could cost her the respect from the cast members, and she definitely didn’t want to lose that with all the expectations they had of her.

The piano stopped abruptly and without notice, causing everyone to look around in slight confusion. My eyes looked up at Kyungsoo whose fingers were dangling off the edge of the piano, as he also locked gazes with me and silently eyed down at Nayeon. Nayeon shifted uncomfortably in her sitting position, and looked around at the cast members in sudden conviction after letting out a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I missed my cue. I’ll try again.”

Her voice wavered towards the end, and even though she managed to gain some assertive nods and soft murmurs of approval from the supervising teacher and cast members, I knew she was already imagining herself failing a second time.

She looked up at me and quickly put on a smile, but the pupil of her eye that used to twinkle whenever she was genuinely happy was clearly replaced with a glassy, empty nothingness. The piano softly began again with the cue of the teacher and she stared back at her pages. The black marks and lines on the pages that used to be her comfort and source of rhythm and liveliness became the temporary cause of her distress and pressure.

“Don’t you worry, I’m here tonight~”

I was stunned for a second, thinking that my ears were playing tricks on me but I stared at the boy sitting next to Nayeon who looked a little too overdramatic with his singing even though he hit all the right notes. Nayeon also had her head turned to the side, surprised at the sudden voice that interrupted her entrance. She looked relieved though, maybe because she was never going to make it for that cue anyway. The piano stopped as my eyes snapped to Kyungsoo, who presently smirked to himself and shook his head disapprovingly.

“Yah, why’d you stop the piano I was singing so beaut-“

“Chanyeol-ah, didn’t we make a deal that you would stop this erratic behaviour during rehearsals?” the teacher asked in a dangerously low tone despite the forced smile on his face, sending some shivers rolled down my spine. I didn't know Mr Kim had this side to him!

“Yes Mr Kim, I’m sorry Mr Kim, I promise this will be the last time,” this boy called Chanyeol hurriedly said before smiling sheepishly at the teacher. I should’ve known that it was the Chanyeol that Kyungsoo occasionally talked about, with his messy but clearly gelled up hair that made him appear somewhat bad boy.

“Geez, I thought you quit that ages ago already… what’s making you start again…” Mr Kim muttered under his breath, unaware that I was standing close enough to hear it. Dismissing it as a mere playful stunt, the teacher told Kyungsoo to begin playing again and this time, I realised that Nayeon was in a better mood. The original tense atmosphere had become a more loose and lively one due to Chanyeol’s spontaneous singing, and she smiled quietly to herself before taking Chanyeol’s outstretched hand and shaking it. Actions that no one else noticed and words that no one else managed to hear happened that day. “Call me Nayeon,” she looked up into his bright eyes for the first time and realised how they twinkled up at the touch of their eye contact. “And I’m Chanyeol…”, he added in a subtle wink, “at your service.” 

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Vulnerability strips you to the very core and leaves you empty, so much so that you are blinded by your desire for comfort and warmth. Still, at that time, all of us chose to hang on to that one piece of cloth that had sheltered us and nurtured us when we needed it, blindly holding on without realising that maybe it never really came for us after all. The cloth was just a passing distraction; something that hitched onto us as they journeyed towards their real destination. In that year we all had our hearts stolen, only two managed to stay pieced together.

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hehe does anyone notice that Baekhyun often does this swaying to the rhythm thing especially when it's not his part in a slow song? I find it kind of cute, so I added it in.

I know this chapter's short, and I also haven't updated for SO long (I'm really sorry, there were just a lot of times when I hesitated with writing my story, and I didn't feel that it was good enough), but I just hope I made it up to you guys by adding in Chanyeol! He's dorky isn't he? :) I hope you get to know Chanyeol a little more in the next few chapters though, he's not just a bad boy with bad pick up lines :P

A few important character moments in this chapter, and I'll try to write even better now! School is starting tomorrow though, so updates.... *sigh* I'll see how everything goes.

Please comment and/or subscribe if you enjoyed! Thanks everyone! ^_^