Hey guys! My author's note will be posted here just for this chapter (I suppose). I just wanted you to know the first song is called "Babysteps" by TaeTiSeo. And the second song is called "Forever" by Oneway (as you may see from the title on the video). And since the video is there, please listen to it while reading! <3 Thanks for reading once more guys! Have a great day! <3 Please feel free to leave some feedback! I'd love to hear some! <3

"He's late", Seohyun sighed as she sat by the floor. She was always very prompt and punctual. And because of that, she developed the habit of expecting others to be the same.  

She squirmed a bit in her position and looked around the room. Every practice room had different settings. This room in particular, was larger than most as it was used for multi purposes. Like any other room however, there was the clouded sheeted background at the back of the room, and laminated wooden flooring. The wall facing her across the room was mirrored for dance practices, and a grand white piano that sat right beside her, was nearer to the door. She walked up to it, deciding to kill some time, but began to play a bit rigidly. She smiled pleasantly as it finally started to piece together, and began to sing the lyrics to accompany it. 

...As I see you, who I can't touch

I hide because my small shadow might be seen

Oh, with trembling steps, I carefully approach you

Oh, the closer I get to you

Somehowthe more i'm afraid that you'll get farther away-

"Who are you talking about?"

She flinched at the sudden voice, and suddenly pressed the wrong key that followed. "No one", she sighed. "You're late. It's 8.15"

Kris looked at the clock, and ruffled his hair. 'Hyung, it's almost 9 o'clock' The image of the happy virus suddenly popped into his head, and he immediately scowled. "You only needed to drop it here. I didn't ask you to wait here"

Seohyun just stayed silent and watched him plop down ground. "I tried the eyes thing.." she confessed. "I'm not sure if I got it, but overall, I think it went well"

Kris nodded tiredly with effort and sluggishly took out the straw to poke into his carton of milk. Seohyun studied him a bit intently, and realized how his breathing fell unnaturally hard. "Did you run here..?"

"Why would I run all the way here?" he countered. He tried to hide his heaving and just sipped on his milk. Seohyun tried not to point out how obvious it was and just faced the piano again. She began to hum a song and tried playing it on the piano. But she abruptly paused in the middle, realizing how awkward and wrong it sounded.

"It's usually accompanied by a guitar", Kris pointed out.

Seohyun nodded in response. "I've been trying to make a piano arrangement for it... But I guess it's not working" She looked at the keys again and tried once more. "Maybe this would make it-

I need you to close your eyes

Just for a moment 

Seohyun froze. She turned stiffly down to look at him, still unable to believe that that was him speaking. It was the intro of the song. But.. " that almost made me really close my eyes.." she embarrassingly thought.

...How much do I mean to you lady?

How much have I changed since you've met me

That's what I wanted to ask you more than a stupid question

Seohyun found herself swaying to his voice, and immediately began to sing the next few lines:

Forever, forever

You will stay right inside of my heart

Please remember even if there wouldn't be tomorrow

(I need you here with me boy)

And with the flow of the song, they both formed a duet and harmonized unexpectedly well for the next part of the chorus:

Forever, forever, forever

Happy tears flows down

You and I just like this

We're going to stay together... forever

They both awkwardly stared at each other, finally realizing the impact of the lyrics. Seohyun felt her cheeks flush deeply from embarrassment, and just stared down into her lap. Kris on the other hand, tried to alleviate the tension by concentrating on his chocolate milk. He glimpsed a bit at Seohyun, and cleared his throat. "That.. is how it goes, right?"

"What? Oh yes, yes.."

Silence ensued them soon after. Seohyun couldn't really take the awkwardness but couldn't find any voice in her to break it either. What was wrong with her? "U-Um, I think i'll go now. I-it's getting late", she fumbled to get her things and messingly plunged them into her bag. Kris just watched her, not really feeling the amusement he would normally feel when looking at her reactions. She fixed her hair a bit, and suddenly bowed. He raised a brow as she sped out of the room, closing the door behind her. 

"You took longer than what you've told me Seohyun-ah. I thought I was about to sleep from waiting for you!" her manager scolded as soon as she entered the vehicle. "The others said they're waiting for you at the dorm. What- wait, why are you so red?"

Seohyun finally looked at her manager and waved it off. "I-I just ran. I'm sorry, I will apologize to the unnis once we get there. Sorry oppa"

Seohyun felt a bit flustered, and looked into her compact mirror. And indeed, her cheeks were flushed pink. She had done many duets before, which even made her remember those that she did with Kyuhyun. Maybe it was because that was completely unexpected. She had heard him rap and dance from several of his performances but never had she heard him actually sing like that.

"He should sing more often", she thought.

-----

"Seohyun-ah, i'm glad you agreed to doing the musical. It's much more comfortable knowing i'm working with you" Kyuhyun whispered. Seohyun ushered him to quiet down as the discussion was still being held. The producer/director was now talking about the production itself after much of the introductions were made. "The set date is probably around February of next year. We would like to begin practicing at an early stage so I was thinking of the next week or so. This is going to be one of the most anticipated productions of the year, since it is the theatrical rendition of 'The Moon That Embraces the Sun'. I look forward to working with you all. Let's work to make the tickets sell out!"

"Oppa, you shouldn't be talking when someone else is", Seohyun scolded the elder as they exited the room. But Kyuhyun, being the evil 'maknae' he was, just snickered. Seohyun's good student character was not only reflected on her studies, but towards her work as well. "You're really consistent", he remarked. 

"Kyuhyun-sshi! Seohyun-sshi!" a man came running up to them a bit out of breath. "We have to go to back to the company. Now"

"What for?" Seohyun countered. 

Kyuhyun looked at her in surprise and just pushed her forward. "Weren't you notified about this before hand? Or did you forget? That's really unlike you Seohyun-ah" He looked down at her, but realized she was still lost. "The discussion meeting for the music festival? SM Town Week?"

Her head fell down shamefully as Kyuhyun continued to drag her on. She was indeed an idiot.