knock knock

"Come in."

I entered the room, followed by Kai, to see a man looking up at us. 

"Ah, Chanyeol! Kai! What brings you boys here?"

"Well..." I handed over a CD to our president of SM Entertainment.

"What's this? Another one of those 'mixtapes' or whatever the westerners call it?" He laughed. 

"Just listen to it," Kai said as he took the CD out of his hands and inserted it into his computer. 

"This isn't another one of those CD's with 'SM's next best thing' on here right? What's with this whole company wanting new trainees and artists all the time??"

"Oh, trust me, this one is extra special."

He sighed. "That's what all of them say," He put down his pen and sat straight in his chair. "I'm listening, try to impress me."

"Oh, you'll be more than impressed," I smirked as I walked over and sat down in a chair near the door. 

"We promise. Pinky promise," Kai held out his pinky and the other man reluctantly grabbed on.

"Yeah, it better be, otherwise you're wasting my time," he laughed.

Kai hit the play button on the computer and as soon as her voice rang out, it was as if all three of us fell in a trance. I closed my eyes and carefully listened to the song. Although it was in English, I felt like I connected to every lyric. When it ended, I opened my eyes to see the president with the same face he had on before we played the recording for him. Okay, so maybe he didn't like it that much. I think I thought to much of how the outcome of this situation was gonna go. 

I sighed as we sat in a couple moments of awkward silence. 

"And who exactly was that?"

I perked my head up and looked at him. "Uh, sorry, I guess we did waste your time." I stood up and walked over to the computer, ejecting the CD from the computer. Before I could pull away, he grabbed my wrist.

"No, leave it," he pushed the CD back into the computer and waited a few seconds before pressing the play button. Once again, the melodious sound rang out. 

"Chanyeol, who is this?" He spoke with the same straight face on, which looked like he was always slightly angry. 

"U-uh, I-" for some reason, I couldn't even say the name. 

"Kim Soo Min." Kai said in a whisper. I was sure the president didn't hear him.

I was surprised by Kai's sudden ourburst.

"So... does that mean... you liked her voice?"

"Like?" He scoffed at my question as he leaned back in his chair. "No I don't like her voice. I don't even know who she is."

Kai looked at me with a frown, then back at the president. "Why not? She sounds like an angel."

He looked at the both of us, standing in front of him. "Yeah she sounds like angel, but I don't like her voice."

, this went downhill really fast.

I cleared my throat the second he was done talking, slightly cutting him off. "I'm sorry, maybe I thought too much of the situation." I walked towards the door. 

"I don't like her voice at all. I love it."

I stopped in my tracks, Kai bumping into me since he was so close. We both turned around simultaneously, disbelief spreading over our faces

"What??"

"I-I believe you....." my voice trailed off. I couldn't find any other words. All of what I wanted to say to Danny was in my head, but it wouldn't come out of my mouth.

I looked at him. He was still looking at the ground until I spoke. When he looked at me, a pang of familiarity washed over me. I didn't want to feel all flustered when I was around him anymore, that's not what's supposed to happen between us. We're done, and we've been done for a long time.

He blinked at me. "You do?"

"Yeah," it barely came out as a whisper. 

"Soo Min, I can hear how much you're hesitating. If you don't believe me you don't have to say so just to get me to go away. You can't forget that I know you just as well as you know me."

"I'm not hesitating...... I'm unsure of myself."

"Of yourself?"

"I know you know me like I know you, so I know you're not lying to me, but.."

"But what?"

"You can't just expect me to forgive you and go back to what we were." 

His eyes flickered down to the ground again, not wanting to meet my eyes. I took a deep breath and grabbed his hand. 

"Danny. I loved you. The time that I dated you was a great chapter of my life. And maybe if I knew all of this right after it happened-"

"You're the one who wouldn't even talk to me, or give me the chance to explain myself. You avoided me whenever I saw you and then you left to America. I never got a word in before you left. And that was that."

Okay, now I felt guilty. Everything he was saying was true. I never did give him the chance to explain. I was so angry, upset and frustrated with the whole situation at the time that I didn't even want him to talk to me. I just made it clear that we were over without giving him a chance. But the truth now was, it's been 2 and a half years since we broke up. That's enough time to get over someone, no matter how deep the relationship was. 

"I'm sorry. You're right. I never gave you the chance to even explain, but in my defense, I didn't leave to America just to stay away from you."

"That makes me feel better by like this much," He indicated by using his thumb and pointer finger to make a small space.

"So... I believe you now. Thank you for telling me." I was about ready to go inside and end the conversation since it was slightly awkward for me to begin with.

"Wait, Soo Min," Danny grabbed my hand and held it tight. 

"What is it?"

"I know we can't go back to the way we used to be, with our relationship, and all... but do you think we could start over again?"

I pondered his question for a few moment. I guess if he was willing to tell me all of this even after we had been broken up for so long, it would be fine to start anew with him. Even if he was my ex, it felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. 

"I would like that," I smiled.

Ha Yeon suddenly burst through the front door. I got scared and slightly fell over on Danny, apologizing quickly. 

"Yah! Kim Soo Min! Get inside this house right now!!"

"Ha Yeon, what's the problem? He didn't try anything," I pointed at Danny.

"I don't care about that right now!! Get inside!"

I squinted my eyes at her weird behavior, but I stood up anyways. 

"Thank you for clearing things up Danny, but remember there's nothing between us like that anymore. We're starting anew," I said as I waved. I saw him smile at me one last time before I entered the house.

I sighed. I didn't exactly know what just happened, but hopefully I don't regret it later. I turned my attention back to the person pulling my arm to the kitchen. 

"Ha yeon, what is with you? What's so important that you're acting like this?"

She gasped. "What's so important?? How about...... this," she turned the laptop that was sitting on top of the kitchen counter to face me. I stared at the page. SM Entertainment.

I was still confused. "Okay? This is the SM Entertainment page, what's the big deal?"

"Ugh. Are you even reading it?" She pointed at one specific caption at the top of the page, under a red and bold headline. 

A NEW AND BOLD VOICE COMING TO SM SOON? 

President of SM Entertainment has found the next voice to add to SM, but who is this mysterious artist with the melodious voice?

I read it and I was still not understanding what Soo Min was trying to say.

"Ha Yeon, this is an entertainment agency, what's the big deal about them recruiting new people?"

"Shush and listen," she didn't even look at me as she scrolled down and clicked play on an audio tab.

A song started to play, and I rolled my eyes halfway until I realized it was a very familiar song. 

"Hey, I know this song.." I murmured as I swayed to the tune. 

"Yeah, you'll find out that you know it a little more than you think," Ha Yeon raised an eyebrow.

I closed my eyes and let myself fall into the melody of the song, but my eyes shot open when I heard the voice singing the song.

"T-that's........"

Ha Yeon pursed her lips and patted me on the back. "Words, Soo Min, words."

"Me."

"And now you understanid why I pulled you into the house so hastily," she smirked as she sat down. 

The song was still playing, and my mouth was open the whole time. Well, until Ha Yeon closed my mouth for me. 

After it was over, I couldn't even find any words to say that described what I was feeling right now. But apparently Ha Yeon could read my mind.

"Someone was there when you were singing in that recording booth earlier. Someone was watching us."

I nodded slowly, my eyes still wide in disbelief. 

"Soo Min? Say something."

"I-I-I..."

"That's one single word repeated multiple times."

I took a deep breath and looked at Ha Yeon. "S-so what does this mean? Are they going to hunt me down now?"

"Okay, calm down this isn't the safari and you aren't an animal they're trying to kill. What I want to know is, who in the world was there when we were recording in that booth?I swear I erased the recording after I recorded it. And how in the world did it get to the president of SM?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, realizing what she had just said. "Wait, wait. back it up, what did you just say?"

Ha Yeon looked at me. "What? Who was there when we were in the booth?"

"No..... the part about you recording me?"

"O-oh, who said anything about recorindg? I didn't do anything?" Her voice wavered.

"Ha Yeon! I know when you're lying and you clearly just said it earlier!" I frowned and sat down. My legs were giving in. I honestly couldn't comprehend what just happened in the last couple of minutes.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I recorded you singing, but I really meant to delete it after. We were just so caught up in the moment that I forgot to erase, or save anything."

I closed my eyes. "It's ok. I just.... let's just hope they don't find out that the voice on the recording is mine."

"Yeah, what are the odds of them finding out that that's your voice if you never give it to them?"

"Hopefully very slim." I laid my forehead in my hands and put my elbows on the counter.

"I'm sorry Soo Min. I didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't mean to, I'm not mad at you  Ha Yeon, don't worry," I slightly chuckled at how ridiculous she was being. She really thought I was mad at her.

"Okay, good. Now that everything is a little calmer now... you should text Chanyeol and let him now why we had to 'leave.'" She put air quotes around 'leave' as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, stop it. I'll text him in a couple of minutes."

Ha Yeon returned to the computer screen and scrolled through SM's website. 

"Hey!! Come to think of it, EXO is a part of SM entertainment! Do you think they've heard about this yet?"

"Huh? Well even if they've heard about it, they won't ever know that's me. Well, as long as I don't ever sing in front of them."

"I guess that's true... But wouldn't it be good for them to know? They would be able to give you more cover so no one finds out."

"That or they would want me to go to the president of SM with my 'talent.' I kind of wouldn't be surprised if they were the ones who gave that recording to the president."

"There's no way it could be them. They weren't even there when we were." I laughed, but blushed at the thought of imagining anyone, especially EXO, hearing me sing. 

"Right. They were rehearsing at that time anyways."

"Exactly."

I stood up to go change out of my clothes to something more comfy, when my phone started ringing. Without looking at the caller ID, I answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Soo Min?"

I was surprised at the deep and husky voice, but instantly knew who it was. 

"C-chanyeol! Hi!" I hit Ha Yeon in the arm multiple times while gesturing to the phone.

"Hey, I'm so sorry I acted so rude earlier before you left. I didn't mean too. I think I was just a little mad that you looked so.... disappointed when Baek asked you guys to stay."

I was confused at what Chanyeol was saying. When did I look disappointed? Baekhyun asked us to stay and then.... oh no.

"Oh! Chanyeol, I wasn't disappointed when Baekhyun asked me to stay! It's just that uh... a situation came up that I wasn't too happy about.."

I heard him breathe out deeply, basically a sigh of relief. "I feel so much better."

"What's he saying???" Ha Yeon whispered loudly next to me. I shoo'd her away so I could focus on what Chanyeol was saying.

"Yeah, Danny texted and I-"

"Danny? Your ex?"

"O-oh, I uh, yeah...." I felt bad for some reason. The tone in his voice made it very clear that he was slightly upset.

"So you left to talk to your ex.."

"Mhm...."

My stomach was churning. "B-but nothing happened!" I couldn't find any other words to say, he was silent for a little while. 

"I mean it doesn't matter if anything happened or not. I just hope you're safe."

My hear started beating incredibly fast. I didn't know why I was feeling this way just from hearing Chanyeol speak those words.

"I-I am."

"Good. Now that that's all out of the way... have you seen SM's latest headline?"

Wow. I guess news does travel fast these days. "Uh, yeah, we just saw it now, actually."

"Really?" He sounded surprised. 

"Yeah." I didn't want to talk ab out the subject to much since I didn't want him or anyone for that matter to find out that it was my voice.

"Our president of SM wants find this girl with the mysterious voice..... Any ideas?"

"W-what? How would I know how to find this person??"

"It was a joke, Soo Min," he chuckled and I breathed a sigh of relief. I thought he was onto me. "But I would love if you could help us look for this girl, it would be really helpful. I feel like you would have a knack for finding that voice."

Oh no.

"What makes you say that?"

"Girls just have that kind of instinct, right? Bring Ha Yeon too. SM needs to find this girl, and I'm sure they'll stop at nothing to do it."

"Uh... sure. We'll be there tomorrow.But why is this such a big deal? It's just another artist, why go through all the trouble?"

"Because we haven't heard a voice that speaks to people like this in a while. We need to fin this girl. SM is holding 'auditions' tomorrow. Kind of like a Cinderella version of singing."

I couldn't breathe at this point. "Y-yeah okay we'll be there tomorrow I guess. I have to go... Bye."

I quickly hung up the phone. As soon as I knew the line was dead, I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Ow!" Ha Yeon rubbed her ears. "What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna help them find this girl, but they never will and they'll slowly give up. There's no way I'm letting them find out that was me."

"Well if you think about it... It wouldn't be such a bad thing... You'd be signed to SM Entertainment and get to be around EXO all the time!"

"Ha Yeon, come to your senses, that's not how it works. I'm not ever letting anyone know that was me, okay? SM can search for the voice all they want, but they won't find it, as long as I don't sing around them.

I stood up and shook my head. "I'm going upstairs. It's not even 1pm yet and this day has been up down and all around."

"Soo Min."

"Stop fighting me on this," I frowned. "C'mon we need to go grocery shopping."

Ha Yeon pouted. "Fine! I'll just take care of everything." 

She mumbled to herself and I couldn't comprehend a word.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing," she smiled.

I squinted my eyes at her before continuing up the stairs to my room. 

*************

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry if you're confused by this chapter! It seemed a little weird for me to write, since I wrote it over a time span of like 3 days, lol. But I have some major 'WHOA' moments coming up. Anyway, thanks for all the comments and subscribers! I love you guys!

XOXO,

Mae