-Project Friendship: Sunggyu-

Level 3

            It was only a matter of time before she had to come back to the Woollim building, she had given her word to Sunggyu and she has received permission from the company after all. When Sunggyu first asked her when she was free, Yeri had originally wanted to back out since she was still uneasy about the incident from the last time she was there and frankly she was just nervous to meet the rest of INFINITE. Despite the cool front she put on in front of Sunggyu they were still famous idols popular even internationally, it’s not an easy thing to wrap your head around quickly.

            Yeri had wanted to buy them something for her visit, she had considered snacks but Sunggyu reminded her they were on diets and offered her his company café card so that she could bring them coffee; she would be saving them the trouble and bringing them something without spending a dollar of her own money (which was actually what Sunggyu was aiming for). So here she was waiting inside by the NIT café counter, she had nervously showed the cashier the card wondering if it would actually work; the lady over the counter gave her a curt look but smiled as she whispered she understood. Apparently Sunggyu had stopped by a bit earlier to inform the staff that his friend would be picking their coffee up so they simply got on with preparing everyone’s regular.

            From behind she could feel the fans’ stares on her back, the café practically housed the fans while they waited to see their idols after all and she must look quite suspicious not being a diehard fan like they were nor someone simply strolling in for a cup of coffee. Yeri took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself, she wasn’t doing anything wrong and she was simply here to support her friend. The barista returned with a few cups and told her the rest would take a little longer, she then asked Yeri what drink she would like and she was taken back not expecting this at all.

            “Can I have an ice mocha then?”

            “Sure.”

            It took another five minutes to get everything together and soon she had two cardboard carriers filled with eight cups of coffee of different sorts, she thanked the barista and headed towards the door slowly. The door had to be pulled from the inside and Yeri struggled with both her hands full but amazingly enough one of the fans that was sitting by the door got up and helped her open the door, Yeri thanked the younger girl with a smile before heading towards the Woollim building entrance where the door was a push, thank god.

            Yeri pushed the door open with her back and stopped by the reception table where the receptionist from last time sat, again she looked as if she was getting ready to go home but this time she waved Yeri over and told her to wait for a bit while dialing a number on her phone. Yeri put the cups down on the tall table as she waited.

            “They made you run their errands?” she asked Yeri as she eyed the coffee.

            “I wanted to do something for them before meeting them and Sunggyu suggested this,” Yeri shrugged with a short chuckle.

            “Well consider Sungyeol bought already,” she smiled back slightly.

            Just then Sunggyu entered the lobby and the receptionist as he approached, Sunggyu greeted her bow with a nod and thanked her before she headed home for the day.

            “Hey,” Sunggyu picked up one of the carriers off the table. “Did you get these alright?”

            “Yeah… are you guys on break right now?”

            “Sure,” Sunggyu replied vaguely as he led her through to the stairwell where the headed up two flights of stairs before reaching an electronically locked door. Yeri watched with great interest as the machine scanned his thumb and unlocked the door. “Cool right?”

            “Yeah,” Yeri nodded as he held the door for her and let her through first, the wooden corridor was a lot different from the minimal lobby and she could see a number of recording rooms along the sides. The further down they walked she began to hear male voices echoing off the walls and she unexpectedly froze up once they reached the door.

            “We’re here…” Sunggyu said as he pushed the door open, he held the door for her and motioned for her to go in first. She must have looked terrified because he gave her a warm smile and an assuring nod.

            “Hello…” she murmured quietly as she took a step into the large practice room, Yeri felt her heart stop when every person in the room turned to look at her. Woohyun and Myungsoo were smiling to themselves near the back, and when no one said anything Sunggyu pushed her inside and shut the door behind. “Ow- Sunggyu!”

            “Everyone this is Yeri, she’s a friend of mine and she will be watching our practice today,” Sunggyu barked at s, Yeri grew even more anxious as he spoke so casually with them but soon the coffee carrier in her hand was pulled away. “She also got us coffee.”

            “Oh!” Sungyeol perked up immediately and ran towards the pair by the door. He immediately grabbed the boxes of coffee and placed them down on the ground to look through, as he briefly introduced himself to Yeri and started babbling as he looked for his coffee. Thankfully as he spoke the other members started to move on their own and came forward as well. “Are you the girl that Woohyun told us about?”

            “W-What did he say?” Yeri stammered as she glanced between Sungyeol on the ground and Woohyun who had just walked over. When Woohyun noticed her alarmed stare he simply shrugged with a carefree smile before picking up his coffee.

            “How old are you?” Dongwoo asked her friendlily and she was actually a little glad that he was trying to change the subject for her.

            “I’m twenty three…”

            “Oh, 92’ liner?” Myungsoo piped up when he heard they were the same age.

            “91’ December actually.”

            “Then we’re born in the same year then,” Howon said. “You, me, Sungyeol and Woohyun.”

            “What is someone like you hanging around Gyu-hyung for anyway?” Sungyeol asked from the ground earning laughs from Myungsoo and Woohyun.

            “Uh-.”

            “Yah, don’t be like this,” Sunggyu spoke up from the back. “How could you ask my friend why she is my friend… and right in front of me too.”

            Yeri smiled at Sunggyu’s surprising defensiveness. “Well why wouldn’t I be? Sunggyu’s a great guy.”

            “Aye~,” the members all chimed simultaneously causing Sunggyu to scoff and attempt to scold them for their brashness. Before Sunggyu could start though Woohyun interrupted him. “Hyung how come she doesn’t have to use honorifics with you?”

            “What would I have her call me? Oppa?” a weird feeling came over her when Sunggyu replied sarcastically and the members giggled again (namely Myungsoo who seemed to be enjoying himself far too much). “This girl wouldn’t do it even if I asked her to.”

            “Well you should definitely call me oppa,” Woohyun gave Yeri a cheesy grin earning him light slaps from the members. It was surprisingly easy going and Yeri found herself enjoying spending time with them, they were more normal than she expected; much like how Sunggyu had surprised her when they first met, the rest of the members were all just as humble and friendly despite being celebrities.

            After they were finished with their coffees they began practice again and Yeri held her breath as she sat towards the side beside the door as they began stretching and warming up in preparation. They even let her start the music and her excitement only grew when an unfamiliar tune began playing, she was already a fan of their dancing and she knew how good they were but what she was seeing was just incredible. Obviously being a really recent fan she has never had any opportunities to see them perform in person but now not only was she watching them but also so closely as well, she was both incredibly impressed and just awed in general by their vigor. The song was an unexpected one, it sounded more modern than what they usually performed but it was great nonetheless and she couldn’t wait to hear the rest of the album knowing that they had such a brilliant title track.

            Yeri immediately clapped once the song ended and the members seemed to snap out of the trance they were in while dancing and all faced her with surprised expressions, as if they only just remembered they had an audience, the members all gathered around her and asked for her opinions. “It was amazing, I don’t know what to say… you guys are really good.”

“How about the song?” Woohyun asked. “We were worried since it’s not the usual stuff we sing, do you think people would like it?”

            “I personally really like it,” she nodded back at their eager faces and she noticed Sunggyu smiling near the back as he seemed to be observing her. “It’s different but it’s definitely still an INFINITE song. The fans will love it, not to mention the dance… it was really impacting.”

            “Take her word for it, she’s a tough critic,” Sunggyu piped up and all the members seemed to gain a sense of relief. They were about to go again when the practice room door opened and a member of staff stepped in, Yeri got up immediately and bowed when they were introduced and he turned out to be from the album’s production team. He seemed hesitant to speak with Yeri in the room but Sunggyu insisted it was fine.

            “Well the bits we recorded from this afternoon was no good at all, we’ll have to re-record the whole thing with you Sunggyu,” he said quickly and suddenly it was as if the room had gone cold, everyone felt tension in the air as Sunggyu’s face hardened. The members seemed to step back to avoid Sunggyu’s dark aura as he accepted it quietly. “I’ll be waiting for you upstairs then.”

            Yeri chewed her bottom lip as she briefly met Woohyun’s eyes and she was able to understand that the situation was graver than it appeared. Before anyone could speak Sunggyu turned to face her first, his face downcast despite trying to smile. “I need to head up for a bit, I’ll be back soon okay?”

            “Yeah… do your best,” she tried to give him a word of encouragement but it seemed to have hardly gone through as he left the room. It was amazing how easily the atmosphere could drop and even more so how everyone’s moods swayed along with Sunggyu’s. “… Is he going to be okay?”

            “… He’ll be fine,” Woohyun told her eventually as he sat beside her on the bench. The other members continued with practice and Yeri was slightly confused why he wasn’t doing the same but at the same time glad that he was trying to clear things up for her. “… I’m sure you’ve realised but around here what Sunggyu says goes but because of that he also has a lot of burdens.”

            “Yeah…”

            “He must be annoyed though,” Woohyun sighed. “This is the fourth time he’s has to re-record for that song… ironic as well since he likes the song so much.”

            “The fourth time?” she repeated in disbelief. “How come?”

            “I wish I knew,” he shrugged. “Hyung’s a great vocalist so he nails the notes without fail… but the PD is still unsatisfied each time… maybe they’re just bullying him.”

            “… Can you bring me?”

            “What?”

            “To the studio… I want to listen,” she said modestly once she realised what she was asking for. “… If that’s okay.”

            “I don’t mind bringing you… and… hyung should be okay too I suppose,” Woohyun tho