A/N: It would be nice if you listen to this song https://open.spotify.com/track/2HttK3TYhnumj8xWjKCYem?si=wDsW0xu1TUqAYbbgGnbRBQ while reading this ^^

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Wheein was nervous.

It’s not even her project, but she was still nervous.

Her hands were sweaty and she was having trouble holding on to her guitar. She tucked the guitar in between her legs and wiped her hands on the back of her jeans.

“Here,” the guitar was taken away from her and she felt something cool wrapping around her hand, “I’ll hold it for you.”

Wheein looked up and grinned. “Thanks, Byulyi-unnie,” she suddenly remembered that her hand was still clammy and tried to wiggle it out of Byulyi’s grip, “but my hand is sweaty so-”

“It’s not,” Byulyi said firmly, carving a warm smile as she tightened her hold on Wheein’s hand, “and you’ll be fine, Wheein-ah. I’m here with you, remember?”

Wheein felt a fluttering in her stomach as a blush crept into her cheeks. “It sounds like we’re presenting my project instead of yours,” she laughed nervously, shifting her gaze towards the duo currently performing on the stage, “I should be the one comforting you, unnie.”

Byulyi chuckled. “Trust me, I’m nervous too,” she confessed in a low voice, “but that’s just because performing on a stage always gives me butterflies.”

Wheein nodded; she knew that feeling.

Waiting for her turn to perform would always summon butterflies into her guts, but when she was actually up there on the stage, those butterflies transformed and became her energy. The best thing about performing was the rush that she got after and Wheein would never trade it for anything else in the world.

“Come on,” Byulyi tugged at Wheein’s hand, pulling Wheein out of her thoughts, “we’re up next.”

Wheein heard the applause and a moment later, their name was announced.

Wheein and Byulyi walked up the stage hand in hand.

There was a pair of stools situated in the middle of the stage with a microphone resting on top of each stool. Wheein noticed a microphone stand near the curtains and quickly grabbed it – she couldn’t exactly use the microphone if her hands were full handling the guitar.

There had been a quiet murmur going around in the audience as Byulyi and Wheein set up for their performance. When they finally finished and looked over to Byulyi’s vocal coach for permission to start, the audience started to quiet down. The vocal coach nodded his assent and the auditorium went completely silent.

Byulyi cleared and spoke into the microphone. She introduced the song, her duet partner Wheein and the reason she chose both the song and Wheein. She gave Wheein a quick glance and a smile before cueing the start of the song.

Wheein started to play the first few chords while Byulyi tapped her hand on her thigh, counting the beats under her breath, before she sang.

You don’t know, babe

When you hold me

And kiss me slowly

It’s the sweetest thing

And it don’t change

If I had it my way

You would know that you are

Without missing a beat, Wheein joined Byulyi for the next part.

You’re the coffee that I need in the morning

You’re my sunshine in the rain when it’s pouring

Won’t you give yourself to me

Give it all, oh

I just wanna see how beautiful you are

You know that I see it

I know you’re a star

Where you go I follow

No matter how far

If life is a movie

Oh you’re the best part, oh oh oh

You’re the best part, oh oh oh

Best part

It was Wheein’s turn to sing solo and she closed her eyes while she sings, heart beating rapidly as a face suddenly popped inside her head.

It’s the sunrise

And those brown eyes, yes

You’re the one that I desire

When we wake up

And then we make love

It makes me feel so nice

Wheein opened her eyes just as Byulyi joined her in the next part. When their gazes met, Wheein blushed and looked away. Byulyi’s voice faltered slightly in confusion, but she quickly recovered.

You’re my water when I’m stuck in the desert

You’re the Tylenol I take when my head hurts

You’re the sunshine on my life

I just wanna see how beautiful you are

You know that I see it

I know you’re a star

Where you go I follow

No matter how far

If life is a movie

Oh you’re the best part, oh oh oh

You’re the best part, oh oh oh

You’re the best part, oh oh oh

You’re the best part, oh oh oh

Wheein stopped strumming her guitar and finally braved herself to look at Byulyi. She felt her cheeks warming up again because there was an odd look in Byulyi’s eyes that made Wheein feel shy. She felt like hiding behind the plush curtains behind them, but they had another verse to sing and Wheein’s legs seemed to be frozen in place, so running and hiding were not an option right now.

Wheein took a deep breath and waited for Byulyi to start the verse before joining her a beat later.

If you love me won’t you say something, say something

If you love me won’t you, won’t you

If you love me won’t you say something

Cause you’re the best part

If you love me won’t you say something, say something

If you love me won’t you, won’t you

If you love me won’t you say something

Cause you’re the best part

Even while they were rehearsing, Wheein thought that the song meant something, but she didn’t know what. She still had that thought, but stronger now because Byulyi was looking at her so intensely, Wheein just simply couldn’t look away.

If it wasn’t for the applause breaking their eye contact, Wheein wondered what would have happened between them.

The song had ended and it was time for Byulyi’s vocal coach to give his review.

Wheein had wanted to leave, her heart running a mile a minute inside her chest and there was a whirlpool in her mind trying to make sense of what had happened during the duet, but Byulyi had caught her hand, keeping Wheein there beside her. So Wheein stayed, keeping her eyes on her shoes because she couldn’t face anyone while knowing that her face had turned as red as a tomato.

“Wheein.”

Byulyi’s voice was soft as she gently tugged Wheein’s hand to draw Wheein’s attention to her. A few more tugs and Wheein finally looked at Byulyi.

“Yeah?”

“We can leave now,” Byulyi said with a smile, “remember to take your guitar along, okay?”

Wheein nodded. She grabbed her guitar and followed Byulyi down the stage, her hand still clasped tightly with Byulyi’s.

When they were finally out of the auditorium, both of them let out a relieved sigh.

“It was too intense in there,” Byulyi chuckled, “I felt a little suffocated.”

“M-Me too,” Wheein replied, though she had another reason to feel that way, “what did the coach say about our duet?”

Byulyi hummed. “Let’s talk about it over snacks,” she suggested with a grin, “I’m sure you’re as starved as I am.”

As if on cue, Wheein’s stomach started to growl.

Wheein blushed. “You know my stomach too well, unnie.”

Byulyi laughed. “Isn’t it normal to feel hungry after performing so well?”

“I guess you’re right,” Wheein smiled mischievously, “and since I performed so well, unnie will buy the snacks for me, right?”

Byulyi pretended to groan. “Oh no…my dear wallet is crying right now.”

Wheein giggled as she let Byulyi lead her towards the cafeteria, feeling a little more relaxed now. She even pretended not to notice that Byulyi had not once let go of her hand since they left the auditorium.