10 | The News
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Lee Gikwang ✗
The knocks on my door catch my attention so I quickly stand up and rush to the door, opening it to see Rima is standing with her music book in her hands.
"Ah, Junhyung is on his way back from his schedule," I open the door wider so she can step in. "Wait inside then. I think he will arrive soon."
Rima stands still, tilting her aside to look above my shoulder as if she is looking for something. I know exactly what she is trying to find so I tell her, "Doojoon is with Junhyung and Hyunseung is sleeping. Yoseob is with Sora and Dongwoon is with his family."
She blinks for seconds then gives me a slight nod, walking pass me and takes off her shoes. She takes a seat on the sofa like usual while I close the door before joining her, sitting across from her.
She always refuses to step inside the apartment if there is another member, other than me and Junhyung. Perhaps she is a really shy girl and I can't blame her for that.
Even after a week passed, Rima is still drawing distance with us. Junhyung assured us that she is still not feeling really good due to her family issues and we don't want to be rude and force her to act all good when she doesn't feel to.
However there is a slight change from her... and Junhyung.
Once in a while Junhyung will ask her to join us for dinner. Most of the times, Rima will refuse by giving a reason that she has stuff to do but Junhyung will insist that he will help her later. When Rima goes with us, she will wear her glasses and ties her long hair in a ponytail.
I glance at her music book and ask, "Do you write a song, Rima?"
She grips the book and answers without looking at me, "No. I just want to discuss something with Junhyung."
I examine her expression but she stares at the floor, hiding half of her face behind the black thick-rimmed glasses. Why do I have a feeling that she avoids my look lately?
Slowly but sure, I stand up and move to her seat. When she looks up to see me, I reach out my hands to take off her glasses carefully while she is off guard.
"You don't need to wear it when you're with us," I tell her with a smile. I pat her head gently, "If you're Junhyung's family, we will treat you as our family too."
She quickly covers with the back of her hand which makes me smile wider; it's Junhyung's favorite gesture whenever he is laughing but Rima does it when she is blushing.
"You are really Junhyung's cousin," I chuckle and sit next to her. "Both of you look really cute whenever you do that gesture."
Rima doesn't answer me because the door is opened all of a sudden by Doojoon; he just returned from CUBE Entertainment building with Junhyung. He stops his movement when he sees me and Rima, sitting side by side.
"Ah, Rima," Doojoon greets her with a bright smile. "What a coincidence to see you here. Are you looking for Junhyung?"
"Y-Yes," Rima stands up, tucking her long hair behind her ear. "I need his help for my task..."
Doojoon glances at Junhyung and Junhyung blink numerous times before answers, "Downstairs. Your room."
Rima shows me her hand and murmurs vividly, "My glasses."
"Ah," I hand it back to her with confused look. She takes it from me and wears her shoes again, heading out from our apartment with Junhyung without even bothering to excuse herself from me and Doojoon.
"Cousins," Doojoon shrugs and walks to the kitchen to grab something to drink.
I scratch my cheek, feeling confused because of Rima's reaction.
Does she hate me or what?
Does she hate me or what?
✗ Yong Junhyung ✗
"A new message from Rima"
I open the inbox to read that she just told me that she's on her way to my apartment. I forgot to tell her that I had a meeting this afternoon with Doojoon and CUBE representatives to discuss about our collaboration with various artists for charity event.
We're on our way back to the apartment and I just checked my phone since I turn off the vibration during the meeting.
"Junhyung, I've been thinking about it for a while," Doojoon suddenly mumbles when I want to reply Rima's message. "Have you tried to contact Rima's parents?"
I stop typing and look at him with a frown. He continues again, "I know we're not supposed to intrude her personal life but I think you, as her cousin, should at least help her."
"I...," I pause for seconds to think about a good answer. How can I answer him when I don't even know what kind of family issue she has? I have no idea at all and I don't even think about helping her because she doesn't look like she needs my help.
Within a week, she has helped me to create four songs outs from eleven I need to create. I still have a month for my deadline and I think it will not be a problem if she is the one who helps me.
Her absolute pitch is really helping me. I also found out that she is quite good in playing piano but I don't bother to ask her about who taught her or what kind of musical instrument she can play other than piano.
Honestly speaking I feel kind of awkward whenever I'm with her but I try to ignore the feeling and act as a professional. I don't want to dig about her past because, according to our deal, we're strangers who only there to help each other.
However I must admit that my curiosity increases by the more time I spend with her.
For a young girl who has a family issue, she looks quite calm. Even though President Hong has accepted her to work as our personal music composer, it still feels strange that she can buy almost everything she wants.
As if she is a daughter from a really rich family.
Not to mention that her parents don't look for her. Which parents will not worry when her daughter is all alone in the middle of nowhere?
But no. There is no one looking for her.
I start to wonder whether she tells me the truth about her family issues or not but then again, it's not like I need to know about it.
We're strangers. Okay, we're cousins for others but I make sure that the line between us doesn't go anywhere beyond helpers.
"Let's not talk about it," I divert the topic and pretend to discuss about the collaboration project until we arrive at the apartment.
I just remembered that I haven't replied Rima's message when Doojoon opens the door and someone catches his attention, "Ah, Rima. What a coincidence to see you here. Are you looking for Junhyung?"
I look up and my eyes widen in surprise when I notice that Rima is not putting on her black thick-rimmed glasses; Gikwang is holding the glasses.
"Y-Yes," she stands up and tucks her long hair behind her ear, a gesture that makes my heart to skip a beat for no reason. "I need his help for my task..."
Doojoon glances at me and my senses return; I blink and quickly say, "Downstairs. Your room."
I don't need the others to know that I'm completely awkward when I'm with someone who is supposed to be my cousin. Besides they shouldn't know that she is helping me with composing music.
Rima asks her glasses back from Gikwang before walking pass me and heads to her apartment. I follow her behind in silence until we reach her apartment.
"You don't need glasses to see clearly, do you?" I ask her when she has closed the door. I know it's not an important question... but I just want to know.
She doesn't answer my question. She walks to her musical keyboard and gets ready to play the notes, "I have finished a song but I think you need to check the refrain part. You can add your part after the refrain."
I feel disappointed somehow but I know she is only doing what we have agreed together; no question that doesn't concern work is allowed between us.
"Do you take your glasses off just in front of Gikwang?" the question slips out from mouth unconsciously. I don't even know why I ask that question.
For my surprise, her cheeks turn into pink shades. She tries to hide it with playing some random melodies with her fingers, faking a cough, "I think I need to try ballad track later."
She avoids answering me. Again.
For the first time, I feel that I want to cancel the stupid deal.
✗ Kim Rima ✗
"What do you think?" Junhyung asks when I have done reading the combination of my creation and his. He intertwines his fingers and frowns, waiting for my answer.
"It's good," I comment and hand over the music book to him, "but I think it will be better if you put longer bridge part after the second refrain."
"Longer bridge part...," he murmurs, checking the notes. "Perhaps I need to delete the rap part then if you think so."
"Fine, you delete the rap part but you're going to sing the part," I stand up from my seat and walk to the kitchen, preparing two glasses of water.
"I rap. I'm a rapper," he insists with serious tone but I ignore him; I know he has a good voice despite the fact that his position as a rapper in his group.
"A rapper is a singer," I return to the main room, putting a glass of water on the table for him and sit again, taking a sip of my own glass. "I know your voice will suit the part for this song."
Junhyung opens his mouth to say something but he purses his lips and drinks the water instead of giving me a reply. I smile, knowing that he can't argue with me. After seconds, he steps closer to my keyboard, ready to compose again. He puts his fingers on the tunes, letting them to dance randomly to find the harmony to start.
"Try to play the tones again," I stand up and walk to him, putting my left palm on the side of the keyboard while my right hand rest on my waist. "I think we can start with the combination."
"This one?" he tries to play some notes and then looks up to ask my opinion. "What do you-"
He stops immediately because, at the same time, I look down to see him, making our faces are only inches away. I freeze for seconds as if my heart has stopped beating which is, I know, impossible.
Junhyung reaches out his left hand slowly and tucks my hair behind my ear. I can feel his touch on my blushed cheek as he trails my hair, putting the edge of it near his lips with closed eyes.
"Y-Yes, that one," I quickly pull away my hair from his fingers, stepping backwards. "I-I'll write down the notes. W-Wait a minute."
Why am I stammering? Why am I blushing?
Gikwang is enough to mess my mind. Really. I don't know why but he always treats me so warm; a feeling that I never felt before. And I have no idea why he really likes to take my glasses off when I feel more comfortable with them.
Now Junhyung is trying to give me another awkward feeling too?
When I'm going to grab the music book, I accidentally press the power button of television remote, causing the television to turn on, showing the news about a marriage between an idol and a businessman.
I ignore the news and start to write down the notes I just heard while Junhyung keeps playing the keyboard.
Perhaps I remind him of Hara. I tell myself the reason and shrug my pointless thought.
"...and, next hot news, Kim Rima, the only daughter of Kim family will be one of the happiest wife in the future!"
I stop writing and shock is written on my face. I stare at the television screen, hoping that I misheard what I just heard.
Yoorin, my cousin who acts as me, appears on the screen with a bright smile, "It will be my pleasure to be married with Eric. I can't wait for the engagement party next week."
What?
"I am a proud father," my father is shown on the screen. "Even though my daughter is still young, Eric has agreed to be engaged to her because he has fallen in love with her at the first sight. I can't be happier to know that these two youngsters are happy together."
"No way!" I blurt out with disbelief, making Junhyung to turn around and look at me. I don't even care about his presence anymore because of the shocking news.
"Rima?" Junhyung mumbles, trying to get my attention. "What's wrong?"
"Eric Hazelwine, one of the most eligible bachelors who is also well known as a young businessman in New York, has announced his engagement with Kim Rima," the newscaster speaks briefly. "They will hold their engagement party next week in Kim residence."
Next week?
This is so not real.
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