16 | The Gratitude
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Lee Gikwang ✗
"A favor?" I tilt my head, feeling lucky that I'm able to hold back my tears. "What kind of favor, Mr Kim?"
"Don't tell Rima about whatever I said to you just now," he clears his throat to control his voice. "Rima has the confidence to do almost everything and I don't think she needs to know that I'm actually trying to protect her."
Like father, like daughter, I see. Both of them have pride they want to protect; they are too stubborn when it comes to their pride.
"Can I ask why you held this engagement party at the first place?" I ask him politely. "Why did you agree with Yoorin's idea?"
I'm curious because I know Mr Kim is not that clueless to know that it will enrage Rima, not motivate her like how Yoorin said. Even the news is enough to surprise her already.
"Because I know she will come," Mr Kim answers me calmly while Rima leaves her seat and returns to her stand somewhere. "Reading her personality, I know she will come. I just want to make sure that she is alright."
I blink in admiration for the man who is standing right in front of me. He actually really cares about his daughter even though Rima knows nothing about it; he doesn't even bother to fix his bad image in his daughter's eyes.
"I think you must be a really important person for her if she told you her secret," Mr Kim lands his eyes on the man right next to Rima. "Who's with her down there?"
I try to focus my look and my eyes widen in surprise when I realize the black suit and the hair. Is that Junhyung? What is he doing here?
"That's my groupmate, Yong Junhyung," I tell him before he starts to assume everything. "He is the one who acts as Rima's cousin but he doesn't know about her real identity."
"I see...," Mr Kim murmurs but his eyes never leave Rima and Junhyung. He frowns when Junhyung pats Rima's head.
"If Rima finally can prove that she is capable to work in music industry, will you let her be?" I speak out to get his attention and it apparently works.
"I will never take back my words, Gikwang. If she can prove it then it's her choice to continue. If she can't, I will take all the responsibilities to make up what I've decided now," he explains briefly. "After all life is about choices."
"Are you really going to ask Rima to marry with Eric?" I ask another question which crosses my mind. I still think it's unfair for Rima if her father forces her to marry someone she barely knows.
"If she can find someone she loves before she comes back to me, I will cancel the engagement," he answers me. "If I'm ready to achieve something, then I must be ready to let it go."
I am slightly taken aback by his words. I can understand his point of view somehow; he takes every risk of his decision carefully. He knows the consequence but he is willing to do it regardless the risks because he is confident enough to turn around the result for his good.
This is what Rima has in her blood.
The confidence of living a life out of the shell just by the faith of loving music. She dares herself to take the risk by hiding her real identity and try things she never did before.
"I will keep our conversation as a secret, Mr Kim," I bow to him and then smiles. "I hope you don't mind that I will help her though in achieving her dream. After all I'm also a musician."
"I know," Mr Kim laughs softly and pats my shoulder. "She may be a stubborn and careless girl but she never wants to hurt someone."
"I know," I reply and look at her from up here. She is talking with Junhyung and I can see Junhyung takes his phone out. "She is a sweet girl."
I excuse myself because I can feel my phone is vibrating in my pocket; I think Junhyung calls me. When I'm going to turn to the staircase, Mr Kim calls out my name.
As I turn around to see him, he gives me a gentle smile, "Please take care of my daughter."
✗ Kim Rima ✗
I heave a sigh when I have finished playing the song. It's the song crossed in my mind the moment I sat down; the lyrics are beautiful that I memorize them pretty well.
This is not the first time for me to sing but it is indeed the first time I sing in front of dozens people. It's a good thing that I can maintain my nervousness good enough.
Without waiting for Yoorin to approach me, I leave the piano and walk to Junhyung while the guests of the party are giving me applauses. Even Junhyung gives me his applause.
I know it sounds ridiculous but when I hesitated to sing moments before, when I thought I should just walk away with an excuse, Junhyung is my reason to stay still and, finally, sing a song.
I mean I am the one who insisted the he should try to sing instead of just rapping. It's unfair if I told him to do so yet I didn't dare to do it, isn't it?
"I sang," I murmur to him as he lowers his hands. The guests return their gazes to the piano because it is Eric's turn to showcase his skill. "I know you can do better than me in singing."
"You're good," Junhyung pats my head; this is the first time he pats me. "I was amazed by your voice. I think you just need to be trained and you'll shine brighter than anyone."
Heat creeps to my cheeks. What is this? Do I have a weakness against head patting gesture or what?
"I-I don't think singing is a good option for me," I retort and curse myself mentally because I'm stammering. Why am I stammering anyway?
"Are you blushing?" Junhyung raises his eyebrow and tries to take a good look of me. I look away and try to change the topic.
"We need to find Gikwang," I pretend to look around but it's true that I can't find Gikwang. "Can you give him a call?"
"Why don't you give him one?" Junhyung asks me back, tucking his hands inside of his pockets.
"Because I don't have his number," I sigh and turn to him. "Just... call him, okay?"
I don't think it's a good idea to stay any longer here. Yoorin and Eric will tell my father for sure and I think Yujin will realize that it's me who sang just now sooner or later.
I need to think about another plan to confront my father later.
"It's strange," Junhyung murmurs as he puts his phone on his ear. I stare at him in silence while he sighs, "Why doesn't he pick up my call?"
The sound of footsteps behind me catch my attention. I turn and see Gikwang gives us his smile, walking closer to us, "I'm sorry. I was looking for bathroom just now."
"Ah...," I bite my bottom lip, feeling nervous all of a sudden. "D-Did you hear me?"
Why did I even ask him?!
"Yes," Gikwang reaches out his hand and caresses my cheek gently. "I did hear beautiful voice."
Even though I'm sure my face is burning red now, a smile forms on my lips as I hear his compliment. It's enough to give me a tug in my heart.
Junhyung fakes a cough that makes me to turn to see him with annoyed expression, "Are we going back now or..."
Gikwang looks at me and I think he is wondering whether I want to find my father or not so I quickly say, "Yes, let's return now."
I don't manage to talk with my father but there is one thing I know for sure because of this party.
I really fall in love with Gikwang.
✗ Lee Gikwang ✗
On our way back to our apartment, no one talks. We take off our masks but then none of us starts to talk.
Rima sits between me and Junhyung, intertwining her fingers together. Junhyung looks out through the window, not showing a hint of good mood. I can feel that the tension is not really good here.
"Junhyung, why were you at the party?" I break the ice and try to open up a conversation but he shoots me deadly glare in instance.
"That's my question, Lee Gikwang," he blurts out. "What were you thinking? Attending a public party with a girl? That's not a really good idea to keep yourself out from scandal, you know."
I calm myself down; telling myself that he doesn't know a single thing about Rima makes me feel guilty actually.
"I just wanted to accompany your cousin," I clasp my hands together and grin awkwardly. "I know. My bad. But everything's good, right? It's a masquearade party."
Junhyung sigh with frustration and turns to stare at the window again. Rima tucks her hair behind her ear and speaks out, "Thank you..."
Both Junhyung and I blink with confusion. She heaves a sigh and then smiles to me and Junhyung, "Thank you for accompanying me. It felt good to sing actually."
If only she knows how good it sounded to hear her voice with her father together. Since I've promised to her father that I will keep the conversation as a secret, I only return her smile and pat her head, "You're very welcome, Rima."
After we arrive at the apartment building, I was planning to walk Rima back to her apartment but she stops me right when we're going to enter the elevator.
"Wait," she pulls my sleeve while Junhyung steps in the elevator alone. She turns to Junhyung as the door is closing, "I'll see you later."
"What is it?" I tilt my head, wondering why she stops me all of a sudden. I hope she doesn't know that I talked to her father at the party.
"Can we talk at the backyard?" she asks me and I can see her cheeks are blushing. I can't help myself to smile before nod to her, walking out from the building to the backyard with her.
"Thank you," she bows to me. She straightens her body with a sweet smile on her face, "Thank you for coming to the party with me."
"Thank you for letting me listen your voice," I ruffle her hair. "I love your voice."
As usual she covers with the back of her hand, blushing really hard. I chuckle and an idea crosses my mind as I remember that I will help her to be a musician.
"Rima," I call out her name. She looks up to me with confused look. "BEAST will attend a special charity event in two weeks. Can you please perform a song that day?"
Her eyes widen in shock and she quickly retorts, "What? No way. I'm not going to do that. What if my father-"
"You want your father to know that you're serious, right?" I cut her denial excuse quickly. "Perform and let he know. I will ask the others to let you perform a song that day."
Rima opens , ready to give me another excuse but she purses her lips because she doesn't find a word to say. She bites her bottom lip, dropping her gaze reluctantly.
I take a step closer to her and tuck her hair behind her ear, "Don't worry. I will be there to support you. All of us will."
She blushes again, still avoiding my eyes. After seconds of silence, she clears nervously and looks up at me, "Talk to the others first. We'll talk about it later."
I immediately smile, "Good!"
I reach out my hand to touch the hairpin on her hair. She really doesn't take it off and I'm glad she still wears it.
"Let's go back now," I say and turn around, ready to go inside the building once again but Rima stops me, holding my hand.
The next thing I know her lips land on my left cheek. She lets go of my hand and does her signature movement, "Thank you..."
She bows slightly to me and walks ahead from me, leaving me to stand with surprised look.
I cover my mouth with my hand, feeling that my face is burning red because of her simple gratitude.
"It's just a manner, right?" I murmur to myself, remembering that she lived at New York before. "It's just a gratitude manner, right?"
Though I keep saying that to myself, I can't stop blushing madly.
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