03 | The Deal
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Kim Rima ✗
"There is an empty room in my apartment block," Junhyung tells me after he took a sip of his coffee. "I will try to recommend you there. You can negotiate the price later."
"Really?" I ask him with excitement. At least I have a place to stay permanently for time being. Well, a possible on for me though. "Is it alright with you? I mean if it's bothering you, you can just give me the address."
"It's midnight already," he raises his eyebrow. "I don't think it's good for a girl like you to wander around alone in the road."
"Well," I intertwine my fingers together, looking at my songbook under his hands. "I guess I can help you to create a full song as my gratitude. I never really composed a song though but I think I can help."
When it comes to music, I'm confident enough with my skill because it's my passion. When you learn something you love, you will try all your best to understand it, right? Same goes for me here.
I am actually feeling guilty because I didn't tell him my real name. Instead of introducing myself as Kim Rima, I told him that my name is Seo Rima; Seo is my mother's family name.
"How old are you?" he suddenly gives me another question. "Don't you have school or college to attend?"
"I was born in 1991," I answer him with a real answer this time. "You can say that I have graduated from high school."
I can't tell him that I have a private tutor, right? I don't want to give out a clue about my real identity because I will be more than doomed if my father then find where I am. It will be better if I stick as an ordinary person who knows nothing about Kim family for now.
"Two years younger than me," he murmurs and crosses his hands. "I don't think it's appropriate for me to ask you about your issues and I think it's better if we have a deal here."
"I'm thankful that you want to help me with composing music because, trust me, I do need inspiration now to finish my project. I will help you if you need my help and you will help me when I need your help. Just that simple," Junhyung explains to me. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
"I guess so," I nod my head, absorbing his words. "We're strangers unless we are going to help each other. It's simple and understandable."
"I guess it's time to see your new apartment then," he stands up and glances at my luggage. "Is that all you have with you?"
"You can say so," I state and turn to look at him. He then takes the luggage from me, walking pass me, heading right to the door. "Y-Yah!"
"I will help you. Don't worry. I don't have any intention to run away with your stuffs," he mumbles with monotone while we are walking side by side. "If you're worrying about that small stuff, you shouldn't believe me at the first place. What if I'm a kidnapper who is luring you to a place so I can keep you as a hostage?"
"Like I said, if you love to compose music, you're a good person," I retort, putting both of my hands behind. "Do you work as a music composer, Junhyung?"
He stops his step and then looks at me with serious expression, "You really don't know me, do you?"
"Should I?" I ask him back. It's my first time meeting him. How would I know him?
"BEAST?" he mentions a word that makes me more confused. "Does that ring a bell? Shock? Fiction?"
Being locked away from music for three years, I am not the girl who follows the updates about music news. Since I didn't want to have another argument with my father, I usually ended up with classical music and some artists which were famous in New York.
The word 'Shock' combines with 'BEAST' actually sound familiar. I remember Yujin once told me about popular Korean idol groups. It's ironic how I don't listen to Korean songs much compared to English songs.
"Shock...," I murmur, trying to remember what Yujin mentioned about this song before. I'm pretty sure that it's one of her favorite songs and I remember the notes. "Every day I shock, shock... Every night I shock, shock..."
"Yes!" Junhyung exclaims and sighs in relief. "You know our song!"
Our song?
"Wait a minute," I try to take his words in mind. Don't tell me I am talking with an idol right now. "You're one of this BEAST group?"
"The main rapper. I believe my part in the group is that," he tells me proudly. "I thought you knew nothing about us. We really need to enhance ourselves, don't we?"
"I just returned from overseas and I didn't listen to Korean songs often," I try to explain to him. "A friend of mine is your fan and she told me about BEAST. I just have no idea I would meet a member of popular group in person."
"I see...," Junhyung scratches his head with his finger. "At least you know our song. I hope you can keep the incident just now as a secret. I don't want any rumor to spread up and make my fans worry about me."
He is indeed a good person, isn't he?
When we finally arrive at the apartment building where Junhyung and his groupmates stay, the harsh reality that both of us forget finally hits us; the one who is responsible for the apartment is sleeping.
It's midnight already. Of course people are sleeping. How could I even forget about it?
"I guess I'm going to sleep in hotel tonight," I mumble, ready to take my luggage back from Junhyung but he doesn't let go of my luggage.
"It's midnight," he states calmly. "Our deal is I will find you a place to stay and you will help me compose a song."
"I really appreciate our deal. You have no idea how grateful I am to meet you tonight but, like what you just said, it's midnight and I need a place to stay. Unfortunately I can't stay here tonight. I will come back tomorrow," I tell him briefly. "It's the best option."
Junhyung frowns, not looking at me. He tucks one of his hands inside his jacket pocket, "If you don't mind, I think you can use my room for tonight. I'll try to explain to my manager and my groupmates."
"Explain? What will you say to them?" I point out the flaw of his suggestion. "A stranger who can help you with absolute pitch is staying a night in your room?"
Even though he is not an idol, it's still a problem since I just knew him and, well, he is a man and I am a woman. What will people think about us?
"Still...," Junhyung gives me a sign to follow him as he heads to the elevator. "I can't let you while I can help you. I'll tell them that you are my cousin."
"Eh?" I blink with confusion but he ignores me, stepping inside the elevator. I quickly follow him and then stare at him with disbelief, "Why do I even follow you now?"
"Because you know it's the best idea," he chuckles, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "Glad to know you, Yong Rima."
How many names I will have? Kim Rima, Seo Rima, and now Yong Rima?
How many lies will I need to tell until I can understand what my father is thinking?
"This one," Junhyung stops and points a door in front of him. We have stepped out from the elevator and he shows me his apartment with the other members of BEAST together. He opens the door for me and finally shows me where his bedroom is, telling me that I can use it for tonight.
His room is not really messy but it's not really neat either. There is a shelf he uses to put music albums. There are their own music albums along with other artists.
This room is indeed how I want my room to be. Music, music, and music. It will be perfect if there is at least a musical instrument here.
"I'll be sleeping outside," Junhyung confirms to me once again. "If you need anything, just wake me up. Since I have another schedule in the morning and you need to talk about your stay here, we better go to sleep now. Good night."
He doesn't even wait for my reply when he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. I am wondering about how strange life is for me now.
It's my first time to sleep in someone else's bedroom. Not to mention that this is a guy's bedroom. An idol's bedroom.
"Compose a song, eh?" I lay my head on the pillow, trying to make myself comfortable. "I wonder if I will be a music composer one day..."
Is it possible for me to pursue my dreams without my father's help?
With the random thought, I finally drift away to the dreamland, sleeping on Junhyung's bed until the morning comes.
✗ Lee Gikwang ✗
I rub my eyes reluctantly, still feeling really sleepy but I can't sleep too much thanks to my hectic schedule lately that I have a habit of lacking sleeping hours. I can't believe that I'm suddenly awake when it's only six in the morning.
Without even bothering to grab new clothes and take a shower, I walk out from my bedroom, heading to the kitchen to grab something to drink.
For my surprise, I see Junhyung is sleeping on the couch in the main room. The blanket is covering his body while he is sleeping peacefully.
Why does he sleep outside? What's wrong with his own room?
Too curious about it, I step carefully to his room and open the door in silence. I walk in and find there is a stranger sleeping on Junhyung's bed.
It's a girl with long black hair. There is a gray coat and black thick rimmed glasses right next to her head. I'm really sure that I never saw her before. Not even once.
Who is she?
Suddenly she stirs in her sleep and I unconsciously take a step backwards, feeling surprised by her sudden movement. She opens her eyes slowly and then focuses her eyes on me. She quickly sits up and rubs her eyes.
"I-I'm sorry," I apologize to her; I don't want her to think that I'm someone suspicious here. "I was thinking who used Junhyung's bedroom so I wanted to check. That's all."
"I understand. I'm just surprised that someone is in this room all of a sudden," she tells us honestly. "Junhyung has been really nice to me to let me stay here for tonight."
"I'm sorry but...," I clear my throat awkwardly, "...may I know who are you?"
"Oh, my name is-" she suddenly stops as if she just said something wrong. She pouts her lips and finally answers, "My name is Yong Rima. I'm Junhyung's cousin."
Junhyung's cousin? Why did I never hear about her before? They must be really close if Junhyung let her to sleep in his own bedroom, right?
"Nice to meet you," I smile to her politely. "My name is Gikwang."
I find it's kind of strange since she doesn't give me any reaction of happy for meeting a member of idol group. Perhaps because she is really close to Junhyung that she is getting used to meet idols; that must be it.
"Is Junhyung still sleeping?" she asks me casually, wearing her gray coat and black thick-rimmed glasses on. "I need to talk to him since I think I'm going to stay in this apartment building too if there is an empty room."
"Let's wake him up then," I grin and walk to the door, opening it widely for her. "We have a schedule for a meeting so he needs to wake up sooner or later."
She nods slightly and walks out from the room. She bends down and calls Junhyung's name softly, "Junhyung? Junhyung, wake up."
Junhyung groans and covers his face with the blanket. Rima sighs and then pulls the blanket away from him, "Yong Junhyung, wake up. We need to discuss about the song."
I don't know what she is talking about but Junhyung immediately opens his eyes upon her words. He rubs his eyes and sits up, giving us a sleepy expression. He sighs and looks at me, "Ah, you're awake."
"You didn't say anything about your cousin's arrival last night," I while he is gathering his focus. "What song are you two going to discuss about anyway?"
Rima and Junhyung exchange looks before Junhyung answers me with doubt in his tone, "Well, Rima is... Err, she will help me composing the new songs somehow..."
"I just give him some help since he has been really nice for me," Rima chirps in. "It's a pleasure for me to help BEAST for the new songs."
"Well, it will be good to know that Junhyung's cousin will be responsible for the music as well," I state with a bright smile. "I'm sure the fans will be happy to know you, Rima."
"Ah, no, I don't think the public need to know about me," Rima quickly speaks out and Junhyung turns to look at her. "The full credit will go to Junhyung. That's all good for me."
"I don't understand why you need to hide your identity...," I murmur vividly, thinking about the possible reason of her avoiding the public's attention.
Is it because she doesn't like to be the center of attention? Is it because there is something happened between her and Junhyung?
"Let just say I have some issues to deal with," Rima replies me calmly. She returns her gaze to Junhyung and says, "Can you please kindly accompany me now, cousin?"
I'm sure she emphasized the word 'cousin' just now. Is it only my imagination? Maybe I did work too hard lately.
I take a glance of Rima who is fixing the position of her glasses. My intuition keeps telling me that there is something mysterious about her somehow.
Junhyung's cousin. Yong Rima.
I'm sure the others will be happy to meet her when they wake up.
I'm sure the others will be happy to meet her when they wake up.
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