58 | The Partner
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Kim Rima ✗
"Yoseob said red and white roses will be the best combination for my bouquet," Sora poins the choice on the booklet. "What do you think?"
"I think it's pretty," I tell her my opinion and smile politely. "Even though I'm not the rose lover, I still think it's really pretty."
"Really?" Sora's face beams and she chuckles. "Perhaps Yoseob's choice is indeed better than mine."
I can't help myself to smile when I look at her. She looks really happy even though maybe her opinion is different from Yoseob's. Somehow I envy them.
Despite the fact that I have decided where my heart goes to, I still can't have my own happiness. Is it how the life tried to tell me that Gikwang is not the one for me?
If it's not because Yoseob asked me to come along with him to help Sora, I would never agree to be trapped between Junhyung and Gikwang. It's really an uncomfortable situation.
I look up to see what the men are doing. That's when I see Gikwang is actually looking at me. He quickly avoids my gaze and returns his gaze to whatever they're discussing.
"Rima, did something happen?" Sora suddenly asks me. "Something that maybe you can talk with me. Anything."
"W-What do you mean?" I my lips nervously and look at the booklet again. "I'm here to help you. Is there anyth-"
"That doesn't mean I can't help you, right?" she states calmly and closes the booklet. "Besides I want to ask you a favor as well later. Why don't we talk about your story first?"
She turns around and gives me a sign to follow her. We walk to the hall where the wedding party will be held and we sit at the edge of the stage.
"So, Rima, I'm listening," she mumbles. I look back at her for seconds before I take a deep breath.
Maybe talking with someone will make me feel better. I tell her about what happened between me and Gikwang, what he said to me days after I confessed to him, and how awkward the condition is now.
"You never talked to him about your relationship after that?" Sora asks after I finished my words. "Gikwang is not someone who will do something without reason. I believe he has a good explanation about why he acts this way."
I drop my gaze reluctantly, sighing heavily. I don't say anything since I don't know what I should say to retort her statement. Why do I feel that I don't know Gikwang at all?
"Rima, I don't know what you two have been through but I think you have your own path to happiness. Perhaps it's not easy. At least mine was rough. But, in the end, I have my happiness," she taps my shoulder lightly. "Just think you're just half on your way to happiness."
I blink, surprised with her wise words. I can't believe that she is actually in the same age with me, "Wow. That's really wise of you, Sora."
"Yoseob told me that before," she chuckles and stands up. "Now I have a little favor to ask from you."
Sora turns to me with a simple smile, "Can you perform on my wedding day?"
✗ Yong Junhyung ✗
"Ah, where are they?" Yoseob looks around to find Sora and Rima. He hands me the paper, "I'll look for them. Wait for me here."
Yoseob walks away, leaving me and Gikwang alone. I take out my phone and try to keep myself busy with Twitter since I don't know what I should say to him. It feels strange all of a sudden.
"Junhyung," Gikwang starts the conversation first. I glance at him, having a feeling what he will say already. "Do you still have a feeling for Rima?"
I clear my throat, trying to keep myself calm, "Why do you ask me that question all of a sudden?"
"I... It's... It's complicated, Junhyung," he sighs and looks above. "I wish I can explain to you."
"Since when did you can't explain things to me?" I raise my eyebrow. "We're brothers and I will not hide unnecessary things from you. If there is anything I can help, you know I will try my best."
Gikwang looks at me and then smiles sadly, "If someone asks you who will you choose between Rima and Hara, what is your answer?"
Why does he keep giving me a difficult question to answer? Seriously.
"It's unrelated question with our topic here, Gikwang," I try to avoid answering him. "Look, Gikwang, if you still-"
I stop when I hear footsteps approaching us. Yoseob is talking with Sora and Rima follows them behind. Strange enough I feel that her face looks troublesome.
"Well, that sounds good," Yoseob nods randomly and laughs. "Let's tell the good news then. Time is running out!"
"What good news?" Gikwang tilts his head. "Is there something new we need to know?"
"I asked Rima to perform on our wedding day and...," Sora takes a quick glance at Rima, "...she agreed. I think it will be good if she has a partner to perform."
A partner?
"Junhyung," Yoseob puts his hand on my shoulder and grins. "Prepare a good performance for us with Rima, okay?"
What?!
"W-wait a minute," Gikwang interrupts with confused expression while I'm still in the shock state with wide eyes. "Rima is still hiding her identity from public, right? Are you sure it's alright if she perform?"
"They will perform as my friends, not the idol and the composer," Sora answers with her usual monotone. "Who can complain about having good friends performing on my wedding day?"
Sora and her usual undeniable statement.
My eyes meet with Rima's and she quickly avoids my gaze, covering with her back hand; her usual gesture whenever she's blushing.
Wait. Why is she blushing?
✗ Kim Rima ✗
"Thank you for your help today, Rima," Sora smiles to me when we almost reach my house. "Tell us if you have decided what you will perform."
I give an awkward smile as my reply and simply nod to her. I secretly glance at Junhyung who is looking out through the window. Looks like he doesn't pay attention at all.
At first I agreed with Sora's request since it's the request from a soon-to-be-bride herself. However I didn't know that she would ask me to perform with someone else.
"It's your choice who will you choose as your partner," Sora told me. "As long as it's one of the BEAST's members. Each of them are my best friends and I will be more than just happy if you perform on my wedding day with them."
I pursed my lips and I was deep in my thought. I could never choose Yoseob since he was the groom. I was not close with Hyunseung and Dongwoon.
Perhaps Doojoon was the safest choice but I felt like it would be better if I chose someone who had worked with me before: Junhyung or Gikwang.
"You know that I will not choose Gikwang, don't you?" I asked Sora, wondering what she was trying to do with her favor.
"Even if you didn't tell me what happened between you and Gikwang, I still would ask you to perform," she answered calmly. "It's your call. Don't assume things too much, Rima."
I closed my eyes, trying to think about the question once again before I finally decided my question, "I guess I will work better with Junhyung."
Sora crossed her arms together, "I just hope you don't do that because you want to avoid Gikwang."
My heart skipped a beat when she mentioned Gikwang's name but I quickly answered her, "No. I just have better chemistry with Junhyung. Things like that."
Our conversation was stopped when Yoseob found us and asked us to join them since we were going to return.
"Good night," I bid them goodbye after the van stops right in front of my house. I wave to Sora, trying my best to keep the random thoughts in my head as nothing.
I turn around, ready to step inside my house but a voice stops me, "Rima!"
Junhyung approaches me while the van is waiting for him. He clears his throat nervously, "About your choice... Is there any specific reason why you choose me?"
"Well, we worked together before," I answer his question shortly. That's actually an honest answer. "Do you mind if you become my partner?"
"I will mind if you actually choose me because you want to avoid Gikwang," he answers firmly; his gaze pierces me. "Rima, promise me something. No. You can take this as a challenge."
"After we finish the preparation for our performance...," he stops for a moment, making me to become really nervous, "...will you try to forget Gikwang?"
I swear my heart stops beating for a second when I hear his question. Is he trying to make a joke?
"W-What are you talking about?" I retort with disbelief. "What does our performance have to do with Gikwang?"
"Because I think we can't be just friends, Rima."
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