07 | The Question
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Yong Junhyung ✗
I take a quick glance of the girl who is sitting in front of me while I am leaning against the wall, right next to the door in silence. She is checking the music book on her laps, reading through the notes once again.
Five days have passed since the day Rima stayed in her new apartment and started to help me with composing music for BEAST's new album. Thanks to her I managed to finish a song before the weekend arrived and I didn't get scold by anyone.
I may not know things about this Seo Rima except the fact that she has some family issues and needs my help through one thing and another including using my name for the authority of her place. I also know that she is a really confident girl who thinks pretty much optimistic compared to other girls I know.
However, one thing for sure, her talent of absolute pitch is indeed one of the best things musicians will be happy to have.
I was waiting for Rima to open the door for twenty minutes already. Was it possible that she had already fallen asleep?
I just returned from my schedule with BEAST and I needed to meet her as soon as possible because I wanted to discuss about the way she would help me. My deadline was close and I couldn't risk my belief over a stranger.
There was a possibility that she was hired by someone to dig out issues from BEAST, right? Who knew that she was going to publish about my lack in composing music... or perhaps I was thinking too much due to my busy schedule.
Yah, Yong Junhyung, this was not a movie.
"Junhyung," Gikwang's voice snapped me back to my senses. I straightened my body and turned to see both Rima and Gikwang were walking to my stand.
I frowned; were they two going out together or it's just a coincidence that Gikwang walked her back to her room?
Rima walked pass me and opened the door without a word. She pushed open the door and looked at me, "Are you going in?"
"I'm going back to our room then. I'll see you later then," Gikwang nodded slightly to me before flashed a smile to Rima. "Good night, Rima."
There's Gikwang, being the sweet and nice man for everyone. Though it's a shame that he was rejected by Sora but I was happy for Yoseob. Being the older one for them, I knew I must acted wise and thoughtful.
I hoped Gikwang would find the compatible one for him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you would come to find me," Rima said to me as I closed the door behind. "I guess it's about the music, right?"
Not feeling any curiosity about where she went out to with Gikwang since I could ask Gikwang by myself, I took off my shoes and stepped inside, "Yes. My deadline is this weekend and I don't have any notebook to use for now."
I had not even told my manager and Doojoon about the incident of my Mac last night. Maybe I needed to tell them later so I could work again with my own notebook soon.
There were papers scattered on the floor. Not to mention our albums I lent to her were also left on the floor.
"I've listened to all your songs already," she noticed that I was looking at the stuff and she collected them, putting all the albums on the table. "I guess you need to tell me about your concept for this new album."
Being a professional artist, I shoved away all random thoughts in my head and started to tell her the information she needed to help me. She was quick in catching up the information as she wrote them down on her notes.
"Are you free tomorrow night?" she suddenly asked me when I had finished my explanation. "I think I will buy a musical instrument to help me composing the notes you need tomorrow morning."
"Sure...," I murmured as a random thought crossed my mind: where did she got the money to buy the instrument she needed?
How would she survive without her parents while she was not working? If she's willing to even buy a musical instrument to help me, was it fair to her that I would not credit her for her work in the future?
I was not that sly.
"Rima, do you have any job?" I asked her. She looked up at me and I continued, "What do you think about working as music composer?"
And here we are, waiting for President Hong of CUBE Entertainment to meet with us so I can explain the situation to him.
I don't understand why I feel nervous while the girl who needs my help looks really calm compared to me. I wonder if she ever feels nervous after all.
The clicked sound of the door captures my attention.
✗ Kim Rima ✗
"Seo Rima?" the President of CUBE Entertainment looks at me with examining look while he is sitting on his chair. "Junhyung has told me about you and your absolute pitch talent."
After days passed, Junhyung has assured me to meet with President Hong as he wanted me to get a job for myself. As much as I want to avoid the necessity of working because I don't want people to know about my real identity, perhaps working as a music composer is the only way I can prove to my father that music is my passion in life.
I agreed with Junhyung and he was more excited when I finished the first song for BEAST right before his deadline. Now that I have bought a new musical keyboard I can use in my apartment, I help him to compose musical notes for the rest of the album.
Thinking it through, I finally made up my mind that I will tell President Hong about my real identity and ask his help to hide it from the others. Let's say that I am a risk taker in confronting an issue.
Now I need to think how to tell him without Junhyung's presence.
"Junhyung," President Hong speaks out with a gentle smile, "can you leave us for a moment? I need to talk with Rima. Just person to person. It won't take long."
Junhyung gives a confused look but then he bows politely and excuses himself, walking out from the office room.
"Junhyung asked me to put you as their music composer for this album and if you show us a good job, he asked me to consider you as a permanent music composer for CUBE," President Hong explains briefly. "Is this what you want?"
I take a deep breath and state calmly, "I need to prove that music is everything for me."
President Hong looks interested with my statement because he blinks and mumbles, "Do tell me about your story, Rima."
I tell him that my name is Kim Rima, the only daughter of Kim family. As I thought, President Hong knows about the news where I supposed to show up in the welcoming party. I show him my identity card as the proof and I explain about the situation happens between me and my father.
"So you want to show your father that your passion of music is not only a random dream, right?" he comments when I have finished my sentences. "Are you sure that this is a good thing to do? I am a father too, you know. I don't think I will be happy to let go of my daughter like this."
"I'm not a little kid anymore," I state briefly, looking at him directly. "I know what I'm doing and I know you can understand my passion towards music."
President Hong smiles sheepishly and intertwines his fingers together, "You are a really confident girl, Rima. I must admit that I like that side of you, young lady."
Not sure about what to do, I only blink, waiting for him to announce about whether he will agree to give me the job or not.
I know everything sounds too good to be true. I ran away from my house and met a stranger who helped me to find a new place to stay. He then gave me an offer to a job which I need to take if I want to make my father believe me.
I hope this is not only the sequence of lucky events which will be followed by sorrow in the end.
"I need you to make me a CV and a resume," he mutters. "I'm not going to slide things off just because you're the daughter of Kim family. I will treat you as a professional."
As soon as I notice his words are serious, I bow to him and reply, "I will be glad to work with a professional."
"Good. I need you to hand over your file within two days and...," he hesitates for seconds, "...are you sure that I can keep your secret? What if I tell the others about you?"
"I believe in you," I blurt out without even thinking twice and he gives me wide eyes, nodding with amusement because of my answer.
"Since I need to hide your identity due to your request, I also have a condition you need to stick with," President Hong looks at me with a smile. "Can you agree with it?"
✗ Yong Junhyung ✗
I am standing next to Rima while she is trying to figure some new notes to rhyme with her keyboard. She frowns and then tries another notes combination once again.
After she finished her conversation with President Hong, I was invited once again and President told me that he would agree with the deal where my cousin will work as BEAST's personal music composer for this album. He agreed to hide her identity as my cousin to prevent any rumors to appear in public.
The other members already knew that I lost my notebook and I only told them that Rima could help me with composing music so I often took my time to meet her in her room. However they have no idea that I am helping her in shadows; even today's meeting with President Hong is a secret since I only told them that I went out to help her to buy something.
The thought of Rima is my real cousin makes them believe that I have a really good relationship with her yet they don't understand why Rima never joined us for lunch or dinner.
She is still doing our deal that we only help each other as what we agreed before; I helped her to find a place to stay and she would help me to compose the music I need.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Now I even helped her to find a job. Actually I think it's kind of a necessary for me because her works will be credited as my work instead of hers.
As soon as we returned to our apartment building, I joined her in her room because I want to finish the second soon quickly.
We don't talk much even though we're often alone in a room. Just like what's happening right now. We only talk about music, BEAST's career in music, and sometimes she talks about other musical stuffs.
Nothing personal. Nothing more than that. Everything is in the line.
"Don't you have any schedule for today?" she asks but her eyes never leave the musical notes. "It's already 3 PM now."
"I'm free for today," I answer her calmly, listening to the notes she is playing. "I want to finish the song as soon as possible."
"I see...," she murmurs and slowly stops playing the keyboard. She looks up and glances at me, "Can I ask you something?"
I frown, wondering about what she is going to ask, "What is it?"
"Why did you break up with Hara?"
Her sudden question catches me off guard as my eyes widen in surprise. Why does she even ask me this question?
"Why do you even ask?" I ask her coldly, trying not to act too rude towards her. "I think we've agreed that no personal question is allowed."
Usually people will stop asking a question after the cold reply but I think Rima is just too arrogant to accept that kind of answer from me.
"Is it true that she is the one who called off the relationship?" Rima asks another question without any hesitation.
I hold my breath and walk away with uneasy feeling; I don't even want to remember about my break up with Hara and she, the stranger who just appeared from no where, has a gut to ask me about my past.
"I'll be back later," I murmur, wearing my shoes without looking at her. "Just continue your work."
Without waiting for her reply, I leave her apartment, heading straight back to my own apartment, feeling the unwanted memories come back to my mind once again.
"Why did you break up with Hara?"
The question keeps lingering with my mind.
__________
Author's Note:
I am so sorry for the infrequent update recently due to my schedule lately. I will start my holiday tomorrow so I can assure you that I will have my update regularly starting from tomorrow.
I hope you will enjoy this story. Thank you. :)
I hope you will enjoy this story. Thank you. :)
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