2017/06/21, D-275

He was called to Mr. Shen’s office the day after the company’s workshop in Jeju Island. As a golden boy to Shen Sunbaenim, he didn’t feel pressured as he had been to this place for multiple times. As informed in advance by Shen Sunbaenim, the meeting was about the last minute performance the company would like to slot in for the upcoming SMTOWN LIVE world tour. If that’s the case, there should be another person expected to be present. And there she is.

She was nervous as hell as she was waiting to be called outside Mr. Shen’s office. She had been working so hard this year on her diet and weight control. But hardly got any chance to have any side project like an OST she thought she deserved to have as main vocalist in the group. She guessed that the meeting is about something like that? Maybe she had finally met the SM standard to be presented on a solo stage?

“It’s you again,” knowing how she usually took time to warm up to people, he tried to skip the formality and make a light entrance.

“Chanyeol sunbaenim,” she stood up right away from her seat and greeted him formally, “I have no idea you are involved as well.”

“Oh my... it seems that the company has another malice plan for the two of us again,” he joked but stating the obvious. First was the collaboration of rap performance in Dream Concert 2015, then it came another group performance in SMA 2016. Earlier this year, when both of their groups shot another advertisement together, the director intentionally put them together in the same scene.

He just couldn’t see their correlations in appearance, skill sets nor temperament. Of course she was pretty enough and perhaps the most talented in her group. But to be honest, he was the tallest in his group and she was the shortest among her infamous smol members, hence very likely the greatest height difference in Kpop. He was the rapper and she was the main vocalist. He was passionate and outgoing but she was shy and timid. He had wondered again and again what the company could possibly hoping to achieve by putting the two of them together.

“If you are so disappointed of seeing me, I can tell Shen Sunbaenim right away to take me out of this project, whatever it is,” she said mischievously.

“Ouch, that would not help my reputation. Everyone in this building knows you are kind like an angel and wouldn’t refuse people,” he said, “if you don't want to work with me, it only shows how bad I am as a person!”

“That’s over-exaggerating,” she laughed, “seriously, I can think of ways to get out of your hair without damaging your reputation.”

“Save it. I want you to be part of it and I know you won’t refuse it,” he said proudly, paused for a moment at her expectant look and announced, “it is the Stay With Me Goblin OST duet performance.”

❧

As it turnt out, the meeting wasn’t entirely about the collaboration of the two in SMTOWN world tour. Shen’s plan was to get him to sing duets with idols from different girl group in the overseas KCONs held in the second half of the year, including Yuju (Gfriend), Seola (WJSN), Soyou (Sistar) etc.

This was not what he predicted. He totally understood the company’s need to befriend with other agencies. But God knew how much hate he got from his last collaboration stage with Naeun from Twice (same applied to her). And these cooperations felt like random shots and he felt like ing his presence on stage for some useless PR.

Listening quietly to Shen sunbaenim’s monologue, she concluded that she was merely an accessory in this act and once again felt her inadequacy as an idol. It had always been the same story. She was intended to be the face of the group, but was outshined by her members in every way, beauty compared to Irene, stage presence to seulgi, personality to Joy and confidence to Yeri.

How she longed to be as capable as chanyeol sunbaenaim. He could match any of the idols mentioned and would only bring up their popularity, if not mutually. Anyone who worked with him anticipated the fame and trending topics came with it, instead of just a pleasant working experience.

“Wendy Xi, I hope you grasp this chance to bring up yourself. I am fully confident that your vocal will be out of this world as I have witnessed your improvement and attention to details in your every performance,” Shen complimented her kindly, which made her blush prettily, then mocked his favorite golden boy, “hopefully Chanyeol Xi will learn something from you. And bring you some publicity in exchange.”

“Shen Sunbaenim, this is so unfair. Wendy Xi could have learnt something from me too,” he complained. Why was everybody still using him to get trendy but not recognizing his talent and passion for music? 

“That’s the beauty of this arrangement,” Shen winked, “here I am, bringing you a partner being recognized of her true talents than her looks. You guys will complement each other well.”

❧

“Thank you, Chanyeol Sunbaenim,” she said as the two retreated to the practice room upstairs, “I know you must have put some good words for me in front of Shen Sunbaenim.”

“Nah, I was just joking,” he clarified, “he had been trying to get you into some projects. I didn’t initiate anything or even know about it until he asked for my opinion. And I said yes of course.”

Enough of the courtesy, the two quickly brought out their phones, looked up the lyrics and discussed their parts on the song. He rarely saw this side of her. She was often passive and looked out for her members on the stage. She was now free and eager to voice out her ideas on the song. She took lead if it came to music, despite the fact that he was the sunbae and the original singer.

This is going to be fun. As she dutifully dropped down the notes of discussion, he watched her as he mindlessly picked up the guitar at the corner of the room and played one of his favorite tunes. He hummed as the lyrics of the song popped up in his mind.

...You're just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In a beautiful world...

He believed he could finally see the similarity between the two of them. With her presence in the room, the mood could never been dull. They were always the happy virus or the vitamin in the group. Though they sometimes had their own contemplation, or ups and downs, they always endeavored to make others feel comfortable and joyful.

Creep Cover by Chanyeol
https://youtu.be/bGlnn5JNoVA