[Yoomi POV]

“I’ll be going first!” I told Jooyeon as my replacement walked through the swinging back door. Sighing after a long day of work, I removed my apron and left the amusement park with my guitar.

The sky was still bright and the orange ball hung low in the sky. It was still early for my gig downtown so I decided to go to the nearby park and practice there.

As I entered the quiet neighbourhood, sad euphonious music filled the atmosphere, sending chills up my spine. I looked around to see who was playing the harmonica melodiously but no one was in sight.

I closed my eyes and let the music guide me. The source of the mysterious melody came from behind the huge playground pipes.

Taking out my guitar to freedom of its case, I sat down on a nearby bench and strummed to the melody. There was a pause of surprise but the stranger continued playing. Soon I was drowned in the soulful euphony.

“Omo! I’m late!” realising the sun had set down, I set my best friend in its case and ran as if a horde of banshees were on my tail.

[Harmonica Guy POV]

I was surprised to hear the strumming of guitar, I didn’t notice some else was here. I pay no heed and continued. After quite a while, I contemplated whether to face the anonymous guitarist when she gasped.

“Omo! I’m late!” and quick heavy footsteps followed.

I heaved a sigh, slightly disappointed, and walked to the other side of the giant pipe as I slid my harmonica into the pocket of my jeans. I gazed around the empty park and decided to leave when something caught at the corner of my eye. It was a guitar pick among the neatly kept grasses. It must be hers. Smiling, I picked it up and studied it.

‘Believe in Yourself’ was imprinted on it.

[Yoomi’s POV]

“I’m here!” I exclaimed in exhaustion as I leaned against the stair rail that leads the backstage to the stage. Myunghee unnie appeared at the top of the stairs, just finished with her performance with her bandmates.

In this underground club I would sometimes perform once or twice in a week. Compared to those normal clubs, this doesn’t have those techno clubbing music. Music here is performed, live.

“Just in time. 5 minutes to freshen up and prepare yourself. Ppali Yoomi! Ppali ppali!” she ushered me. Wiping my sweats away, I rearranged my bangs and reached into my pocket shirt. Empty. I searched all my pockets as panic began building up.

“show time!” MyungHee unnie called.

“Neh unnie, I can’t find my favourite lucky guitar pick,” my voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

“Mwo? Did you misplace it?”

“ani.. I was just using it just now when I played in the park. The park! I must have dropped it there!” I gripped her shoulders.

“There’s no time. Here borrow Ryuu’s first” she handed me Ryuu’s, the guitarist in her band, maroon pick.

“Yeh...” I took it with a heavy heart and dragged myself towards the stage, an uneasy feeling grew at the pit of my stomach as I stared out to the audience.

[3^rd Person POV]

“Hey Ji, where is this” Seunghyun grumbled, taking in the sight of the underground club. Where is the pumping clubbing music, where are the dancing hot girls? This place is so... boring, he fumed silently. He, who was in a relatively good mood earlier, was sulking like a little kid now.

“Patience hyung, you’ll see” Jiyong flashed him a smile, showing his crooked tooth that most ladies thought was cute.

“Save that silly grin of yours for the girls” Seunghyun punched Jiyong’s shoulder lightly and made his way towards a table that faced the stage at the center. 'Though I see there’s not much ladies around here’ he huffed again.

Jiyong sat next to Seunghyun and ordered drinks for them when a waiter came to take their orders. He looked at him sideways, amused by the little tantrums this older guy gave.

“I accidently found this place the other day. They have good live band performances,” Jiyong emphasized on the word ‘live’.

Seunghyun sat up straight and was about to retort something back to him when a girl walked onto the stage meekly. A smile crept to Jiyong face as he recognised her as one of the performers when he was here last time.

The older man looked at his chingu, one brow raised in puzzlement at his smile and turned to watch the girl on stage. A sudden expectation formed as Yoomi placed her guitar on her lap and adjusted the mic to her sitting level.

She introduced herself as her fingers playfully strummed and she began to sing in a low mellow voice. Seunghyun felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lips and his shoulders relaxed as he leaned back.

As the song reached to the middle, it stopped abruptly.

“Damn...” Yoomi cursed silently but her voice resounded through the speakers as the microphone was close to her lips. She blushed crimson red and frowned again, one of her string broke.

“Mianhamnida yeorobun. Seems like my guitar is rebelling against me” she smiled apologetically and the crowd chuckled at her small joke. Seunghyun smirked, amused to see how will she handle the situation.

“Shall I do an acapella instead?” she then began humming and drummed her hands on her guitar, plucking on the remaining strings to produce a different sound sometimes.

Interesting, Seunghyun thought, sensing the slight tremor in Yoomi’s voice as she ended her song.

Yoomi thanked her audience after her song ended and walked off the stage, her smile disappeared to a thin tight line. She felt a little nausea. It’s a miracle her voice didn’t crack just now. She wanted to run off the stage so bad but instead she just it all up.

After placing her guitar, Yoomi went from behind the stage to the bar side of the club. Her shoulders slumped as if the weight of the whole world in on her shoulders. Yoomi looked at Mugyul, the club owner who also working behind the counter as a bartender.

“Gwaenchana, Yoomi-sshi. You did well,” he smiled as he wiped the cocktail glasses.

“Mianhe...”

“Don’t think too much about it,” Mugyul assured her, doing a shoo-ing gesture with his hand.

“One shot?”

“Ahjusshi, you know I’m still underage” Yoomi chuckled at her boss’ attempt to cheer her up.

“Tsk.. you brat. I’m still young and handsome you know,” he feigned hurt. Yoomi shook her head in amusement when he turned to serve two girls their drinks. She waved him goodbye when he looked at her way and went backstage to retrieve her guitar, decided to retrace her steps to look for her guitar pick.

As Yoomi head to the front door of the club, she was approached by a guy with a toothy grin plastered on his face.

“Annyeonghaseyo!” Jiyong greeted her.

“ah, annyeonghaseyo” Yoomi greeted him back, tilted her head in confusion. He looked familiar to her but could not seem to recognise him.

“You don’t recognise me anymore Yoomi-shhi? Aishh.. breaks my heart” Jiyong’s left palm covered his heart while his right covered his face, feigning hurt.

“Ani ani ani.. who wouldn’t remember a cute guy like you” she flailed her arms. Jiyong chuckled at her nervous behaviour.

“Well, since you think I’m cute I’ll let you off. I’m Kwon Jiyong, I watched your performance last week” he introduced himself again.

“Ah! I remember. Annyeonghaseyo! Came to watch again? Sorry about the performance” Yoomi smiled sheepishly.

Seunghyun wondered where did Jiyong disappeared to, he went to take a call for a while and now he’s missing? He looked around the club briefly and found his talking with a girl. The girl whose guitar rebelled just now, Seunghyun smirked and head their way.

“Gwaenchana, it was a good performance. Anyways I wanted to introduce you to my hyung” Jiyong turned back and saw Seunghyun walking towards them “and speaking of the devil, here he comes.”

Yoomi stared at the taller man who stood beside Jiyong, his fierce eyes stared back at her. A small blush crept to Yoomi’s cheeks as she looked away, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

“Nice performance” his deep voice surprised Yoomi from her thoughts. She turned back at Seunghyun to see him smirking at her. ‘Was he being sarcastic?’ Yoomi fumed silently.

“Hyung, this is Lee Yoomi-sshi, Yoomi-sshi this is Choi Seunghyun”

Seunghyun looked at Yoomi with a demeaning expression.

‘What is this arrogant attitude?!’ she frowned.

“What are you staring at? Are you mesmerised by my good looks?” Seunghyun smirked.

“M-mw-mworago?! Don’t get ahead of yourself!” she stabbed a finger at Seunnghyun’s chest, her cheeks a little bit flushed. I don’t have time for this kind of person, she thought. Yoomi turned to Jiyong and bowed.

“Mianhe, I have to go” she bade goodbye.

“Ah, cheongmal? Well, see you around Yoomi-sshi” Jiyong waved and elbowed Seunghyun. He glared at Jiyong, there’s no need for him to bid her goodbye as well.

“Deh!” she looked at him then glared at Seunghyun ‘without that arrogant brat’ she muttered under her breathe.

“Hyung, that’s not the way to hit on girls” Jiyong told Seunghyun after Yoomi left. Seunghyun took his glass and silently stirred the liquid in it.

“Her? Me? Hitting on her? As if” he look baffled and quickly chugged his drink in a one shot.

‘Yeah right’ Jiyong rolled his eyes and drank too. >_>”

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[Next Day In School]

Mi Na stared out from her classroom window; it was after another boring Korean studies class. The room overlook the school’s field and there were guys playing soccer during PE.

She noticed one of the guys is Jaejoong who was passing ball with Junsu, if she remembered correctly.

“What are you staring at?” Yoomi sat in the unoccupied sit in front of Mi Na, her eyes followed to where she’s looking.

‘Why do I feel guilty even though he said it’s not my fault?’ she mused, too into her thoughts that she didn’t hear and notice Yoomi.

“Omo! Don’t tell me… You like Jaejoong?!” Yoomi exclaimed “wait wait.. that’s to be expected. He is the kingka of the school. But what about Jooyeon?” she looked at Jooyeon.

“What about me Yoomi?” she glared at her and Yoomi shrank back in defeat (^.^;;)

Jooyeon averted her gaze towards the window. She could easily spot Jaejoong.

Jaejoong wiped his sweats and looked up. He saw Jooyeon staring, more like glaring at him, and he couldn’t resist winking at her. Jooyeon rolled her eyes at him and turned her head away, still watching him at the corner of her eyes.

He chuckled and caught Mi Na looking at his way. He smiled at her but she remained expressionless. Must be lost in her world, he thought and wave at her again. This time she saw him and waved back.

‘Hmph, what with that sincere smile’ Jooyeon frowned.

Yoomi who was watching silently, shook her head in amusement.

-------

[After school]

‘I couldn’t find it yesterday cause it was so dark. Perhaps now I can look for it better’ Yoomi thought as she walked home alone. Suddenly a tall shadow loomed over her.

“Hey”

“Ack! Gawd… you surprised me there” Yoomi clutched her heart, taking deep breaths to slow it down.

“Mianhe” Jungshin glanced at her.

“Gwaenchana. Why are you here anyway? Where is your highness?” Yoomi asked.

“Your highness?”

“Your girlfriend”

“You mean MinHee? She’s not my girlfriend” he replied briefly.

“Really? That’s what Mi Na says. Kinda. But you two always stick together”

“That’s cause she’ll be my wife in the future,” his face hard to read, Yoomi couldn’t see if he was joking or being serious. opened and closed like a fish out of water.

“You look troubled just now” Jungshin changed the topic.

“Ah.. deh… I lost my favourite lucky guitar pick” she smiled sadly.

“Come on,” he walked faster.

“Deh?”

“Let’s look for it” Jungshin turned and smiled at her.

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-author's note-

HI EVERYONE!!! Its been long right? I took a long hiatus and extended it too >< GOMENASAI!! Very very very sorry. Thanks to those who commented and urging me. appreciate those =3 I hope you guys are still with me ><

So here's an update (FINALLY!). I just started my pre-u studies :O meaning I'll be busy b ut I'll make sure to update from time to time >< well, yeah.. I hope you enjoy reading this update! :D (comeback chapter AHAHAH the thought made me laugh XD)