Trial Date Pt. 2: The Answer
Without a TraceBACK WITH AN UPDATE! :D
Well, vacation was pretty fun and I got up on a wakeboard and skis! Whoop! But there were so many spiders...
ANYWAY THERE WERE SO MANY COMEBACKS AND I JUST COULDN'T. Btw, my songs were on shuffle and Infinite's 엄마 came on, and that's my inspiration for the composing part. I know it's not a Teen Top song, but it's really prettt, but feel free to use whatever! ^^
Ok sorry back to the story!!!
Throughout the car ride, silence filled the air. How could it not be? The movie called for horror and screaming, but the people around made it feel like it was a romantic chick-flick or something. So, the only thing that could be heard was the rain falling on the car.
Saejin continued to look out the window and take in the scenery, since something felt a little odd. "Are we... on the way to school?"
L.joe looked over at her for a split second then nervously smiled while focusing his attention back on the road. "You catch on quick. Honestly, it was kind of a last minute thing."
"What are we gonna do there?"
"Hey, it's a secret, I told you." He replied. "And trust me, it's a pretty big surprise if you ask me." L.joe coughed in his hand. "So, uh, was that Johye I saw earlier?"
"You mean when you picked me up? Yeah." Saejin confirmed with a nod.
He shifted a bit. "Why was she there? Did I interrupt your girl time or something?"
Saejin shook her head. "Not exactly. My sister and I actually invited her to help me get ready. She picked out my clothes actually." She looked down at herself. "It's not too nice is it? I didn't want to overdress."
L.joe furiously shook his head. "That's not it at all! You look really pretty today!" He blurted to reassure her. He dared to sneak a look over to the passenger seat to see her staring, speechless, at him, and he became a bit flustered. "Wh-what? I'm just saying.." He trailed off. And undoubtedly in his mind, he wasn't lying at all. He almost preferred this look to the one she wore to the party. It was more... Saejin.
To both of their relief, L.joe made a quick turn to he parking lot and turned off the engine as quickly as he could and got out to open Saejin's door for her.
They reached the building doors, still stuck under the pouring rain. L.joe fumbled with the keys out of impatience and just plain nervousness.
Saejin cocked an eyebrow. "How did you get the keys to school?"
"Eh, you know, my dad knows someone, the whole story." Lie, it was for a job. He shrugged, finally unlocking the door, allowing them access. He resolved to finally take CAP's advice and practice with keys and locks, because honestly, that was one of his biggest problem on the jobs and the duty was passed on to Niel.
"Gosh, it's so empty." Saejin commented at the empty halls and classrooms. The lights one by one and the two made their way down the hall, passing by lockers and a very dark lunchroom.
"Creepy, right?" L.joe smiled playfully, earning a scoff. "I gotta warn you though, this is something very secret, okay? Don't laugh."
"I'm not gonna-"
"Don't." He cut her off, hand on a door handle. He shook his head. "Don't."
Saejin sighed, then looked around. "Hey, that's my locker! So that's- Byunghun, you brought me to the music room?"
He didn't nod or say a word. He just turned around and unlocked the music room doors and the lights. Just like he had placed them after school on Friday, everything- chairs, stands, instruments- was pushed back against the wall, with a lone piano in the middle of the room.
Saejin looked from the piano to L.joe, then looked at him questioningly as he closed the door and strode over to sit on the bench, facing her still. "Not many people know this, only a handful. You know, my family and the guys."
Saejin blinked, taken by surprise. "You play piano?"
Closing his eyes, L.joe nodded. "Just a bit, I haven't practiced in a while though." With jobs, and a certain person. He turned his body to the keys, in position and started to play a melody.
Saejin couldn't help but stand there. It sounded so smooth and emotional. She also noted that he was playing without sheet music, so he must have practiced a lot. It was worth it too, because it was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever heard. It was calming and relaxing, with barely any mistakes.
She was still in that position when the music abruptly stopped. The song flowed so smoothly, she could picture the melody going on and on...
"It's a waltz by Brahms. That's only the first part, the music is at home." Since this was out of the blue. "So? How was it?"
"It was... amazing." She said, completely honest. "That was beautiful, Byunghun." She wished he could've played more, she could listen all day.
L.joe scratched the back of his head and smiled thoughtfully. "Thanks, Saejin." He scooted over to the left side of the bench and motioned for Saejin to sit on the other side.
Flushing, Saejin did what she was asked and sat down, curling her hair behind her ear.
"You wanna play?"
The question took her off guard. "What?"
"I can teach you how to play the melody. Obviously in another key, but, I can try." L.joe offered, waiting for her answer as she sat there, looking at the black and white keys.
Saejin nodded softly. Watching L.joe's hands position themselves, she did the same, 2 octaves higher.
They sat there for a good twenty minutes like that, learning to play a song. Whenever Saejin would mess up, L.joe would go slower so she could comprehend it easier. Sometimes he would knock her head lightly as a joke, but there were times he just watched her play since he played the melody countless times before. Her concentrated face was just so.. Peaceful in a way.
When Saejin finally got the hang of it, he surprised her by unexpectedly dropping out of the melody to play the accompaniment part.
"Just keep doing what you're doing." He told her when she hesitated. She nodded and before they knew it, it sounded like a full song. The harmony fit so well, and L.joe didn't admit to Saejin, but he actually repeated the part three times because he didn't want it to end. Unknown to him, Saejin didn't either.
They finally stopped playing after a while, and just stared into the distance.
"What was that?" Saejin spoke up.
"Actually, that was a song I made myself. The melody just came to me one day and I wrote it down." He answered. "I wanted to play that with someone since its kinda hard to play with three hands." He joked.
Saejin smiled shyly and avoided his eyes from embarrassment, in the process, spotting something in the corner of the music room. She rose from the seat and walked over.
"Whose instruments are these?" She called.
"Uh, I think the school owns them, I'm not sure. Why?" He wondered watching her eye different cases.
Saejin picked a particular one up and started getting it out. Before she was done, she turned to him. "You told me a secret and I'll tell you one too. Actually I play something too."
L.joe raised an eyebrow and held in laughter. A tough girl like her playing an instrument. Then again, he couldn't discriminate, she just played the piano melody fine.
Rising to her feet, Saejin fixed the shoulder rest on the random violin she found and tightened the bow. "Actually, back in Busan, I played the violin for a number of years. I think I still have mine, but we packed it somewhere." She shrugged.
"You, play violin?" He still couldn't understand it.
She shot him a hurt look. "Are you saying I can't? Then be prepared to be proven wrong." She nestled the violin on her shoulder and started to play a simple Mozart song she remembered. She had to improvise a littl bit since it had been a while.
L.joe sat back and watched Saejin be confident. He smiled to himself. What couldn't she do? She kept on proving him wrong today it seemed like.
Although it wasn't as put together as well as L.joe's song, she managed to finish with few slip ups. She quickly realized that she hadn't played for a long time in front of anybody, yet she just played part of a song. Heck, she never wanted to play in front of her friends back in Busan. What was that just now?
L.joe cut off the silence in the room and clapped with a grin on his face. "Well Song Saejin, you've showed me up once again. You're not bad, I have to admit."
Saejin jokingly rolled her eyes and put the violin away and out it back where it belonged without a word.
"We should play together sometime." He offered. "You on the violin and me accompanying you on the piano." He set a hand on the piano, looking at it. "Who knows, we could actually be good."
Saejin laughed and sat back down next to him. "Actually, I quit because my family had to fund for Hyejin's academics overseas. Don't tell her though. I told my family that I didn't want to play anymore."
"But why-"
"I don't know," she admitted. "It seemed silly to me if I were to stop unnie's dream and career for something I wouldn't even pursue and that was just a side thing. I mean, I practiced on my own when I was at home by myself, but I didn't take lessons anymore. That was the year my grades went up too." She shrugged, getting on the bright side. "So I guess it was a win-win for unnie and me."
L.joe saw her point, but was still happy hearing how selfless she was with her sister. "That was nice of you Saejin, I mean it." He looked her in the eyes. "You know, my parents actually gave up on me learning because I hurt my arm in an accident. It wasn't that bad, but I still have a scar." He turned his hand over and showed her his forearm where indeed, there was a faint white line. "I had to get stitches because it was pretty deep. But I still wanted to play, so I do in my spare time. So now only the guys and Jongjun hyung know about me playing."
Saejin asked. "Are you the only one who knows that song? Did you teach it to the guys?"
He shook his head slowly and pursed his lips. "Nope. You're the only one. And to be honest, I'm hoping to put some lyrics to that melody. I can't even get started either."
A little bit of Saejin's heart clutched when she heard that she was the only one who knew about the self-composed song. Especially since it was really good. She ended up biting her lip and looking at him again.
Suddenly, the two felt heat on their faces. L.joe turned around. "Hey look, the sun came out." He noted, then checked the time. It was around time for him to take Saejin back home, to his unhappiness.
"So, how about it?" L.joe asked.
"How about what?"
"Want to date me?" He asked straightforwardly, causing Saejin to blush and stammer. "I won't make you feel pressured and I won't be obsessive, I promise." He held up a hand as if taking an oath. He tried to hide his nervousness inside.
Saejin thought about it. If she said yes, they would date freely. They could keep hanging out. But if she said no, it would make an awkward atmosphere around them but they would still keep going as friends. But there was still that nagging in her.
"But if you're not even a bit possessive, I'll be taken away." She answered, getting up and heading to the door. She turned off the lights in the room and took a deep breath. "You coming?"
L.joe blinked up at her with an unreadable expression. "W-wait, s-s-so is th-that a yes or a no, I can't tell-" he was cut off by the sound of a door closing, and he realized he was alone in the music room. But he had his hopes high as he got the keys out of his pocket and ran after Saejin down the hallway. "Wait for me! I'm coming!"
------------------
They reached Saejin's house later, straight after leaving school. The whole ride, L.joe was questioning Saejin about whether the answer was yes or no, since she didn't answer with a definite answer, he thought.
Before Saejin opened the gate, she faced L.joe, who was still asking questions to make sure he was right. He even stepped in front of her from entering her house, he was so driven. "Song Saejin, I am asking you to clarify yourself here, I'm so very confused at what the hell you said back there so if you really could just put my heart and mind at ease and tell me if you-"
Saejin boldly stepped up and pecked his cheek before walking past him and opening the gate, closing it behind her, separating her and L.joe.
Both leaned on the gate and stayed like that for a while, looking at the sky.
L.joe slowly raised his hand and put it on his cheek where Saejin had kissed him. A smile slowly spread across his face at the realization of what just happened.
On the other side, Saejin was blushing like crazy. There's your answer, you dense idiot. She held in her smile and went inside.
Comments