ZELO - Beautiful Stranger

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Zelo had a huge crush on the new girl.

 His hyungs every single time she was in the same room with them. She was a new intern and she came from America. He was excited when he heard that an intern from America will be working with them. He liked that she spoke English, but he didn't think he would developed a crush. He really had an innocent idea of learning more English from her, but everything about her was so perfect.

The way she laughed, her eyes formed a crescent moon shape when she smiled. Her accent when she spoke in Korean and her frustrated face when she couldn't think of the right word. He liked just about everything about her. He liked her sense of fashion. She wasn't one who wore cute clothes; she was far from being girly. Her style was like his and he liked that a little bit too much. He liked that she wore Jays instead of heels; actually she wore anything but heels. Her style was edgy a little bit punk rock, and a little bit street hip hop.

 She was the first girl he met that wore the brands he did. She wore it with confidence despite it being highly popular among the male population. In other words, she looked good in it. She always greeted him with a bright smile and every single time he felt his heart beat uncontrollably fast.

 He tried to talk to her as calmly as he can, he didn't want to be a weirdo around her. But every time he tried to talk he always stuttered his words and ended up embarrassing himself. She found it profoundly adorable that he stuttered whenever he tried talking. He is young, very young. She always found him adorable and cute, but he wasn't the only one.

Zelo knows that she thinks Jongup is cute too, and the same goes to Youngjae, Daehyun, Himchan, and Yongguk. He wanted to be the only cute one. He didn't want to sound greedy. He really didn't, but he couldn't stop himself from feeling sad and jealous whenever she smiled and laughed at all the other hyungs jokes and antics. He wanted her to laugh when he makes jokes too. He wanted to show her his cool side.

But he didn't have a cool side.

 He didn't have the natural bad boy look like Yongguk or a handsome face like Himchan. He wasn't smart and intelligent like Youngjae nor was he a soulful singer like Daehyun. He didn't have the cute eye smile like Jongup either. It's silly of him to compare himself, but there had to be something that she might find attractive besides being cute. His silly thoughts sometimes irritated him. He didn't know why this stressed him out. He should be happy that his fans like him, right?

He overheard Youngjae say something about how she likes it when he raps. Silly as he can be, Zelo was smiling like a fool. How is it that this girl, five years older than him, can turn him into a complete fool? He was like a puppy that endlessly followed his owner, despite only receiving her unconditional love.

"Maybe I should write a rap for Nuna." He mumbled to himself. He wants to impress her, badly. He isn't experienced in love. He never really liked a girl before, sure there were other girls who he found pretty, but not like this. They didn't make his heart race faster; make him lose his trace of thoughts.

 They didn't give him butterflies nor made his cheeks turn bright pink when he saw them. He knew this feeling was different; a feeling that he never felt before. Yongguk teased the maknae and told him the maknae is experiencing 'puppy love.' Zelo doesn't even know what that means. Himchan gave Zelo a lot of advices, more than he can ask for. Zelo sort of put himself lower than her because she is his Nuna.

 "You have to make her see you as a man." Himchan said. "You have to show her that despite your young age you are a man!" He pumped his fist in the dry air.

Zelo scratched his head. "But...wouldn't that mean I would have to disrespect her?"

Himchan shook his head dismayed. It was a lot harder than Himchan had imagined. Zelo was a little difficult to get through to. Zelo didn't want to disrespect her. That would make her angry and Zelo will be sad because then he won't be able to see her anymore.

Zelo decided he will do it his own way; whatever that means to him. He's just going to be himself because he doesn't know how or what to do to get her attention. "Hi Zelo," the intern said. Her sweet smile was killing him.  He was lost in her eyes and she giggled. She thought he looked so cute when he looked lost.

"Oh...Hi nuna." He finally managed to say. She patted his head and left to attend the needs of the stylists'. Zelo cursed himself for being so stupid and slow. He felt utterly stupid for staring at her and taking so long to say 'hi' back.

"Don't be too hard on yourself kid," the leader said. Zelo turned to look at the leader who was giving him an encouraging smile.

"I don't know what to do hyung," he confessed. Yongguk saw the frustration and sadness in his fellow member's face. Yongguk sighed. He wasn't good at situations like this, but he knows he has to say something.

"Why don't you write about it instead of trying to say it?" Yongguk suggested. "Treat it as you are writing lyrics like I do." The leader's suggestion wasn't bad at all. Zelo could write it out as a rap, like how he was planning before, and simply use that to confess. It can help him in being more comfortable with writing his own lyrics in the future. He smiled just the thought of it excites him. He thought about what he should write about. Should he write about how beautiful she is? Or should he write about how much of a fool he's turned into because of her? He wanted to write about everything.

In between schedules, he'd pull out his phone and jot down a few lines here and there. He reread each and every line trying to create a rhythm to make sure they rhymed. He erased some, then added some, crossed some out all the while feeling a little frustrated. It wasn't supposed to be this difficult. He'd practiced the pitch debating whether he should go low on this part or high. He wondered if he should rap it lightning fast or go slow and soft. He mumbled to his own lyrics bobbing his head side to side.

He caught himself smiling like a fool whenever he thought of seeing her smiling face when he raps this to her. Choi Junhong, you are such an idiot. Today was the day. He was nervous, so nervous he wanted to back out, but he must not. He paced back and forth in one of the dance rooms. He didn't know if she would come. Jongup came running inside and gave him a thumbs up. Zelo shyly smiled. Jongup successfully lured her in. She opened the door and poked her head inside. She smiled when she saw Zelo and happily came inside. "Oh Zelo, you're not going home yet?" She asked making her way to him. He nervously smiled and scratched his head.

"Sungrin nuna there's something I want to tell you." She tilted her head waiting. He grabbed her hand and moved her to the center of floor. He quickly ran to press the play button on the boom box and cleared his throat.

She stood there waiting for whatever he needed to tell her. The music started and Zelo turned his cap the other way. He slowly walked towards her and started to rap.

"I know I'm just a kid, but is it too much of me to say Nuna I like you. Day and night you’re all I think about. I know I'm not great like them other guys, but I know whenever in with you I feel happiness I've never felt before. Age is just a number. Love is forever. Nuna, I like you more than cherry tomatoes. Let me be your skateboard and I'll take you to your every destination. I'm young but don't let that fool you. I can be more of a man than you think I am. Even if you don't like me, that's alright. As long as you know how I feel about you I'm happy."

 He shyly lowered his head after the end of his rap. Sungrin stared at him astonished. His cheeks were burning and he never felt smaller. Sungrin took a step forward and placed her hand on his chin. She lifted his head to meet hers. She stretched her neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. His mouth dropped open and she smiled. He smiled back at her. Sungrin took his hands in hers and interlocked them. He lowered his head and pressed their foreheads against one another. She smiled and he smiled at how happy his heart is right now.

It was more perfect than he had imagined. He felt tingly all over and he really wanted to jump up and down from happiness. She couldn't stop smiling. Everything about the song was perfect. He pulled her into a right embrace. They didn't say anything but their actions was clear enough to show that they both felt the same way.