I told you guys, I really miss High School Musical :( Haha. Anyway, an update again. Enjoy!~

 

P.S. Please check my author's note in the end ^^~

 

 

**

 

 

“Okay, okay. We’ll sing that one for the contest.” After almost an hour of arguing on what to sing as we randomly selected some songs on our phones, we finally agreed to one song.

 

It was a Saturday, and the competition is on Monday. We’re at some coffee shop in town. I said to my stepmom that I have something to do for school, and it took a while for her to agree. I wouldn’t want to sneak out again, it bothers my conscience.

 

 

“Next: the costume. We should at least dress properly for the contest.” I kept silent. He looked at me because I wasn’t talking.

 

“Don’t tell me you plan on wearing our school uniform?” I nodded. “Seriously, you have no fashion sense.” He stood up and I sit still while I looked at him, wondering why he is standing. “We’re going shopping, come on.”

 

“I don’t have money. And besides, can’t we just wear our uniform? What’s important is the performance.”

 

“This is a special occasion. It’s a contest. At least wear something nice.” He grabbed his things while I stayed in my place.

 

“Stand up or I’ll leave you here and just pick some random dress at the mall and make you wear it.” I stood up immediately, he smirked.

 

“And by the way, it’s my treat.”

 

“I don’t want to abuse your money, okay?” I said.

 

“You are not. It’s my choice, so don’t worry about it.” And after that I felt calm.

 

 

**

 

 

We arrived at the shopping mall after half an hour. We entered a shop that’s familiar. It felt like I have entered this shop before. When was that?

 

 

“It’s Hae Sung’s shop, stupid. We got our costumes for the dance competition from here.” Right, I knew that.

 

“Since you have no fashion sense, I’ll pick your clothes for you.” I felt my cheeks burn. What the hell, Byun Baekhyun?

 

“Can I pick my own clothes? I may not be comfortable with the ones you pick.

 

“Okay. Ask my permission first before purchasing it.”

 

“That’s a given, since you’re the one paying, right?” And he’s the one who’s stupid here.

 

“Yeah right.”

 

 

After scanning the dresses, I found a dress on which I was comfortable with. It was red and it was sleeveless, but it doesn’t expose my chest much, and I’m comfortable with that.

 

 

“How’s this?” I showed it to him.

 

He looked at the dress and it took him quite a while to answer back. “That looks nice. I guess you have some girly genes in your body somehow.”

 

“I am a girl, idiot.” But I’m happy he approved it. After setting with my clothes, I noticed that he hasn’t chosen one, yet. So I chose for him.

 

 

I scanned the clothes for men and found a nice white polo shirt with a read kinda-jacket that is placed over it. I proudly showed it to him and he actually liked it.

 

 

“It’s just your size, look.” I placed the piece of cloth over him. “Try it on, and I’ll try this one, too. Let’s see if it’ll be nice.” We headed to separate dressing rooms. I tried the dress on, and tugged a little at my sides. After a few moments, I went outside the small room. My eyes scanned the people in the store, and I saw him, with his back facing me. Even if it was just his back, he looked so handsome and manly.

 

“Hey,” I called. He turned around and I smiled.

 

“How’s the dress?” He was still not speaking.

 

“Yah.” He was alarmed after that.

 

“It’s nice. You’re nice.” That’s all?

 

“Thanks. You look nice, too.”

 

 

He paid for the clothes and we went out of the store. Next, we entered a shop that sells shoes.

 

 

“What are we doing here?” I asked. He looked at me, quite confused.

 

“We’re here to buy new pairs of shoes. Or would you like to dance barefoot?”

 

“But I still have some shoes at home.” The dress was quite expensive, and I am really getting uncomfortable with him treating me some goods.

 

“If you’re worrying about the money, it’s okay. You don’t have to feel indebted, alright?” He smiled at me.

 

“O-Okay. If you say so.” I went to the part of the store for the ladies’ shoes.

 

 

I picked up simple flats. They match the color of my dress, and I’m fine with that. I don’t want to wear heels because I might trip. Meanwhile, he chose a pair of red rubber shoes, which is perfectly matched with our clothes’ colors. He paid for it once again, and I can’t help but feel a pain in my chest whenever he gets a piece of paper bill out of his wallet.

 

 

“Should we eat?” He asked.

 

“I think we should. This time, my treat.” He looked at me, quite amused.

 

“I thought you don’t have money?”

 

“I have a few bills. But we won’t eat to some 5-star restaurant or the places you eat frequently. We’ll eat at some normal food chains, okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

“It’s okay with you?” I asked. The last time I forced him to eat something not fancy, it took a while for him to agree.

 

“Yeah. Who knows, maybe they can sell delicious food, too. I remember when you let me eat ddeokbokki, and I loved it more than any food I’ve ever tasted. I’m looking forward on what we’re going to eat today.” I smiled. Wow, he can be thoughtful sometimes.

 

 

And so I brought him to a normal restaurant. We had a normal meal: rice, chicken, and some vegetables. We had Sprite as our drinks. I enjoyed the food like always, while he seemed to have the time of his life.

 

 

After eating, we passed by a store full of stuffed toys.

 

 

Did I mention that I love stuffed toys?

 

 

I entered the store without any hesitation. I went to hug each and every one of them as I could. I scanned them all. I felt like I was in heaven.

 

 

Until Satan spoke to me.

 

 

“Such a kid you are. Let’s go home now.”

 

“Just a little more...” I said as I hugged a huge teddy bear for display.

 

“Excuse me, ma’am. Are you going to buy this?” The saleslady asked me. I immediately awakened my senses.

 

“Uhm, uh...sorry. I’ll go now,” I said and I ran out of the door.

 

 

As we walked our way, Byun Baekhyun laughed at my childishness.

 

 

“Seriously, I think the saleslady would’ve had the urge to throw you out the store because you kept hugging their items.” I pouted.

 

“Yah, I’m supposed to buy one but I have no money.”

 

“Well, that’s because you’re poor,” he teased.

 

 

And that day, I’ve never felt so moneyless.

 

 

**

 

 

Monday came. The students gathered on the grounds for the contest. Meanwhile, Byun Baekhyun and I were at the backstage. We picked the last number, which means we’re the last to perform.

 

 

“Okay. We still have much time to prepare ourselves.”

 

“I’m nervous,” I said. He held my shoulders and looked at me in the eyes.

 

“Don’t be. We’re going to win, remember?” He asked with a smile. I nodded, then he pinched my nose.

 

“I’ll go change my clothes. You go change yours, too,” I said because we’re still in our school uniforms.

 

“Okay. Fighting.” He pumped his fist. I did the same.

 

“Fighting.”

 

 

After I changed into the dress and went out of the Girls’ CR, I saw a familiar figure outside. I only saw the back of his body, so I’m not sure. I hesitated, but I called a name.

 

 

“Chanyeol?” He turned around and I saw my bestfriend with his toothy smile flashed on his face.

 

“Shin Jae-ya. Wow, you look so pretty.” I blushed at the statement.

 

“It’s still me, I just wore a dress.”

 

“But you look so beautiful right now.” He smiled sincerely at me.

 

“Don’t keep saying that or I might believe you,” I joked. I’m glad he’s in a happy mood now, unlike the last time I encountered him.

 

“You’re really gorgeous right now. Believe me, okay?” Why does it feel like I wanted to hear those words from someone else?

 

“Well, if you say so. By the way, what are you doing outside the Girls’ CR?” I asked with suspicion.

 

“Hey, I’m not a ert, okay? I just wanted to wish you good luck. I know you’ll win this one.” I smiled and hugged him. Really, he never failed to cheer me up.

 

“Thank you, Chanyeol-ah. I should get going now,” I said.

 

“Oh, right. I’ll be at the audience to cheer for you, okay? Goodluck!”

 

“Thanks!” I said and went to the backstage once again.

 

 

When it was our turn, he held my hand before whispering.

 

 

“We can do this, Shin Jae.”

 

“We can do this, Baekhyun,” I whispered back.

 

 

We walked to the stage and started singing.

 

 

You Are The Music In Me. Play for the music! :D

 

 

“Na na na na, na na na na, yeah, you are the music in me,” I started. I saw that people were amused. And I saw Chanyeol cheering for me, which made me smile more and boosted my confidence.

 

“You know the words ‘once upon a time’ make you listen. There’s a reason.”

 

“When you dream there's a chance you'll find a little laughter or happy ever after...” We started singing together.

 

“Your harmony to the melody, i's echoing inside my head.”

 

“A single voice.”

 

“Single voice,” he second-voiced.

 

“Above the noise.” And we sang together again.

 

“And like a common thread...” I looked at him.

 

“Mmm, you’re pulling me.” He held my hand and pulled me. I smiled and started singing again.

 

“When I hear my favorite song, I know that we belong.”

 

He sang again alone. “Oh, you are the music in me. Yeah it's living in all of us.”

 

“Yeah it's brought us here because, because you are the music in me.” And we sang our favorite part of the song.

 

“Na na na na oh, na na na na, yeah yeah yeah (na na na na). You are the music in me.” It was my solo part again.

 

“It's like I knew you before we met.”

 

“Before we met...”

 

“Can’t explain, there’s no name for it.”

 

“No name for it.”

 

“I'm saying words that I never said. And it was easy.” I loved the way he sang that note, and I gained up confidence again.

 

“So easy..”

 

“’Cause you see the real me.”

 

“I see you.” Indeed, I saw the real Byun Baekhyun. I smiled as we sang together as we looked at each other’s’ eyes.

 

“As I am, you understand. And that's more than we ever had.”

 

I sang. “To hear your voice.”

 

He echoed. “Hear your voice...”

 

“Above the noise.”

 

“Oh, oh.” I loved his style of singing just then and how our voices blended as if it was meant to be.

 

“I know, I'm not alone. Oh you're singing to me.”

 

“Ohh, yeah.” We felt like dancing to the song, and so did we. Everyone clapped their hands in tune to the beat.

 

“When I hear my favorite song, I know that we belong. You are the music in me.”

 

“It's living in all of us, and it's brought us here because you are the music in me.”

 

“Together we're gonna sing. We've got the power to sing what we feel, connected and real.” My heart skipped a beat as we sang those lyrics. Why?

 

 

Everyone sang to the ‘na na na na’ part since I know they knew the song. We finished the song with those final words that my heart wants to say.

 

 

“You are the music in me...” We stared at each other’s eyes as we spat out those words. I’m feeling it again.

 

 

I’m feeling what I’ve felt during the dance competition. This has happened before. We were just staring at each other’s eyes, and my heart is beating rapidly. I didn’t want to look away, but I did, and so did he. We bowed to the audience and thanked them and we went to the backstage again.

 

 

“That was great,” he said.

 

“Yeah. We did our best, right?”

 

“Right.”

 

 

After that, the winners were announced. Okay, I admit I’m still surprised when they announced us both as winners. I hugged Byun Baekhyun because of my happiness. He hugged me back and we smiled as we cheered for each other until we realized. We immediately parted and just accepted the award awkwardly. We thanked everyone for the support.

 

 

After the contest, we went back to the classroom to get our things. Our classmates congratulated us for a job well done. Chanyeol approached me and hugged me tight.

 

 

“I knew you can do it.”

 

“Thank you, Chanyeol-ah.”

 

“Shin Jae, let’s go home together,” I heard Baekhyun say.

 

“Okay. See you tomorrow, Chanyeol-ah.” I waved him goodbye. He seemed to have a forced smile after hearing that, and I just looked away because I can’t stand it.

 

 

As we walked home and reached our houses, Baekhyun grabbed my wrist before I could enter our house.

 

 

“I have something for you.” He gave me a small paper bag. I grabbed it from him and immediately opened it. It was the stuffed toy I loved and hugged so much last Saturday.

 

“That’s my present for our win. Congratulations, Shin Jae.” My smile got wider. I hugged him and whispered.

 

“Thank you, Baekhyun. I appreciate it.” I went inside our house after that.

 

 

 

Baekhyun’s POV

 

 

I stood there still, still shocked of the hug. After a few moments, someone tapped my shoulder. I looked around and saw Park Chanyeol.

 

 

“You managed to get to her first again, huh.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Did you see how happy she was whenever she’s with you? She used to smile at me like that.” He forced a smile.

 

“What are you trying to say now?”

 

“Take care of her, okay? Or I will steal her away from you.” He left after that.

 

 

Just as I was thinking about those words, I felt my phone buzz. It’s from my mother again. She also texted me last week when I was with Shin Jae. Could it be the same reason?

 

 

From: Eomma

Come here to the hospital again. Your father wants to see you.

 

 

 

I went inside the house and kept my medal of the singing contest. I sighed. My father never wanted me to sing or perform, and I’ve been keeping my voice to myself until she heard me sing. And she cheered for me, which gave me enough strength and confidence to give it a try.

 

 

It’s just sad that I can’t show it to my own parents to make them proud.

 

 

**

 

A poster for everyone:

How was it? Any comments? I would appreciate them very much. <3

 

 

And! Goodbyes and Promises is updated once again! You guys can go check it now :D sehunxexoo and I will appreciate it very much. <3

 

 

And! I've decided to write a short story, maybe less than 10 chapters. It's entitled Switched featuring EXO-K's Kai. I'll be happy if you check it out as well! ^^

 

 

Thank you everyone! I love you all. You know that, right? <3 *huuugs*