“What’s so hard about that?
Why are you so serious all the time?
What’s so annoying about that?”

“It’s good.” A voice interrupted Soojung from her practice.

Removing her plugged in earpiece in her right ear, she quickly jumped up from the couch. Her phone slipped out of her hand in the process as she got too nervous. Shaking her head slightly out of embarrassment, she bent over to pick it up. However, Sunggyu was a step faster.  He chuckled at her clumsiness and she flushed in embarrassment, tugging at the earpiece in her hand.

“I-I am sorry about that…Thank you…” Soojung stammered slightly.

Sunggyu smiled when he noticed her tensed shoulders and awkward smile.

“T-Thank you, Sunggyu sunbaenim.” She extended her hand to get her phone back.

“Not so fast.” Sunggyu pulled his hand away, holding her phone up in the air.

Soojung retracted her hand and her eyes scanned Sunggyu’s face quickly before landing on Sunggyu’s nose. Just like Hoya, it made her nervous to look him in the eye.

“His nose is really pretty.” She thought to herself.

“Hey, I know my nose is pretty but can you stop staring?” Sunggyu broke her train of thoughts and waved it off smugly.

Soojung instinctively covered in embarrassment upon being exposed.

“Payback for making me pick your phone up for you.” Sunggyu remarked as he unlocked her phone.

“Eh? But I didn’t ask you to pick it up for me though…” She thought to herself.  

But she just remained silent and tried to figure out what he was doing to her phone.

After some time, he returned it to her.

“What did you do to my phone?” She asked.

Sunggyu simply winked at her and smirked, “You would know when the time comes.”

Soojung wondered if he was so casual to almost everyone.

“Oh.” came Soojung’s response and she flashed yet another awkward smile at Sunggyu.

Sunggyu mentally rolled his eyes at the girl before him and he wondered if she was so awkward to almost everyone. She looked really comfortable with Hoya though, he recalled the rooftop scene. An uncomfortable feeling brewed within him.

Clearing his throat, Sunggyu finally asked, “Are you close with Hoya?”

The moment those words left Sunggyu’s mouth, he instantly regretted.  

Soojung’s eyes widened at his question and Sunggyu wanted so badly to say, “Take it that I did not ask.” But he held it in because it would be even more embarrassing to say that.

“H-Hoya sunbaenim said we were friends.” Soojung replied.

Sunggyu found himself smiling at her choice of words.

“Seems like they are not very close, after all.” He thought to himself.

“By the way, it was good.” Sunggyu repeated his words from before, changing the topic after he got the answer he wanted.

Soojung tilted her head in confusion before realizing what he was referring to.

“Ah. Yes, the song is really good!” She exclaimed excitedly.

“I meant your singing was good…” Sunggyu thought to himself and facepalmed himself mentally.

“Oh Sunggyu, you’re here.” The recording studio manager said upon entering.

“Ne, annyeonghaseyo.” He bowed politely at the staff who returned the gesture.

“This is Soojung, she will be releasing a debut single track this November. But I believe you have already met her.” He said.

“I was part of the judge panel that day and she’s really good. I guess it will be a smooth debut.” He said with a smile and Sunggyu had no idea how much his words meant to Soojung.

His affirmation made her feel warm inside and for the first time since before, she thought maybe her debut could be a success.  

“You are making me look forward to this production now. Alright. Let’s start work.” He announced.

“I will work hard. Please take care of me well.” Soojung dipped her head in the air and did a 90 degrees bow.

“Fighting!” Sunggyu mouthed at her and excused himself from the studio.

-

Hours later…

“Soojung, let’s take a break.” The studio manager took his headphone off and threw it on the desk.

Soojung bit her lips so hard that she felt like she tasted blood. She nodded and stepped out of the recording room. Standing awkwardly behind the studio manager, she looked down and waited for him to reprimand her like how he had been for the past hours.

“I will be out smoking. I’ll be back in 15 minutes.” He informed and left.

Soojung collapsed on the couch after he left, exhaling deeply. She scanned the room that she had always wanted to enter and tears rolled down her face in desperation as she clenched her fists. She really wanted to do well but the more she told herself that, the worse she fared. Her voice kept cracking because she was too nervous and at times she sang the song fully, the manager said she lacked emotions. She knew he meant well but his harsh words made her really demoralised as every minute passed. She felt so lost and useless at the same time.

“Maybe I am really not suited to be an idol.” She thought to herself.

Soojung wiped the tears away from her face and hated how she was always a cry baby like this.

The manager returned with a stern look on and the scent of cigarettes filled the room. He noticed neither Soojung’s swollen eyes nor her being on the verge of breaking down. Stepping back into the recording room, Soojung waited for instructions. At his nod, she tried again.  

“Lee Soojung, you can do this.” She made a mental encouragement.

“Can you listen to me?
I hear the small talk.
I met someone today,
and what happened.
It’s very easy~”

“Stop. Stop. Stop.” The manager hit the button, cutting off the background music and recording.

“Are you kidding me now? I don’t have the entire day to waste just recording one song.” He finally flared up.

“I am sorry, please give me another chance.” Soojung frantically apologized.

“-hyung, take it easy on the newcomer man.” Sunggyu appeared out of nowhere.

Plopping himself in the seat beside the recording studio manager, he slid a cup of coffee across the table for him. Ruffling his hair, the manager nodded.

Taking the mic over, Sunggyu spoke into it.

“Soojung-ah, you got to relax yourself. You won’t be able to deliver the emotions if you are so tense…Try taking 10 consecutive deep breaths. One. Inhale, exhale. Two-” He said.

She did what he told her and surprisingly, she really felt more at ease.

He did an ‘okay’ sign and she nodded. Pushing the ‘recording’ button again, Soojung sang. When the nervous feelings came back again, Soojung looked to Sunggyu. He was closing his eyes and nodding along to her singing, seemingly enjoying it. It made her feel encouraged. Closing her eyes too, she sang her heart out to the last part of the song.

“Cut!” The manager hit the ‘End Recording’ button excitedly.

“It was amazing!” He exclaimed, standing up from his seat.

Sunggyu stood up and clapped slowly, locking gaze with Soojung who flashed her first genuine smile at him. It made him happy seeing her smile like that.

“You should have come sooner, Sunggyu! Seems like Soojung can sing better only when someone like you is looking at her.” The manager joked lightly.

“Aniya. It’s not that case!” Soojung shook her hand around in a flustered manner.

“I-It’s just the breathing helped!” Her outburst made the two laugh and she just awkwardly laughed along.

“Just remember to include Kim Sunggyu in your future first album’s ‘Thanks To’.” He said and the studio manager laughed.

“Thank you.” Soojung sincerely bowed, once at the manager and the second time at Sunggyu.

Sunggyu returned a smile that made his eyes disappear.

-

Days later…

Soojung sat at the hair studio and watched the lady curling her hair. Her hair was gaining a lot of volume with the big curls. Then, she felt her phone vibrate.

Taking it out of her pocket, she scratched her head in confusion. 

Message from: The Most Handsome guy on Earth ^^

Author's Note:
HELLO!! :D Thank you so much for patiently waiting for me to update <3 
Exams are over so I'll try to update more often(:
Do comment~ It will definitely motivate me to update faster. 
Gyusoul ship is building~~ 
By the way, I made a simple cover poster XD How is it?