Park Jihoon || Slowmotion

16. Border

Song recommendation: KIMMUSEUM - We're already

Yedam POV

I close my locker and walk towards our studio after changing into my working clothes. As I was walking away, I noticed Lou alone in their studio through the door's window.

I looked around to see if there were any other people. I'm curious where her team is. I hesitated before knocking and forcing my way inside. She smiled as she looked at me.

"You've arrived," she announced in Korean.

"Yeah," I replied as I approached her slowly. She is perched in front of the piano.

"What brings you here?" she asked in Korean.

Because of her accent, I laughed a little. She just informally asked me. It's adorable how she's trying to communicate with me.

"Nothing special; I saw you alone and wondered where your teammates were," I said, looking around.

"Teammate?" she asked, murmuring the word repeatedly.

"Eat they go." She answered and I suppressed my laugh. Her grammar is jumbled, but it's cute.

"Why didn't you join them?" I tried to use simple words so she could understand me.

"I'm not hungry," she stated formally as she approached the piano.

I smiled behind her back and approached her. She sat down at the piano and began to play something. I know what she's up to. Taeyang Sunbaenim created its eyes, nose, and lips. She abruptly came to a halt as I was immersed in it.

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," she says as she takes her hands off the keys.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because you're here," she explained.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" I worriedly asked.

"No! Because you're the best here. I know you. You're famous. Hearing me play is like a dream," she exclaimed, becoming flustered.

Her Korean is rough, but I understand what she's saying. I sit beside her and reach for her hands, which I then place on the keys.

"I may look like someone you know, but I'm just like you. A trainee, so don't worry," I said as I pressed the next keys.

"Think of me as your friend," I said as I smiled at her.

"Are we friends?" she asked, covering her mouth.

"Yeah, why not? You don't want to?" I asked, smiling because I can see the details of her beauty this close.

"No, no! I like you," she said, which surprised me.

"W-what?" I asked.

"What do you mean? I said I liked you," she clarified.

"Oh, I'm not sure how to take this confession," I stuttered, my face warming up.

"Why? Because you don't want to?" she asked.

"No! I want to, I mean, but-"

"Then we're friends!" she exclaimed joyfully.

"W-what, friends?" I was puzzled.

"Yeah! I like you, we're friends," she says, smiling at me.

Then I remembered that her Korean isn't very good. Does that mean she likes the fact that we're friends when she says she likes me? It's not because she... Like me?

She stood up to help me stand up after I fell out of my chair.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she helped me stand up.

"Uh y-yeah," I replied as I stood up.

"I have to go. Bye!" I exclaimed. I bowed down and fled.

That is extremely embarrassing.

~~~~~
"Yedam!" said someone, and it was Junkyu.

"Hyung! You've arrived!" I exclaimed as I jogged towards him.

"The others?" he asked as he reorganized his belongings in his locker.

"Noa and I arrived first," I explained.

We went to our studio after Junkyu changed. I couldn't get a good look at Lou's studio because Junkyu was in the way.

"Oh, where is Noa?" Junkyu asked.

"You're right. Where is he?" I asked, looking for him. "He's busy arranging some papers. He said he's going to give them to someone."

"Can you find him, Yedam, and tell him I'm here?" Junkyu asked, and I nodded.

I walked through the corridors to the other boys' team studio. Every time I entered a studio, they treated me like a Sunbae. It was humiliating, but it felt good. I still haven't found Noa.

I went to the girls' studio and noticed Noa on Team B, which is Lou's team. I peered through the window. I noticed Noa standing behind Lou, holding her hands and guiding her as she plays the piano. I became aware of a pain in my chest. What exactly is this? So, what now? We're only... friends.

"Oh, where's Noa?" Junkyu asked when I returned to the studio.

"I can't find him; perhaps he went out," I fibbed.

"Really? Where did he go when he knows we have training today?" Junkyu asked, surprised.

"What? Noa left?" I look behind me and see Hyunsuk and the others.

"Right? Why didn't he tell us he left before our training?" Junkyu asked.

I sat off to the side. Why did I even tell a lie? I'm not sure, but I'm annoyed with him. Later, Noa came in, and everyone was staring at him.

"Where did you go?" Hyunsuk asked sternly.

"I just gave someone some papers," Noa said, looking at me. "Yedam saw me organizing some papers, right?"

"But he said he didn't see you anywhere when he looked for you," Hyunsuk pointed out.

"Perhaps he didn't see me because I was in the building," Noa explained.

"Noa, where are you that even Yedam didn't see you?" Seunghun interjected.

"I-I was... in girls' team B studio," Noa replied quietly but clearly.

"What?! What are you doing there?" exclaimed Hyunsuk.

"I-I was just helping Lou. She's new and she needs help, and as someone who can speak English and Korean and has been here for a while, I should help her," Noa explained.

Hyunsuk sighs as he massages his temple.

"I know you're just trying to help, but if you're helping a girl trainee, people may see you with her and start rumors about you and her," Seunghun said.

Noa apologized, "I'm sorry."

Weirdly. At the same time, I felt guilty. It felt great. Why am I even bugging?