Upon A Time (JoongNine AU)

Upon Fight Or Flight?

Nine

I crossed my arms, looking at the person who smiled calmly, staring at me without faltering. I knew that this comeback idea, must not suddenly pop, out of nowhere. I let the discussion flowed through without interrupting, until the part about the song for a duet, was raised.

"Are you good enough?", I asked to the astonishment from the managers, who turned to look at me. Joong just shook his head. "Speak. I can't read your mind", another harsh words. I really didn't know why Joong was doing this. No one even knew that I went to the hospice to see him everyday for a year. I had made a deal with the staff there, to keep as low profile as possible, and luckily nobody there was crazily star-struck; that, they respected the privacy and well being of their patient's more above anything else. No one also knew, about the flower shower for two months; as Joong was discreet enough to not send them to my workplace, and the privacy of the resident, was also kept by the service staff. So, they must not understand, the turmoil that's going inside my heart from the moment we met eyes for the first time, and shook hands liked business partners at the start of the discussion.

"Sorry. I used to sing, but maybe not for the last ten years or so. You must know how far I could do too, but, they said vocal prowess, changes with training and age, so, until we're in the recording studio, I could only give you a vague answer", he answered rationally.

"Mr. Archen, I don't have that much free time, nor the interest to promote this as a comeback, if the quality that we're going to have is just mediocre. It disrespect the fans, who would put so much interest and expectation, only to be let down, horribly", I said firmly, and continued, "Unless you could answer me confidently, that this is what you really want, and not something that is made just to scour profits from the marketing value alone, only then we could proceed. If not, I'm sorry, to everyone in this room, I shall refuse to even go, beyond this moment". Joong's lips tightened. I must had tickled his nerves, but he couldn't deny the harsh fact that was presented.

"Then, take the challenge, Nine", his blatant use of my pet name, rather than copy the formality that I had shown, was indeed an indication of a provocation, but I didn't rise to the bait, as he continued, "...though I may not be as good or as trained as you, I don't think I am lousy either. So, take the challenge, to push me up to be as good as you. After so many years as a singer, you must be able to detect and correct, where I'll be lacking, or, if you can't...it only shows, that you're such a mediocre singer too then, who is only able to sing whatever the producer dictated, and not from any actual professional skills...too".

The room was silent. Everyone was afraid to break the tense moment that could jeopardise the discussion that had already went halfway, until I put out a harsh challenge, and Joong seemed to be mad enough to throw some, back at me, too. I could see that my manager and his, was signalling the other one, to put a stop to the fight. Eventually, I felt a little guilty, and took a calming breath, as I leaned back at my chair, and started again.

"Mr. Arch..", I was about to say.

"Joong!", but then, he curtly cut me off, when I was about to call him formally again.

"Alright, Joong. Booking a studio just for practice, cost a lot. It's not worth it, unless we're all ready to record. My company housed other singers too, so the studio scheduling, is set until the next two months. Does your company, has any?".

"Not well equipped, Nine. Just for light training, when the artist need to sing for a fanmeet", P'Yui answered immediately, and took a heavy sigh, "umph, this is trouble!. The premiere date of the drama has been set, there won't be enough time to train, produce and include that as part of the promotion too, if it's liked this".

"But, Nine...", P'Na, my manager, suddenly looked at me and smiled, "your house got that room that you usually use for practice, right? It's already soundproofed, and well equipped too!". If only I could bump my head on the table and throw a tantrum, I would. But, all that, only played in my head, and my composed front, didn't budge at all. The light laugh that I heard coming from Joong, told me that he knew what was going on inside my mind. My lips pursed, pouting discreetly.

"Two weeks...", suddenly, Joong interrupted, and it was my time to look confusingly at him, "please...let me stay with you for two weeks. I promise, to give my full focus and effort, no interruption, no schedule; other than ready myself mentally, to be taught and...err...scolded by you 24/7, aside from the time we eat...or sleep".

Joong just smiled cheekily, raised his brows, waiting for an agreement. I could read the challenge in his eyes, taunting me to reject them, and eat my own words; that it was not him that didn't put a heart into this project, but me. Both managers, also looked at me, hopefully. Though they didn't say it, it was well known, that the companies must had put pressure on the managers to secure deals, and one as potentially lucrative as this, should it turn to dust, just because of the artist's refusal; the brunt of the blame would fall on the manager's shoulders.

I closed my eyes briefly, and stopped from overthinking everything,"Two days...", I said, and everyone was confused, even Joong looked at me with questions, and I continued, "P'Yui, could you do a favor, and clear his schedule for two weeks, within these two days? I need to rearrange mine as well", I said and looked at P'Na. The managers nodded, and were too happy. They shake hands as an agreement, and left the room to make a call to their respective Directors.

As we were left alone in the room, I stared at Joong, trying to gauge what's there inside his mind, "What are you playing at Joong? Now that there's no manager around, you could tell me the truth", I said and lacing my fingers under my chin, tilting my head to try to read him.

"Nothing. Not playing around, at all. You don't like to receive my call, don't like to see my face, and just recently, it seemed that you also don't like flowers. Ah, it reminded me of that first audition, where you started off disliking my everything, too. So, I think, we should try and work together again. Maybe, we could at least ignite, whatever between us, that we had lost", he said, while looking at me sincerely. My heart was faltering, his actions and words confused the hell out of me.

"I did dream of having all that; being showered with flowers, receiving your call everyday, and to be able to look at your face, when I wake up in the morning...but, that was years ago, Joong. If your accident caused you to forget them, I'm sorry, but let me remind you again; I was rejected; and thus, that dream doesn't exist anymore", I said carefully, not to belittle the mishap that he went through, but just to make him see reason.

"No, Nine. I remember everything, every piece of us, not just now, but our past too", he said firmly, and I could see that his shoulders were tense, and his eyes pleading me, to remember it, too.

"I'm sorry, Joong. If that's what you want, I should make it clear from now. We shouldn't ignite anything, but instead, pour water to put the spark out", I said, and could see from the glass door that the managers were coming back in, arms on each other's shoulders; must be happy on whatever the bosses told them in return. I stood up and extended my hand to Joong, "Tell your family, that you'll stay with me for two weeks. I don't mind if they wanted to visit within that time too, but I need to know in advance when they will come. Or else, they would see a scary monster, scolding their beloved. Let's work together well, Joong!".

The firm grip of his hand, was assuring, but then, the daring smile that was there, one that he hid as soon as the managers opened the door, didn't fail to cause my heart to flutter crazily too.