2 Minus 1 | joshua✓ ( School Series )

O N E

J O S H U A ' S P O V

"Cheol, Naomi is your classmate, isn't she?" I ask Cheol when he got in to dance studio.

"Yes she is my classmate," he answered. "Why do you like her?" He asks.

"I don't know if I like her or not, but I feel differently." I answered.

"She might just hurt you Shua, be careful of that woman, she's too desperate for me." He said.

I nodded at what he said, I knew she liked Seungcheol. But I've been with her, I felt different when I was with her. We rehearsed for our new song, others were very looking forward to our new song. Even though we're just here at school we make songs, I don't know but it's a different impact when we're together.

"Shua-hyung, we still need to rehearse our new song." Vernon said.

"Oh okay, just a minute." I response.

I drank some water and approached Vernon, Vernon was half-american and half-korean. His father is Korean, his mother is American. I live in LA, I only came here because of my parents' business.

"Hyung, listen to the instrumental version of our song first." He said and I nodded.

I listened to the instrumental version that Vernon did, I can say beautiful because he did the rock version. I don't know yet if Vernon has done any lyrics, so I'll ask him now.

"Have you written any lyrics?" I asks.

"I'm still working, you can help me." He answered.

I nodded so I was thinking about what was appropriate, but still nothing so I told him that we would only practice when I thought of something. I left the dance studio first and went to the music room, luckily I got the instrumental version of the song that Vernon did.

He said that the title would be 2 minus 1, then the story of our song would be a man who forces himself that he no longer loves his ex-lover. But the truth is that he still loves his ex-lover, but I have no experience in love.

"I'll think about this one, I have to help Vernon." I said to myself.

I forgot my bag in the dance studio, but there was some paper scattered here in the music room so I picked it up. Fortunately, I have a pen with me.

"Hope you listen to this song, cause I, I, I.

Cause I'm doing right just fine."

I immediately wrote it on paper, I was still thinking about what else I could add.

"Doing alright, doing alright.

All the time in the world, to myself.

I can go and drink all day and night.

But why, I can't get you off my mind."

I felt I was singing wrong, so I changed that line.

"But why, can't I get you off my mind."

I corrected that line, Vernon sent me something on his part. So I made mine, there were erasures but I still repeat.

"I can't get you out of my head, yeah.

Gotta get you out of my head, yeah.

How can you be so fine when I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm."

I imitated the pre-chorus that Vernon did, but I changed a part. I made another line that for me, it needs to be finished to be able to record.

"I used to think you were that someone.

We used to be so much alike.

I can still see you in myself."

I wrote that part again, when I finished I went back to the dance studio to talk to Vernon. But when I got back they were gone, but fortunately the door was still open. I went in and took my bag, I left school as soon as I got out of the dance studio. I stopped walking when I saw Naomi, I met her when they met Seungcheol and her childhood friend.

"You don't want to go home yet, Naomi?" I ask her when I approach her.

"Oh Joshua." - Naomi.

"Can I invite you to dinner?" I ask her.

"Yes, it's okay, let's go?"

I nodded and we walked together, when a fastfood arrived we ordered something to eat. I was going to withdraw money but he stopped me, I should pay since I was the one who invited.

"I will pay, keep your money." She said then winked at me.

I felt my cheek blush, I averted my eyes and just waited for our order to arrive. When our order arrived we had already eaten, we were eating peacefully because no one spoke to the two of us. I don’t know but it was very awkward, so I figured we should have something to talk about.

"Naomi." I called her.

"Hmm, what is it?" She asks and looked at me.

"Shall we have a date?" I asks her.

"I should think about that." She answered.

I smiled bitterly, I knew she wouldn't agree to date me but I tried. When we finished eating and he paid, we left that fast food and went to the plaza.

"Shall I take you home?" I ask.

"No need Joshua." She refuse.

I didn't forced her anymore, she went home first and I stayed in the plaza. I want to try to sing 2 minus 1 when I'm alone, it's like I also need to practice.

"Hope you listen to this song cause I, I, I.

Cause I'm doing right just fine.

Doing alright, doing alright.

All the time in the world to myself.

I can go and drink all day and night,

But why, can't I get you off my mind."

As I sang that I remembered Naomi, in the last line I sang I remembered her. That's right, why can't she be removed from my mind? I just sighed and left the plaza, I went to the Han River to hear the flow of water. I want to relax myself, I don’t know why I feel anything for Naomi.

"She won't like you Joshua, why are you still hoping?" I ask myself.

"You're such a fool." I added.

"How can he like me, am I Seungcheol?" I ask myself again.

Wait, why am I talking to myself like crazy?

I just sighed so I left Han River because I was going home, when I got home I saw the light in our living room was off. They were asleep, I just went to my room and lay down. I just stared at our ceiling because there was nothing I could do, but I was thinking of Naomi.

"Aish, Naomi why?" I said.

I sighed, got out of bed and went into my CR to take a shower.  When I finished taking a bath, I went out to the CR, I also put on my pajamas. I was about to go to bed when my cellphone rang, I took him to my bedside table and saw Seokmin texted me.

Seokmin:
Hyung, are you at home now?

Joshua:
Yes, why?

Seokmin:
Oh nothing, just checking on you.
By the way, were you with Naomi earlier?

Joshua:
Oh yeah, I'm with Naomi earlier.
Why?

Seokmin:
Oh nothing, I saw you earlier.
Don’t worry, I’ve only been alone before so I won’t tell them.

Joshua:
Oh okay thank you.
Good night, Seokmin-ah.

Seokmin:
Good night too, hyung.

I put my cellphone back on the bedside table, my group mates could see that I was unlucky in love. But nothing is lost when I try, but does it work?