Rogue Hearts | PJM ✅

Chp. 25: We Handle Our Business

Jimin's POV 💫

"Lily, I can't sing this. It sounds terrible. It's completely out of my range," I don't even attempt to keep the frustration out of my voice.

Lily presses a button sending her voice into the soundbooth. "Lies. Park Jimin. Lies. Get out of your head, my friend. You've got this!"

I begin singing again but stop abruptly halfway through, "Arrrghhhh!" I yell, then I hit the side of my fist into the wall for a moment to relieve my tension. A dull thud sounds out when my hand makes contact with the wall.

"Jimin, stop trying to beat up my wall. It has done nothing to you," Lilly scoffs with a smirk, her voice echoing through my headphones.

"I'm sorry, Lily," I whine solemnly into the microphone.

"I need you to take a break so I can console my wall," she chuckles, knowing I need a few minutes to get my act together. "Get out of here. Take a walk or something, and come back when you're ready."

I nod at her sheepishly and exit the studio, deciding to walk over to Dallia's to see if she is free. When I arrive, I find her in her vocal room.

"Hi, do you have a few minutes?" I ask desperately.

"Jimin!" she says excitedly but then stops in her tracks. "Yes, my lesson isn't coming for another twenty minutes. What's wrong?"

"I...I'm having a hard time in the studio," I start to choke out. "The notes...I can't hit those notes..." My voice starts to break, and a tear rolls down my eye. "I'm so tired of not being able to sound the way I want, and it's getting to me..."

Dallia rushes over to me and folds me into her arms, "Babyboy, please, you are okay. Let it out."

Hearing her nickname for me impacts me in a whole new way, making me feel protected and safe, which releases a steady flow of tears from my eyes. I fall apart, and she gently rocks me back in forth in her arms until I can pull myself back together. I wipe away my tears and hold her, feeling her head rest against my chest. I've never been so vulnerable in front of a woman I've dated before; I wasn't expecting Dallia to be quite so understanding, but of course, she is. 

"You are okay," she says as she stands back and places a soft kiss on my cheek. "I know you're frustrated, but can you set that frustration aside for just a moment and show me what you are trying to sing?"

I start to shake my head no, but she places a soft hand on my cheek, "Hey...hey...look at me! It's just you and me; you can do this!"

Momentarily, I get lost in the golden flecks that sparkle in her dark brown eyes, and I'm almost drowning in the overwhelming feeling of sincerity projecting from her. I nod yes and switch into idol mode, shoving away all my fear and telling myself I need to perform, and then I sing the chorus for her.

"Do you hear it? Ugh, it's awful," I whisper when I'm finished.

"We obviously aren't hearing the same thing! Park Jimin, you are way too much in your head today," she smiles sweetly, and I blush.

She places her hand on my abdomen, and I tremble under her touch. Images of her riding me in throws of ecstasy  a few days ago pop into my head. "From here," she murmurs with her palm flat against my abdomen, dangerously close to my waistline, "Then chest voice. You can do this. Listen to me first, then you follow, ready?"

I nod at her and want to melt when her voice rings out, singing the chorus that has been such a struggle for me. I listen intently to her tone, and then I join her. We sing together, and she nods enthusiastically, egging me on to continue. "Quick again, with me!" she says excitedly, and we sing the chorus a few more times together, and somehow matching her tone and technique feels so easy. "Now you!" she encourages.

My voice rings out again, and as I sing the words, I'm amazed that somehow she's fixed everything for me within minutes. Dallia is the first woman I've ever been this vulnerable with, and I'm almost beside myself with how she doesn't make me feel less than a man for it. She accepts me in all my different forms.

"You have it in you, Jimin. You always have it inside of you -right there," she whispers while tapping her fingertips over my heart. "Stop doubting yourself. You are amazing, and your problem is not your voice; it's the fear of performing without your brothers."

"I...I...oh...okay," I stutter as her words sink in. I guess I always knew I was nervous about promoting an entire album on my own, but hearing the words falling on my ears really solidifies it for me. "How do you already know me so well?" I ask.

"The same way you know me," she smiles, then leans up toward me, and we share a slow and passionate kiss; our arms wrap around each other in an intimate embrace that ignites a fire deep inside me for this smart and intelligent woman. I feel so lucky to have found a partner with whom I want to begin sharing my life.

Suddenly we hear someone clear their throat, and we hurriedly break apart. "Sorry, to interrupt," a young man says as he locks eyes with me, and I recognize the voice. It's the student I overheard asking my Dallia out on a date, and she refused him.

"Ye-Joon, oh my gosh! No, it's okay, it must be time for your lesson! The time must have gotten away from me," Dallia explains quickly as she smooths down her hair and tries to calm down.

"I guess so," Ye-Joon replies with a smirk, and I immediately want to hit him in his smug face, but I control my urge.

I lock eyes with him without an ounce of hesitation, "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes," Ye-Joon replies while rolling his eyes, and I can feel the tension building between us.

"Then you know my team," I say with confidence, and he looks startled for a moment. "I take it you can keep this incident to yourself, and I don't have to contact them -correct?" I watch as Ye-Joon's eyes widen like saucers. He can read between the lines; I'm letting him know he best not fuck with me or my Lovely.

"That's correct," he says sheepishly. He knows that even though his father may be high up in the government, I have a lot of money and investors behind me who count on me and my reputation to stay intact, so I continue making money for everyone. It wouldn't be wise for either of us to get involved in a scandal where both our names could be revealed or dragged through the mud.

"Good. We have an understanding then, I reply firmly. "Lovely, I'll be back for my lesson after this gentleman is finished," I nod. 

I may be vulnerable with my sweetheart because I trust her, but I've learned to be tough as nails and put on my business face when necessary. I've learned from the best about how to negotiate a tough room.

Dallia sends a soft smile my way, and as I take my leave, I hear her turn on her professionalism as well, "Okay, Ye-Joon. Are you ready to pick up from where we left off last week? Let's get you another audition!" she says. I beam with pride in how she handled not only my vulnerable state earlier but now this situation, which could have been much more awkward if she had handled it poorly.

That's my fantastic girlfriend handling things like a pro. MY girlfriend.

I head back to Lily's studio and get back to work with a smile on my face. It takes me two tries, but I nail the chorus this time, and I feel amazing.

"Park Jimin!" Lily says into the microphone, "That was amazing! You went and saw Dallia, didn't you?"

Turning red, I giggle and bend over, hiding my face behind my fingers, "Lily!"

"Oh, boy, don't you act like I can't still read you like a book! You are whipped. I love it! It's about damn time you let someone in again," she giggles, and I roll my eyes. "Let's go through the whole song one more time."

We get back to recording, and I am happy with my vocal work this time around, even if somewhere in my gut, I'm worried about that smug Ye-Joon opening his mouth.

If he so much as thinks about leaking this to the press, I am going to make his life a living hell.