A pluck of your guitar string

A song for you

Preeya sat at her desk, staring at her laptop screen. She was supposed to be working on a school project, but her mind kept drifting to the day's events. Seeing WIK perform live had been a dream come true, and the fact that he had spoken to her, signed her shirt, and encouraged her pursuit of music still felt surreal. She glanced at the signed shirt now hanging proudly on her wall, smiling as she remembered how close she had been to him.

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her daydream. She picked it up and saw a call from an unknown number.

"Is this Preeya? Are you still looking for a guitar tutor?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

"WIK?!"

A few moments later, the reply came through.

"Yes, it's WIK. I was thinking about your request earlier. I might be able to help you with your song."

Preeya's eyes widened in disbelief. WIK? Offering to help her? She almost dropped her phone in excitement. Taking a deep breath, she responded.

"Really? That would be amazing! Thank you so much!"

"Can you meet tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes, I can!"

"Great. I'll pick you up from the university."

"Okay! Thank you again!"

"See you then."

Preeya's excitement kept her up late into the night. She practised singing quietly in her room, not wanting to wake her neighbours, but wanting to be in her best form for her meeting with WIK. She went over different melodies and lyrics, trying to come up with something that might impress him.

The next afternoon, she waited outside the university for WIK to arrive. She paced nervously, clutching her guitar case, until she saw WIK approaching. He smiled when he saw her, and she felt her nerves settle a bit.

"Hi, Preeya. Ready to get started?" 

"Yes, I am! Thank you so much for this opportunity."

"We're not practising here today. I have a private recording studio. It's more conducive for songwriting and rehearsing."

Preeya nodded, both nervous and excited. He drove them to a sleek, modern building a short walk from the university. They took an elevator to the top floor, and WIK led her into his private recording studio. It was an impressive space, filled with high-end equipment and instruments.

Preeya looked around in awe.

"This is amazing."

WIK chuckled. 

"Glad you like it. Make yourself comfortable."

They settled in, and WIK set up his guitar. He strummed a few chords, tuning his instrument, and then nodded to Preeya.

"Show me what you've got so far."

Preeya took a deep breath and played the melody she had been working on. Her fingers stumbled a bit, but she managed to get through it. WIK listened intently, his expression thoughtful.

"That's a good start, but let's try something different with the chords here."

He showed her a new progression, and as they played together, Preeya felt a new sense of confidence. They worked on the song for hours, with WIK providing guidance and encouragement. His expertise was evident, and Preeya soaked up every bit of advice he gave.

As they finished the session, WIK smiled at her. 

"You have a lot of potential, Preeya. Keep practising, and don't be afraid to experiment with your music."

"Thank you, WIK. I can't tell you how much this means to me."

WIK set his guitar down and looked at her seriously.

"Actually, I'd prefer if you called me Kim."

Preeya blinked in surprise. 

"Kim?"

He nodded. 

"WIK is just my stage name. It's actually 'Kim' reflected and written backwards. It's my way of keeping my music persona separate from my personal life."

"That's really interesting. Kim it is, then."

Kim smiled back, but then his expression turned more serious. 

"Preeya, I wanted to ask you something. You mentioned your brother the other day. Porsche, right?"

Preeya nodded, a bit wary of the sudden shift in topic. 

"Yes, that's right."

Kim leaned forward slightly, his tone casual but his eyes sharp. 

"What does he do? I mean, you mentioned he works a lot. What kind of work is he involved in?"

Preeya hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. 

"He works at a bar... and does some security work. It's not easy, but he does it to support us."

Kim nodded thoughtfully. 

"He sounds like a great brother. Must be tough for him to balance everything."

"It is. He works really hard. I just wish I could do more to help."

Kim's eyes softened. 

"I'm sure he doesn't feel that way. It's a brother's job to protect his siblings."

"I suppose, but I want to protect him too."

As night fell, Preeya felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Kim. She couldn't wait to tell Porsche about her day, even though she knew he might be sceptical about her meeting with WIK, or rather, Kim. She hurried home, her mind racing with new ideas for her song.

Back in his apartment, Kim sat back on his balcony, guitar in hand, reflecting on the day's session. Preeya had been genuine and passionate about her music, which reassured him that she was not part of some scheme. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that their lives were more intertwined than they appeared.

His phone buzzed with a message from Big.

"Mr. Kim, I've got more information on Porsche. It seems he's clean, but there's something off about his sudden employment."

Kim sighed. The more he uncovered, the more complex things became. He had to tread carefully. For now, he decided to focus on helping Preeya, not just for her sake, but because he believed there was more to her story, and perhaps she might unknowingly provide clues to the puzzle surrounding his father's plans.

As night fell, Kim's thoughts drifted to the handprint paintings he found in his father's office. There was a connection there, something important he was missing. He strummed his guitar absently, the notes blending with the evening air, as he pondered his next move.