KIBA ; STRAY KIDS

73 ; KIBA

I had stayed in the dark for a few days. I wasn't allowed to take part in videos we were filming or any promotions for our new album. Everyone was attending interviews and variety shows to help promote our album, and I stayed at the dorm writing some songs. 

There was good news with the whole scandal though. The police said everything would be proven wrong in time, because my parents couldn't hand in any proof that I stole from them, and since I handed in pictures of my bank statements from when I was sixteen, they said the case would be in my favour. I had a court date in 2 days' time to attend to, however, I would be seeing my parents for it.

After the court date, I was told I would have to release a statement regardless of what the verdict is. JYP was confident I would win the case, and so was I, considering I didn't steal from my parents at all. I had talked with my lawyer a lot, and told the truth, saying they didn't hand me money but willing used their own money to send me away. My lawyer was a good one and did everything in her power to prove my innocence.

I wrote a song about innocence actually. 

I also wrote one dedicating to the man who saved my life. HongJoong.

It has recurred to me what a weird situation it was. A man I had known for over half a year but talked to like less than 20 times came to my hotel at the right time and convinced me not to do it. I wasn't necessarily close to HongJoong but he did save me that night - and for that, he was one of the most precious people to me.

The song was called Sparks. I wrote it with every intention to show how much he means to me and what he did that night would stick with me forever. I started singing some of the lyrics I wrote down to create a good melody for it.

"But I promise you this,

I'll always look out for you.

Yeah, that's what I'll do."

I heard the door of the dorm opening, and I looked back to see all the boys walking in from a tiring day of being interviewed and asked questions. All of them walked in the kitchen to eat something or sit down at the table with me. A hand reached out and grabbed the notebook from me.

"This sounds good, sing it." Chan said, and I sighed.

"I've just wrote it; I don't have a melody." I sighed, and he shrugged. I started singing the lyrics in a random melody, stuttering a little bit to figure it out. He closed his eyes and swayed to the sound.

"That sounds really good. Who is it for?" Changbin asked, as he shoved some bread into his mouth.

"HongJoong Hyung." I said, and Changbin frowned.

"I'm not sure ATEEZ sing those types of songs Kiba-ah." Changbin said with an awkward chuckle, and I rolled my eyes.

"No pabo, it's my song but I wrote it for HongJoong." I said and the rest of the boys opened their mouths understanding what I was saying.

"Does he know?" Felix asked next and I shook my head, were any of them listening, I had just written this song!

"Are you going to tell him?" Han asked, and I nodded but I didn't really know if I would.

"My heart is yours,

It's you that I hold on to.

Yeah, that's what I do."

I sang the next verse softly, seeing how the melody will sound in my head. I was thinking maybe an acoustic guitar, some soft drums in the back. Something soft and simple, to really create ambience and I really want to portray the message to my unlikely saviour. I want him to know how much I appreciate him in this song. I want to express how safe I felt with him that night.

"What about Seungmin?" Hannie whispered and I looked at him, questioning what he was asking.

"What about me?" Seungmin asked, as he sat beside me, "I like the song. I think HongJoong hyung will appreciate it."

I nodded with a smile. I knew Seungmin wouldn't mind the 'loving' lyrics I wrote down for HongJoong, he knew I needed to express my gratitude to him. If my love language wasn't physical touch, it would definitely be writing love songs for those I love.

----

It was 9pm in Korea now. I had gone on a late-night walk with my headphones in and arrived at the JYP building. I picked up Channie's guitar and started strumming the strings, trying to remember everything I learnt when I had guitar lessons in school. I looked at my lyrics, while strumming a random chord, and changing the chords every few minutes.

"I think I have something." I muttered to the echo in the room.

I turned on Chan's set up and started recording the guitar first. I used a random sample of some drums and played around with it all for an hour straight till I tried recording the lyrics. The melody was a bit off at first, but I think I truly had the perfect song to show HongJoong. I really hope he liked it.

I got my phone out and facetimed him. I didn't realise it was almost midnight when I called him, but he picked up quickly. He too was in the studio, sitting scrunched up, his knees to his chest in his chair. 

"Kiba-ssi!" He smiled, "What are you doing up?"

"HongJoong Hyung." I smiled back, giddy to be talking to him again, "I want to tell you something."

"What's up?"

"I wrote a song for you." I said, and he stopped looking at his computer and instead turned to his phone. I saw his eyes were wide, and he was intrigued with what I said.

"You made a song for me?" He asked, making sure what I said was correct and I nodded to confirm, "Why, Kiba-ssi?"

"Because I wanted to express how much I love you, and how you saved my life." I said quietly, and he was silent, but he had an appreciative smile on his face, "Do you want to hear it?"

"Yes of course."

I smiled awkwardly, but pressed play on the computer and turned it up so HongJoong could hear it through the phone. It started playing and I sat back and watched HongJoong Hyung's reaction. He started bouncing his head gently when the guitar started playing and then he froze up when I started singing.

Throughout the song, he had teary eyes, and his lips were trembling slightly. He was silent when the song ended till he looked at me through the phone with the tears finally sliding down his cheeks. 

"I love it Kiba. Thank you." He stuttered slightly and I smiled sadly at him, "Can you send it to me?"

"Of course, Hyung." I nodded and started to sort it into a file to send to him, "I might perform it one day."

"Only if I'm there to see it live." He chuckled and I did too.

I spent the night in the studio, writing more songs with HongJoong till early morning when we both left our studios and drove home together on call. We hung up as soon as we entered our dorms. I really need HongJoong as a close friend.