fever | ateez lore story

CH 7

•hongjoong•

Jongho and the rest battle in a game of basketball, whereas I continue working on a new beat. I just started this a few weeks ago, and it's still being worked on. I've experimented this time round, and so this beat sounds very different to what I produced in the past. Instead of the tough, punchy vibe my previous tracks expressed, I'm trying out a more dreamy and desperate vibe, like someone reaching out for a dream they can't quite reach.

Sounds very similar to someone I know...

For minutes and minutes on end, the music waves into my ears from the headphones. The bass and tech reach down to my heart. Every time I work on this new piece, because of how beautifully sad it sounds, it makes me very emotional. I was so immersed in the production that I don't realise what unravels before me.

-"Obstruction!"

Jongho's voice is very prominent, despite the fact my headphones are noise cancelling. I can hear it as if I weren't wearing any, his voice sounding angry. I free one of my ears and tear my eyes away from my screen, seeing Jongho squaring up to my assistant. All Yunho does is hold his hands up next to him in defence, backing away as Jongho slowly approaches.

-"Woah, hey. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Can you be careful, next time? You almost got Yeosang hurt." Jongho's vocal volume stays consistent, echoing around the warehouse. Yeosang steps forward slightly, his hands rubbing a spot on his shoulder.

-"I'm fine, really. It's okay."

"Calm down, Jongho." San says, resting a hand on his shoulder before Jongho swats it away. He turns to San, firing at his next target.

-"And you. Have you never played basketball before? You ran out of position too many times, I couldn't count. Please remember to stay where you are."

I intervene, my class-captain instincts kicking in.

"Okay, stop. Pause the playing for a bit and take a break. You're all just tired." I say, gently ushering the boys away from each other. San's gaze never leaves Jongho, a glint of resentment shining in them.

"Don't speak to me like that, Jongho. I don't appreciate it." San grumbles, his wide cat-eyes turning hostile followed by a furrow of his eyebrows. I push the two away from each other but they fight back at my force, Jongho approaching aggressively.

-"Or what? What are you gonna do, city-boy?"

"Enough!" I yell, my voice bouncing off the metal walls of the warehouse. I never tend to raise my voice, because I don't like the way it may make people feel. Telling people off, raising my voice, threatening, it's hard for me to do, because I know people dislike being treated that way. But as class captain, I picked up these little habits because I wanted to proved I wasn't pointless by not showing up to class. I didn't want people to underestimate me, because I have a lot to give and show. I just, never have the opportunity to.

That was until we hear a little melody coming from behind me. The room is deafeningly quiet, with nothing but the sound of soft humming to a random tune, and I turn around and find Wooyoung wearing my headphones, his head bobbing up and down and singing a melody.

"Wooyoung-ah." I say, his head flicking up and catching my eye.

"Hyung...did you make this?" He asks, his eyes sparkling widely. I hesitate to answer, slightly embarrassed that he caught my music in the works. It's not in its prime at the moment.

I nod, throwing him a timid smile. In response, his jaw drops, his eyebrows raising and cheekbones becoming more prominent from the face of pure shock he has on.

"This...this is amazing." He gushes. His smile is one I see quite rarely. His teeth shine in the dimly-lit room, brightening the place and his eyes are twinkling as he giggles, continuing to bop his head up and down to my music.

That's all I ever wanted.

"What did you make?" Seonghwa queries, making his way over to Wooyoung and stealing the headphones away. Seonghwa mirrors Wooyoung, his boba-eyes becoming wider and wider the longer he listens. I feel my face burn, not from embarrassment, but with excitement.

"Hongjoong...you have a gift." Seonghwa says.

The sudden compliment hits me like an arrow. Never have I had someone say something like that to me, especially about my music.

Before I knew it, the headphones are unplugged and the boys are crowded on the couch listening intently, their faces contorting into a thousand different emotions. I can see in each and every one of them, that music lives. The way their eyes glisten, their body language shifts, the little dance they do with their head or their hands, they can feel my music. They can feel every little beat and tap and slide and crash. When the beat drops in the chorus, they all yell in unison, like a little choir. I can't help but...feel emotional, watching my friends react like this to my music.

My desire came to be, after all.

Once the song ended, their eyes shift to me, all of them speechless.

"What...was that?" Yunho sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"Hongjoong...you're a producer?" Yeosang says, a beaming smile creeping its way onto his face. I nod, rubbing the nape of my neck.

-"That's why I've been skipping class. I've wanted to be a producer for a while now so..."

"Jesus...I take back what I said about you 'never showing up to class'. If you don't show up tomorrow, I promise I won't tell." Wooyoung says, which only draws a laugh from me. I make my way over, stealing the laptop and playing back to the chorus.

"Woo, sing the melody you sang earlier." I ask, hitting play. Wooyoung does so, and sings along with the track. His melody is beautiful, almost like a desperate calling or a cry. The way it starts of low, suddenly rises to a high note and goes down a few notes fits perfectly with the beat.

A lightbulb switches on in my head, a rush of adrenaline soaring through my veins.

"Sing the melody, but this time, sing 'I'm in love~"