fever | ateez lore story

CH 10

•mingi•

I stand back, arms folded and leaning against the metal wall. Hongjoong's really something else. You can tell he loves what he does, and he's so good with the other boys. Like a leader.

"Mingi, come over." He says. I pull my earbuds out and make my way over, still feeling the eyes of the others burn into my skull. Hongjoong makes space on the couch and offers it to me. When I refuse, there was an oddly warm hand on my shoulder blade.

-"Be comfortable. Hongjoong won't bite, only when he's pissed."

A man of similar height smiles at me. I recognise him. He's the class captain's assistant. Jeong something? Jeong-

"Yunho, shut up." Hongjoong laughs, his teeth flashing in the dimly-lit room.

I set myself down next to the captain, waiting on whatever he's gonna say to me.

"Do you remember the rap you did in the music room?" He asks me. I nod shyly.

-"Okay. Mind doing it again? I just want to hear the flow."

In here? With...strangers? Nope. Not a chance.

Hongjoong hits play at the second verse, but my lips stay sealed, not a sound coming from me. Hongjoong's body language shifts and he reaches to pause the track, everyone exchanging looks with one another.

"Mingi? You alright?" He asks, catching my eye.

"I refuse. I can't do it in here. Not with a bunch of strangers." I protest. Silence blankets the air for a second, making the whole situation a lot more awkward.

"How about this? Give me your phone." Hongjoong breaks the tension, but with a funny request. I clench my phone tighter, leaning away from the captain.

-"Why?"

"Just...trust me. Pull up the instrumental track on SoundCloud then hand me your phone." He instructs, waiting for me to move. I hesitate a while, before doing what he asked.

-"Now put your earphones in."

I do so.

-"I'll play your verse. Close your eyes, and be in your own world. Or, imagine you're in a recording studio of a sort. Either way, ignore the fact we are here, and just rap comfortably."

"How's that gonna work when I know you're all here?" I say, battling his technique. He sighs, giving me the pleading eyes.

"We won't listen. We'll do our own thing." Some guy with sharp, cat-like features says, ushering everyone to move off and do something else. Everyone divides off, either playing basketball or practising their lines.

Not that it makes me any more comfortable, but as long as no one is listening...

"I'm ready." I tell Hongjoong, shutting my eyes. The track plays, and suddenly, I'm alone again. Instead, I'm alone with a mic and headphones, the music surrounding me. The beats come in, and I can feel them coursing through my veins, getting me all hyped up that I start rapping;

Nobody say, woah
Nothing can fill you
Nights with dreams are all fading too
The scent permeates and lingers
I'm lost looking for you
Save me say, woah, nobody say, woah

The music suddenly stops and silence greets itself once again. It's oddly quiet that I peel my eyes open and find everyone staring, seven pairs of eyes meeting mine and a random basketball rolling between Yunho and someone else.

"That was so much better than when you did it in the music room. There was so much emotion, like you really felt what you were saying." Hongjoong sighs, a smile playing on his lips. I can feel my face start to burn. The way they all look at me, it's not embarrassing. It's...shock.

"I'm sorry...I said we wouldn't listen, but the way you delivered the rap was...amazing." The guys with the sharp facials says, his smile growing wide like Hongjoong's.

"Strangers, no more. My name is Jongho, and I like your voice, Mingi." The youngest-looking one says to me.

Soon, they all begin to introduce themselves to me. And they even called me by my name, not 'the school bully', as everyone would call me. For once, I felt included. I wasn't singled out as an outsider, anymore. These people called me by my actual name. I became an outsider no longer looking in, but being in the moment.

For the first time in years, I don't feel alone anymore. When I close my eyes, they're there with me.