Volcano - Minsung (English version)

1

Volcano

Chapter 1

I tensely stepped from one leg to the other while I watched Chan. The longer he stayed silent, the more nervous I became. Had it been perfect this time?
With a concentrated look on his face, he started the recording from the beginning. My voice came out of the speakers in the small studio, repeating the lines I had sung in the last hour and which were engraved in my mind.

이미 내게 너는 죄
(To me, you're already a sin)
너는 죄
(You're already a sin)

My heart beat fast in my chest, the smile automatically stole onto my lips as we listened to the song. I was proud of all my works - but this one was especially close to my heart. Because to be precise: it was a declaration of love. Gosh, how it sounded.I felt my cheeks grow warm.
Okay, I had written a few love songs in the last few years, but I had never had anyone as clear in my mind as I had this time.

네게 녹아들 수 있게
(So I can melt into you)
내 몸을 감싸줘 아파도 난 it's okay
(Hug my body even if it hurts, it's okay)
(Woah) 차갑고 거친 파도 속에
((Woah) Among the cold and harsh waves)
뜨거운 네가 필요해, you are my volcano
(I need your heat you are my volcano)

The last notes faded away. I restlessly bit my lower lip and waited for Chan's final judgement.Usually the three of us sat in the studio, composing or trying out new things - not today. I had already started writing this song a few weeks ago, discarding lines and rewriting them, after all, things had got confused in my life at that point. Everything had settled down again - I was feeling better than ever, which was definitely due to the person who had inspired me to write this song - but still... Somehow I didn't want to tell everyone how happy I was. And so only Chan was left, whom I trusted to judge my lyrics neutrally in advance.
Although his facial expression seemed anything but not neutral at the moment.

He slowly turned around on the chair to face me and looked up at me from below, grinning widely.
"I like it. I think we've got it."
The tension instantly fell away from me, causing me to sink onto the sofa with soft knees and a sigh.
"And a certain someone will like it even more, I'm sure. With those lyrics."
"Chan!"
His knowing smile was infectious. It was hard to fake him out.

We listened to the song a few more times, changed a few passages. So absorbed in our work, we didn't notice how time passed. Until there was a soft knock at the door.
We looked at each other irritatedly, after all we weren't expecting anyone.
"Yes?"
The door opened and a mop of brown hair pushed through the crack. My heart gave a surprised jump.
"Lee Know!"
"Hey hey."
A smirk hid at the corner of his mouth as he entered, nodded at Chan and dropped close to me on the sofa. What was he doing here? Hadn't we planned to meet at home later? I was slightly overwhelmed by the situation. Something that had happened to me quite often in his presence lately.

I only noticed that I had been staring at him for seconds with wide-open eyes when Chan gently cleared his throat and temporarily drew my attention back to our leader. But what could I do when Lee Know appeared out of the blue and, above all, with this wonderfully tousled hair that I usually liked to mess up myself with my fingers? As if he had just got up. And with that oversized hoodie that I loved to steal from him... I'm sure it was intentional, because he knew how difficult it was for me to resist him in that outfit.
He giggled softly.
"You're staring."
"I'm not."
I pursed my lips in mock offence, which made him grin even more.

"What are you doing here already? Weren't you going to wait for me in the dorm? Or did you miss me?"
I tried to turn the situation around. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Chan watching the scene intently, hiding the giggle behind his hand with little success.
"No. I'm just hungry and as long as it usually takes you guys to get to the studio, I'll be starving by now if I don't interrupt you."
Although he was looking at me with his typical serious expression, the twinkle in his eyes testified that he actually wanted to say something else.
He just didn't need to deny it. Of course he had missed me as much as I had missed him; after all, we hadn't been able to see each other yesterday and a day without each other could be damn long.

"Then I'd say we should stop for today. We don't want Lee Know to starve to death."
I looked puzzled at our leader, who was looking meaningfully back and forth between us. Some days I wasn't quite sure what he thought about our relationship, whether he was annoyed or worried about possible consequences, but most of the time he just seemed happy that we were doing well. And I was more than happy about that.
"Are you sure?", I asked. "We're not quite done yet, are we?"
As much as I wanted to finally spend time with Lee Know, I couldn't let Chan do all the work alone. Especially with my own song.
"Oh, it's not that much more, I can do it. Besides, I'll send you the first version later. If in doubt, we can always change something then."
I looked at him undecidedly. Well, if he meant...

"What have you actually been working on?" Lee Know cut in.
"Han's new song. Do you want to listen to it?"
Staring wide-eyed at the two of them, I shook my head slightly to prevent Chan from immediately putting his suggestion into action. My heart was already beating far too excitedly in my chest again, heat rising in my cheeks.
Of course I liked the song and was looking forward to the final result and the first opinions about it. Just not now. Not from Lee Know, who I had written this lyric about and definitely needed more mental preparation to respond to. He knew some lines of it, but just not all of them.
Fine, I wouldn't stop him if he really wanted to hear it now, but....I caught both Chan's and Lee Know's smirks as I continued to sit frozen. With each passing second, I grew more embarrassed, kneading my hands nervously in my lap.
"I think I'll wait until it's completely mixed." Lee Know's hand gently stroked my arm and finally came to rest on my hands. Instantly, that touch made me feel calmer.

Chan grinned in understanding before turning away from us and towards his computer."Well, feel free to get going. I'm sure you guys have something planned, knowing you. Have a nice evening and stay decent."He didn't see Lee Know roll his eyes as we complied and stood up from the sofa. I giggled. What did Chan think of us anyway? That we were always falling over each other?

But as soon as the door closed, it was there again: this unmistakable tension between us, which every time tempted me to drag him into the next best room to have him for myself. Yet it had only been two days since we had seen each other.
All of a sudden Lee Know stopped in mid-step beside me and looked back over his shoulder. Wondering, I stopped as well, following his gaze. The corridor seemed empty, only muted sounds were coming from the neighbouring rooms. I didn't get a chance to ask, but I was already pressed against the cold wall. Seconds later, soft lips were on mine. I gasped in surprise, I had not expected such an attack. And unfortunately I couldn't really enjoy the moment, because the lips left me again far too quickly. Though they lingered on my temple for a moment, he finally detached himself and stepped back with a sly grin.
"All right, maybe I did miss you a little bit.
A little bit? My gaze must have been transfigured, because the smirk turned into a smug grin while he kept his eyes on me and, to top it all off, casually ran his fingers through his dark hair.
God, sometimes I cursed this man for the fact that he probably knew exactly what effect he was having on me.
"I don't think that was Chan's idea of decent, by the way."
Yes, my voice sounded hoarse - that was no reason to grin any wider, Lino!
Before he could retort anything that might have upset me further, I pressed a fleeting kiss to his lips, interlocked our fingers and headed for the exit. Fortunately, he remained silent, the pleased grin still on his lips.



Welcome to the sequel to "Only with you". I hope you like it :)