behind closed doors || shen ricky

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

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Hanbin, Matthew and Gyuvin all looked at each other when hearing the sounds coming out of the recording booth. Today was the first time recording for their album. It's a long process, so they decided to start early. They had to divide parts, get used to the vibe and just prepare their voices. 

They've been recording Ricky his part for the past hour, but it doesn't seem to get better.

"Ricky, you're singing about being happy! Running after your first love, flowers, happy endings, not losing your first love or running through a field of dying flowers" the producer said through the mic. "Try again and try to smile this time, okay?"

The boy took a deep breathe. He didn't know why he felt so sad. It couldn't be just because of that girl, right? He doesn't even like her that way, he was just trying to do something right. But if she doesn't want it, he should let it go. But why can't he?

"Okay Ricky let's just stop here for today" the producer turned the music off. "Comeback tomorrow with the other group. I'll spare some of my free time for you. But make sure that whatever is going on now doesn't happen again"

Ricky kindly apologised and stepped out of the recording room with his head lowered to the ground. He walked to his friends who all got up from the couch the second they saw him. All three of them looked worried, not knowing why he was acting this way.

"Did something happen during that appointment?" Hanbin asked.

"No, it's fine I just feel really tired"

He walked passed them and left the studio. The producer turned his chair to the boys, shaking his head. "He's lovesick"

The three boys widened their eyes. "What?"

"It's obvious. I went trough the same thing when I was younger" he sighed. "You can't see it because you're still young. You probably haven't felt that yet"

"But how do you mean he's lovesick? He got rejected? Or has a celebrity crush? Or.."

"Rejected most likely. Or he just likes someone who obviously doesn't like him back"

Gyuvin scoffed. "If he liked someone he would've told me already! He's the closest to me and-"

"Hao" Matthew said. "Maybe he knows"

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"Ricky is what?"

Hao looked up from his laptop and stared at Hanbin in confusion.

"Lovesick. Apparently there's something going on. Do you know anything?"

"Not that I know of" Hao took his glasses off. "I mean he did seem odd that night when he came back late but if it was a crush he would definitely have told me"

"Right. Maybe we're just overreacting" Hanbin sat down on the bed besides Hao's desk. "Maybe he's doing this to get on my nerves"

Hao sighed and sat down besides his friend. Hanbin always had trouble connecting with Ricky. As a leader, it was his job to make sure to know what everyone was up to and how everyone was feeling, but he could never figure it out when it came to Ricky. He often asked Hao for help, but even that way he wasn't sure how to approach him. 

"Don't worry. His situation isn't the easiest" Hao tried to calm Hanbin down. "And he isn't doing this to get on your nerves. You're a great leader"

"Yeah, but-"

The door suddenly jerked opened. Hao frightened, making Hanbin startle too. They turned their heads and saw Yujin standing there with his ice cream.

"What are you talking about?" he asked cluelessly. 

"I'm studying" Hao said, walking back to his desk. "Hanbin was helping me"

"Well I'm going to study too" Yujin walked to his desk and sat down behind it. He then proceed to turn to Hanbin. "Can you please leave if you're going to talk""

"Oh yeah, okay" Hanbin got up and looked at Hao who looked back at him with shrugging shoulders.

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Jiah raised her cola glass while the other three raised their beer glasses.

"Cheers to every one of us slowly getting their life back together" Yoona said with a smile. "Let's drink"

The four of them clinged their glasses. They took some sips from their drinks before putting them down at the same time. It's been a while since Jiah went out with Yoona, Yujun and Hyeon. They used to do it a lot, but because of school and work it's gotten hard to find times where they're all available. 

"So you'll be working with Yujun now?" Hyeon asked. "Together?"

Yujun nodded. "Yeah, hopefully she'll get the call tomorrow. She'll be the camerawoman for the group I style. It'll be fun, right?"

Jiah forced a little smile. She was still annoyed about what Ricky did. She knows that she shouldn't be overreacting like this, but she couldn't help it. Who does he think he is. Did he really think she would go to a newspaper company and tell them she saw him on the rooftop at night? 

"Jiah, you okay?" Yoona asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she took a sip from her cola. "I called the school earlier and my teacher said he's fine with me missing school only if I hand in all my assignments in time and stay in the top 5% of the school so if I get the job, school is already taken care of"

"You can do that" Yujun sighed.  "We'll know our schedules in two days. I wonder if it'll be hell"

She grabbed her glass and shotted her beer all at once. Hyeon looked at his girlfriend and shook his head. "You're becoming an alcoholic. How do you drink every night?"

"It's because I live with these two" she glared at her two roommates. "Jiah is constantly singing or nagging while Yoona always has to study with saying everything she reads out loud"

"It's not our fault you dropped out of school" Yoona whispered.

"I heard that" Yujun side eyed her.

While her friends started to argue, she looked out of the window towards the sky. There were many stars on the sky. She then started to study the people walking by. Most of them were couples. It made her feel jealous as always. 

All she could wish for is to go on a date without needing to take her friends with her. But every time she found herself being alone, she panicked. Whenever she has to go to the rooftop, Yoona or Yujun are around the corner sitting at some coffeeshop waiting for her or when she needs to send out a package and one of the two always needs to walk her down to the nearest post office.

"Is it okay if I go home early?" Jiah mumbled. "I feel kind of tired.

Her friends nodded. When she got up, so did her friends. Seeing how her friends were always ready to go with her to every place she goes, made her sad. 

This won't last forever, right?

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