karaoke machine | p.js

3.03

There was no other way to put it other than Jisung wanted to disappear into the floor right there and then. He sat awkwardly on the couch in one of the main recording studios, his eyes flickering around the room at his friends and then to the three producers standing at the front of the room.

"We're thinking of starting the recording for the recording for the repackage sometime next week," Hajoon, one of the main producers that worked with NCT, said. "This way when you guys finish promotions for Glitch Mode you'll have a break before the Beatbox Album is released,"

From next to him, Jaemin gently elbowed Jisung. Jisung turned to meet Jaemin's stare but Jaemin just nodded forward. Jisung followed Jaemin's gaze to the front, his eyes meeting Naerin's.

She looked right at him, her expression black but by the way her eyes widened the slightest bit when Jisung's eyes met hers, it was obvious that Naerin hadn't expected him to make eye contact with her.

Jisung ripped his eyes away, his chest feeling tight as his heart pounded against his ribcage. It had been so long since they had been this close to each other. Even being in the same room was enough for Jisung to feel the soulmate bond between them pulling him to her.

It took every ounce of self-control for Jisung to stay seated and not go up to Naerin. In his mind, he knew that he was in no position to try and want her back. In fact, he still had reservations about forming another relationship with her.

But by the way, his heart yearned for her, Jisung already knew that the more time he spent with her the more his soulmate bond would pull him to her.

"You should talk to her," Jaemin whispered in Jisung's ear.

"Right, that'll go great," Jisung replied sarcastically, running a hand through his dark hair.

"We're going to be working with her, so it's better to just get it out of the way now," Jaemin said.

Jisung cursed Jaemin for his logical reasoning. If it had been up to him, he would have tried to avoid interactions with Naerin until the last moment possible. Jisung looked at Naerin again and found her still looking at him.

Unlike before, she was the one to break eye contact first. She turned away from Jisung to whisper something to one of the producers. He leaned down so that Naerin could whisper in his ear. Jisung felt a shiver go down his spine and he forced himself to look away.

It almost didn't occur to him that Naerin was leaving the recording studio until the door was open. His head whipped toward her, watching as she disappeared out the door.

Jaemin shared a look with Mark, who sat on the other side of Jisung, and a mutual understanding passed between the two. At the same time, they both placed their hands on Jisung's back and pushed him off the couch.

Stumbling as he stood up, Jisung turned back to look at Mark and Jaemin with wide eyes. Before he could sit back down though, Haechan swooped in and took Jisung's previous seat. A sly smile spread across Haechan's face as he leaned back into the couch.

"Jisung, can you get me my water bottle? It's in the practice room," Haechan said.

Jisung's eyes narrowed, knowing fully well that the three boys were all trying to get him to follow Naerin. The producers exchanged looks, small smiles on their faces as they watched the interaction between the four boys.

From where they sat at the edge of the couch and on the arms of the couch, Jeno, Renjun, and Chenle smiled widely making it known to Jisung that he was on his own.

With a sigh, Jisung begrudgingly left the recording studio. However, when he stepped out into the hallway it was empty. Taken off guard, Jisung looked back and forth down the hallway, confused as to how Naerin could have disappeared so quickly.