karaoke machine | p.js

3.04

If Naerin's expression had given her answer away then Jisung must have been blind. She only stared back calmly at him, like the question was one that she'd heard a million times over.

Jisung shifted under her gaze but he willed himself to keep eye contact with her. Eventually, Naerin looked away and let out a soft sigh that Jisung almost missed it. Her eyes drifted to his hand, landing on the silver rings that adorned his hand.

"Are you planning on going on that date with Dahee?" Naerin asked. Her eyes found their way back to Jisung's face. She looked at him with a genuine expression, it held no sign of jealousy or frustration, just curiosity.

"What?" Jisung asked, a bit taken aback.

"Never mind," Naerin said softly and turned to open the door.

This time Jisung wasn't able to stop her as she stepped inside. He sighed and followed her into the studio. Jisung felt his friends looking at him as he took a seat next to Renjun. For the rest of the meeting, Jisung kept his eyes down as his attention went in and out.

Everyone kept quiet about Jisung's spaced-out expression. Even if they wanted Jisung's attention he had put his headphones on the moment the group of five got in the car to go home. Haechan and Mark had split away from the boys after the meeting and immediately went to the NCT 127 practice room to meet up with the 127 members.

Jisung's mind was a storm the entire way back to the dorm. He couldn't get his thoughts straight as he played back those brief moments with Naerin.

As the four NCT Dream boys stepped into the dorm, Jeno glanced at Jaemin and made a small head motion toward Jisung, who stared blankly at the shoes he just took off. Jaemin made a face back clearly showing that he had no idea what to do.

Jeno let out a sigh and gave Jaemin a pointed look. Jaemin widened his eyes and raised his hands a bit as he shrugged. Renjun gave a blank stare at the two older boys before rolling his eyes. Throwing his arm over Jisung's shoulder, Renjun dragged the younger boy into the dorm.

"What's with the blank stare? Are you hungry?" Renjun asked as he forced Jisung to sit down at the kitchen island. Jeno dropped into the seats next to Jisung as Jaemin leaned on the table space near Jisung.

Jisung shrugged, "Forget it," he said.

"We're not stupid, Ji," Jeno chuckled gently patting Jisung's back, "Just say it to get it over with,"

Jisung made a face at Jeno but dropped his eyes down to the table, studying how the pattern of the marble swirled around. The three boys were patient as they waited for Jisung to speak. They knew that if they pushed too much he would close off but also that Jisung would eventually tell them what was wrong.

"Do you think she hates me?" Jisung asked in a soft voice.

Renjun looked up at Jisung, his eyes going soft as he felt sympathy for their youngest. Renjun knew what it was like to feel like his soulmate hated him. After all, Yihwa had rejected Renjun in every way possible when they first bonded.

Jaemin and Jeno exchanged looks before Jaemin inhaled deeply and patted Jisung's shoulder.

"I mean she chose to work with us," Jaemin said, "She wouldn't have if she didn't want to see you,"

"But she debuted months ago and I just learned now," Jisung leaned back in his seat, rubbing his eyes hard with his hands, "She was at the company every day for months, and I never even realized."

When his hands fell away from his face, Renjun studied Jisung. For the first time in a while, Renjun saw something that he normally didn't seen from Jisung.

Desperation.

Jisung leaned forward and put his hands on the back of his neck with his elbows resting on the table. Renjun looked at Jaemin and Jeno subtly hinting to them that he was going to try and talk to Jisung alone and the two boys nodded. Together, Jaemin and Jeno left the table, Jeno patted Jisung on the back softly as the two went to their rooms.

Sighing, Renjun leaned forward onto the table.

"Jisung," Renjun said softly, "Can I ask you something?"

Jisung looked up at Renjun and nodded softly.

"Are you serious about her this time?"

Jisung sat up straighter, his eyes widened as he went to go disagree with Renjun. He was about to say that there was never a moment that he wasn't serious about Naerin, but his words died on his tongue as he realized that he wouldn't have broken up with her all those years ago if he had been serious at first.

"I'm not sure," Jisung admitted softly, "I just-" he sighed, "I don't know, hyung. I just don't know,"

Renjun glanced at Jisung's hand, the rings on his finger shone brightly in the light. "I think you are,"

"What?" Jisung asked, a bit shocked by Renjun's words.

Renjun nodded with a soft smile on his face, "I mean, let's be honest, Jisung. It's not like you could stop thinking about her even if you wanted to. You haven't taken the ring she gifted you off and the way you look at her is a dead giveaway,"

Jisung felt his heart seize for a moment as Renjun's face went from soft to serious, "You're in love with her,"

"How would you know?" Jisung questioned, "I don't even know,"

Renjun smiled and reached over the table to ruffle Jisung's hair, "Because we've all been there before,"

––––––

Naerin sighed as she dropped down onto her couch. Throwing her feet up on Kangdae's lap, she snatched the remote from his hand to change the show on the TV. Kangdae gave Naerin a dirty look that she only ignored.

Smiling happily, she shoved the remote under her body once she picked her favorite show. Kangdae's expression only deepened as he threw Naerin's feet off of him.

"Fuck off," Kangdae swore at her.

Naerin smiled sweetly at him as she grabbed a blanket and threw it over herself. "How was your day?" she asked.

Kangdae shrugged, "Fine,  just work. Nothing new." He got comfortable on the couch once more and picked up his phone. "How about you?" he asked without looking away from his phone.

Naerin was silent for a moment, "I saw Jisung," she said truthfully.

"About time," Kangdae replied cooly, "Took him long enough to notice you,"

Naerin hummed but she disagreed. She had been really careful when she applied to SM as a vocal trainee two years ago. The company already knew who she was and because of that, they tried to be discrete when it came to her working at the company.

"He was wearing the ring," Naerin said softly.

Kangdae looked up from his phone, "Do you still wear yours?"

She stared at it for a moment as a soft sigh left her lips. Naerin slowly pulled out her necklace from where it sat under her shirt. Hanging from the silver chain was a silver knot-designed ring identical to the one that Jisung wore.

Kangdae stared at it for a moment, "Well?"

"Well, what?" Naerin asked.

"What are you planning on doing now?" Kangdae sat up a bit straighter on the couch, "He knows you work at SM now and you reconnected your soulmate bonds. Are you just going to pretend he doesn't exist?"

"I don't plan on falling in love with him again, Dae," Naerin said as she tucked the necklace chain back under her shirt, "I'm only working on this album with him and then we'll go our separate ways,"

Kangdae gave Naerin an unconvinced look but said nothing. Naerin knew what his expression meant but didn't acknowledge it. She already knew that her words were a half lie. She would be stupid to think that seeing Jisung would mean nothing.

In reality, she could already feel her soulmate bond pulling her back to him. She knew that despite her intentions the more time she spent with Park Jisung the more she would find herself falling in love with him all over again.