It Had To Be You ~ Joost Klein

Chapter 13 - Not a lot, just forever

(a/n: really quick! I'll be marking suggestive scenes with * from now on. There isn't any explicit content like smut, but it's more so just a warning for those who need to buckle in. Enjoy the chapter!)

"Sorry ah-, oke...nog een keer," (Sorry ah- okay...again/one more time) Teun said as he fumbled around with FL Studio, the program he used to record Joost. I wasn't super familiar with it until today; I only knew the basics of logic and Ableton, but Teun taught me quite a bit. He was kind enough to let me shadow him and ask his ear off with question after question. At first, I was a bit afraid to say anything if I didn't quite understand it, but the results were only positive. He'd answer quite in-depth and would even go beyond. He clicked away at his mouse, moving sections of the instrumental around and cutting up Joost's vocals. "Ik begin je...acht tellen terug," (I'll start you...eight counts back) he said, leaning into the microphone in front of him. Joost, who was in the vocal booth, gave a thumbs up through the window and placed both his hands on the headphones he was wearing. Teun pressed the space bar, and the track began.

We were on hour 4 now, or was it 5? It was hard to tell when we had started, but it was nearing time to call it a day. However, Teun and Joost were perfectionists, and the song was almost done. Appie and Nathan joined us about 30 minutes ago and have been the comedic relief since then. I actually learned that Nathan had a YouTube channel of his own after he pulled out a comically large camera, recording some of the music-making process himself. This made a bit more sense for his boisterous personality, and I didn't mean that negatively. He knew how to riff off anyone easily.

"Hopelijk is het geen shit" (Hopefully, it's not shit), he joked, and Appie snickered.

My lips quirked sideways, and I crossed my arms, "I think it's missing something..." I wasn't very familiar when it came to making electronic music, so I didn't think speaking my ideas was going to be beneficial.

Teun turned around in his office chair to face me, "I agree, and it's getting on my nerves." He turned back around to get back to listening to the track. Joost was still recording, and Teun wasn't necessarily listening to him anymore; he was trying to figure out what it needed. They already had a gnarly bass and chord progression, along with this effect that made it sound like it was phasing in and out, but it still needed something. Teun pressed the space bar again to stop the recording.

"Hoe was dat?" (How was that?) Joost questioned from the inside, looking at Teun through the window, but he just motioned for Joost to come out. He stepped out and went right toward the desk that held the Mac.

"Luister," (listen) Teun clicked a few things before pressing the space bar once more, the track starting in the middle of the song. Joost raised his hand to his mouth, biting his nail slightly as he concentrated on the music. The rest of us sat there listening as well, and I closed my eyes. My classical background filled the gaps instantly, but I still remained reserved, trying to find anything else that didn't involve a piano or string instrument. "Je klinkt goed, maar... ik heb geen idea," (You sound good, but... I have no idea) Teun sighed and rubbed the back oh his neck. Joost nodded and tapped his foot along to the beat.

He looked down at Teun, "Heb je gevraagd y/n?" (Have you asked y/n?) I heard Joost ask, and I opened my eyes. Teun shook his head, looking at me, and then Joost soon turned around to look at me as well. He squinted, trying to read me, and I sat up straight.

"What do you think?" he asked, and I shrugged.

Appie playfully scoffed, "Ze is bescheiden." (She's being modest).

"Nee!" I asserted and slumped back onto the couch behind me. Everyone around me kept their eyes on me as I sat there, not knowing what to do next. I looked to Joost for any directions, and my worries started to leave me. His look softened, and he mouthed the words it's okay to reassure me. I sighed, stood up from the couch, and walked over to the desk, "Speel het nog een keer, alsjeblieft..." (Play it again, please...).