Always Seven // Xdinary Heroes 7th Member

ׂ╰┈➤ part 35.

I.

The morning seemed to slip through Minhee's fingers, each hour blurring into the next as her vocal class with Ms. Jung stretched on. Time was a fickle thing in that practice room, bending and distorting under the intensity of Ms. Jung's critical ear and the endless repetitions of scales, exercises, and song segments. By the time the clock struck 11, Minhee felt as though she'd been through a grueling workout. 

Her throat was slightly raw from the strenuous vocal exercises, and her body ached from holding the perfect posture for hours on end. As Ms. Jung finally exited the room, her sharp heels clicking against the polished floor, Minhee let out a long, weary sigh. 

The door clicked shut, and silence settled over the room, a stark contrast to the relentless drilling she had just endured. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting the tension ease out of her muscles before slowly stretching her arms above her head. A few pained groans escaped her lips as she rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck, trying to shake off the stiffness that had settled into her bones. 

She glanced around the now-quiet practice room, the walls still echoing with the remnants of her voice. The mirrored panels reflected her disheveled appearance—sweat beading on her forehead, hair slightly tousled, and a faint flush coloring her cheeks. She chuckled to herself, amused by the sight. It was all part of the process, she reminded herself. 

Every strained note, every corrected posture, every exhausted breath was a step toward improvement. But even as she thought this, she couldn't help but feel a pang of relief that the session was over. Minhee dragged herself over to the stool in the corner, plopping down onto it with a tired sigh. Her fingers fumbled with her phone as she pulled it out, the bright screen momentarily blinding her as she adjusted to the sudden light. 

She quickly navigated to her messages, her thoughts turning to Gunil, wondering if he was awake by now. He had a drum class coming up, and knowing him, he might still be in bed, catching up on the sleep he missed last night. With a few swift taps, she composed a message to him: "Oppa, are you awake yet? You have drum class at 12:30!! Reply when you're awake!!" 

She added a couple of exclamation marks for emphasis before hitting send. As the message disappeared into the digital ether, Minhee leaned back against the wall, her thoughts already drifting to her next task. But before she could lose herself in the mental checklist of things she needed to do, her phone buzzed with a new notification. 

II.

Seungmin's name flashed on the screen, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she opened the message. His reply was immediate, almost as if he'd been waiting for her text: "I've been lounging in the artist's lounge for a while now, waiting for you to finish up." The thought of him waiting around just for her brought a warmth to her chest, and she found herself smiling at her phone like an idiot. 

She quickly typed out a response, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. "Aww, you didn't have to wait for me. But I'm done now. I'll be there in a bit, just need to gather my stuff." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "Hope you didn't get too bored waiting," followed by a winking emoji. With a final tap, she sent the message and stood up from the stool, taking a moment to survey the practice room one last time. 

The room, which had once felt so oppressive during the class, now seemed more like a sanctuary—a place where she could push her limits and hone her craft. Minhee grabbed her water bottle and took a long drink, the cool liquid soothing her parched throat. Then, she began gathering her things, stuffing her sheet music and notes into her bag with practiced efficiency.