Rhythm 「Jay Park Smut 」「AMBW」

Chapter 2

Your favorite part about working here was how active you could be in the music making process. Previous jobs had never given you the chance to shine like this, and your skill was never able to be fully showcased. They always thought "here was another amateur who likes to play around in garageband", ignoring the fact that you are trained in jazz piano as well as tap. Sure this wasn't hip hop or RnB but rhythm is rhythm and none of these musical forms exist in a vacuum. When the beats would speed up you would often find yourself tapping your foot, heel-toe, heel-toe, as if it were your early lessons in tap. The root was the same.

ChaCha took quick notice however of your ability, watching your fingers move as if they were dancing across invisible piano keys matching the notes in the song. He was keeping this relationship strictly professional, but that didn't mean he was above staring at a pretty coworker mastering her craft. You worked too hard to get here and the idea of sabotaging your career for a relationship seemed silly. So ChaCha's lingering eyes were flattery and nothing more. Besides you viewed him as a brotherly figure, maybe a creepy one, but a brotherly figure nonetheless.

Together you guys worked in harmony. There were a few tracks that needed to be completed but one in particular spoke to you. The drums were catchy, as always but you could feel the funky vibe. You pulled the keyboard over to you and let the beat begin. Every couple seconds you let your fingers go, slightly jazzy. It was nothing too complicated, this wasn't beethoven, but something just as catchy to help get the hook in your head. ChaCha smiled. "This is it! This is it!"

He turned up the speaker and your ad libs were played at max volume. Your foot began to tap as you continued to play and laugh. You laughed so hard you threw your head back and let your curls shake. And just like that your shoulders were into it. ChahCa pulled out a midi fighter and began to push out some guitar sounds and it it became a jam session.

Unbeknownst to you, a couple other bodies had snuck into the room. You were too busy having fun on the keyboard to notice. Suddenly the beat dropped but you continued to play chords letting the soul wash over you, and then ChaCha joined back in, and then the beat dropped. "Ahhhhhhhh" screamed a chorus of voices behind you.

Still playing, you turned your head and watch as the greater part of the AOMG gang was in the room bopping along. And just like that the song was over and the room feel into silence. You had been dancing and shaking and laughing so much that a thin layer of sweat had actually formed on your brow. You had only been working here for a few weeks but everything you touched turned to gold and everyone knew it.

"Did you save all that." A smiling Jay Park pushed his way to the front of the pack, smiling that boyish smile he puts on in interviews. His eyes were joyous but something else was sprinkled in the background.

You turned to ChaCha who had pressed a few buttons on the array of nobs in front of him. He nodded and made the okay symbol with his hand. Jay took a few steps forward before placing a hand on your shoulder. He leaned in, so that his face was closer to yours. "Keep up the good work and maybe you'll get a promotion."

You beamed back at him, just so proud that your work was up to par. This is how you knew you were where you were supposed to be in life. You were fulfilling a lifelong dream, and doing a more than competent at your job. "I'll Try sir."

"Jay, not Sir. This isn't a military regime." There was a chorus of laughter behind you. He was right.

You had only met him a few times but each time he had mentioned to call him Jay instead of anything more serious. The other employees had all been doing just that but for some reason you didn't feel comfortable moving past that professional line. Sure, everyone here acted as if it were just one big family, but had a few weeks been enough to be considered one of the family. "I'll try Jay. " This came out low and shy. Jay's grip on your shoulder tightened and he let go before turning to talk to ChaCha.

Suddenly you felt small. It was unexplained and unwarranted but still there. You turned to look at the group of men behind you all chatting and then up to ChaCha and Jay who were conversing quietly. You suddenly wanted that brotherly feeling the ChaCha would give you and felt so self conscious as the only female in the room. You began to fidget. First came the toe tapping. Then came the chord playing. You had turned the volume down, so that only you could hear it and let the peace of pattern recognition wash over you. It's not as if anyone was paying attention anyways.

You were pulled out of you trance by a strong grip on your shoulder. You turned and Jay was standing over you, looking down. ChaCha stood by the control panel, not facing you. Jay smiled down and asked if you knew how to write and how good your korean was.

"I have a very very basic grasp of the korean language. And no, I don't write. I'm just the music girl." A dry chuckle left your throat at the self deprecating humor.

His eyes darkened briefly before returning to their previous state. "Well, you clearly understand the feel of the music. I've finally seen your music making magic first hand and I was wondering if I could get some of that magic to myself."

You could feel the heat rising in your cheeks. Thank the lord for brown skin because if you were pale, you would be as red as a cherry. "You think too highly of me."

"Naw, baby girl, that last track you gave us last time was great but I need some help getting the words to come to me." He must really like saying baby girl. You've heard him address most of the staff by this pet name.

"Jay, You're scaring her." ChaCha to the rescue. He make eye contact with you. "It would be a good experience to get into the headspace of a writer too. Just think, as a lady what words would you like to hear."

Sudden phases and sweet words popped into your head. As if Jay could see the wheels of your brain turning he grabbed your wrist and pulled you to your feet. "I'm taking your thinking face as a yes."

He pulled past the boys and out into the hall. He was like a kid, hyper with excitement. He was clearly proud of himself for getting you to agree to this. Maybe working with the CEO would be fun. All you really wanted though was to make musical magic.