Curious

Ji An tapped her fingers excitedly on the cafeteria table. She hummed softly while waiting for someone.

"Hey, aren't you eating?" Yeon Hee put her lunch tray on the table and sat on Ji An's left.

"I'm waiting for my lunch ~"

"Wow, I just found out that lunch can come by itself."

Ji An just smiled even though she knew what her friend said was sarcasm. "My lunch will come. Anytime."

Just then, the filled lunch tray was thrust in front of Ji An. And the person who brought it sat across.

"Oh, thank you, Min Gi Hoon." Ji An started eating the rice and soup with gusto.

Yeon Hee gaped at Gi Hoon who was sitting with them. She glanced at Han Sung who had just come and sat across from Yeon Hee. "What happen?" Yeon Hee asked silently.

Han Sung just shrugged. He turned to Gi Hoon. "You never eat lunch. At least take this yogurt."

Gi Hoon hummed a yes. He received a cup of yogurt from Han Sung. While eating it, Gi Hoon asked directly, "When I can hear it?"

"Later. I'm still eating." Ji An started to sip the banana milk.

"Okay." But when Gi Hoon asked again after Ji An ate, he didn't get what he asked for. Ji An excuses later, later, and later.

"Later. Class is about to start."

"Later. After school."

"Later. I have to hurry home. My mom is waiting at the shop."

And finally until night fell, Gi Hoon still didn't get Ji An's demo-tape.

♡♡♡

"Gi Hoon asked when you were going to give the dem—" Han Sung's words were cut quickly by Ji An, who was concentrating on writing 'Happy B'day Mickey' on round chocolate chips, in the bakery kitchen.

"Later. I'm still busy."

Han Sung let out a short sigh. He took out his cell phone and typed something. "How many times you said 'later' these days. Gi Hoon wasn't that patient person type."

"Oh, I realized that," Ji An nodded her head. She put the round chocolate on the rainbow cake slowly.

"So?"

"So? So... well, I'll definitely give my demo, it's just that I don't want to be seen ... hurry?"

"Say the truth," Han Sung put the rainbow cake in a cream colour cake box with red ribbon. "You're less confidence, aren't you?

Ji An blinked. Why this friend really know what's going on her mind. "Umm ... well ...." She nodded slowly. "My level at making music isn't the same as him. You know mine kinda plain with just piano and guitar.

He chuckled a little. "You're not that bad. Send the file. You have his email and phone number, right? I'm sure Gi Hoon will help you."

Ji An smiled slightly when Han Sung came out of the kitchen carrying the cake box. She didn't know why she suddenly lack confidence. After listening back to the songs that Gi Hoon produced, Ji An's songs didn't sound so good.

Looks like she need some refreshment. She decide to call Yeon Hee, ask her to meet at the park. But the girl refused and said," I'm still on my date with Jiseob. Let's talk on Monday, okay?" And the phone call shut.

"This is the third time she refused me," Ji An snickered. "Guess boyfriend are better than bestfriend, huh?"

♡♡♡

The notification clink sounded on Gi Hoon's cellphone. He shifted his gaze from computer to cellphone.

-You've got mail from Lee Ji An- ,

His eyes widened, and he excitedly opened the mail and download the attachment file. He opened it and there's a piano accompaniment with Ji An's voice singing a song that ended in ... 5 seconds ?!

"Really? Is this all there is?"

He looks for other attachments that he may not be aware of. But only 1 file were there. Gi Hoon quickly typed into his cellphone, but he stopped and chose to call directly. After the third ring, the call is answered.

"Are you serious? Only 5 seconds? Not 5 minutes? Or 5 hours maybe?"

The question wasn't answered immediately after 5 seconds either.

"Um, hello?"

"Oh, it's was you, Min Gi Hoon." Ji An answered from there.

"I'm sure I saved my number on your cellphone. Did you delete it ?"

"Ah, no. I didn't look at the screen when I answered the cell phone earlier—"

"Send me the rest of the demo-tape."

"You didn't even say the word 'please'." Ji An's voice sounded irritated.

"Please."

"I'll send you the rest tomorrow."

And the call was cut off. Gi Hoon resisted the urge to throw his cellphone. He swore softly as he punched the empty air, feeling that his age had increased tenfold.

He jumped on the chair when there was a knock on the studio door. Ha Joon's head peeks in.

"Yo, Suiker. Jin Seok came and cook. Dinner is ready.” Ha Joon gave him a thumbs up.

"I'll be out soon." Gi Hoon replied immediately.

After Ha Joon closed the door, Gi Hoon let out a loud sigh. He plays the 5-second song back, and plays it back, again and again, until he says, "She have a good voice ... i like it."

♡♡♡

Han Sung was ladling his last of strawberry yogurt when Yeon Hee nudged his arm, causing the yogurt to spill from his spoon. "What the hell?" He hissed softly.

"Tell me. Are they dating?" Yeon Hee whispered, her gaze straight the other way.

Han Sung followed her gaze towards Ji An and Gi Hoon, who were bickering about demo-tape again. It's been 3 days since Ji An sent the demo-tape for only 4 seconds, and the last one is only 3 seconds. And that made Gi Hoon become emotional.

He knows Gi Hoon is very determined to get what he wants. At first, Han Sung was a bit surprised to find that Gi Hoon gave up just because of the dare from Ji An. Then he was surprised again because that night Gi Hoon came and agreed to the dare, for the sake of hearing a demo tape.

He wondered why Gi Hoon wanted to get caught up in Ji An's game. Wait— a game that DS made actually. Ji An only threw the dare to the members who haven't been hit. Even that girl had forgotten Han Sung's dare. On the second day of the dare, without caring she had tied her hair back. Ji An doesn't even care. So why does Gi Hoon care? This is what makes Taehyung curious. He had this feeling that boy might... Why did he even thinking about this?

"Hoy!" Yeon Hee nugded his arm again. "Are they dating?"

"More precisely ... partner?" Han Sung answered hesitantly.

"What partner?"

"Partner of ... project?"

"As I recall, there are no project assignments in class? They're talking about tape. What kind of tape they're talking about?" Then she gasped slowly. "Don't tell me it's seee—"

Han Sung quickly covered Yeon Hee's mouth with his palm. He knew exactly what Yeon Hee was going to say. This girl's dirty mind. And are you guys thinking the same thing? If not, then don't speak up.

"What's wrong with you both?" Ji An's eyes moved quickly to stare at her friend in turn.

Yeon Hee shook her head while slapping Han Sung's palm which was still silencing her.

"Aww.." Han Sung hissed again. He turned his head, looked at Ji An who was still staring at him with wide eyes as if to say 'What's-the-matter?' He just shrugged. "I'm going to the class first." He got up and went with his empty tray.

It wasn't long before Yeon Hee also followed in his footsteps. Leaving Ji An and Gi Hoon who in silent. "I see you guys are still busy. I'm going too. Bye ~"

♡♡♡

"Hey, Kim Han Sung!"

Yeon Hee tried to match her steps with the boy in front of her. "Mind to tell me what's going on between them?"

"Why are you so curious?"

"Well, practically I'm Ji An's bestfriend, but doesn't look like one. But you're the one who is more close to her. So I guess you must know what happened to her?"

"They just ... do something related to ... hobby ... yea, their hobby," Han Sung didn't know what to answer, because this was related to Gi Hoon's secret profession.

Maybe for others it was fine, but for DS, the secret between them had to be strictly guarded. Han Sung already slipped off once to Ji An. But he is relieved that Gi Hoon is attracted to Ji An's song.

"And what is that hobby?"

The two of them continued to walk in the corridor without stopping.

"You can ask Ji An directly."

Yeon Hee groaned. "I asked her once. And I'm not satisfied with the answer. What's with you guys and these secrets ?! Lately I feel abandoned."

Han Sung frowned. He remembered when Ji An tresspassed to his room only to grumble about Yeon Hee not having time to meet outside of school.

"Ji An once said the same thing that she felt left out after you were always busy with your new boyfriend."

"It's different. Oh well, forget it. You're not helping at all." After half yelling in annoyance, Yeon Hee left Han Sung.

"Girls."

♡♡♡

Ji An is silent. She placed her empty strawberry yogurt cup on the tray slightly coarsely without noticing.

But Min Gi Hoon realized it. He didn't want to seem concerned about it and tapped his finger on the table to bring Ji An's attention back to him.

"I'll ask Han Sung to take you on Sundays at 10 AM. I know that's your day off from work."

"Where?" She raised an eyebrow.

"To my house. I will not receive 'a piece' of your song anymore. I should've done this from yesterday. I will listen to it live in my studio. You better—" He was about to stand up from the chair when Ji An interrupted his words.

"Your studio? I thought you wanted to bring my song to the music-genius that you known?" She emphasized her last words.

Oh yea, Gi Hoon still hasn't said that this genius is himself. Ji An who knows the truth is just acting ignorant and happy to see how Gi Hoon's eyes are shaking, trying to find an answer.

['He looks like a cute cat on the side of the road I want to adopt—Did I just say he was cute… oh my!'] Ji An facepalmed.

"Okay." Ji An picked up her empty lunch tray. "See you on Sunday, Mr. PD Suiker."

-------♡

*PD = Producer

-Autumn Notes