Chapter 41: Trust

                         AUTHOR POV   

(Song: I am already enough by Fearless Soul: Song, not mine credit to the rightful owner.😘😘💝💜)

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"Here; over there let me hear you sing." Hoseok pointed to her.

She climbed into the recording room with a headphone fixed on her and the recording drive on, climbing there alone makes her feel like a star and she can't suppress the grin displayed on her cheeks. Adjusting her voice, she gradually picks the song bit by bit.

And as time goes on, her whole spirit submerged with the flow and she sings beautifully within her heart, she sings like she was ministering to the soul and the song and vocals was so powerful that Hoseok has no other choice than to give a round of applause as she steps out from the recording stand.

"I was searching, I was looking..... for meaning;  I was wandering desperately trying only to see I have nothing missing. Who said; who said that I have to find who I am......; Who said that I am lost, to begin with;... I am already enough..... everything I need is within me: each morning when I wake up I'm grateful for the beauty around me.....Life is a gift I wanna enjoy: always proving my worth only destroys it.....I am already enough everything I need is within me....My motivation can't be validated..... I'd always be starving..... for more affection and the wrong attention only to feel like I am nothing......who said that I have to find who I am....who said that I am lost, to begin with...I am already enough everything I need is within me...each morning I wake up I'm grateful for the beauty around me.... Life is a gift I wanna enjoy always proving my worth only destroys it...I am already enough everything I need is within me.....ehhh oh yeah...I have nothing to find and everything to feel, only I can defend.... what is meaningful to me..... even when I am feeling so breakable...I tell myself to believe I am valuable...I am already enough everything I need is within me..... each morning I wake up I'm grateful for the beauty around me.....Life is a gift I wanna enjoy always proving my worth only destroys it; I am already enough everything I need is within me I am already enough everything I need is within me each morning when I wake up I'm grateful for the beauty around me, Life is a gift I wanna enjoy it always proving my worth only destroys it I am already enough everything I need is within me"...

"That was awesome Bella; trust me if you are to be in a competition you will be topping the others ."  Hoseok applaud her the moment she comes out from the recording room. "Here listen"..he said playing it for her. She listen attentively with a smile displayed on her cheeks.

"But why does it look like you prepare a diss track for me? Hoseok eyes pulled together at her,  and Bella chortled with her hand covering her mouth.

How can he be this funny, yet she didn't notice?

"Blink twice if this is a diss track." He grimace and Bella choked on her laughter, almost falling off her seat at his reaction. He looks so adorable with his serious face.

To be honest, it wasn't a diss track, rather Bella found comfort in the song because she already make up her mind to sing it to herself someday and today happened to be the day.

"What makes you think it's a diss track."

"Maybe since I already get on your nerves who knows." He shrugged. "But I love the song, it has some motivating words in there."

Bella stood and watch him. He clearly understands her.

"How good it is" She  glances at him

"So good" he cheers "Mind applying for a singing competition?

She shook her head in disagreement, folding her arms,  with her two fingers supporting her chin like she is trying to remember something.

"Hoseok, you might find the voice great; but I'm sure my tutor won't find it great especially that keyboardist guy of a person"  She shrugged, regretfully shutting her eyes and inhaling deeply.

"Someone pick on your voice at the studio"

Her brain stopped thinking the moment he asked her the question, then get flooded by the thoughts of the words she always received from the studio guy, she wanted to say it out but on second thought decided to wave it off.

"Forget, not that we are going to do anything to him" she muttered shutting her eyes.

"If you find the guy annoying I can ask for a change of tutor for you"

Bella's eyes surveyed him for a while, she then turn around with a smile broad smile on her lips.

"When did he become this lovely" her subconscious mind jibed in.

"I can call your Gyuk now"  his voice jolted her back from her thought.

"No!!!" She rush towards him trying to stop him but he held her hand.

"Why are you stopping me; tell me, have you fallen for the guy? He leaned to her face.

"Yahhh!!!" She hit him playfully on his shoulder." Who will love such an annoying fellow"

Hoseok who understands who she is talking about refuses to back off and keeps teasing her.

"What's his name ? he asked almost grinning.

"Why should I know such an annoying name" she replied backing him. "He is good at bad-mouthing one's work; why should I know his name" she scoffs.

"Hope you didn't cuss on him"

"If I said I didn't, that will be lying; I replied to him according to his words"

A throaty chuckle left Hoseok's lips, he folded his arms, his eyes not leaving her for a second.

Bella straighten her tensed shoulders and inhale deeply before calmly saying what was running through her mind.

"Hoseok I know I shouldn't cuss back, but he picked at me first, he always finds fun getting on my nerves, not that he is my tutor, he was a keyboardist assigned to help me master my voice. Shouldn't we be having one's back to lean on as encouragement, No!! instead, he keep badmouthing me; and Hoseok the annoying thing is, he called me a kid..... aigooooo....do I come to Korea just to be tagged a kid... ashiiiii, the thought of it makes me sick".she grumbled.

Hoseok stood there speechless at her reaction, her demonstrative words and gestures makes it more hilarious, and his vivid eyes pierced hers once she stopped. His lips twisted to a faint smile before abruptly fading. Leaning towards her. " Hope you won't regret it, Bella".

"No, Hoseok." She shook her head. Her voice is barely a whisper coupled with the fear she feels from his reaction.

"Come here"  he beckoned to her immediately he adjust his sitting position. " You see that piles of books, kindly arrange them in their order, since there is no available work for you now"

Bella flashed him a look, tilting her head with her arm folded.

"What!!!.  If you can't do it, fine!! forget it; just sit down there and read a book so you won't get bored because right now I have a presentation I want to check on" he said pointing out to her the board projector safety mount.

"I can do it, don't worry", she immediately reassured him making him chortle at her response.

Hoseok went back to his seat like nothing happened, focusing his attention on the project on his display, then and now he will throw his gaze at her to see how she is going about the work.

"Are you okay?

He will ask her and the latter will reply with a weak smile on her lips, from her response he can tell she is already tired.

"Don't get a big head about it, that is one of your jobs here, after all." He said playfully at her and she responds by raising an eyebrow at him, sticking her tongue at him.

He chuckle and focused his attention on the big screen.

The next moment he can't find her in her seated position as he swirls around trying to figure out where she is.

"Here" a voice snapped him out handing him a cup of coffee. He looks as if he is contemplating taking the coffee from him.

"Here" she repeats pushing the cup to him and this time he has no other option than to accept it.

"I told you to arrange those books, not serve me a coffee"

"I'm done arranging it, and I was feeling tired and sleepy" she uttered twisting her neck.

"Sit " he point to a chair beside him and the latter plunged herself down.

"Can I know you better?

Bella's face relaxes slightly, her eyes widening and her eyebrows furrowing at his sudden question.

"Which part do you want to know better? She blinked repeatedly at him.

"Come closer." He beckoned on her and when she leaned her face closer, he flicked his finger on her forehead and said "The real Bella."

"Rashford by Isabella, mixed race."

She responds curiously to him.

"Hobbies"

"Reading and running."

"Likes, Honesty, outstanding."

"Dislikes, liars, pretense and backbiters... she kept talking like she is reading out a poem, snub, talkative...and.....I don't know again. She pouted at him.

Hoseok sits still thinking about what to say to her next, remembering they have a small celebration at home today. He had always thought of inviting Bella at least to introduce him to the rest of his brothers, but since he hasn't made his intentions and feelings known to her, clenching his fist and biting his lips as anxiety took over her, watching Bella sip from her mug tinkle his heart. He stared at her for a moment, looking as of he wanted to say something to her but changed his mind.

Bella turned and her gaze meet his.

"Are you okay? Am I distracting you from your work? Sorry." Her face fell and she stood up to go but his voice stopped her.

Hoseok smiled seeing her meek actions and gestured her to come closer.

"Bella" he began clearing his throat and fidgeting with the pen he was holding "I will like you to join our little celebration with the rest of my brothers tonight at my house". He paused at his statement and looks at her, he finds his words oddly comforting, and he waits for her reply, which feels like ages to him.

She looked at him with wide eyes and then, the next moment, her lips speak amidst trembling.

"Is.....is that okay by you....what is the celebration all about.... about" she stammered.

" We are celebrating my partnership with a business deal, merging Sound-Mind with Dance Academy, and signing some deals with some companies. It's something I have been working on ever since Dance Academy has its label but we also wish to expand our interest with every other functioning Company which will make it easier for anyone training here also to be recognized there as one, and also to help promote our music and dance". The deal was signed this morning and it calls for celebration".

"Wow... Congratulations!!! Sure I will come" she uttered.

Hoseok ran his fingers across his hair as he looked at her, he looked at her with disbelief, he never know if he will accept immediately, he was thinking he gonna turn him down but no it was the opposite.

"Why do you agree quickly, seeing that it is a night celebration and among seven boys," he asked surprised at her response to his invitation.

"Well...I trust you even though I barely know you but I can say I trust you, out of your six brothers I have seen two, Jimin and...." she paused.

"Namjoon" he interrupt her, cause he noticed she always forget his name.

"Yes, Namjoon...they look too good and true..and also I want to thank the other guy who sends me Kimchi after our competition maybe this is the time to thank him; and why should I be worried when you are there with me".

"Seokjin Hyung." He said and she nods her head.

Hoseok was speechless. He didn't know why but he was affected by those words, by the look in her eyes.

Her last statement made him speechless, he looked at her, took her hands, and pull her into a hug.

"Thank you for trusting me," he said.

Bella felt a spark just fly from her heart the moment he pulled her in another hug. She never thought they will become this close. He keep surprising her each day, ever since he met him, things weren't the same again with her emotions. Once she thought he won't show up after suggesting she train herself but later show up only to become closer than before. All this thought gladdened her heart, she don't know if he has feelings for her or if was it just based on a platonic friendship.

They break their hug. Staring at each other. Only this hug is enough to keep her going.

"Hoseok, I'm coming with you on one condition: I need to go home and change my outfit. Two: I have zero tolerance for alcohol, so I stay a thousand miles away from it."

"Hey, what makes you think is a high school alcohol party and some nightclub hangout?  He chuckled and Bella's brows creased

"Stop laughing I'm serious," she said with a serious tone but Hoseok wasn't buying it.

"And your outfit now is okay, you can dress like this no need to change, is not a sleepover, once we are done I will drive you home safely okay." He told her, his eyes surveying her. From the look, one could tell he missed her a lot. His long lost crush.

(A/N: Wow, this should be the longest chapter I have written, right, (you laugh) Today was kind of boring as the weather wasn't favorable for me. But luckily for me, I have you my readers who always find fun reading my books. Thanks for all the love and support y'all are giving to "LIKE A DREAM" I will always cherish y'all

Thanks for being my light and staying with me.

Please do take care of yourself and remember the power to your happiness is in your hand. Eat your food and engaged in your hobbies. Remember to stay hydrated. Benita Bensplen Love you all.)