lyricist°l.jn [editing]

chapter four: recording

  Jeno constantly bites on his bottom lip as he and the other DREAM members lounge in the waiting room of the recording studio- nervous, anxious and abashed to face their lyricist. 

  "You're next," Mark says and begins the real-life action of his nightmare.

  Jeno slips into the recording room quietly and into the box within a blink- not a single squeak escaping.

  His throat is dry as a desert and his heart skips 8 beats at once.

  "Jeno-ssi," Jinkyong voices and manages to yank him out of his thoughts. "You can start."  

  The idol takes note of how she doesn't lift her head to look at him and furrows slightly.
Is she angry?

  While distracted, he starts rapping out the lines absentmindedly when Kyo suddenly, calls.

  He turns to the two outside and reassurance fills him when he sees that their lyricist is facing him this time. But, just when he's about to stretch a smile, she pulls her gaze away and onto the book in her hand again.

  "Jeno, you're doing Mark's part, not yours," Jinkyong's assistant, better known as Haein, tells.

  Jeno looks at his lyrics and gapes at the obvious mistake- quickly flipping to his part of the song.
"Sorry, I didn't notice."
 
  But, thankfully, Haein only smiles warmly at his mistake. "It's fine. We'll start recording for your part now, okay?"

  The idol glances at the girl beside him who is still not meeting his eyes.
"Okay."

-

  Ding!

  The water dispenser chimes when Jinkyong presses one of the temperature buttons.

  She swivels, about to walk away but is obstructed by another figure standing behind to get water.

  "Ah, Jeno," she says and only presents a faint smile. "Great job with the recording. You did well."

  Jeno inconspicuously inspects her reactions, wondering why she feels so distant. "Thank you."

  Kyo nods as awkwardness begins to wafts around them. "Then..."

  She turns, her back facing him and starts to walk away.

  Jeno reaches out his arm, able to grasp hers if he wants to but stops instead, afraid he'll cross her borders.
"Jinkyong."

  The girl hesitantly halts and turns. "Yes?"

  "Are you angry?" Jeno bluntly asks and the girl could've dropped dead right then and there but how innocent he looks.

  Kyo shakes her head. "No, no! I'm not! Why would you think I am?"

  Jeno ponders. "You didn't want to look at me before so, I thought..."

  "Ah, that," she knows what she did, herself and emits an odd, airy chuckle. "That was nothing. I'm not angry. Why would I get angry over a small mistake like reading the wrong parㅡ"

  "This isn't about earlier," Jeno corrects her mid sentence and constantly shifts his gaze on her from one eye to the other. "I meant, are you angry over what happened last time? When we had the team party?"

  Kyo recalls and her blood rushes as her heart races. "I-I, no, of course not. There was nothing to get mad about."  

  The clear shade of red that begins to dye her fair skin is noticed by Jeno and her eyes start to dance here and there again.

  Only then, does Jeno understand that she wasn't angry, she never was, but she's simply, shy.

  The thought is endearing to him and suddenly, he's mischievous.

  "Oh? Jinkyong, are you okay? You're getting all red," he tells, as if he doesn't know what it means, already.

  The lyricist, however, is frantic after hearing him and gulps down her water in a shot. "It's just the temperature. It's quite warm."

  "Really?" Jeno questions and nears her, only adding in to her fluster.
 
  But, the situation changes when she decides to be frank.

  "No," Kyo replies. "It's because I'm thinking about that hug you gave me during team dinner. Was I that comfortable?"

  She spreads out her arms and tilts her head, teasing Jeno over what his drunken side did.

  The idol freezes and now, it's his turn to blush.

  Jinkyong giggles as he malfunctions and walks away. "Your ears are red, Jeno! I wonder, why?"

  He looks at her distancing figure who flashes him a cheeky grin and his heart skips a beat.