It was mid-February. The promotions for the group comeback were over. Haerin had to devote all her time to her solo comeback if she wanted to get everything done in time. She had to be at the company from early morning to late at night.
It was five in the morning. Haerin climbed out of her bed, picked a random outfit, had a shower, and put on her clothes.
She placed everything she needed in her bag and just had to wait for Yuwons text. Haerin sat on the sofa, waiting quietly, watching TV. The door creaked open. Ni-ki slowly walked in. "Are you going to the company?" He asked, sitting down next to her.
"Yeah, I am." Haerin responded. "Why? Do you want to come with me?" She questioned.
"Yeah, I'll be ready in fifteen minutes." Ni-ki told her before he rushed out the room.
Haerin took out her phone to text Yuwon.
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After she was done, she put her phone back into her pocket and continued to watch her TV show.
A couple of minutes passed, and Haerin received a text from Yuwon saying she was outside. Haerin went to the bathroom door and knocked on it. "Are you almost done?"
"Yeah." Ni-ki called out. "Just give me a minute."
"Okay, just hurry up, though." Haerin replied back. She leaned on the wall beside the door patiently waiting.
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Haerin, Yuwon, and Ni-ki arrived at the company just before seven. "Oh! Ni-ki!" Chris noticed the boy behind the girls as they walked in. "Long time no see!"
"Morning, Chris hyung." Ni-ki greeted him with a smile as he sat down on the couch with the two girls, on Haerins left.
"So we'll be recording two songs today, Tick tick boom and Autopilot. Have you learnt the lyrics for Ttb." Chris asked her.
"Yeah, I have." Haerin told him.
"There's a camera in the recording room. We'll only be recording the title track." Chris informed her. "Now that you know everything, we can get started."
Haerin smiled as she looked at Ni-ki's confused face, trying to piece things together while she was getting up.
"Okay, we'll start with Tick tick boom. It's the title track." Chris said. "Let's go."
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"And we're done." Chris told Haerin as she took her headphones off and exited the room. "Lets take a break. We can start on Autopilot when you come back." He glanced at the clock. "Come back at two thirty."
"Thank you." Haerin said as she picked up her bag. "Come, let's go." Haerin told Ni-ki.
The two left the room and walked down the corridor quietly until Ni-ki spoke up. "So you're leaving?" Ni-ki asked her.
"Huh!?" Haerin snapped her head towards Ni-ki. "What do you mean I'm leaving? Where'd you get that from?"
"You're debuting solo." Ni-ki said. "So I assumed you were."
"You're actually funny." Haerin laughed. "Ni-ki, this is just an add-on. of course, I'm not leaving."
"Well, it was just a guess." Ni-ki mumbled.
"Aish, why would you think like that." Haerin nudged him on the shoulder.
"I wouldn't have agreed to anything if I had to leave you guys." Haerin told him. "You guys are like family to me, so I won't leave by choice." Haerin giggled as they entered the elevator. "You're actually cute, Riki." Haerin drappily wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Oh, shut up." Ni-ki side eyed her as a faint tint of pink decorated his face. "It was just a thought."
"If I left, you would miss me. Wouldn't you." Haerin said.
"Why wouldn't I?" Ni-ki said. "You're my -"
The elevator door opened unexpectedly they weren't even on the right floor. The two immediately scrambled to the opposite sides of the elevator and started to look around the metal box aimlessly.
Eunchae walked into the elevator and looked at the two. "Oh, Eunchae!" Haerin noticed who walked in. "How are you?" She asked.
"I'm good." Eunchae responded as she went in for a hug. "What about you?" She questioned as she looked up at the older girl, arms still around her.
"I'm good too, thanks." Haerin replied. Eunchae let out a small laugh. "What's so funny."
"Your boyfriend seems a bit flustered." She whispered into Haerins ear. Haerin briefly looked at Ni-ki.
"Huh?" Haerin whispered back. "When did I say that, or where did you even hear that from?"
"Dont worry. Euchae knows everything." The younger girl whispered. "Bye Haerin unnie!" Eunchae laughed as she exited the elevator and ran off.
"Who's that?" Ni-ki asked her.
"One of my friends." Haerin said.
"What were you two talking about?" He asked another question.
"Let’s not worry about that." Haerin laughed as they reached the top floor. The two went into the café got a bit of food, and found a table in the corner where barely anyone could hear or see them.
"So what were you and that girl talking about?" Ni-ki asked again.
"You mean Eunchae?" Haerin looked up from her food.
"Yeah."
"She knows." Haerin said.
"Knows what?" Ni-ki questioned with furrowed eyebrows.
"What do you think?"
"Oh." Ni-ki realised. "Did you tell her?"
"No, of course not." Haerin denied.
"Then how does she know?" He asked.
"That girl has a strange way of finding things out and knowing everything."
