When Enemies Collide

Chapter 3: Clashing Styles

The morning sun filtered through the wide glass windows of Heeseung's luxurious apartment. He sat with his group of friends, sprawled out on leather couches. Niki stirred his coffee lazily, looking up at Heeseung with a sly grin.

"So, how's that teamwork with Miss Perfect going?" Niki teased.

Jake chuckled, leaning back. "Bet she's driving you insane already. She's not like the other girls who throw themselves at you."

"She's the female version of you, man," Sunghoon added with a smirk. "You can't just charm your way through this one."

Heeseung scoffed, crossing his arms. "It's not about charm. I don't care about her. I just want to prove I can get her like I got everyone else."

Jungwon raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe she's already gotten to you, and you don't know it yet."

"Please," Heeseung said, rolling his eyes, though his tone was sharper than usual. "She's nothing special. I'm just playing the long game."

Jay gave him a pointed look. "Keep telling yourself that, dude. But don't act surprised when she flips the script on you."

That evening, Soré and her friends gathered at Lawana's spacious apartment, a cozy contrast to her own pristine home. They lounged on the floor, surrounded by snacks and books, talking about everything from classes to boys.

"Do you think this year will be harder than the last?" Lawana asked, flipping through her notes.

"I don't know about harder, but it's already more... eventful," Suya said with a grin, looking pointedly at Soré.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Soré asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Suya said innocently. "Just that your teamwork project is with him."

Soré rolled her eyes. "He's insufferable. Honestly, if it weren't for this project, I wouldn't waste my breath on him."

"You have to admit, though," Suya teased, "he's good-looking. And his friend Jake? He's-"

"-ridiculously full of himself," Soré interrupted, trying to steer the conversation away from Heeseung.

"Jake's nice!" Suya defended. "You just don't know him."

"Neither do you," Lawana pointed out with a smirk.

The conversation shifted when Suya turned to Soré. "Does your dad love that you're doing music?"

The question hung in the air. Soré's smile faltered, and she hesitated. Jina quickly jumped in, changing the topic to the latest campus gossip.

Tomorrow morning Soré was in practice room, she adjusted her sheet music on the stand, her lips pressed into a thin line. The air in the practice room felt heavier than usual, a mixture of her frustration and Heeseung's relentless smirk. He leaned casually against the piano, watching her with his usual air of overconfidence.

"So," he began, crossing his arms, "are we going to spend the whole session doing things your way, or are you finally ready to admit my approach might work better?"

"I'm not here to stroke your ego, Heeseung," she replied sharply, flipping through her notes. "We're practicing a performance, not messing around like it's open mic night."

Heeseung chuckled, stepping closer. "Messing around? You mean connecting with the audience? Showing a little personality?" He tapped the piano keys lightly. "Newsflash, Soré: nobody cares about perfect notes if there's no emotion behind them."

She spun to face him, her eyes narrowing. "And your so-called emotion is just improvising everything last minute and hoping it works. That's not effort; that's arrogance."

"Arrogance?" He raised an eyebrow, taking another step toward her. "And what do you call your need to control every single thing? You think the world's going to fall apart if you let go for five seconds?"

"It's called preparation," she snapped. "Maybe you should try it sometime."

Their eyes locked, the tension between them crackling like static electricity. Neither moved, neither blinked, as if daring the other to back down.

Heeseung broke the silence first, his voice softer but no less challenging. "Fine. Let's prove it."

"What?"

"Your way versus mine," he said, gesturing to the piano. "Let's play. You stick to your precious notes, and I'll go with my instincts. Let's see which one actually works."

Soré hesitated, her pride battling with the challenge in his tone. Finally, she nodded. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when you embarrass yourself."

---

Heeseung sat at the piano while Soré stood beside him, her voice ready to accompany his melody. She started first, her voice rising in clear, precise notes that followed her carefully prepared sheet music. Her delivery was flawless, but Heeseung's expression remained unreadable.

When it was his turn, he played the same melody, but his version was looser, more fluid, adding flourishes and unexpected pauses. His voice came in, raw and full of emotion, each note tugging at something deep inside her.

Soré couldn't help but notice the difference. Where her version felt polished, his felt alive.

"See?" he said, stopping abruptly and turning to her. "It's about feeling, not rules."

Before she could argue, her foot caught on the edge of the piano bench as she stepped back. With a startled gasp, she stumbled.

Heeseung moved without thinking, his arms catching her just before she hit the ground.

For a moment, everything stopped. She was in his arms, her heart pounding as his hands steadied her. Their faces were inches apart, close enough that she could see the faint gold flecks in his brown eyes.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

She nodded quickly, pushing herself out of his hold. "I'm fine."

"Really?" He smirked, the softness gone in an instant. "You don't seem fine."

Her cheeks flushed as she stepped back, brushing imaginary dust off her clothes. "Don't make this into a thing."

"It's not a thing," he said, leaning casually against the piano again. "But if you ever need saving again, you know where to find me."

She rolled her eyes, picking up her sheet music. "This doesn't prove anything."

"Doesn't it?"

Heeseung's smug tone grated on her nerves, but as much as she hated to admit it, a tiny part of her couldn't stop thinking about the way his arms had felt around her-safe, steady, and entirely too distracting.

---

Determined not to let him win, Soré composed herself and suggested they try blending their styles.

"I'll take the lead with the melody," she said, her tone firm, "but you can add your... touches where it fits."

"Compromise?" He raised an eyebrow. "Who are you, and what have you done with Lee Soré?"

"Do you want to keep arguing, or do you want to get this done?" she shot back.

He grinned. "Alright, boss. Lead the way."

This time, their music came together in a way that surprised them both. Soré's precision provided a strong foundation, while Heeseung's improvisation added depth and character. By the time they finished, the room was filled with a harmonious blend that neither could have achieved alone.

For the first time since they started working together, they looked at each other without hostility.

"Not bad," Heeseung admitted.

"Same to you," Soré replied, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself.

But as they packed up, she couldn't shake the feeling that their partnership-however temporary-was going to challenge more than just their musical styles.