Happier (BTS)

Just One Day

"Higher."

"I don't think I can-"

"Just try and go a little higher."

"Jimin-"

"Elena."

Elena silently pleaded with Jimin, her voice already starting to tire. It's been hours and they both refused to quit until they made more progress. The exercises Jimin taught her were so effective, she wondered how he knew them without being a professional singer himself. Little did she know.

Jungkook sat in the corner, watching and providing input when he found necessary.

"I can get it. I promise." Elena said, mostly to herself for reassurance.

Jimin admired the girl's determination, as he had suggested a few breaks but she practiced quietly to herself even during said intervals. He did, however, worry she may over do it. "Maybe you should take a break. I'll get some tea."

Elena hesitated but agreed, knowing a break would help more than further strain on her voice. "Thanks, Jimin." She said, smiling politely.

Jimin returned the smile before he left to go make tea. Meanwhile, Elena looked at the time on her phone screen: 5:30. She had been practicing for two hours now with Jimin and Jungkook. They had said it would be just for one day, but all three agreed to come back and continue the practices for a second day.

Elena stood from where she had sat on her piano bench and stretched. "Hey, Jungkook, any tips? You've been pretty quiet today and yesterday."

Jungkook looked up at her from the armchair, looking almost surprised that she asked for his opinion. "Ah, well, I think you're doing pretty well." He paused, thinking, before suddenly being hit with insight. "You sound stronger, but you don't look it. To really sell yourself to the audience, you need the confidence to show on your face. Smile, eye contact, lift your chin up, stand straight, don't shift nervously...ah...what else...give 'em a wink?"

Elena laughed. "A wink?"

Jungkook nodded. "It works. You know, just do a little-" Jungkook turned to the side and looked over at Elena. He gave a slight smirk and sent her a prize-winning flirty wink.

Elena felt her heart melt.

Quickly recovering, Elena smiled and nodded. "That would definitely work." She commented, "Actually, another question. How do you two know so much about this stuff?" Elena looked at Jimin, who stood in the kitchen with the heating water, and Jungkook, who watched Elena with his wide, doe eyed gaze. 

Now that she thought, she really didn't know what the guys did for a living. Were they students? Did they work?

"Ah, we took lessons together a long time ago." Jimin piped up when Jungkook failed to do so.

Elena went over to the main couch and sunk down into it's cool faux leather cushions. "So you all have known each other for a long time?"

Jimin checked the water and saw that it had finally begun to boil. As he finished with the tea, he said, "Yeah, 5 years now, I think. It feels like a lifetime though."

"Yah~, what's that supposed to mean?" Jungkook shouted playfully but offended all at once somehow.

Jimin just laughed, his eyes squinting with his smile.

"How did Benjamin fit into your group then? He's only been here for two years or so." Elena asked. She hoped to get some sort of information out of the two. She wanted to know exactly who these guys were.

Jungkook laughed. "Ah, that's the best story of them all!" He exclaimed, very excited at the mere mention of it. "We met at a performance rehearsal-"