"Seokmin-ah, we're almost done with your song parts."
It's morning the next day, and the boys are back to practicing and working on their songs. Seokmin is currently in the recording booth with Jihoon, recording Seokmin's parts on the duet while also waiting for Bumzu to arrive.
While recording isn't strictly necessary because the song will be performed live, it will be a great way for Seokmin to practice his parts and for Jihoon to identify any weak points in the song or the singer that need to be addressed.
"I'd like you to sing this part softer, almost whispering, but with the same intensity as the first two choruses. This is the last section, so make sure you nail it. Do you think you'll be able to pull it off, Minnie?" Jihoon inquired from his workstation, his hand on the buzzer box as he waited for Seokmin.
From inside the booth, Seokmin nodded and started jumping up and down, all pumped up and excited. He considered himself very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to sing outside of the group. For him, it was a fantastic opportunity.
"Well, this part, tell me to just stay; I'd like you to do a soft high note like this." Jihoon then went on to demonstrate what he wanted Seokmin to do while the latter stood in the booth, listening and taking pointers.
"All right, Minnie, now you do it," Jihoon remarked, eliciting an enthusiastic response from the younger.
Jihoon played the song, and Seokmin waited for the small male to give him his cue, at which point he sang the part exactly as Jihoon had requested. The young man paused the music and complimented the younger on a job well done.
"Okay, that was fantastic. Let's get your part recorded. After the bridge, begin singing, and feel free to do adlibs. Just keep your eyes on me and wait for my signal. Is that clear?"
Just as Jihoon started playing the music, Seokmin gave a thumbs up, adjusted the headphones, and cleared his throat. They listened as the beautiful bridge part played, and when Jihoon gave the thumbs-up signal, Seokmin started to sing, filling the room with his melodious sweet voice.
"You say, you say
(You say, you say)
그대와 내가 함께 부르곤 했던 이 노래
(This song
That you used to sing with me)
사랑해 사랑해
(I love you, I love you)
오늘도 이렇게 너를 그려 보고 있어
(I'm missing you today like this)
말해 줘 나에게 Just stay
(Tell me to just stay)
그대여 Say 그대여 Say
(You, say, you, say)
사랑해 Say yes
(I love you, Say Yes)"
The music gradually fades until the room is silent, and then there is a burst of applause. Seokmin raises his eyes from his lyric sheet to see Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and Mingyu clapping with Jihoon. They all had similar proud smiles on their faces, which made Seokmin feel both proud of himself and a little embarrassed.
He was so engrossed in the song that he failed to note that a few of his friends had entered the room and were watching him sing.
Jihoon motioned for him to exit the booth, which he gladly did. Jeonghan engulfed him in an embrace as soon as he stepped out, and Seungcheol and Mingyu soon joined in.
"Seokmin, you did a fantastic job. I'm incredibly proud of you." Jeonghan grinned as he gently patted the younger on the cheek.
Jihoon started polishing the song as they broke away from the embrace and sat down on the sofa.
"And Jihoon, that song was just brilliant. You have a lot of talent, my friend." Seungcheol holds the small male in a playful headlock and ruffles his hair, much to the irritation of the small male.
Mingyu stood up and went inside the booth, inspecting and admiring the equipment, while Seungcheol moved away from Jihoon and sat with the others on the sofa. Jihoon noticed right away and hit the buzzer button, shocking Mingyu, who nearly knocked over the music stand.
"If you break something in there, Mingyu, you're going to pay for it," Jihoon said over the intercom.
Mingyu pouted and left the booth, returning to sit beside Seungcheol. The latter simply chuckled as he wrapped his arm around the pouting giant puppy.
"So, Jihoon, when is Bumzu going to arrive? I'm just looking forward to hearing the whole song. Especially because Seokmin sounds fantastic in it." Jeonghan grinned as he playfully ruffled Seokmin's hair.
Seokmin simply blushed in response to his older brother's gesture and compliment. Jihoon hummed from his seat before checking the time on his phone.
"He said he'd be here at 11 a.m., so maybe he's already here." Jihoon then swiveled in his seat to face his couch companions. "What about the three of you? How's practice going so far?"
Seungcheol sat back on the sofa with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Soonyoung took a break from us because some of the boys were already moaning about their bodies aching and hunger."
"So, where are they now?" Jihoon inquired, his eyes crossing as he balanced a pen on his nose.
Seungcheol chuckled at Jihoon's cuteness, despite the fact that the small male himself was not aware of it, while Jeonghan replied for the eldest, who was looking at dorky Jihoon.
"Jun and The8 went to the ground-floor restaurant to place an order. While waiting for the meal, the others are simply laying around the practice area, resting, even napping." When the pen fell, Jeonghan stopped to chuckle, and Jihoon pouted in irritation.
"And Soonyoung is–"
Before Jeonghan could finish, the door flies open, and Soonyoung comes in, sweaty and exhausted.
"My Jihoonie!"
Soonyoung extends his arms wide and engulfs Jihoon in an embrace, kissing the small male on the cheeks with a huge loud kiss. Soonyoung was pushed away by the small male, who scrunched his nose in disgust. The term "tried" comes to mind.
"Eugh! Please don't touch me! You're all sweaty!" Jihoon grumbled angrily, despite a slight flush on his cheeks.
Soonyoung eventually lets go of Jihoon and sits beside him in the empty swivel chair, their hands entwined.
"Have you had anything to eat yet?" Jihoon wondered after regaining his composure after blushing profusely.
The small male frowned as Soonyoung shook his head no.
"Soonyoung never skip a meal. Go out to get something to eat." Jihoon basically demanded, earning a pout from his squinty-eyed partner.
"However, I'm not hungry." Soonyoung whimpered, and the little man could only roll his eyes.
A knock on the door interrupts Jihoon as he opens his mouth to speak. When he said to come in, the door opened, revealing their cherished maknae. Jeonghan greeted Dino with a smile and invited him in.
"Outside, there's a lady looking for Hoonie Hyung. She said that it is important." Dino said this as Jeonghan stood up and began rubbing the sweat off his forehead with his pink towel.
Dino didn't seem to mind that Jeonghan was practically babying him in front of the other members. Jihoon nodded and returned to his desk, pressing a few buttons before standing up, kissing Soonyoung on the head before exiting the office.
"You're such a wonderful mother." Mingyu teased as the older stuffed the towelette into Dino's shirt and started wiping his sweaty back before leaving the towelette hanging out of Dino's collar.
Jeonghan playfully glared at the tall puppy, while Seungcheol seemed to be deep in thought while his gaze lingered on Soonyoung, who realized the look he was receiving, stopped smiling, and, if Jeonghan was not mistaken, returned a glare to the eldest.
The secrecy was creeping into Jeonghan's mind, and it would've been the perfect time for intervention if Dino hadn't remained in the room. Unless of course.....
"Hey, Dino–ah, could you please check to see if Jun and The8 have returned with the foods? Thank you so much." Jeonghan grinned as the younger nodded and exited the room, leaving the others in a state of tense anticipation.
Jeonghan got to his feet and double-checked that the door was closed before approaching the three men with a solemn expression. He drew his arms across his chest and waited for Seungcheol's response.
"Wait, what?" Seungcheol look confused as to why Jeonghan was looking at him.
"You know, I understand if you want to hide this from the kids because you're worried about them, but keeping it from me, the second oldest and the boys' other parental figure, Seungcheol, you're in for something else if you don't tell me what the f*ck is going on between you three right now!"
Jeonghan's unexpected outburst stunned the three guys, who were all rendered speechless.
"What are you talking about, Jeonghan Hyung? There isn't a single thing going on–"
"Don't give me that bull Mingyu."
That effectively silenced the tall man, who then looked to Seungcheol for help, to which the oldest sighed. He had been waiting for the right moment to discuss the secrecy with Jeonghan, but that is no longer an option. He could lie and tell Jeonghan that nothing was wrong, or he could be honest and just tell Jeonghan the truth.
"Jeonghan I –" Seungcheol started speaking, but was interrupted by a loud knocking on the door, followed by the boys' voices informing them that the food had arrived.
As Seungcheol stood in front of him, Jeonghan huffed angrily. "I promise, Hannie. I'll tell you what you need to know when we get back to the house. Please, Hannie. Just not now."
Jeonghan remained still, looking at the eldest and debating whether or not he should trust him. He just wants to know what's going on between his friends, and he'll go to any length to find out, but one glance at Seokmin, the only innocent party in the case, who seems torn and confused, causes Jeonghan's resolve to sag.
"All right."
Jeonghan frowned as he saw the relief on Seungcheol's face. Seungcheol gulped nervously as the latter turned and exited the room without saying anything else. This is fantastic. Now he has a mad Jeonghan after him and knowing his lover, Jeonghan will never give him peace of mind for the rest of the day.
Seungcheol was the next to leave the room, leaving the three younger ones alone. Soonyoung glares down at the floor as if it were the enemy, while Mingyu looks anywhere but at his friends. Seokmin isn't dumb enough to miss what was going on, and he despises it when one of his friends has a misunderstanding or, worse, a dispute with the other.
"I'm not sure what your problems are, but I recommend that you address them as soon as possible. Don't wait for the group to be affected. Remember, if one of us falls, the others will follow, and I'm sure none of you wants that." Seokmin comes to a halt in front of the door, his hand on the knob.
"Please patch it as soon as possible before it becomes too late." Seokmin then walks out, opening the door and closing it loudly behind him.
Soonyoung heard Dino's laughter and Jun's voice cracking random jokes that elicited laughter from everyone in the room in a split second the door was opened. Soonyoung realized that Seokmin was right. He can't let his problems impact the rest of the group, but then again, he wasn't the only one with problems.
Soonyoung's slanted gaze fell on the tall man, who now looks at the ceiling as if it were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. Soonyoung's face wore a frown. The mere sight of Mingyu reminded him of why they were having problems in the first place. And then, almost as quickly as he tried to address the problems, he wanted nothing to do with them again.
What happened wasn't his fault in the first place.
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"What you're saying is, you want to do a stage rehearsal right now?"
Jihoon stood at the front of the stage, puzzled, as he couldn't believe what Bumzu was asking him. Stage rehearsals aren't until Saturday, which was tomorrow, and the small male felt like he'd be disobeying Mr. Kim if he said yes, so he's torn and confused with his co-producer's sudden request.
"Are you sure you can't wait until tomorrow?" Bumzu pouted in response to Jihoon's query.
"But I need it right now. Why can't it happen right now?" Bumzu kept pouting, and Jihoon would be lying if he said he didn't find this dilemma bothersome.
Jihoon exhales deeply and begins walking around the stage. Admiring the concept and specifics on which the crew has already begun to operate.
"Won't we be disobeying Mr. Kim if we begin stage rehearsals right away? Didn't he give us a timetable to stick to? I'm sorry, Hyung, but I don't want to cause any trouble." Jihoon comes to a halt, stuffs his hands into his pockets, and turns to face Bumzu.
"Don't be concerned about Mr. Kim. This is something I've already discussed with him." Bumzu explained.
Jihoon cocked his head in surprise. "How did he respond?"
"Of course, he said yes," Bumzu responded with a duh sound, obviously mocking the small male who snorted.
"All right, you win." Jihoon sighed in defeat that made Bumzu laugh. "I'm going to call Soonyoung and have him bring Seokmin here."
Jihoon found Bumzu standing there, doing nothing, as he dialed his lover's phone number, and he stared at him in wonder before Bumzu noticed him back.
"Are you not going to bring your own artist?" As the call went to voicemail again, Jihoon asked.
"No, he's already right here," Bumzu boldly displayed something from his pocket to Jihoon, who just stared back at him, puzzled.
"It's a flash drive," Jihoon deadpanned and looking at Bumzu's small yellow computer when he realized something. "Wait, you've already recorded your artist's parts on the song?"
Bumzu smiled proudly as he nodded.
"Are you aware that your artist must perform the song live?" Jihoon couldn't help but chuckle lightly when Bumzu realized what he had done.
"You're right," Bumzu muttered to himself before pleadingly looking at his co-producer. "Is it possible that he won't be able to sing his part live? I mean, I've already recorded and polished his parts, and—"
"That's not fair, Hyung." Jihoon cuts him off, and the call is sent to voicemail yet again. He cursed softly and instead dialed Seungcheol's number.
He would have called Seokmin directly, but he had left his phone at their temporary residence. When they arrived at the ICCJ, Seokmin only remembered about his phone. To say Seokmin was upset would be an understatement.
"The aim of a concert, Hyung, is to perform live. Despite the fact that his sections have already been recorded, my artist is singing live. Either your artist does it the same way or you find someone else to do it." As Seungcheol finally answered his call, Jihoon turned around and walked down the stage.
Bumzu just stood there, lost in thought. It's not that he didn't want his artist to perform live; in fact, he was against his artist not performing live, but he couldn't easily agree with Jihoon because of an agreement he made with someone close to the singer. That, someone, was so apprehensive with the idea that they came up with an idea that should benefit both parties. Bumzu could see now that the deal won't benefit him at all. In fact, it would put him and his job at risk.
And that was a risk just not worth taking. So Bumzu decides to take another risk. As he didn't really see any problem with letting his artist sing the duet live, the artist himself was not against the idea of singing live, Bumzu decides to take the risk and worry about any consequences later. The concert is his main concern right now, after all.
Bumzu took his phone out of his pocket and dialed his artist's phone number with this in mind.
After three rings, the artist eventually responded. Bumzu felt relieved that the artist responded and wondered what the worst that could happen.
"Good day, Seungkwan! Do you have some spare time right now?"
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"Ah, I'm so jittery!"
"Don't worry, Seokmin-ah; we'll be there to support you."
Seokmin smiled gratefully at Jeonghan for cheering him up and calming his nerves. It wasn't Seokmin's first time on stage, but it was the first time he did so without the boys. He was so nervous that his hands were sweating and trembling.
He actually froze on the spot when he heard Jihoon was calling him to do a stage rehearsal, and he felt all of his confidence slip up. He was initially terrified, primarily because he didn't want to make a mistake and embarrass himself in front of everyone, particularly his friends.
Then, after his friends did their best to coax and calm him down, telling him that nothing bad would happen and that he would do well, his anxiety gradually turned to nerves when he realized that he would not only be singing on behalf of his group, but he would also be singing with a stranger who could be as talented as him, if not more so.
First Impression is essential to Seokmin, and it lasts. So he went straight to the bathroom to freshen up, getting rid of the sweaty stench from practice and even fixing his hair and applying some make-up. It's a good thing he had a spare shirt with him so he was able to use it. He changed out of his sweatpants and into his jeans, which he had been wearing when they arrived at ICCJ earlier. After that, he finished his look with a cologne spray and breath mints.
If it were any other day, the boys would think Seokmin was trying to impress a girl or someone special to him *cough*cough*Jisoo*cough*cough* but right now Seokmin was merely attempting to make a positive impression on his yet-to-be-met co-singer.
Jihoon was on stage speaking with one of the set crews, while Bumzu was backstage, still on the phone with his artist.
"What's taking so long?" Mingyu grumbled from his seat, but Wonwoo simply rolled his eyes at his lover before dismissing him and returning his attention to his games. They're in the cafeteria right now holding an emergency meeting because another body was discovered, and Wonwoo was trying his best to dispel any suspicions against him so he could remain longer, but this time the impostor was him.
Jun stood in front of Seokmin with his hands shoved down inside his hoodie front pouch and a puzzled expression on his face, asking, "Do you know if your co-singer is female or male?"
With a pout, Seokmin shook his head no. That was another source of concern and anxiety for him. If it was a female, he wouldn't be able to keep himself from blushing, and his performance would suffer as a result. If it were a man, he would just feel intimidated, which would negatively impact his results.
Regardless of the gender of his co-singer, Seokmin vowed to himself that he would give it his all and put his heart and soul into his success.
There was still no sign of Bumzu's artist after a half-hour wait. SEVENTEEN is becoming agitated, and Seokmin is becoming increasingly depressed as the prospect of not being able to sing at all has begun to worry him.
Soonyoung seemed annoyed, but no one dared to ask why, so he was left alone. While the older members of the group were dozing off in their chairs, the younger members of the group started wandering/fooling around the hall. Catching up with a few minutes of rest sounded appealing to the older ones while the younger ones just couldn't sit still and started finding ways to fend off their boredom.
The silence in the hall is broken by a loud thud from the stage, prompting everyone to look for the source of the sudden noise. Mingyu stood there, profusely apologizing to the crew for almost knocking out a stage light.
When Jihoon heard his name called, he rolled his eyes and was about to walk down the stage to assist his friend. As he turns around, he notices Bumzu approaching him with a big smile on his face.
"My Artist has arrived!" All breathed a sigh of relief as he revealed it, as they were about to assume the artist would be a no-show.
"Well, where are they?" Jihoon inquired as he saw the boys teasing Seokmin, who was blushing red and probably irritated already, out of the corner of his eye.
"He said he was already in the parking lot the last time we spoke. He'll be here in no time. I've already informed him of our current location." Bumzu told him.
Before noticing something, Jihoon hummed and shook his head.
"Wait......Him?"
As his phone beeped from his hand, Bumzu shook his head.
"My artist is, in reality, a man. I hope this is acceptable to you and your artist."
Jihoon paused for a moment, thinking before nodding. "I suppose it's fine. That's cool with me. Seokmin can function well with people of either gender. They'll be fine."
Bumzu smiles as he looks up from his phone. "Thank you so much. I'm not sure what I'd do if you'd said anything different."
Jihoon laughed. "It is not up to me to make the final call. It belongs to Mr. Kim. It's cool with me as long as he agrees."
A beep came from Bumzu's phone again, and the man excused himself and dashed backstage as Jihoon approached the stage's edge and called the boys' attention. They didn't notice him until he cleared his throat loudly, at which point they all stopped what they were doing and turned to the small male.
"Bumzu's artist has already arrived. Now I'd like you to do me a favor and be on your best behavior when they arrive. Remember to be courteous and use honorifics if they are older. That is all I ask of you, please. Is that clear?" Jihoon ended with a solemn expression.
The boys nodded and told their little producer friend that they would be on their best behavior, which meant no more clowning around in the hall or being loud. Throughout the drill, they must remain seated and silent. The boys find the latter part difficult because they can do little but remain quiet.
Jihoon was satisfied, so he left the boys and went to a workstation where he and Bumzu could work. He started preparing for the practice by opening his laptop. All is being re-polished for a smooth and flawless performance.
Seokmin was soon summoned to the stage, where he was instructed to use the microphone on the left side of the stage while his co-singer used the one on the right. Each of them had a mic stand, and Seokmin's nerves were heightened by the sight of the massive hall in front of him.
He's a little nervous just thinking about how many people will be watching him sing.
"Seokmin, keep your cool; we can hear your trembling breaths," Jihoon says and then gestures to the microphone in front of Seokmin.
The boys gave Seokmin a thumbs up from their seats, reassuring him that he would do well and easing Seokmin's nerves. Seokmin smiled and felt a surge of confidence after Jeonghan mouthed Seokmin fighting! With a fist bump motion. He has a lot of good friends.
Backstage, rustling could be heard, accompanied by Bumzu's booming voice. Since there was a large red curtain separating the front stage from the backstage, the boys could only speculate as to what was going on backstage because Bumzu sounded panicked or something.
"Calm down, Bumzu Hyung!" A voice was heard, accompanied by a laugh that was all too familiar. The boys were stunned when they heard it, and they immediately froze in place.
As the laughter continued to fill the hall, Seokmin's smile faded completely. Some of the boys started tearing up both in great shock and astonishment. Jihoon remained motionless while the laughter continued to reverberate in his ears.
The boys' reactions were a combination of emotions, but mainly disbelief, as a result of the laughter and expression. Bumzu's voice became louder as he emerged from behind the giant curtain, a grin on his face, and a man with blue hair trailed closely behind him. He was typing on his phone, so the boys couldn't see his face; however, they didn't need to see his face to figure out who he was.
"Boys, this is Seungkwan, My Artist."
Finally, the man looked up from his phone and grinned at the boys, addressing them. He then made a 90-degree bow and introduced himself properly.
"Hello there! Boo Seungkwan is my full name, but you may call me Seungkwan. It's great to finally meet you."