Like last time, the recording session gives Suga a good reason to watch you. V sings his part first. Watching you watch V reminds him of you in Daegu. You've got a similar pure kind of happiness about you again. And it's infectious. After V's solo is done, there's only one part left - the chorus that you and V will sing together. He saw you slipping into the mellow mood of the song earlier - what are you thinking to look so serious? Whatever it is, it brings genuine emotion into your voice when you sing. Even V is at his special best today. This might just turn out to be a brilliant song for everyone.
Yoongi looks away the moment you catch his eye. Was he staring at you for long or was it just a coincidence? He looks good in that white-shirt-over-white-tshirt casual look. Maybe because you're in your music mode, you pay extra attention to his voice as he talks to V. It has a strangely soothing timbre to it. Like the low hum of the A string on a guitar. Like a whole bar of dark chocolate - the endorphin boost is real. And then your brain finally processes what he's talking about: his dog Holly's poo not being regular. You laugh so suddenly that both of them stare at you.
"What?" Yoongi asks.
"Nothing," you press your lips together to not giggle anymore.
"She's on her own trip," Yoongi says to V.
"Let's finish this, guys, come on," you quickly add, not wanting to shift into the giggly mood before finishing the song.
You've got goosebumps by the time it's done. You know in your heart that you and V harmonized perfectly, but you still ask, "Yoongi? Is it fine?"
He nods, eyebrows raised in amazement. It wasn't just fine. It was pretty damn good.
"V shii, it's done," you beam.
"Y/N shii, it was an honour to sing with you," V replies solemnly.
"Na do, same same," you say, making him laugh.
"Ah, but my heart - this made me emotional," you sigh.
V nods, and proceeds to give you a bear hug. You reciprocate with equal, if not more warmth. Suddenly, you open your eyes. Yoongi is staring at both of you hugging from above his specs.
"V shii?" you say while trying not to laugh at Yoongi's expressions.
"Hmm?"
"I think we should do a group hug,"
"YES," Rhea squeals. She's been sitting quietly in a far corner the entire time, sketching earnestly. You tell her to go to Yoongi with a flick of your hand.
"No," Suga says.
"He doesn't hug people, Noona,"
"I bet he likes it though," you say.
"Oh - he loves it. He's all mushy on the inside," V remarks.
"Yah! Stop talking about me like that," Suga insists. He can't stop his lips from curling though.
"Then let's do a group hug," you giggle.
"No, thank you," Suga says, as you and V leave the recording booth and come close to his chair.
"Come on, hyeong," V says.
"Andwe!"
"We're not leaving you, Min Suga," you add, chortling.
He looks at you both with a partly exasperated, partly amused expression.
"Aish, make it quick," he relents, dropping his head in resignation.
"Aww," you say, before embracing him from one side, while V does the same from another side. Rhea completes the circle by putting each arm around your and V's waists. The whole thing makes the three of you giggle so hard. Suga tries to keep a straight face but fails. He pats both your heads, then Rhea's.
"Alright, stop, get away from me," he says finally.
You let go of him, laughing.
"So what do you have for us, Rhea?" he asks, leaning onto the computer table. Rhea hands him her sketchbook.
"Ah - I guess - it is - profound?" he remarks with a smile, using the Korean term for the last word.
"It's cute," V adds enthusiastically.
On the page are the words 'Jasmine Blooms' - the working title of the song - scribbled in pencil. The 'i' is elongated and has a blooming jasmine flower as its head - still in line drawing.
"Turn the page," you advise, knowing fully well what to expect from the girl.
Suga flips the sheet over and gapes.
"Whoaa...daebak!" V can't hold back the surprise.
It's his face sketched in graphite to lifelike detail. He's laughing, eyes shut and cheeks puffed - typical cute V. It's not photographic, but somehow it still looks like she froze time right there.
You nudge Yoongi to turn to the next page. Next is his portrait. He looks more pensive, gazing intently at something that isn't in the frame. She's caught his moodiness so accurately that you could blush just by looking at the sketch.
Lastly is you, eyes shut in a peaceful stance - like you're listening to something - a soft smile and a dimple on your left cheek. Yoongi gives an involuntary chuckle - it's so you.
"You've gotten a lot better, Rhea," you comment, grinning proudly at her.
"I told you I was professional!" she replies. "By the way, there's one more."
The last sketch is more impressionistic. It's the three of you in this very room - but fewer details of your faces, instead she has shown more light and shades. The room isn't the room exactly - there is grass, flowers - jasmine to be exact - and birds here and there - like a magical world coexists within the room, all blooming from the three of you.
It matches with the first title she's made.
"I think we have our cover ready," Yoongi says. V compliments her in Korean - you can only catch a few words but you get the gist. Rhea is practically glowing. You put an affectionate arm around her.
Before you leave, you give both the men one final hug. You can't help but enjoy that little awkward reaction that you elicit from Yoongi when you put your arm around his neck.
V notices the color rising in Yoongi hyeong's ears when you hug him. It's just a regular friendly hug and he's still so affected. V notices how he stares after you when you leave. So once you're gone and he is alone with Yoongi hyeong, he jumps straight to the point.
"Hyeong, what's going on?"
"What's going on where?" Suga goes back to working on the mix.
"Why are you being so awkward?"
Suga looks at V but doesn't answer. V sighs.
"Give yourself a chance, hyeong. I'm just saying - you can't put everything you feel into music - you shouldn't. Some things are better felt - as experiences..." he gives a frustrating tut when hyeong keeps mum and adds with a hint of reprimand, "...and don't wait too long! She's a good person - it's hard to find good people these days," he says and leaves the room. Suga still doesn't reply but his mind is pretty piqued.
"Yah, Taehyunga? Why do you like her?"
V leans on the doorframe and thinks for a minute before replying.
"She's kind. I'm sure she had to face her own challenges in her own time - but she's still kind. That's not easy," V talks quietly, deep in thought, "most of us end up closing our hearts in the end," then he adds lightly, "And - she scolded you into eating that day," V laughs at Suga's annoyed expression, "she scolded you and you actually listened! Of course I like her." He guffaws.
"Okay. Thanks. Now, get out!" Suga replies, letting himself smile only after V's out of the room.