The next day Auden woke up ridiculously early because she found it impossible to sleep in.
She finished writing the first song Bang Si-hyuk wanted her to write with Jimin but she was dreading having to lie to Bang Si-hyuk that Jimin helped her write it. Because he hadn't contributed a word. In fact he'd basically ordered her to do it all herself.
She got ready for the day and checked her messages. Emmie asked her how it was going and Auden texted back that she would tell her all about it on the weekend when she had time to call.
As Auden shuffled out into her living room a knock sounded at her door, and Auden froze.
She had one next door neighbor, and couple of body guards out front. The odds weren't in her favor for who it could be. Maybe it was Bang Si-hyuk come to check on her?
But that thought was even more terrifying because he was going to ask how her writing session with Jimin went and she didn't know what to tell him.
She forced herself to pull it together not wanting to keep the person at the door waiting and then she hurried to open the door.
He didn't even greet her, he just strode in.
Wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and a loose fitted button up, Jimin walked in texting on his phone.
"You get the song done?" he asked her immediately, not bothering to even look up as he spoke.
"Well hello to you too," Auden said, glaring at the back of his head as she shut the door.
"Bang Si-hyuk is going to be here soon, so I need to make sure that I know what you worked on so I can make him believe we had a writing session together last night."
"Wouldn't it just be whole lot easier if you actually wrote it with me? That way you wouldn't have to put up this facade?" Auden asked, looking at him incredulously.
He glanced up from his phone and gave her small smile. "Yeah, nice try."
There was a hint of a Korean accent when he spoke, and Auden hated to admit how cute it was. The accent clung to the ends of his words and it was impossible not to find endearing.
She inwardly scolded herself, she was supposed to be irritated with this guy.
"I wrote the song," Auden said, not even bothering to hide the prickliness in her tone.
"You did? Already?" he asked, his eyebrows raising, obviously impressed.
"Yeah. I recorded the rough cut." Auden walked over to her computer that was sitting on the coffee table, and sat down on the couch. Jimin joined her as she pulled up her recording session from the night before.
"You work quicker than I expected, aegiya."
There was that word again. It rolled off his tongue so beautifully, it had Auden's breath hitching. She wondered what it meant and hoped it wasn't something insulting.
"Well, I am a song writer for a living," Auden said, pressing play on the computer and forcing her heart rate to steady. He's just another client, she told herself. Be professional.
Jimin gazed intently at the screen where different colored recording tabs lit up the session.
Auden knew she wasn't an exceptional singer but she thought she could hold her own pretty well. It was a rough cut after all and Jimin would be the one actually singing the song when they did the official recording. But Auden had to admit it sounded pretty good.
If only I'd known what to except
When my dreams became reality
I never imagined it would feel like this
So wrong, yet so right.
You came into my world
Where I thought angels couldn't exist
I wonder if I'll wake up
And find that it was all a lie
A lie, a lie
A beautiful lie
Would It be so bad if it really was just a dream?
Because I'm afraid to live in this reality
He stopped the song after the first chorus and looked over at Auden, his lips pursed.
"What?" Auden asked, not knowing how to read him just yet. "Do you hate it?"
"No, it's perfect," he said, looking over at her, his facial expressions softening expression. "Bang Si-hyuk will be impressed."
Auden was relieved to hear him sat that, but nervousness still fluttered in her gut because she wouldn't know for sure if Bang Si-hyuk would like it until he actually listened to it.
Just then the doorbell rang again and Auden hurried to answer it. She opened the door to fine Bang Si-hyuk on the other side, a huge smile on his face.
"Annyeonghaseyo," he said bowing at the waist slightly. "Good morning, Auden, how's the song coming."
"Good—"
"Actually we were just working on it." Jimin came up beside her, grinning at Bang Si-hyuk.
"Fantastic. I hope the creative juices are finally flowing," Bang Si-hyuk said.
"You know, I think this might be just what I needed. A fresh perspective, working with someone new. Auden here is very talented," Jimin said, giving her a wink.
Auden was taken aback by how easily the lies were rolling off his tongue and she suddenly realized just how dangerous this was. The charming effect he had on people—how he could turn it on and off so easily. He could switch between brooding, pouty, cocky, and charming so quickly it was giving her whiplash.
"I'd love to hear it."
"Why don't you two go sit and I'll make some breakfast," Jimin said, pushing Bang Si-hyuk towards her sofa. Auden glanced over her shoulder shooting Jimin a glare as he went to start pulling things out of her fridge. He gave her another wink.
"So you two finished the entire song last night, that's impressive," Bang Si-hyuk said as he sat on her leather sofa and looked at her computer screen open on the coffee table.
"Yeah, I guess you could say things just clicked," Auden said through gritted teeth, forcing a smile. Bang Si-hyuk didn't seem to notice that anything was off.
Bang Si-hyuk hit the spacebar on her keyboard and the song filled the room for the second time that morning, Bang Si-hyuk closed his eyes as he listened and he began to bob his head halfway through.
"This is really good," Bang Si-hyuk said as the song faded out to nothing but soft twinkling piano. "I think we should record it this weekend."
"You really like it?" Auden asked, feeling her heart swell a little at the compliment from Bang Si-hyuk. She had done it. She had officially written her first song for HYBE entertainment.
"I think it's fantastic. Great work you two." Bang Si-hyuk brow furrowed though after a second. "But why didn't Jimin sing the rough cut?"
"I was feeling sort of jet-lagged after my flight," Jimin replied smoothly from the kitchen, he was stirring something in a pan on the stove that was giving off the most delicious aroma. "My voice just wasn't at its best."
"Make sure you take care of your voice, Min," Bang Si-hyuk scolded. "Did forget to hydrate on the plane?"
"You know it's hard for me to remember to drink when I'm traveling," Jimin said, sounding suddenly sheepish.
Auden barely refrained from letting her jaw drop. This guy was certifiable. He was lying so easily, his explanations smooth as butter.
"Well, I'm going to have a humidifier sent to your room, you need to make sure your throat is prepped for recording this weekend," Bang Si-hyuk began typing into his phone.
"Gamsahabnida," Jimin said, and then Bang Si-hyuk was getting up from the couch and heading towards the door.
"Well, I have some meetings to attend to, but I'll see you both this weekend for the final recording session?"
"Sure thing," Auden said, hurrying after him.
"Great job again, Auden, the song sounds great." Bang Si-hyuk gave her a huge smile before walking out the door, leaving Auden and Jimin alone once again in her apartment.
The door shut and Auden turned to face Jimin.
"Since when does being Jet-lagged effect your vocal cords?" Auden accused.
"Come eat this Bibimbap before it's cold," he said, not answering her. A smile was tugging at the corners of his mouth as he dished what looked to be rice and egg and an assortment of other ingredients into a bowl for her.
She walked tentatively over to the bar, taking a seat where he'd set the bowl of food on the granite countertop.
"What is Bibimbap," she asked curiously, picking up the spoon and finding herself more hungry than she even realized as she took a bite.
"It's a Korean rice dish," Jimin explained. "You can put what you'd like in it, but traditionally we put kimchi, egg, soy sauce, and vegetables into it."
He dished up some for himself and sat beside her at the bar.
"Thanks," she said awkwardly, not expecting him to make her breakfast.
"It's the least I can do after you just wrote that song for me," he smiled at her and suddenly he was acting cute. It was another personality trait she'd have to add to the list he seemed to rotate between.
"So what's the plan?" Auden asked.
Jimin looked at her, brown eyes wide with confusion. "What do you mean?" he mumbled through a mouthful of rice.
"How is Bang Si-hyuk going to believe you're writing these songs with me if you're never actually here writing them."
Jimin nodded his expression changing to one of understanding, as if he's already thought this through.
"Don't worry, I'll be dropping by everyday just to make sure we keep our stories straight."
"And what exactly will you be doing here everyday, while pretending to be writing songs with me?"
"I'll watch TV or something," Jimin shrugged and Auden looked at him with disbelief.
"So you'll just be hanging out here, at random hours, watching my TV."
"Is that a problem?" he asked, a mischievous glint appearing in his eye.
"Well, no, I guess not," Auden said, she not knowing exactly how she felt about lying to Bang Si-hyuk. But she also couldn't fathom doing anything to mess up this job she now had. If she had to allow the K-pop idol to come over and watch her TV for a couple hours while she wrote songs, she'd do it. But she still felt guilty for lying.
"Good, then I'll see you this weekend for the session." Jimin put his empty bowl in her sink, and headed towards the door again. "Annyeong," he said in farewell and then the door was shutting behind him again with a resonating slam.
Auden looked around her quiet apartment, not really believing only a minute ago Bang Si-hyuk and Park Jimin were occupying her living space.
Auden, suddenly overwhelmed with the recent events, couldn't help but say out loud. "What is this life I'm living?"
A\N:
Okay but Jimin in an Apron is too cute haha :)
Don't forget to vote if you liked this chapter! <3
~Sasha