I burned myself
"I'm allowed to go to places like this, you know?"
The aussie just said with a wide smile painted across his freckled cheeks. Jisung didn't know if it was the smile or glow that rendered him speechless, but he was left with no argument. There were many moments that the boy has smoked pot with him for the obvious reasons of just getting high, waving off all the sermons and lectures Jisung has to offer.
And just like that, Han jisung never really ever find Felix at the company, but rather, at the same old bar during his rest days. He never questioned it. Jisung felt as preachy as Chan would be, realizing that he is indeed getting old. There was this youth he sees in Felix, a timeless acts of rebellions that indulges only one's personal interests similar to a teenagers impulses. Maybe Felix is indeed a teen... or not, It was an utter state that he passes by threshold of that pub, only to see the same freckled man who he somehow cares for as someone he thinks of a student.
Indeed, Jisung might have just been assuming that the man was a trainee instead of a burglar. The likeness of that physique and charm is most suitable for an artist, Jisung could even imagine the guy shocking everyone and shutting the audience up with that voice.
He believes that there are a lot of things they can do with that voice. Deepest of the lows, but who is Jisung anyyways to dictate that other person's actions?
Jisung is nothing but a mentor of sorts, which isn't exactly in his job description at all. One of the many recurring things he never signed up for.
He did ended up enjoying the most of it.
The company he is now working with never tampered with his artistry and decisions, heck they even supported Jisung's very own latest EP. It baffles his very being as to how an entertainment such as this, early on, already treats their workforce a lot better than the numerous of those he had worled with in the past, somehow, made a trainee loathe it's own company to the point where motivations and interests are all placed in thw wrong places.
He didn't want to understand. He was curious but it wasn't enough to keep him on his toes. He just... wanted to see the lengths of the students potentials, inclusing this particular guy, drinking up on the very same spot as Jisung walks in. You can say that Felix was reliable with the ladies, counting more than a single hand, all keeping the man entertained.
Jisung can do nothing but sigh. Maybe he should look for another place to waste away, but this is the closest in his area.
Maybe next week.
He needed to look away and put all his attention to the barkeep instead. He isn't here for work, nor Felix. It's all for his own enjoyment and to relieve his stress. But the very mere presence of his supposed colleague is already stressing him out.
He paid no attention to the catcalls the man made and actually enjoyed a drink or two on his own.
And Jisung actually manages to get out with some stranger before he's distracted any longer.
This goes one for a few more weekends. And Jisung fibally can say he's starting to master the art of ignoring Felix no matter how often they meet. The man does pester him though. He'd entertain him for a good 10 minutes and that's it
One normal night, He was on his way to the studio after getting restless in his apartment doing absolutely nothing. These are the times where Jisung couldn't just stay still, he just got off work, and teaching his rap and vocal lessons for today but now he's treading on the same roads back to the building at this late hour, grabbing his coffee on the way.
He was greeted by Felix who has seemingly just got out and sneaking off alone in the tall bushes of the buildong's entourage.
"If it isn't Peter."
Jisung just casually eyed him down and above.
"And if it isn't lix."Jisung greets back and the lad just beamed at him.
"So, I guess you do come to work."
"I told you so." Felix's catty eyes was visible even at the dimly lit hallways
"And why are you back here though? There no one else left in there than the security."
"Nothing much, my brain works harder at night, i'm gonna finish up a song and do one or two more." Jisung explained as he started walking and waving goodbye and not expecting Felix to actually turn back and walk with him.
"Oi, mate, let me come with you."
"And here I thought you're off to the bar." Jisung says as he passes from the main lobby and nodded of to the person at the desk who looked incessantly shocked for no reason.
"I was! but I saw you and changed my mind, let me watch." Felix scurried to follow Jisung who's walking at his normal pace, which is a social distancing pace..
"Are you interested in producing?" Jisung says when felix caughts up and stopped at the door of Jisung's very own deisgnated recording studio. Felix almost bumps at him but everything this guys does just becomes passable.
"A little." Felix does his thing where he pouts of hus lips as he speaks then grins.
"Wrong answer, go home." Unfazed, Jisung entered and closes the door on Felix before the guy sneaks his foot and yelped.
"Nope, nope! Come on! Peter- Teacher Peter, I like to see the process and the methods, all the work done for a single song that can impact peoples lives." Felix yelled, raising his head.
"I'm gonna livestream, I don't want an audience other than my mockingjays." Jisung opened the door slightly.
"Then I'll keep quiet, I can be a fan, too!"
Jisung sighs. It's no use to argue with Felix, he has been doing so every time they meet.
"You're a brat, y'know? but fine."
He was given a smirk as he made way for Felix to enter.
•••
J1 is live!
The comments came flooding in, crying emojis and all, angry and happy alike, saying Jisung has been gone for long.
"Jisung-ahh!"
"Broo, hi"
"Te amo"
"Is everything okay? Is this on?" Jisung says as he pops up and check on the camera.
"Alright!!! Hi, How are you guys, this is Peter-" Jisung blabbered his mouth as he has slipped his english name out of habit. He never realized he has already gotten accustomed abroad so much as to blurt out that name without awkwardness.
"-I mean Jisung. Jisung, yeah." The comments were innocently laughing as Jisung gets flustered. Felix was low key snickering on the sides as the red creeps up to the tips of his ears.
"Enough of that, Yeah- Peter, Jisung, okay, so today, marks our very first live for this month? year?" Jisung laughs. "I'm actually just bored, so let's make some songs."
"I'm not exactly gone, didn't I released a single just recently- aish."
"Y'all greedy little birdies." And right there the banter with his fans, mockingjays, started again as if time didn't pass at all. As if it was the same peak as he was back in his highschool. "Dear mockingjays, I'm gonna play thisblittle tracks but it's not finished yet."
"Let me know what you guys think. I'll also be takong inspiration for lyrics at thw comments." Jisung explains and he notices Felix laughing and typing away while monitoring the live in his phone.
The live went on as Felix watched Jisung immersed himself fully to thw point he even forgot about Felix's presence, The producer did worked on songs and track, writing off lyrics even he couldn't think of, but spent the entirety of his time earnestly playing, mocking and fighting his fans with fondness.
It's almost a one man show.
Felix mindlessly opened his mouth, "How about an anti-drop on the second chorus going to the song's bridge then continue to pick up where you left off with added intensity?" Jisung nodded and asked where specifically as he clicked around the MIDI application navigating the sounds and beats, adding the right synthesizers to where Felix just commented.
Jisung hums a melody to be inserted and eyws the comment section, wilding as to who just spoke and Jisung just turns to Felix, who pursed and coveres his hands over his mouth.
"Ah! yeah, I'm with a fairy today, not my manager but a staff. We're all passionate and got carried away, The suggestion is good, right?
"Why?! why? why? No, No. I am not introducing him, maybe next time, nooooo, y'all are gonna ditch me just because you hear five seconds of his voice?!
"Ya! my voice is good too, No. No, this isn't right." Jisung stuck his tongue out and It was a raging war. A revolution. He bobbed his head side-to-side likd a kid annoying his brother. "I just came back and this is how you guys would treat me."
Jisung sulks in for a moment, acting up all dejected. The comments waves soon turned to laughters and doting.
Then Jisung turns back to his normal speaking voice and smiles with hisnlips tucked, saying hua gratitude and an "I love you too, everyone."
"Right... let's continue." Jisung bits his kips as he navigates on the monitor.
"What did I eat?"
"Oh- I haven't actually eaten yet- gosh. I just had this coffee. I'll eat later." Jisung held the almost empty cup of Iced Americano and shook it in front of the camera.
"I guess so, I'm the same old Jisung everybody, It's late. Don't worry."
"Fine! Fine! fifteen minutes, then I'll be off. Y'all never changed too, you guys nag so much."
And with that, The live was joyful and went on for another fifteen minutes of push-pull in between the chat.
"You've got a good community backing you up, huh." Felix says as he stretches his body and relaxes on the couch behind after Jisung turned the stream off.
"They're so comfortable picking on you." He added whilst laughing.
"That's love." Jisung answers as he continued humming and put tweaked the track he working on.
"You have a very different perception of love. It intriguing. Aren't you going home?"
"Who says I'm finished? Why don't you call it a day?" Jisung says without batting an eye.
"Eh." Felix shrugs and turns to his phone instead.
"Anyways, I ordered Pizza." Felix says as he reaches for the door and has gone out to fetch the meal while Jisung was already had his earphones and working.
They ate the two boxes until thw guilt and fullness hit them afterwards like aftersex clarity as they chugged down colas until daybreak.
Little did Jisung know what awaits him when Felix stands up and went on the stage at the launch party to deliver the opening speech.