Chapter Text
🎧🎧🎧
Kim Hongjoong was the most sought after music producer in South Korea, with many solo artists and idol groups all wanting him to have a hand in creating their albums. He was praised by his colleagues in the industry, having won many awards for the music he created. Everyone loved him. Or rather, they loved the producer NO1.
NO1 was a genius wrapped in mystery, never showing his face at award shows or revealing his identity even when he worked on someone's album. After a decade in the industry, there was plenty of speculation on the identity of NO1, but no one ever came close to the truth. Hongjoong liked that.
Hongjoong enjoyed the freedom that hiding behind a pseudonym gave him. He was able to create the music that he wanted while living a normal life. Just him and his nine year old daughter, Heewon.
A daughter who was currently singing at the top of her lungs on a Saturday morning, her voice echoing throughout their house as Hongjoong eagerly waited for his coffee to brew. The clock on the coffee maker told him it was not even nine in the morning yet.
"Can't stop the feeling. Ooh. A moment that I felt the sparkling dazzle. Oh, you know it. Yeah. Don't stop believin'. I want to remember more than eternity. We shine like eternal sunshine."
Despite himself, Hongjoong tapped his fingers against the counter in time with the beat, having heard that very song hundreds of times over the past couple of years. Heewon becoming a fan of kpop groups wasn't that surprising. Hongjoong just wished the group that she fixated on the most wasn't AURORA. Or that her bias wasn't Park Seonghwa.
It felt like the universe was laughing at him every time Hongjoong walked into Heewon's bedroom, only to be stared at by the singer from several different posters hanging on his daughter's walls. In the ten years that Hongjoong had been producing music, he and Park Seonghwa had never crossed paths. Hongjoong put in a lot of effort to make sure of that.
And yet he could never fully escape the man, not when Hongjoong would come home from a day at KQ Entertainment to see Heewon dancing the choreography to one of AURORA's songs or from seeing Seonghwa's photocard in the back of Heewon's phone case.
The irony was not lost on Hongjoong that the thing that brought his daughter the most joy was the thing that silently tortured him, opening old wounds that he wished to forget about.
"Appa?" a gentle voice called, pulling Hongjoong out of his thoughts.
Glancing over his shoulder, Hongjoong watched Heewon walk into the kitchen already dressed for the day. Unlike him, still in his ratty t-shirt and plaid pajama pants.
"Yes, angel?"
"You're working late tonight, right?"
Hongjoong sighed as he remembered that his presence was actually needed in the office. Usually Hongjoong worked in his home studio, only going into the office at KQ when an artist was disagreeing with him and the other producers on the progress of an album. Unfortunately, there was a lot of disagreements on the current album Hongjoong was working on. He'd be surprised if they finished in time for the scheduled release date.
"I am. Why do you ask?"
"Can I sleep over at Jihyeon's house?"
Hongjoong nodded as he poured coffee into his empty mug. "Of course, as long as Jihyeon's eomma is okay with that."
"She will be." Heewon rushed forward to hug Hongjoong tightly around the waist. "Thanks, Appa."
Hongjoong kissed the top of Heewon's head before he watched his daughter skip back into her bedroom, no doubt to grab the already packed bag sitting at the foot of her bed. After drinking a substantial amount of coffee, Hongjoong proceeded to get dressed for the day, all while listening to Heewon sing her favorite AURORA songs, before the two gathered into the car and Hongjoong drove Heewon to the Hwang's house.
As Heewon had predicted, Yeonah had no issues with the impromptu sleepover. In fact, she welcomed it as she had done so many times before when Hongjoong needed to work late. With his wife gone, Hongjoong was eternally grateful to the Hwang family and his brother, Bumjoong, for stepping in to look after Heewon when he couldn't. The past three years had been tough, but they all made it work.
Thirty minutes later, Hongjoong was walking into KQ Entertainment and straight to Song Mingi's office. Very few people at KQ knew who Hongjoong truly was, most of them believing him to simply be one of Mingi's closest friends. It was an easy ruse to keep up, especially with Hongjoong working from home ninety-five percent of the time.
So the receptionist simply smiled and waved at Hongjoong as he walked by her desk and rode the elevator to Mingi's office, where the other producer was waiting for him.
"Thanks for coming in," Mingi said with a sigh. "Hopefully this will be the final meeting and we can get this album out on time."
"What issue does EDEN have now? Last time we spoke, he was vibing with the direction the album was taking."
Mingi rubbed a hand over his face, looking like he was seconds away from pulling out his hair.
"Hell if I know. He simply called me yesterday saying he was now having doubts and wanted to review the whole album from start to finish. I swear, I've aged ten years since we started working with this guy."
"You were warned that he was a pain in the ass to work with."
A humorless chuckle escaped the man's lips as he led Hongjoong out of his office and down to one of the recording booths.
"Now that I've had him in the recording booth, a pain in the ass is almost a compliment compared to how he really is. But I've learned my lesson. This will be the one and only album I'm helping this bastard with. I'll fake my own death and get plastic surgery to make sure I never have to deal with him again."
Hongjoong rolled his eyes but said nothing as the two men walked into the control room, where EDEN was waiting for them with his manager. The singer immediately began complaining to Mingi about the album, completely ignoring Hongjoong's presence as he sat comfortably on the couch. This went on for several minutes until Mingi finally managed to get EDEN into the recording booth to rework a couple songs.
To EDEN and his manager, Hongjoong was nothing but a silent observer. If Hongjoong remembered correctly, EDEN assumed he was Mingi's assistant when they first met. But what the singer and his manager didn't realize was that Hongjoong discretely wore a pair of earbuds that Mingi connected to the recording equipment, allowing him to hear what was happening within the recording booth, and then text the other producer notes whenever he saw fit.
As Hongjoong had suspected, it ended up being a long day. EDEN was of course his usual nagging self, constantly insulting Mingi's abilities as a producer, which in turn meant he was insulting Hongjoong. Several times throughout the day, Hongjoong excused himself from the room in order to calm down. It was amazing how a grown man tested Hongjoong's patience more than his daughter ever had.
By nine o'clock that night, Mingi was finally escorting EDEN and his manager from the building, with Hongjoong following at a distance.
"Please tell me it's finally over," Hongjoong said once it was just him and Mingi. "I can't handle another day like this."
"I have no doubt he'll try to make more changes, but I've informed his manager that we'll be proceeding with the album as is." Mingi glanced at his watch before looking at Hongjoong. "Do you want to grab a late dinner before heading home? I could definitely use a nice meal and something to drink. Perhaps even several drinks."
Hongjoong chuckled before nodding his head. "Heewon is staying over at a friend's place tonight, so I have no obligation to get home anytime soon."
The two men walked to a nearby restaurant, claiming an empty table on the patio to enjoy their meal. Mingi immediately ordered four bottles of soju along with their food, though Hongjoong knew his friend would be responsible for drinking at least three of the bottles. Out of the two of them, Hongjoong was the only one with a car, leaving him to often be the designated driver whenever they enjoyed a meal together.
"Do you ever regret staying anonymous?" Mingi asked as he took a shot of soju. "I can only imagine how frustrating it would be to stay silent while some arrogant singer insulted my work."
"Not at all. It's quite freeing to be able to cuss someone out in my head while they're none the wiser. Besides, EDEN forgot I was there within ten minutes of you forcing him into the recording booth. I doubt even his manager remembered that I was in the room."
"Next artist we work with is going to be less demanding, I promise."
Hongjoong chuckled. "You can't promise that, Mingi. Most of the time, you have no idea how demanding and uncompromising someone is until you actually start working with them. Except in this case, when there was several people who warned you against working with EDEN."
"You don't have to keep reminding me of that, Hongjoong. The intense migraine behind my left eye is all the proof I need that I made a mistake with taking on this project."
Hongjoong's phone chimed with an incoming text as Mingi took yet another shot of soju and Hongjoong unlocked his phone to see a message from his daughter.
heewon: Goodnight, Appa! I love you!
Hongjoong smiled as he typed out his reply.
hongjoong: I love you too, angel. Sleep well and I'll see you in the morning.
"I've been meaning to ask," Mingi said after Hongjoong placed his phone back on the table. "What ever happened with that guy your brother tried setting you up with?"
"Inhyuk? I went on one date with him over a month ago. He's a nice guy, but not really my type."
"You said the same thing about Jiu, which I find hard to believe. The woman is stunning. Plus, she's an absolute sweetheart."
"There's no denying that Jiu is a beautiful woman, but that doesn't change the fact that we'd never work."
Mingi sighed as he poured soju into Hongjoong's glass. "I can't help but think you're purposely sabotaging yourself, Hongjoong. Every person you've gone on a date with in the past year has been an immediate no for you."
"It's not just me and my happiness that I have to consider, Mingi. Every choice I make affects Heewon as well. At the end of the day, she's my number one priority."
"And I understand that, I really do. I just can't remember the last time you spoke of someone with interest that wasn't Bomi. Has there ever been someone you cared for that wasn't your wife?"
Hongjoong looked away from his friend as he downed the shot of soju, failing to keep that face from popping up in his mind as he tried to form an answer. Before Bomi, there had only been one person Hongjoong had developed feelings for, no matter how brief those feelings were. And after more than a decade, they had become nothing but a nagging memory.
"I turn thirty-four later this year, Mingi. I have plenty of time to meet someone new. There's no point in rushing into anything."
Mingi raised his hands in surrender. "As long as you're happy. I'm just looking out for you."
"I know."
"Speaking of your daughter, I hope you're prepared to use your fame to make her a very happy little girl."
"What are you talking about?"
"You haven't heard? AURORA is performing a one night only concert this summer to celebrate their twelfth anniversary. Trying to get tickets to that show is going to be a nightmare." Mingi smirked. "Unless you're a well respected producer with connections on the inside. Heewon would love you forever if you got her tickets to that concert."
"Excuse me. My daughter would love me no matter what."
But Mingi was right. It would make Heewon extremely happy to go to that concert. With each member of AURORA completing their military service over the past few years, the group hadn't toured since before Heewon became a fan. Not taking his daughter to that concert was out of the question, no matter how much Hongjoong would rather do anything else than be in the same space as Park Seonghwa.
It seemed like the universe wasn't done with torturing him quite yet.
🎧🎧🎧
Hongjoong stumbled up the staircase of the dorm building, struggling to keep hold of the hefty box in his hands while he dodged other freshmen rushing up and down the stairs. He was beginning to regret not waiting for the elevator along with his parents and brother, but Hongjoong had decided the stairs would be faster. While it had definitely been a faster trip, Hongjoong had been foolish not to anticipate travelling by crowded staircase to be so hazardous.
Once he arrived to his assigned floor, Hongjoong was met with a cluster of people huddled in the hallway, all looking into one specific dorm room. Not Hongjoong's, thankfully, but the room next to his. Which meant a couple of students were blocking his entrance by trying to peek into his neighbor's room.
"Excuse me," Hongjoong said softly once he got close enough to his door, but the two girls that were standing in his way didn't hear him.
"Oh my god, he's so gorgeous," the shorter of the two girls sighed as she nudged her friend's side. "Do you think he's an idol?"
"Why would an idol waste their time with college, especially if they have a face like that?"
Hongjoong rolled his eyes before angling the box away from his face so that the girls would have a better chance at hearing him.
"Excuse me? I'd like to get into my room, please."
The two girls glanced at Hongjoong briefly, doing nothing to hide their annoyance by his presence, before continuing to ogle at the guy in the other room. Frustrated, Hongjoong dropped the box onto the ground, startling the two girls and forcing them to step away from his door.
"Wow, seriously?" the shorter girl scoffed before her friend chimed in.
"You don't have to be so rude, jackass."
Planting a smile on his face, Hongjoong approached his door and unlocked it, happy to finally have access to his room.
"Thank you so much for stepping aside. I greatly appreciate it."
"Is everything okay out here?" a voice asked and everyone watched as the guy that had gathered a small crowd outside his room walked into the hallway. "I heard something fall."
He was a little bit taller than Hongjoong, with shaggy hair that almost fell into his big doe eyes, had honey tanned skin and full lips. Hongjoong understood why one of the girls questioned if the guy was an idol. He was definitely beautiful.
Not that Hongjoong cared about something like that.
"Oh, it's nothing," the shorter girl said as she flicked her hair over her shoulder. "Just this guy slamming boxes around."
Heat rose in Hongjoong's cheeks as he knelt down to retrieve his box, only to find a pair of hands grabbing it before he could.
"Yours, I presume?" the guy asked, his voice low and soft, almost melodic.
"Yeah. I'm your next door neighbor."
The guy glanced at the small crowd, almost looking embarrassed by their presence, before tilting his head toward Hongjoong's door.
"Let me help you carry this into your room."
"That's okay. I can take care of it."
Hongjoong reached out for the box, but the guy only shook his head.
"I insist."
With a reluctant sigh, Hongjoong led the stranger into his room and promptly closed the door behind him so that they didn't have any onlookers. He could hear the groans from the small crowd before they retreated to their own rooms, which made Hongjoong smile.
"You can set the box down anywhere," Hongjoong said as he turned on a light and took in his surroundings.
Both beds were still bare, clearly a sign that his assigned roommate hadn't arrived yet. A window faced the door, and two identical shelving cabinets and desks took up space between the twin beds and the window. The room was small, but Hongjoong could manage. As long as his roommate wasn't obnoxious or his neighbor didn't constantly have a crowd of admirers blocking his door.
"Park Seonghwa," the guy said as he placed the box onto the desk on the left side of the room.
"Huh?"
"My name. It's Park Seonghwa. I figured since we're neighbors that I should introduce myself."
Seonghwa looked at Hongjoong expectantly, his big brown eyes almost sparkling with amusement. There was a natural charm to Seonghwa that attempted to draw him in, but in that moment Hongjoong wasn't amused. If anything, he wanted the guy out of his room. It had already been a long day.
"I'm Kim Hongjoong," he eventually replied.
"Nice to meet you." For a moment, Seonghwa stared at the box he had carried into the room, noticing that Textbooks was written on the side. "What are you studying?"
"Music composition."
Seonghwa's eyes lit up playfully as he tapped his fingers against the top of the box. "So not only are we neighbors, but we're both music composition majors. What are the odds? I bet we could be great help to each other."
"I work better on my own. And to be honest, I doubt I'd ever benefit from your help."
The room was awkwardly quiet for a moment while the two young men stared at each other. Hongjoong hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but he saw no point in taking his words back. The playfulness in Seonghwa's eyes darkened slightly as he walked across the room to stand in front of Hongjoong.
"What makes you so certain that I wouldn't be able to help you?"
Hongjoong struggled not to laugh as he looked Seonghwa up and down, taking in his boy next door good looks and his apparent easygoing personality.
"I mean, it's pretty obvious. You seem like the idol type, not the producer type. Hell, you even have a fan club already forming and classes haven't even begun yet."
"I didn't ask for those people to gather around my room, you know."
"That could very well be true. But you intentionally left your door wide open, giving anyone the opportunity to stare at you. Which tells me that despite seeming a little embarrassed by all the people standing outside your door, you actually liked the attention. Do you even want to be here?" Seonghwa's jaw clenched, telling Hongjoong everything he needed to know. "I have no intention of associating myself with someone who clearly plans on relying on his charm and pretty face to get him through every class."
The scowl on Seonghwa's face slowly twisted into an amused grin as he closed the distance to hover over Hongjoong, their bodies so close that Hongjoong could feel the heat radiating off of Seonghwa. The closeness made Hongjoong's skin prickle, but he ignored it as he met Seonghwa's challenging gaze.
"You think I have a pretty face?" Seonghwa asked.
"Of course you would focus on that specific detail. You're becoming less charming by the second."
"Oh, please. There's no need to be embarrassed, Hongjoong. I see no issue with another guy finding me attractive."
"I don't find you attractive, Seonghwa. Not even a little bit."
"By all means, keep telling yourself that."
A light knock interrupted the two and Hongjoong opened his door to find his parents and brother standing on the other side.
"Oh," Mrs. Kim gasped as she looked from Hongjoong to Seonghwa. "Is this your roommate, Hongjoong?"
"No, he's just my neighbor." Hongjoong took the box his mom was carrying and placed it on the bed. His dad and brother squeezed past the others to set down their own boxes on the floor beneath the window just as Hongjoong spoke again. "In fact, he was just leaving."
"Without introducing us? That's not very polite, Hongjoong. Your appa and I taught you better than that."
Hongjoong's eyes flickered to Seonghwa just in time to see the other guy stifle a laugh, clearly enjoying being able to witness Hongjoong being scolded by his mom. If Hongjoong could spontaneously combust from embarrassment, he would.
"Eomma, Appa, Bumjoong, this is Park Seonghwa."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Seonghwa greeted with a polite smile and a brief bow of his head.
"Yes, I'm sure," Hongjoong said through a forced smile. "Like I said, Seonghwa was just leaving."
"Indeed, I still have some unpacking of my own that I need to take care of." Seonghwa made his way toward the door, his shoulder brushing against Hongjoong's as he passed by. "I'll see you around, Hongjoong."
"Hopefully not too much," Hongjoong mumbled.
Seonghwa winked at Hongjoong as he slipped out the door, making Hongjoong groan the moment he was gone. Living in a room next to him was going to be torture, a fact that Hongjoong's mom clearly didn't pick up on.
"He seems like a nice young man," Mrs. Kim said as she sat on the edge of Hongjoong's bed. "It'll be nice for you to make some friends while you're here."
Hongjoong smiled and nodded his head, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself. The last thing Hongjoong wanted was to become friends with someone like Park Seonghwa. If he was lucky, Hongjoong's classes wouldn't line up with Seonghwa's and they could go about the year with very little interactions.
But Hongjoong was never one to have an abundance of luck, so when he walked into his first class of the semester a few days later to find a familiar face already sitting in the front row, Hongjoong almost tripped over his feet as he rushed to an open seat on the opposite side of the room. He barely had time to take out his laptop and textbook before someone's shadow loomed over him.
"Mind if I sit here?" Seonghwa asked as he pointed to the seat beside Hongjoong and promptly sat down without waiting for a reply.
"Wouldn't you rather sit with your fans?"
"As it turns out, the only fan I have in this class is you." Seonghwa smirked. "Aren't you a little curious to see if I can keep up with you?"
"No."
"Liar. But that's okay. I look forward to proving you wrong."
Hongjoong glanced at Seonghwa briefly before letting out an amused chuckle. "Good luck with that."
🎧🎧🎧
Despite Mingi having heard news of AURORA's one night concert, the group had yet to make an official announcement. Which meant when Hongjoong arrived at the Hwang's house to pick up Heewon the following morning, she had no idea. Hongjoong used that to his advantage, reaching out to AURORA's company as NO1 and requesting tickets for Heewon, Jihyeon and himself, all while keeping Heewon in the dark.
It wasn't until the following Wednesday while Hongjoong was dishing the takeout he had ordered for dinner that he heard a high pitched squeal come from Heewon's bedroom seconds before his daughter came bounding into the kitchen with a wide smile on her face.
"Appa! Appa! Appa! Can I go? Please say I can go!"
Hongjoong held back a smile as he placed the food on the dining table, trying his best to look completely clueless.
"Go where, angel?"
"AURORA is having a concert in June and tickets go on sale next week! I have to go, Appa! If I don't go to this concert, I'll never be happy again." With a dramatic sigh, Heewon collapsed onto her chair and laid her head on the table. "Please, Appa?"
Hongjoong leaned down to press a kiss against Heewon's temple before taking a seat in his own chair next to his daughter.
"Let's focus on eating dinner first, and then we'll discuss you going to this concert. Okay?"
Heewon pouted for a moment before sitting up and grabbing her chopsticks.
"Fine."
"How was school today? Are you still having issues with that one boy who's been picking on you? Munsuk?"
"Miss Lim tells him to stop, but he's not a very good listener. Munsuk's eomma says he's only teasing me because he has a crush on me."
"She said what?"
Heewon looked down at her food slightly embarrassed.
"Munsuk's eomma says all boys are like that."
"Heewon, angel, please look at me." Hongjoong waited until Heewon met his gaze before he continued. "What Munsuk has been doing to you isn't because he has a crush on you. You don't pull someone's hair or trip them because you like them. How has it made you feel every time Munsuk has been mean to you?"
"I don't like it, Appa."
"And no one should try to convince you that you should like it." Hongjoong wrapped an arm around Heewon and pulled her in for a lingering hug. "I'll talk with Munsuk's eomma. You keep telling Miss Lim every time he's mean to you, okay?"
"Okay, Appa." After taking a few bites of her food, Heewon asked, "What do you do if you have a crush on someone?"
Hongjoong was lost in thought for a moment as he contemplated Heewon's question. "That depends on the person. Some people pass handwritten notes to each other. Some will leave sweets in their crush's backpack. They'll pick wildflowers for each other or ask each other to the school dance. There are many nice things to do to let your crush know that you like them." Hongjoong's eyebrow rose slightly. "Is this your way of telling me you have a crush on someone at school?"
"Ew, no. I was just curious."
"Good. We can have that conversation in a couple of years."
Heewon nudged Hongjoong's shoulder. "What did you do for Eomma?"
A smile immediately formed on Hongjoong's lips. "Your eomma loved sour candies. The two of us often ran into each other at the same convenience store and she always left with some type of sour candy. We lived in the same apartment building, so I started leaving a bag of her favorite sweets in her mailbox every week, along with a note simply wishing that she had a good day. Then one night I asked if she wanted to have dinner with me and she said yes. There was no turning back after that."
Heewon leaned her elbows on the table as her chin fell into her hands.
"I didn't know Eomma liked sour candy like me."
"We used to laugh about it, since I hate sour things."
"That's because you're weird, Appa."
Hongjoong gasped as he pressed his hand to his chest. "How could you say such a thing to your dear appa? Do you want to break my heart?"
Heewon giggled as she poked Hongjoong's cheek before returning her attention to her food. Once they finished with their meal, Hongjoong and Heewon cleaned up together, with Heewon standing on a tiny stool next to the sink so that she could dry off the dishes that Hongjoong washed. When that task was complete, Hongjoong filled up Heewon's tub so that she could take her nighttime bath before bed.
While Heewon was in the bath, Hongjoong got ready for bed himself before grabbing a rectangular gift box from his nightstand and returning to the living room. Fifteen minutes later, Heewon came out of her room carrying her hairbrush and hairdryer.
"Can you dry my hair, Appa? I'm too tired."
It was a request that happened every night and Hongjoong knew it wasn't because Heewon was too tired. Bomi had always been the one to dry Heewon's hair after a bath and despite her now being old enough to do it on her own, Hongjoong didn't have the heart to tell Heewon no. So he took the hairdryer and hairbrush from his daughter's small hands and led her back into the bathroom to take care of the wet strands falling past her shoulders.
"After you brush your teeth, I want you to come back out into the living room," Hongjoong said as he gently combed out Heewon's freshly dried hair. "I believe there's something you and I need to discuss."
Heewon's eyes lit up as she quickly grabbed her toothbrush and Hongjoong walked into the living room to take a seat on the couch. He had barely sat down when Heewon came rushing across the room and jumped into Hongjoong's lap.
"Does this mean I can go?"
"What kind of appa would I be if I didn't take my precious daughter to see her favorite kpop group?"
Heewon squealed loudly as she wrapped her arms around Hongjoong's neck.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"You won't mind me tagging along, will you?"
"Of course not, Appa."
"Good." Hongjoong grabbed the gift box from the coffee table and placed it in Heewon's hands. "I actually know some special people, so I was able to get our tickets already."
Heewon quickly opened the gift box and pulled out the three tickets. Hongjoong watched silently as Heewon slowly read the information on the tickets, her eyes widening as the words began to sink in.
"VIP? Meet and greet? I'm going to meet AURORA?!"
"If you're going to see your favorite group for the first time, I want to make sure it's memorable for you. And the third ticket is for Jihyeon. I've already talked with her eomma and gotten permission for her to join us."
Heewon's arms wrapped around Hongjoong's neck again in a tight hug, her joy radiating off her body in thick waves.
"You're the best, Appa! Thank you!" With the tickets still in hand, Heewon rushed across the living room to the small wooden table that held tiny trinkets, some candles and small picture frames on top, and she showed the tickets to one photo in particular. "Eomma, look at what Appa got me! I'm going to see AURORA in concert! I'm so happy, I could burst."
There was no response of course, but that didn't matter to Heewon. The photo of Bomi always smiled back, regardless if the news spoken to her was good or bad. She was always there to listen and her radiant smile never failed to offer the support or encouragement that either Heewon or Hongjoong needed.
Rising from the couch, Hongjoong walked over to Heewon and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Why don't you leave the tickets with Eomma for safekeeping and let's get you tucked into bed?"
"But I'm too excited to sleep, Appa."
"I know, angel. But you should still try."
Heewon huffed out a long sigh before leaving the tickets on top of the table and grabbing Hongjoong's hand so that he could lead her into her bedroom. Once Hongjoong had tucked Heewon into bed and kissed her forehead goodnight, Hongjoong returned to the living room to place the tickets back into the gift box they came in.
"Don't worry, Bomi," Hongjoong said as he hid the box behind the picture frame of his late wife. "I'll make sure to take plenty of photos and videos so that Heewon can show you everything when we return from the concert. I don't think she'll be speaking about anything else for the next year. It's all worth it, though, seeing her this happy."
And it was, despite Hongjoong wanting to keep his distance from Seonghwa. Regardless of his feelings, of the memories that never seemed to fully disappear, Hongjoong would do anything and everything to make sure that Heewon was happy. His daughter deserved nothing less.
🎧🎧🎧
The following two months passed by in a blur and before Hongjoong knew it, it was the night before the concert. Work had kept him busy, with EDEN's album releasing on time – miraculously – and a new girl group hiring Hongjoong and Mingi on to help with their debut album. Hongjoong appreciated the distraction, often allowing himself to get lost in the work so that he didn't have to think about the reality of coming face to face with Seonghwa after thirteen years looming over him.
Heewon, of course, was lost in her own world, singing and dancing to AURORA songs every second that she could. From the moment Heewon told Jihyeon about the tickets, the two girls began planning their outfits and discussing if they were going to make freebies to hand out. They decided on making beaded bracelets with cute animal charms that represented the members of AURORA. Heewon made sure to keep a bracelet with a bunny charm for herself, since that specific charm represented Seonghwa.
Hongjoong was working on a few extra bracelets at his dining table, despite having tucked Heewon into bed an hour before to get a good night's rest. There was already a decent pile on bracelets that his daughter had already made, but Hongjoong saw no harm in making a few more.
It was quite a calming activity, actually. Just another distraction from the inevitable. But with the busy day Hongjoong had planned, he eventually climbed into bed just after midnight and willed himself to fall asleep. There was a chance he was overthinking everything. It's been thirteen years since he last saw Seonghwa. That's practically a lifetime. Who's to say that Seonghwa would even remember him?
Perhaps that was for the best. If Hongjoong could have definitive proof that he hadn't even crossed Seonghwa's mind in the past decade, then perhaps that was all Hongjoong needed in order to bury the memories for good. Maybe.
Hongjoong felt like he had just fallen asleep when Heewon barged into his room and jumped on his bed.
"Wake up, Appa!" Heewon squealed as she rustled Hongjoong's shoulder over and over again. "It's concert day!"
As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, Hongjoong glanced at the clock on his nightstand before letting out a low groan.
"Heewon, angel, it isn't even seven in the morning. Why are you already awake?"
"You're taking me over to Jihyeon's house so that her eomma can help me get ready, remember?"
"Yes, I remember. But angel, we have plenty of time before we need to leave. Why don't you go back to sleep?"
"I'm not tired, Appa. Come on! We're wasting daylight."
Heewon hit Hongjoong's shoulder with a pillow before hopping off the bed and running out of the room, her excitement radiating off of her. Hongjoong could try to sleep for another hour or two, but he knew it would be useless. He was a little surprised Heewon hadn't already started playing AURORA songs to help wake him up.
With a reluctant sigh, Hongjoong kicked away his blanket before stumbling out of bed and walking straight for the kitchen, desperate for some coffee. Heewon was already grabbing a carton of eggs from the fridge, clearly planning on making some type of eggs breakfast. Hongjoong was grateful that Heewon didn't inherit his severe inability to cook and that Yeonah had started to teach her how to make a few simple meals over the past year. If only Hongjoong could learn as well, but that was asking for too much.
"What can I help you with, angel?"
Heewon glanced at Hongjoong skeptically before cracking an egg and pouring the contents into a bowl.
"The last time you tried to help me make omelettes, you burnt half of the eggs."
"I should still help you with something. Put your appa to work."
"You can at least set the table. And I think we have some orange juice in the fridge, if you also want to grab that."
Hongjoong chuckled as he grabbed the plates from the cupboard. "Are you sure you can trust me with such a daunting task? Who knows? I might accidentally spill the orange juice while filling up our glasses."
Heewon stuck out her tongue at Hongjoong, but kept her focus on the eggs. While he didn't spill a single drop of orange juice, Hongjoong somehow managed to completely miss the mug when pouring his coffee and had to stumble across the kitchen for some paper towels to clean it up. He bit his lip to keep from cursing, which only made Heewon giggle as she split the big, fluffy omelette in half and placed a portion on each of their plates.
"You should come with a warning sign, Appa."
Hongjoong kissed Heewon's temple before ruffling her hair, making her squeal in protest.
"I'm not that bad."
Heewon only gave Hongjoong a knowing look before turning off the stove and taking a seat at the dining table. They enjoyed their breakfast in peaceful silence, or as close to silence as they could get with Heewon humming AURORA songs in between bites. It was a habit Heewon constantly did, and Hongjoong wasn't certain if she was even aware that she did it. Either way, Hongjoong wasn't going to say anything. He found the habit rather adorable, all things considered.
When they had finished with breakfast, Hongjoong took care of cleaning up the dirty dishes while Heewon ran into her bedroom to change into her concert outfit. One of AURORA's earlier albums, Dreamy Day, had a more pastel, boys next door concept, which Heewon really loved and based her outfit on the album's cover art. Her wide leg baggy jeans were a baby blue and had white hearts stitched all over the denim. Her cherry blossom pink shirt had poofy sleeves and several ribbons tied into bows in the back. Heewon's hair was hanging loose on her shoulders as she carried her chunky white sneakers with pink hearts into the living room, her dark brown strands freshly brushed and ready to be styled by Yeonah.
Heewon was putting all of the bracelets that she and Hongjoong made into a clear heart-shaped tote bag when Hongjoong walked out of his room, and she immediately made a face when she looked at him.
"Is that what you're wearing, Appa?" Heewon asked and Hongjoong couldn't help but look down at his outfit.
He was wearing a white and grey striped button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, light washed denim jeans and casual black loafers. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the outfit, but Heewon proceeded to look at Hongjoong as though he were dressed in garbage bags.
"What's wrong with my outfit, Heewon?"
"Everything, Appa. You can't go to an AURORA concert wearing that."
"It's comfortable."
"It's boring." Releasing a heavy sigh, Heewon abandoned the bracelets on the table before walking over to Hongjoong and grabbing his hand to promptly lead him back into his bedroom.
Hongjoong sat on the edge of his bed in silence as Heewon rummaged through his closet, looking for a more suitable outfit. He didn't have a lot of pastel colors in his closet, but that didn't stop Heewon from grabbing anything that had a more light, whimsical vibe to it. Soon, a pile of garments were thrown onto the bed next to Hongjoong and Heewon was scrambling to find the perfect combination.
"Try this," Heewon said as she handed Hongjoong a few articles of clothing and pointed to the bathroom.
Hongjoong did as his daughter asked and changed into her chosen outfit. The linen pants were a soft green and cut off just below Hongjoong's knees. Heewon gave him two shirts to layer together: a sheer white button up shirt over a dark violet tank top. It's not the combination he would choose for himself, but Hongjoong wasn't going to argue with his nine year old about fashion when this was supposed to be her day. He would wear whatever the hell she wanted.
"How's this?" Hongjoong asked once he walked out of the bathroom and Heewon immediately started clapping.
"Much better. And here are your shoes."
Hongjoong happily took the white sneakers before following Heewon back into the living room. After gathering up the bracelets, Heewon's lightstick and some snacks to munch on once they got to the concert venue, Hongjoong and Heewon made the short drive to the Hwang's house. The moment Hongjoong put the car in park, Heewon hopped out of the vehicle and ran to the front door, knocking excitedly.
"There you two are," Yeonah said as she opened the door with a warm smile on her face. "Jihyeon has been asking when you two would arrive since eight this morning." As Heewon rushed into the house to find Jihyeon, Hongjoong took a moment with Yeonah by the front door to simply breathe. "What time did Heewon wake you up this morning?"
Hongjoong chuckled. "It wasn't even seven. Don't worry. I plan on doing absolutely nothing tomorrow so that I can recuperate."
"You make us sound so old, Hongjoong. This concert could end up being just as fun for you as it will be for Heewon. Speaking of your daughter, I need to start on her hair and makeup. I've already finished with Jihyeon."
Hongjoong followed Yeonah through her house and into Jihyeon's bedroom, where she ushered Heewon into a chair and quickly got to work on Heewon's hair. While Jihyeon's hair was styled into two messy braided buns on top of her head, Heewon requested a loose braid that draped over her right shoulder.
The makeup took a little longer to apply, though the girls were going for more whimsical than perfection. Blue and white eyeshadow covered Heewon's eyelids, a soft pink gloss coated her lips and Yeonah used pink blush to stencil small hearts on both of Heewon's cheeks. By the time Yeonah was finished, Heewon was smiling widely at her reflection in the mirror. She looked so happy, which only warmed Hongjoong's heart.
"How do I look, Appa?"
Hongjoong rose from where he had been sitting on the edge of the bed to press a soft kiss to the top of Heewon's head.
"You look perfect, angel."
Heewon's face beamed before she threw her arms around Yeonah. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Hwang. I love it."
"I'm happy to hear that, sweetheart. Now you all need to get going. You have beautiful bracelets you need to hand out to people."
Yeonah helped Hongjoong gather up their daughter's bags, as well as made sure that Hongjoong had everything he would need in his own bag – namely extra battery packs and hand fans – before the trio piled up inside of Hongjoong's car and drove off. The car was immediately filled with the sound of the two girls singing along to AURORA songs, their giddiness ramping up the closer they got to the concert venue.
VIP lines were already forming in front of the venue, as well as at the merch tables, when the trio arrived. A crowd had formed a circle around a large speaker that was playing different AURORA songs, and a handful of people were jumping into the middle of the circle to start performing the choreography to whichever song was playing. Everyone's outfits were so colorful, so creative, that Hongjoong could only smile as Heewon and Jihyeon complimented everyone they walked by.
"Don't forget about your freebies," Hongjoong whispered to Heewon as they got in line to buy merch.
With Hongjoong saving their spot in line, Heewon and Jihyeon ran over to different people near the merch table to hand out some of their bracelets. The other concertgoers accepted them cheerfully, some of them even giving the girls freebies in return.
This was one of the things Hongjoong loved most about music: it brought different people of all ages and from different countries together for a night of pure joy. Gathering together with strangers to get lost in music that you loved was a powerful and magical experience, and Hongjoong was happy that Heewon would have these memories for the rest of her life.
After buying t-shirts and sweatshirts at the merch table, the trio made their way to where VIP needed to check in and wait to enter the venue. Hongjoong happily stood back as Heewon and Jihyeon passed out the remainder of bracelets from their bags, leaving only four behind.
"What do you plan on doing with those?" Hongjoong asked as he eyed the bracelets, noticing that the four left behind had a different animal charm attached to it.
Heewon grinned shyly. "I was hoping to give them to Seonghwa, Woosung, Gijoon and Minsu when we get our photo taken with them. Do you think I'll be allowed to do that?"
Hongjoong pulled Heewon in for a hug and kissed the top of her head, careful not to mess up her hair. "I'm sure they'll be fine with it, angel. Don't you worry."
And if anyone tried to stop Heewon from giving the group bracelets she made for them, Hongjoong would have no problem stepping in to change their minds. Of course, that was information that Heewon didn't need to know.
What felt like an eternity later, the venue opened their doors to VIP, eliciting cheers from the crowd. Hongjoong grabbed both Heewon's and Jihyeon's hands as they followed everyone into the arena and straight for their assigned seats. Having two nine year old girls to think about, Hongjoong made sure that he bought front row tickets so that neither of them would have to fight to see anything.
Based on the squeals that left Heewon's lips, she hadn't fully comprehended just how close to the stage she would be.
"This is our spot, Appa?" Heewon asked as she looked at the empty stage, no doubt already imagining seeing Seonghwa standing right in front of her.
"I told you, Heewon. This is going to be a night you'll never forget."
Both Heewon and Jihyeon wrapped their arms around Hongjoong's waist.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Kim." Jihyeon said as she let him go. "This is amazing."
Hongjoong sat down and got comfortable as Heewon and Jihyeon took selfies and talked to the group of teenagers sitting behind them. Roughly thirty minutes after being let into the arena, music started playing from the speakers and the four members of AURORA walked out on stage to an echo of cheers. Heewon and Jihyeon bounced on their feet as they watched the group perform a few songs, running all across the stage to wave at the small crowd.
Hongjoong hadn't realized he was holding his breath until Seonghwa walked over to the side of the stage he was sitting on, the lights illuminating the singer's tan skin and highlighting his bright smile. Their eyes met for a brief moment and Hongjoong felt his breath hitch inside of his chest, suddenly feeling exposed. But Seonghwa simply turned his attention to Heewon and Jihyeon, waving at them before moving to a different side of the stage.
"Did you see that, Appa?" Heewon squealed. "Seonghwa waved at me!"
Hongjoong smiled at his daughter while he forced himself to look anywhere else but at Seonghwa for the rest of soundcheck. While the past thirteen years had allowed for their facial features to mature, Seonghwa was still just as beautiful as he'd been when they first met. Perhaps he was more beautiful, Hongjoong couldn't tell. Honestly, it didn't make a difference one way or another. Hongjoong wanted to forget those memories, not allow them to take root and grow.
"That's it for now," Woosung said after the group finished their final song for soundcheck. "Rest up those voices for the concert and we'll see all of you soon."
With a quick bow, AURORA waved once more to the crowd before disappearing backstage. Heewon and Jihyeon collapsed onto their seats before looking at the photos and videos they've already taken, giggling into their hands as they relived the moments. Soon a few members of the staff were splitting the crowd into sections before escorting small groups backstage for their photo with the group.
The moment a staff member called for Hongjoong and the girls, Heewon suddenly became nervous. Hongjoong practically had to drag her by the hand to keep up with the staff member.
"Angel, what's wrong?" Hongjoong asked when they paused outside the room where the photos were being taken.
"Nothing, Appa. I'm fine."
Before Hongjoong could question Heewon, the trio were let into the room, coming face to face with the members of AURORA. Jihyeon immediately ran forward to say hello to the members, while Heewon cowered behind Hongjoong's side. The staff member smiled at Heewon before motioning for her to join Jihyeon and the others.
"It's okay, sweetheart. We're just going to take a quick photo. Won't that be nice?"
Heewon glanced up at Hongjoong, the sudden fear in her eyes making his heart ache. This wasn't how she wanted this experience to go and Hongjoong knew that.
Before he could say anything, Hongjoong watched as Seonghwa walked over and knelt down in front of Heewon, making her eyes go wide.
"That's really pretty," Seonghwa said as he pointed to the bracelet around Heewon's wrist. "Did you make it yourself?"
Heewon slowly nodded her head. "Yeah. One for each of you." After a moment, Heewon lifted her hand so that Seonghwa could see the bracelet better. "Yours has a bunny on it."
Seonghwa's smile lit up his entire face. "That's a good choice. I love bunnies."
"Me too!" Stepping out from behind Hongjoong, Heewon reached into her bag and pulled out the extra bracelets. "I also made one for each of you. If you want it. You don't have to take it."
"I would be honored to accept your gift."
Jihyeon rushed over to grabbed the three bracelets for Woosung, Gijoon and Minsu while Heewon put the bracelet on Seonghwa's wrist. One of the staff members cleared their throat, signaling to Seonghwa that they had to move things along. Hongjoong reached out his hand for Heewon's and Jihyeon's bag.
"Why don't I hold onto those while you all take a photo?"
"You don't plan on joining us?" Seonghwa asked as he rose to his feet.
"No. This moment is about them."
Hongjoong glanced over at his daughter and smiled before meeting Seonghwa's gaze, and time seemed to stop. While there was a softness in Seonghwa's eyes as the two men stared at each other, Hongjoong noticed there wasn't even a flicker of familiarity staring back at him. Hongjoong had been nervous for the past month about whether Seonghwa would recognize him or not, and now he had his answer.
Seonghwa had no idea who he was.
Suddenly embarrassed for staring, Hongjoong stepped back so that the photo could be taken before the trio was escorted back to their seats. Heewon and Jihyeon were in their own little world and Hongjoong was happy to leave them there. He happened to be in his own little world as well.
This was exactly what he wanted. Hongjoong wanted proof that Seonghwa didn't remember him so that he could finally leave the past behind where it belonged. As time ticked by, growing closer to the concert, Hongjoong realized what had just happened wasn't what he had wanted at all. It had been what he feared the most. That despite their history, the moments shared that no one but the two of them knew about, Seonghwa greeted Hongjoong like another stranger.
Of course he was a stranger to Seonghwa. Hongjoong hadn't been enough for Seonghwa to show up for, to choose all those years ago, why would Hongjoong expect anything different thirteen years later?
Heewon's laugh brought Hongjoong out of his thoughts and he made the decision to bury them again, at least for the night. He was there for Heewon and he would help her capture the most important night of her life, no matter how foolish he felt inside.
The concert that AURORA put on was amazing, Hongjoong couldn't deny that. He even found himself swaying and singing to some of their songs while he took videos for Heewon. After three years of hearing Heewon play AURORA's music nonstop, Hongjoong was bound to memorize a song or two. Even if it was unintentional.
Several times throughout the show, Seonghwa ended up right in front of Heewon, Jihyeon and Hongjoong while he sang, a wide smile spreading across his face every time he heard Heewon and Jihyeon cheer his name. It was about halfway through the show that Hongjoong noticed that Seonghwa was still wearing the bracelet Heewon gifted him. It was a kind gesture, one that Hongjoong managed to capture on camera so that he could show his daughter after the concert, in case she missed it.
The night seemed to fly by and soon Seonghwa was addressing the crowd for the final time, much to the disappointment of the crowd.
"Thank you so much for joining us tonight. I think I can speak for the rest of AURORA when I say that your love and support has meant the world to us over the past thirteen years. We hope that you've felt that same love being given back to you in return."
Woosung walked forward and wrapped his arm around Seonghwa's shoulder. "All right, everyone! This is our final song. We want to hear you sing along with us!"
The intro of Eternal Sunshine started playing and the crowd cheered louder than they had all night. Heewon reached back to hug Hongjoong as everyone sang, the entire arena lit up with lightsticks, looking a lot like a galaxy. And then with a final note and a final bow, AURORA disappeared backstage and the house lights came on, breaking the spell that everyone was under.
Hongjoong looked down to find Heewon wiping tears from her eyes. "Are those happy tears or sad tears?"
"Happy tears, Appa. Definitely happy."
🎧🎧🎧
Hongjoong was a zombie when he woke up the following day, his body aching and in desperate need of coffee. After quickly washing his face, Hongjoong walked out into the kitchen and turned on the coffee pot. It was as he grabbed a mug from the cupboard that Hongjoong noticed Heewon wasn't awake yet, despite it being after noon.
Abandoning his coffee for a moment, Hongjoong walked down the hallway and knocked on Heewon's door.
"Angel, are you awake?" There wasn't a response, but Hongjoong did hear something else. Crying. "Heewon, I'm coming in."
Hongjoong slowly opened the door, finding his daughter lying in bed with tears streaming down her cheeks while she stared at her phone.
"Did you know this was going to happen, Appa?" Heewon asked as Hongjoong sat on the edge of her bed.
"What are you talking about, angel?"
Heewon didn't say anything as she handed her phone to Hongjoong, the screen already open to a video. Without hesitation, Hongjoong pressed play and was immediately staring at the members of AURORA.
"Hi, everyone," Woosung greeted for the group, all of their faces looking somber. "This isn't an easy video to make but we know we have to make it. Our fans deserve to hear the news directly from us. The four of us have been incredibly lucky over the past thirteen years to make music that not only we love, but that all of you love as well. We have loved being AURORA and all that has meant. But we as a group have decided that this specific journey has come to an end. Our concert last night was our last performance as AURORA and we are so happy that the audience was filled with so much love. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for loving our music and we hope you follow us on the individual journeys each of us are about to take. We love you."
The video ended with each member bowing to the camera before the screen went black. Heewon's tears now made sense. Hongjoong could only imagine what she was feeling, having seen her favorite idol group only to be told the next day that they were disbanding.
Setting her phone on the nightstand, Hongjoong wrapped his arms tightly around Heewon.
"Are you still happy that you saw them, even with this news?"
Heewon nodded. "Last night was the best night of my life, Appa. This just means… I won't see them in concert again. At least not all of them together."
Hongjoong didn't say anything. He just let Heewon cry in his arms before the sound of her tummy grumbling forced them both out of bed. They ordered delivery for lunch, too exhausted and lazy to change out of their pajamas to leave their house for food. While Heewon waited for the food to arrive on the couch, Hongjoong poured himself some coffee before leaning against the kitchen counter and checking his phone for any new messages.
He had one, an email sent earlier that morning. The sender was a name Hongjoong vaguely recognized. When he opened the email and read the message, Hongjoong almost dropped his phone. Staring back at him was a message from Park Seonghwa's manager informing him that Seonghwa has personally requested that NO1 help create the singer's upcoming solo album.
Hongjoong couldn't believe what he had just read. Seonghwa wanted to work with him? It shouldn't be that surprising. A lot of artists wanted to work with NO1. But this was Seonghwa, and after Hongjoong embarrassed himself the night before, working on the man's album wouldn't be a good idea.
After taking a sip of his coffee, Hongjoong began typing out his response, fully intending to reject the offer. He was under no obligation to work with Seonghwa, even if the man did personally request him. Hongjoong could say no.
But then Hongjoong's eyes fell to Heewon and he stopped typing. Could he really say no to his daughter's favorite idol?
Feeling overwhelmed, Hongjoong deleted his response and left his phone on the counter before taking a seat next to Heewon. He didn't have to give Seonghwa an answer that very moment. Waiting one day to respond would be just fine.
🎧🎧🎧
Waiting a day to respond was a mistake. That email was all Hongjoong could think about, even as he enjoyed his morning run the following day. He didn't know what the correct response was and it frustrated him. Why did things have to be so complicated? Or was Hongjoong making everything more complicated than it needed to be?
It wasn't like he would have to spend personal time with Seonghwa. He could help on the album like he always did, hidden away in his home studio. That could work. Maybe.
Hongjoong was approaching the bench by the pond he always took a short break at during his runs when his phone buzzed with an incoming call.
"Hey, Mingi," Hongjoong muttered as he tried to catch his breath. "What's up?"
"Why didn't you ever tell me that you knew Park Seonghwa back in college?"
Hongjoong's heart stopped. "What?"
"Park Seonghwa came into KQ this morning asking how he could get a hold of you. He said you had gone to the same college together and after running into you at the AURORA concert the other night, he wanted to catch up. Seriously, Hongjoong? We've been working with each other for a decade and you never mentioned that you used to know one of the hottest idols in the industry before he was even an idol. I feel so hurt right now."
"Back up, Mingi. What did you tell him?"
"Don't worry, I didn't give him your home address." Hongjoong was about to let out a sigh of relief when Mingi continued. "I told him about that spot you always stop at during your runs."
"You… what?"
Hongjoong didn't need to wait for Mingi to respond. His eyes frantically scanned the area before his gaze landed on a man sitting on a bench farther down the edge of the pond. Even with the baseball cap and sunglasses, Hongjoong recognized Seonghwa immediately.
"Hongjoong, you still there?" Mingi asked, but Hongjoong ignored him.
"I got to go."
After hanging up his phone, Hongjoong slowly made his way over to Seonghwa. He didn't understand what was happening. Hongjoong had been certain that Seonghwa hadn't recognized him at the concert. Yet as Hongjoong stood in front of the man and was greeted with a pleasant smile, Hongjoong knew he had been wrong.
"It's been a long time, Hongjoong. Thirteen years, right?"
All of the feelings and memories Hongjoong had tried to bury began to break free and he wasn't sure how to react.
"What are you doing here, Seonghwa? Why are you asking people how to get in touch with me?"
Seonghwa chuckled lightly as he rose to his feet. "That answer is quite simple, really. You didn't respond to my manager's email, so I decided to come speak with you myself."
"What email?"
"You know exactly what email I'm talking about, Hongjoong. The email letting you know that I want to work with NO1 for my solo album. That I want to work with you." Not waiting for Hongjoong to respond, Seonghwa reached for Hongjoong's right arm and lifted it so that his No1LikeMe tattoo was more visible. "I've suspected that NO1 was you for years now, but seeing you at the concert the other night, seeing this tattoo again, only confirmed it."
Hongjoong didn't know what to say, his head felt like it was going to explode. So not only did Seonghwa actually remember him despite pretending not to, he also knew that Hongjoong was NO1. And he wanted to work with him.
"Why?" Hongjoong eventually mumbled. "Why do you want to work with me?"
Seonghwa grinned and Hongjoong felt his heart flutter erratically for a brief moment. "Because you, Kim Hongjoong, are the best producer I know. You always have been."
"Are you really trying to charm me into saying yes?"
"I figured I needed to use more than just my pretty face." Seonghwa offered his hand for Hongjoong to shake, and that's when Hongjoong noticed it. Seonghwa was still wearing Heewon's bracelet. "What do you say? Want to make some music together?"
Seconds dragged on, and then minutes. Yet Seonghwa never lowered his hand. Hongjoong could say no, he had that option.
With a hesitant sigh, Hongjoong wrapped his fingers around Seonghwa's palm and shook his hand, sealing his fate.
"Don't make me regret this."
Seonghwa's grin turned into a radiant smile as he let go of Hongjoong's hand.
"Trust me, Hongjoong. This is going to be fun."