BAEKHYUN'S POV

"Saemi-ya, do you wanna stroll around the company? The practice won't start until 10." She was observing everything since we got inside the building. Might as well bring her to the wonders of SM Ent.

"You sure?" She gave me a glance and I nodded as reply.

I grabbed her hand and ran to the nearest practice room we could reach and it was Red Velvet's. We didn't really get inside since they're busy rehearsing for their comeback as well. They started their promotions ahead of us but they still practice a lot.

"Wow, they're pretty good. Who are they?" I gave Saemi an unbelievable look upon hearing her question.

"Seriously? You don't know them?"

"I wouldn't ask if I knew, Byun." She deadpanned and gave me a smug look.

"Well then, I should introduce you properly." I knocked three times on the door just when the music died down inside the room. Joy opened the door and instantly bowed upon seeing me. The other members went near as well and greeted us.

"Annyeonghaseyo!" They said one by one. Irene was the first to ask.

"Is she a new trainee, sunbae?" The others looked curious as well. Wendy asked Saemi's name and she was able to answer with a big smile.

"I'm Eun Saemi. It's so nice to see you. You guys dance so good!" She even gave them thumbs up. I turned to Irene and replied.

"She's not. I just brought her along with me."

"Is she a friend? Or something more?" Yeri teases, grinning like a cheshire cat. I gave her a look and she just hid behind Joy while laughing.

"Yah, cut it out." I scold but the others only laughed at what I said, even Saemi.

"I thought you're on my side?" I feel very betrayed right now. I stumped my feet and pouted towards Saemi so she can feel guilty atleast. But she didn't. She even chuckled at me but surprisingly, she talked back as well.

"Sorry. Yeah, we're good friends."

"Good thing you said something. Or else, they might get the wrong idea." I whispered to her ear right after she spoke.

"Oh, I think I'm getting it right." Yeri butts in again earning laughter from her co-members and a blank stare from me.

"Do you have a death wish or something?" I kid but chose not to put too much meaning to whatever they said.

"Please don't kill me." Yeri rolled with the exchanges of jokes we have.

"Will you show her around, sunbae?" Seulgi asks as she takes a water bottle from her bag at the corner of the room. I nodded.

"We have to go now. It was nice meeting you, girls." I bid and went out first.

"I wish we could hang out some other time too." Wendy said and gave Saemi a slight hug.

"That would be very cool." Saemi replied with a smile.

"Can we get your number? So that we can contact you when we have a free schedule." Irene offers and soon takes out their phones to exchange numbers with Saemi. Wow, that was pretty fast. I bet they also felt comfortable with Saemi in just a few minutes with her.

After that, we went to the next room. We passed by some of the seniors like Super Junior and BoA sunbaenim. They were in a hurry though, so they didn't have much time to chitchat with us.

"I'm sure you know those people we came across?" They were very popular in the country even before so I guess she should have known them too. And I guessed it right, she nodded.

"That won't be avoided. Their names are big even before." I nodded approvingly.

"The next room might seem boring for you. But yeah, I'll still take you there." I intended to bring her to the music room wherein of course, there's musical instruments placed there open for all the artists in the company.

"Wooow."

She ran fast inside and admired the whole place that caught me bewildered. She doesn't look like the type of person who would just randomly play a chord beautifully and would make a song out of it.

She let her fingers pass through the keys on the piano and soon after, she was already sitting down, playing the piano, not knowing that I was left mouth-agape at the moment. She plays piano!

I may seem strong, I may be smiling
But there are many times when I'm alone
I may seem like I don't have any worries
But I have a lot to say
The moment I first saw you, I was so attracted to you
I didn't weigh out my thoughts and just talked

The answer is you
My answer is you
I showed you my everything
You are my everything,
because I was so sure

I couldn't help but observe how she delivers the song and it didn't help me pinpoint what I was actually finding. She had so much emotion poured out to the song that made me wonder what kind of story does she have untold?

My eyes couldn't stop staring at her. Her voice just makes you want to stay and feel all the wonderful things in life but not forget the horrible things that you passed through. She gives me that kind of emotion. The affliction that something might've brought her.

"Can you tell me a secret?" I asked, wanting to know more about her. She looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just tell me a secret. I promise I won't tell anyone. I'm a good listener, just to let you know." I shifted from my seat and moved closer to her, closing the cover of the piano and placing my elbow on it as I palm my face.

She lets out a chuckle, shaking her head in the process. "It may take a decade for me to finish my secret, with you asking more questions as I unveil them one by one."

"I won't ask questions. You can reveal them one at a time per day. Deal?" I offered my head for a handshake but she only looked at me with a weird look.

"What's with you, Byun?"

"I just wanna know you more, that's all. Is that wrong? I'm your friend anyway!" She only laughed at my reply but nevertheless, she looked at me and cleared her throat in preparation for whatever she will confess.

"Okay. Secret number one: my mother had a heart disease which caused her to die." How can she say that plainly without any overflowing emotion? She doesn't seem phased by it, but how come I'm the one who's affected by what she said?

I was speechless. But many questions are overflowing in my mind just by her statement. Yet, I promised her that I won't ask questions.

"Come on, you might be late for your practice. I still have to watch you embarrass yourself, Byun." She tugged my arm and I was left with no choice but to go to our practice.

***

"SAEMI-YAAAA!"

There goes Chanyeol with too much sugar eaten. He practically screamed her name once she entered the room, causing startled reactions from my members. I instantly facepalmed at how Chanyeol's acting.

"I missed you!" He pulled her to a hug and I couldn't just pull my eyes off the scene. He's too close.

So I made the best satisfying action for me. And that is to pull them away from each other, purposely pushing Chanyeol harsher. Saemi looked at me as if I'm the weirdest person living on planet Earth and soon, I might as well move to Mars.

"Who's she?" Chen asks and smiles at Saemi which in return, smiled back at him.

"She- uhm, she's—"

"MY BAE!" Chanyeol interjects while raising both of their hands together, dancing like an idiot in front of our members. Kai seems pleased by the idiot's doing by how he cracked up.

"Shut up, Park Chanyeol!" I shouted as well. You're not the only one who can shout, bish. I'm a vocalist and you're just a rapper. I have a higher range.

"Geumanhae! I'll rip your throats off if you continue with that behavior." Of course, Suho hyung would look cool if he enters in the scene and just scold us like the good grandpa he is.

"You're no fun, hyung." Sehun comments and even shook his head disapprovingly at our leader. Hyung was prepared. He has some sorta slipper in his hand to whip the whack out of the maknae.

"Way to ruin the mood, hyung!" Chen just made it worse by commenting as well. In the end, they end up running around chasing each other. Geez, they're so embarrassing.

"Uh, sorry about them. I'll introduce you to them later when they calm down. Soon." I turned to Saemi and found her looking amused at the scene in front of her.

"Yeah, it's fine. They look fun to be with." She tapped my shoulder twice and sat down on the floor, still watching them run around the room as if no one's even here. Chanyeol flops down beside her as well.

"Did you come here to see me? Did you miss me, Saemi-ya?" What's wrong with him really?

"Hehehehe" Saemi awkwardly laughs at his questions but didn't reply. Good girl.

I took a chair from the corner of the room and placed it beside Saemi and motioned her to sit on it. She obliged and even took my duffle bag from me and put it on her lap. Chanyeol gave me a glare but I just grinned at him and went to start the music from the computer.

"Where's Kyungsoo?" I asked Minseok Hyung and he shrugs as reply.

"I think he has an early schedule for his drama series. He might be late." I nodded. After a few more minutes, we started practicing without the choreographer and Saemi just watched us the whole time.

Whenever we would discuss a few things about our mistakes in each part, I would steal a glance from Saemi and see her just typing on her phone. 

Is she texting someone? Who's she texting to?

My eyebrows furrowed but I chose to set aside my thoughts and focus on our practice.

***

"Hey, Saemi. Are you planning on becoming an idol too?" Chen asks as he pants from the dance we just had. Saemi looked over him and shook her head, smirking as if she's saying that the answer to his question was too obvious.

"Why not?" Kai asks this time. He's the only one composed here. After the practice, he was still looking at the mirror and reviewing the steps of the dance.

"I just don't like the spotlight. Being an idol means getting rid of your freedom." That was something to take in. The room went silent for a moment until Suho Hyung suggested something.

"Why don't you try it first before you say no? Come on, give us a show." He started a random music and Sehun lightly pushed Saemi at the center.

"What the heck? No!" She was about to walk back to her chair when this time, Chanyeol was the one who maintained her there. He clapped his hands to encourage her. I didn't want to miss the show either.

"Lezgetit, Saemi-ya!" I cheered. There I saw her preventing herself to let out the smile she was keeping. Soon enough, she started dancing like a baby bouncing on the beat. Everyone ended up laughing their hearts out of the scene.

She was just swaying sidewards and would change her steps into bouncing her body and headbanging. Sehun went to the computer and the music changes into an overrated Mexican vibe song, something like Señorita (Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello).

Kai went with Saemi and started swirling her with his hands and jazzed. Sehun pushed Kyungsoo to the center and he was forced to dance with her as well, making a chicken duo. Suho Hyung didn't wanna lose so he went in as well after Kyungsoo and swirl her around too.

Suho Hyung might've made a wrong turn which caused him to stumble on his feet and Saemi had to assist him while cracking up. The dance went on until Chanyeol goes in as well and did the same thing Kai started. Only this time, his hands are on her waist and arms raised halfway to the side, making a tango dance. 

They're too close.

I frowned at the sight but I couldn't move my feet to go and pull them off. The song ended with Saemi facing front and Chanyeol behind him, his arms over her front while their faces are inches away from each other.

I could hear the distant teasing remarks that my members were giving them when I stormed to them and grabbed Saemi by the arm. I pulled her to sit on the chair I gave earlier and made a quick smile before I turned to get my water from my duffle that's on her lap and gulped it all down.

I can feel them all staring at me as the atmosphere becomes more tensed. I looked back at them and chuckled,

"Why are you all suddenly so silent?"