yeri on the multimedia.

Chapter 5

"To join what, again? For real?!" Jaehyun asked his sister, not believing what Eunmi said.

Eunmi sat on the counter, watching his brother cook their dinner. She nodded, "Yeah, unfortunately.."

Jaehyun looked at her, "What do you mean unfortunately?! If they want you to perform, then do it! Join the club!" He said, smiling at her.

Eunmi looked at her, "What's with you? Why are you suddenly encouraging me? Why are you not dissing me?" She asked.

Jaehyun rolled his eyes and continued cooking. "Oh, can you hand me the garlic powder. It's beside the wooden spoon." He said.

Eunmi stood up and went towards where his brother was referring to. "So, should I join?" She asked, handing him the garlic powder.

Jaehyun looked at him and sighed, getting the garlic powder from her hand. His attention was back in cooking.

Eunmi frowned, not getting any response from his brother.

"It's up to you, Eunmi-yah. That would be your break. Just know that as your brother, I'm always here for you." He said, not looking at her.

Eunmi smiled, even if her brother cannot see it.

"Besides, you get to be with Mark." Jaehyun grinned at her.

Eunmi glared at him, "What in the world are you saying?"

Jaehyun shrugged, "I don't know... But why is my heart beating so fast?" He grinned.

Eunmi's eyes widened upon recognizing what his brother said. It's the same exact line I told Yeri!

Eunmi was about to talk but Jaehyun cut her off. "Hep. Don't lie to my face again. I heard everything, Eunmi." Jaehyun threw her a stern look.

"How?"

"I happened to pass by the ladies' washroom when I heard people talking." Jaehyun explained.

"D-Don't... I don't even know anymore... All I know is that... he irritates me, like a lot... but I don't know the reason why my heart beats fast everytime I'm with him..." She said, sighing.

Jaehyun turned the stove off and looked at his sister. "You know, it's not like I can do about you liking Mark anyways." He sheugged, then he sat beside Eunmi on the counter. "All I want to say is be careful. No matter what happens, always be careful."

"Mwoya? It's not like I like him anyways..." She laughed.

"You said it yourself, Eunmi." Jaehyun placed his hand on his sister's shoulder. "Your heart beats fast everytime you're with him. It's a sign." He said.

"Yeah, but it could also mean some things, aside from liking him." She said.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Jaehyun asked.

"I don't know..." She shrugged. "A disease, maybe?"

Jaehyun hit her arm lightly, "Don't even joke about it."

"Alright, alright... I'm sorry." She laughed.

"But seriously, Eunmi-yah. Just enjoy each other's companies at the moment. Don't rush things." Jaehyun said.

"The feeling's not even mutual!!" She said, stomping her feet. "And besides, I don't even like him—yet."

"What? I just want to share some words of wisdom." Jaehyun laughed.

"But on a serious note, thank you, oppa." Eunmi hugged her brother.

Jaehyun hugged her back, "No problem."

"By the way, promise me one thing." Eunmi said, pulling from the hug.

"Hm?"

"Please don't tell the guys." She said.

Jaehyun laughed, "Don't worry, I won't. They'll find it out one way or another, anyways."

Eunmi sighed.

****

"Good morning to the most handsome person in the world!!!" Eunmi greeted as she rushed downstairs.

The scent of freshly cooked pancakes attracted her nose.

"You mean me?" Eunmi was taken aback when she heard Mark's voice.

She stepped back, "I wasn't talking nor referring to you. I was talking to my brother." She walked past him.

"What the heck are you doing here anyways?" Eunmi said, sitting on her chair.

"Wow is that how you greet someone a good morning?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, why, do you have a problem with that?" She raised a brow.

Taeyong and Jaehyun, on the other hand, were watching the two bicker behind the door. This could be a scene that they could get used to everyday.

"Yah, you two, could you guys chill? It's early in the morning, for frick's sake." Taeyong said, entering the dining room.

Jaehyun and Taeyong sat on their chairs and started eating like the two.

"Oh, by the way Eunmi-yah.." Jaehyun called his sister's attention.

Eunmi looked at him and continued chewing her food. "What?" She raised a brow.

"Have you decided?" He asked.

The girl nodded, "Now that I've thought about the things you've said... yeah, maybe I'll give it a shot." She shrugged.

The two siblings were confused about what they were talking about, but the younger Lee couldn't care less.

"What, exactly?" Taeyong asked.

"Well, their teacher invited her to join the music club." Jaehyun said.

Mark sat properly, upon hearing his club's name.

Taeyong tried his best not to laugh when he saw his brother's reaction. "And...?"

"Imma give it a shot." Eunmi said.

Mark choked on his food and Jaehyun handed him a glass of water. Eunmi just looked at him weirdly.

Mark coughed, "Wh-What?" He suddenly remembered his teacher and Eunmi's conversation. He wasn't expecting that she was serious.

Eunmi raised a brow, "What, what?" She asked.

Taeyong laughed, "Eunmi-yah, I will introduce you to someone..."

Eunmi paid no attention to the boy who's coughing beside her. "Eh? Who?" She asked.

"I'll introduce you to the music club president. He's also the band's lead guitarist and male vocalist." Taeyong said, glancing at his brother who's seated beside Eunmi.

Mark widened his eyes at his brother, who's having the time of his life by making fun of him. Mark is the music club president, band's lead guitarist and male vocalist.

Mark sat on his chair still, stupefied.

"Oh, Eunmi-yah. Meet the music club president, Mark." Jaehyun said.

Eunmi looked at the person who was stoned beside her. "For real? Oh, you've got to be kidding me." She sighed, not believing her brother.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Jaehyun asked, pointing at himself.

"Uh... yeah?"

Taeyong and Mark laughed.

And it felt strange for Jaehyun to hear Mark laugh again.

"Oh this is new..." Jaehyun said, grinning, and looking at Taeyong when he realized what happened.

Taeyong also got Jaehyun's idea, as if they just sent a telepathy to each other.

And the two 99 liners were left confused.

Taeyong coughed, "As I was saying, Eunmi-yah... meet the music. club president, my brother, Mark."

Mark rolled his eyes at his brother, "Can you please not call me that, hyung?" He sighed.

"I don't know if I should be grateful or not." Eunmi laughed. So that explains the musical instruments in his music room, and the mini-recording studio, too!

Mark sat properly, "So, uh... yeah, you'll be working with me if you accept the offer."

****

Yeri and Eunmi were alone at the cafeteria during recess, and Eunmi couldn't get rid of what Jaehyun said earlier.

She's still thinking about what's new.

What is new?

"You alright? You look frustrated." Yeri asked.

Eunmi released a heavy sigh, "I don't know... it's just that... something's kinda off..."

"Hmmm? And that is?"

Eunmi shrugged, "You see, Mark and Taeyong-oppa had their breakfast at our house earlier since we're neighbors, and there was this one time when I kinda backfired my brother."

"And?" Yeri asked.

"Mark and Taeyong-oppa laughed."

Yeri was wearing the same facial expression as Jaehyun earlier. In that moment, Eunmi realized that something was off.

"Mark laughed?" Yeri asked.

"Yeah...?" Eunmi answered questioningly, since she finds it creepy that no one believes her.

"Oh... that's... new..." Yeri said, nodding in surprise.

"There goes that line again!" Eunmi was beyond frustrated at the moment. "What's new?!"

Yeri laughed upon seeing her friend's reaction. "And I thought you don't like him?"

Eunmi glared at her, "I don't! I just wanna know what's off and I can't stand seeing you guys know about it while I don't." She said, almost running out of breath.

"Woah, chill there..."

The two looked at the person who talked.

"Oh hi guys..." Yeri greeted.

"Hello, Yeri-noona." They sat on their chairs and placed their trays on their table.

"Eunmi-yah, you remember them right" Yeri asked the person in front of her.

The latter rolled her eyes, "Of course, I do."

She leaned her head on the table and groaned, "What the heck's wrong with me?"

"What's wrong with Eunmi-noona?"

Yeri shrugged, "I don't know, Jisung-ah. Ask her."

Eunmi's head perked up and she threw invisible daggers at Yeri who was laughing.

Eunmi sighed, "I'm okay... I swear... I guess?" She shrugged.

"You know, you can tell us what happened. We're not telling anyone. You can trust us!" Renjun said.

"Yeah, and we're the trustworthy ones, not the hyungs." Jisung said.

Eunmi sighed, "Can you guys be honest?"

"Depends on the question?" Jaemin laughed.

Eunmi sighed, "Why did Jaehyun-oppa and Yeri looked shocked when Mark laughed?"

All of them had the same reaction: shocked.

The six boys looked at each other.

"Jinjja?" Haechan asked.

Eunmi nodded. "There goes that reaction again! Can ya'll just tell me what happened?"

Renjun sighed, "Let's just say that something happened in the past and Mark-hyung never smiled nor laughed genuinely ever since." He said.

"Eh? Is that true?" Eunmi asked, looking at Yeri.

Yeri nodded, "Yeah, it's true. Why do you think that he's always wearing headphones?"

"He wasn't wearing his headphones earlier though?" Eunmi said.

The rest looked at each other and smiled unknowingly.

"It's fine, noona. It's actually really fine." Chenle smiled at her.

Eunmi sighed, "Alright..."

"As much as we want to tell you everything, noona... but it has to be Mark-hyung who has to tell you everything." Jeno smiled at her.

She smiled and nodded, "It's fine, I understand. I should even thank you guys for telling me something, at least."

***

"So this is where you'll be staying every rehearsals." Mark said, opening the university's music hall.

Eunmi's eyes widened upon seeing the hall. Mark wanted to laugh at her reaction.

"Seriously?" Eunmi said, a little louder, running after Mark who went ahead of her.

They were the only ones inside the hall since their music adviser told them to rehearse for a performance for the upcoming program.

Eunmi immediately got the part for the female vocalist since the spot was free, and no one dared to audition for it for the past year.

"Mark!" She called the person who was setting his guitar on the stage.

"Mark Leeeeeee!!!" She called.

"What?!" He looked at him irritatedly then he rolled his eyes. "Are you just gonna stand there or what?!"

And Eunmi, as if electrocuted, immediately rushed towards the stage and sat on a stool beside Mark.

"Can I ask something?" Eunmi started.

Mark looked at her for a short while then his attention was back in tuning his guitar. "Even if I say no, you'll still ask anyways."

"Glad you know." She laughed awkwardly. "According to Ms. Kim, no one ever dared to audition for the female vocalist. Why?" She asked.

Mark was taken aback by her question. "Why do you wanna know?"

"I'm just curious." She shrugged. "Why, am I not allowed to know?"

Mark looked at her, "Yes— no— ah! You're too nosy!" He glared at her.

Eunmi just frowned at the person beside her.

"Fine." Mark sighed, surrendering. "If you really wanna know." He placed the guitar on the stand and faced Eunmi.

"The female vocalist before you was Seo Jiyeon. She's the same age as the two of us." Mark started, and he seemed to look like he was narrating a movie scene. "She had an angelic voice, unfortunately, which sounds like yours. Maybe the reason why Ms. Kim wanted you in this position." He sighed.

"Uh, thank you?" She doesn't know whether to be thankful or not because Mark just indirectly said that her voice was angelic.

Mark rolled his eyes and continued telling the story, "Many students in this university liked our chemistry. People started to ship us, which was really awkward since we were really close."

And Eunmi doesn't know what she's feeling inside. It feels like something was twisting her gut, that she couldn't breathe properly.

"What happened to her?" She asked.

Mark looked at her, and shrugged. "She left. And for Ms. Kim, she had the best voice here in the university. That's why the audition for the female vocalist was never opened. Then there's you." He sighed.

It was suddenly silent and Eunmi felt like it was something that Mark doesn't like to be talked about. She suddenly felt guilty.

"Sorry..." She blurted out.

Mark raised a brow, "Why are you apologizing?"

"I don't know, I just felt like apologizing." She shrugged.

Mark laughed, "It's nothing. You shouldn't apologize about it."

And Eunmi heard that laugh again.

Is that the accident that Renjun and the others were referring to earlier?

"You're really something, Eunmi-yah." He said, shaking his head.

"What?" She looked down, looking embarrassed. It was the first time that Mark had called her name while laughing.

"Nothing, let's just... get into the song." Mark said, grabbing his guitar from the stand.

"Oh, yeah." She laughed.

—tbc