Human iPod [part II]
>look here for part I<
~*~
Two days later, on Saturday night, Jongin lay on the couch in his and Sehun's flat, listlessly watching TV. The younger had gone out half an hour earlier for some sort of social gathering. He had asked if Jongin wanted to join but he had claimed to be too tired, so Sehun had shrugged and gone alone.
Jongin had half lied when he said he was tired. Because his body was restless again, his overreacting nerves making him bounce lightly on the couch. Maybe a night out clubbing with Sehun would finally have a wearing effect on his muscles. But his brain actually was tired, sleep deprived from long exhausting work hours in the convenience store and the dance studio. And although Jongin certainly didn't regret his meeting with Kyungsoo, he'd barely slept four hours that night until he'd had to get up again for morning shift.
All he wished for was to be able to calm down enough to drift into a sleep that lasted all Sunday morning long; luckily he had evening shift on Sundays. If he still had his iPod, he would listen to its music until it lulled him to sleep, but after a whole working week without the electronic device he already felt the symptoms of serious withdrawal.
It didn't help that he kept remembering his experience of Kyungsoo's voice in the karaoke-booth over and over again, the feeling of being enchanted by the melody leaving him craving for music even more.
Jongin had contemplated several times whether he should call Kyungsoo again for another meeting at the karaoke-bar just to be able to hear the shorter male's voice sing again. But since he didn't have the nerve for any more of Sehun's teasing, he had not yet found the courage to call Kyungsoo.
But with Sehun out for the next couple of hours, Jongin ran out of excuses.
Hesitantly, Jongin pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket and with the speed of a snail he pushed the buttons to open the screen to Kyungsoo's contact. He surprised himself when he suddenly pressed the call button after just staring at the display for about five minutes. While he held the phone to his ear and listened to the monotone rings, he quietly wondered if Kyungsoo maybe was still working at EXO-café, then again it was already nearly midnight.
Jongin was just starting to panic at the thought of rousing an innocent little Kyungsoo from his sleep, when he heard the line being picked up.
A soft and sleepy voice answered, “...Hello?” It was Kyungsoo.
“Oh, uhm... Hi Kyungsoo! Err... it's me, Jongin,” Jongin stammered awkwardly.
There was a surprised pause but then Kyungsoo answered friendly, “Oh, hey Jongin! Why did you call?”
“Uhm, do I bother you? You weren't already sleeping, were you? If yes, then I'm really sorry... Well, err, I just called be-because as you know I uhm, really like your voice. And,” Jongin cleared his throat, “uhm... I don't know how to make this sound less weird, but... could you just... sing for me? Like... now?” Jongin burbled. He winced. Damn, he should've really overthought this before calling.
“What? Oh no, don't worry, I wasn't sleeping. I was just uhm... reading,” Kyungsoo hurriedly assured him, but there were rustling sounds, presumably from a blanket being crumpled up, audible from Kyungsoo's end of the line and Jongin felt a bit guilty. “But what did you say? I should... sing? Now? But why?” Kyungsoo asked confused.
“Well, uhm, you know how much I treasured my iPod, right?” Jongin tried to explain. “And that was because its music was the only thing able to calm me. I... I don't think you noticed but I actually suffer from slight hyperactivity. And well, since the iPod isn't available anymore, my limbs kept spazzing about for the last two days and it's really getting on my nerves... pun intended.”
Kyungsoo chuckled at the little joke and Jongin could feel part of the tension in his body dissolving at the sound.
“But Jongin... You know I don't like to sing,” Kyungsoo mumbled apologetically.
“Of course you like it, don't lie.”
“But I feel uncomfortable...”
“Even with me? I already listened to you once and you survived it, right? Come on, Kyungsoo, do it as some kind of therapy for me,” Jongin cajoled him.
Kyungsoo was quiet for a contemplative moment.
“Okay, since you're right and we both came kind of unscathed out of it the last time... And if it's the case that you really need it,” Kyungsoo finally said with another snicker, “I guess I have no other choice but to sing... As some kind of therapy.”
Jongin could hear his smile and it brought a smile to his lips as well.
“So, which song should I sing?” Kyungsoo asked cheerfully. “Any special requests?”
“Oh? No... I haven't thought about that, actually...” Jongin said. “Sing whatever song you want, I'm fine with everything. As long as it's music, the therapy works for me.”
“Hmm, let's see... Ah! Do you know Oh My Goddess by TRAX? How about that one?” Kyungsoo suggested.
“Great! I love this song!”
“Yes? Okay, then...” Kyungsoo cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
And then he began to sing, and even if it was a capella, Jongin couldn't suppress his toes tapping to the beat. Not in an uncontrolled, hyperactive way this time, but in an instinctive attempt to dance along. Even if it was already quite dark in the room around Jongin, he closed his eyes to also block out the moonlight streaming in from the window. He just lay on the couch, held his phone to his ear and listened to the angelic voice.
The song ended much too soon for Jongin's liking and he let out a wistful sigh.
“Wow,” he breathed. “Again so awesome, Kyungsoo!”
He heard Kyungsoo giggle. “I'm glad you liked it. Are you feeling better now?” Kyungsoo asked.
“Yes. Much better,” Jongin replied. And he really was, his limbs already beginning to feel like lead and his eyelids drooping. He finally felt completely relaxed. “I think now I'm gonna be able to sleep,” he said drowsily.
“Alright then good night, Jongin. Sleep well,” Kyungsoo said, his smile audible.
“Sleep well, too. And thank you, Kyungsoo,” Jongin mumbled, already drifting out of consciousness.
He heard a faint chuckle again, but by the time the line went dead and his mobile phone slipped out of his slack hand, Jongin was already fast asleep on the couch.
~*~
to: Kyungsoo-ya
sing for me again tonight pls?
from: Kyungsoo-ya
Again?! Jongin, I sang for you for the past consecutive 5 evenings.
You really are an addict. Maybe you should start seeing some doctor? :P
to: Kyungsoo-ya
i dont need a doctor i just need ur voice <3
(Message sending cancelled.)
to: Kyungsoo-ya
omg whats that? already getting cheeky O I C. hey im
the only1 whos allowed to use stupid emoticons :P :P :P
from: Kyungsoo-ya
You are such a brat.
to: Kyungsoo-ya
stop whining. whose fault is it after all that
i dont have my iPod anymore? :P
from: Kyungsoo-ya
Killer argument.
~*~
It was only after he had called Kyungsoo thrice in vain, and had got no response to any of his text messages all day long, when Jongin remembered that it was Friday night and Kyungsoo was most likely too busy at the moment to answer his phone, as he was still working at EXO-café because of the weekly performance-night.
Jongin stopped pacing in his bedroom and stood still for a moment, indecisive, until he suddenly got a brilliant idea. He inwardly congratulated himself, grabbed his jacket and purse, keys, phone and walked into the kitchen. Sehun was sitting at the kitchen table, slurping some instant noodles.
“I'm going to EXO-café,” Jongin told his flatmate when he looked up.
“Aww, are you so smitten with your Babysoo so you immediately have to see him in person?” Sehun teased with a barely visible smirk.
“Sh-shut up! It's not like that,” Jongin spluttered. “I'm going because I want to listen to the music performances they hold there every Friday night. And don't call him that,” he added with a frown.
Sehun just raised his eyebrows but turned to his noodles again. “Whatever. See you later, Jongin,” he said.
“...I was wondering, maybe you want to come with me?” Jongin asked casually after a pause.
Sehun let out a sigh but nodded and stood up to place the empty bowl into the sink while muttering “Great, now I even have to be his wingman or what,” under his breath.
Jongin ignored Sehun's glare and just flashed his best friend a grateful smile.
~*~
The café was bustling with people when the two arrived together fifteen minutes later. Every seat was occupied and there were even a few people sitting on the tables between the couches and armchairs or just leaning against the wall. Like Kyungsoo had said, there was a little stage in the back of the room, which was currently lit up by several spotlights. In the middle of the stage stood a microphone stand and a short, brown-haired young man with artfully applied eyeliner was performing some upbeat pop song while the audience cheered enthusiastically. The most conspicuous fans of the guy on stage were two squealing girls and a darkbrown haired, tall guy with a booming voice and whose eyes were almost as round as Kyungsoo's, as Jongin fleetingly noticed.
“Is he honestly singing some kind of male version of Girls' Generation's Gee?” Sehun mumbled incredulously while staring at the stage. Jongin just shrugged and began to search the crowd for Kyungsoo.
When he finally spotted the shorter male serving some drinks at a table, Jongin weaved through the people and pulled Sehun with him by the wrist.
“Hey, Kyungsoo,” Jongin greeted with an automatic smile.
Kyungsoo looked up and upon recognising the taller male, immediately smiled back. “Jongin! Why are you-- I didn't know you were going to--” He seemed pleasantly surprised.
“I'm here because you weren't answering your phone and then I remembered the performance nights you'd mentioned and I hadn't had my daily music-fix yet,” Jongin explained.
“Ah yes, sorry, I was so busy today, I didn't have the chance to even look at my phone all day, yet,” Kyungsoo apologised. “But look, you came just in the right moment to see Baekhyun perform,” he added excitedly and pointed over to the stage. “And while we're at it, the giant in the first row over there is Chanyeol, he also performs sometimes but I think not tonight. You'll have to come again another time to listen to him, I guess. And this girl with the brown curls next to him is this one fangirl of his, whom I told you about. You know, whose promotion campaign among her friends saved our café. And the girl next to her is her best friend. She's apparently Baekhyun's biggest fan,” Kyungsoo babbled while gesturing to the people he was talking about.
When he turned around to Jongin again, he finally noticed Sehun, who had been hovering a little awkwardly behind Jongin. “Oh hello, you are probably Jongin's flatmate?” he asked curiously.
“Hello, my name is Oh Sehun and yes, I'm this idiot's flatmate and best friend,” Sehun replied and winked, pointing at Jongin at his side.
Kyungsoo chuckled and while he introduced himself, Jongin glared at Sehun for the little skit.
“Nice to meet you, Kyungsoo-ssi. Jongin told me so much about you already,” Sehun said with a saccharine smile. Jongin glared some more.
“Really?” Kyungsoo replied and looked at Jongin with his eyes widening adorably again. But before Jongin could respond anything, someone at the tables behind him called out for Kyungsoo and the shorter boy excused himself for a moment with a sheepish smile before scurrying off to attend the table.
As soon as Kyungsoo was out of earshot, Jongin whirled around to Sehun. “What the hell was that, man,” he growled quietly. “I never told you 'so much' about him,” he said while using air quotes.
“Calm down, bro,” Sehun said and patted Jongin's shoulder. “I'm just doing my job as your wingman here.”
“Yeah, great, now he thinks I'm some sort of fanatic stalker.”
“Nonsense. He just thinks that you find him interesting. Which you do, there's no need to deny it,” Sehun deadpanned.
“There was also no need to flirt with him,” Jongin said teeth-gnashingly.
Sehun just gave him a look. “Oh please, Jongin. Already becoming possessive over the little guy? But don't worry, he's not really my type,” he reassured him. Jongin eyed him sceptically but Sehun just smirked and gave his head a pat in response.
Kyungsoo reappeared and Sehun declared that he saw someone he knew on the other side of the café and with a meaningful look at Jongin he strode off to leave him alone with Kyungsoo.
“Doesn't Sehun-ssi want something to drink?” Kyungsoo asked as he looked after Sehun's retreating back.
“Nah, don't worry about him, he'll come back if he needs anything,” Jongin told him. “Anyway, uhm... Who's this now?” Jongin hurriedly said and pointed to the stage in an attempt to pull Kyungsoo's attention away from his flatmate.
Baekhyun had just descended the stage and another young guy stepped on it. He had black hair and wasn't the tallest either. His face somehow resembled a cat. He adjusted the microphone and after tapping his foot four times to the beat, he began to sing some jazzy ballad.
“That's Jongdae,” Kyungsoo elaborated. “Even though he doesn't have as many fans as Baekhyun, he's just as talented. You can virtually grasp his passion whenever he is singing.”
Jongin hummed and nodded while he looked at Kyungsoo sideways. He didn't miss the fleeting look of longing on Kyungsoo's face when the shorter male's gaze flickered to the stage.
Coming to a decision, Jongin suddenly took Kyungsoo's wrist and pulled him away to a little less noisy corner of the café. When he stopped walking, he reluctantly let go of Kyungsoo's wrist and turned around to him to look at his slightly confused expression.
“Listen, I have to talk to you about something,” Jongin began hesitantly. “Kyungsoo... We both know that you also should be standing on this stage, singing. It's so obvious that you want to, so just do it,” he added when he saw Kyungsoo taking in a breath to probably deny his desire to perform as well.
Kyungsoo closed his mouth again and just shook his head. “You know I can't,” he said softly while avoiding Jongin's gaze.
“No, I know that you can,” Jongin retorted insistingly. “Believe me when I say this: I really think that there is nobody better suited for this job than you with your enormous talent,” he said firmly and looked Kyungsoo straight in the eye to emphasise his honesty.
Kyungsoo just stared back at Jongin's face with a torn expression for a moment but then lowered his gaze with a sigh and exasperatedly shook his head again. “No, Jongin. Thank you for your kind words but I don't think you understand... it's just too hard,” he said dejectedly.
Jongin quickly shook his head as well and grabbed Kyungsoo's shoulders to force him to look into Jongin's eyes again. “Kyungsoo, I'm serious. There is absolutely no need for you to hide your gifted voice. Even if you made a mistake while singing, I'm sure no one would even notice. Though I don't think you'd make one anyway. So don't worry about any heavy judgement form others. It's really actually not that hard, just sing like you sang for me and you'll be just fine. I know you can do it, I know you belong to the stage,” Jongin told him in a low, insistent voice.
He could see the conflict reflected in Kyungsoo's expression, so he gently shook the shorter male's shoulders for emphasis. “Believe in yourself, Kyungsoo, because I do. I believe in you,” Jongin assured him with utmost sincerity.
Kyungsoo almost looked like he was about to cry again, gratefulness swimming in his eyes. But he quickly blinked several times, swallowed hard and then nodded. Jongin smiled back softly when Kyungsoo finally showed a small hesitant smile.
Although his desire to hug Kyungsoo felt nearly overwhelming, Jongin restrained himself and reluctantly let go of the slim shorter male's shoulders. There was a tensed moment of silence where Kyungsoo seemed to want to say something but not knowing how. But when their eyes met they both chuckled sheepishly and averted their gaze again.
Jongin, suddenly feeling a bit awkward, cleared his throat. “Well then, look, this guy has just finished. That means it's showtime for you,” he declared and started to push a surprised Kyungsoo in the direction of the stage, which Jongdae had just descended amid applause.
A young man in the café's waiter-uniform with honey coloured, fluffy hair and a doll face appeared and went to take off the microphone stand, as it probably had been the last scheduled performance. But Jongin hurried over and when he told the waiter to leave the microphone since Kyungsoo was going to sing, his already ridiculously large eyes grew even wider. The waiter exchanged an astonished look with Kyungsoo but wordlessly put back the microphone stand when Kyungsoo confirmed Jongin's words with a meek nod.
The shorter male still needed a musical backup so the waiter waved Chanyeol over, who just had slung a guitar case over his shoulder. The tall guy walked over with a curious face and when Kyungsoo asked him to accompany his singing, he seemed even more surprised, but agreed immediately.
While Kyungsoo arranged with Chanyeol which song he wanted to perform, the waiter with the honey coloured hair positioned himself next to Jongin where he stood right in front of the stage.
“Hello, my name is Luhan, headwaiter and owner of EXO-café,” he introduced himself. “And you are?”
“I'm Kim Jongin, a friend of Kyungsoo's,” Jongin replied. Luhan looked at him as if he was expecting some more elaboration, but Jongin stayed silent.
“So I guess we owe it to you? That this kid is finally going to sing in public again,” Luhan said quietly, so only Jongin could hear him.
Jongin nodded. “It wasn't easy to convince him, but I really think his talent mustn't go to waste,” he said intently while watching Chanyeol tuning his guitar and Kyungsoo adjusting the microphone on the stand so it fitted his height.
Luhan gave Jongin a short pensive look but then he smiled and turned around to face the stage again as well.
The audience seemed surprised as well when Kyungsoo appeared on the stage, not having expected a third performer for the night, especially not one dressed in the waiters' uniforms, and a murmur went through the room. People who had been in the middle of standing up from their seats or of slipping into their jackets and coats, sat down or took them off again, respectively. As Kyungsoo stood there with slightly trembling knees, squinting in the spotlight and clutching the microphone in his hands, every pair of eyes in the café watched him attentively, waiting for him to do or say something.
Kyungsoo nervously cleared his throat. “Good evening, dear guests of EXO,” he began hesitantly. “I know there were originally only two performances scheduled for tonight and I'm really sorry if some of you have to actually hurry home already, because you didn't plan on staying so long and I could totally understand you if you stood up now and walked out the café's door now,” Kyungsoo rambled. Luhan next to Jongin made a motion as if he'd had to resist an urge to facepalm, but in the audience just a few exchanged confused looks between each other. Otherwise everyone stayed where they were, waiting patiently for Kyungsoo to continue.
Kyungsoo licked his lips and took a deep breath. “Well, thank you for staying, I guess. I'd also like to apologise for my nervousness right now, it's just that it's the first time in years for me to be on stage and about to sing a song again in front of an audience. So please bear with me if I make any mistakes. Uhm, alright then... let's start. Here is my cover of A Day by Super Junior...”
Kyungsoo locked eyes with Jongin for a short moment. They smiled at each other and Jongin held up a fist and mouthed the word fighting!, Kyungsoo's eyes lighting up in response. He then turned around to give a nod to Chanyeol as a signal to start playing the intro.
Soon enough, Kyungsoo's velvet voice filled the room and apart from his singing and the soft music coming from Chanyeol's guitar nobody made a sound. Everyone just listened awestruck to the sweet, sweet melody. But around the second chorus Baekhyun started to clap his hands to the beat, the motion followed suit by Chanyeol, Jongdae, Luhan, Jongin of course and several other bystanders until at the end of the song the whole café was clapping to the rhythm. Everyone had smiles in various sizes on their faces.
But nobody's smile was as big and blinding as Kyungsoo's when thunderous applause surged up, the moment the song's last note faded away.
~*~ PART II
On their way home, Jongin and Sehun walked next to each other, the former with a light spring in his step.
Jongin had found Sehun standing a few steps behind him in the hustle as everyone had been getting ready to leave EXO-café to go their respective homes. Jongin had said goodbye to a beaming Kyungsoo, a contented looking Luhan and the overly excited others and though he would have loved to stay a bit longer in Kyungsoo's presence, he still had work early the next morning. Kyungsoo had waved back at him through the tangle of his friends' arms, under which he was being buried as soon as he stepped down from the stage, all his friends trying to hug him all at the same time.
It was only then on the nightly pavement that Jongin noticed that Sehun was being quieter than usual. In fact, his best friend hadn't said anything since he'd found him in the crowd. Jongin was getting worried that maybe Sehun hadn't had such a good time at EXO-café for whatever reason, and that he was being angry at Jongin for dragging him along to such non-entertainment.
“Hey, Sehun, what's up?” Jongin asked him, stopping his skipping to walk a bit slowlier next to Sehun. He bowed a bit in an attempt to peer at Sehun's downward expression. “Wasn't this fun for you for some reason?”
Sehun looked right past Jongin and just wordlessly shook his head.
“Hey hey, are you avoiding me here,” Jongin said slightly indignantly and took a step right in front of Sehun to force him to stop on the pavement. “Buddy, what is it? Is something wrong?” he inquired.
“Everything's fine,” Sehun mumbled and tried to sidestep around Jongin, but the latter moved so he kept standing in Sehun's way.
Sehun finally looked up into Jongin's eyes. “I'm fine, it's really not a big deal, okay?” he sighed. “I was just... thinking,” he said and tried again to walk around Jongin.
This time Jongin let him past and just followed him, frowning. “Thinking about what?”
Sehun gave Jongin an appraising sidewards glance. Then he sighed again and slowed his pace again, so that Jongin could walk beside him more comfortably again. “Okay, I'll tell you. It's one of the waiters at the café, which I found rather... interesting,” Sehun confessed hesitantly, a faint blush creeping on his pale cheeks.
“One of the waiters?” Jongin asked while trying to remember if he saw Sehun talking to any of them. Then his expression darkened. “You don't mean Kyungsoo, do you?”
“What? No! Jongin, calm down, I already told you that he's not my type! Don't worry, Romeo. I'll leave your little princess alone,” Sehun reassured his friend. “No, one of the other waiters... You know, the one with the doll's face, light brown hair...”
“Ah, you mean Luhan!” Jongin exclaimed.
“Uhm, yeah...” Sehun lowered his gaze to the pavement again.
“Do you have a crush on him?” Jongin asked excitedly.
“No! No... I just.... think he's... pretty. That's all...” Sehun muttered, again trying to hide his embarrassment by ducking his head.
“That's all, hmmm...” Jongin mused with a teasing smirk, but didn't pry any further. As long as his best friend wasn't a potential threat for his own little romance, he didn't care as much actually.
When he realised as what he'd just referred Kyungsoo to, Jongin nearly tripped over thin air, catching himself in the last moment before faceplanting right onto the pavement. Since Sehun seemed to be currently woolgathering anyway, he hadn't noticed Jongin's little slip-up. But Jongin still felt his cheeks heating up.
>look here for part III<