SeoJoon's POV
I was working on the song in my studio when I received a text from my mother. I sent her a quick message in response, promising to call her. After some time, when I got home later that night, I called her.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxFRinRci2
“Hello, Mom,” I said205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOoiNDuQ5f
“Hi, dear. How are you?” She questioned.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TKILa6VtG
“Mom, I’m doing fine. How are you doing? And where are Appa and Darim?” I asked.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡossnt320jo
“We are good. Your aunt is watching the news, and Darim is in her room.” She answered.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6YUbp6Wb0
“What are you doing? Have you eaten dinner? She continued.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAu9WojWYD
“Yes, Mom. I had dinner with other members. I am now at my house.” I said205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBffdM15mH
“Oh, you must be worn out. Get some rest.” She said.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUy2Yw0yomr
“Mom, it’s all right; I can talk,” I said.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5KAifDWKt
There was silence from her side.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQs5ZBm0LAd
“Mom? Mom? Are you there?” I thought the call got disconnected.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdjINjh7TD
“Yes, I am here. I am listening.” She confirmed.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6XvVu0Rve
“What happened, Mom? Is something wrong?” I questioned.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PBURC2YKj
“No... No, there’s nothing wrong. Everything is fine.” She replied205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw529P0o4d2
“Don’t withhold anything from me; tell me. What happened? You have been too quiet today.” I remarked.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk0AyVGsfq
“Nothing specifically... I have nothing to say,” She stated205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlckjG2eav
“But you said in a message that you had something to talk about.” The question came to me.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU06mxySm8a
“Oh, nothing significant. Simple conversation. However, I do have a question.” She said205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiV4KybZi9f
“Hmm... what?” I wondered.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZonwbeYKra
“Are you dating someone?” She asked, stuttering.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmMNeRhfa6
“Huh? What?” I was perplexed.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB366frg3Ww
“Nothing; you go to bed. You must be tired.” She said she was deferring205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAfZM3RcGD
"Mom, please don’t hang up. Talk with me.” I said this when she was about to end the call.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZo15s379C
“Why did you ask this out of the blue? Have you heard a new rumor about me recently? Or did anyone make a statement?” I enquired205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNmg8BzqH4
“Not at all. Last week, my friend’s son got married. So I thought I would ask you about your plan.” She said205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLnPYunvaW
“Oh... hahaha... That’s all. Are you sure? Well, Mom, I don’t know. To be honest, I’m uncertain. Considering how busy I am at work, I don’t think this is the right time to get married.” I explained it to her.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcOT5ZUTxr
“Son, it’s alright. Take your time. But give our grandchildren before we get old because I can’t keep up with them at that age.” She teased me.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrJGscY1uz
“Oh, Mom. You overthought things. There is nothing like that. I will first let you know if I have any girls in my life.” I reassured her.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIycfUhucG
“Alright, son. Now sleep. It’s too late now. Good night.” She said this while disconnecting the call.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIas3AVPGUi
I hung up the phone after saying goodbye. I got freshened up and spent some time reading. Although I was in bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation I had with my mom. Since last week, I have been observing her; her messages and voices were different. She was behaving differently. I was also feeling bad because I lied to my mom. I was dating a girl, but I had no thoughts of marriage at that time.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iv6ZAePs4
******205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6NsLr12kX
I was in the meeting room with Jin Hyung and Yohan Hyung, and we were talking about the song lyrics when the CEO, Mr. Kwan Yang Oh, entered the room and asked for a few minutes. He informed us of a project and requested our opinion. He informed us that scientists would be involved in the project.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jBSQ434jr
“Is it collaboration?” Curiosity made me ask.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGKEXahPcd
“No, it’s not. I don’t know much about this, but I can find out more if you’re interested.” He spoke.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURJkcuYHYP
“What are your thoughts on this project?” Curious, Jin Hyung inquired.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMNtfUuJ4F
“I have a friend who is acquainted with the lab’s director. My friend informed me that a lab project requires the unprocessed (raw) vocals of singers.” He stated.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC1gEE6Quj
“And what benefits will the project bring to us?” Yohan Hyung made a query.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQNWh6dzJq
“You see, I didn’t officially receive this project. I am aware that the project is global and that they are seeking singers with a broad influence. And DTM fits the best.” He said his last words with a wink at us.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavie91FVnh
“Although I am unsure at the moment, I believe there might be a good opportunity in the future. That’s why I am discussing it with you guys.” He explained further and then left.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4sOsYrrUJ
“He doesn’t know anything. But they still want to talk to us about it. Nothing needs to be discussed in this instance. Let it go.” Yohan Hyung said to get our attention back to work.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakXsEgr4VW
Later, Jay and JongSeok also joined us in the meeting room. The whole week passed like this, working on songs and their music.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm59CyORjM5
I received a call on my phone while we were all in the recording room to record the song. I initially disconnected the call, but it kept resuming. Even after talking and promising to call later, the call kept coming. We were able to successfully record the song after two to three hours. But as soon as I walked out of the recording room, I received a back hug. I knew who it was, thanks to the scent of the perfume. Ms. Choi Eun Soo, the girl I was dating. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “Since you weren’t answering my call, I decided to come and see you.” She responded. As other members were already aware of our relationship, they didn’t wait for me and left after greeting EunSoo. We talked for a while. I asked her the reason: why did she keep calling me on the phone? She expressed an interest in going shopping with me on weekends. But I let her know that I had already made the reservation on weekends for the filming of an upcoming video and the opening ceremony of an exhibition. I would be extremely busy. She insisted on calling off the scheduled exhibition event and accompanying her on a shopping trip, but I declined because I received a special invitation for the inaugural event. Instead, I invited her to attend the event with me. She declined my offer, stating that she dislikes exhibitions, museums, and galleries. She felt those places were boring. She eventually stormed off in a rage.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqffwIxXi4r
When she left, I went to the room where every other member was seated. When I reached the door, I heard that I and EunSoo were the subject of their conversation. Just as I was about to enter, I heard their conversation.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjllABJZAo
“I don’t like her.”. JongSeok spoke205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhXRhHhFaC
“Well, it doesn’t matter if you like her or not. SeoJoon likes her, and that’s all that matters.” Yohan Hyung said.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSt5OVFt1Z7
“Oh, come on, Hyung, you know what I am trying to say. I don’t like the fact that SeoJoon Hyung is dating her. She is not his kind.” To explain his earlier statement, JongSeok said:.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLfOY8sYvm
“What do you mean?” Jin Hyung asked.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGAIoZMTTK
“We’ve known SeoJoon Hyung for a very long time. We have the most familiarity with him. Sometimes I think that she is only with him because he is famous, and blah, blah, blah.” JongSeok said with frustration205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGvAaqwH1P
“What kind of nonsense are you bringing up?” Jin Hyung spoke in a slightly raised voice.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcebERiyYA
“Don’t you feel, Jay Hyung, that there is no understanding between them?” JongSeok asked Jay while pushing him a little.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2P3yhnRIL
“Woah... woah... woah. You are an overthinking man. She comes from a reputable family. Even though her family is not well-known, you can’t say that she won’t comprehend what a celebrity goes through. Let’s not pass judgment on her.” Jay gave his opinion.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoAyocCYkQ
“Maybe I got her wrong. However, I only care about SeoJoon Hyung’s happiness.” With some thought, JongSeok spoke.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0RmR7tZEW
“Indeed, everything is good if he is happy. Not to worry.” Yohan Hyung added.205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9HcOswxMB
I entered as soon as they stopped talking. They were all alarmed. They assumed that I had heard everything. But I pretended I didn’t. “What happened? Why are you all staring at me so strangely? Is something wrong with my face?” I asked while looking at each of them. “Nothing happened. Why are you so early? We thought you would come back after some time. Did she leave so soon?” Jay asked. “Yes, she left. She had come to tell me about weekend shopping. But because I’m already busy, I declined. She got angry and left.” I said this while sitting beside Jin Hyung.
