chapter 31

[A/n:-  Today's third update, cuz why not!!]" Sign ups for the Christmas talent contest will begin tomorrow." The teacher shouts at us before the lunch time begins. " It's due next week."It was this time of the year again.Every year, we have this talent show on the school. This is where people from freshman year to senior year can participate, and it's a whole day of nothing but booths that each classes would do, sports events, and the winners were always awarded.And usually, it was cash prize and as well as extra marks.That's what made all students interested about the event - the prizes." Dara-ah! Do you want to get lunch with me today?" Yuri asks me. " If you don't, it's fine. I could just hang out with Miri and Taeyeon."Her two friends were looking at us from the door, like they're waiting for Yuri. I have been very much attached to Yuri this semester that she hardly had any time for her othe friends. A sudden wave of being selfish and guilty hit me." Go ahead." I say giving her a warm smile. " I'll see you later."She nods and turns away to go with her friends. My smile faded as soon as she was gone. I never told her about what happened with Minho. All she knows is that he tries to flirt with me with his naughty remarks, but that was it. I don't want to ruin their friendship.I've already taken her away from a few of her friends for quite some time now. I take the stuffed rice balls I made from my lunch box and place it on my desk. Because I hardly got any sleep from thinking a lot of negative thoughts last night, I did not get much time to prepare for lunch today.I unwrapped the plastic from it and take a bite, revealing the teriyaki beef filling inside. I made three rice balls and I know where I can give one of these. I stand up as I hold another rice ball in my hand and walk to the back of the room, where Yoongi was sitting down. He was sitting on the corner of the room, away from his friends, which he has been very distant from these past few weeks. His back was touching the wall, his legs stretched down on the floor. He had his eyes closed as he was listening to the music from his earphones.I stand beside him and slowly slide down,  my back gliding down the wall, so that I could sit next to him. I take off one of his earphones, and he opens his eyes, narrowing them at me. " Do you want to die?" He says sharply." I'm trying to sleep."" Oh shut up and eat this." I say as I throw the rice ball in his lap. " Let me hear what you are listening to."I have become used to the way he's mean at most of the times. He might appear rude, but he was just being straight forward. He doesn't go beating around the bush.Spending a lot of time with him from the past few months made me realise that the way to crack into his hard exterior is to be just like him.I take the earphone that I took off his ear and shove it into my ear as I take another bite from my rice ball. He unwraps his and bites as well." It's terrible." He says, taking another bite right away. " So terrible."" Yeah, I can clearly see that it's terrible." I say sarcastically.The music he's listening to is different from what I imagined. It wasn't rap or hip-hop like it was back on the field trip, but it was classical music. Pianos and violins playing at the same time, without any lyrics. It was like a lullaby that a mother plays to her child when she put him to bed.Then song changes into somewhat more modern music as compared to the classical one. The song now is more upbeat and more energetic, but still without any lyrics." What's this one?" I ask as the song progresses into the peak." This was my revision to the song I made you listen to." He says chewing a small bite from the rice ball. " I composed a different genre."" But why?" I pouted. " The version you made me listen to was amazing, but not as good when you played it on the piano."" I want to produce the perfect music that can make people want to make music. So,  I try a lot of variety." He closes his eyes again, leaning the back of his head to the wall. " I want to be perfect, I want people to recognise me just by listening to my music."" If you pursue perfection, you can't become a perfect person." I murmured in a calm voice. " No matter whether you are perfect or not, other people will remember you later on."" But I won't be able to reach my dream if i don't work hard enough." He frets, staring to the empty sight." The more you want to push yourself towards greater things, the more tired you'll be." I convinced.” Aish, seriously? " He says pulling the earphones out of my ear. " Why are you saying these things?"" Because you are too blind to see that you're already great the way you are."The corners of his mouth lift up to a very little smile but when he sees me looking at him, his lips turn into a thin line again." Why were you in downtown, last night?" He asks seriously, changing the subject." I was um." I pause, trying to think of a lie. " I was shopping for clothes."Stupid Dara . Was that the best you could think of?He looks away from me with distraught in his eyes. He knows that I'm lying to him. Does he feel like I don't trust him? Oh no, he should not get the wrong idea." Yoongi... I.. it was becau-"" I respect your decision not to tell me, I understand." He cuts me off, not letting me finish my sentence." O-oh." I say, taking the last bite from my rice ball.The atmosphere suddenly went awkward. I don't want it to be like this. Spending time with him like this is something I don't get to do a lot, and I should not waste it by getting driven by awkwardness or not initiating a conversation at all." So, what do you think about the school contest? Isn't it stupid?" I laugh nervously." I like it because I get to stay at home." He shrugs. " I wish it was a weekly thing so I could work more on my music."" Oh!" I say loudly making him narrow his eyes at me. " What if you join the school contest? People will realise your tale-"" No." He says right away." But why? People will see what you're capable of, and if you win, you'll get a prize and-" " No." He says again. " I don't want to."" Why?"" It's embarrassing. I can't perform infront of people." He shakes his head." What if I screw up? What if I hit the wrong notes? What if I forgot my lines?"" Forget your lines?" I ask him. " What do you mean?"" I... I also rap." He says in a shy voice, looking down at the floor. " See?" I squealed. " That's perfect! If you're able to perform infront of me, you'll be able to-"" It's different." He explains. " You won't understand."" Well then how about this? You perform infront of me, and then we can build up your confidence." I suggested cheerfully." The contest won't start until next month."He remains silent and keeps looking me in the eyes." Please?" I pleaded. " You already did it before, you can do it again."He groans and lets out a huge sigh before standing back up as the bell suddenly rings. I stand up as well, but before he walks away from me, he nods his head once." Fine."