wallflower

“I haven’t heard any complaints about our sound recently, so that probably might be a while. It’ll me something more productive to think about other than videogames, at least.”

“well… i guess you have a point,” she murmured. “i think those genes might come from mom though,” she added with a giggle.

“yeah, you have a point. dad can’t sing for shit. but still. it’s your genetics. it’s not because dad is pulling strings,” he assured her

to say she was speechless was an understatement. for lack of a better term, she’d been simping for this boy for years now. to have that finally realized during a moment where she felt so vulnerable was overwhelming– she still felt the deep insecurity from before, but now she felt incredibly joy, and those two sentiments being at war were a lot to process. “i….” she began, eyes wide. “i didn’t imagine that, did i?”

he rolled his eyes, grateful that, at least, it seemed to have distracted her from her spiral. “what, is that something that pops up in your imagination a lot? weird,” he teased. “loosen up, okay? big things are on the horizon for you, and they’re deserved.” and after taking a moment to look at her and make sure he wasn’t.....well, forcing anything, he leaned in to kiss her once more.

“it is, but it’s just because he’s you dad. he’s seen you grown up, right? i’m sure seeing you do grown up things is a lot for him,” she reasoned.

“he should really get over that, then. it’s inevitable,” hojung grumbled. “thank god you guys are having another kid. he’ll have mira and the baby to focus on and then maybe i can breathe.”

“well now you’re making me worry again!” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “yeah, i guess that makes sense…. that’s why i worry about me being a soloist. like…i know i’m a good singer, but i’m still pretty young. did i only get picked because of dad?”

“no,” he said bluntly. “you have a better voice than literally 80% of the world’s population. if you got picked because of dad, you got picked because his musical genetics are in you or some shit like that.”

“yeah i guess so…. i didn’t think about it like that. i just don’t want to get you in any trouble,” she answered. “i suppose you are pretty young, all things considered, and new. i guess it makes sense that they aren’t giving you a ton. i still think it’s a waste of your talents, though.”

“please, jinhwa. i am the king of toeing the line-- you don’t think i’m well aware of where the rules are and how far i can push them?” he answered dryly. “maybe, but everyone works their way up. i’d rather earn my place than have it given to me through nepotism.”

“andrew’s just overprotective, i’m sure. and just enjoys driving. you can drive if you’d like– i have no problems with it,” she retorted with a laugh. “do you need the address?”

“yeah, but you can just punch it in the GPS if you want once we’re in the car,” hojung retorted with a tiny shrug. “maybe it’s just a dad thing. it’s annoying as hell, though.”

“they’re all thin, hojung. or were when they debuted,” she replied– sona had embraced her curves as she grew older, but spotlight never would have let that happen when she debuted– woori knew it. woori was patient 0 on that front. “she is, but she’s a veteran of the industry! so well respected! she’s earned her spot! i’m nobody. i can’t be out here looking like a whale. no one will take me seriously.”

he rolled his eyes, cutting her off mid-sentence with a kiss, not pulling away until she’d relaxed a little. “you’ve earned your spot. you’re incredible. stop tearing yourself down-- the only one not taking you seriously right now is you,” he told her firmly.

“try me, hojung. i’ll get blair to protect me wherever i go. you can’t get through him.”

“he doesn’t live with us, nathan. i’d get you eventually.”

“i…only if you have time. i would really like to sing a song you made me,” jinhwa replied softly, smiling at her older brother. “you’re great. new age doesn’t use you enough.”

“my job is writing lyrics, jinhwa, what do you think i do all day? i write songs. i have tons of songs filed away just waiting to be used, either for you, or for new age while i write one for you. i have time,” he retorted with an eyeroll. “yeah, don’t we both know it. but whatever. i’m still young. they’ll give me more eventually.”

“dispatch is a pain, but anyone with any sort of critical thinking skills would look at the situation logically and deconstruct it– i promise you,” lucy assured him. “i’m not worried. i have a long history of evading the press and disappearing into crowds when i need to.”

“yeah, i guess i forgot that you went fucking awol for five years,” hojung snorted. “do you want me to drive? or are you like dad and don’t trust me behind the wheel?”

“you don’t have to agree with me, but i know i’m right,” she answered with an eyeroll. “people all look different, but idols don’t. i’ve got a target on my back now. i don’t even want to know what the comments after i debut are going to look like…”

“idols don’t look different, huh? aeri? ilya? sona? havoc? zeta? sam? ahmi? pansy? do i need to keep fucking going, woori, because i can?” he answered, trying not to get too angry. he’d never told her, of course, but to him, she was one of the most beautiful girls in the world. the implication she was anything but pissed him off. “even if you mean just... body shape, sona is right fucking there. you’re perfect, just as you are. and you’re gonna debut because you have a great voice.”

“oh, i’m not doubting your skill. i’m doubting your personality and demeanor, and general willingness to be helpful. don’t get it twisted.”

“yeah, i guess that’s a little more valid. i still want to kick your ass for it, but i’ll accept that.”

“would that even be allowed? would higher let you do that? would new age?” jinhwa mused. “i dunno. maybe not my next song, cuz dad’s shown me what he’s got, and it’s really good. but it would be nice to have you work on one of my songs at some point…”

“i’m a songwriter, not an idol. they don’t give a fuck as long as it isn’t taking away from stuff i’m doing from them. and higher shouldn’t care, considering it would make your songs better,” hojung pointed out. “yeah, okay, but after that. i’ll write you a song in my spare time and see what you think. see if its a direction you wanna go in.”