β« always in my heart
βΆΒ rap-vocal collaboration ; song ; partner
Naturally, he had selected the song. He didn't trust Mina to find something that would suit himself, and he knew she was capable of mastering the vocals, especially with her overachieving mindset. Anything she chose would've been virtually impossible for him, and he didn't want her questioning his skills. To make it simpler for her, he found something doable that was in Korean, though he analyzed the content to assure he wouldn't be stumbling over the words. Sure, he could spill everything out flawlessly in the privacy of his own apartment, but he still needed to work on his stage presence. Hopefully having someone decent by his side would calm his nerves.Β
As anticipated, he was feeling fairly fine as he found himself tapping against the mic in his grip. He'd practically been up all night memorizing the lyrics, not wishing to screw everything up and humiliate himself. It would be even worse to ruin it for Mina. Still, he was confident in his ability to cover up any mistakes. Just the potential of it happening made him anxious, though. That was part of the reason he loved performing. Every single second was unplanned, and anything could happen within the next moment. It induced a certain thrill that Zitao was addicted to. He just kept repeating to himself that every setback boosts his experience level. Now, really, he can't continue to be so helplessly conceited if he can't overcome a single stammer or abrupt pause. He can handle it.Β
Then again, maybe he was being too hard on himself. It's always said that one's worst critic is himself. Feeling her gaze set on him, he glanced to her and offered an encouraging smile, an expression that was quite rare for him. "Ready," Zitao confirmed, nodding a single time. Thank God he wasn't going to be the one starting off, considering that was a heavy burden. The opening determined how thick their crowd ran, but he knew Mina wouldn't fuck anything up. Since his circle of friends was so sparse, he had the sense to select those close to him very, very carefully. He wasn't kidding when he reminded that it was an honor to be befriended by him. No matter how rude or inconsiderate he became, he still cared about each and every one of them. Perhaps his way of conveying his affection was just peculiar in comparison to others.Β
His stare was unwavering on her expectantly, waiting for her cue. He knew his gaze could be unsettling, so he adverted it after a while, focusing on reaching towards his cellphone where it was plugged into the audio system, switching on the background music. As she began, he counted the beats in his head, knowing her beginning part lasted for about forty seconds after the first note. He willed himself to tear his attention away from the gathering people, finding an anchoring point as the other reached the end, where he was in the hands of the extent of his own talent.
Only One μ΄ μΈμ μ€μ§ λ νλ λ΄κ° μ¬λ μ΄μ λ νλ
The rest flowed out rhythmically, everything seemingly falling into place exactly how he'd practiced. The only regret he held was this rap was so fucking long, and he was breathless by the time he cut off, her voice filling his senses once again. Still, he adlibbed the pauses as promised, more feeling the song than anything else. It was better when he refrained from over-thinking, so he chose to skip over the technicalities of everything. Before he knew it, the second portion was on top of him, vocals readjusting to the real deal.
κ·νλλ λλ κ΄΄λ λ£¨ν‘ μ¬μ¬μ νλλ μ¬λ―Έλ μ₯λ μλ‘ λ μμκ°κΈ° μμ μ μλ λμ λ μλ²½ν λͺ°λλλ¨
From there on out, it was back and forth teamwork, confidence reaching its max at this moment. Just like that, the last sentence left his lips, having him shocked as he realized they had finished. To think the song seemed minutes longer whilst stressing over the insignificant and tedious details. Though, all that practicing only resulted in a greater delivery. He would've bombed this if Mina hadn't pressured him into perfecting it. Over the applause, her relieved comment hardly reached his ears, but he spared her a glimpse as if to acknowledge it. Moments like these reminded him why he was pursuing his dream. He still had a lot of work to do; a ton, really. He'd barely taken a step in the appropriate direction, still at first base in comparison to others. Yet, he felt an overpowering sense of accomplishment, and he intended to follow this sensation to the end.
