#thatsohkai

The music playing in the background, echoing through the studio, their body was moving along and every movement of them was hitting the beat as if the music was flowing through them. Smoothly moving across the floor, their reflection stared back at them with passion sparking from their gaze. It was not easy for Birdie to express their feelings with words. Dancing their feelings out helped them overcome many struggles in life. Now it was more than just an expression of emotions, now it’s their creative outlet, their livelihood and just about the best damn thing in their life. It took them by surprise how much teaching choreo to others would fulfill their life. But watching Malachi hitting every detail precisely and conveying the idea they had worked on for days filled them with such pride. But … 

“Nicely done!”, Birde clapped as the music ended and they finished with the end pose. “You look almost as good as me”, they just had to tease the singer before taking a long sip from their water bottle. Wiping away the sweat beads on their forehead, Birdie let out a deep sigh. Nothing felt quite as good as moments like these. “Let’s take a five, maybe ten minutes break! It’s way too hot for me right now”, with that being said, the dancer just lay down on the floor and watched the other in the wall of mirrors. Despite their passion for dancing and choreographing, there were still moments filled with wonders. A deep sigh escaped their lips. Where would they be now in their career if they weren’t dropped by the label… 

    it was nice to be home, especially considering how topsy turvy the end of her tour experience had been. jinnie felt like she could breathe a little easier now that she and the girls were back in their own space. she didn’t linger too long in the apartment, though. she had far too much on her mind and there was only one safe space for all of that. after making sure lulu was fed and settling back into their home nicely, the maknae packed up her journal and ventured on the short walk from the braveheart dorm to infinite headquarters. she could have driven but the walk gave her time to collect her bearings and take deep breaths to clear her mind. she still felt angry, yes, but it had worn down into an exhausted form of acceptance. her tumultuous feelings only seemed alleviated around the people she loved the most, which is precisely why she was on her way to one of them. 

     perhaps it was presumptuous of her to think that kai would even be in his studio but she knew her brother: he found the most comfort amongst music, just like her. as she entered the company building, the brunette greeted the familiar security guard with a warm smile, hovering at his desk for a few minutes so that the two could catch up — how was the rest of tour ? did you eat well ? how’s the family ? it was the usual spiel of small talk before the older man warmly ushered her past security. jinnie headed for the elevators and rode it up to the level where the studio labs were. she trekked down the hall until she landed in front of kai’s door, tapping her knuckles against the door as a quick warning before she punched in the code. relief colored her expression when she saw the soloist sitting there. “ hi, oppa. ” the maknae greeted gently, her tired gaze fixated on the other. slowly, she unveiled her treasured journal from her bag, holding it up as if that would be enough of an explanation for why she was here. “ i wrote a song. ”

     jinnie knew she would find kai here. when in doubt, always check the closest studio. it was oddly comforting in a way, realizing that her friend’s patterns hadn’t really changed after all these years of knowing one another. she relished in it, actually, considering that she’d shown up today to bask in the soloist’s grounded presence. with how intense things had become in her personal life, she knew he was the right person to be around. hopefully, her friend and music would get her mind off of things. “ oppa. ” she spoke up quietly as she hovered by the door frame, not wanting to be disruptive to the process. but she knew it was better to announce her presence now than accidentally starling kai. with wide doe eyes, the maknae stepped in further, greeting him with a tired smile. “ can i hang out with you for a bit ? i promise to keep quiet. ” he didn’t even have to talk to her if he was too busy. jinnie just knew it was better to be around someone safe, then alone with her thoughts.

     haneul pulled the joint from his lips, inhaling the smoke with ease. he’d definitely been in a more relaxed mood compared to the start of tour. it was probably because he’d been sleeping better than he did back in seoul. one of the reasons was a stunning soloist who owned his heart. another was the purple punch he was currently breathing in. teeth clenched together as he exhaled, the bodyguard leaned his head back against the wall as he extended the joint to his friend sitting closest to him. he really enjoyed hanging out with both kai and dae. like him, they were perfectly content to vibe in silence. he’d never expected to make friends on tour; he’d expected to keep his head down and do his job protecting misa. to not only rekindle old dynamics but make new ones as well, it was always strange to think about. or maybe, he was just high.

    “ shit’s good. ”

     “ i can’t tell if it’s a pretty line, or a cliched one. . . ” jinnie admitted shyly, curling her legs to her chest as she rested her chin on her knees. her wide gaze watched kai closely, scrutinizing her friend’s expression as she watched him read from her songwriting book. drowning herself in lyrics had always been an escape for her that only a select few were privy to. that didn’t stop her anxieties each time it was out in the open, however. making songs were when she felt her most vulnerable. it wasn’t like braveheart’s usual brand of playful, confident music; it was more poignant, more unguarded. “ — you can be brutally honest. ”