puzzle;

she took a deep breath, shrugging her shoulders. “it’s the first sort of evaluation, though. i don’t want to show you something stupid. i don’t want to waste your time.”

“you’re not a trainee anymore, jieun. there are no evaluations,” yuji answered. “and you aren’t wasting time. i highly doubt it will be stupid, but even if it is, that’s where the learning starts.”

eunji leaned over the console, holding onto eunjis arm and resting her chin on her shoulder. “oh? well, that’s been more recent– you sure miniskirt didn’t pique you’re interest? be honest…” she teased, fluttering her eyelashes. “well, you’re not wrong. but i’ll only play along with that if there’s a promise that someone will come home and finish the job later…. seems like a waste to do all that for just me by myself.”

“pretty girls always pique my interest, eunji. but i’m not a creepy incel-- i don’t spend my time rewinding and reaching to get off. i appreciate it once and move on to the next thing,” she answered bluntly, smiling crookedly at her girlfriend. “i’m sure that can be arranged, eunji. i essentially make my own hours, after all...”

jieun chewed on her thumbnail nervously. she’d been hoping yuji would forget, honestly. it was basically done, but this was yuji. jieun was scared to show her, and for her to say it was complete trash. “uhh…. tomorrow? i have some parts i need to iron out but it’s mostly done,” she finally relented.

“alright, i’ll make time in my schedule for you tomorrow,” yuji answered firmly, fixing her gaze on jieun. “it’s just a first draft notes session, jieun. there’s no reason to get nervous and worked up.”

“well, of course that’s when you started paying attention. that was around when our choreo started being banned for being too suggestive,” eunji laughed, rolling her eyes. she wasn’t surprised that yuji’s head turned the moment they started showing a little more thigh. she smile deviously. “well, of course, when you’re around it won’t be needed. but when you’re off at work i’ll need something to keep me warm, won’t i?”

“i’ve seen you in much more suggestive situations, eunji. that was hardly anything to get too excited over,” yuji answered with a snort, pulling her car into a free space and putting it into park. “oh, with your imagination? i’m sure you can get yourself worked up enough to stay warm until i come home.”

“then pray, tell, why do i still remember the debut era?” she asked with a laugh. “i think i should just retire. be a trophy wife. sing on your tracks when you need me and do the odd photoshoot, but mostly live my life by a pool in expensive loungewear.”

“god, what a fuck show that was,” yuji snorted. “i pretend it all started with miniskirt.” the rapped hummed, resting her arm on the handle of the car idly. “why the loungewear? if it’s our place, surely that wouldn’t be necessary...”

“honestly, i’ve completely forgotten about that whole era,” eunji admitted with a sigh. that had been right before she’d left– she hadn’t been happy during those songs, and she felt like that was noticeable. “you’re right, though. and if you think i can succeed, and i have the talent than i know i have, nothing can go wrong.”

“well, the mind blocks out what it doesn’t want to remember. that’s not surprising,” she snorted, squeezing eunji’s hand. “i think you should sign somewhere with music infrastructure when your contract with millenium is up, though. you’re too good a vocalist not to be solo.”

“um…” jieun took a moment to think. “well, inspirations are like…you, of course, and hyo and minseok too. ryukji. i’ve always been a big legacy fan– i like how often they try new things. i really like how quirky and out there jisung oppa is.” she paused again. “when i had to do evaluations i couldn’t always cover who i wanted to but, i used to do a ton of reign covers. and a lot of sona’s solo work. and i’d sometimes do jiae’s verses from merci songs too. they usually only wanted me to cover women, but when i could get away with it, i did legacy and empire stuff.”

yuji began to take notes on that, making a list of inspirations she thought would work for jieun conceptually, and sounds she thought would suit the younger woman. the fact that she liked artists who were versatile made yuji happy-- it gave the pair more leeway to experiment with her sound in the future. “alright-- do you have any experience at all producing music? i’ll do it for you for the most part, of course, but i think it could be cool to release a predebut mixtape done by you,” she suggested, making a few extra notes

“because you’re a rapper and i’m most well known for miniskirt,” eunji answered blandly, twirling her hair around her finger. “i’ll sound good no matter what– i’m more worried about sounding out of place.”

“yeah, whatever. so what? just because you are known for one style doesn’t mean you can’t adapt to other genres,” yuji retorted. “you’re talented. and i feel like songs like bing bing show you have the potential to go in other directions, don’t you?”

“i….it means a lot to me. that you’re willing to put so much effort into me and helping me be good. like, i can’t put into words how much it means to me,” jieun muttered, blushing. “i really hope i make you and hyosang proud.”

“you will,” yuji promised firmly. “now, tell me who your inspirations are. who are some artists that you used to cover a lot when you were a trainee with spotlight, or who you like and look up to and want to sound like. some influences,” she began, pulling out a notebook

“i can’t help it! i got the wholesome positive good vibe genes. it’s in my nature, noona.”

“hyosang, you’re literally two minutes younger than me. i don’t think honorifics apply. and i know you’re just saying it to annoy me, but seriously.”

“you would want me on a song of yours?” eunji asked, eyebrow raising. she wasn’t really much of a hip hop vocalist, after all. she wasn’t sure if she’d fit yuji’s style. “of course i’m interested! i want to work with you! i just don’t know how…..applicable my skills would be.”

“babe, why wouldn’t i want you on one of my songs? your voice is nuts,” yuji answered, rolling her eyes and smiling. “let me worry about that. i’m the producer. i’m the one whose job it is to make a song that would make you sound good.”

she blushed. yuji was right. she knew yuji was right, and she knew yuji was never one to mince words. but she couldn’t help but still feel mad imposter syndrome. “oh i…am definitely interested. i just like…have no idea. it’s part of why i didn’t ever just leave spotlight and go indie– i had no idea where to even start. like…i’m okay with lyrics i think, but i know i have a long way to go…”

“well, had you gone indie, you probably could have bought beats online, but you don’t have to worry about that-- i’ll make you actually good beats that are tailored to you,” yuji replied with a wry smile. “you’re not just an artist here. we want to help you build the skills to be able to do what you want with your music and be creative and innovative. you have potential-- it’s my job to help you find it.”

“what am i supposed to think about more than my family?” hyo asked earnestly

yuji sighed deeply. “it’s hard to be bitter and make fun of you when you’re so fucking wholesome. knock it off.”

“i know. and you only have to do that with fish sometimes. i know you’re just giving me a hard time, but….. i’m a good dog owner. and this was a decision i thought hard about for a long time,” hyo answered soberly

“yeah, yeah. whatever. i just wish you’d give this much thought to other things,” yuji teased lightly, a resigned smile on her face.

“it’s not even that. like you’re just so cool and powerful. i feel like i don’t deserve to be here,” jieun blurted out, before immediately blushing. “wait, that just came out– ignore me. pretend like i didn’t say that….” as yuji continued speaking though, her eyes slowly began to widen in disbelief. “wait like….you’re going to help me write and produce my music? seriously?”

“jieun, if you didn’t deserve to be here, you wouldn’t have been signed. we haven’t signed someone new since minseok-- if you weren’t something special, we wouldn’t have even batted an eye,” yuji said bluntly, face relaxing into a smile. yuji shrugged. “most of it-- at least while you’re just starting. we want to help you learn the ropes for yourself, if you’re interested in that, but yes. until you’re ready to carry yourself, i’ll be your producer.”

“all thanks to you. right here was on repeat for like…..a week straight. you did such a good job with them,” eunji said, and you could almost see the hearts in her eyes as she looked over at yuji. “i don’t know. i do miss singing. but millenium absolutely does not have the infrastructure to release music, and i don’t trust any of those one-off ost contracts to give me a fair cut.”

“so? come do a feature for me,” yuji answered bluntly, reaching over the glovebox to take eunji’s hand. “hyosang has an entire song on one of his albums that he isn’t in at all. that’s primary’s whole business model. or it could be strictly a feature too, if you wanted. all options.”