Arranged✔️ | Ji Changmin

7 - Competition?

CHOI CHAEWON

it was a saturday - i had no work while changmin had half-day. at 6 in the morning, i was already scurrying around in my room, getting ready. changmin said he could bring me to work and i was so excited that i had waken up extra early.

knock! knock!

my door opened to reveal changmin, who was still in a sleepy state. "morning chae, i was wondering why it was noisy at 6am. i think i know the reason now," he chuckled, shaking his head at me. "sorry," i looked at him apologetically. "you go and wash up! i'll make breakfast," i pushed him into his room, pulling the door shut from the outside. i started preparing a simple breakfast of delicious cereals. changmin stepped into the kitchen shortly after, his hair slightly wet and he donned a smart casual attire. "we're having cereals?" changmin skipped around the dining table, sitting at his seat. "yep, jacob gave us too much cereals as the wedding gift," i laughed and i noticed how changmin had smiled brightly as he looked at me.

the clock had struck 7am when we both got into the car, and changmin drove out of the driveway. the radio played 2000s hit songs softly in the background. i could not help but groove slightly to the familiar music and changmin was more than delightful to join me at red lights. the familiar classy building of the music academy came into view as changmin parked the car alongside the quiet street. i took note of the time on my phone screen - 7.30am. changmin walked ahead with me trailing behind him. my eyes wandered around the same interior of the academy.

"oh! changmin! you're very early today," a female voice exclaimed. both changmin and i turned towards the voice - it was an elegantly-dressed lady sitting behind the reception counter. "ah ms lee, good morning," changmin nodded his head at her slightly, and he was about to take a step away but ms lee stopped him. i observed her as she walked towards us. she seemed young and youthful, her face had little makeup on them and she wore her hair down. her formal wear of blazer and pencil skirt made her look professional. meanwhile, i stood behind changmin in light-washed jeans and a white blouse. for some reason, i frowned to myself. "i see you brought a friend," ms lee's tone seemed to mock myself as i gazed down to the floor. hi, floor! you look fabulous today - talk to me please. i was so eager to get out of the conversation. changmin seemed to notice how uncomfortable i was. a hand had laced itself with mine into a firm grip. "yea, this is my wife, ji chaewon," changmin smiled down at me, giving my hand a little squeeze as if to reassure that it was alright.

for a second, i thought i saw ms lee scowled at the fact that i was changmin's wife. her eyes had turned dark and her smile faltered for abit before she regained her composure. "hello, chaewon. i am lee eunha, changmin's receptionist," she bowed slightly. changmin had excused us from her and he pulled me along gently to his office. our hands tangled with one another - it felt strange but in a good way. it was soothing and warm the way his hand had wrapped around mine which was a little smaller than his. "welcome to my office," he grinned, letting me step into his decent office. it was of appropriate size and the walls were cream in colour. the rest of the furnitures were either in black or white. my gaze trailed around his office until it stopped at a picture frame on his desk - it was our wedding portrait. a smile carved its way onto my face as i picked up the frame, looking closely at it as i traced the picture. "why did you put this here?" i turned around to look at changmin who had his arms crossed as he sat on the armchair of the couch, already staring at me. "it's my daily motivation now," he had said.

changmin was so nice about everything. he had let me skim through documents in his office which was how i found out he actually owned this music academy - "Q Music Academy". changmin allowed me to spin around in his comfortable office chair and he even taught me how to play the piano at the corner of his office for a little while. the clock had struck 8am signalling that changmin had to go for his first lesson with the first child.

"i'll go now. i will come here if i get the chance to. you can rest here in my office or if you'd like, we have a cafeteria one floor down. if you get lost, just ask anyone - all of my employees are friendly," changmin continued to ramble on which made me laugh. mustering the courage, i  took hold of both his hands in mine and smiled up at him,"changmin, i get it. thank you! enjoy your day today." his ears were red and he could not hide the smile that was creeping onto his face.

-

i sent changmin a text that i would be at the cafeteria grabbing some tea. the cafeteria was quiet and it matched the elegant interior of the rest of the building. considering that the academy was a private institution, the place sure seemed high-class. sipping on my tea, i switched between applications on my phone to kill time. "hi there," a voice interrupted my scrolling. shifting my gaze up towards the voice, a young man stood infront of my table and took a seat before i was able to utter a word. "i'm cha eunwoo, i teach piano here," the man grinned. i nodded  acknowledging his introduction. "i'm ji chaewon," i offered him a polite smile.

"ji? so you're the lady that changmin had been desperately hiding from me," eunwoo chuckled which made me furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. changmin's hiding me from this guy? why?

"chaewon!" a familiar voice called out and i sighed in relief when changmin stood by my side. "when i said to ask anyone and that everyone here is friendly, i was excluding this guy right here," changmin jutted out his thumb towards eunwoo which earned changmin a light punch on the shoulders as the two laughed. "pleased to meet you, sister-in-law," eunwoo smirked before continuing,"i'm so called changmin's right hand man in this academy."

"womanizer, go away!" changmin shoo-ed eunwoo away as he brought me close to him. "don't be jealous i get ladies daily," eunwoo winked as he waved at us before strutting away. still with his arm around my shoulders, changmin walked us up to his office where we gathered our stuffs. "you don't have anymore classes?" i questioned him. "nope, the last child couldn't make it so let's go out!" changmin flashed a bright smile as he led me out of the academy.

another day with changmin, another day of wishing that our lives stay this way for eternity.