Changes - lee donghyuck, haechan

08

"Can you just do it correctly?!"

"Maybe if you weren't screaming at me and actually tried helping I would've gotten it down!" The other voice counter-argued while focusing on the music sheet in front of them.

"I've taught various others and they've never been as slow as you."

In the span of almost two weeks, Aera and Haechan found themselves spending more time with each other than they realized. Haechan secretly found excuses to run into her and Aera made sure to frequently visit the boys. Most of the time she went to see her brother but she found herself talking with the younger boy in hiding away from the rest.

They had agreed to slowly show that they now got along but for some reason always chickened out and instead playfully glared at one another when in the same room with everyone. Through time, Haechan got to know more about who Aera really was instead of the one he previously knew to only carry distaste for him. The girl as well got a feel of the man he had started to grow into and she found herself confiding in him.

They currently found themselves in the recording studio that had soon become Aera's working station since she first started recording just almost two weeks ago. Haechan asked her to teach him a piece that he couldn't seem to get down himself. He refused to ask Chenle and so he resorted to asking the next best thing.

However, as soon as he could press the wrong key she was quick to nag him for it. Now he was purposely messing up to annoy her.

"Try it one more time," Haechan nodded and proceeded to perfectly start. His pinky finger accidentally missing the key he was supposed to play when he almost reached the end.

"Lee Donghyuck!" He sheepishly looked away from her. He enjoyed seeing her angry for some reason. It could be that he used to see her angry at him for no reason that he now enjoyed purposely riling her up.

She let out a frustrated sigh before slightly shoving him so she could also sit on the bench. Unaware of the closeness between them, she brought her hands above the piano. Her fingers seemed to move swiftly along the keys as she played. Eyes briefly scanning the music sheet before shifting to the keys. Haechan stared at her fingers amazed. Taking note of how the fingers in the same hand pressed the notes in sync without faltering.

"See how I press these three keys without forgetting to put pressure in my pinky," she held her hand up and wiggled her pinky to demonstrate.

Even though the boy already knew how to play the piano almost perfectly. He had started to make mistakes just to annoy her. She obviously didn't know as she rigorously tried helping him improve the mistake.

"Try," he immediately placed his fingers above the key. She watched them move around and start to play it perfectly.

He once again, this time unintentionally pressed the wrong key. Aera grabbed his hand with her and placed each finger individually on the corresponding key.

Haechan could hear his heart drumming loudly in his ears over her voice. She pressed her hand down to push his as they played the key. He nervously moved a bit away in fear of her hearing his heart.

The girl was still clueless and didn't realize he wasn't paying attention to anything she was instructing. He could only stare at her side profile as she rambled on about techniques. Her hand still wrapped over his.

"Now do it," she let go and placed her hands on her laps. She stared confused at the frozen boy as he seemed to be dazed.

"Donghyuck!" She harshly pressed a key to catching his attention.

"Huh, what?" She giggled at his lost expression. The sound of her laugh only added to his heart rate as he sat there staring at her trying to control her giggles behind her sleeve.

"Stop staring you look funny. It's honestly not that hard so stop looking so scared." She finally composed herself and nudged him with her elbow. He turned towards the piano and wiped his sweaty hands against his jeans.

"Let's focus, stop acting up Haechan," he thought. He managed to run through the whole song without messing up.

Excitedly she started clapping her hands. She clasped a hand on his upper arm and moved it from side to side. Startled the boy stared wide-eyed as she handled him around almost knocking him over.

"You did it!" She finally stopped.

"You are so aggressive," he rubbed his arm to indicate his pain to which she shrugged.

"At least you learned the song," she stood up and walked towards her bag to grab a drink.

Haechan watched her move around the room. He didn't know why his heart seemed to beat out of his chest when she was close.

"I'm not used to girls being touchy," he thought. His mind immediately going back to the hairstylist, makeup artist, and clothing stylist that are constantly touching him.

"I guess it's not that," he dismissed his previous idea.

"I'm going to head home. It's getting pretty late," she read the time displayed on her phone, 9:46 pm. She couldn't believe she had spent so much time teaching him.

He too seemed surprised when he saw the time. Just hours before he was standing outside wondering how to go in and ask her for help.

"Uhh just text me when you get there," he nervously scratched the back of the neck as he watched her pack things in her bag.

"I don't even have your number," she moved around tidying up the space. He offered his unlocked phone to her. This surprised Aera as she hesitantly took his phone and added herself to his contacts and handing his phone back. She also offered hers unlocked.

He smiled to himself at the name she saved herself as.

Aria.

It was the name only he seemed to call her to annoy her. It was also the name people back in Canada called her.

"Are you staying here? I have to lock this," she stood by the door ready to open it. He got up and walked outside. He waited by the door as she locked it.

"Well.." Aera stared at him briefly. She didn't know how to properly say goodbye. Usually, she would hug anyone of the members.

She brought her fist up awkwardly to which he could only laugh and fist pump her back.

"Bye Donghyuck!" She walked away and waved at him from afar. He watched her walked away and towards the elevator. She waved excitedly one last time before the door closed.

"Has she always been that bubbly?" Haechan muttered to himself once she was out of sight.

-

a.n: hope everyone's having a wonderful week. NCT 2020 and STREAM BACK DOOR BY STRAY KIDS