Jungkook's POV

It was on the third time time that we ran through the choreograph for No More Dream that I realised that the song was stuck in my head.

It was later, after the events in the school band room and I was now in the studio for practice. For some mysterious reason, I was always messing up the beats for the chorus and it had finally gotten on Hoseok's nerves.

The reason was obvious now. Woori's song was stuck on replay over and over in my head.

"Get off your high horse." Hoseok smacked me on the head. "Just because you were the first to get the steps down, doesn't mean you can slack off during practice."

"Sorry Hyung." I bowed my head low.

As if reading my discomfort, he gave me a quick smile then waved it off as if it didn't bother him. "Take it easy."

"Let's all take a quick break then." Jin suggested and pressed a firm hand on my shoulder.

"Because you need it?" Namjoon teased.

The members laughed and shortly, we all went our separate way for break.

A few minutes later, I found myself alone in the corner of the room watching the other members as they laughed and played.

Jimin, Taehyung, and Hoseok, chasing each other around the room, Jin and Namjoon talking about something in hurried words, and Yoongi who slipped out of the studio when we hadn't noticed.

It had always somehow ended up like this, like I didn't belong. Maybe it was because I was the youngest, but mostly because I just wasn't comfortable with socialising. Our PD had once told me that it takes time and soon, I'll get better at it, but it didn't look like it.

I heaved a sigh and closed my eyes, humming a tune at the base of my throat.

Woori's tune.

However painful it was for me to admit it, Woori's song was catchy, almost as catchy as our songs, if not, even better. I smiled as I recalled her annoyed face in the studio room. No doubt, she is talented.

Just as she has always been.

-----
Woori's POV

I sneezed hard in the empty convenience store. Someone was no doubt talking about me behind my back. I sniffed and made yet another round around the store, letting my eyes examine each snack carefully.

What should I bring home today?

After finding all the blind spots in the store, it wasn't long before I got the hang of taking snacks here and there for my enjoyment. It was definitely against our worker's conduct, but it wasn't like I was getting paid that much.

The bell at the entrance rang at the arrival of a new costumer and I ran to my post behind the cashier.

"Hey." the familiar lazy voice said just as the bell finished its last ring.

"Yoongi Oppa!"

He beamed at me, the corners of his eyes creesing in the process. "I'll have the usual."
I nodded and prepared the coffee for him. A rich black coffee, his favourite.

As unusual as it may sound, Yoongi and I go way back. We met on the streets while blasting our compositions for the pedestrians, and occasionally the police, to hear. Back then, we always met up after our 'shift' for coffee at a nearby café, discussing drumming patterns and being total music geeks. He was actually picked up by Big Hit after one session, on the day I wasn't there.

Since then, we kept in close contact, connected by our weird sleeping schedules, a knack for fast food and our love of music composition. Occasionally, he drops by at the convenience store to see me, or maybe it was for his coffee.

"Long night?" I asked casually.

He groaned and leaned closer over the counter. "Always."

I laughed at him and passed him the heated drink.

"Hoseok is pushing us to our limits with practice today." He growled in annoyance and wrapped his hands around the steaming cup. "Our dances are not easy to do."

I raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. If someone like Jungkook can do it, can it really be that bad? "Really?"

"Stop." He whined.

"Stop what?"

"You're doing the thing again." He sipped his coffee loudly. "When you start comparing me to the other members."

I flushed. "I'm not."

"Yes you are!" There was a hint of laughter in his voice. "Look at your face, you're red!"

I clapped my hands to my cheeks and covered them instantly while Yoongi laughed at me.

"Anyways," he calmed himself. "How's your project going with our maknae?"

"Not going." I snapped. "He's so hard to work with."

"Really?" He sneered. "Are you sure you're not just being difficult?"

"He's so full of himself, like he can do so much better than I could ever." I complained. "And that smile of his, definitely does not help. It's like he's mocking me every time he flashes those frickin' white teeth."

Yoongi threw his head back in laughter. "Or you're just being a hater because he got to debut while you're still undiscovered."

I blinked at him. That hurt.

"Really Woori, there's no rush." He said reassuringly. "Jungkook just got lucky, that's all."

I stayed silent. He looked at me for a brief moment before realising what he had said.
"Woori, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

I chuckled and shook my head. "Shouldn't you be going back? The members must be missing you."

He jumped from his positions and looked at the clock. "Oh shit, you're right."

Yoongi extended his arm to me and pressed his hands against mine with a light squeeze. "Text me if you need anything okay? And don't fret about it too much."

I nodded with a light smile and waved at him as he left the store in a rush.

It took me a while to realise that he had left his coffee here. The once steaming coffee, now sat, pathetically on the counter. The flat scent of it's coldness glazed the air and for some reason, I felt worst than before.

Yoongi was right.

Just like this coffee, I was left behind.

By Yoongi and by my music.

That's why I don't want to work with Jungkook.

I felt inferior to him.

Notes