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Can you look at me? ‘Cause I am blue and grey
The tears reflected in the mirror mean
My colors hid in the smile, blue and grey
When MC had first sung for Zen, he had been thoroughly mesmerized and floored.
Within the first five minutes of the RFA party, Jaehee has rushed over to the little group, quickly reporting to Jumin and MC that the singer for the event called in—there had been a last minute emergency and they wouldn’t make it.
And while they had Zen’s press conference in the first half of the evening to occupy all of their attention, after the chaos that came from his sudden confession, they still had to worry about the night’s entertainment.
MC had remembered squeezing Zen’s hand in hers before going to Jahee and Jumin, talking to them in a hushed voice before making her way to the back parking lot where the car that had picked her and Zen up was. She returned carrying a guitar case, and she swallowed slowly as she felt his curious gaze follow her up to the stage. In real life, she performed often at bars, semi-formal restaurants, weddings, birthday parties, you name it.
But something like the RFA party in another world from her own scared her.
Masking away the stage fright with a smile, she found Zen’s eyes in the crowd. She felt a sense of calm soothe her nerves as she made her apologies into the mic for the change of plans for tonight’s enjoyment. Her fingers strummed the chords of the guitar.
MC smiled prettily, her eyes gazing tenderly at her Hyun Ryu as the song that filled her heart overflowed.
“Tell me something boy, aren’t you tired trying to fill that void.”
The atmosphere of the party changed. It probably looked ridiculous, her up on stage dressed up in a pretty black dress and one of Zen’s sweaters. Not to mention guitar music was so out of place in the fancy RFA ballroom. But her guitar had been the only thing she’d been able to bring with her from the real world into the world of Mystic Messenger. And she brought it everywhere since her arrival. Only now was she grateful that she had.
“Or do you need more?” She felt a thrum in her heart as Zen walked toward her, his gaze never left hers. “Ain’t it hard keeping it so hardcore?”
He reached the stage where she sat and reached out. A strange bubbling warmth seeped in her chest and she tried not to giggle. Getting up from her seat, she slipped her hand into his and pulled him up onto the stage.
In that moment everything was perfect.
“I’m falling, in all the good times I find myself—” she sighed breathily as Zen’s knuckles gently grazed her cheek. “Longing for change.”
She regretted her hand leaving his, the lack of her skin against his, the lack of him living and pulsing within her hold. MC strummed the next chord.
“And in the bad times I fear myself…”
The look on Zen’s face suddenly brought her reeling to reality, panic stricken and reaching for her again. And MC’s perfect moment shattered as she disappeared.
It had been half a year.
It had been half a year since MC woke back up in her bedroom, with her phone clutched in her hand and the Mystic Messenger game’s blue “Good End” card blinking up at her.
Now she meagerly stumbled day by day, deprived of the vibrance she’d been exposed to through her RFA loved ones. Life felt so empty without everyone, their brilliant laughter and their wonderful friendship.
She’d miss Seven’s exhausting energy, and she missed talking about Yoosung’s late night endeavors. Jaehee’s favorite coffee had always been a fun topic to converse on, and MC often missed laughing at Jumin’s stiff jokes. And Zen…
Her romance with Zen had been unexpected. As MC slipped out of bed to stand in front of her room mirror, she could imagine her boyfriend behind her, his large body behind her and embracing her warmly. He was so protective, and anytime he held her it felt as though she were enveloped and hidden away from the world. MC felt her lip tremble and her hand braced against the smooth surface of the mirror as she let out a sob. How was this fair? To spend eleven days in another world, in a love so deep that it was the sole focus of her heart, only for all of it to be so cruelly ripped away and strewn into the fantasy. As if it had never existed.
Her phone rang and MC scrubbed her palm against her eyes furiously before answering.
It was the entertainment agency she worked for.
“Hey kiddo,” her manager’s voice greeted warmly, although to MC’s ears it sounded robotic. “That new hire I was telling you about is splitting your gig tonight. We figured it would help to have a more experienced singer on scene with him.”
MC stared blankly into the mirror watching as the tears refused to stop their path across the plane of her cheek. Had they told her she’d be mentoring someone? It was hard to remember things these days, mostly because she didn’t care to anymore.
“Sounds good, we’ll talk later then. Take care.” She hung up the phone and went about her day until it was time to force some makeup onto her face and dress up nicely for her gig.
By the time she walked into the bar, it was already an hour and a half after the new hire’s shift had started. He must’ve been taking a break because the piano accompanist was playing a light jazzy tune that seemed more ambience than anything else. Something about the melody was familiar and haunting, like a song from the fleeting wisp of a dream. She made her way to the stage before nearly tripping and falling over.
The new singer started speaking, his voice oh so familiar and oh so tender. “This will be my last song of the night before my beautiful partner will provide the best final half! Please enjoy.”
MC stared into the crimson eyes of Hyun Ryu, his smile wide and pearly, and he gripped the microphone, leaning in close with the long strands of his ponytail slipping over his shoulder. His tongue flicked out and licked his lips before he started singing gently.
Oh. This song…
“Tell me something girl—”
MC dropped her purse and her coat at the closest booth and raced to the stage weaving in and out of tables.
Zen chuckled and MC felt her heart thunder in her chest. He continued, “Are you happy in this modern world? Or do you need more?”
MC stopped at the stage stairs, wondering if she should wait until after his song, after all…this was a performance. But Zen reached out his hand, and suddenly the overwhelming wave of nostalgia and deja-vu rushed her.
“Is there something else you’re searching for?”
She grabbed his hand, unprepared for him to pull her against his chest.
Zen’s hand sifted through her hair before he gently cupped the back of her head and forced her to look at him. “I’m falling, in all the good times I find myself longing for change…”
MC gripped the front of his shirt, unable to believe that he was here. Living. Breathing. Existing in her arms.
“And in the bad times,” his voice cracked a bit. “I fear myself…”
The piano melted away and so did the audience. Nothing else in the world existed, only MC, Zen, and their little song.
MC rested against him, trembling. “I’m here,” she whispered.
He chuckled and rested his chin on the crown of her head.