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Jungkook sat down to his piano, opening his balcony door as he waited for the telltale sound of his neighbour doing the same. Luckily it happened soon after, and Jungkook couldn't help but smile as he softly started playing his favourite song, soon his neighbour's guitar joined him, their instruments complementing each other in beautiful harmony. Hair falling into his face, Jungkook let himself be absorbed by the melody, his face warm as he imagined meeting his mysterious neighbour and maybe even playing by their side.
The two of them have been practising together for almost two years, the first few times purely by coincidence, but as it started happening more and more often, they established a routine, where they sat by their joint wall, windows opened every day at 8 o'clock. Jungkook sometimes looked forward to his day, just hoping to play with his neighbour again. Jungkook loved and breathed music, having mastered various instruments, but never guitar. Somehow he never managed quite to nail it down, the sound always not being right, so he eventually gave up and focused on instruments he could play. He despised guitarists for some time, angry for not being capable of learning to play, but his neighbour completely changed his view. Listening to the hidden musician from the other side of the wall brought a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction to Jungkook. He even moved his sofa closer to the wall, so he could lay down and listen for the unique sounds coming from the strings. Many times he found himself falling asleep to the calming melodies coming from the neighbour, and he suspected the latter knew about his habit, choosing to play soft and tender songs later in the evening when Jungkook relaxed on the sofa, letting himself be devoured by music.
The guitarist managed to tell stories through the songs, and sometimes, if a great mood struck him, he tended to hum along with the melody, his voice sounding like an angelic choir. Jungkook always cherished those memories, finding another admirable skill in his neighbour as he wondered if they could ever meet face-to-face or if they were destined to be bonded by their shared love for music and their unexplainable connection to each other thanks to the thin walls and an open window. Jungkook's friends often encouraged him to knock on his companion's door and talk to him, but he never found the courage needed to do that. Besides, his neighbour could do the same if he ever wanted to meet him, yet it never happened, so Jungkook automatically assumed the other wanted their little music dates, as he started to call them, to remain just that. Sometimes it makes him sad because he would love nothing more than to meet somebody as passionate about playing as him, especially if the other person is so talented.
However, his neighbours often played romantic songs, serenading him without words, expressing the love through the notes, making Jungkook wonder about their meaning and purpose. What confused the young pianist most were songs he couldn't recognise, even after hearing them over and over again. He tried making a transcript, scribbling down what he heard, hoping to discover the breathtaking melody's origin and join the guitarist but without success. Jungkook thought about playing pieces he helped compose, about singing his heart out to melodies he created, but he ultimately decided against it, afraid to seem overeager.
To his most pleasant surprise, he discovered an envelope under his door one rainy day. There wasn't anything written on it, but Jungkook could recognise it came from his neighbour, so he hurriedly opened it, gasping as he studied the complex music sheets containing various songs he heard the guitarist play and tried to identify, unsuccessfully. On the bottom of the last page, a small note with elegant writing was attached.
I thought maybe we could enjoy these together. Thank you for playing with me
Needless to say, Jungkook spent hours learning the songs, enthusiastic about joining in with those beautiful pieces of art finally. He didn't even notice the sun slowly setting down, as the afternoon started slowly turning into an evening, the world coloured golden, sun covering everything in the blanket of soft glow, mirroring its own light. Jungkook smiled when a guitar effortlessly joined his little impromptu concert, and he swore he fell in love. He was sitting by his piano, creating a soulful harmony with a complete stranger through their shared love for music, and he never felt so understood. Jungkook was a compassionate person, but he struggled with explaining himself often, seeming brash or rude often. However, in the melody language, he didn't need to use words to express himself, letting the instruments carry out his emotions and deep thoughts, revealing his inner self without any false pretensions. The music showcased his raw and true form, yet he never felt vulnerable while it exposed him with its power, and deep in his soul, Jungkook knew the same applied to his neighbour. They both communicated their fears and joys with instruments controlling them in the most gentle ways, allowing them to feel the connection others could only dream of and never achieve.
Frankly, the mysterious player living next to him occupied Jungkook's mind most of the time, no matter what he did. It became as automatic as breathing or blinking, thinking about the identity of his neighbour and dreaming about complimenting him personally. He often let his eyes linger on guitars displayed in the music store he frequented, wondering which one his neighbour uses. He wondered if the latter played any other instruments but favoured his guitar, just as Jungkook did with his piano. Smiling, Jungkook took one of the guitars into his hands, gently playing a simple accord, letting the sound echo in the near-empty shop. His mood rapidly changed when he noticed a familiar figure approaching, the knit of the person's eyebrows furrowed in an annoyed look Jungkook familiarised himself with over time.
'I'm 100% sure I told you not to touch the guitars. I don't need you destroying all the instruments here, Jeon,' snickered the guy, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. Jungkook rolled his eyes as he carefully put the guitar back into its rightful place before meeting the other's gaze with the same intensity.
'Pretty sure I apologised and paid for the damage, Kim. You have literally nothing to hold over my head, so kindly get lost,' gritted Jungkook through his teeth, fist clenched painfully as he tried to remain calm.
Jungkook met Kim Seokjin a little over three months ago when the latter opened the very music shop they stood in momentarily. Jungkook visited the shop soon after hearing about it as an excited musician, eager to discover various instruments and music-related materials. However, he managed to knock over a heavy bookshelf by mistake, causing it to crash into the shop window and destroying almost a dozen guitars displayed there. Seokjin first called him an ambulance, seeing as Jungkook's legs got stuck under the bookshelf, keeping him trapped under its weight. When Jungkook returned the following week, the shop owner gave him the cold shoulder and treated him like a sworn enemy, so Jungkook decided to give him the exact same treatment. He wrote a check for the damage he caused, scoffing as he signed the piece of paper, angry as he knew Seokjin met with an insurance company, surely already being paid the reparations, yet demanding them from his own pocket the same.
'You should consider yourself lucky I even let you inside, Jeon. I have all rights to ban you from ever entering my store again,' retorted Seokjin, eyes shifting away from Jungkook as he adjusted the guitars hanging from the wall.
'And you should be glad somebody with music talent even visits this crappy place. I'd be shocked if you could play one instrument in this room.' challenged Jungkook, annoyed with their tensed meeting. Seokjin, who shared the level of annoyance, simply walked to the nearest piano, sitting down as he started playing without looking at his fingers, closing his eyes, letting the music consume him. Jungkook straightened his back, feeling provoked at Seokjin effortlessly performing Mozart's Turkish March without hesitating.
'So he can play piano half-decently. Big deal, Da Vinchi, you're not the only one who can do that.' Jungkook turned around and wandered into the back of the shop, putting a distance between them until the sound of piano became but a soft echo in the walls.
'Never took you for a sore loser, Jeon. Can't admit you're not the only one here with talent?' Seokjin joined him, a cocky grin on his face as he moved to Jungkook's side, way too close for Jungkook's comfort. The latter didn't deem Seokjin worthy of answering, so he silently left the shop, angry for underestimating the owner. He became too lost inside his own mind, mindlessly entering his home and heading straight for his bedroom. Somehow, interactions with Kim Seokjin always drained him, the man bringing out the worst parts of him effortlessly as well as making him question everything he knew.
Jungkook put on his headphones and curled into a ball on his bed, watching his phone as the time gradually passed, the eighth hour flowing by without Jungkook joining his mysterious neighbour in their regular play. Jungkook couldn't properly explain why he didn't feel like playing anymore that day, the simple thought of playing the piano flashing mental images of Seokjin in his head. Ashamed for missing their daily music date, Jungkook didn't join his neighbour for the following week. On the eighth day, the guitar's sound ceased to play as his neighbour stopped playing altogether.
Jungkook couldn't bear the thought of causing his nice neighbour to give up on music because of his inability to control his feelings. Worried about the other, Jungkook sat down and started drafting a heartfelt letter, explaining himself as best as he could, hoping to right the wrongs he caused. He'd been gathering his courage all day, talking himself into going to the door outside and leaving the letter there for his neighbour to discover. However, he realised his message lacked something. Suddenly inspired at the thought of the mysterious musician living next door, Jungkook sat down as he started composing notes flowing through him in an endless stream of creativity, as his work slowly came to life, looking better with every stroke of the pen. After 3 hours of continuous work, he looked back at the piece, oddly satisfied with the outcome.
To my mysterious neighbour,
hello from your mysterious neighbour. I am sorry for missing our daily music practice. I don't have any explanation for ghosting you, but I feel terrible since I haven't heard you play for a few days. Ever since I moved in, I looked forward to hearing your playing. It made me incredibly happy to be able to enjoy your skills for the past four years without any pause. This may sound tricky, but I always felt like we have built a special connection through our shared love of music and our plays together. Somehow, I feel like I've known you my entire life and like we are connected on a deep level.
I always express myself best through music, and I poured all my feelings while playing with you, and I like you to believe it was the same case for you, as I always felt your music is much more powerful than any other I ever heard before. I hope you can forgive me for not joining you anymore. It breaks my heart not to be able to witness your playing, so I hope this little piece I composed for you can express my sorrow and my gratitude for being able to have you in my life. My dear guitarist, thank you for showing me how to show love through music and thank you for sharing your own songs with me. I feel honoured to know such a talented artist, and I wish your love for music won't disappear because of my silliness.
With love,
The pianist from next door
Composed by: J. Jungkook
Written by: J. Jungkook
Dated: May 1st 2021
the music in our hearts, beating in one rhythm
Sealing the letter with the song included, Jungkook stepped outside his flat, putting the envelope on the doormat next door. Before he could disappear into the safety of his own apartment, his neighbour opened his door, facing Jungkook. Both of them stared into each other's eyes, shocked and confused.
'Kim, you're my neighbour who I've been playing with?' asked Jungkook, confusion lacing his words as he observed Seokjin's downfall expression and the dark circle underneath his eyes. He looked paler than Jungkook remembered, and it seemed like he had been crying and not sleeping well for the past few days.
'And you're the incredible pianist who lives next door, Jeon?' Whatever Jungkook imagined his mysterious neighbour's reaction to seeing him, hearing the soft tremor in Seokjin's heart broke something inside him. Tearing up, Jungkook reached for Seokjin's hand wordlessly, feeling the callouses created by years of playing the guitar. To his immense surprise, Seokjin squeezed his hand tightly, looking into his eyes with a sad smile in his eyes.
'You stopped playing the day you heard me play piano in the show. Was I that horrible?' asks Seokjin with a worried expression on his face.
'No, quite the opposite. You were incredible, but I can't stand you, Kim. I spent almost a week in a hospital after the accident, and the first thing you ask is when will I write you a check. Quite rude, especially considering the insurance company already reimbursed you,' complained Jungkook.
'The insurance company never gave me anything, since the damage was caused by a customer, not an employee or a thief, I didn't have a valid claim. Besides, I wouldn't care about most of the damaged goods, but my grandfather's handmade guitar got shattered, and I needed to fix it.' Jungkook's eyes widened as he realised their rivalry was based on a pile of misunderstandings and miscommunication.
'I didn't know,' whispered Jungkook, suddenly ashamed for never asking Seokjin about the damage he caused. Jungkook bent down and picked up the envelope, holding it out for Seokjin to take.
'I wrote a letter for you. And a song. It doesn't exactly explain everything, but it's something at least. I'll leave you to read it in private,' proposed Jungkook, turning to leave, but Seokjin's hand on his sleeve stopped him.
'How about you come inside? I'll make us some tea, you'll tell me what you wanted to say, and then we play something together? I have a gorgeous piano, waiting to be used,' countered Seokjin, the lines around his eyes curving with his smile.
'I'd love that,' smiled Jungkook as he let Seokjin lead him inside his apartment, as the former closed the door behind them.