Library Encounter
1564 Words
Luna had successfully avoided everyone for exactly nineteen hours and forty-three minutes. After yesterday's practice room incident, she'd skipped her afternoon classes, ignored Min-ji's flood of texts, and hidden in her dorm room with instant ramen and anxiety.
Now, at 5 AM, she crept through the university's ancient library. The musty scent of old books and silence welcomed her as she made her way to her secret spot—a forgotten corner on the third floor where music theory texts gathered dust.
"Just need to finish this arrangement," she whispered to herself, settling cross-legged between the shelves. Her notebook—the dangerous one with all her original compositions—lay open beside her as she worked on her laptop, headphones secure over her hood.
Lost in the music, Luna didn't realize she was humming along to the melody in her head—a new song she'd been working on, something about hidden glances and practice room pianos.
"That's interesting."
Luna's soul nearly left her body. Kenny—STELLAR 5's main vocalist, musical genius, and apparently ninja—stood at the end of the aisle, holding a stack of music theory books.
"Interesting," he continued, tilting his head, "because that sounds exactly like the bridge section of our unreleased track."
Luna's brain short-circuited. She'd been working on this melody for weeks, long before...
"The one Paulo's been obsessing over," Kenny added, moving closer. "The one we haven't even recorded yet."
Luna scrambled to gather her things, but her headphone cord tangled with her notebook, sending papers flying. Again. Why did this keep happening?
Kenny's hand shot out, catching a sheet mid-air. His eyes widened as he read.
"These aren't just similar," he murmured. "They're identical to the demo we received. But the date on this..." He looked at Luna with new interest. "You wrote this two months ago."
"I have to go," Luna managed, voice barely a whisper.
"Wait." Kenny's voice was gentle but firm. "I think we need to talk."
"There's nothing to—"
"Luna." The way he said her name made her freeze. "I know what happened with the Starlight Music Competition."
The world tilted slightly. How did he...?
"I was one of the judges," Kenny explained, as if reading her mind. "I recognized your submission style immediately. But when we tried to contact the winner—you—the email bounced back."
Luna's legs felt weak. She sank back down to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest.
Kenny sat beside her, carefully placing her scattered papers in a neat pile.
"What I don't understand is why you never claimed your prize. Do you know how long we spent trying to find 'Midnight Composer'?"
A hysterical laugh bubbled up in Luna's throat. "You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
Maybe it was the early hour. Maybe it was Kenny's kind eyes, so different from Paulo's intense gaze. Or maybe Luna was just tired of carrying her secret alone.
"My father," she began, voice trembling, "is Mayor Martinez."
Kenny's sharp intake of breath told her he understood the implications.
"The same Mayor Martinez who's running his re-election campaign on traditional values and the importance of practical career choices?" Kenny whistled low. "The one who publicly criticized the influence of pop music on young people?"
Luna nodded miserably. "If anyone found out his daughter wrote STELLAR 5's songs..."
"It would destroy his campaign," Kenny finished. "But Luna, these songs—they're incredible. The way you blend classical elements with modern pop, it's exactly what we've been trying to achieve."
"Please don't tell Paulo," Luna blurted. "Or anyone. I just... I can't..."
"Your secret's safe with me," Kenny assured her. Then a mischievous smile crossed his face. "On one condition."
Luna's heart sank. "What condition?"
"Help me with the vocal arrangement for the new album. The one you were just humming? It's been driving our producers crazy. They can't quite capture what was special about your original demo."
"But Paulo—"
"Will be busy with dance practice during our sessions." Kenny's eyes twinkled.
"Unless... you want to tell him yourself? He's been quite interested in our mysterious hoodie-wearing composer."
Luna's face burned. "That's not... we're just project partners."
"Right. That's why he's been practicing piano at 6 AM in Practice Room 12. You know, where you usually play?"
Luna's head snapped up. "How did you—"
"I know everything about my members," Kenny said with a grin. "Just like I know Paulo's never been this distracted before. Not even when we debuted."
Before Luna could process that information, footsteps echoed through the library stacks. Kenny quickly helped Luna gather her remaining papers.
"Third practice room, music building basement, 7 PM," he whispered. "The others never go down there. And Luna?"
His expression softened.
"Whatever you decide about Paulo, just know he's not as intimidating as he seems. Sometimes he practices your songs when he thinks no one's listening."
Luna's heart did a complicated flip as Kenny disappeared around the corner, just as Jay's voice carried through the shelves:
"Kenny-hyung? The manager's looking for you!"
Clutching her notebook to her chest, Luna waited until the voices faded before slipping out of the library. The morning sun was just beginning to paint the sky pink, and the campus was still quiet. Perfect for escaping unnoticed.
Or so she thought.
"You're up early."
Luna froze mid-step. Paulo stood at the bottom of the library steps, wearing dance practice clothes and looking unfairly good for 5:30 AM. A light sheen of sweat suggested he'd already been practicing.
"I..." Luna's mind raced. "Research. For the project."
Paulo's eyes flickered to her notebook. "Is that why you missed our meeting yesterday?"
Guilt twisted in Luna's stomach. She had deliberately ignored his text about meeting in Practice Room 12.
"I'm sorry, I was—"
"Avoiding me?"
His tone was light, but something in his expression made Luna's chest tight.
"Because of what happened in the practice room?"
A group of early-morning joggers passed by, doing double-takes at seeing STELLAR 5's leader talking to the campus ghost girl.
Paulo noticed her discomfort. Without a word, he shrugged off his jacket and held it out to her. The oversized black material would hide her better than her thin hoodie.
"You don't have to—"
"Take it," he insisted. "The morning air is cold anyway."
Luna hesitated before accepting the jacket. It was warm from his body heat and smelled like his cologne mixed with coffee. She tried very hard not to think about what Min-ji would say if she saw this.
"Thank you," she mumbled, drowning in the expensive fabric.
"Now we match," Paulo said with a small smile, gesturing to his own black practice clothes.
"Though I think my jacket looks better on you." Luna was grateful for the hood hiding her blush.
"I should go..."
"Wait." Paulo stepped closer, lowering his voice. "That melody you played yesterday... I can't get it out of my head."
Luna's heart raced. "It's nothing special."
"See, that's where you're wrong." His intensity was back, the same look he'd had in the practice room.
"There's something about your music, Luna. Something familiar, like I've heard it in a dream or..."
"Paulo-oppa!" A shrill voice cut through the morning air. Mina was approaching, designer workout gear perfectly coordinated. "I knew I'd find you here! I always see you practicing early and—" She stopped short, seeing Luna. "Oh. Her again."
Paulo's expression shifted to his professional mask so fast it was almost scary.
"Good morning, Mina-ssi. If you'll excuse us, Luna and I were discussing our project."
"In my father's new cafe?" Mina suggested brightly. "He just opened it near campus, and—"
"Actually," Luna found herself speaking, bolstered by Kenny's words and Paulo's jacket around her shoulders, "we have a composition to work on. In private."
Both Paulo and Mina stared at her in surprise. Luna was pretty shocked herself.
A slow smile spread across Paulo's face—his real one, not the camera-ready version. "She's right. Shall we?" He gestured toward the music building.
Luna nodded, not trusting her voice after that burst of courage. As they walked away, she heard Mina's frustrated huff.
"That was impressive," Paulo murmured once they were out of earshot. "I like this side of you."
"I should give your jacket back," Luna deflected, starting to shrug it off.
"Keep it." Paulo's hand briefly touched her shoulder, stopping her.
"It suits you. Besides..." His smile turned playful. "Now you have to meet me again to return it."
Before Luna could respond, his phone buzzed.
"Dance practice," he sighed.
"But Luna? Next time you're in Practice Room 12 at 6 AM... maybe don't rush out when you hear someone coming? Some of us just want to practice piano."
He walked away, leaving Luna standing there in his jacket, her mind spinning. How did he know her morning practice schedule?
Her phone chimed with a text from Kenny:
"Told you he notices more than you think. 😉 Don't forget: 7 PM, basement practice room. We have an album to perfect."
Luna looked down at her notebook, then at Paulo's jacket, and finally at her phone showing three missed calls from her father.
The mayor's daughter, wearing an idol's jacket, holding unauthorized compositions, about to help produce STELLAR 5's new album in secret.
What could possibly go wrong?
- Writer
