Tangled in Notes

Chapter Four

I patiently waited for the building's door to open. My eyes were really heavy. Yesterday, I got over time and left Kouma Beans at eleven thirty. There were too many people and my boss told me the night-shift staff couldn’t pull it off themselves and that they needed more hands.

When I arrived back to my apartment, it was quarter to twelve and I still needed to review for Literature exam – on my FIRST DAY.

The door swung open and a familiar face welcomed me. The building was painted with light yellow and it looked like an auditorium in the inside.

 “Julia!”

I smiled and the students behind me started walking inside. The ones who signed up for the Theater club like me went inside running but I stayed put and waited for her to get to me. "Ysabelle."

She came closer to me. "Why are you here? I thought you wanted to be in the music club?"

I shyly smiled. "I got scared. You said terrifying things about the club and I thought it would be nice to try something new so here I am."

She giggled. "You're one silly girl, really. Go. You want to go to music club, so be it. You can't choose something you don't like. You won’t be happy."

“I’m not so sure.”

She landed her hands over my shoulder and I looked up to her. “Julia, your club will be your family. So if you don’t choose wisely, you might end up regretting things.”

I looked at her and she smiled. My phone suddenly vibrated. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw Armin’s name appear on the screen; a cue that he was calling. "Thanks, Ysabelle."

"Belle's fine.

"Belle. Thank you,"

She gave me a quick nod.

I stepped backwards and ran away. Then I stopped turning back to her. "Where is it again?" I scratched my head in embarrassment.

"It's near the admission office where you submitted the forms!" She shouted right enough for me to hear from the distance we had in between.

"Okay. Thanks!"

"Good luck!" She yelled and ran as fast as I can. Yes. I can do this. I need to keep my promise – for dad, for myself.

I stopped in front of music club's building panting hard. I crouched down catching my breath and stood. My heart was beating really loud but then my eyes widened when I saw a one-storey modern building. I was a little confused why people weren’t coming in like how I expected but nevertheless, I felt relieved that I had to go through a smaller amount of aspiring music club members.

I slowly took steps and knocked on the door. I already knocked about ten times but no one dared to open the door which was making me really nervous. What if they won't accept anymore? What if they already started the roll-call? What if—

The door suddenly opened, making me meet a pair of round brown eyes. His face was small. His black hair was raised up and he was wearing a pink open not buttoned polo shirt and a white shirt inside.

I was completely frozen upon seeing this stranger. "I-I signed up for the audition?" I said unsure if I should even speak.

I was surprised when he suddenly pulled me inside and closed the door. It felt as if my soul got shocked that it was left outside.

Inside the building was a decent plain white wall painted to please eyes. To my left were couches and a huge television. To my right was a long table. In front of me was a wall with a long frame with about twenty boys sitting in each other’s laps.

"You shouldn't be here." He suddenly said.

I frowned as he lets go of my wrist. "Young Ji told me that the club was near the admission office though. A-Am I in the wrong building?"

He sighed. "This is our cudgel house but only the officials are allowed to step inside. The main club building is still a few miles from here. It’s near the stock house."

"Oh." I looked down. Young Ji could’ve known it was there. Did she purposely bring me here to be embarrassed? "I guess I can't—" my phone suddenly vibrated again. Armin. I was about to answer the call but the guy spoke.

"Min?"

I nodded.

"You know him?" He asked. “Are you related to him? Are you close?”

"Uh, no. I mean,” My eyes widened in surprise of what I just answered. Why am I suddenly so messed up in answering him? “No, we’re not related but yes. I do know him." I answered the call.

"JULIA Burton!" I pulled my phone away from my ear and frowned. "Where are you?! They're about to start!"

"I know. I'm just," I looked at the guy in front of me and he was motioning me not to say anything. “Got a little lost. That’s all.”

"Well, faster! It's going to start any minute now and if you don’t come here now you won’t have any other chance. Where are you?"

"Okay! Get your pills!"

He ended the call.

What manners.

My eyes widened when I realized what I just did. I looked at the guy in front of me. Sue you, Armin, for humiliating me in front of a boy. “I- It’s been how we casually talk so,”

He chuckled. His eyes went really small and the way he covered his mouth when he laughed. I mean, yes, I would say that he’s quite the heartthrob by the looks of it.

“Sorry. I was out of control,”

He stopped laughing and looked at me. "Looks like you two are really close. No one talks to Armin like that except his unit and the president."

I let out an awkward laugh and looked down in embarrassment.

Then he grabbed my wrist again. "Come on. I'll take you to the main cudgel building so that you can still make it to the auditions."

He started pulling me and I was left confused. “Okay?”

We passed by halls of doors and at the very end was a stairway that leads down. I was amazed. It looked small in the outside but it was enormous on the inside.

We went down that stairway and he opened the door that welcomed us. There revealed another path. Only now, the lights were in different colors. The wall paint was white that had a little bit of a silver touch.

We ran and I could hear music echoing. Then a sign was plastered in the wall. NO ENTRY ZONE. It had a cellar feeling but at the same time, basement feeling as well.

I was surprised when I passed by four doors with different labels. Conference room. Presentation room. Bathroom and Studios.

Wait. We were in the basement right? If I don’t remind myself that, I’d think that I was entering a new universe.

"Wow."

"Our million fund was put here. But it came out great right? It's even wider than you think." He said and I continued to scan the area. We stopped by the end of the hall that had a door. This time, it felt like a movie theatre door. Over my right was another door labelled: Auditorium.

He nudged my arms and pointed at my left. My jaws dropped upon seeing another path. It was a path of doors again. Could this place get any cooler?

"Practice rooms.” He said then paused. “This door," he tapped the door in front of us. "Door basement from the main cudgel building where you should have entered." He smiled and opened the door labelled 'auditorium'.

Bright lights hit my eyes and I almost collapsed because of how blinding it was. "What the heck, Julia." Armin stood in front of me gripping my arms. “Where were you?!” he whispered right in my ears as I rubbed my eyes in sore.

"Was she called already?" The guy I was with asked.

Armin shook his head. He pulled my shoulder so hard that it almost broke and I frowned. "Come on." He pulled me away and I frowned following him from behind.

It had really bright lights and the place was occupied with a lot of people. I bit my lip. We went down, because it was elevated and the stage was located at the very low end of the room.

"Sit here." He pushed me down to a seat at the end of a column and I crossed my arms mouthing his words pathetically. "Wait for your turn and you will just introduce yourself."

"Are you sure?" I looked up to him and he smirked. I know that smirk. It was the devil type of smirk he was wearing.

"Sure as pie."

He walked away and started walking forward. I looked up front and saw a long horizontal table with guys sitting in it. I recognize the guy I was with sitting there and I made a face. He was a part of the club. Well, obviously. I ran into him in their building.

After a lot of name callings, my name was finally called. I cleared my throat after ascending from the stage stairs.

I stood in front and almost ran away when I saw millions of people in front of me. It didn’t feel this many when I was sitting. Suddenly, my stomach was filled with cockroaches, snakes and insects.

I looked at the guys in the very front of everyone and scanned each one of them. Sed pointed at me and tapped Armin’s chest.

Sean was there as well. Charlie. William. Of course, Armin and the guy I was with. In between Soon Young and Sed was a blonde guy with a serious face. He was tapping his pen making me wake up from reality. "Uh," I started and my eyes accidentally met the guy I was with. "Julia Byers."

"What unit are you aspiring to be a part of?" The guy in the very middle of everyone asked.

I gulped hard. "Vocal unit maybe? I-I’m not so sure."

"Sing for us."

My eyes widened and I glanced at Armin. He was laughing. I frowned at him and he kept pointing at me teasingly. I pressed my lips together. "The truth is—"

The serious guy dropped his pen and paid his attention to me – only me.

"I'm not really good at singing. Isn't this the main reason why I need to choose a club? To be trained? Enhanced? Improved?"

“Are you questioning the standard our club?” the blonde guy who was apparently the president fired. Now that I read the label across him ‘President Jared Clay Vesey’, I got so scared to hell that my knees were shaking. I gulped hard.

“N-No. I’m just saying. We had the right to choose our clubs so why need to ask what we want. I mean, isn’t it obvious that some wanted to join the club because they wanted to learn how things really work for singers?”

Jared stared at me.

Sean clapped his hands. Jared, who was obviously smaller than the two guys next to him, glared at him and he immediately stopped.

"Leave." Jared said and I went down the stair with regrets. I could have just sung something. Now the students were eyeing me like I was the new prey of bullies in their school.

AT four in the afternoon, Armin and I walked out of the building. I had a day off today in Toy Empire so I guess it was time for me to hang out and have fun for a while. For once, I never really tried to relax for a whole day. I almost worked my life off.

I slapped Armin’s arms when I remembered him laughing at me a while ago. "Why didn't you tell me that something like that was going to happen?!" I exclaimed and he laughed again.

"I wanted to surprise you. I wanted to see your reaction and really, I was satisfied with what I saw. Your reaction was priceless! So, SURPRISE!" he continued laughing now holding his stomach.

I creased my brows. “Are you enjoying yourself? Making fun of me is your entertainment,” I frowned and walked pass him.

He continued to laugh.

"Who was the guy in the middle? He was nerve-wrecking. He made my soul run away from me.” I said giving me Goosebumps though it was already done.

"Who? Jarri?"

"Ja-Red." I paused. “So that’s what he’s like.”

"He’s not so bad than he looks." He chuckled.

"Are you kidding me? He looks scary." I shuddered remembering what happened during the auditions.

"No, he doesn't. He's just not so amazed by girls who can stand up to him."

"Still. He’s scary." I looked away. That blonde hair in a bun. That mean eye brow shape. That serious face. "Really scary."