A different view

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-☆°☆_-_-_-_--_-_-_-_-_--_-_-_-

I went in with Ren ,another day as usualThe studio hummed with a low, comforting energy. The kind that wrapped around you like smoke and sound, thick with ambition, frustration, and raw creativity. For Korina, it was no longer just a hangout spot-it had morphed into something intimate. Safe. Familiar.

The beat of the boards, the scratch of pens, the occasional yelling over a bad take-it was all part of the rhythm now.

As she leaned against the couch sipping a lukewarm soda, Ren walked up and eyed her curiously.

"You enjoy bein' here, huh?" he asked, sliding into the seat across from her.

She smiled, resting her chin in her palm. "I really do. I think I grew into it. It's wild... never thought a studio would feel like home."

Ren grinned, shaking his head. "You a trip. Outta all the folks that float in and outta here, you the only one who came in as a guest and stayed like a damn fixture."

Korina shrugged playfully. "I guess I found my homeboys."

"Aww, now we your homeboys?" he teased. "That include Eazy?"

She smirked but didn't answer right away, choosing to sip her drink instead. Ren caught that pause. He knew better.

Just then, Dre popped out of the booth, waving her over. "Korina. Come here real quick."

She followed, stepping into the booth with him. The air inside was cooler, filled with the faint buzz of electricity and genius.

"I got a question," Dre started, adjusting the levels on the board. "You ever thought about singin'? Like, for real?"

Korina blinked. "You serious?"

"Dead serious," he said. "You got this natural tone. It ain't like Whitney or Mariah, but it's yours. It got texture."

She leaned on the board, skeptical. "Dre, I sing in the shower. That's it. My voice too soft. I don't got power like those other girls."

"You don't need power. You need soul. And you got it. I've heard you hum around the booth. I listen, Korina. Even when you think nobody do."

She looked down, caught off guard by how gently he said it.

"I'm shy, Dre," she admitted. "It's like... I don't know. I don't want nobody laughin'. Or tellin' me I sound weak."

"Nah. See, that's your problem. You think too much. What you got is emotion. You don't need to hit high notes to hit people in the chest.

You got this vibe, like Sade meets Luther vandross, but more R&B. I ain't tryna force you. Just... think on it."

She was quiet for a second. "I'll think about it. I promise."

Dre nodded. "Good. That's all I'm askin'."

As they exited the booth, Korina walked back toward the lounge where Cube sat on the couch, notebook open, chewing on the back of his pen. He looked up when she approached.

"Dre tryna turn you into a star?" he joked.

"Apparently," she said, plopping down next to him. "He thinks I got some magical vocal thing goin' on."

Cube looked at her, amused. "He might be right."

She rolled her eyes. "You tryna flatter me now?"

"Nah, just bein' honest," he said, smirking. "You got a vibe. I been peeped it."

They fell into easy conversation, swapping jokes, talking about the music they grew up on, and laughing over corny RnB or love songs they secretly liked. Their chemistry was effortless-too effortless.

Ren, across the room, saw it all. So did Yella.

"Look at them," Yella muttered, nudging Ren.

"I been lookin'," Ren said. "I know Cube smooth, but damn."

"And look at Eazy," Yella whispered.

Eazy sat across the room, flipping through old lyrics, but his eyes weren't on the page-they were locked on Korina and Cube.

He saw the way Cube leaned in when she laughed. The way her knee brushed his, how their energy bounced like they'd been vibing for years. But then... something changed.

Korina, as if sensing Eazy's eyes, turned. Their gazes locked. And then... she winked.

That small smile followed, soft and private-just for him.

It shook Eazy in a way he couldn't explain.

Ren leaned over to him. "You see that?"

"Yeah," Eazy said under his breath.

"She still sees you, man," Ren told him. "But you actin' like she gon' wait forever."

Eazy rubbed his chin, exhaling slow.

"I ain't got time for no love triangle," he muttered. "I'm tryna stay focused."

"Focused is good," Yella chimed in, "but blind? That's dumb. You like her. Don't pretend you don't."

Eazy looked back at her. She and Cube were still talking, but something in her posture had shifted. She wasn't leaning in anymore. She looked... aware.

"Do somethin', E," Ren said. "Before Cube writes a verse that make her fall in love."

Eazy chuckled softly but didn't reply.

Meanwhile, back on the couch...

"You ever think Eazy is tryna get with me?" Korina asked quietly.

Cube smirked. "That a trick question?"

She raised a brow. "Just curious."

"I think," he said smoothly, "that if I was tryna get with you... you'd already know."

Korina laughed, brushing her hair out of her face. "Cocky much?"

He grinned. "Just confident."

"You trouble," she said.

"And yet, here you are sittin' next to me."

Their laughter faded into a comfortable silence before Cube asked, "So... you like Eazy?"

Korina glanced at him, caught off guard. "Why you ask?"

"I just noticed the way you looked at him."

She didn't deny it. "He confuses me. One minute we vibin', next minute he pullin' back. I don't know where he stands."

"Maybe he scared," Cube said. "Or maybe he just ain't used to feelin' that kinda thing."

She thought on that. "Yeah... maybe."

As she looked across the room, Eazy's eyes were still on her. And for the first time in a long while, she didn't look away.

Cube had just stood up, stretching a little from where he was sitting close to Korina on the studio couch. They'd been laughing about something earlier-

some inside joke that had the whole room lit with energy. But as Cube walked off to grab a drink or maybe just give the room a little space, Docslid in, almost too smoothly, and sat down next to her.

"Damn, you stay keepin' one of us close, huh?" Doc said, half-smirking.

Korina raised an eyebrow, unsure of where he was going.

"You got Cube grinning like he in high school, and now look-you sittin' here waitin' like someone else gon' take the spot. You tryna collect 'em all or what?"

Korina's eyes narrowed. "I'm not 'tryna' anything."

Doc scoffed. "Girl, please. You got the whole studio wrapped up in you like a damn mixtape. Just be real about it. Or stop actin' like you innocent when you playin' everybody."

She leaned away from him slightly, her face changing. "You don't know me."

"Nah, I know your type." Doc leaned in a bit too close. "All cute, got a voice, hangin' with rappers like you tryna get put on. Just say you a studio slut and be done with it."

Korina's breath caught in her chest-not from shame, but from rage.

Before she could even say anything back, a voice cut through the moment. Hard. Sharp.

"Yo, watch your fuckin' mouth."i know you drink but whatch what you say nigga"

Eazy stood across the room. He hadn't raised his voice, but the tension in it was cold and real.

Yella turned. "Man, I'm just speakin'-"

"You talk like that again, and you gon' find yourself speakin' to the wall. Fall back."

Yella held up his hands like it was a joke, then stood up and walked off, mumbling something under his breath. Eazy didn't watch him leave; he just came over and sat down in Yella's place, right next to Korina.

He didn't say anything right away. The silence was weird. He kept glancing at her, but not saying much. His face was unreadable-part guilt, part suspicion, part... something else.

"I didn't ask him to say all that," Korina finally mumbled.

"I know," Eazy replied quietly.

She glanced at him. "You still think I'm messin' with Cube?"

He didn't answer right away. Just looked ahead like he was watching some invisible screen.

"It's not like that," she said, softer this time. "We talk. He's cool. That's it."

"You winked at me yesterday," he said suddenly.

She laughed a little, caught off guard. "So?"

"I'm just sayin'... you got me fucked up."

She smirked and bumped his arm. "Good."

They both chuckled a little. It wasn't full peace, but it was something close to a truce.

Then his tone shifted, just slightly more open. "You really down for this? Bein' around us like this?"

Korina nodded. "I didn't expect it, but yeah. It's messy sometimes, but... I kinda like the chaos. Y'all are like homeboys at this point."

Eazy raised a brow. "Homeboys, huh?"

She grinned. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

That made him laugh again, more real this time. Then his voice lowered a bit.

"Y'know... I ain't good at this. Talkin'. Showin' I care. But when I see Cube around you, laughin' and smilin'... I don't like it."

Korina tilted her head, surprised. "You jealous?"

He exhaled slowly. "Maybe. Or maybe I just don't wanna lose a chance before it even becomes something."

Her voice softened. "Then don't waste the chance."

Before he could respond, the studio door creaked open. Michel'le stepped in, her voice high and familiar as she sang something under her breath.

"Hey y'all," she said brightly, looking around.

Eazy sat back a bit, and Dre came walking in right behind her, his energy already slightly tense.

"Oh, Korina," Dre said, gesturing toward Michel'le, "this is Michel'le. She's on the label now."

Korina stood up and smiled politely. "Nice to meet you."

Michel'le tilted her head. "You the one hangin' with Cub awwe and Eazy, right?"

Korina gave a quick glance toward Eazy, who was now rubbing his forehead, and then back to Michel'le. "I guess you could say that."

They talked for a moment-briefly-about music, about Korina being around the studio, but Dre kept pacing, clearly annoyed.

"Michel'le," Dre cut in, "can you run those vocals again in the back for a minute?"

She looked at him sideways. "Again?"

"Yeah," Dre muttered, half under his breath. "You dragged half a damn paragraph last time."

Michel'le rolled her eyes and walked off, humming sarcastically. Korina looked at Dre, who just rubbed his temples. "I swear she got talent, but Lord... she don't listen."

Korina sat back down beside Eazy, both of them watching the hallway Michel'le had disappeared into.

"Studio stay wild," Eazy muttered.

Korina nodded. "Yeah. But this kinda feel like home now."

He turned to her, studying her for a moment.

"Then maybe I'll stop tryna push you out."

She smiled gently, finally feeling something she hadn't in a while-understood.

And this time, the silence that followed wasn't awkward-it was comfortable.

Dre had Michel'le back in the booth, already looking like he was one deep breath away from cussin' somebody out. He pressed a few buttons on the console, playing the instrumental he'd been working on earlier-something softer than usual, smooth, almost dreamy. It lingered in the air like smoke, a low-key backdrop to the studio tension.

Michel'le adjusted the headphones and was just about to speak when Korina, standing by the mixing desk, said under her breath with a small smirk, "Damn... no pressure."

Michel'le cut her a quick side-eye. "Excuse me?"

Korina looked over, calm. "Just sayin'. You got that pretty voice-don't let it crack now."

Michel'le blinked, then gave her a tight smile. "Cute."

Dre didn't bother with the drama-he hit the talkback. "Aight, we rolling. Don't fuck this up."

As Michel'le started singing, the beat filled the room, wrapping the walls in a warm, almost nostalgic rhythm. Korina, over it already, drifted away from the booth toward the couch in the back.

Eazy was already there, legs spread like a king on his throne, puffin' on something and looking like he hadn't a care in the world. He didn't even glance up when she sat beside him-just kept nodding to the beat.

"She already don't like me," Korina muttered, leaning back.

Eazy smirked. "That's 'cause you too fine and don't kiss no ass. That mix fucks people up."

She snorted. "You think everything's about looks, huh?"

He finally turned to face her, eyes low and slow. "Nah. Just yours."

She rolled her eyes but didn't move. "You always talk like that?"

"Only when I mean it," he said, licking his lips. "You sittin' next to me like I ain't been thinkin' 'bout this shit all week."

Korina side-eyed him. "What 'this shit'?"

"You," he said flat. "Talkin' to me. Smilin' like that. Lookin' like that. You already fuckin' up my focus."

"You ever think maybe I'm just sittin' here mindin' my business?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "And I'm tryna mind it with you."

She laughed. "You so full of shit."

Eazy leaned in slightly, voice dropping. "Maybe. But I'm still tryna take you out."

Korina blinked. "Like... on a date?"

"Like on some real 'let me show you I ain't just talk' shit."

She hesitated, searching his face for the usual playboy grin-but he was dead serious.

"Shit," she mumbled. "You got girls for this already."

"I don't want them," he replied. "I want you. Let me take you out."

She chewed on her lip for a second, then nodded slowly. "Aight. One time."

He grinned, eyes lighting up. "That's all I need."

She laughed again, softer this time. "We gon' see."

The music still played in the background, like it was made for this moment-something warm, smooth, full of possibilities.