Chapter 2.6 - Bit by bit 6 (1/2)
A relaxed afternoon.
Within the room filled with the aroma of coffees, there were 20 or so opera teachers of freshmen.
Twenty.
Considering that there were twenty students in the opera department, it was quite an interesting number. Slowly raising the cup of coffee, Ku Mingi slowly observed his surroundings.
Famous sopranos, tenors, baritones, mezzo-sopranos… the small room had gathered the best opera singers of the country.
The 1:1 differentiated lessons that Future Performing Arts High School was proud of. This was the result of trying to realise that fame, which had thus gathered the best group of educators. Facing all these intimidating teachers that didn’t allow others to look down on them, Ku Mingi gave out the usual pleasantries.
Thanks for taking care of the school affairs for the week after admission, and thanks for the great work etc.
After all of that had been done with, the meeting slowly proceeded.
“Now, should we talk about next concours?”
Concour. Hearing that word made the gazes within the teachers’ eyes to change.
“First off there’s the [Korean National Music Concour] that’ll be held quite early. When was the application period until?”
The teacher sitting nearby quickly continued from there.
“18th of March. Around 2 weeks from now.”
“Have you asked the opera students whether they’ll be participating or not?”
“We have received the list from the homeroom teachers.”
“What about other concours?”
“We have finished asking for their applications for the important concours – the Spring and Autumn Concour and the Future Central Concour. We have printed it out already.”
Receiving the list of participants, Ku Mingi glanced across it and gave a nod.
A long list of students as well as a table for the concours next to them. The ticks next to the names showed what kind of concours they would be participating in.
At least two and sometimes three or four ticks were there. While he had been going through the packed list of ticks, a strange blank space suddenly entered his eyes. Those were clean without a single blemish.
Jo Yunjae.
Glancing at that name, Ku Mingi asked with a confused tone.
“Jo Yunjae? Why did this student not apply for anything?”
A teacher nearby shrugged his shoulders.
“Not sure. I found it weird as well and asked several times but he said he’s definitely not participating.”
“Huh…”
“Not applying for anything?”
Murmurs spread across the staff.
“Not attending any concours? Don’t we fund for them if they need it?”
“I said we could pay for it but he still said no.”
“Haah…”
Ku Mingi thought while tapping on the desk.
Concour.
A place where executants would gather to compete with their skills, and one of the few stages where students were allowed on. While normal students entered university with their scores and exams, performing arts students entered universities with concour awards and interviews.
Therefore, concours were naturally packed with competitiveness with everyone striving to attend.
‘And yet none…’
What was the reason – did he have no confidence? Or…
Was this kind of stage not enough for him
Ku Mingi was once again interested in this student. After touching the name Jo Yunjae with his fingers several times, he concluded the talk.
“Jo Yunjae… Well it’s his decision. Perhaps he’s thinking of entering from next semester.”
“Hmph.”
A teacher sitting in the corner gave a scoff as if he found it not to his liking.
It was a teacher with a bandit-like and mean face, Kwak Jungsoo. He was a tenor that had started off from this year. Thinking of these Ku Mingi observed him with interest.
“Ha! Students should be trying to gain at least one more stage experience, and yet he is scared. Not even planning to go out to a concour? How could someone like this sing?”
Soprano Hong Yoojin that had been sitting next to him calmed him with a tap.
“Ay Jo Yunjae. To be honest, it’s indeed hard to receive an award with his skills. It’s at least better than attending and ruining the school’s reputation. Good at reading the situation at least.”
“But young ones should at least have some ambition…”
After murmuring, he took out a snack and bit on it while Ku Mingi slightly changed the course of the conversation.
“In any case, we should be able to expect lots from this concour. Kim Wuju and Lee Suh-ah… First place in male and female opera is pretty much a given.”
“Yeah. It really is no joke from what I saw during the lessons.”
After some friendly conversations on the future possibilities,
A sensitive topic was brought up.
“Oh yeah did Lee Suh-ah and Kim Wuju already choose their Specialist Prac teachers?”
As soon as those words ended, a fierce glaring showdown started between the teachers.
Lee Suh-ah and Kim Wuju.
The geniuses that had been famous ever since their middle-school days. When students reached this level, it was the students choosing teachers not the other way around. It was because being the teacher of a student that will definitely be successful was like having their own fame promised.
The greedy teachers tried to egg others out.
“I don’t know. I don’t think they’ve registered yet.”
“I wonder if someone has already promised them…”
Hong Yoojin replied with a smile.
“Suh-ah decided to do it with me. We have some connection since middle-school days.”
“Ah…”
It was evident that the female staffs had become depressed.
Lee Suh-ah already had been picked.
Then Kim Wuju…
The male teachers all stared at Ku Mingi who had the best career within the male staff members.
“Don’t tell me you’ve gotten in contact already during your Concerted Music lessons?”
“Let’s not play that cheap right?”
As if enjoying those eyes filled with caution, Ku Mingi sipped his coffee before opening his mouth.
“I’m sorry but I’ve already talked about it.”
“This…!”
“Not to Kim Wuju but to another guy.”
“Sorry?”
A little uproar was created.
“You’re teaching someone other than Kim Wuju?”
“Was there someone like that from the boys?”
“Jun Shihyuk is quite good but… not as much as Kim Wuju.”
The names of male opera students came one after another. Jun Shihyuk, Kim Dongsik, Noh Jusup… slightly enjoying at that name that was never mentioned.
Ku Mingi made a smile.
“There’s someone with a timbre I quite liked, you see. Jo Yunjae. I wanted to teach him.”
The teachers all made dumbfounded expressions.
“Jo Yunjae? That last place guy?”
“There wasn’t much to his timbre either…”
“You passed Kim Wuju and picked him?”
“He was indeed quite skilled at SRMD.”
In response to the last sentence, the teachers’ eyes all gathered towards Kim Chulsoo, the teacher in charge of SRMD. Startled by the falling gazes, he quickly opened his mouth.
“Uh… from what I saw from the test results, sight-reading was pretty much full marks with music dictation at full marks. When I actually taught him there wasn’t much for me to teach. He was well over university level.”
Good at SRMD?
The teachers had strange expressions on and all shook their heads.
“Even then, it’s just SRMD.”
“There’s no real connection with singing.”
“Teacher Ku Mingi is quite odd at times.”
Tap tap.
Ku Mingi concluded while tapping the table.
“Now, let’s leave Kim Wuju’s case to himself and let us just focus on our task. I’m sorry for getting in contact with Jo Yunjae beforehand.”
“Ay, there would’ve been no-one who wanted to be in charge of him so we are thankful rather.”
He made a lazy smile.
“Well, who knows, if the previous last student could come first?”
“What?”
“Wouldn’t that be exciting then?”
Silence.