Chapter 4.1 - Sorrowfully 1 (1/2)
“Did you hear…?”
“Of course. I actually recorded it…”
“It was so good…”
The tenor’s chorus part had ended. While massaging my throat, I observed the surroundings and it was filled with gazes full of admiration. A girl joyfully holding onto a recording tool; a girl staring with blank, dreamy eyes and a boy starting a conversation saying he was baffled…
With the listener being me… not… it was Kim Wuju who was standing right beside me.
“Wuju, is it okay for me to record as well?”
“Un.”
“Let me take care of it.”
The appearance of receiving lots of recording requests appeared like a fan meeting. As the students put forth their recorders, Kim Wuju’s helper placed them in several places with experienced movements. She must’ve done it a lot considering her fast hands.
Seeing all that happen, Noh Jusup made a frown.
“Why are they like that all of a sudden? So abrupt.”
“Kim Wuju’s good after all.”
“I mean, he was good since the admission so why are they suddenly like that…”
Noh Jusup complained while looking at Kim Wuju in a seemingly jealous manner. After staring at the girls whose eyes were dropping drips of honey, Noh Jusup mimicked Kim Wuju in a cringey tone before being hit by Han Dasom to a stop.
Shrugging my shoulders I turned my head away. Well, there was nothing wrong with Noh Jusup’s words but I could understand their attitudes as well. Most students gathered here have come due to their love in music so feeling admiration close to a fan in front of someone good at performing was pretty normal.
And on top of that, the solo from the Improvement Concert.
They had heard a song at a level different to the half-hearted choruses – a solo with all of Kim Wuju embedded into it. Considering that Kim Wuju was previously not from Future Middle School, it was nothing to be surprised at.
Likewise, Lee Suh-ah and Chloe that had shown overwhelming performances on Kim Wuju’s level were also being showered by likes. Of course, not all of them approached with pure hearts.
With a glance, I could see some students of the Composing department show their faces from outside the classroom.
“…Are their lessons not over yet?”
“Why do they finish so late?”
The composing department. Their faces visible through the windows were apathetic, with no fan-like atmosphere at all. It felt slightly bitter when I thought of those people approaching Lee Suh-ah and Chloe. I understand that composers need to find outstanding performers to present their songs but still…
To clear up the rowdy atmosphere of the class, teacher Ku Mingi clapped and concluded.
“Everyone, you know that the first Concerted Music prac test is coming up soon right? The groups that have yet to hand in the songs please do so. To groups that fail to hand it in 1 week before, there will be deductions in marks. Then let’s stop today’s lesson here and don’t forget to practise. Oh right and…”
The gazes of the students gathered towards the teacher. After stopping his words, teacher Ku Mingi glanced around the students before eventually slowing down and stopping at one place.
… It somehow feels like he’s staring at me.
While I was glancing around to check what was around me, the teacher opened his mouth from within the quiet classroom.
“Can student Jo Yunjae see me for a bit?”
“Sorry?”
With a start, I looked around but his gaze towards me remained unchanged. He smiled and ended his words.
“Please visit the staff room.”
“Uh… yes.”
“Then.”
After dropping a bomb, he left the room. I could feel the chattering opera department students gathering their gaze towards me.
“Isn’t it the first time teacher Ku Mingi has called someone to the office?”
“Who was that again?”
“He’s the one singing every day with that girl over there.”
“Ah, that…”
It felt rather weird as I had no idea why he wanted to see me. There was nothing I’ve done wrong and I haven’t shown off during class either. After some thinking, a spark of thought sprang past my head.
Ah, is it regarding that time when he said he would give a few lessons to me? Is it because I didn’t give him a reply…?
I suddenly felt a chill travel down my spine. Did I perhaps ruin the mood of the great senior opera singer, Ku Mingi? No way, right…
But he didn’t say anything after that so I thought we had gone over it, and I couldn’t walk up and ask for it either. I was organising the thoughts in my head when Noh Jusup tapped me.
“Did you do something? Don’t tell me you told him a dad joke as well?”
This guy… how long is he going to use this thing for? When I turned over, I could see a happy, smiling Noh Jusup.
“…No, back then with Lee Suh-ah, the atmosphere was rather stiff so I wanted to ease it up a bit…”
“What stiff atmosphere? Who was the one that threw a wet framed-image-blanket on the atmosphere huh?”
“It was actually pretty funny though right?”
“Okay~ next old man in line please.”
“You!”
Hearing the word ‘old man’ made me feel a little flushed. I chased after the running Noh Jusup for a while but it was indeed difficult with this body. When I came to a stop to regain my breath, Noh Jusup approached with a grin, and after glancing at the surroundings for a bit, he shoved at my shoulder with a smile.
“Hey but from the teacher’s expression, it shouldn’t be anything major. Just go.”
“…Right.”
…It won’t be anything major right?
*
Creak.
As I opened the large wooden door, the door hinges softly creaked in welcome.
“Excuse me…”
When I carefully pointed my head in, I could see the inside of the staff room. A warm afternoon sun shined brightly onto the room. There were white high-class walls, wooden tables placed with exact distances in between, blue dividers separating the compartments and few vases here and there.
The staff room which I hadn’t seen in a while was still in a relaxed mood. After greeting the teachers nearby I searched for teacher Ku Mingi and moved my steps.
Teacher Ku Mingi is… ah right there.
I carefully approached as the teacher appeared in full. He was focusing on something with his glasses on.
Standing in front, I observed the teacher for a bit.