Chapter 4.7 - Sorrowfully 7 (1/2)

I decided to come first in the prac exam but then, there was a question – a question of how.

How could I win against Kim Wuju and Lee Suh-ah in the prac exams?

“Hmm…”

The immediate answer that popped up was simple – practise hard. But practising was naturally something that had to be done and I, who was lacking, had to try harder to even have a slight chance of winning.

Another method.

There were probably a few methods but the one I chose was, ‘know yourself and your enemies and you won’t fear the result of a hundred battles’.

In other words, analysing the opponents.

“…”

Scanning at Lee Suh-ah with the eyes of an eagle, I once again read the post on my phone.

[10 sentences to grasp the hearts of the opposite gender]

With serious eyes, I etched the words into my brain and stood up from my seat.

‘Analysing the opponent’ might be a little strange with the thought that, ‘aren’t you just singing alone during the prac exams?’, but prac exams were also competitions.

In Future Arts High, the pracs were done in an interview format in front of the judges one by one. And of course, as the judges were also humans, they might get tired of the same songs or have some songs that they’re really into.

That’s why the selection of songs and the order of the interview were important. And that was also why knowing others’ prac songs beforehand would definitely be of great help during the prac exams.

Once again steeling my resolve, I lightly coughed and sat down next to Lee Suh-ah.

“Kuhum.”

Glancing sideways, I found Lee Suh-ah staring at me with eyes that said, what’s this guy doing again. The effects of the ‘Humilation Audio’ case from before was still not completely gone.

Just as I had learned from the internet, I smiled softly and started a conversation.

“Suh-ah, today’s weather’s very good right?”

“…”

Her face crumpled even more.

What’s this? It feels weird from the start?

Quickly racking my brain, I started the next pick-up lines.

“Lee Suh-ah, you’re looking good in your clothes today.”

“It’s school uniform.”

“Did you buy a new hairband? It looks good on you.”

“It’s been the same since admission though?”

“… During the concert, I heard you sing Alcina aria, do you like Baroque arias? Do you want to go to the Baroque Cafe after school?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

Staring at Lee Suh-ah stand up and leave after a scoff, I licked my lips. It said the success rate was above 72% on the internet, so why isn’t this working…?

After deep contemplation, I realised.

Ah.

Did I unluckily end up with the 28%?

That must be right, I clicked my tongue with a little bit of depression.

… And while I was doing that, Jun Shihyuk gave me a strange look.

“…What are you doing? Trying to hook Lee Suh-ah up?”

“Ah, I was curious what her prac song was.”

“Prac song?”

Giving a small laugh, he shook his head.

“Will that Lee Suh-ah say that with her own mouth? That stubborn girl?”

“I guess right?”

I also didn’t think she would easily say it and that was why I had relied on the internet but, a few words were not enough as expected. After some thought, I tapped Jun Shihyuk and opened my mouth.

“Then do you know which concour Lee Suh-ah is attending by any chance? One close to the prac exam date.”

“Concour? You’re asking me that?”

“You’ve known Lee Suh-ah from ages ago.”

“…”

After staring at me with a complicated expression, he replied with a sigh.

“…The closest one to the prac exam would probably be Korean Mozart Concour. Lee Suh-ah’s participating in it as well.”

“Really?”

Mozart.

Finding one clue, I nodded and searched through my head.

I didn’t ask about concours for no reason. Since performing arts students were so busy, they couldn’t practise that many songs in one semester. No matter how much they wanted to, they only had one body.

Therefore, there were lots of cases where those practised songs would be used economically and be shared in both the concours and the prac exams.

In other words,

There was a high chance of singing the same song in both the concour and the prac exam if they were close to another in date.

I quickly deduced.

‘Soprano, Mozart, matching Lee Suh-ah and something that can be used in both the prac exam and the concour.’

Searching inside, there weren’t many songs. Ridente la calma, Das Veilchen, Dans un bois solitaire… Succeeding in reducing the scope quite a bit, I nodded my head and said thanks to Jun Shihyuk.

“…it’s nothing.”

Saying goodbye to the apathetically replying Jun Shihyuk, I thought hard with crossed arms.

I could somewhat guess the German song… but the other one – how do I find out what the Italian song is?

*

Unlike the fussy Lee Suh-ah who would never talk about her prac songs, Kim Wuju immediately told me the songs coolly, with an attitude that talking about those things would not hurt.

Now that I had found out about Kim Wuju’s songs, I just had to know Lee Suh-ah’s other song to increase my possibility of winning in the prac exam by a fair bit.

…Thinking of those things, I pushed the doors of the lesson room open, but the atmosphere appeared a little strange. On the piano chair, teacher Kwak Jungsoo was sitting down with a downhearted expression, while teacher Ku Mingi was waving his hand with a smile next to him.

What’s this combination?

Feeling a little puzzled I stared at them but still bowed my head.

“Hello.”

“…You’ve come. Sit down.”

I awkwardly sat down when teacher Ku Mingi slowly opened his mouth.

“Were you surprised because I came suddenly? I had something urgent to say.”

“No, please don’t worry about it.”

With a glance, I checked their moods.

Two teachers in one lesson room. I’ve seen one teacher and two students before but two teachers to one was a first.

When he saw me feeling a little awkward, teacher Ku Mingi cheerfully opened his mouth.

“Don’t be too nervous. Just think of it as receiving the lesson from me today. I’ve already talked about it with teacher Kwak Jungsoo; unless you don’t want to be taught by me at all?”

The lesson?

Blinking my eyes in thought, I opened my mouth subconsciously.

“No. It’s an honour.”

Seeing me reply with some puzzlement, he smiled a little.

“You’re quite surprised. It’s not that we’re going to be permanently changing the Specialist Prac teacher and it’s just this time around because there was an important thing to say.”

“…Okay.”

An important thing…

While I was deep in thought, teacher Ku Mingi stretched his arms out.

“First, before the lesson, let me ask you a question.”

Starting off his words in that manner, he asked nonchalantly.