Chapter 7.3 - Lightly 3 (2/2)

Before those, within the ten or so seconds of rest time that were given thanks to the virtue of the composer or something, I thought without a stop.

Could I actually sing this?

I couldn’t in the past so would it work after coming back in time?

But… didn’t teacher Ku Mingi say it was possible?

But how…

While I was in thought with my eyes closed, memories of the past suddenly resurfaced slowly: the memory of singing alone in the bathroom.

‘In fact, singing with that body was harder than right now.’

The lesson with teacher Kwak Jungsoo.

‘He said breath was the foundation of singing.’

Memories of the practices with Han Dasom.

‘I told her to sing spherical and softly.’

The practices with Lee Suh-ah.

‘I said the first note was important.’

And Chloe’s piano that led me down the track.

“…”

With a flash, I opened my eyes and could see teacher Ku Mingi staring at me giving a nod.

I can do it.

I opened my mouth.

“Pour… mon! –”

The fifth; I forced the broken resonating chambers back up, while clenching my teeth and suppressing the trembling body, like when I was first singing with this body.

The sixth; inside that space that had been created, I passed air through it. I could feel the breath that had been built up during the past two months flowing past naturally.

“J’ai, sa! Fla—”

The seventh; screeching noises entered the voice signalling the throat was starting to ache, but it was fine. The spherical sounds softly passed by the sensitive throat.

The eighth. The first note. Let’s ring a perfect first note even if it is difficult because after that, it would come out naturally.

Like how the ground stiffens after rainfall and like how the injured skin would form a scab. Just like that, my song carried itself step by step.

“Militai—”

The ninth. Seeing teacher Ku Mingi’s chin dropping slowly as he continued the accompaniment, I grinned.

Right, it’s still not perfect, sir – I could tell myself. This ugly, rugged song, just like a piece of pebble kicked around the walkway.

But even then.

After a lot of polishing, then at least…

Wouldn’t I be able to take a step further than the past?

*

“Ha…”

Collapsing onto the table, I heaved out a deep sigh and thought back on what had happened.

Teacher Ku Mingi. I felt it from a long time ago but he indeed wasn’t an easy person. After I finished Pour mon âme, perhaps he had been shocked because it was so bad, he sat silently for a while before saying,

“…There you go. You can do it can’t you”

“Yes! As expected of you sir… Even I didn’t know I could sing it so how did you know? I can only say that you’re great…”

“…Kuhum. It’s all instinct. Then shall we try other songs?”

After that, I sang a few other songs before the lesson came to an end. Although I did learn a lot thanks to that, it felt like my throat was in a pretty bad condition.

“Huu…”

Heaving out a deep sigh, I rubbed my neck on the table and felt the cold feeling being carried over. As expected, this is the best when the throat hurts. Ah… blissful…

After relaxing like that, I glanced around the surroundings and saw the wooden, wide floor with a few cushions and sofas located here and there, as well as a few round tables. This was on the fifth floor of the main building, and it was like a resting place for freshmen students to come to when they wanted some rest.

Was there even a need to make such a place… As expected of Future Arts High, they made it and yet didn’t even tell the students about this place. After getting closer to the upperclassmen, they would find out that it was a place called a ‘lounge’ but that wouldn’t happen until later.

Thanks to that, my friends and I who knew about it beforehand were the only ones enjoying this place… Lying down on the table and just turning my head, I asked.

“Why are you studying here”

“It’s loud inside the library.”

With a nonchalant reply, Lee Suh-ah flicked through the pages of the book. She wasn’t having any rest despite the mid-sems being over. Hearing the sound of the pencil running across the paper, I opened my mouth.

“Thanks.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Although it might be sudden, I learned a lot while practising with you. I just wanted to say thanks.”

“…Why all of a sudden”

Seeing Lee Suh-ah avoid eye-contact from perhaps embarrassment, I smiled. Although it was out of the blue, it indeed was something to be grateful for since this child who treasured her time so much practised with me for me.

Like this, there were lots of things to be grateful for in this world. With a happy smile, I was smiling when Lee Suh-ah opened her mouth after throwing a glance at my face.

“Coming back after practice?”

“Un. Isn’t it about time for you to know that my lessons are always during this time?”

“Why do I have to know t… Did you catch a cold?”

Lee Suh-ah turned her gaze towards me with a start and made a frown. At the same time, her volume went up and appeared to be either surprised or angry. I stared back, curious as to why she suddenly said that but realised from the ticklish pain in my throat.

Ah, my voice was strange due to the sore throat huh.

“It’s not from the cold and I just have a sore throat from the lesson.”

“You scared me for a second.”

Right, I was scared too.

With a few ‘ah’s, I was checking my voice when a laugh left uncontrollably.

“Hey isn’t my voice really good right now?”

“…It’s not a cold but there seems to be a problem with your ears. You should hurry and go to a hospital.”

“No but like, my voice is really low.”

“Yeah yeah.”

Then, I made a uwah~ sound and copied a bass when Lee Suh-ah broke into a grin.

“Ah, seriously. So dumb.”

After staring at me once, she searched through her bag before taking something out and handing it. It was circular and hard in texture – a throat lozenge, the same brand as before.

“Didn’t I say the throat was the instrument for opera singers~?”

“…You did. Thanks.”

Receiving it readily and throwing it into my mouth, a cold smell of mint spread through my throat at once.

Haa… I’m being healed.

While enjoying that feeling I let out a breath when Lee Suh-ah opened her mouth after throwing several glances at me.

“Hey. By the way the practices…”

Uuung.

“Wait. I think it’s my phone…”

Taking my phone out, I checked and it seemed to be a message from Yu Minji-sunbae.

[Yu Minji: Available rn?]

What did this even mean?

[Sorry, what?]

[Are you free right now?]

Free huh… I guess so because I was done with the lesson. Tilting my head, I sent a reply and another message came straight after.

[Practice room. Come]

I felt a slightly ominous premonition.