Chapter 7.5 - Lightly 5 (2/2)

“That’s because I wanted to put in enough tension in the song~”

“…Alright, but in the middle, I found the composition of chords was in a mess…”

“That’s just a subjective matter isn’t it? You could say it was in a mess but you could also say that it had a jumpy charm to it. Or perhaps are you saying it is completely wrong?”

“…That’s not what I mean.”

“If you’re finished, should we go over to the next group?”

Looking at Yu Minji’s upset expression, I let out a small sigh. Since they were at similar levels, there weren’t many things she could point out and even if there were, they were all easily blocked.

“Wait for a second.”

I gave a nod to Yu Minji who stared at me with a sullen expression.

Let me try.

Yu Minji returned a nod herself before opening her mouth.

“Our group’s performer has something to say.”

Hearing that, I stood up from the seat and looked at the wide classroom. The second-grade upperclassmen had curiosity in their gazes about the fact that a performer was providing feedback, while enjoying the war of nerves between us, as Kim Sukwon wore a frown over to the side.

“Oh really? A performer? Aren’t you a freshman from the opera department?”

“Yes, I am.”

He crumpled his expression.

“And yet you want to point out something from the song against me, a composing major.”

“No.”

I replied with a smile.

“It’s just feedback.”

“…Good. Go ahead.”

Seeing him folding his arms, I once again went through a simulation of what would happen. Would this work? No, it would, and I had to make it work. After a deep breath in, I slowly let the lure down.

“You know the highlight part in the middle. The ‘For you~’ part.”

“Right.”

“The… beat there was wrong.”

“What?”

After twitching his eyes, Kim Sukwon looked around, seemingly wanting to check whether he heard correct. Checking the confused looks on the surrounding faces, Kim Sukwon’s expression changed rapidly.

From befuddlement to doubt and…

A smile appeared in full.

“What? Beat? Puhahat! Y, you’re saying I got the beat wrong? The basic of basics? This guy’s a funny one. Kuhup.”

“No, I meant the performer got the beat wrong. Don’t tell me you didn’t realise it?”

With a smile, he clapped his hands.

“Oh really? I didn’t hear a single bit though? Can our dear junior of the opera department share with us exactly where it was wrong?”

Good.

Making a smile inwardly, I walked up to the stage. I saw Kim Wuju standing at the front of the class, with his eyes closed, wearing a smile.

…I felt a bit sorry for him. Fortunately I did hook Kim Sukwon up and change the focus of the topic but…

After standing at the spot, I signalled to the accompanist politely, and he began playing.

“This accompaniment. It’s a 3/4 time signature right? While the melody is a 4/4 time signature.”

“And?”

“So they should only coincide once in 12 beats but just then, they met twice inside one frame of 12 beats. That’s why it wasn’t good to hear.”

“…What?”

“In other words, the beat was wrong.”

When I turned my gaze at him, Kim Sukwon made a confused expression before crumpling his expression once again.

“What a joke. Do you think I wouldn’t have been able to catch that? If the beat was wrong, it would’ve been obvious.”

“That’s… because it was done ‘too well’.”

Looking at the side, I found Kim Wuju tilting his head, questioning where he was wrong. Right, to say it was wrong, it was too nice to hear, because he went over that intertwining part with a trick.

A trick that muddled up the beat.

For opera singers that separated one syllable of ‘dang’ into ‘da’ ‘a’ ‘ng’ to make it easier to sing, it was a pattern used like a habit.

But sometimes, the standard ways sounded better than tricks.

Taking my eyes off Kim Wuju, I asked for another accompaniment with a gesture, and matching with the accompaniment, I went in immediately before the problematic part.

“For you–. This is how Kim Wuju sang just then.”

When I turned my head, I found puzzled expressions looking at me, curious as to where the problem was at.

“That was wrong just then?”

“I don’t think so.”

“What is he saying”

After staring at the rowdy people for a bit, I gestured again for the same accompaniment. I could hear the gently flowing piano accompaniment and this time, a bit differently, I went in faster ever so slightly.

“For you–. This is the correct beat.”

In that instant, the class turned quiet.

“Uh…?”

I could see upperclassmen blinking their eyes in shock. Right, of course it would feel different. The charm of this song was the slight mismatch of the melody and the accompaniment and yet he went over it with a trick, leaving it rather tasteless.

But, if we performed it honestly, it could result in a more beautiful sound, which no-one could deny.

“Right?”

“…Wait a second.”

After going through the music sheet, Kim Sukwon stood frozen and couldn’t say a single word. He was probably surprised because I got it exactly right with the score.

“This is… his mistake. It was him that made the mistake!”

Staring at the sunbae who was stuttering his words, I gave him feedback.

“Yes a mistake. Of course performers can make mistakes, but before you said you didn’t know he got the beat wrong.”

“…”

“You didn’t know the fact that he got the beat – the basic of basics – wrong, despite being the composer yourself?”

I was watching his expression crumple when teacher Ahn Kibum made a satisfied smile from the corner where he was sitting in.

“Right. Those are correct words. A composer should take responsibility for his own song and if the performer was wrong, he should at least go over that like how our freshman student had done. Do you understand, student Kim Sukwon?”

“…That…”

“I’m asking whether you understood or not.”

Teacher Ahn Kibum was openly pushing Kim Sukwon to a corner, seemingly not happy about his actions before. In front of the situation that had been suddenly turned, Kim Sukwon replied while biting his lips.

“…Yes.”

After glancing at him, teacher Ahn Kibum turned his gaze towards me.

“By the way…”

He then asked with a flicker in his eyes.

“How was it possible for you to discover such things?”

Un?

What was this about?

Blinking my eyes, I tilted my head and replied.

“Sorry…? I could just tell after listening to it.”

“Haha. Are you teasing the seniors here that couldn’t tell after hearing it? You don’t have to be nervous and you can just say it.”

“Umm… That…”

I could feel the gazes gathering on me at once – gazes filled with curiosity asking for me to share the secret method.

‘There is no secret method though.’

…Suddenly, I felt like I could somewhat understand the feelings of the boy who cried wolf.

I was just pointing out the wrong beat and even if you asked me how I knew that…