Chapter 8.5 - Lively 5 (1/2)

‘What in the world?’

Song Muntak stared at the student before him with a dumbfounded look. The student in front who had a height reaching up to around 170cm gave off an old man-ish vibe and had a yellow nametag on his clothes.

It read, Jo Yunjae.

Looking at him like this, he appeared like an extremely average student of the Future Arts High – just one of the hundreds of students. And if he had to give him another title… it would be that he was a student whom teacher Ku Mingi was taking note of.

He had decent singing skills but showed off a great ability in learning various vocalisation methods. However, all of the above couldn’t explain what had happened today.

With squinted eyes, he stared at Jo Yunjae and opened his mouth.

“Good job on your performance today.”

“Uh… Thank you.”

Behind Jo Yunjae who bowed with a confused look, Song Muntak saw a blonde female student tilting her head. She had the same yellow nametag.

He twitched his eyebrows.

‘A freshman student called Chloe, was it.’

It was a student he obviously knew because even without considering the fact that she was a rare foreigner, she was the top student of the piano department.

Because of the things he had heard beforehand from Song Mirae, he had some expectations for her from this performance. However, she was already good so how much more could she have improved?

That strange expectation had changed drastically after seeing her perform. It had changed to a surprise which he had not been expecting.

‘This is like a maestro’s piano…’

Song Muntak thought back and the song that had been sung by the three back at the concert hall was still vivid in his ears. The duet that resonated sorrowfully… or rather, the trio.

Right. It would be correct to say that the piano was also singing. The ultimate level a pianist was looking for – the stage of performing ‘as if singing’ had been grasped by that frail girl.

“…”

With his mouth firmly shut, Song Muntak stared at Jo Yunjae and could see him quietly trying to comprehend the situation.

Jo Yunjae.

Song Muntak had already checked the students he had touched.

A student called Han Dasom had risen up to be one of the top sopranos of the freshmen from the very bottom, while Chloe had reached a level that was unthinkable for a high schooler and Song Mirae who had been ignoring his words; stubbornly holding onto the position of a soprano had finally found her place.

…This much was already an enviable nurturing ability but after hearing the performance today, Song Muntak had no choice but to shoot out of his seat immediately.

Song.

Of course, the song was good because Yu Minji was a trustworthy talent.

However, he could tell that the three beautiful melodies with different colours mixing into one had definitely been touched by a veteran. Yes, a veteran. Without a ‘conductor’ who understood songs deeply and researched heavily for a long time, that song would never have been made.

That performance was only made thanks to understanding the timbres of everyone and fixing subtle expressing skills and habits. Then, who had led the practices and who had harmonised the song into one?

Yu Minji?

Song Muntak who hadn’t felt that from the previous presentation finally looked deeply at Jo Yunjae.

“…How did you guys practise?”

“Sorry? Ah… It was usually us three practising together.”

“I knew it.”

“?”

He let out a smile while touching his chin as excitement filled him up to his throat. Although he acted calm, he was in a great turmoil inwardly due to this unbelievable talent.

Song Muntak quickly imagined Jo Yunjae’s future in his head. After receiving his full-on support, Jo Yunjae would grow into a perfect ‘conductor’. He would become a conductor of the stage who could discover the talents of dozens of members at once and bloom them perfectly while weaving their songs into one.

People would call a conductor like him,

‘A Maestro’.

Imagining that he himself would be able to make that future happen, Song Muntak felt like his head was boiling. He quickly grabbed Jo Yunjae’s shoulders and shouted while letting drops of saliva fly.

“You. Let’s go to the conducting department.”

“…Sorry?”

“I’m saying you should be a conductor!”

“???”

*

“I’m saying you should be a conductor!”

“???”

Dumbfounded, I looked forward and saw the principal’s flushed face which resembled a boiled octopus.

…What was happening right now? Like, seriously. What on earth was happening?

I stood still blankly before quickly organising my thoughts.

Uh… right. Today was the song presentation of the composing department. I sang as a performer and received a lot of applause because the song seemed to have been a success.

The end.

…No matter how much I racked my brain, the only thing I did today was singing and yet the principal was grabbing me with overexcitement and babbled on and on about how I should be a conductor.

Good at sing = conductor.

I, who could not find any connection between the two was in serious puzzlement.

“Me? A conductor? Why?”

“Why?? You’re asking me why? Of course it’s because you need to be a conductor!!”

“…I like singing though?”

“What?”

As if he had heard utter nonsense, the principal scratched his ears before holding me again and trying to persuade me.

Why would you sing; you are a talent that must be a conductor; you could be the best conductor; follow me; I won’t hold back anything to support you…

Hearing the endless fall of sweet suggestions, I soon lost interest.

Being the best conductor and receiving unconditional support.

But so what?

After some thought, I opened my mouth apathetically.

“I will sing.”

“Right. That’s a good choic… what?”

Seeing the principal dropping his chin, I formed a faint smile because I felt slightly amused.

“I want to sing after all.”

This was my honest feeling.

Thinking back, I had always been the same. Because I wanted to sing, I had entered this school and because I wanted to sing, I practised like crazy. Because I wanted to sing, I tried hard and because I wanted to sing, I gave up on singing.

But now, having come back in time, I did not want to give up.

It won’t be easy for sure. Becoming someone who could sing ‘ their own songs’, and not as a jukebox of an ensemble was way too difficult in opera.

Only the truly skilled ones that had gone through several tests could make a living while singing their own songs.

‘Right. Like Kim Wuju.”

Staring at Kim Wuju standing far away, I vowed to myself. To stand on the stage where only geniuses could get on, I had to jump over a genius.

“…Alright. Although I don’t know why you’re so obsessed with the opera department… hnn? Where are you looking at?”

Song Muntak tilted his head while looking at me and soon followed the end of my gaze. His eyes that slowly turned over finally reached Kim Wuju and suddenly widened. It seemed like he was startled.

…Why was he like that?

Curiously, I observed where he was gazing at and found a familiar girl standing in front of Kim Wuju who was standing off at a distance.

Song Mirae.

When I saw Song Mirae giving a smile with her slanted eyes facing me, I suddenly felt a chill running down my spine.

Ah, don’t tell me…

Don’t tell me he’s thinking that I vowed to sing while looking at her…

“…”

But of course, soon, the principal’s vicious expression entered my eyes.

“No, this is…”