Chapter 8.5 - Lively 5 (2/2)

*

The day after that day when I barely escaped the principal’s hands, the results of the song presentations were announced, with the ranks hanging on the main dashboard of the school website.

Our group had received resounding full marks.

It was a result I had been somewhat expecting because the markers weren’t very stingy on Improvement Concerts. Besides, since our group had no points to deduct on in terms of the song quality, harmony between performers and song expressions, it could be said that receiving full marks was an obvious result.

I knew about the marking criteria beforehand, so it wasn’t that difficult to tackle.

On the other hand, Kim Sukwon’s group stopped at 89 points. Although the song itself was okay, there was disharmony between the accompanist and Kim Wuju as expected. In addition, because of the performer’s attitude of ignoring the intentions of the composer and playing whatever he wanted, Kim Sukwon had marks deducted instead.

You reap what you sow.

I was thinking that it served him right while staring at Kim Sukwon’s scores when a shadow appeared above my desk.

“What you doing?”

When I raised my head up in response, I saw Jun Shihyuk’s face.

Why was he talking to me all of a sudden?

I tilted my head and looked up when Jun Shihyuk coughed once before stealing a glance at me.

“You did quite well during the song presentations. Good job.”

“Un? Thanks.”

“Kuhum. Um…”

After rolling his eyes around a bit, he opened his mouth.

“Did you listen to my song?”

“Your song?”

I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but after some thinking I slapped my thigh. Ah right, he presented on the same day as well right?

Since I wasn’t in the right mind, I didn’t get to hear it. Feeling somewhat sorry, I replied with an awkward smile.

“Um sorry… I didn’t hear it. There were so many things happening that day so…”

“…”

Behind Jun Shihyuk who became frozen, the door was shoved open.

“Everyone! Please sit down!”

After entering the room lively, teacher Kang Heewon glanced at us and gave a grin.

What did she bring for us today…?

I heaved out a sigh because of the ominous premonition that always followed the teacher’s entrance when she opened her mouth.

“Guys, you remember the UCC Contest we had last month right?”

It’s already been a month huh. While listening to her speak, I nodded my head when she suddenly started clapping with a smile.

“Today! The results of the contest have been announced! And besides, the winner of that contest is in our class!”

“Ah.”

Perhaps because they had been somewhat expecting it, the students were rather apathetic in their response.

Well, it was possible to check by just going on youtube after all. After touching several buttons on my phone, I could find a video of Han Dasom and me which had more than 300k views.

…It was more popular than I thought.

When I moved to Song Mirae’s channel which I had subscribed to, a video with around 10k views greeted me. If they put their own faces as the thumbnail, there would’ve been at least several times more views and yet they put some strange school scenery on it…

I was contemplating why they would’ve done that before soon coming to a realisation.

It’s Song Mirae after all.

I was nodding my head when teacher Kang Heewon called us up and gave the prize as well as the ticket. There was a piece of paper with the prize written on it as well as two stiff tickets.

“This is the prize – the ticket for the ‘Tosca’ opera~. It’s on next week so apply for leave and go watch it!”

“Yes.”

Carefully, I grabbed the ticket and slowly read through it.

‘Tosca’ by Puccini.

A performance, by La Stella.

“Kya…”

With a joyful heart, I read that name and carefully placed the ticket inside my pocket.

It was La Stella – one of the top opera companies in Italy. To think that I would receive an opportunity to directly watch the performance of a large scale opera company of bigshots!

Han Dasom seemed happy about going to see the opera as well and was grinning bashfully.

Seeing that face, I made a bright smile.

The veteran actors of La Stella.

If I observed them well… wouldn’t I be able to grasp clues about ‘embedding emotions’ which was making a slow progress?

*

“Hmm…”

Kwak Jungsoo stared deeply at his phone. On the large screen fitting his large hand, a youtube video was being played on it. A male student sat opposite a female student and they were singing together.

It was the video of Jo Yunjae who had been his disciple.

“…”

He was watching the two perform with a smile when an old man sitting next to him tilted his head and asked.

[What are you watching?]

[Ah, it’s a video of my disciple.]

[Oh, is it that disciple who you complimented so much on? Let me have a look as well.]

When Kwak Jungsoo handed the phone over with a faint smile, the old man received it and appreciated the song with a few nods. After nodding his head in line with the beat, he made a smile.

[Good. I can feel the love he has towards songs. You have a good disciple.]

[…Thank you. Sir.]

Kwak Jungsoo was happier than when he himself was complimented.

It was quite natural in fact because the legendary tenor of Italy, his teacher who he respected so much had acknowledged his disciple. The old man watched Kwak Jungsoo with a smile before tilting his head.

[But this friend; is he walking the path of popular music? I thought for sure that he was an opera when I heard it from you…]

[No. He’s an opera major.]

[Uun?]

The old man blinked his eyes before giving a nod.

‘An interesting person’, thought the old man.

According to Kwak Jungsoo, he was a genius of songs – a genius with extraordinary expression skills and learning speed, as well as the ability to steal his vocalisation method through self-study.

Is it because of those talents that he could sing popular music so casually?

After some thought, the old man raised his head and stared at Kwak Jungsoo.

[Oh, right. You’re done with preparing for the performance right?]

[…Yes, but, are you really sure I can stand on the stage?]

[This again? I know your skills better than anyone else, and I’m telling you that you can easily stand on the stage.]

[…You should have told me earlier.]

[Huhu. Didn’t I? I said that we required a tenor urgently right?]

The old man then looked outside the train at the scenery a bit, before opening his mouth.

[Besides, wouldn’t it be easier to touch the hearts of the people if the performance was done by a native of that country? Well, just think of it as paying for the lesson fees and all the meals you ate at my place.]

[Okay.]

Within Kwak Jungsoo’s pupils reflected on the window, memories of the past resurfaced.

Spending time in Italy, while receiving lessons again from his teacher who was the foundation of his vocalisation method and learning how to instruct others.

Thinking back on those times, a thought suddenly popped up in his head.

Did he now have the qualifications to teach a disciple?

“…”