Chapter 8.12 - Act 8: Lively 12 (1/2)

Act 8: Lively 12

In Future Performing Arts High School, they always invited a marker from outside the school. A person from outside who would evaluate the students was needed because if it was only done with teachers inside the school, things like connections could result in a subjective evaluation.

The head of SJ Opera Company, Han Seungjoo was one of those examiners that had been invited to mark.

“That sixth student… his name was Kim Wuju right?”

“Yes. Student Kim Wuju from the first grade.”

When the test for the sixth student was over, Han Seungjoo stared at the closing door and broke into a dumbfounded laugh.

“Hah… a first grade? Him? Pretty sure he was singing La Danza just then?”

“He’s the pride of our school.”

Seeing the teacher full of smiles, Han Seungjoo shook his head with an empty laughter.

The song which that student had sung was none other than La Danza by Rossini which was one of the most difficult Italian art songs.

Baffled, he once again thought back on Kim Wuju’s song; the seemingly crazy tempo and fabulous techniques within resurfaced in his mind.

The never-ending continuation of triplets seemed to knock his eardrums out.

As if he was rapping, the fast pace of lyrics ‘danced’ beautifully and fiercely fell down. That difficult song was digested by Kim Wuju who made it look easy with a smile.

Actually, if it stopped with him digesting it, his evaluation would’ve also stopped with just the mere thought of ‘great’, but Kim Wuju had sung a completely perfected song.

La Danza which seemed to have been sung by a professional opera singer, or perhaps a bigshot above average professionals.

It was near the level of Pavarotti…

In the middle of such thoughts, Han Seungjoo clicked his fingers.

“Right, now that I think of it, it was extremely similar to La Danza sung by Pavarotti.”

“Was it?”

Han Seungjoo watched the teacher next to him tilting his head before giving a nod. The more he thought back on it, the more it seemed correct – Kim Wuju’s song was definitely similar to Pavarotti’s.

The far-reaching vocalisation, the pronunciation ending in little bounces and the beat unique to Pavarotti’s style.

If he were to play a video and compare the two, they would be like a pair of same cogs, without any difference. Realising that, a light of admiration appeared in his eyes.

Kim Wuju, was it.

The practice methods he undertook was evident. He probably heard Pavarotti’s La Danza dozens and hundreds of times, as that level of perfection would otherwise be impossible.

Besides, that smile he always had while singing was impressive.

He had an expression that seemed to be truly enjoying singing as well as a perfected song that could never be any closer to perfection. That child would most likely be living his life without thinking about anything unrelated to songs.

It felt like it had been a truly long time since Han Seungjoo had seen a person so immersed in music.

“Ha…”

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

That’s why it was fun.

Just by listening to the song of that student called Kim Wuju, it felt like his reason for coming here was 99% fulfilled. It was always joyous to see the passion of youths.

Like that, he was smiling in satisfaction as his eyes caught sight of the door being shoved open.

“The seventh student is…”

The teacher that had been slurring the end of his sentence stiffened his expression after seeing the face of the entering student. With curiosity, Han Seungjoo looked sideways and heard the teacher whisper with a sigh.

“Jo Yunjae… unlucky that he’s straight after Kim Wuju…”

“Unlucky?”

“I, it’s nothing.”

Staring at the teacher’s expression that seemed to find it regrettable, Han Seungjoo shrugged his shoulders before returning his gaze back to the front.

Jo Yunjae, was it.

He could see a boy with a build small for an opera singer. With his hair tidied up, he wore an ironed school uniform. Although he seemed somewhat similar to that child called Kim Wuju, he seemed different at the same time.

“Hmm…”

Unlike Kim Wuju who, for some reason, always had a smile, his expression was stiff and serious.

Was he nervous?

Thinking that, he looked into the eyes but the deep, sunken gaze he gave off was rather impressive and did not seem like a high schooler of his age.

But then again, the passionate steps he took were the same as Kim Wuju’s.

What kind of song would he present?

Smiling, Han Seungjoo met his eyes with Jo Yunjae.

*

Following the guide down the corridor, I slowly looked forward at the long corridor that had a line of lamps on the walls. The bulbs shedding light onto me were like gazes falling onto me and I felt slightly burdened.

Forcing those feelings away, I closed my mouth and reminded myself within.

Confidently. Let’s sing confidently.

Believe

In myself

When I did so, I could feel the dark shadows encroaching my heart slowly dissipating.

“Huu…”

Thinking back, maybe this was my first time…

After letting a breath out, I thought back. It most likely was around the time when the song presentation had ended.

The gazes looking at me – the feeling that I was the target of that strange expectation was something I had never felt before in my life.

And that expectation was a lot heavier than I thought.

The eyes of the teachers were different. Their gazes seemed to be saying something; they had good will for no reason and said they were looking forward to the prac test.

It was something to be grateful for, but at the same time, it suffocated me.

“I heard he’s good.”

“Who, Jo Yunjae?”

“Yeah. I heard he beat Kim Wuju during the song presentation as well.”

I was scared.

Scared of the future when the thin paper of falsehood placed over me would eventually disappear.

I was in fact no-one special. I was just a disgusting old man putting on airs at a high school with only age to back it off. I was just a pathetic person who would be revealed after some time.

Now, I was somehow deceiving others with my abilities from the future but when it was revealed – when teacher Kwak Jungsoo, teacher Ku Mingi, Lee Suh-ah, Kim Wuju, Han Dasom and everyone that knew me discovered my true self,

What was I supposed to do then?

I was unconsciously trembling from those thoughts, until just then.

“…”

However, I realised when I saw Han Dasom.

The dark, introverted Han Dasom who hadn’t even been in my memory.

And yet in this life, she peeled away the hair covering her face and started brightly showing off her talent.

She wasn’t the only one.

I was now close enough to bicker with Lee Suh-ah, who I had never talked to before and Kim Wuju also enjoyed listening to my song.

Chloe, Song Mirae and everyone that knew me became different from the past.

In that case, maybe I could change myself.

No, I will change.

Although I was slyly using an underhanded tactic… I will practise harder to cover for that, so that the efforts of others would never be denounced because of me.

Strongly I held onto the knob and pushed it wide open.

“Hello. I’m Jo Yunjae, the seventh in number!”

When I brightly greeted, a person who appeared like one of the examiners nodded his head with a faint smile.

“Nice to meet you, student Jo Yunjae.”

Glancing at his face, I realised he was a male around 50s. Half of his hair turned white and he had a round chin.

It was my first time seeing him… ah, was he from outside the school?