Chapter 10.1 - Act 10: D.C. 1apt (1/2)

Act 10: D.C. 1

Bidding farewell to my parents, I walked towards the hall along with Han Dasom.

It was nearing the end of August. Around this time when the intense heat of summer was starting to die down, the school welcoming its opening ceremony of the new semester was painted in green.

The overgrown grass in the gardens, the noisy cries of the cicadas, the short trees densely packed before the fences and its rustling leaves supplemented the lively conversations of the students.

Within all that, Han Dasom walked in a seemingly joyous manner.

Despite her usual calmness, she was oddly enlivened and her arms being swung around appeared light. Her expression remained dignant perhaps to hide those emotions but her lips were unconsciously raised so it was very obvious that she was happy.

Observing all that with enjoyment, I started a conversation with a grin.

“Did something good happen?”

“Nn…?”

“Because you were smiling.”

Hearing my words, she widened her eyes and touched her lips to check before giving a bashful smile.

“I see…”

She didn’t even know she was smiling, it seemed.

Curious as to why she was so happy, I abruptly threw a question at her.

“Did you go somewhere interesting during the holidays?”

“No. I stayed at home everyday…”

“…Right, staying inside is the best on days like this. Even if you go out on a vacation, it’s just going to be steaming hot.”

She made a mysterious smile and turned towards the front, at the students moving to attend the opening ceremony. Staring at the kids laughing and enjoying themselves, Han Dasom finally opened her mouth.

“It’s just that, I thought of the admission day.”

“Admission day?”

“Back then, I walked through here as well…”

As if responding to her words, the wind trembled the leaves as they rustled.

Admission ceremony…

Staring at the front, I smiled. I could understand what she meant because thinking back, it really did resemble one another.

During the admission day, it was crowded with students walking towards the hall. Besides, even though it was the first day of high school, there were already people talking excitedly with their friends because most of the students in Future Arts High were from Future Middle School.

I remember watching the blanched plum flower petals falling over them from the back.

“Because I didn’t know anyone, I was walking alone…”

“Yeah. I was too.”

Since Han Dasom was from a normal middle school, she was most likely the same as me. Thinking about how I lonesomely carried my feet towards the hall and sat alone only to find the seats next to me remaining empty…

‘I really didn’t know where to start.’

I was buried in my memories when Han Dasom, who had been walking next to me suddenly turned her face towards me.

Her fluttering hair caught my sight.

Within the bright summer sunlight and her dense, lustrous black hair giving off a bright shine while being scattered away by the wind, Han Dasom opened her mouth.

“But now… I’m walking with Yunjae…”

“…”

A warm smile surfaced on her face.

“I just liked that.”

Halting my feet, I watched her and slowly, I met my eyes with hers with a smile. Staring into those dark pupils with a hint of a warm brown light, I felt a lump in my throat.

“…You’re right. We were alone but now, it’s the two of us.”

“Nn.”

For a bit I stared at Han Dasom letting the words ‘hehe’ out with a smile, and soon turned back towards the front.

Future Arts High which will soon be welcoming the new second semester and for some reason, I had a hunch that something good would be happening.

*

The students gathering at the hall soon divided up and formed their own groups.

First grade, second grade and third grade students, in Music, Visual Art and Dancing departments all sat amongst their groups as the groups further classified down to piano, opera and violin departments.

After sitting next to each other, they excitedly talked about everything that happened during the holidays and during that, a few students started to sit around Han Dasom and I.

“Ohh Yunjae. How was your holiday?”

“It was alright.”

Noh Jusup placed his arm around my shoulder and smiled. Since it was my first time seeing him after a month, it felt rather nice but it seemed that his extremely carefree attitude still remained.

With those thoughts in mind, I smiled when Noh Jusup opened his mouth with his head tilted.

“Wait? It feels slightly higher. Did you get taller?”

Taller?

I tilted my head and tried to think of the past.

Indeed, if I remember correctly, I think I started getting taller around this time and from the current height – slightly lower than 170, I grew till I was around 180cm.

“Yeah, maybe I’m going to get taller soon.”

“Kukuk. Even then, you’re never going to reach my height.”

Shrugging my shoulders, I continued talking with Noh Jusup until the start of the opening ceremony was upon us. One of the teachers walked up and blabbered as the ceremony continued on in an orderly fashion.

After listening to a long speech, we sang the school song.

As expected of a performing art school, its school song was quite catchy and although it was my first time singing it in 20 years, it still came out naturally.

Soon, most of the events finished when the principal walked up to the front of the stage with his sparkling head. Then, he started giving a preach.

“Eh… I wish every student with us today will devote themselves to their studies… in this second semester… of Future Arts High.”

Barely stopping myself from the urge to sleep that immediately assaulted me, I blinked my eyes and listened to the principal’s words in one ear and let it out through the other.

Even if you did well during the first semester, you can’t be arrogant and if you did bad, then you should try harder… After saying those rather obvious things, he talked about the upcoming event, ‘Prac High-achievers Concert’ and its details.

He talked endlessly about things the students already knew about before suddenly giving out an empty cough and glancing over us.

Then, he opened his mouth again with a serious look.

“Also, during the second semester, in order to grow new talents for the Conducting Department which has regressed over the years, we will start giving utmost support. In other words…”

After that, he started going over the benefits with a resolute tone.

Support in school fees, scholarship and teaching support… Just by listening it appeared great and it was a significant support that made me question the reasons behind it.

‘Although the conducting department has fewer students… is it okay to do so much?’

No matter how much money the Future Foundation has, that still seems like a waste of money though.

Thinking that, I stared at the front as Noh Jusup who had been dozing off to the side opened his mouth with a big yawn and opened his heavy eyelids.

“Huaaam… is it still not over?”

“Yeah.”

Noh Jusup looked forward with sleepy eyes while scratching his hair before turning towards me.

“Aye. Fell asleep after listening to the High-achievers Concert part.”

“It’s alright. He didn’t say much after that.”

“That’s good.”

He scratched his stomach and stared at the principal’s neverending preach for a while before opening his mouth.

“Oh yeah, you’re doing the Prac High-achievers Concert as well right? How’s the practice goin’?”

“Practice…”

Blankly looking forward, I thought.

Practice.

I did practise and because I matched Elf King with Chloe once, it could be said that I was in a perfect condition.