Chapter 10.7 - Act 10: D.C. 7 (2/2)

Wearing a wide smile, she whispered.

“It reminds me of the prac test…”

“…the prac test?”

She who had been slowly twirling her finger around my nail raised her head slightly and faced somewhere distant. Her eyes scanned past the wall as it travelled across and settled in one direction.

Her gaze stopped at the prac test venue, as her eyes seemed to be staring at the blazing competition held a month ago.

“Back then, Yunjae had the same expression… it didn’t look happy… it was a heart-wrenching look…”

Pressing hard on her own chest, she murmured softly as memories buried somewhere deep slowly began rising up.

Back then… right. Before walking into the venue, I became nervous in an unsightly manner. Although it was because I had to sing straight after Kim Wuju, even then, I was trembling too much.

I only came to myself after Han Dasom talked to me like today – like what she had done for me today.

“The prac test back then… we did it well right…?”

“…We did.”

Han Dasom looked into my eyes as her large eyes bent beautifully.

“I’m sure we can do it well again… right?”

“…”

Like the surface of water rippling after a drop, a single thought spread towards every corner of my brain. We can do well – it was a straightforward encouragement with not a single strategy or promise behind it.

But even then, a smile sneaked past my lips.

“Fuh…”

The smile that resembled an empty laugh increased with every shake and soon turned into a rippling tide overwhelming my heart. My lips raised themselves up as my diaphragm vomited laughter, raising and lowering itself as it pleased. In the midst of all that, my head that had been muddled with complex thoughts became clear and pleasant.

“Huhhuhu. Right, let’s try our best. I’m sure we can do it well.”

“Hehe.”

I found her bashful smile to my liking.

Yes, what would change even if I contemplated on the unlikelihood? Even in the prac test, a strategy was somehow formed so this time around, maybe I would be chosen during the interview unknowingly.

A strategy to beat Kim Wuju – let’s build it up one by one. With a smile, I thought and decided to reach out towards Han Dasom as the first step.

“First, let’s form an alliance.”

“Nn…?”

Seeing her widening her eyes into circles, I nodded.

“An alliance. You need to beat Lee Suh-ah and I need to win against Kim Wuju and Jun Shihyuk. So, let’s ally ourselves up and practise together.”

She stared at my hand reaching out for a handshake and tilted her head before looking back into my eyes.

“Do we need to…?”

“Huh?”

Don’t tell me she was going to refuse it? I hadn’t even thought of that as an option.

I was stiffened for a short while due to the unexpectedness when Han Dasom smiled with faint dimples showing next to her lips.

“Even if we don’t…”

Her warm hands started slowly enveloping my hands.

“I’m always on Yunjae’s side.”

A warm wind breezed around us two.

*

With her eyes on Han Dasom and Jo Yunjae whispering to themselves, Lee Suh-ah rested her chin on her hand.

“…Concert…”

“…Yeah…”

Recently, she couldn’t help but steal glances at them.

There wasn’t a particular reason for it – she was just bored, or had nothing to do during the short free time before her practice lessons. It was like staring forward blankly in a train when someone happened to sit in front. Right, it was that kind of coincidence.

…Making those excuses to herself, Lee Suh-ah observed the two and seeing nothing unusual happening, she turned around. Then, she could see Song Mirae and Chloe having a conversation.

“Chloe is a prac high-achiever as well, yeah? Then did you get a separate segment for the Subscription Concert?”

“Yes. The teacher said she would give me one later.”

“I’m so jealous… I want to stand at the front as well.”

With a downhearted look, Song Mirae repeatedly whispered “Seoul Arts Centre… I want to be the protagonist…” before suddenly raising her head and facing Lee Suh-ah.

“There’s no other choice! I should get vicarious pleasure by having our Suh-ah be at the front~”

“…Is that how it works?”

“Nn. If my friend goes up, it’s good for me as well. Hihih.”

Seeing Song Mirae hugging and rubbing her face on her arm, Lee Suh-ah broke out into a grin and turned away.

“There’s Dasom as well. I might lose.”

“Eyy~ Han Dasom? Although she’s a liiittle bit better these days, she can’t be compared to our Suh-ah!”

“…Ehew.”

Heaving out a sigh with a little mix of a smile, Lee Suh-ah shrugged her shoulders.

Well, putting aside herself and Han Dasom, she was quite curious about the competition between male opera students.

Kim Wuju who felt like an insurmountable wall.

Jun Shihyuk who isolated himself in practice rooms these days.

And Jo Yunjae hiding something.

“…So during my cousin’s wedding, Yunjae came and…”

“Huhuh. This is the song we practised together during the holidays!”

Who will win, I wonder?

Listening to the chatters of Chloe and Song Mirae with one ear and letting them out through the other, Lee Suh-ah closed her eyes.