Chapter 63
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Curtain Call
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It was over.
The musical [Pestinasion Hotel], which we'd rehearsed every day for two months straight for the comprehensive evaluation, had finally drawn to a close.
I hurried down from the stage.
A sense of relief washed over me that we'd finished without any mistakes, mingled with that bittersweet feeling of accomplishment.
On top of that, I'd been busy trying to calm my chest, which was swelling with emotion from stepping onto a stage for the first time in ages.
I simply let myself feel the moment fully, without a word.
When I glanced to the side, Song Ha-na wore the exact same expression.
Her eyes and face were still flushed red from the tearful acting in the final scene.
Seeing her like that made me chuckle for no reason.
"Good work."
"You too."
Song Ha-na gave me a slight smile in return.
That's when a voice butted in abruptly.
"You guys were really great. I almost teared up at the end there myself."
Kim Sun-woo approached and spoke up.
And it wasn't just him—kids from the musical team started gathering around one after another.
Of course, they weren't coming over to congratulate us for nailing our final performance.
The stage for the comprehensive evaluation wasn't quite over yet.
There was still the final bow after the show.
Curtain call.
All the students who'd performed today clustered together backstage for the curtain call.
It was a long-standing tradition at Cheongyeom Arts High for everyone to go up on stage and bow to the audience after the musical and evaluation.
"Once I give the signal, Team 1 goes up first. Then follow the signals in order."
We listened to the staff's instructions and waited.
Zing—
The curtain, which had closed after our performance, reopened.
At the same time, the sound of polite applause from the audience drifted in.
"Team 1, please head up."
At the cue from the stage staff, the first team—including Lee Cheong-ha and Kim Sun-woo—went up together.
The scattered applause swelled into a roar, mixed with cheers.
Even though it had been hours since their show ended, seeing the actors reignited the emotions from watching it.
Part of that was no doubt due to how memorable their first performance had been.
And so, team by team, they went up on stage in turn for their curtain calls.
Finally, it was our turn.
"Team 6, get ready."
My team, Team 6, was next.
Before heading up, we lined up in formation backstage.
Song Ha-na and I stood side by side at the very back.
I couldn't even remember the last time I'd done a curtain call like this.
It wasn't for a solo show, just a simple bow to wrap things up, but the emotions felt fresh all over again.
My heart pounded just as hard as it had before going on for the actual performance.
But for a different reason.
Before the show, it had been mostly nerves.
Now, it was excitement, far more than tension.
When was the last time I'd stood for a curtain call?
Even counting back to before my regression, years had flown by.
"Go up!"
At the stage staff's signal, the actors at the front began ascending the stage one by one.
I took a deep breath, still not fully settled, and stepped onto the stairs.
The teams who'd gone up before us had spread out to the sides, clapping for our team as the last to arrive.
Bathed in that warm applause, I headed to the center of the stage.
And right in the middle of that center stood me, the protagonist of the musical.
The blinding lights, and the packed audience seats that had been shrouded in darkness during the show.
Clap clap—
Wooo—!!
That was the best—!
An overwhelming wave of applause and cheers poured down from hundreds of people.
I could say without a doubt—this sensation was entirely new.
Even after becoming an adult in my previous life, I'd rarely stood before so many spectators.
Back then, even when I'd been on this school's stage, I'd never played the lead, of course.
The audience's fervor made my body heat up.
The surging emotions made the tip of my nose tingle.
Bow—
At the signal, every actor on stage clasped hands and bowed ninety degrees to the audience.
When I lifted my head again, I was grinning ear to ear without realizing it.
In a soft murmur no one else could hear, I whispered,
"Thank you. Really... thank you."
***
"Everyone, please drop off your questionnaires at the entrance on your way out."
With the curtain call finished, the actors all retreated backstage once more.
Now, truly, the Cheongyeom Arts High musical and the first-years' first-semester comprehensive evaluation stage had come to an end after hours of performance.
The area in front of the mid-sized theater was swarming with students pouring out.
They gathered in groups of twos and threes, heading back to the dorms while unleashing all the chatter they'd held in for hours.
"Same year as us? That guy's acting was insane."
"Yeah. Made me proud to be at Cheongyeom."
"Cheongyeom addict, huh."
"What's the name of that guy from the first show, the male lead?"
The students who'd stuck around for hours to watch were leaving without a hint of fatigue, still buzzing excitedly about the performances.
Plenty were talking about Kim Sun-woo's first performance.
Even though we'd reminded everyone during the final curtain call, for their show to still be on people's lips like this despite being first—it was impressive.
But today's star was someone else.
"That last show was insane... I almost cried."
"Almost? You did cry. Lee Do-hyun, right? That guy's expressions were killer. He looked so evil, but I just wanted to hug him...."
"Huh? Why's your face red?"
"Shut up!"
The others teased their screaming friend mercilessly.
Then it devolved into talk of getting snatched by Darius or becoming a live sacrifice since you're not an elf.
And with Darius came mentions of the bard.
"Moon Woo-hyuk killed it, right? With that physique alone he's a beast, and his acting was top-notch too."
"His dad's actor Moon Kang-hyun. Of course the talent runs in the blood."
"The story itself was just so fun. They should make it a movie."
As expected, the last performance—the one from today—was the one everyone was talking about most.
High risk, high return.
[Pestinasion Hotel] had flipped the risks of the final slot and reaped the rewards.
It left a deep impression on the students, successfully capping off the semester with a dazzling finale.
Meanwhile, the mid-sized theater wasn't exactly quiet even after the students had cleared out.
"They said this first-year class has historic talent, and it wasn't hype."
"Yeah, really. All six shows were excellent."
The teachers, standing at the front of the now-empty audience seats and chatting, were deep in discussion about the musical they'd just seen.
"Our kids... aren't they a bit too good?"
Han Hyo-jin muttered, her face lit up with excitement.
"You must be thrilled, huh, Ji-woong?"
Han Hyo-jin poked Huh Ji-woong in the side—the one-on-one mentor for Do-hyun, who'd given a stellar performance today—and asked teasingly.
Today, even her usual jabs didn't feel off-putting at all.
Ji-woong felt good but played it cool, glancing at her as he replied.
"And your face looks pretty satisfied too, Teacher."
Han Hyo-jin—truth be told, she was over the moon because Moon Woo-hyuk had shone.
No need to say it out loud.
Nothing to hide.
When your student's a star, of course you're happy.
"Obviously. Wasn't it a stage worth being satisfied with?"
"Yeah. They all worked so hard."
Han Hyo-jin didn't bother hiding her feelings.
Jung Hye-seon nodded in agreement, showing her own satisfaction.
"Let's go. The kids are waiting."
Ji-woong agreed without argument today.
He even cracked a rare slight smile before heading to the waiting room where the musical team awaited.
Han Hyo-jin and Jung Hye-seon followed behind, still heaping praise on the kids.
***
"Uwaa! It's finally over!"
A booming shout from Woo-sik echoed through the waiting room as we returned after curtain call.
His voice, louder than ever with perfect projection, sparked cheers from everyone in the musical team.
All the shows were done—no turning back now.
Sure, no one wanted to dwell on any mistakes or worry about grades right now.
It was the thrill of finally being free from the crushing pressure and stress of the comprehensive evaluation stage after two months.
Who else but the musical kids?
Before long, someone cranked up the music in the waiting room, and things turned into a full-blown dance party.
Some of them definitely wouldn't pursue musicals later.
But these were kids who could never fully hide their talent for it.
Had I been like that before my regression? I wondered briefly.
One thing was clear: I couldn't pull that off now.
"Aigoo, Uncle Do-hyun. You absolutely crushed that stage today."
As I quietly watched the cheering group with an uncle-like smile,
Woo-sik sidled up, draping an arm over my shoulder.
Where'd that near-death look from earlier go? He was back to his cheeky self already.
"You did good too. Your acting was solid today."
"Really? Whoa, my uncle's giving me props?"
At my one compliment, Woo-sik's eyes sparkled as he asked.
I could tell he'd improved a ton since the start of the semester.
Guess all those brutal joint workouts and study sessions had paid off.
I started to nod in agreement when I heard my name.
"Do-hyun!"
Lee Cheong-ha came over too.
I'd been about to nod at Woo-sik but quickly turned to her with a grin.
Couldn't help it.
Truth was, she'd grown way more than Woo-sik.
"Lee Cheong-ha, you were amazing. When'd you get so good at acting?"
Woo-sik clung to my shoulder like What about me? but I ignored him.
I'd been dying to tell her anyway.
Watching her stage today confirmed it—she'd improved massively.
Her stage fright seemed almost completely overcome too.
Broadway really isn't for just anyone.
Her singing had always been top-tier from the start, and from today's show, her acting looked solid now too.
"Really? Hehe. I feel like I learned a ton this time."
Lee Cheong-ha beamed, delighted by the praise.
What about me? What about me? Woo-sik whined, hanging off me, but I glanced toward Kim Sun-woo instead.
He was chatting with Moon Woo-hyuk and Song Ha-na, wearing his usual smile.
He'd no doubt played a huge role in Lee Cheong-ha's big growth spurt.
Thanks, man.
Just then, the waiting room door opened.
"Good work, everyone."
Huh Ji-woong, Han Hyo-jin, and Jung Hye-seon entered.
"You all put on great shows today. As your homeroom teacher, I'm proud of the performance you gave."
What was this? Ji-woong praising us in front of everyone.
His face was still stoic as ever, but the kids were flustered by his compliment.
"But the semester isn't over yet. You all know finals are next week, right?"
Boo—
There it was.
Classic homeroom teacher move—Ji-woong immediately brought up the finals.
Sure, plenty of us weren't sweating the exams much, but dropping it at this timing?
So very Huh Ji-woong.
"Ugh, Teacher, why bring up exams here?"
As the groans erupted, Han Hyo-jin finally stepped in front of Ji-woong.
"The comprehensive evaluation rankings will be announced next Wednesday, the day finals end."
The teachers would be swamped over the weekend sorting the rankings.
It was a crucial part of our semester grades, so no cutting corners.
Han Hyo-jin scanned the gathered kids.
"Don't think about anything today. Grab some late-night snacks, have fun. Alright, dismissed!"
Wooo!
Amid the kids' explosive cheers, the Cheongyeom Arts High musical and first-years' first-semester comprehensive evaluation finally came to a close.