Exams End, Familiar Beats Begin

[Yu Jeuni] - I have no idea what I was thinking - But give me back my guitar anyway - I need to pack up and prepare to move back home, so I'll come pick it up after that's done - At least I have a place to go now. Thank goodness. She's planning to stay at the Apgujeong family home for a bit, then go independent again later. She's a real spoiled princess. I arranged to meet Yu Jeuni later once schedules lined up. Menhera... total madness... I used to like those otaku menhera characters, I think. But they're flaky by nature, and she's so self-willed it's impossible to pin down. What a hassle. More precisely, it's like having an immature big sis that's too much to handle. Her actions make no sense, but I can't just ditch her—my heart won't let me. It's a waste, too. Makes me wonder if my family felt the same looking at me. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Feels like mirror therapy. The mirror therapy expert. Fake menhera gets schooled by Dr. Yu Jeuni.

The morning Yu Jeuni woke up clutching her throbbing hangover head. I sent a casual reply and got ready for school. July at Hanseong Arts High School is a truly brutal month. As soon as it hits, major performance exams kick off, followed by final written exams the very next week. This hell is set to unfold in just days. Because it's the end of June now. Is everyone going insane? Students in short-sleeve uniforms wailed like zombies.

"Daechwaaaat!!!"

"This can't be happening!!!"

In this death march schedule, students' strategies were mostly the same.

"Just dump the finals."

"All-in on performance."

"Smash a cake in their face even if it's not their birthday."

"?"

"Just rhymin'."

Classic selective focus. The rationale was ironclad.

"If we were gonna study hard, we'd have gone to a regular high school, not arts."

"True, makes total sense."

"Oho."

"But you confident about nailing performance?"

"Ah."

"Aaaah."

"Save me."

Moans erupted from every corner of the classroom. I wasn't an exception. Swamped to death. Super busy youth. Honestly, high school curriculum isn't that tough. With past-life knowledge, a quick refresh does it. And I studied hard back then. Ugly, friendless kids had nothing better to do during breaks. The real issue? Performance exams.

Oof. That's brutal. I went through it at entrance exams, but prepping right after regressing to 3rd year middle school was pure cramming. It's been just over a year now, but same deal. What do exams demand? In simple terms, the fundamentals of being a musician. Or harmonic completeness.

"Why did you use this chord progression?"

"It just looked cool, and you enjoyed it too, teacher."

Bzzt. Fail. (Math cram school vibe) You need theoretical backing. I'm a baseless composer—no roots. Sure, I've studied hard post-regression. But habits and inertia stick. I know it intuitively; justifying it theoretically is the hard part.

Meanwhile, Kang Saero seemed deep in exam worries too. Classroom filling with arriving students. She raised a limp hand from her desk for a morning greet.

"Hey, Kim Seryeon."

"Whoa? Long time no see."

"Yeah."

A weak smile from Kang Saero. We're classmates, but mornings like this are rare. She holes up in practice booths otherwise.

"Taking it easy today. Feeling off."

"Watch for AC sickness. Throat goes out during exams, no meds save you."

"Not that, just tired. It's fine...."

Probably fatigue buildup. Her voice drooped uncharacteristically. Then she sat up, facing me.

"How're you prepping performance? Composition needs original songs?"

"Yep."

"Whoa. So next after Blue Lemon Sky?"

"Don't usually release exam songs as tracks."

"But Blue Lemon Sky was basically an exam song."

"Fair point."

Blue Lemon Sky's massive hit jacked up classmates' expectations. What's Kim Seryeon's next? Beat the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠charts again? Collab with Ji Soeun? Get a real idol topper. Mostly nonsense. I'm just prepping normally now.

"This one's different—piano-focused harmony check even for original. Entrance-level stuff, not for immediate release."

"Boooring...."

Kang Saero pouted.

"Can't you just crush it with pure composition skill? Chart #3 composer should smash school exams."

I stood, tapping my harmony book.

"Teacher asks why. No rationale? Instant points off."

"Oh right...."

Almost hit back with "You're chart #3 vocalist too?" but she's too wilted for teasing.

"You really sick?"

"Nah, just tired. No worries."

"Preemptive cold meds?"

"No, not that."

"That?"

"Yeah."

.....Ah. Got it. That time of the month. Better leave her be. Slipped away to read harmony.

A few weeks later. Week 2 of July. Exams done. Kang Saero declared triumphantly.

"I'm fully revived."

Kang Saero bounced back at peak condition. Vocal exam judges were all moved. Explains the overflowing confidence.

"You, Kim Seryeon? Nailed it?"

"Eh, decent."

I had a tougher week.

"Huh? How?"

"Like saying 'persimmon taste' so it's a persimmon...."

"Right, that's point deduction."

"Push the keys, it's obvious."

Kang Saero peered thoughtfully.

"Kinda fascinating."

"What?"

"You know it all intuitively but can't explain theoretically."

I met her gaze. Thought she was mocking my score. But her voice and face were dead serious.

"That's real genius territory."

"But I score decent anyway."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"?"

"Crushed harmony in a week cram."

"What?!"

"Not perfect, but top ranks. 1st-year level isn't that deep."

Again, I'm good at studying. Friendless since past life. Who beats a kid with nothing but books?

"Finals? Three wrong."

"No way!"

Kang Saero must have tons of friends. She gawked at my self-score.

Exams over for me. Yu Jeuni finished moving. Staying at Apgujeong home, pondering next steps. But she hasn't shown at my studio.

Excuses. Third time dodging. She's avoiding it hard. True menhera—psychology's a mystery. I eyed the guitar in the studio corner. Sell it on the cyber market? Kinda get it. Past life, composing was a drag for me. Yet I couldn't quit. It was all I had left. Hoped someone'd stop me. But who abandons a guitar? Childish. The guitar leaned against the wall like it was weeping for its owner. Three more days, then new home if she ghosts.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Meanwhile, I've got work. School buzzing post-exams. Hyped Kang Saero grilled me.

"So, composer Kim Seryeon, whatcha up to?"

Full interview mode, chasing scoops. Time to spill future plans.

"Beats."

"Beats? Wasn't last one band-sound J-pop?"

"Can't repeat. Genre switch this time."

I glanced around slyly, whispering low. Kang Saero scooted her chair close, intrigued.

"Hip-hop then."

"Yeah. Star's Birth is hot, but audition shows peaked."

"Ah. Show Me the Money 2? Inspired?"

"Kinda."

Late 2010s now. Recent Show Me the Money 2 finale sparked a frenzy; charts flooded hip-hop. Trend-chasers gotta dip in. Old-school was bald-heads, hard beats, hard raps. Now emotional hip-hop rises: bright, dreamy beats. Autotune. Easy-listen sound. I know future trends—composer's ultimate cheat.

"Gotta ride this wave."

"Ooh...."

Kang Saero nodded eagerly. Worried her, so cautiously added,

"But secret, okay?"

"Why? Hip-hop shame?"

Almost said yes, held back.

"Image thing."

Plopped phone on desk, played work-in-progress beat.

"Anyway, listen."

"Mm."

Beatmaker staple 808 bass rhythm. Dreamy intro. Kang Saero closed eyes, focused—tilted head after 3 seconds, frowning.

"Hey, Kim Seryeon."

"Yeah."

"This plagiarism?"

Bingo.

"Sounds just like Neon Blue. Tears of Courage? Fast-forwarded, pitched up."

"Right?"

"......?"

Perplexed by my reaction, Kang Saero just blinked.