Direction
"Uh..."
"You wanna do it, or you don't?"
Choi Iseo chided Jeong Hyeona, who was taking forever to respond. Yoo Seoha stared at her with a sullen expression. What was her real opinion, anyway?
"No, it's like... um... hard to explain, but I kinda feel iffy about it."
"Iffy how?"
"Well, if you guys really wanna do it..."
"If we wanna do it?"
"I could go along with it."
Seoha's face was pure bewilderment. Iseo looked the same.
"You don't wanna do it, but if we do, you'll join in? What the hell is that?"
"Uh... something like that? I don't really wanna, but if you guys push for it..."
"So basically, unnie doesn't wanna. But if everyone else does, she'll tag along. That it?"
Hyeona nodded at Iseo's summary. Iseo gave her a complicated look.
"What are we supposed to do with that? Do it or don't? If we say no here, it's over—no show. If we say yes, we do it. Right?"
Hyeona nodded again.
"Isn't that just having no opinion at all?"
"No, it's not that. It's a negation... but a weak one."
Seoha's offhand mutter made Hyeona speak up.
A weak negation.
Ha Suyeon crossed her arms and eyed Hyeona.
"What about the song, then?"
"The song?"
"That otaku anime tune we're practicing. Even if we scrap it, you against the gig overall?"
"Uh..."
Hyeona hesitated at Suyeon's question.
"No, we've practiced it—we gotta play it~! Honestly, I formed the band 'cause I wanted to perform that one someday."
"Huh?"
Iseo blurted it out, while Seoha reflexively shot back in disbelief.
"Oh, didn't I mention?"
"Not a word..."
The same back-and-forth continued.
"We should play what we've practiced sometime, right?"
"But you said the otaku song embarrasses you."
"Still, we've put in the work. And it's only embarrassing at our school or whatever..."
At that, Suyeon got a read on Hyeona's mindset. Not common, but she'd seen it now and then in her lesson students back in the day. Folks who were secretly ashamed of their own hobbies. A prime example was this one kid from about fifteen years ago. A burly young guy who'd started with vocal lessons, then when she asked, "What song you wanna learn?" he hemmed and hawed before pulling one out.
"Uh, is this okay...?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" she'd said, and taught it straight. He'd rambled some excuse or other, but anyway—it reminded her of that guy.
"So..."
The three turned to her as she spoke up.
"Bottom line, you wanna do the gig, but the song's too embarrassing. That about right?"
"...Kinda... yeah, I guess."
Hyeona's eyes darted around, then dropped. The words hung heavy from her lips.
Silence settled in.
Suyeon took a sip of coffee, cleared her throat to grab their attention.
"Arguing options here won't get us anywhere. Point is... you'll do it if we say go, yeah?"
"Uh... yes."
"Then let's do it. Gig's on."
"You cool with that?"
Iseo piped up at Suyeon's words.
"With what?"
"Hyeona unnie, duh."
"She said she's fine. She's fine, so we do it. Not fine? Speak up."
"No, I-I'm fine."
Hyeona shook her head vigorously under Suyeon's gaze.
Suyeon glanced at Iseo.
"Iseo, pick the second and third songs with Hyeona and send 'em over first. Gives her time to arrange rhythm guitar parts on keys before we jam. CC us the titles."
Iseo nodded.
"Lock down drums solid. Month and a half ain't enough to nail bass without it. I trust you, but experience says there'll be gaps anyway."
"Got it."
"And..."
"Hyeona, submit for the festival. Band name... slap Group Sound as a working title."
"Ah, okay."
Suyeon studied Hyeona's face. The wavering eyes mirrored her shaky state perfectly...
How'd it end up like this?}
After fourth period, heading to lunch, Hyeona brooded.
Part of her had hoped, sure... but deep down, she hadn't wanted it. Performing an otaku anime song on stage? Mortifying.
But no one opposed it...
Should she have clocked it from the start, when they picked it as their first jam? Was she the only one embarrassed? Isn't it normal to feel shame dragging underground culture into the light? Otaku stuff is underground. Suyeon pretends to be an otaku online but she's a normie at heart—knew she'd be cool with it. Fine. But the other two? Suyeon knows zilch about that world—calls Japanese anime "cartoons"—so whatever. But Seoha, you hated that stuff, didn't you? Even when I hyped a god-tier anime, you'd just go "no otaku trash for me."
"Hyeona-ya. Come on."
Someone caught up from behind. She turned—classmate. The usual lunch buddy.
"Why'd you ditch me?"
"Oh, just lost in thought. No biggie."
"Trying to ghost me? Heh heh."
Two more joined, and off to lunch they went. Same old chit-chat on the way: Saw that yesterday? I binged this, blah blah. Who's annoying, who's chill, epic, insane, etc.
"That one was pretty good."
"Right?!"
Hyeona timed her entry perfectly amid their chatter, then sighed inwardly in relief at the agreement.
Middle school had been bearable—online "childhood friends" like Seoha (Yoo Seoha) turning real. But high school? Tough adjustment. No playmates, no hellos, no lunch crew. So she clawed for openings, landing here. Stuffing down interest-free dramas and such just to join convos... Time better spent on piano or manga. But Hyeona cared too much about side-eyes.
Can't end up like those kids...
The so-called otaku clique. No outright bullying or discrimination... but the subtle sneers and mockery. Hyeona wanted no part, so she choked down weird content to fit in with these girls...
"Bora's a total banger. How do they make songs that good? God anime fr."
"What? K-On exists."
"That's old news... con."
Hard not to perk up at talk like that.
"Cut!"
Suyeon's shout. Seoha flinched—echoes of last jam? Me again? Nah, not this time. I nailed it.
"Keyboard! Why aren't you focused? Not just that part—the whole thing's sloppy. What's with you?"
"Ah... sorry."
"Time's short. We need three songs minimum, but we can't even master one 'cause of somebody..."
Iseo snickered. Suyeon side-eyed her, brow arched. Iseo shut up.
"Can't have my trusty keys slacking too. Screws the schedule. I gotta one-woman it onstage? Double-neck guitar? Jimmy Page time?"
Hyeona bowed her head.
Suyeon twirled a lock of hair.
"Ten-minute break."
She left. Silence fell.
"Unnie, what's up today? You were solid before."
"Dunno... can't focus."
"Still hung up on the gig talk?"
Hyeona winced guiltily. Seoha threw her head back.
"Dude, still on that...?"
"Put yourself in my shoes!"
Hyeona cut off Seoha's near-yell.
"Flying under radar at school, coasting as 'that artsy piano girl from 2-2.' Then boom—band. Otaku song. You think it'll be 'Whoa, Jeong Hyeona from 2-2 slaps on keys!' or 'Lmao, 2-2's Jeong Hyeona's a massive weeaboo freak???' Get it? My headspace?"
"Overthinking. I did metal at school freshman year—full getup, smashed drums. They just went 'oh, band kid' and moved on."
"That's 'cause you're a total social butterfly! I can't pull that!"
"God, you're impossible."
Tension rising. Iseo patted Hyeona awkwardly.
"Chill. Seoha unnie's not ragging—just saying don't sweat it."
"Yeah, ease up."
"How can I not..."
Hyeona slumped into her chair.
Overthinking. She knew. Few cared enough to notice. But she could picture eyes on her—mocking, teasing.
"Don't stress."
"How?!"
"Earth to you two. Skip the drama—grind practice first..."
"Then?"
Iseo's words trailed like more was coming. Hyeona stared blankly at her mouth.
"Hit up Suyeon for a group outing. Yeah? Cool with you, Seoha unnie?"