Yoo Gaeul's First Date
Three days later, I settled onto a bench in the plaza near the subway station, where rows of seats were arranged for people to gather. It was a popular spot for meetups, with plenty of foot traffic. A piano donated by a musical instrument company stood nearby, occasionally drawing skilled players who showed off their talent.
“Filming all set?”
“Yeah, we’re already rolling. Don’t worry about it.”
“Okay. I’m counting on you, noona.”
After ending the call with my sister, I placed the acoustic guitar I’d prepared beside the piano and began setting up the microphone and sound equipment. Passersby glanced over, assuming a performance was about to start. Most, however, simply walked past without interest.
I was confident. In ten minutes, their attitudes would change.
Once the setup was roughly complete and five minutes remained until my agreed time with Gaeul, she appeared.
She still wore her hair in a ponytail for easy movement, but it was clear she had put in extra effort. The softly waved bangs, meticulously styled with a curling iron, and the black hair tie adorned with sparkling beads were sights I’d never seen on her before. Her lightly drawn eyeliner and warm-toned makeup enhanced her features without looking overly done—another departure from her usual work appearance.
Her outfit was similar in style and price range to the inexpensive blouses she normally wore, yet it looked brand new, its crisp white fabric standing out. Paired with a brown tennis skirt, the combination suited her perfectly. Overall, she had clearly invested time in her appearance for today’s outing.
Gaeul scanned the area near the benches until she spotted me. Her face lit up, and she hurried over, clutching her skirt as she practically skipped.
“Wow, Team Leader Seon, you’re already here! I wanted to arrive early so badly that I was ready to run the moment my bakery shift ended. As soon as I was free, I sprinted here like an athlete, but I still lost! What a shame. How long have you been waiting? Was your trip here comfortable?”
“I wasn’t coming straight from work like you, so arriving early was only natural. If anything, I should be thanking you for getting here ahead of schedule despite your busy schedule.”
“Hehe…”
“The trip was fine. Thanks for asking.”
I tapped the microphone with my finger to check the sound, then spoke.
“By the way, your outfit today is stunning. You could debut right now.”
The power of an A+ appearance rating. Center-level idol material—that was Yoo Gaeul.
Gaeul scratched her head, cheeks flushed.
“…To be honest, I’ve never made plans with a guy my age before. I didn’t want to look embarrassing.”
“A guy your age?”
There were only the two of us here. Who was she referring to?
“Yes! You, Team Leader Seon!”
I tilted my head. “Aren’t we a bit far apart in age?”
“Oh! How old are you, Team Leader Seon?”
“Thir— I mean, twenty-five.”
I nearly blurted out my pre-regression age but corrected myself quickly.
“Then we’re the same age! I’m seventeen!”
…Still not exactly the same age, but I took it as a sign of closeness and let it slide.
Gaeul examined the guitar and sound gear.
“What are all these instruments for? Is a band coming?”
“A band?”
“Yes, a band!”
Realizing her misunderstanding, I smiled playfully.
“They’re coming, all right.”
“Wow! Where are they?”
She looked around for the band. I didn’t drag it out.
“Right here.”
“Huh? Here?”
“Yes. You and me.”
“…What? Me?”
Gaeul glanced at the growing crowd. Her beauty had drawn attention, and people were slowly gathering. She took a small step back.
“You’re joking, right?”
“No joke. You’re handling vocals and guitar today.”
She shook her head vigorously.
“I can’t!”
“Why not?”
“…Because I’ve never sung in front of people before.”
“Then today’s the perfect day to try.”
“The last time I sang was over two months ago!”
“All the more reason to start with something simple to warm up.”
Gaeul, you can’t run away now. After coming this far, I have no intention of letting you go.
She sweated nervously, glancing around.
“…Can I run away?”
“That would be troublesome. You never said you wouldn’t sing. I’ll pay you the full amount, and I told you it was fine to refuse if it was something strange. This isn’t strange, is it?”
Five times the hourly wage didn’t fall from the sky. You earned what you worked for.
“So, what exactly did you think you were coming here for?”
“Well, a da—”
Gaeul stopped mid-sentence, face reddening, then quietly stepped up to the microphone and slung on the guitar.
I was curious what she had been about to say, but her deeply flushed cheeks suggested she wouldn’t elaborate. I suppressed my curiosity and clapped my hands in welcome.
“Welcome to the band.”
Gaeul, who had been bowing her head to hide her blush, suddenly looked up.
“By the way, how did you bring the guitar?”
“…Huh? I just rented it from a music shop. Were you asking about transportation?”
I’d simply carried it in its bag. What was so special about that?
She waved her hands.
“No, that’s not it. If I can’t play guitar, then this guitar is pointless, right?”
“You can play guitar.”
“That’s true, but… You never asked if I’d played before, and I never told you I could.”
“I could tell.”
I smiled faintly.
“Those unique calluses on your fingers only come from long hours of practice.”
I’d seen enough artists and session musicians to know.
Gaeul flinched and looked at her hands. Her face turned red again as she hid them from me.
“Why are you hiding them?”
“After hearing you, I realized how ugly my hands look.”
High schoolers really were sensitive. I showered her with praise.
“Don’t worry. Your hands are the part of you I think is the prettiest.”
They were proof that someone with S-rank talent had also put in the effort. How could they not be beautiful? A trainee who possessed talent, effort, and good character looked lovely just by breathing.
“So don’t hide them. It’d be a shame.”
At my words, Gaeul’s already red face grew even redder. I hadn’t said anything particularly grand, yet she blushed so easily. She must be the shy type. Thinking about how she’d look on camera, I made a mental note to apply thick white-toned makeup.
After shaking her head vigorously to regain her composure, she asked,
“By the way, can you play the piano too, Team Leader Seon?”
“Yes, well enough not to be a nuisance.”
In truth, piano was one of the few hobbies that had carried over from my previous regression, so I knew the basics. Reading sheet music wasn’t a problem. Today, however, I planned to borrow the power of my reward.
“It’s time. Shall we start singing? The audience seems to be waiting.”
Whether drawn by Gaeul’s face or the promise of a performance, a decent crowd had gathered. She trembled slightly under their gazes but placed her fingers on the guitar strings.
Just as she opened her mouth to sing, she looked at me as if struck by a thought.
“Ah! What song should I sing?”
“Sing whatever you like. You must have plenty of favorite or practice songs.”
Gaeul scratched her head, looking troubled.
“The songs I like and practice are a bit obscure. You might not know them, Team Leader Seon.”
“I can play them. Don’t worry.”
“…We’ve never played together before, though.”
“It’s fine. I can play anything.”
“Anything?”
I opened the reward window and activated Jukebox on Fingers.
Jukebox on Fingers has been activated. For 3 hours, you can play any existing song on any instrument.
When I placed my fingers on the piano keys, countless songs swam through my mind—punk, jazz, classical, ballads, rock. No genre was beyond me. In this moment alone, I was omniscient when it came to music.
So I spoke with certainty.
“Yes, anything. Feel free to test me.”
Though Gaeul wore a bewildered expression at my arrogant claim, she nodded.
“All right. I’ll trust you since it’s you saying it.”
She lightly tuned the guitar.
“Do you know the song ‘Memories of the Sea and Fallen Leaves’?”
It was a song I didn’t know. But the moment I heard the title, the melody, sheet music, lyricist, composer, and lyrics all flooded my mind.
“Of course I do.”
Borrowing the power of the reward, I was invincible.