The Last Performance
RT Entertainment's recording studio.
There, Ryu Won and Ryu Se-a were preparing for the recording session.
And...
"Why did you follow us in here, CEO?"
"From the beginning, this is my building, isn't it?"
"Oh... When you put it that way, I have nothing to say. But honestly, it's fine if you watch."
"That's a relief. And let's be honest, how could I not be curious? A song from Ryu Se-a, the one they called a piano prodigy..."
No matter how busy he was, this was something Kang Beom-jun couldn't miss.
He said it with a grin.
Moreover, it was a song composed by Ryu Won himself.
Was that guy the type to make songs for just anyone?
Extreme to the point of wanting to create music solely for Baek Yerin, and if she ever gave up her path as a singer, he'd abandon his own talent right alongside her. That was the composer known as Ryu Won.
Which made it rather difficult to imagine him writing a song for someone else.
With ordinary talent and skill, it would be absolutely impossible.
Conversely, didn't that mean the talent of Ryu Se-a, currently inside the recording booth, was the genuine article?
With that thought in mind, Kang Beom-jun asked Ryu Won.
"So, what do you think?"
"About my sister's singing?"
"Yeah. You must have heard her if you gave her a special song like this, right?"
"Well... I heard her when we were little, but after she grew up, I haven't properly listened to her even once."
In other words, he had given her his song without knowing the true extent of her singing ability.
To Kang Beom-jun, that was quite an unusual move.
Ryu Won wasn't the type to lack affection, but...
'Even if they're blood-related, he's not the type to hand out his compositions carelessly.'
At the very least, it meant there must be another reason he felt confident giving her the song without hearing her sing.
It was then.
"But she'll sing it well. She told me herself that she would."
"What? Is that all?"
"Yes. The musician named Ryu Se-a is absolutely not the type to make claims without any basis."
Ryu Won spoke with an expression full of conviction. There was no falsehood in that face; he genuinely believed it.
And now it was time for Ryu Se-a to repay the trust placed in her by the composer known as Haon.
When Ryu Won operated the PC, a familiar melody began to flow into the headset Ryu Se-a was wearing.
Along with that melody, Ryu Se-a slowly closed her eyes.
It was to recall the lyrics she had received from her brother the day before.
Ryu Se-a wore a bitter smile.
Thinking back on the content of the lyrics her brother had given her, she couldn't help it.
You really are...
'Cruel.'
Ryu Won had written the lyrics to match the endlessly bright and sweet melody of Cantabile.
To be precise, he had captured Ryu Se-a's story within them. Even though he knew full well that the content was endlessly cruel to Ryu Se-a herself.
Yet perhaps Ryu Se-a felt reassured by that very fact.
The world still considered it premature, but at least in Ryu Se-a's mind, she believed this: that among active composers, the one named Ryu Won was the best.
Because it was a song from such a person, she harbored no doubts.
She simply thought he must have his reasons.
Therefore, no matter how sad the content might be for her...
'Let's sing it.'
To see once more the scene she dreamed of, there was no other path than to walk the one her brother had shown her.
And so Ryu Se-a's song began. As time passed, the expression on someone's face outside the booth began to shift.
'Insane...'
It was Kang Beom-jun.
He was literally stunned as he listened to Ryu Se-a's singing.
If Baek Yerin's voice was clear and elegant enough to be unforgettable after one listen, this was something moist yet crisp, reminiscent of dawn breaking.
Rich but never cloying, a comfortable voice that could move the heart without any forced emotion.
No...
'Just what kind of siblings are these?'
Kang Beom-jun couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh as he listened to Ryu Se-a's performance.
One was a composition genius, while the other had started with piano and now seemed ready to conquer vocals as well.
It was difficult to call it good genes when neither parent had pursued music professionally.
In simple terms, both were mutants.
With that thought, Kang Beom-jun glanced at Ryu Won, who was quietly appreciating his sister's music.
Ironically enough...
"I admit it. She sings well."
The boy muttered to himself with a faint smile.
That smile was like...
The face of a child who had just discovered a new toy.
Though the person himself seemed completely unaware of it.
'Look at this kid.'
In that sense, Kang Beom-jun could only grin.
Because the situation was flowing in a rather interesting direction.
After finishing the first recording, Ryu Se-a stepped out of the booth.
And immediately heard these words from Ryu Won.
"It seems I was thinking about this all wrong."
"About what?"
"Originally, I thought Cantabile would already be quite an excessive stage even for a high school performance practice... but after hearing your singing, it feels like you might be able to show even more than that."
Hearing those words, Ryu Se-a felt relieved.
It seemed the composer Ryu Won had taken quite a liking to her performance.
But...
"So if we're going to do this, let's do it properly. First, let me ask one thing. Is it that you can't play the piano at all? Or can you still play to some degree?"
Once his interest was piqued, there were no brakes on Ryu Won.
"The stage direction was all planned out by that acquaintance of yours?"
Exactly five days before the performance practice.
At the major teacher's question, Ryu Se-a nodded.
"Yes. So we'll need a piano as a prop. Would it be all right to use the one from the auditorium?"
"The piano from the auditorium? Using a prop that massive would be a first... I suppose it doesn't matter. But isn't it about time you told me?"
"You're asking who the acquaintance is, right?"
"Exactly. The composition majors are losing their minds over it. They all wanted to work with you, but because of that nameless acquaintance, they couldn't even get a chance. Their spot was taken. If it were someone not particularly well-known, they'd probably still be approaching you to collaborate even at this point with only five days left."
At the news the major teacher shared, Ryu Se-a covered her mouth and let out a small laugh.
From her perspective, the complaints the composition students held seemed incredibly cute.
The teacher looked puzzled at her reaction, and Ryu Se-a simply said,
"Then shall I tell only you, teacher? Anyway, the moment the song is released, it seems the whole world will know who composed it."
"What?"
"The truth is..."
Ryu Se-a spoke in a very small voice, telling the major teacher who the acquaintance was.
And like someone hearing the most shocking news in recent times, the teacher's eyes widened in an instant.
"R-really? That person genuinely gave you a song for this performance practice? No... why?"
"We happened to form a connection. It's a bit difficult to go into detail about that part. Ah, and please keep it a secret."
"Oh my god... Se-a! You should have told me something like this sooner!"
"Pardon?"
"In other words, it means that person is showing interest in our school's performance practice this time!"
From the major teacher's perspective, they needed to tell the participating students to give it their absolute all as quickly as possible.
Along with the warning that an incredible person might be watching their stage...
Due to the promise with Ryu Se-a, they couldn't reveal who that person was, but it might become a life-changing opportunity for the students.
Of course...
"He probably won't be that interested."
There was no way Ryu Se-a's acquaintance would be interested in this performance practice.
If not for her request, he wouldn't have even known it existed.
Still, he had said he would come watch.
To be precise, he said he would only watch the final stage that Ryu Se-a performed on.
The final stage of the performance practice was scheduled to begin around 4 PM.
If he arrived in time for dismissal, he could just barely catch it.
But the major teacher had no way of knowing that.
The fact that Ryu Se-a's incredible acquaintance was merely a middle school student...
Seolhwa Arts High School's performance practice was classified almost as a full-scale event.
The level of interest within the school was that high, and since grades were determined through relative evaluation, it was a structure that inevitably led to fierce competition among students.
But this time, the competition within the first-year practical music department was even more intense.
Especially the composition majors, who were said to have prepared while grinding their teeth.
The major teacher's comment about a good opportunity possibly arising had some influence, but it wasn't the biggest factor.
The greatest influence came from the actions of the vocal major's top student, Ryu Se-a.
The composition students had grown properly heated up over Ryu Se-a's moves, someone they hadn't even bothered to look at.
So they would show her an incredible stage that would make her regret not choosing them!
It was a simple thought fitting for high school first-years, and thanks to that, the fire of competition for this practice performance had been lit.
However...
"......"
Ryu Se-a paid no attention to any of that.
She didn't even have the luxury to begin with.
The only thing occupying her mind right now was how she would perform Cantabile.
At the same time...
"It really has been a while."
She was replaying the memories of the piano practice she had done over the past few days.
Thanks to someone's request, she had ended up practicing both piano and singing simultaneously.
While she was thinking that, the student just before her turn sang on stage. As the performances drew closer to the end, the audience's concentration rose even higher.
It seemed they had placed the more skilled students toward the finale, and with the practice performance nearing its conclusion, focus naturally sharpened.
Ryu Se-a watched the entire scene from below the stage, and soon her turn arrived.
With help from the students acting as staff, she pulled the piano to the center of the stage.
Honestly, she had wanted to bring the one from home, but it was too large, so she couldn't.
But it was fine.
The nameless piano before her now was no different from a precious friend who would decorate the stage alongside her.
And so, for the first time in a very long while, Ryu Se-a sat in front of the piano placed on stage.
The first time since the accident.
Or...
For what might be the last piano performance of her life.