Asymmetric Vibration?
Under a standard laryngoscope, Daprone's vocal cords showed no issues at all. But just because something doesn't appear on an endoscope doesn't mean there's no problem.
Singers who come in unable to hit high notes often despair when we tell them everything looks fine.
That's why I performed a stroboscopy using the strobe light on the electronic laryngoscope to examine the fine vibrations of her vocal cords. And now, right before the main treatment, after numbing her throat with local anesthesia, I'm explaining her vocal cord condition to her.
"Right now, Daprone, one of your vocal cords isn't moving properly, causing asymmetric vibration. We're going to fix that."
"Asymmetric vibration?"
I nodded and pointed to the monitor linked to the stroboscope.
"We'll inject a steroid medication to soften the stiffened vocal cord—"
"Kyaaak! What's that gross monster?!"
"......That's a normal person's vocal cords. Daprone, you have the exact same thing."
"Ahaha, r-right? Whew, it's just my first time seeing vocal cords."
Of course it was. If it wasn't, she wouldn't be able to make a sound right now.
"I'll show you a comparison. What you're seeing now are the vocal cords of someone around your age—a perfectly normal person."
"It's so...... amazing. They move like waves crashing. Kind of like an abalone, too."
"Exactly. When a person makes a sound, their vocal cords ripple like waves just like that. What I just showed you is during low notes."
Click— Click—
"And this is during high notes."
"Wh-what!? The vocal cords are clapping like they're applauding, moving so fast!"
"Right. Now, let's look at Daprone's vocal cords."
Click— Click—
I switched off the normal person's vocal cord footage and played Daprone's on the monitor. Her face hardened coldly.
"As you saw from the normal vocal cord footage, when Daprone sings low notes, one side lags behind. Like it's off-beat."
"......"
"And for high notes."
Click— Click—
"As you can see, there's almost no movement."
"......"
Daprone's complexion grew even paler, but I didn't stop. I showed her more footage. When I had her sing do-re-mi-fa-sol-fa-mi-re-do and played the video of her voice cracking from failing to sustain breath pressure, her face went beyond pale to on the verge of tears.
This should do it. Enough to make her realize how serious her vocal cord condition really is.
Compared to people like Daprone who come in with laryngitis, this symptom is even more common among singers who've undergone general anesthesia. Intubation for general anesthesia basically means shoving a tube right through the vocal cords. And sometimes, that injures them, leaving scars.
Occasionally, online trolls or keyboard warriors see singers who can't hit high notes anymore and say they've made enough money, gotten plastic surgery, and retired comfortably as has-beens. But the reality? More often, it's intubation damage from general anesthesia surgeries that makes singing impossible.
Even if people knew this, nothing would change. Everyone just sees what they want to see.
Knowing the facts doesn't help; people just go, "So what?" New hires struggling to fit in at work, managers at best, or established idol singers who, no matter how hard they fly, might barely make senior manager—these young idols get roasted online mercilessly.
It's ridiculous. People are endlessly generous with their own looks or their loved ones', but singers? One off angle on camera, and it's "small eyes," "big face," "fat," endless hurtful jabs.
"With the local anesthesia done, it won't hurt too much. Try to hold back the nausea as much as you can."
"I-I'm fine! I can endure any pain! If it means getting my voice back!"
Before the main procedure, I recalled an idol singer who'd gone to another plastic surgery clinic for a nose job, only to injure her airway.
She came to me wanting to fix her square jaw. Couldn't even take steroids due to underlying conditions.
She'd said there were over a million idol trainees in Korea. After years of isolated, grueling training, only about 300 debuted per year. That's just 60 groups.
But only about 10 groups stick in people's memories, she'd said.
She was the main vocalist in one of those memory-makers, her explosive singing voice clashing beautifully with her petite frame. But only a few fans appreciated it. "If you're average-looking, at least sing well." "She's got some vocal talent, I guess." Every comment stabbed like a dagger, pushing her to plastic surgery. And after losing her high notes to intubation, she spiraled into obsessing over looks even more.
"Injecting the treatment now. It'll sting."
Poke— Poke—
The local anesthetic sprayed via the airway on top of the superior laryngeal nerve block seems to be working well. I injected steroid between her thyroid and cricoid cartilages, but Daprone endured without flinching.
Sometimes injections go directly through the mouth to the cords, but she didn't need that.
"Stella, healing magic."
"Yes."
Steroids are a double-edged sword, but their killer anti-inflammatory effect shines here. In vocal cord injections, they soften stiff tissues. But overuse can atrophy not just muscle but mucosa, scarring the cords. That's why you need an experienced doctor who knows the right dose.
Some beg for oral steroids because needles scare them, but that floods the whole body. Injections are better if possible.
The right dose of poison is medicine; excess medicine is poison. Just like now.
"Treatment's done. We'll recheck the fine vibration test now, so—"
"Ah~ Aa~ Aaa~"
"......"
"......"
Before I could finish suggesting we redo the stroboscopy, a voice so beautiful it was intoxicating flowed from Daprone's mouth.
Is this...... a human voice? Her audition was nothing compared to this.
Before the steroid injection, she'd told me her original voice was even clearer and more beautiful than now. Just a simple, lyric-less melody like chanting, yet that brief hum cleared my mind, sending waves of an unfamiliar, entrancing emotion crashing through me.
"Ah~ Ah~~ Ah~~~!"
"D-Daprone! Don't push too hard!"
"Ah~~~~~!"
"......"
"......"
They say no photo or video beats seeing natural beauty in person? Her rising eight-octave high notes went beyond surprise to awe. Goosebumps rippled as emotional rollercoasters surged through my body.
Now I get why people fall for sirens.
An explosive high note no idol or singer's album could match—my vitals spiked, breath quickened. Forgetting my doctor's duty, I stared, mesmerized, at Daprone's crystalline, sky-piercing miracle of a voice.
When her song-not-song ended, I was clapping without realizing it. Along with Stella sobbing beside me.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Sniff! So! So cool! Daprone, you're amazing! Director, did you hear? Did you hear it?!"
"Haha, it's been too long. I haven't hit high notes in ages, so it's not fully back to my prime yet."
"Whaaat? This isn't your full potential?!"
Stella's eyes bulged as she asked, and Daprone gave a shy smile.
"Yeees...... Embarrassing, but it's not fully recovered. If I practice seriously from now on...... Ah! S-sorry, Count! I should have thanked you first! I got too excited—"
Daprone flailed, her professional soprano poise gone, bowing frantically.
Chin—
"......?"
But I shook my head casually, no worries, and wrapped her shoulder warmly. Like she was my own little sister.
"Daprone, don't say such distant things. We're in this together now, right? Call me Director casually."
"B-but how could I dare call the Count—"
"Tsk! Daprone, I'm not like those authoritarian lords. Sure, we're bound by 'contract,' but I see my territory's people—especially those helping me—as family."
Before treating her vocal cords, I'd smelled the thick gold scent wafting from her. And before the main treatment, we sealed a 30-year long-term loan contract at Cache Capital—one she couldn't back out of with me like family.
"C-Count...... no, Director...... You see me as family...... Sniff, family...... Waaah!"
"Haha, what, over something like this."
Sirens really are sensitive. Crying her eyes out over nothing.
I patted the sobbing Daprone in my arms and silently mouthed to Stella to fetch a handkerchief now.
"Waaah, Directooor!"
"Hey now, stop! Can't have our precious new family member—er, vocal cords—crying over this. Come on, dry those tears, and I'll teach you vocal care. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to keep them moist......"
One steroid shot, and a precious talent rolled right in. An audio system good for 30 years.