Moon Juhee Beneath Orion
Under the Orion constellation, Moon Juhee. Vocalist of Moonlight, principal of Seoul Practical Music High School, and one of Seonggwang's rare friends and acquaintances. That's how I remember her, at least as the former and the latter. Treating an elder like a friend feels a bit off, but she's never acted like one toward me anyway. Moon Juhee is an incredibly immature person. She chased her dreams without even finishing high school, and her actions up to now have gotten her disowned by her parents. She's someone who barreled this far clinging to an unstable future and a threadbare will, so even compared to me—an orphan who at least picked up the bare minimum of manners from the people I owe my life to—I think she's even more childish. Well, I suppose that's part of Moon Juhee's charm. A dreamer who sings of dreams can't stay a kid forever, but she makes her listeners dream like children. Or at least, that's what I thought...
"No, that's totally different from panting for breath or screaming in pain... the way you tense your abs is different too."
"…."
"You know that hiccup-like, hic-ing gasp? Thinking of that makes it a bit easier...?"
Moon Juhee's relentless explanations continue. Lara's face grows paler by the second, and the more Juhee tries to smooth things over, the darker the mood gets. Watching quietly, I realize I might have underestimated her more than I thought. I figured she at least knew where to draw the line. That she was just a bit immature, but had the basic judgment to tell right from wrong. And staring at this scene, I think again,
How the hell did this woman become principal?
Moon Juhee's connections with the higher-ups, which she'd bragged about half-jokingly. Seeing her now, I genuinely doubt that fact.
"Cut it out."
At my words, Lara—who was already frozen stiff—stays put, while the awful thirty-something who'd been spouting borderline sexual harassment turns to look at me. I beckon her over, pulling her aside a bit from Lara, and huddle close. Where the hell do I even start? I take a deep breath and call her by her old professional title.
"Singer Moon Juhee."
"Singer? What's with the sudden formality?"
"How long are you gonna keep living like this?"
"…."
"You're in your thirties. Way past the age to know right from wrong, so why are you still acting like this? Huh?"
She should've graduated from giggling over dirty talk ages ago. Why does someone stuck at middle school education have her mentality frozen there too? And thinking she won't get reported for harassment because we're the same sex? Big mistake. These days, with all the emphasis on diversity, same-sex harassment that causes sexual humiliation can land you in legal trouble just fine.
"Ugh, damn... I'm the one who looks like an idiot for putting up someone like you as a teacher."
I keep laying into her verbally, and she just takes it until she finally snaps and fires back.
"Yeah, yeah! You told me to teach what you learned! I'm teaching it just like that, so why the fuck are you bitching?!"
"I said teach her. Who told you to sexually harass a kid?"
More than anything, she's talking back like she got hit first. She should be bowing her head repeating "sorry" nonstop. If I'd known it'd turn out like this, I should've dragged someone else here no matter the hassle. Despite my righteous scolding, Moon Juhee looks like she's got plenty to say.
"I told you! I asked if it was okay, and you said go for it! This is how I learned it! When I joined the band, Ojin oppa taught me this way!"
"No, what the hell are adults teaching an 18-year-old? Didn't that feel off to you?"
"…It did feel weird. But it wasn't wrong, surprisingly."
"I'm losing my mind."
I get why parents in those stories freak out and try to stop their kids from joining bands. This is exactly why bands should just be a high school hobby.
"Even so, this is too much... Lara's 17, and that's your analogy?"
"Well, she might've done it... "
Her words make my blood boil, and I'm about to argue when I glance at Lara's appearance. Bright blonde hair, pretty face, round yet sharp features.
"Tch."
I hesitate for a second, but no, even so—this ain't right. I step up to defend her.
"What era is your mindset from?! Even if she's blonde! Even if she looks like some delinquent who'd fool around without a care! People can lack experience... "
"Hey, I can hear you."
"…."
The cold voice from afar shuts me up. I call over Moon Juhee, who's glancing nervously at Lara, and correct myself.
"Anyway... use a different analogy. That one's subjective based on personal experience."
"…Solo?"
"I meant a clean analogy. Got nothing else?"
"Even if I do, that's really how I feel it when I sing. Nothing describes the sensation that accurately... "
Her expression makes it seem true. I have no idea how she learned it or how she teaches it, but Moon Juhee really sings with sexual stuff in mind for her vocal technique. Having learned an unwanted secret from a legendary singer, I rack my brain in earnest. Moon Juhee's middle school grad, my middle school grad. Together we've attended school twice over, so our combined smarts match college-grad Lee Junwoo's. But even with a four-year degree's brainpower, no answer comes. In the end, unable to withstand Lara's urging, the two of us trudge away.
"Teacher."
"Y-yeah... "
Moon Juhee flinches at Lara's low tone. Probably guilt over her screw-up, or her deep-seated nerd DNA sending panic signals in front of tough-girl Lara. Lara's shorter than Juhee but looks down at her, while Juhee hunches over to look up.
"Is what you just said true?"
"…What?"
"That... you sing thinking about that. Is it really true?"
"Yeah, it's true. It's pretty messed up and pervy, but... that method really nailed the feel for me."
Moon Juhee twirls a loose strand of hair around her finger, spilling the truth from her lips.
"So I don't think I can teach you any other way. Well, I could try, but... I doubt I'd convey my exact sense of it."
"…Do I have to... think about that?"
"No, even doing it solo is... kinda... fine... uh."
Once her excuses fizzle out, those beastly eyes turn to me.
"Seonggwang."
"Yes, Lady Lara."
"Call me normally."
"Got it, Lara."
"…The reason you brought Teacher Juhee to teach me... was it really just connections?"
"Nah, not just that."
It's the biggest reason, sure, but there are others. First off, among people I know, no one expresses the 'rock' genre in vocals like Moon Juhee.
"Among the people I know, she's the one whose style and technique most matches yours, and she's closest to your ideal endgame."
"…."
Lara looks conflicted at my words, while Moon Juhee awkwardly sniffles and rubs her nose.
"Sigh... I see."
"Of course, if you want, I can find another teacher, Lara."
"You said Teacher Juhee's my endgame."
"As a person, she's unfinished. If you pick up her personality by accident, I wouldn't have the face to meet your dad."
I'm Lara's bandmate and life partner. As a friend, I have to steer her from the wrong path. It might be weird for me to shove morals down her throat, but today's hammered it home: the world can't afford a second Moon Juhee case. Lara looks seriously troubled. Can't blame her—who wouldn't be pissed with this teacher? She clams up, glances around, but eventually lifts her head since she can't put off deciding.
"…Can you leave?"
I nod in agreement and point at Moon Juhee.
"Yeah. Honestly, Lara put up with a lot; it was too much. Out you go, Miss Moon Juhee."
"Not Teacher Juhee."
"…Then who?"
Just three of us here. Not Lara, not Juhee... then it has to be...
"Me?"
"…."
"You're telling me to leave?"
"I need to talk to Teacher Juhee alone."
Lara's face is shadowed, but her dimples—untouched by the gloom—are unusually red. No way, but... is Lara planning to learn from Juhee after all? Even staking her dignity and shame? Is her resolve that ironclad?
"Think it over, Lara. You don't have to learn from Moon Juhee. I'll find someone good."
"I said leave... "
"More importantly, Lara. Sexual pleasure and music aren't connected. Even if you hypothetically had experience... "
"Out."
"Yes, ma'am."
In the end, I head for the door under the pressure, giving Lara one last look before turning the knob.
"…But I have to make your song, so I need to hear what kind of voice you—"
"GET OUT!"
Lara rolls up my jacket and hurls it. It doesn't reach me, dropping midway, but I get the message and step outside without a word. Out by the building, I wait. Ten minutes, then another ten. Their talk seems to drag on, and since I can't hear it, I can't guess how long. I've been waiting outside forever, killing boredom by staring at passing car plates, when...
"We're done... come in."
At Lara's call, peeking from the door, I bid farewell to the warm spring breeze and head back inside. For some reason, despite the sealed room, it feels chillingly cold. Lara covers her face with her palm and hangs her head, while Moon Juhee stares blankly into space with lifeless eyes.
"…What'd you two talk about?"
Moon Juhee gives an awkward smile in response.
"Nothing much, just chit-chat... index and middle finger, lying down versus face-down... if she likes veggies, stuff like that."
"Teacher."
"…."
"Please."
"…Sorry."
Okay, that paints a clear enough picture of their exchange, so I don't pry into the girl's private secrets. I'm Seonggwang, privacy-respecting pro. Sure, there's stuff I wanna know about Lara, but not that intimate. Shelving Lara's unspeakable dignity-shattering moment, I get to the point.
"…So, does Lara have potential?"
Moon Juhee nods awkwardly.
"Lara, does her explanation make sense?"
"…Yeah. I... get it."
"That's a relief. Yeah, good."
I purse my lips in complicated feelings, feeling awkward in the heavy atmosphere. That day, we couldn't cover what we'd planned because Juhee was late, but I got her promise to give Lara crash courses during weekday lunch breaks. Well, all's well that ends well. Impressed by how it wrapped up, I'm a bit curious about Moon Juhee's teaching style now. Maybe ask her to teach me later. With those thoughts, the day slips away.
After that, a lot happened. But nothing important. Trivial stuff not worth detailing one by one. So I don't really remember it. Just stored as fragments. Lara taking lessons from Moon Juhee, singing various songs to finalize the setlist. In between, I finish my song and show it to her, but she doesn't like it much. Revise it, she sings it. Friday rolls around, we bomb the performance eval, and Seo Hyun-gyu and the other kids eye us weirdly. Does it bug me...?
"Bummed, Lara?"
"Nah. Wasn't aiming for that anyway. Check if we passed the prelims instead."
Delinquents shrug off grades like nothing and check the video judging results. Of course, we passed. It's not a real competition—more of an influencer event stage. Passing was a given. But Lara's jumping for joy, so no need to belabor it. That day, we celebrate passing with a group dinner out, and the next, Lara loses her voice and I chew her out. Stuff like that—nothing special, just everyday life. Routine is so ordinary, yet so precious. Time crawls unbearably slow sometimes, yet slips far away in a blink. We can't catch it or chase it; we just run to keep from being left behind by its long tail. A lot happened. Short if short, long if long. Days like that pass, and today arrives. Not exactly fate-deciding... just a little event we prepped for. The day of the competition has come.