Chapter 22
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Coloring
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A week had passed.
Thanks to having settled on the direction for our performance, practice had gone off without a hitch.
We'd rehearsed together at times, and spent others on individual practice, so the days flew by before we knew it.
Earlier, I'd impressed upon my groupmates that we should each practice our assigned pieces until we could play them through solo without issue.
I figured it was essential for smoothly handing off to the next player and receiving the previous one.
'And today... it's time to check how our weekend practice went.'
I'd somehow managed to play through my assigned piece without too much trouble.
If someone suddenly told me to switch to a different song, I'd mess up left and right, but at least with the assigned one, I could manage a decent run.
Is this the great power of repetition?
'Spending days pounding nothing but piano... feels kinda surreal.'
My whole lifestyle had changed from the ground up, but one thing stayed the same.
I listened to music everywhere, all the time.
In spare moments, I enjoyed discovering new performers.
Of course, with the assigned piece looming like it was now, I avoided new music to keep my instincts sharp.
Still, sitting idle got boring, so I pulled up YouTube.
'Wagner before class? Or maybe Bruckner?'
The morning classroom was quiet.
Prrrp prrrp prrrp, mimicking brass instruments with my lips, I scrolled through my playlist debating which orchestra recording to play.
Then, a thumbnail and title caught my eye.
'Piano accompaniment with a parade of different instruments?'
It was the official channel from Myeong-seong Arts High School—the one Lee Seong-hyuk had mentioned as his rival.
Subscribers were at a whopping 100,000, just like he'd said. It reminded me of Jin-seong sunbae proudly bragging that our school's channel had 20,000.
Naturally curious, I hit play on the Myeong-seong video.
My head tilted almost immediately.
'What's this? Their production feels weaker than ours.'
Video quality and host delivery-wise, our school's YouTube didn't lag behind.
Had I been here long enough to get school pride already? Nah, this was pure objectivity.
First-mover advantage, maybe. Their performers seemed pretty popular baseline.
'Content's fun, though.'
The video was straightforward.
A pianist looped a short accompaniment, and violin, trumpet, oboe, clarinet, and more layered melodies on top in turn.
Pity the piano reduced to mere backdrop, but it was entertaining watching each instrument showcase its flair over the same bed.
'Two pianos could've been cool too.'
I was smacking my lips with mild regret when footsteps approached.
"Team leader... why am I so wiped out?"
It was Kim Ju-hee, half-lidded eyes dragging a chair behind her.
Clutching a binder, she plopped down and leaned her head on my shoulder, then stretched with a massive yawn.
"What'd you do over the weekend to get this tired?"
"Practice, duh. Wanted to hang with Ha-yeon, but no time. Ugh, seriously."
She launched into a heroic tale of her weekend efforts like it was an epic saga.
I nudged her temple away lightly.
"So, what's up this early? Dragging a chair and all."
"Oh, this."
From her binder, she pulled the score for our assigned piece. Fourth part—her section—covered in scribbled notes, proof she hadn't just talked the talk.
"This bit's killing me..."
Her finger pointed to the two most-marked measures.
After the intense intro, in a brief lull, it picked up with lively tempo.
"When we practiced with the group last week, it just didn't feel right."
She tilted her head, then popped one wireless earbud into my ear. She took the other, and played a recording from her phone.
"Listen with me."
First came some rustling noise. I grimaced faintly.
"You record this on your phone?"
"What else?"
"...Fine, let's hear it."
I was just thrown off from pristine album tracks. I tuned in quick.
Kim Ju-hee's piano melody flowed alongside a mature woman's voice, rich with gravitas—probably her lesson teacher, keeping tempo.
"Hmm."
Her marked spot hit. I tapped the desk like keys, recalling countless renditions: familiar recordings, Lee Ha-yeon's take, my own attempts.
Got the gist. I pulled both earbuds and met her eyes.
"Watch my hands."
Wasn't a big deal. She'd freaked herself out over nothing.
"The notes bounce up and down, slurs into staccato repeats—it's distracting."
I moved my hands calmly over the desk.
"Left hand dies while fixating on the melody. It's a waltz—keep those three beats solid underneath."
Bum-cha-cha, bum-cha-cha. If the straight rhythm blurs, no waltz vibe.
I voiced the waltz beat aloud, drumming left-handed. Kim Ju-hee stared blankly.
'...Too cocky?'
Asking why the silence, she shook her head vigorously.
"N-no... my teacher said the exact same thing."
She could've caught it, but sometimes you miss the small stuff without outside eyes.
Music or not, a step back often spotlights errors crystal clear.
"Problem was that obvious, and I missed it..."
She gazed at the ceiling, then whipped around, fists clenched triumphantly.
"Or maybe you're secretly a piano wizard, Do-hyun!"
Big eyes, head cocked.
"...Nah?"
"If you're gonna compliment, commit."
She beamed, then perked at noise from the front door. Seo Ye-ri entered.
'Does she have Ye-ri radar or what?'
Face lighting up, she shoved her chair aside and waved.
"See ya later, team leader!"
Like a storm blew through. Exhausted suddenly, I sighed, cradling my head.
Lee Seong-hyuk, who'd watched bag slung over shoulder, sidled up grinning and poked mine.
"Ju-hee seems to lean on you a lot."
"We've barely known each other."
"Ask Ye-ri or Ha-yeon why she asks you, then."
"Beats me."
Leaning, huh...
Fine by me, just no huge expectations.
"Shouldn't have made team leader. Can't even fix my own mess."
"Still, rack up some goodwill now."
"Yeah."
Lee Seong-hyuk wagged a finger in my face.
"Not grades. With the group, teachers."
"Uh..."
Odd phrasing, but schmoozing never hurts. Piano pairs with anything—networking's gold.
'Saw kids swapping practice rooms last time if they knew each other.'
Connections matter everywhere.
Why bring it up now? Didn't argue; wasn't wrong.
Lee Ha-yeon's eyes flicked toward the back window seat, pencil frozen over her workbook for a while now.
Myeong Woo-bin leaned in abruptly, following her gaze.
Kim Ju-hee zipped frontward out of sight, revealing Kwon Do-hyun chatting leisurely.
Myeong Woo-bin sighed lightly, tapping her desk.
"Prepped okay?"
Voice in her ear startled her; she gripped the pencil tight unwittingly.
Clearing her throat, she replied evenly.
"Decent."
"Gotta be more than decent. Our group's no pushover."
"Hm..."
A touch of provocation, but barely fazed her.
Stonewalled, he glanced around, raking his hair.
"Saw the eval notice, right?"
"Yep."
"Harmony, polish. Balance battle—we got the edge."
Lee Ha-yeon rolled her eyes thoughtfully.
He pressed on.
"This test isn't solo brilliance. You know that best."
"Felt it crystal clear lately."
Crystal clear.
Her firm tone twitched his brow.
"...Confident? Feels like we'll snag first from the jump."
He meant it. Baek Ji-ho's group was meh—they'd heard the other three deferred heavily to him.
Seol Yu-jin's probably same. Left: Lee Ha-yeon's crew.
He'd agonized over song choice for sure #1.
'Plenty of practice; we dominate every angle.'
Her distant stare refocused; first eye contact today.
"See..."
"Regretting not teaming with me?"
"Glad I stuck with my group."
She quirked a smile, innocent. He couldn't respond; didn't get it.
'What gives her that confidence?'
Kim Ju-hee, Kwon Do-hyun, some rando guy. No threats on revisit.
Kwon Do-hyun nagged at him, but still subpar.
His brain rejected him jumping levels in two weeks for last slot.
'No one there to pick a proper piece anyway.'
Even genius pick couldn't bridge basic skill gaps.
Convinced, he said:
"Eval day tells if it was smart."
Curious on her confidence source, but pride blocked asking.
He turned away.
The day before the first eval arrived.
My head buzzed with urgency to hit the stage ASAP and wrap it.
Less confidence, more two weeks of the same song drilling my skull. Broad tastes like mine? Torture.
'Nationwide art high kids, fighting.'
Three years minimum for me too, to snag gigs anywhere.
Just pray I don't hate the songs I love. Good music lasts forever.
"Where're the girls?"
"You tell me. Coming soon."
Practice room: just Lee Seong-hyuk and me.
Even eve of test, no idling. Dragged him to the piano.
"Run it duo first."
"Rest for once."
"Dude, eval tomorrow."
"Always practice, practice. Even dorm desk-keyboarding solo."
I whacked his arm, chuckling.
"Real world? No time. Cherish it."
"You'll piano your way to cash anyway."
"Anyway—huh?"
"...Fine."
I took first/third; he second/fourth.
Ha-yeon's part direct? Daunting.
"Don't compare me to Ha-yeon."
"Hard not to; same spots."
"True."
Just warming up pre-others, so casual keys.
'Ha-yeon emphasized dynamics heavy...'
Crescendo-decrescendo, notes poured; fingers snagged subtly.
Hit me: master score perfect before flair. Felt sheepish toward Myeong Woo-bin spat.
Solo bits need finer polish.
'Ask Ha-yeon later how to practice expressions.'
Distracted beyond music, I missed my cutoff beat.
Lee Seong-hyuk cocked his head odd, shrugged, kept playing.
'Shouldn't I stop?'
Fingers lagged brain by a beat. Stray thoughts froze me.
Our sounds layered unexpectedly.
'Whoa...'
Not chaos—charming blend.
Two lefts, two rights intertwined into richer music.
'This works.'
Even boosted him; he rode my flow.
Stunned face, I glanced his piano.
He wove dense chords brighter, more seductive.
'Kim Ju-hee, Lee Seong-hyuk...'
My light bed.
They overlaid, elevating beyond solo.
Successive pianists atop accompaniment, each unique charm.
Perfect fit... and familiar somehow...