Chapter 32
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Whether Intended or Not (5)
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"Team leader, over here!"
"Do they know I'm coming?"
"Yeah, I mentioned it casually earlier."
Kim Ju-hee had been waiting for me in the hallway. She wasn't the type to go out of her way like this to greet someone.
"But what made you come all the way out here?"
"Hoo... I thought I was gonna die of awkwardness."
Kim Ju-hee approached, practically melting, and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Awkward how?"
"I don't know anyone in there, so it was boring and uncomfortable..."
Fair enough. I'd never seen her hanging out with anyone besides Seo Ye-ri's circle. With her great personality, I couldn't figure out why she didn't have more friends.
"Why are those kids fighting, anyway?"
"At first, it was just some bickering. They're not that close, apparently."
Maybe emotions ran high during practice. If it was their first time playing the concerto together, that made sense.
Delays from constant slip-ups would annoy anyone. But getting so upset they'd abandon practice altogether?
"Alright, let's go in."
I pushed open the heavy door and entered the hall.
The situation had already calmed down. Kids unrelated to the fight seemed to have smoothed things over.
I quietly approached the ones resetting their instruments and greeted them.
"Oh, you're the guy from yesterday."
Mid-greeting, a girl hugging a double bass recognized me. Her face seemed familiar, but I couldn't place where I'd seen her.
"Who...?"
"I was in Kim Ga-eul's group yesterday."
"Ah."
So even Kim Ga-eul's group had someone who split off.
After awkward hellos with the rest, a few kids gathered around her.
"Looks like you're the only one she knows here. Is she any good?"
"Eh, decent enough. Pretty solid."
I hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but I did. "Pretty solid"—high praise.
Kim Ju-hee stared blankly at the group chatting about me, then grabbed my collar and yanked me toward the stage.
"Team leader! What the hell?"
She was still whispering. Her round eyes showed real surprise.
"What? What's up?"
"They said 'pretty solid'! You weren't that good back then!"
'Back then' meaning when?
Tilting her head jogged my memory of the day the second evaluation was announced, our first practice together.
What did she take me for? I'd practiced every single day since then.
"As long as you don't mess up too bad, it's all 'solid,' right? They said you did fine, though."
"I overheard earlier. That's why we kept replaying the same part? I wanted to die of shame..."
Kim Ju-hee trailed off with a frail gesture. It was kinda funny, so I patted her shoulder to cheer her up.
"I'll listen later and give feedback. Let's see how you play."
"O-okay."
Practice resumed soon after. It was her turn.
I listened quietly, noting the issues.
One big problem stood out: the same flaws other kids showed.
'Focus on nailing your own part first, then blend with the orchestra.'
Jack-of-all-trades, master of none. It didn't feel like proper concerto playing. Strings and brass hesitated every time a section entered.
'No center, no confidence—hard to call that a lead role.'
Playing the piano flawlessly to the end was basic.
In other words, the solo instrument needed more than basics to not look pathetic.
'But "lead" isn't just about practicing more.'
What made the piano the star in a concerto? How to highlight its unique presence?
'Hmm... no idea.'
If I knew, I wouldn't be racking my brain.
At least I'd spotted the wrong direction. Practice avoiding pitfalls might yield solutions.
Kim Ju-hee could help once she mastered the piece.
"...Team leader."
She slinked over after finishing.
"How was it?"
She looked deflated, which tugged at me. But honesty was best.
"Watch videos during breaks to get the feel, and aim to play through without mistakes first."
"Yeah, I felt it too. I've been slacking lately—it's obvious. Embarrassing..."
She'd bounce back. Chatting softly about the evaluation, my turn came.
I glanced at our temp group members as I walked up.
"Who was on bass just now, cello? Keep the tempo straight, man."
"Sigh... here we go again."
"Hey, you think you never mess up? You can't even distinguish piano from pianissimo, so it sounds like crap."
Sitting at the piano felt like a bed of nails. Strings and brass snarled at each other's mistakes.
"Shut up if you don't know what you're talking about. You dragged the tempo when you entered first, so we missed our breath."
"Yeah, tell 'em to keep doing that forever. Wait till teachers rip into them in quartet—then they'll get it."
"Ugh, annoying..."
"Watch your mouth. You didn't drag even half a beat—picking fights for nothing."
"Guys, keep feedback gentle, okay?"
Better than arguing looks, but this hostility? Practice would suffer.
I fiddled with my bangs, waiting for it to end.
'Focused on Ju-hee, missed the orchestra.'
Couldn't tell which section lagged or whose fault it was.
Worse than Ga-eul's group, but not total chaos.
'First in line—match the orchestra.'
Gauge their level first. The argument fizzled soon; cue to start.
I pondered amid the flat performance. Overall, underpracticed roughness.
'Not bad enough to fight over, though...'
No section stood out as the culprit.
Just pride, then?
Then—
'Mistake.'
Similar to yesterday's weird trombone slip. This time, horn breathed too short.
'But... why so obvious today?'
Everyone onstage—and any audience—would notice. Not a huge error, yet it stabbed the ear. Odd.
Orchestra looked rattled but finished somehow.
'This flow...'
As expected. Post-performance, someone yelled.
"See? Hilarious?"
Strings, hit last practice, now blamed brass.
"You never mess up? That was way more obvious—explain that!"
"Hypocrites are the worst... You go easy on yourselves, think we'll let it slide?"
"Argh, seriously."
'Seriously' was my line.
Self-reflect before fighting. Anyone can nitpick.
I ignored the squabble. Wanted feedback pronto...
"Uh, hey."
A boy approached me scratching my head at my seat. Cutting through the noise:
"Piano was pretty good just now. Sorry we didn't back you up. Really sorry."
His sheepish grin suggested he formed this temp group.
"It's fine. Better stop the kids first."
"Yeah, right."
Quick chat with the temp leader, back to my spot. Kim Ju-hee leaned on the wall, eyeing me oddly.
"How'd you do that?"
"What, their fight? Not my fault."
"No... how'd you get so skilled in days?"
"I practice."
"I practice a ton too... well, I do. How?"
Skilled? I still felt lacking objectively.
But not her point. I summarized my routine.
"Mornings free, hit the assigned piece in practice room. After school, Hanon, etudes before main piece—three hours? Then assigned..."
"Wait, hold up."
Frowning, twirling her hair, she mumbled before asking:
"So, how much do you practice a day?"
"Never calculated."
"Roughly."
"Non-stop except sleep and listening."
A bit much? But I'm a late starter—practically an adult learner. Gotta push. It's not tedious.
'And playing's fun?'
Body recovers from six hours' sleep—bonus.
"Didn't you top the math and English quizzes last time?"
"Yeah... something like that."
No study secrets. As a high school vet, full marks or bust—embarrassing otherwise.
"Hmm, I see."
Squatting, chin in hand, she gazed afar. Not down, just unusually calm.
"If they're just gonna nitpick..."
"Who started it?!"
Up front, argument raged. I watched, hands on hips, wondering how long.
Too energetic. Don't you tire?
"Enough. I hate practicing like this."
"Think you're all that."
Oh no—the temp group shattered. Two each from brass and strings bailed.
"...Guys, sorry. Practice next time. Can't replace now, won't work. Really sorry."
The boy apologized round-robin.
I sighed lightly, offered Kim Ju-hee a hand, pulled her up.
"Let's bail. How'd we end up with this group?"
"I just asked some Ye-won kid I vaguely know."
Grumbling it wasn't her fault, we headed to the hall.
"Sigh, knew it'd flop. Why fight, kids?"
"Says the one feuding with Jeong Hye-won recently."
"Hey, she started...! You can't say that to me."
"I know, I know. She's the bad one."
"Don't mention Hye-won. Ugh, annoying."
She shuddered like shaking off fleas.
The hallway stayed quiet.
"Why not ask Seo Ye-ri? She knows everyone."
"Didn't wanna burden her. She's busy as class rep."
Grinning at Ye-ri's mention. Loyal friend.
'Anyway, what was that earlier?'
Walking with Ju-hee, I mulled the last practice.
Mistakes mean little. The ripple effect intrigued me.
'Similar spot, similar slip—today obvious, yesterday smooth.'
Same size—like a pebble.
Once, in a still pond: waves blatant. Another, choppy sea: vanished instantly.
'Make mistakes unnoticeable. How'd I do it?'
Recall divisional exams: flubbed on purpose, tried fixes.
What exactly? Fingers moved instinctively—fuzzy now.
'Added flair around the error? Short arpeggio?'
Solving this could help exam day.
Lost in thought, Ju-hee tugged my collar.
"Next room's doing Tchaikovsky too."
"Really?"
I perked my ears. Same assigned piece flowed faintly.
Who's practicing? Usually used outer hall for breaks—curious now.
"Peek quick? Just a peek."
"No, idiot! What if we get caught?"
"No teacher's gonna scold. C'mon."
Ignoring her flapping at my armpit, cracked the heavy door.
'Whoa, sounds good already.'
Scanned stage kids fast.
Sure enough, Kim Ga-eul center brass. Section practice—no pianist.
Ga-eul jumped up mid-trumpet, pumped. Friends laughed, kept playing.
'Why's their group always harmonious?'
Three concerto practices so far. Only hers ended normally.
What's the secret? I'd kill for that.
"...What're you doing."
Looking down: Ju-hee peeking under my arm, eyes sparkling at stage.
"Gonna get caught."
"Ah, yeah. Close it!"
Regretful smack of lips, we walked on. She muttered low.
"Jealous. Looked fun."
If no fixed group, ask Ga-eul for us next time.
"Ask Ga-eul tomorrow? Room for both?"
She blinked oddly.
"You know Ga-eul? I don't."
"Trumpet topper—famous, right? Why not?"
"Not that. Never talked."
True, different majors rarely mingle.
No time for fun, even same-instrument pals scarce.
'Then what am I, greeting her mid-performance?'
Crazy, duh.
Lee Seong-hyuk's phantom retort—shook head. Screw stares.
"How'd you meet her?"
"Just happened."
Not one to spill guts, even ignoring eyes.
No misunderstandings—brushed it off for Ju-hee.
"Hmmm..."
She eyed me weirdly, then spun away, striding ahead.
"Hey, wait up!"