... I think I'll need to talk to our club adviser," you tell Hyukjae. "I'm sure she knows people." 

"When can you ask her?" 

"Probably Friday because during club hours," you reply. 

"I'm running out of tiiiime..." Hyukjae cries. 

"You're worrying so much that you're not even acting like your usual idiot self anymore," Donghae says. "Chill, Hyukkie. Just trust Haneul." 

Why do I just feel even more pressured about this? xD

June 18, Friday, After club hours: RECORDING STUDIO

You are wrapping up your special club sesssion with Big Mama (because none of the guys should hear your female voice). 

"Haneul, you're doing great so far and your technique has gotten better over the past weeks," Big Mama compliments you. "However I think you try too much to sound like the original singer of the songs."

"Oh... Really?" you respond. Dx

Big Mama nods, twitching her lips to one side. "You need to find your own style or else you'll just end up as a chorus singer or music teacher like me. That is, if you decide to pursue music, I mean. Who knows, you may turn out to become an excellent lawyer!" 

"Ehehehe, thanks for the encouragement, Big Mama, but I don't think memorization and politics are my forte," you grin, scratching your head. 

"Ah well, just for the sake of art, at least, try to find your unique style," she smiles and gives you a big hug.

"Thanks, Big Mama!" 

As you are being hugged, you notice the door of the recording studio open slightly. You recognize the eye peeking through the gap as Hyukjae's. 

CRAP ! How long has he been out there?? Did he hear my singing? o_O

What he does though is just stick a finger through the gap, point at Big Mama, and mouth the words, "IS THAT YOUR CLUB ADVISOR?" 

You mouth back. "YEAH." 

He replies by doing some hand gestures which you interpret as him wanting to tell you to ask Big Mama about artists to invite for the festival. 

Big Mama notices what's going on so she speaks first. "Why hello there, dear just outside the door. Were you waiting for Haneul?" 

Hyukjae is startled at Big Mama's sudden attention on him but he manages not to fall over backwards. 

"It's okay," Big Mama says in a very motherly tone as if she was calling to a puppy. "You can come in. I don't bite." 

Hyukjae enters the recording studio looking like he forgot what he was there to do. 

"What can I do for you, dear?" 

"I'm Lee Hyukjae..." he says thoughtlessly. 

"Nice to meet you, Lee Hyukjae," Big Mama laughs. "You can call me Big Mama." 

Hyukjae blinks. "Big... Mama?" He looks at her from head to toe and is about to blurt something out, but you decide to cut him off before he embarrasses himself and you lose all your chances of getting performers. 

"OH, UH, Big Mama, Hyukjae is my friend and I decided to help him organize their class's booth for the summer festival," you explain. "He needs performers though but no one in his class would help him because of, uh... well, let's just say that they're all out of the picture. We wanted to ask if you could introduce us to some artist friends of yours so that we could invite them to play." 

"Hmm... I think I know some people who might be willing to play," she thinks out loud. "But they're all underground musicians so you might not know them." 

"It's okay!" Hyukjae says. "As long as people won't leave when they play, it's okay!" 

Big Mama giggles. "Oh my, you're so desperate about this. Your classmates must have been so hard on you. Okay, I'll help you. But Haneul, you'll have to go with me tonight to ask them. Is that okay?" 

"Oh, yeah, sure! What about Hyukjae?" 

"I think it might be better for him to stay in school and de-stress so that we can give him the good news once we get back," Big Mama smiles. She turns to Hyukjae. "Is that fine with you, dearie?"

Hyukjae opens his mouth to protest, but he decides to shut it instead and just nod in acceptance.

"Okay then, meet me at the school gate in 45 minutes, Haneul," Big Mama says. "Don't wear anything that looks too much like pajamas, okay? Ahaha~" 

ROOM 107

You have escorted Hyukjae back to his room. He went straight into his bed. Donghae seems to have gotten used to it. 

"De-stress??" Hyukjae shouts toward the ceiling. "No matter what I do, I can't stop thinking about this whole thing!"

"It's his first time being stressed," Donghae explains to you. 

"Aahhh..." 

So that's why his reactions now are very erratic. xD

"AkaJdfKasvjcxvsgmsmgsh," Hyukjae mutters into his pillow. 

"Come on, Hyukkie, study with me for the finals~~" Donghae says as he climbs on top of Hyukjae. 

"Kgnsdkgmscmdjf..." Hyukjae replies. 

"Okay, I'll leave him here, Donghae," you say. "I've got to go get ready."

"Okay, Haneulie~~ I miss you~ See you tomorrow~" Donghae waves at you using Hyukjae's arm. 

HONGDAE

You are back in Hongdae once again and as the delicious aroma of street food mix with the pale stench of cigarettes and beer, you remember that night Jungsu hyung walked around with you after the band competition. 

"They don't get paid. If other people drop won in their guitar cases, that's money for them. However, most of the people here don't play to earn. They just play for the sake of music," Jungsu says with a faint smile on his face. "This is the dark side of music. Specifically, of the music in Korea. People like the good-looking idols who can sing and dance pretty well, and who act cute and funny on and off cam. But few actually delve into the depths of the music scene. This is where the amateurs, faceless veterans, and authentic music lovers go. To this world in Hongdae."

Walking quietly beside Big Mama, you feel that there is some sort of magic in the air which you didn't notice last time. Is it the music these people have that floats up towards the moon which beams back down at them? Or is it the ttokbokki? 

Maybe both. 

You make a mental note not to get carried away by unimportant things such that you forget the true essence of living. 

 In this dark world, I wonder what new things I'll find?

"Sorry, I didn't want your friend to come, Haneul dear," Big Mama says to you. "I wouldn't be able to introduce you properly if there was a boy with us."

"Eh?" 

"Were you thinking of singing as a boy forever? No, honeypie, that can't happen. You won't be able to fool anyone with your voice."

"But if you're gonna introduce me to the other musicians as a girl, so many people will know that I'm a girl studying at Seoul High!" D:

"Oh, don't worry, you'll be a boy to them. There's just one person I'll introduce you as a girl to. Just one person is okay, right?" Big Mama smiles at you reassuringly. 

"I... I guess so..." you reply, worriedly looking at your feet.

"Don't worry, honeypie, nothing bad is gonna happen to you," she smiles. "Oh look, there's our first performer!"

"I've known him since he started performing around here so I'm sure he'll agree to help us out." 

Big Mama quickly approaches him and introduces the both of you. He smiles and tells you his name. 

Only one syllable for his given name? Is that his real name? o_O

You heave a sigh of relief as she introduces you as a "pretty boy student from Seoul High who needs performers for their summer festival."

To your surprise, he immediately agrees to play at the event! He even says, "As long as there's free food, I'm all good." 

Weird... Is this how things are like here? 

You and Big Mama spend the rest of the evening looking around bars and cafes hunting for Big Mama's artist friends. Basically the same thing happened with each person. Most of them were timid and did not say much, but they all agreed to perform at Hyukjae's festival booth.

Although not once did she introduce you as a girl. You wonder who the "very special person" is.

The both of you sit down at a table in the nth bar you've been in tonight and a rock band is playing right a metal cover of "Once In a Lifetime" by Shinhwa. They're not doing a very good job of it though and  you are thankful that Big Mama doesn't seem to know them personally. Big Mama orders a platter of spicy buffalo wings marinated in gochujang (Korean red pepper sauce).

"Yummm~~" you squeal with delight as you munch on a chicken wing. "This is so good, Big Mama! Thank you!" 

Big Mama grins at you and opens to respond when someone says, "BIG MAMA KING."

You both turn to look at a man with a white strand of highlight in his hair, wearing shades and dressed in a somewhat rugged professional style outfit. 

"That guy looks familiar..." you say to yourself.

"You don't know him, dear?" Big Mama says to you as the man approaches. "This is Seo Taiji." 

Seo... Taiji? 

"Taiji-ya, this is Kim Haneul," Big Mama tells the man. "She's a vocal student of mine."

"She's a vocal student of mine..."

"SHE'S a vocal student of mine..." 

SHE'S A...

SHE...

SHE...

So this is the one who will know the truth about me.

I wonder why HE has to know. o_O

His name sounds really familiar. And I think I've seen him before but I'm not so sure where...

Who IS this guy?