I looked at the concert ticket on my hand. The words ‘Lee Haeri’s 50^th anniversary concert’ was written on it. Somehow, I was wondering if I had taken the right decision to take Soo Jung to the concert.

Lee Haeri was the infamous opera singer. She was also famous amongst the students of the Music and the Performing Arts majors. I didn’t think that there was someone who didn’t know about her across the campus. Many students were admiring her and respecting her as the great senior. Many were inspired to be like her, including Soo Jung. I often heard her telling how much she adored Lee Haeri when we were dating. And she happened to hold an Anniversary Concert at our Grand Auditorium. I saw the poster on our hallway few days ago.

So, yeah, I bought the tickets and gave one to her, considering it as my last desperate action to get back with her. I guessed I still liked her after all.

But why am I feeling guilty toward Jieun?

I must to admit that she had taken my interest when I saw her crying when I performed ‘I Would’. And she also made my heart fluttered when I heard her singing Ailee’s Evening Sky. Her voice amazed me. I knew that she was one of my classmates on the Vocal Class. But I had never known about her wonderful voice. Gazing from professional view, I felt it was a waste not to show her beautiful voice. And she was kinda cute too actually. Somehow, I found it was funny to see her behavior. She kept making me feeling amused and awed.

“Henry.”

The call broke the terrain of my thought. I quickly stood up and straightened my body as I saw Soo Jung approaching me. I smiled, thinking that she was gorgeous as always. She was using a formal one piece dress, knee-length. A ribbon hair band was on her hair as she let her hair loose, flowing to her back and stopped before her waist. I knew that we had to use formal attires for a concert like this. But Soo Jung was beautiful.

“You’ve come?”

She nodded as she smiled. Then she turned to her side. That was when I noticed a handsome and athletic young man with suit beside her. I found myself hardly to smile when I saw him. I knew this guy. He was the one who was with Jieun when she sang Evening Sky. I also saw him with Jieun several times on our campus park. And I remembered seeing him playing soccer for our university team.

“Ah, he’s Yoon Doojoon.” She introduced him.

So his name was Yoon Doojoon, I shook his hand. His grip was strong.

“He’s from Broadcasting Department.” Soo Jung looked at him, smiling sweetly. “And he’s my classmate on performance class.”

But when I saw her smile, I knew that something had happened between them or at least to Soo Jung. I might have missed it while I was blinded by love with Soo Jung. But now I could see that Soo Jung might have feeling for Yoon Doojoon.

“Wow,” I commented, trying to maintain my calmness. “What a coincidence to meet you here.”

“Ah, Lee Haeri Ahjumma is my close friend’ mother. So I happened to get the ticket.”

I could hear Soo Jung chuckling. But I didn’t like the sound of her chuckle somehow. It felt like as if she was trying to get his interest.

“Ah, you’re so lucky.”

Yoon Doojoon smiled coolly. I had a thought that he didn’t get her bait when I saw his smile. He seemed not to put interest on Soo Jung. I didn’t know why I got the impression of him being not interested on Soo Jung. But from my experience, only two types of guy who didn’t feel interesting to pretty girls, whether he was gay or his heart had been taken by someone else.

But to think about the fact that Soo Jung was gaining interest on him, it was enough to make me feeling uncomfortable. I could hardly take it out of my mind, even when the show had begun. But then, my mind got distracted when I saw Lee Donghae appearing on the stage, singing duet with Lee Haeri-sunbaenim.

“Wait.” I looked at Soo Jung. “Lee Donghae?”

“Unn.” Soo Jung nodded then looked at me. “Don’t you know that Lee Donghae sunbae; the soloist and violinist, Lee Jihae-ssi; and the pianist, Lee Donghwa-ssi are Lee Haeri’s children with Orchestra’s Grand Meister Lee Donggeun? I heard that their youngest daughter is currently attending lessons on our university. But I don’t really know who she is.”

I turned my gaze again to the front. I just realized that if Lee Haeri was Lee Donghae’s mother and Lee Jieun was Lee Donghae’s sister; it meant that Lee Jieun was also Lee Haeri’s daughter. So Lee Jieun wasn’t an ordinary girl after all.

The applause distracted me and made me looking back to the stage. I saw Donghae sunbae taking a peck on his mother’s cheek and hugging her. Lee Donghwa and Lee Jihae returned to the stage while their younger brother leaving the stage. Both of them were taking their places on the Piano and amongst the violinists.

I heard the MC announced the next song. It was ‘Can You Hear Me’ of the musical stage ‘Tears of Heaven’. It was Lee Haeri’s musical stage years ago while she was young. I knew the song because it was very famous.

Then the song began with Lee Donghwa’s piano.

내 눈은 그댈 보지 못해도
ne nuneun geudel boji mothedo
난 항상 그대 곁에 있어요
nan hangsang geude gyote issoyo
내 귀가 그대 얘기를
ne gwiga geude yegireul
듣지 못해도 알죠
deutji mothedo aljyo
그렇죠 날 사랑하는 걸
geurotjyo nal saranghaneun gol
어둠 속에 빛이 되어준 사람
odum soge bichi dwiojun saram
나는 그대만을 바라보고 있어요
naneun geudemaneul barabogo issoyo
 

들리나요 들리나요
deullinayo deullinayo
내 마음이 하는 말
ne maeumi haneun mal
세상 어디 있다해도
sesang odi itdahedo
같은 하늘 아래 있다는 것을 기억해요
gateun haneul are itdaneun goseul giokheyo

I always knew that Lee Haeri’s voice was amazing. Probably I was busy with my own thought so I didn’t actually listen to her songs earlier. But when I focused on her, I understood why she was admired by everyone. She was amazingly talented as a singer. Her voice was strong and soft on the right moment. As a musical stage actress, she could breathe life into her songs. Now I knew how Lee Jieun got her talent.

Then, Lee Haeri smiled and said, “My youngest daughter, Lee Jieun.”

At that moment, I unconsciously straightened my body on my seat. Lee Jieun appeared with formal night gown. Her long hair was partly tied. She looked elegant and stunningly beautiful with natural make-up. It was something I had never seen before. I was shocked by her. But somehow, it seemed interesting to see her singing her mother’s song. From a professional musician point of view, I wanted to know how good she could bring.

눈물이 그대에게 닿으면
nunmuri geudeege daheumyon
하늘에 비가 내리는 거죠
haneure biga nerineun gojyo
바람이 그대 두 뺨을 어루만진다면
barami geude ppyameul orumanjindamyon
간절한 내 손길인거죠
ganjorhan ne son-girin-gojyo

내게 미안해 하지는 말아요
nega mianhe hajineun marayo
지금 내 목소리에 귀 기울여 봐요
jigeum ne moksorie gwi giuryo bwayo
 

들리나요 들리나요
deullinayo deullinayo
내 마음이 하는 말
ne maeumi haneun mal
세상 어디 있다해도
sesang odi itdahedo
같은 하늘 아래 있다는 것을 기억해요
gateun haneul are itdaneun goseul giokheyo

As she sang, I guessed I should take back my words about her getting her mother’s talent. She was different from her mother. Her mother might have great voice that supported with great technique. But Lee Jieun’s raw voice was captivating. She also knew when to put power on her voice or to soften it. She sang through her heart. I felt that her voice was resonating within me. It warmed my heart.

And I really wanted to know how she sang the next part.

헤어짐이 두려워도
heojimi duryowodo
이대로

idero

This was what I waited; the interlude bridge when the octave got higher. But to my surprise, Jieun brought it well enough. And on the next part, she brought goosebumps to me. I felt shivers on my arms and back when she sang it. She really knew how to put power on her voice while breathing her feeling into the song. And I felt breathless to hear her singing.

사랑해요 사랑해요
sarangheyo sarangheyo
내 사랑을 믿어요
ne sarangeul midoyo

세상 어디 있다해도
sesang odi itdahedo
오늘밤 우리가 맺은
oneulbam uriga mejeun
그 약속 기억해요
geu yaksok giokheyo
기억해요
giokheyo
기억해요
giokheyo

I smiled and stood up as I gave applause after the song had done. In fact, I thought everyone on the auditorium was giving a standing ovation for her.

She was not a joke. She was really amazing; probably she could surpass her mother someday. My heart was beating so fast after I heard her singing. I was captivated by her, by her voice. She had warmed my heart.

For the first time, I realized many things about her; that she was beautiful, that her voice was amazing, that she was talented, that she was shining so bright on the stage. But for sure, she had taken my interest ever since I heard her singing. My eyes were fixed on her and I couldn’t divert them away.

And probably my heart too…

Note:

The song that performed by Jieun and her mother is a Love Theme from Musical Stage Drama 'Tears of Heaven'. Xia Junsu and Davichi's Lee Haeri were the main stars of the performance. The one that they sing was Davichi's Lee Haeri solo song, 'Can You Hear Me'. You can try to find the song on youtube. I guess the song was sung by either Lee Haeri or Yangpa.

But I still hope you enjoy the fic. Subscribe and comment will good. And thank you, silent readers, for your time to stop by and read the fic :)