Moondust Chapter 4

Song For this Chapter: Verse by Sleeping At Last

YooJung’s POV

“I miss you too, Grandma.”

“YooJung, I sent you some money for a new dress. Please buy a new dress for your performance with it. I don’t want you spending it on anything else except for that. Don’t feel any pressure to pay it back with that money. Trust your talent, dear. I’m sorry your grandmother can’t help you. I’m so sorry my dear.” It was as though my heart was being lacerated every time I had to hear my own grandmother apologize to me for something no one had control over.

“It’s okay Grandma. I promise I will buy a new dress for the performance with it. Tell grandpa I love him too. Goodbye. Love you.” My grandmother hung up after that. The phone fell from my hands and onto the mattress as I sat with my feet hanging over the bed, feeling worried and drained about the upcoming piano recital. Money was tight and the only reason why I was even here was because of the scholarship. I couldn’t afford Julliard’s tuition fees, so I chose the next best thing.

I only had one option to take if I wanted to create a life for myself; it was the piano. Ever since I was a little girl, the piano was my entirety. My professor wanted me to work on completing my composition, however I was stuck. Therefore I was nervous about her reaction to my still incomplete composition notebook, for she could be extremely ruthless when upset. My piano instructor stood beside the piano as I played the memorized composition up until what I had until my fingers abruptly came to an end.

“That’s all I have.” I timidly announced with my hands resting on the keys.

“What’s the reason you couldn’t finish it? Tell me.”

“Finishing this piece would mean having to remember what it was like before my parents died and I’ve gotten used to the fact that they’re gone now.” Silence filled the room as my teacher ceased her pressing of the matter.

“YooJung ah, if you can’t finish this just start a new composition. Your music reflects your emotions and your life. That page will simply remain as the happiness that was cut short. Start with a fresh new page. To be frank, when I heard what happened to your family three years ago, I was worried you would give up playing the piano. I’m proud of you. It took courage for you to return and continue playing the piano. What you’re feeling or going through right now, just let it all go on the piano and maybe a masterpiece will emerge.”

All I could do was nod. It did take courage for me to return to Seoul and I was braced for whatever that was waiting to unfold.

After my practice was done I returned back to my dorm room where JooHyun was applying her skincare in front of her vanity. I didn’t realize how late it was when I got back to the dorms.

“Where were you today? I came back after crashing at my friend’s from a night of clubbing and you were gone the entire day.” JooHyun asked, as she approached me in her pajamas. I was opening my drawer, searching for a new composition notebook to start when she sat down on my bed.

“Oh. I was out practicing. I’m preparing a piano concour. It’s imperative that I win the top prize, so I’ve been busy with that.” I replied not really paying attention to JooHyun, for my arm was reaching deep into the drawer in order to grasp a new notebook. Once I had it, I pulled it out and placed onto my desk.

“Oh. No wonder you’re always busy. It feels like I haven’t seen you at all since you moved in. Since you’re in the arts department, do you know a guy named Yook Sungjae? He’s a friend of mine.”

“Sungjae?” I asked, turning toward JooHyun. “Yeah I know him.”

“That’s great. Do you want to sit with us at lunch? He sits with my boyfriend and me. His girlfriend sits with us too.” JooHyun was affable as she invited me, however I had to decline.

“That sounds great, but I’m planning on spending my lunch times in the music department. I need all the time I have to finish my composition. Thanks though, JooHyun.”

“How old are you? You’re a first year, so…?”

“I’m 19 years old.”