Moondust Chapter 9 

Song for this chapter// Pray by Klang

“I don’t know if I can anymore

So watch me break

I can see everything torn away

From me...”

YooJung~

I didn’t eat. 

I didn’t sleep.

I remained sitting at the grand piano, finishing the composition until the pencil reduced to a stub of lead. BoGum got hurt... again. They kept taking advantage of him to get to me. The only chances I had at protecting BoGum was to win the upcoming competition. The prize money for this concour would only pay off a quarter of the debt, but at least it will spare me some time to acquire the rest of the money. 

My turbulent emotions caused the pressure of my fingers to fluncuate from too loose to too strong. Sadness wasn’t driving me. Anger drove me. Even as the daylight flooded the windows, I played the song over and over again. I strayed from the music score to the questions I needed answers to. Did my parents accrue debt because of me? Was I the reason those loan sharks kept harassing us? Was it my fault? My fingers slammed down onto the keys. A length of utter racket bounced off the sound proofed walls and back, slapping me with its clamor. After playing only melodious and ear-pleasing music all these years I’ve forgotten how jarring the piano would sound at times when I wasn’t being intentional. The awful screeching noise I created reflected my current inner turmoil. Despite that, I would have to put on a semblance of serenity for the competition to amaze the judges. I denied myself any respite and kept practicing with sore fingers. 

This was the only option I had left. 

The delicate baby pink tulle that encircled me in a drop of ruffles weighted over my thighs and legs lightly like a feather. My newly dyed black hair slid past my shoulders in endless waves with the help of SoHyun, who curled my hair for tonight. I tried to relax my muscles, but none of them complied. My shoulders felt stiff as I stood up straight after countless hours of being slumped over the piano during practice. My facial muscles refused to loosen, for I couldn’t stop grinding my teeth. I practiced the composition with my fingers floating in the air, envisioning the keys. I had to win tonight. No ifs or buts. I had to win. 

No. I will win tonight. I had to believe. 

I had to. 

“YooJung ah,” SoHyun invited Sungjae into the dressing room. He had an envelope in his hands. “We want you to have this. It’s not much, but we pulled together our part time wages and borrowed some from our parents. We want you to use this to pay back the debt and get your life back. You and Bogum.” 

SoHyun and Sungjae were more than my friends. They were my family. We met each other at our church as little kids thanks to our parents, bonded over volunteering for the praise team, and even after everything they still cared for me. Even after I left them, they still loved me. I only understood the value of having such profound and loyal friendships after I spent three years without them. There so many times I felt lonely, not being able to talk to them. Memories of our times would randomly interrupt my day and I would miss them. They knew exactly what to say to comfort me or cheer me up and so everyone else failed to replace them. No one could ever replace them. I may not be rich in wealth, but I sure possessed an abundance of love from my dear friends. They loved me to the point they shared the weight of my burdens, reducing the load for me. As much I felt apologetic towards them, I also loved them so much. 

“I love you guys.” I pulled them into a hug, sniffling back my tears of gratitude. 

The time came for my composition to be played in front of an audience and judges. Peering behind the curtain on stage, I searched for BoGum in the crowd. Even after all these years, I wished that he would keep his promise. However, there was no trace of him anywhere. The stage blackened out. The curtains were drawn. SoHyun and Sungjae sat in the front row, holding a handmade poster for me to see. I stretched my fingers out before the keys of the grand piano. Along with the first note, the spotlight fell upon me within the dark auditorium. 

“Hurry. We have to leave right now.” BoGum barged into my dressing room, slamming open the door. I fumbled with my shoelaces out of the urgent need to quickly leave when the laces kept slipping from my fingers. BoGum crouched down before me an