People and Preludes Have Difficult Rhythms

We Don't Sell Our Souls

10: PEOPLE AND PRELUDES HAVE DIFFICULT RHYTHMS


 

"Empty," by Winner

 


 

                “Krav maga…krav maga…where are you…”

                School had finished, and Naeil was waiting by the bus stop, scrolling through the numerous results for “krav maga tutorials” on her phone. She had heard krav maga was easy to learn and practical for self-defense, compared to classical martial arts. When she asked her old judo teacher about it, he suggested she just look up a course online and try to pick it up on her own. Problem was, there weren’t many krav maga courses in Korean.

                “Seriously? 150,000 won? No way.”

                Naeil was just considering the settling for a course in English (which would at least be more understandable than the Russian) when the bus drove up and she hopped in.

                Naeil arrived at the church with time to spare, so she stopped by Pastor Lee’s office. It was nice to see him at his desk again, going through papers instead of sneaking upstairs to take food to Jimin. It wasn’t that she didn’t approve of the way he took care of people. She just couldn’t shake this feeling that getting involved with Jimin could put the pastor in danger. That was the last thing she wanted.

                Pastor Lee looked up momentarily, blinking through his endearingly unfashionable glasses and smiling at her. “Naeil-ah,” he said. “Have you been standing there for long?”

                Naeil shook her head.

                “Did you need something?” he asked. He was already getting up, and Naeil immediately began waving her hands around, motioning for him to sit down.

                “No, no, I’m fine, aboenim, don’t worry. I was just…thinking, I guess.”

                He nodded, sitting back down. “Thinking is good. You have a wonderful mind, you know. You’re already growing up to become an amazing young lady.”

                Pastor Lee said things like that to her all the time, but every time, Naeil’s heart almost ached from the warmth of those words. Because if he said it, he really meant it. And there were few people in the world who really meant what they said.

                “Are you off to teach piano?” asked Pastor Lee, once again pulling Naeil out of her deep thoughts.

                “Oh, yes.”

                “I suppose you’ll have to ask that young man to move. Tell him he’s welcome to use the old piano in the dining hall, if he would like to. I know it’s not as nice as the one in the sanctuary, but—”

                “Wait. He’s here again?”

                ‘He’ was Min Yoongi, and he had been hanging out at the church almost every day of that week, ever since he picked up Jimin last weekend. All he did was come in, greet Pastor Lee, play on the piano for about an hour or two, and leave. He left as soon as Naeil’s classes began. It just made him more suspicious in Naeil’s eyes. She was sure he had some ulterior motive. She just didn’t know what it was yet.

                Naeil walked to the sanctuary from the other side, so Yoongi wouldn’t see her when she came in at first. Her view of him was partially blocked by the piano. Then his eyes came into view, lids fallen half-way, pupils focused on the keys below. It doesn’t seem like he’s here for a bad reason…but…

                His eyes slid upward, locking onto hers for a moment.

                “You’re here already?” asked Yoongi, not stopping his playing as Naeil approached.

                “Yeah.” She took out her phone and looked at the time. “My student should be here in about five minutes or so.”

                “Hm.”

                He seemed to take this as license to continue and went on with his song, notes twinkling away as one melody ended and another began.

                “…sunbae,” began Naeil, the word sounding a little strange now.

                “Mm?”

                “Why are you here all the time?”

                “I told you. I don’t have a piano. This is a really good piano. Your pastor lets me play on it for free.”

                “But there really isn’t a piano anywhere else besides here?”

                “…I like this piano.”

                Naeil pursed her lips. She came closer and leaned her elbows on the piano, snuggling her face into her palms and staring carefully at Yoongi’s. It wasn’t the most untrustworthy face she had ever seen, but it was just…so…empty. Sometimes she thought he didn’t care about anything. Even now, he seemed completely unfazed by her ill-concealed scrutiny. But she had seen his face soften once, just a little—that time when he came to pick up Jimin. And when he got really into a song, well—his eyes glowed like they were full of starlight.

                Naeil grew tired of her fruitless personality analysis and started watching his fingers flitting over the piano keys.

                “Is that…D minor?”

                “Mm.”

                “I like that key lately. Figured out a good song in D minor the other day.”

                “Hm.”

                Naeil cocked her head a little.

                “Are you trying to write something or just messing around?”

                “Both, I guess.”

                “So…you don’t read music much these days?”

                “Sometimes. I’m pretty rusty.”

                “Working on anything right now?”

                “Bach.”

                “Ah…which one?”

                “A prelude. Can’t remember the whole title.”

                “I like a good Bach prelude. Except they look simple, but they’re so ridiculously hard to perfect.”

                “Yeah…” Yoongi finally stopped playing and looked up. “I’m actually stuck right now. The finger work is killing me and I’m messing up the rhythm.”

                “You should practice Bach in sequences.”

                “Sequence—?”

                “Seosaengnim!” came the cry from a boy who had just come in. “I’m heeeeere!”

                The boy, about ten years old, shouted this all the way down the aisle until he got to the piano, stopping short at the sight of Yoongi.

                “Who on earth are you?” asked the kid.

                “I’m a random guy who likes to play piano.”

                “I don’t know anyone with green hair who’s good at playing piano.”

                Yoongi snorted. “Well, you just met one, you little punk.”

                “O-kay, sunbae,” sang Naeil, jabbing him forcefully in the shoulder. “Time for you to leave.”

                Yoongi clutched at his shoulder. “Fine, fine!” he cried, sliding off the bench. “I’m going away, see? Aish, what the hell is your finger made of, iron?”

 

 


Author’s Note

Ahhhhhh piano. My life. I would probably fall in love with any dude who could talk to me about composers while effortlessly improvising some sweet jams on the keys. We could be poor together HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA dang it.

So, yes. I changed update days again (sorry). That’s partially because I personally would think having such short updates so far apart is annoying but also because other people apparently think the same thing and so I want to do the less annoying thing for you guys because I’m really thankful to all the people who read this story :)

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JazzOnTheRoof
Just fwi there IS a new chapter before my note called "Explaining Myself." I noticed the authors note had more views than the new chapter so I think some people accidentally missed it.

Comments

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Naraly
#1
Chapter 54: The ending of this xD too funny. Don’t worry, take your time. No rush on this reader’s side. Hope all goes well :)
Purple_Butterfly
#2
Chapter 54: Of course there are people who are waiting for you! We're curious to see how the story will end and we'll enjoy it not matter what. Live your life and don't worry too much ;)
Kkomaenggi
#3
Chapter 54: Okay so I wrote a whole bible text and turned out i wasn't logged in so it deleted everything lmao I'll just go yeet myself out of existence I guess, okay I'll try to re-write it, uhh well first things first I really enjoy your story and I am really curious to see how it ends, it's not your typical kind of fanfic which is refreshing, second it's totally understandable that you can't update as often cause of everything going on in your life, I mean priorities lmao AND you are not getting paid for this lmaooo, and I can relate a lot since my grandma also used to live at our place for a while and we had to take care of her everything, although i have siblings helping along so it wasn't as time consuming as it is for you, I bet. Anyone being bothered or hating you for being on an unexpected hiatus is imo selfish or childish or both lmao so take you time and it's already nice seeing you not giving up on this hahahah (also yeah it's 12am and I am on this site reading this entire authors not or whatever you want to call it, I have no life, you have every right to be disgusted HAHA)
thirizxc #4
Chapter 54: Heyyy if you feel like changing the flow of the story do it! Don’t feel pressured to follow the readers After all YOU are the writer of the story and we’d happily accept it if you think it’ll make the story better! :). I’d support you until the story ends so take your time with writing ! ☺️
Kkomaenggi
#5
Chapter 43: OKAY MY HEART HURTS FOR ALL OF THEM (so I guess kudos to you for being able to conjure that feeling in me?) and i usually do not comment halfway reading but jimin is my bias and i want him back and i want to hug him and i want him and hoseok and the rest of them happy and ughhh i want to cry mannnn HYYH is my fav era but at the same time it HURTS ME SO MUCH. I have struggled/struggle with depression for as long as i can remember so the things that they go through in HYYH touches me deep inside, especially jimin and hoseok, so this story does the same man! (I do feel like im slowly but steadily getting better and its easier to talk about for me so nothing to worry about anymore)
Kkomaenggi
#6
it, house in the night was really good so im reading this aswell, and especially since HYYH is my fav era, i did see last update was in august but you did say you want to finish it in your foreword so ill trust that and slowly catch up with those 49 flippin chapter so lesgetit
rapbye0n
#7
Chapter 52: A-APPA?!?!?!?!!!!

BISH IM JUNGSHOOKT
Purple_Butterfly
#8
Chapter 52: How could anyone have seen this coming!!
Naraly
#9
Chapter 52: My mind just blew the heck up omg
ParkSooYun_ #10
Chapter 47: I decided to check if there was a new chapter and there was more than one! I'm so happy that you're back!