Seoul, year 2002
[Sunday, 22 December]

 

 

Narrator's POV

 

 

It was unusually cold day in the end of December in Seoul, South Korea. Christmas was just around the corner and everyone was getting to their holiday mood, at least everyone in this auditorium right now. Today was the Stage Guide's Christmas celebration. Stage Guide aka a performance club for 4 to 12 year old children. The club's annual Christmas celebration included performances from every member of the club. The performances could be either solo, duo or a trio where the children would sing and dance to the song they had practiced to.

The clock was reaching 7 pm which meant that the show was about halfway through. The audience was filled with smiles from happy parents and relatives enjoying the Christmas concert. One grievance shone through rest of the happy crowd though. In the middle of the second row was sitting a fine looking lady. She was looking down her nose the performing duo on the stage.

The lady wasn't just a nobody. She happened to be the famous singer-pianist Yoon Sonha that had made herself a name in the early 90's. Back then she sang and performed but nowadays she just appeared on music programs as a judge and had fully focused on just playing instruments. She had almost retired from the commercial side of her musical career when she started a family few years ago, but occasionally appeared on the screen still.

The duo on the stage was singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland. The girls were five and six years old so the song itself was already a challenge for them. Sonha was judging the girls carefully like trying to find every little mistake from their performance instead of enjoying the show like the other parents. The performing duo was good, the best so far, but it didn't warm Sonha's mind at all.

 

 

"They're wonderful." A man next to Sonha whispered with a shaky voice. Sonha furrowed her brows before giving her husband a questioning look.

"Hayi's singing is too pitchy and Naye's voice is shaky.." Sonha stated and turned to look at the girls again.

"Dear.. You need to remember that they are only kids.. Naye is doing an extraordinary job for a five year old." The man, Lee Hanwi, told sternly but his wife wouldn't listen.

"Hayi needs definitely more private lessons.." Sonha muttered by herself and Hanwi sighed heavily. Hanwi looked down to his lap where their youngest daughter was sitting and watching her sisters perform. A desperate thought flashed through Hanwi's mind as he thought about his girls' childhood. It wasn't exactly like he'd imagined it to be six years ago.

"Soyi-ah? Do you know who's singing?" Hanwi asked from the small girl in his lap.

"Unnie!" Soyi clapped her palms together joyfully and Hanwi smiled to her actions.

"Did you hear that?" Sonha suddenly blurted and pointed at Hayi.

"Sorry, what?" Hanwi asked quietly.

"Naye just filled Hayi's notes! Hayi couldn't even do that." Sonha shook her head in disbelief. "Glad that even Naye has some wits in her." She continued and Hanwi shook his head slowly. It was getting worse as the girls were growing older. 

 

 

After Sonha and Hanwi's girls had performed, Sonha made her way out of the auditorium with her husband and Soyi. Sonha didn't even bother to hear the rest of the kids sing. It would just cause another hour of headache for her. 

Hanwi set Soyi down from his hold as they got to the main lobby. It didn't even take two minutes before Hayi and Naye ran towards their parents. Both of them were smiling widely as they stopped in front of them.

 

 

"Good. Let's go." Sonha stated coldly and started walking towards the main doors.

"Did you give you teacher the present we bought?" Hanwi asked from the girls.

"Yes!" They stated in unison.

"That's good." Hanwi smiled. "You did really well today. I almost cried." He continued and Naye snickered.

"You're always crying when we sing daddy!" Hayi pointed out and Hanwi laughed to that. It followed a great silence till they got outside.

"Let's be quick, it's cold." Hanwi said as the cold flurry hit his face. They got to their car and jumped in. Hanwi the engine and it was the moment for Hayi to speak up.

"Mommy?" She asked.

"Hm?" Sonha just hummed.

"Did I do well today?" Hayi continued and it followed a ten second silence.

"Ehem.." Hanwi opened his throat.

"You need more private lessons. Starting from next year." Sonha stated and turned to look at Naye who was sitting at the back behind Hanwi. "Naye dear. Your skills have improved since I last time saw you perform. Your voice is still shaky though. We need to fix that."  She smiled slightly to her and turned to face front again.

"But mommy what about--?" Hayi was about to ask but Sonha cut her off.

"Do you want to hide in Naye's shadow for the rest of your life Hayi? Do you??" Sonha raised her voice.

"Calm down darling.." Hanwi tried.

"N-no but.." Hayi's voice was now trembling.

"Then you listen to me and go to those private lessons next year. I only want the best for you." Sonha said and the whole car fell silent except for Hayi who was now crying quietly. Hanwi drove out of the parking lot towards as they started to head home.

"Can you play with me?" Soyi asked from Naye who was looking at Hayi.

"Soon.." Naye smiled to her. "Unnie?" Naye asked quietly from Hayi who just shook her head.

"Unnie now?" Soyi said to Naye who just ignored her.

"Hayi unnie? I'm sorry." Naye told quietly as Sonha put the radio on. Hayi turned to give a nasty look to Naye before burying her face to the bench.

"Unnie?" Soyi asked again so Naye finally focused on her. 

"Okay, let's draw."

 

 

Seoul, year 2012
[Saturday, 30 June]

 

 

Naye's POV

 

 

"The judges have finally come up to a conclusion of who's going to take the win for our four different categories. Now it is time to announce the winners! Just a quick reminder for those who forgot, the categories are: 6 year olds and younger, 12 year olds and younger, 15 year olds and younger & 18 year olds and younger. The winner for each category will be rewarded with a 20,000,000 ₩ (≈ $ 17,000) and this golden statue from our own "Mega singing" association." I was listening how the host was adding words between his premade sentences just to make it last longer.

 

 

I was waiting at the backstage with the other contestants to hear the final results from the host. It had been an exclusive competition compared to the ones I had had lately. Even if I didn't acknowledged it just yet, I was slightly shaking because of the nervousness I was going through. I had been one of the last singers and there had been so many good singers as well so my first place wasn't exactly guaranteed as my mom told me on our way here.

We were living in Gwangju so it wasn't just a quick ride here since it took three whole hours. I knew it would be a disappointment for my parents if I didn't get anything for us to take back. At least I knew my mother would be bothered by it. I eyed the people around me and bit my lips together. The host was now announcing the top three of the "6 year old and youngers".

 

 

"Give it up for Jeon Yujin, Kim Jiwon and Kim Heein for their awesome performance in this very competition." The host raised his voice and I scanned the three little girls through with a small smile. They looked very happy. I slid deep in my thoughts while thinking hard to the day when I was 6 year old myself. I couldn't remember much from those days even if I tried my very best. I snapped back to reality when I heard loud clapping around me.

"Oh.." I shook my head slightly to get some sense in to it before joining the clapping.

"Now! It's time to move to "15 year olds and younger". I gotta say.. This top three didn't come out as a surprise to me. Are you ready? The third place goes to... Oh Sebin! Congratulations Sebin." The host signaled everyone to clap. I noticed how I was biting my lips, all anxious. Two place left to rank. "Okay now.. The girl who reached second place... Kim Dayoung! Come on up, it's you!" The host joked as the girl next to me rushed to the stage. "Now that we got the second and the third places filled, it's time to find out who's our winner today. This girl earned her first place today by scoring the most skill points in entire competition! Give it up for......... Lee Naye!!!" When the judge screamed my name, the whole world stopped. My jaw dropped to the ground as I noticed how I was making my way to the stage.

"That's my girl!" I heard a faint exclaim from the crowd as I stopped in the middle of the other two girls. I grabbed the envelope and the statue before we bowed to the audience. They gave us loud applause and I even saw my mom smiling for a second. We left the stage as the host started to announce the next category's top three.

 

 

I was so out of it. Many of the girls came up to me and congratulated but I was still shook about the whole deal. It wasn't my first win but it definitely was the best. I had never been in this big competition before, or so that I could actually remember it. I was holding the statue tightly in my hold as I saw my parents entering the back stage. They were now both rushing to me.

Mom took my prices as dad reached to give me a tight hug.

 

 

"...and believe me or not.. The first place in "18 year olds and younger" goes to....... Miss Lee Naye!" I heard the host yelling as my dad let go of me. My eyes widened up to a size of plates as I saw my mom pointing the stage behind me.

"Go go go!!" Mom yelled so I turned around to face the stage.

"Yes Lee Naye, you won so come up to the stage!" The host chuckled as I entered the stage again with loud applause.

"I can't believe this.." I muttered with a shaky voice as I stopped next to the host.

"You can't believe this? Well I can since you blew up the stage with your version of Mariah Carey's My All. Now give it up for Lee Naye, Gong Ahrim and Kim Dasom!"

 

 

I was sitting in the car and the clock was 10 something pm. We had still almost two hours left till we would be back at our home in Gwangju. I was listening the music from the radio while thinking through the happenings in the last 12 hours. I had never felt this happy for winning two first places and getting the honor of being the best scored female singer in the competition.

Just when I was about to close my eyes, I heard my mom speaking. I noticed how we needed to stop for the traffic lights.

 

 

"I knew Naye would win for sure. She's trained so hard lately." She told quietly so I assumed she was talking to my dad.

"She's always working hard, like our other girls as well." Dad just told calmly.

"But darling.. You can't deny her potential. She's way more committed for this than Hayi for example." Mom explained and snorted which made me furrow my brows. Did she know I was hearing this?

"Sonha-ah.. I can't say that Hayi wouldn't be as committed as Naye.. We cannot compare them." Dad explained and I bit my lips together.

"Well when you put it like that.. I saw many things that could be better in Naye's singing today as well." She told coldly.

"Yah.." Dad started but I decided to in.

"Why are you saying stuff like that?" I asked with a prickly tone in my voice.

"Oh you were awake?" Mom just asked casually.

"Well I could hear obviously.. What is with you and this competing? Why are you always finding things to complain about? I was happy just a second ago for my performance today but now after hearing what you think, I'm suddenly not." I gritted my teeth together.

"That means you are already learning." Mom told and I snorted in annoyance.

"I don't want to learn then! Not from you at least.. I want my mother to be my mother and not some critic all the freaking time!" I snapped for the first time to my mother and it felt so good. I noticed how the lights turned green finally and how the car started moving.

"Well I'm sorry for what you have to live with." Mom shrugged.

"I wish I didn't need to!" I screamed and heard a loud honking noise on my right side.

"Then you can-- WATCH OUT!" Mom screamed and I instantly shot my gaze to my right and managed to get a glimpse of the upcoming truck. I couldn't think anything before it all went black.

 

 

I'm sorry.

 

 

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