“Did you just move in today?” Yena spoke first.

 

 

“It was yesterday,” said Yuri. For some reason, she looked familiar.

 

“- and thank you for helping me”. She spoke shyly.  

 

 

 

“Oh wait! You are RIGHT!!”, Yena exclaimed happily.  “You are welcome!, Besides, I’m the only high schooler around here, which means-”.  

 

 

“You will need me”

 

 

Yuri thought it was funny that Yena was excited and confident about how Yuri will need her.  She’d never met someone who was as bright as this girl before. May be, they could be good friends.

 

 

 

Yuri chuckled and said with a husky voice: “I think so”.  

 

 

 

 

“AAAA— Choo” Yena sneezed.

 

The weather got cooler, the sky became really gloomy today. 

Yena, who was still in her pajama, was now shivering. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

That night, Yena suddenly felt sick.  It turned out that she caught a cold and had rest for the whole weekend.  Too bad, she did not work on the songs and Monday had already arrived. 

 

 

 

Yena came to practice, hoping that she could join the others but Chaeyeon resisted about writing the songs so she had no other choice.  Yena headed to the piano practice room and got disappointed that the room was being occupied.  It was strange to her, normally, no one was using the room at this hour.

 

 

She sat down in the hallway, waited for whoever was inside to leave.  She was writing on her notes and suddenly the music stopped.  She could hear people talk from inside.

 

*CLAP CLAP*

 

“She also played really well.  She is definitely a whole package.”

 

 

“I’m glad that you think she has a potential. Do you think she will be qualified for a school fellowship?”

 

 

“I don’t see any problem. We do have good candidates but so far she is one of the best.”

 

 

“You can use the practice room as much as you like. Just give me a heads-up before using it.”

 

 

 

While Yena was eavesdropping, the door was opened which made her startled. 

 

 

 

“Yena!, what are you doing on the floor?”  Teacher Soyou asked.

 

 

 

Yena hurriedly stood up.  “Hi teacher!, I’m waiting to use the practice room. I’m-”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yuri?” 

 

 

 

 

“Yena unnie?”

 

 

 

 

Yuri came out of the room with a middle-aged woman. They resembled each other.

 

 

“Ahnyonghaseyo! Very nice to meet you.. Miss.Jo. My name is Choi Yena.”. 

 

 

“Hi Yena. Finally, we got to meet. Do you like our souvenir?” 

 

 

“The dessert was delicious!” 

 

 

“I’m glad you liked it. Are you a student here?”

 

 

“Yes. I am a 2nd year. Is Yuri attending our school this year?”

 

 

“She is, I hope you two get along well. She doesn’t have many friend since we came from Busan” Miss Jo glanced at her daughter. “Please come visit our house sometime”

 

 

“Well Yena, the room is all yours. I’m anticipated a great performance from the club this year,” 

Soyou added. 

 

 

“I’ll do my best,” said Yena as she bowed.  Yena felt a little bit of pressure all of sudden.

 

 

 

“Thank you for stopping by Miss Jo, I’ll let you know about the fellowship application next week. ” Soyou led Yuri’s mother to the hallway but Yuri just stood there, the girl glanced at Yena.

 

 

 

The older girl was mouthing to her.. Yuri was reading Yena’s lips attentively:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Do— you— want—- to —hang—- out—af-ter’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Mom, Can I stay a little bit longer? I promise, I won’t be home late” Yuri asked her mom after she got the message.

 

“Of course, I know it’s a girl time for you two, right?” Miss Jo stated teasingly. She probably knew we were going to hang out. “Don’t be home late, okay?”

 

 

“I’ll make sure we arrive safely! Miss Jo!” Yena assured Yuri’s Mom.

 

 

 

 

 

After the girls waved good bye to Yuri’s Mom,  they went back in to the practice room.

To Yuri, this did not seem like a place to hang out. 

 

 

 

 

“Let’s do this, Here ”, Yena handed a paper to Yuri.

 

 

 

“Eh? What’s this, unnie?,” Yuri looked at the paper, it was a music sheet with handwritten notes on it.

 

 

 

“You wrote this?” 

 

 

 

“Yes,” Yena grinned widely. “I hear you are one of the best, I assume you also sing?”. “I heard you played piano, it amazed me.” 

 

 

 

“I do sing…but what’s the note for?” 

 

 

 

“Can I hear?”

 

 

 

“Huh?” Yuri was surprised by a sudden request. It was a bit nerve wrecking for her as if she was put to some kind of test. Yuri did not understand what Yena was thinking.

 

 

 

 

“Hahahaha I wish you could see your face, don’t be afraid.” Yena laughed. “I am responsible for writing some songs for our performance but I don’t quite finish them yet.” 

 

“I just want to borrow your piano and singing skills for a moment, if that’s okay,” Yena pouted her lips and looked at Yuri with her pleading eyes. 

 

 

 

Yuri let out a curve of smile. Was this pouting girl really older? Yuri thought. 

 

“With one condition”, Yuri proposed.

 

 

 

“I can afford more than one”, said Yena.

 

 

Yuri chuckled, “If we can go shopping afterwards”.  

 

 

“Deal, I’ll let you hear the song first.”

 

 

 

Yena sat down at the piano, got ready to start. “Don’t have high hopes, okay?”

Yena started playing, and then singing.  

 

 

Part of the lyrics said:

 

‘The hard time has disappeared now, it became a shining light.’

‘Then, I’ll sing for you, for harmony’

‘Nevertheless, that time was still precious for me.’

‘The time I ever dreamed of’

‘Because you and I desperately prayed together, didn’t we?’

 

 

 

Yuri was captivated by the lyrics, it was full of hidden messages. 

She was actually moved by the song. She could not believe that a cheerful person could write this kind of lyrics, happy and sad at the same time.

 

 

 

“Wow, the melody and the lyrics are so good.”

 

“Do you get the message behind it?”, Yena asked.

 

 

“Hmm, I’m not sure.” 

 

 

“That’s good!” 

 

 

 

“It’s good?”, Yuri asked curiously. 

 

 

“That’s the fun part of the play, right?”, Yena stood up and gestured Yuri to sit down. “It’s your turn now”. “You ready?”

 

 

 

 

Yuri adjusted the seat awkwardly. She did not understand why she felt nervous. Yena gave a good performance and she wanted to give a good impression of herself too.

 

 

Yena nodded and smiled at her one more time and Yuri started playing.

 

 

Yuri focused on the music sheet and followed through the notes. 

After 2 verses, she recognized the melody and was able to focus on her singing.

 

 

Yuri lifted her gaze up from the sheet, just to find the older girl grooving along the music, she let out a soft chuckle and choked. Yuri couldn’t finish the song and she burst out laughing.

 

 

“HHa Hahahahahaha”

 

 

 

“Yah! Jo Yuri, why are you laughing?”  

 

 

 

“That’s because of you! Why do you dance funny to a sad song?”

 

 

 

“I don’t dance funny!” Yena pouted. “and It’s not a sad song!”

 

 

“Unnie, Do you enjoy my performance?”

 

 

Yena pretended to think, she sat down next to Yuri and said.

 

 

“Well, apparently. I’m a better performer.”  

 

 

Unbelieved by Yena’s words, Yuri turned toward the older girl to see Yena giving her a smirk.

Before Yuri could say anything, Yena spoke:

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I think you surely are special”, Yena padded Yuri’s head playfully. Her compliment made Yuri blushed.