Taemin's practicing his solo piano performance in the music room for Seo-Yun

Taemin's solo piano performance at MusicCore

It was the first place he headed the moment Monday classes were over. With each step he took, his heart became lighter and the smile on his face went wider. Was this how one is supposed to feel of wanting to meet someone? He opened the rooftop door and stepped into the open air. There was no breeze, and his heart dropped as he looked around, there was no sign of her either. A light breeze picked up and a voice called out from behind him.

“Oh? You’re surprisingly early today.” I chipped and walked up to Taemin. The gentle breeze was teasing both of our hair to a side.

“Classes ended early today.” His voice was quiet. I took a look at him who was glancing at me curiously before he cast a look of horror at my left arm.

“What happened? He pointed to the bandages.

“It’s just scratches.” I assured him.

“Oh…” He said as I smiled secretly at his relief expression.  “About that time…” he trailed off.

“What?” I looked at him, amused.

“You’re not angry about that night?” He asked.

“I am?” I raised an eyebrow at him before giving a short laugh. “You’re just thinking too much.” I walked over to the edge and enjoyed the warm afternoon scenery.

“Really?” he breathed in relief and joined me by my side. A thought popped into my head.

“Ah that’s right!” I gasped and he gave a questionable look. “I forgot to return you your scarf!”

Taemin covered his mouth as he gave a short laugh. “That’s okay, you can keep it. First, I need two things from you.” I gave a bemused look at the glint in his eyes.

“What is it?”

“First, your hand phone number. I realized I don’t have yours, even though we’re friends.” My heart quicken a beat at him calling me his friend. It isn’t everyday you get an idol for a friend who seeks for your phone number.I nodded in amazement. “And second…” he continued. “I need your ears.”

“What?” I couldn’t believe his words.

“Come…” he gestured me with a secretive smile across his small face.

I was led to the quiet music room with Taemin as he positioned himself comfortably on the seat before the piano.

I furrowed my brows at his motive. He gave a slight smile. “I’m giving a piano performance at MusicCore this week. I want you to hear it and give me your comments.”

“Okay…” I smiled back and stood next to the piano.

The atmosphere was silent as he focused.

His fingers danced across the piano keys with graceful skills and sweet notes immediacy filled the air. The soft key notes bounce  here and there lightly, an image of a river flows into my mind. I looked at him with numerous thoughts flooding my mind. He was playing my favorite music piece – Yiruma’ River Flows In You.

His focused expression as he delicately played out each note, his eyes never once leaving off the keyboard – every singly movement of his was overwhelming me. I closed my eyes and  listened. Every moment seems so precious and sad to me. The breeze came pouring in through the opened windows and filled the entire room with the scent of the autumn forest. As the last note lingers off, the breeze died down and I opened my eyes to look at Taemin.

“How was it?” He looked at me with a nervous smile.

“Great..it was great.” I whispered, not daring to speak out loud. We were silent for a while.

“Hey…you’re the first one to listen to this you know?” Taemin said softly and I saw a faint blush on his cheeks. I gave a slight laugh. “You just want me to check whether it’s good enough right?”

“That’s also another reason.” He admitted. “I’m quite nervous over it actually. It’s pressuring to imagine performing in front of so many people.”

“Well…” I stood by his side and bent down to press a random piano key. “Don’t you do that all the time? Singing and dancing in front of the audience?”

“This is different.” He protested gently.

I pressed the next key note. “Hmm……just imagine today when you’re performing on MusicCore then.”

He turned towards me with an expectant look. “So will you be watching this week’s MusicCore too?”

“Sure, why not?” I was amused by his question.

He raised a pinkie towards me. “A deal?”

I chuckled and hooked my pinkie with his, our thumbs meeting each other as a stamp to seal the promise. “It’s a deal.”

******

Taemin sat before the white piano at the center of the stage. His fingers were already positioned at the starting key notes. The stage lights were focused on him and the screams of the fan girls filled the place. His heart couldn’t stop beating fast as he waited for the signal to start. He took a deep breath and looked at the numerous camera placed around him. Somewhere…out there, she will be watching him playing her favorite music piece. He gave a slight smile at the chance played out for him .When he was requested to do a solo music performance on MusicCore, her words about Yiruma instantly popped into his mind and he decided to play this piece specifically for her. She would never know about this of course; but knowing that it will please her, he had spend several nights away on training, till to the point where he could play without even seeing the score sheets. As the lights started dimming on him; a cue for him to begin; he remembered her words to him – “Hmm..just imagine today when you’re performing on MusicCore then.” He smiled before re-focusing back to his task ahead.

His fingers pressed the first few notes and the screaming of the fan girls immediately quieted down. The lone stage light slowly focuses on him and the white piano against the dark background. As he played on, the music flood his mind with images of the time he had spent with her. He remembered the scene where he laid beside her, sharing this very same music piece with her as they stared at the clear blue sky. Her smiling face burned into his thoughts as he played each piano key, an unexplainable sadness grew gently and softly in his heart like the December snow. As he played the last few key notes, the sadness lingered on for a moment before slowly melting away against the cheering of the audience. While he smiled brightly to the audience and the cameras, he couldn’t help but wondered secretly about these strange emotions in his heart.