'Byun Baekhyun, is that correct?'

'Yes.'

'And how old are you, Baekhyun-sshi?'

'I'm nearly 19.'

'Okay.'

At least that's what you think the first few phrases of the introduction might have been. Since you stumbled in at nearly 9:16 PM, you didn't get to hear them anymore – but instead something that is way more important. Baekhyun's back is you so you're only able to see the judge's faces from the shadow you're standing in. Their eyebrows are raised as if they had just heard something that they didn't like or that confused them, and one of them seems to be checking a paper for something. Then he looks up again.

'But you did sign up for 'with accompaniement'?', he asks, his voice sounding as if he wants to make sure this situation wasn't his own fault. 'I did', Baekhyun reassures the man in front of him, 'but my accompaniement decided that he had to improve his teaching skills today.' You immediately know what they're talking about. The conversation between Baekhyun and Kwon-sungsaenim pops up in your mind, leaving no doubt about the reason the judges are confused. Your friend has turned up without anyone to play the piano or guitar for him, and so the large instrument looks misplaced next to him. 'We want everyone to get a fair chance here', another judge then joins in, 'and if someone shows up without accompaniement when everyone else has got one, well – that's your disadvantage.' Baekhyun bows a little, obviously not very comfortable in the presence of three people judging his showing up alone.

'I know', he hurries to agree, 'but then again, not participating at all is an even greater disadvantage, isn't it?' You swear you can see his normally smooth body tensing, even from behind, and even though he sounds as relaxed as he could, it's the way he straightens his collar that tells you he's not that calm. In the end, it's the sound of the judges laughing awkwardly that makes you decide it's time for you to make your appearance.

You take the door knob, open the door and then close it again, creating just the noise it would have made if you hadn't entered that carefully, and then you quickly step out of the long shadow you stood in before. 'I'm so sorry I'm late!', you wheeze. Your heart is still racing from both excitement and exhaustion so it's not too hard to pretend you ran here, afraid of being late. 'I couldn't catch the subway I wanted and now I'm stealing the spotlight.' You can see the judges' eyes widen a little in the background, but over all their faces there's Baekhyun's. He looks at you, and his expression is blank and filled with every possible emotion close to 'whatareyoudoinghere?' all at once.

But there's no time to explain, and you're sure he wouldn't let you, even if you wanted to. One of the judges laughs a little, but not that awkward anymore, and you tell yourself to breathe more calmly now that the worst part of this is over and you managed to get in safely – but somehow, your heart keeps on beating fast. 'What's your name?', the judge asks, and you tell him. His collegue writes it down on one of his papers. 'And you're … Baekhyun's teacher?', he inquires further. You blink confused, then you remember what he said a moment before. 'Ah, yes – no. I'm just giving him private lessons in English and he asked me to help out with this.' The judge nods to his collegues and they seem to pick up their work again. They wiggle a little in their seats and sit back up, straightening their bodies in attention.

'Okay then. Please start.'

You bow politely and then head towards the piano. When you pass Baekhyun on the way over, his scent almost makes you trip. You know exactly that he's looking at you and although he doesn't say anything, there are lots of words unspoken dangling from the ceiling that seems to have lowered down on you. You in your breath when his hand suddenly touches your wrist as you take the last step past him, and you glance back at him, catching a questioning look from his dark eyes. And while his touch is only slight, it still makes his skepticism run through your veins, making your body tingle. You take another step and he lets go voluntarily so you let yourself sink faintly onto the piano bench a moment later.

Talking to him later on is going to be unevitable, and your head is already spinning from how hard you're already trying to find the right words to say which is not going to be easy since you've got a lot to confess. You breathe in and out a few times while you arrange the music sheets before you and place your fingers on the keys you have to play first.

'One, two, three, four...'