[Listen: Good To You - Marianas Trench ft. Kate Voegele]

“Hey, what’s that?” Hyoyeon approached Seohyun who was playing a piece on the piano.

Seohyun immediately stopped playing and looked up and her unnie. “Preparing for a special stage for the next SM Town.”

“Oh,” Hyoyeon nodded. “Is this the one you said you wrote before?” She took the music piece and looked at the lyrics.

Seohyun shyly nodded, “Neh.”

“It’s kinda cool.” Hyoyeon handed her back the papers. “I’ll go now, practice hard~” Hyoyeon walked towards the door when Seohyun called her back.

“Do you know who I’d be singing this with? It’s actually a duet song. I’m not sure if they’ll let me sing this alone.” Seohyun asked.

Hyoyeon thought for a moment. “You were supposed to sing that with Kyuhyun-oppa right?” Seohyun nodded. “But I heard there were ‘order of performances conflict’ so it’d be better if you’ll sing it alone. Besides, I think you can actually nail it on your own.”

Seohyun disappointedly smiled, “Arasso, unnie. Gomawo~” Hyoyeon pumped a fist on air before leaving. Seohyun looked at the music piece once again and started playing. Suddenly, her memories of this song came flashing back…

It was one of those hot summer days when Seohyun was sitting on the bleachers while the athletes were practicing. She wasn’t really watching anyone from those who were playing but she always found that place a peaceful one. She was listening to a random song while twiddling the ballpen between her fingers. She was trying to write a song—her usual do’s.

She was writing the first lines while tapping the pen on the notebook as she thought of the next words to write. The moment she looked up, she was startled to see someone sitting in front of her, eyes locked up on hers. She was too surprised that her things fell off her lap. She removed her earphones and picked up her things.

“I’m sorry if I startled you.” The boy calmly said. He waited for Seohyun to fix her things before talking again. “I need something from you.”

Seohyun irritatingly looked at him. “What makes you think I’ll give it to you?” she put her hands on her hips. “First, I know you’re younger than me and you’re not using honorifics. Second, you just ruined my peaceful—“

“Well, then I’m honored to be known by someone from the upper class.” The boy forced a smile and then his expression turned serious once again. “I’m not really familiar with you, I’m sorry for barging into your peaceful… thoughts or whatever.”

“What do you need?” Seohyun glared at him.

“My teacher told me to let you listen to this and make lyrics for it.” The boy then handed Seohyun a CD.

“Wait, is this… your music? You did this?” She looked at the CD.

The boy sheepishly looked down, “I’m representing the school for a competition but I’m not really skilled in writing songs… So I thought I needed some help and my teacher told me to go to you…”

“You’re representing the school, huh…” Seohyun mockingly nodded. “What makes you think I’ll help you when you’ll be the one to compete?”

“Because you’re from the upper class?” The boy guessed.

“Then I’m sorry. I won’t do it.” Seohyun handed it back to the boy who absentmindedly took it back. Seohyun rolled her eyes before leaving.

The boy ran after her as he got back from his trance. “Hey, wait!!!” He pulled Seohyun by her arm. “Why won’t you do it? It’s not that you can’t, but you just wouldn’t?”

“It’s unfair if I write the song and then you’ll claim it as yours.” Seohyun simply answered, pulling her arm back.

“What are you implying? I was just asking for your help. It’s not like would depend on it.”

“A duet.” The teacher crossed her arms. “You’re asking for a duet.” The two students stood before her table—the girl smiling widely at her while the boy, her student, just groaned.  “Kyungsoo,” he slowly looked at his teacher. “Work hard with her, arasso?”

Seohyun clapped her hands like a child but her smile faded when she looked at the boy who just frowned at the approved idea.

They were sitting on one of the benches as Seohyun was listening to the music. She was trying to start the lyrics for the song. “Yah,” she pointed at the boy. “Why are you so mad about this? Me working with you, you working with me? It’s for the school.”

The boy shook his head, “It’s… nothing.” He sighed.

“Come on, spill.”

“My dad works abroad and he just came back after ten years. He said he’d want to see me singing alone on a stage before he leaves again. And I promised that I’ll do it.” The boy looked upset but he erased the frown on his face by faking a smile. “So how’s it going?”

“L-let’s just continue tomorrow.”  Seohyun quickly fixed her things and stood up. She was sensitive to topics about parents because she loves her parents too much. She felt guilty for coming up with the idea of having a duet instead of just writing the lyrics for the boy.

Days passed by and both of them would always spend their free times together completing the song. Both were unaware that they already grew closer to each other. Although Seohyun still showed no interest in him, more to the least that she never knew his name nor ask for it, she was able to make herself befriend him.

They were having their general rehearsal at the auditorium together with their teacher. They did not know how both of them were singing with their hearts. It was this song that brought them together. It was the song that drew them closer. After the song finished, they stared at each other for a few seconds until the teacher broke the silence.

“Seohyun-shi, someone’s waiting for you outside.” The teacher said. Seohyun looked at the teacher and glanced back at the boy before leaving the auditorium.

During the day of the competition, the Kyungsoo slowly approached Seohyun. “So I heard…” He cleared his throat. “You were offered a contract yesterday?”

Seohyun slowly nodded, “Neh. I’ll actually be leaving later. I have to transfer school because of the scholarship from the company.”

“You’re really talented when it comes to music.” He gave her a reassuring smile.

“So… is your father here?” Seohyun smiled a little while anticipating for his answer.

“Yeah, yeah. He’s… he’s there among the audience. He’s watching.”

“Better prepare now. Do good, okay?” Seohyun took his hands and squeezed them. “I know you’ll be good.” He almost blushed but Seohyun walked to the other side.

“Wait, this way, right?” He pointed to the direction where the back of the stage was.

Seohyun smiled at him as she was already a few feet away from him, “Didn’t you promise your father something?” She then pumped a fist on air and completely disappeared from his sight.

That day, Kyungsoo sang alone on the stage with the song that he and Seohyun composed together. He wasn’t able to spot Seohyun anymore from the crowd as his attention was drawn to his father more. But in the end, he was still thankful to her that she allowed him not to break his promise to his father.

After the event, Kyungsoo received congratulatory messages from people as he won the first prize. It was too crowded that he almost forgot about Seohyun. She was just watching Kyungsoo from afar with the train ticket on her hands. She would be late if she’d still wait for him to notice her so she turned around to leave when she suddenly heard him running after her.

“Hey, wait.” Kyungsoo held her arm. “Are you leaving now?”

“Neh.” Seohyun playfully waved the train ticket to him. “Anyway, congratulations.”

“Thank you, Seohyun-shi.” He softly smiled at her. “I promise to sing with you the same song next time.”

“Promise?”

Kyungsoo smiled again, “I promise.” They looked at each other for a while before Seohyun felt awkward.

“I’ll leave now. I’ll see you again in… one, two, three years? Maybe?”

“That’s a long wait. But as long as we’ll see each other again, that’d be fine.” Kyungsoo assured her with a smile. Seohyun sheepishly smiled and slowly walked away from him.

But she’s not yet ten steps away from him when he quickly shoved her around and planted a kiss on her cheek. Her eyes widened in surprise and couldn’t find the right words to break the awkward atmosphere.

Kyungsoo cleared his throat, “Have a safe trip to Seoul.” He was the first to wave goodbye and walk away from Seohyun as she was still stoned on her position.

Seohyun’s only regret was she only knew him by his first name—Kyungsoo. There must be a lot of other people with the same name.

“N-noona?” Seohyun was startled when D.O. snapped his fingers in front of her. “Taeyeon and Tiffany-noona asked me to call you. I think your TaeTiSeo stage is up next.”

“Oh,” Seohyun shyly smiled to herself as she was spacing out. “Thank you, D.O.-shi.”

“Aniyo, noona. Don’t call me by my stage name. Call me as others do, Kyungsoo.” D.O. said when Chanyeol, Luhan and Sehun passed by. They were to prepare for their collaboration as they took D.O. with them. Seohyun just shrugged the thought of D.O. having a familiar name.

Not long after, Seohyun was standing at the backstage waiting for her solo stage. She was quite nervous as it had been years since she last sung the song. Besides, she promised that she’d sing it with ‘him’ next time but this time, she’d be singing it alone. Who knows where he is now anyways?

Meanwhile, at the further side of the stage, Hyoyeon was talking to some of the production staff. D.O. happened to be walking that direction when he overheard her talking.

“That song means a lot to her so be good with transition of lights. Don’t distract her with unnecessary changing of lights, okay? It’s a small favor.” Hyoyeon said and D.O. smiled with the thought that Hyoyeon must be really protective and close to Seohyun. “Here’s the music piece as well, maybe it’d help you in transitions.” Hyoyeon handed them the copy and left.

“Good To You?” One of the staffs read the title and D.O. suddenly stopped on his tracks. It was a rather very familiar title of a song. “Must be written a long time ago.” Without hesitations, D.O. turned around and walked towards the staffs.

He took the copy from them and skimmed through the lyrics of the song. It was indeed the very same song he knew.

“I-is she singing this with someone?” D.O. asked, knowing Seohyun must be standing on the stage any second now.

“She was supposed to sing it with Kyuhyun-shi but he can’t because Super Junior will perform next to her—“ She abruptly stopped when D.O. gave back the copy of the song and headed towards he stage.

The production staffs were surprised when D.O. suddenly took a microphone and stand along he side of the stage. They couldn’t stop him now as the piano started playing. It was an adlib from the pianist and orchestra that was performing with Seohyun.

Soon, the cue of the start of the song played and Seohyun already sang the first words but she was surprised to hear someone singing with her. No one knows the song aside from her and the boy she wrote it with. She glanced to the sides of the stage and there came D.O. slowly walking towards her. Her eyes quite widened—to her surprise D.O. really knows the song.

She stopped singing as D.O. continued singing his parts of the song.

It was indeed a melodic song and their powerful vocals were showed off. As the song ended, they stared at each other while the seas of fans cheered for them. Little did they know that it wasn’t supposed to be D.O. singing with Seohyun. But everyone was moved by the performance that even Seohyun and D.O. seemed to be lost in their own world.

The lights dimmed and D.O. stepped closer to Seohyun and softly said, “I have come back to sing with you again… our song.” Seohyun smiled at him and threw her armed around him, embracing him tightly. Both savored the moment of such happiness of meeting again.