9 ǁ Unexpected

 

A silly smile found its way onto his face as the figure listened to your singing and guitar playing in content from outside your room. You were basically finished with your song composition and lyrics-writing, so all that was left was to record and hand in for assessment. While you were safely packing away your guitar, music sheets and lyrics, hushed whispers from behind your door travelled to your ears, drawing your attention. You opened it to reveal none other than your cousin and Daehyun, who looked like he was making signs for Yongguk to shush.

 

You blinked at them cluelessly. "Oh Yongguk-ah, Daehyun-ah, is there something wrong?"

 

Daehyun started laughing awkwardly. "N-no! Nothing's wrong, just… passing by."

 

Yongguk nonchalantly jabbed his thumb in the younger's direction. "He was standing outside your door with a creepy smile. Probably listening in on your composition."

 

You looked from your cousin to Daehyun, who was gaping. "Hyung! I did not smile creepily!"

 

Giggles threatened to escape from your throat, which you tried to cover by asking, "How was it?"

 

He turned to you with a puzzled look. "Huh?"

 

"My song… how was it? What do you think?" you asked again.

 

"Oh right." Daehyun beamed at you. "It was amazing, as expected from Kim Hana." His face literally looked like this ---> :DDD.

 

"Great job as always lil cousin!" Yongguk ruffled your hair.

 

*Why does everyone like doing that…* you mentally frowned as you fixed your now messy hair. But all the same, you couldn't hide your happiness that the two of them liked your creation. "Really? Do you think it's good enough?"

 

Yongguk slung an arm around your shoulders. "Have some confidence in yourself! You know what you're capable of. And from what I've heard just now, it's more than enough. That girl, Miyoon, Miyan, Mi-whatever it was, won't stand a chance."

 

You shook your head. "I'm sure Miyun will do well and no matter who wins, we'll congratulate the other."

 

"Always thinking about others, aren't you? You've inherited my good genes!" Yongguk clapped your back lightly and laughed.

 

"Uh, Hyung," Daehyun interrupted. "Hana can't inherit anything from a cousin who is not actually blood-related to--- *SLAP!* OWW! Hyung!" He rubbed the spot on his head where Yongguk had slapped him whilst you hid behind your cousin's back to silently giggle to yourself.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

"She borrows from an unknown force,

Feeling herself be lifted from the ground for the first time.

A foreign yet wonderful feeling can flourish,

As that one thing tells her she can be happy.

 

That itself is enough. All she ever needs is to be happy. Hoo, yea ~~~"

 

Slowly, a satisfied smile flitted across your face as you removed the headphones from your head. You were using the song you created at the park that night where Yoseob had found your guitar pick. And like this, your assignment was finally completed. Taking the two CD copies from the recording machine and safely placing them in separate cases, you placed one in the slot labelled with your name in the studio and held the other in your hand, heading straight to the Professor's office.

 

Not long after you skipped off, a figure opened the door to the recording studio. It wasn't long before a certain name caught the person's eye. Walking over and picking up the CD case, they scanned it thoroughly. "So it's here."

 

 

"Thank you Professor," you bowed deeply. "I hope my work meets your expectations."

 

As you were leaving, you saw Miyun entering the room holding her own CD case. "Oh Hana, you've handed yours in already?" she asked.

 

You nodded with a smile. "Yes. Are you handing yours in now?"

 

"Yep!" Miyun waved the case in her hand. "I'm counting on this thing here and I'm sure it'll get me what I want."

 

*Of course Miyun would be confident with winning.* "Alright then, I'll head off now. Have a nice weekend and see you next week then," you smiled then took off.

 

"See you Hana."

 

As soon as you turned your back, a smirk plastered her face. "Can't wait to see that pitiful look you'll make when you realize what's happened." Miyun continued eyeing you and felt her anger rise when you met up with Youngjae, Jongup and Daehyun. Especially with Daehyun. She couldn't stand the sight of the two of you happily chatting away and smiling at the presence of the other.

 

"What does Oppa see in her? What do all of them see in that girl?" she spat in disgust. There was a slight change of plans, but it's not like Miyun was complaining. It just made things even better for her. "Just you wait Kim Hana."

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

The Professor held the two cases in front of her, deep in thought.

 

"I wonder which one of these girls would end up taking the lead role? Miyun-haksaeng is a more confident performer, but Hana-haksaeng has more vibrant musical insight."

 

She let out a sigh before jolting up in her seat. "Omo, almost forgot Coordinator-ssi asked me for the papers!" The Professor quickly grabbed the required documents and sped off to the Coordinator, abandoning the vulnerable CDs on her desktop.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

The closer you inched towards the college gates, the tighter you clutched onto the strap of your guitar bag. It was Monday morning already, which meant that today was judgement day. Not the 'alien invasion' or 'robots from the future' kind of judgement day, but the day which would determine the performance role which could very well pave a successful pathway for your future.

 

Daehyun noticed your reluctant steps. "Feeling nervous?"

 

You looked up at the three pairs of eyes looking back at you. "Yeah… My hands won't stop shaking either."

 

"Noona, you were happy with what you handed in so we're sure you've done well," Jongup reassured.

 

"And don't forget what Yongguk-hyung, Himchan-hyung and Junhongie said this morning," Youngjae added.  "You have real talent."

 

An arm suddenly shot in front of you, blocking you from walking any further. Daehyun grinned at you. "So lift that head of yours up high, give us a great big smile, and walk in there with confidence!"

 

Your heart soared at the support you were receiving. It was the first time you had so many people by your side, watching over you and genuinely caring about you. It used to just be your mother, father and Yongguk. But now you had another five in your life. *And Miyun, Hyesu and Eunmi!* you thought (oh, poor clueless you).

 

A new confidence shot through your veins. "Thank you, I know I can win now, just for you guys!"

 

"HOORAY!" they cheered sillily. Just at that point, Daehyun walked into another pole -- well, actually the very same pole.

 

BONG!

 

"ARRGH! Damn you, stupid pole!"

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Not before long, Performing class had finished and you were making your way over to Composition class with Miyun bouncing excitedly by your side.

 

"Omo omo omo! Composition class now! We'll finally find out who gets the lead role!" she squealed. *Which will be me.*

 

You, too, were excited but you didn't express it so openly like she did. But all the same, nervousness was a given. But even if you didn't get the lead role, you were more than proud of the fact that you did your best and was even able to reach the stage of being nominated.

 

As always, Daehyun and Youngjae were already seated at their tables as the two of you walked in. Miyun raced to her seat. "Wish me luck, Oppas!" she bleated.

 

Shooting glances at each other, they smiled at her unsurely. "Um, good luck Miyun-ssi." But as soon as you reached your seat, they noticeably brightened. "We're rooting for you Hana-yah, you can do it!"

 

You ducked your head in embarrassment because now the whole class was looking in your direction. "O-oh, thank you. Again."

 

"Daehyun-oppa and Youngjae-oppa think Hana-ssi's going to win. I think so too," you heard a girl say to her friends.

 

"They're both good, but I think Hana-ssi will beat Miyun-ssi," another said.

 

"My money's on Hana." A guy pulled out a ten thousand won bill and slammed it onto his table, his friends pulling out their own and doing the same.

 

Miyun observed all this in distaste. *Oh really now, you all think Hana is going to win over me? Now I really can't wait for the show to begin.*

 

The class quietened down to complete silence when the Professor and the Performing Arts Coordinator walked into the room.

 

"Alright. I'm sure you all know what's going to take place today," the Professor announced. "Both Kang Miyun-haksaeng and Kim Hana-haksaeng have handed in their compositions last week. We have not heard them yet and will do so for the first time today while simultaneously assessing their work."

 

The Coordinator held up a CD case. "First up, Kang Miyun-haksaeng."

 

Everyone leaned forward in their seats as they anticipated what kind of music would flow from the speakers.

 

The first few notes started off with a soft piano melody, which quickly heightened to something much brighter and happier with strings, flutes and percussion sounds incorporated together. Miyun's recorded voice soon filled the room as everyone was visibly surprised at how good her own composition was. Her lyrics sang of a young, naïve girl falling in love for the first time.

 

The class applauded as soon as the short composition finished. From the looks on the Professor and Coordinator's faces, they were impressed by what they heard. But you were surprisingly unfazed. Yes, Miyun's work was definitely good, but you just felt that the lyrics were rather shallow and didn't carry across and strong message. Youngjae and Daehyun both had the same thoughts, as they smiled knowingly at you who was seated in front of them.

 

*That was ok, but not enough to beat Hana.*

 

*Hana's composition is much more impressive.*

 

The Coordinator held up the other case. "Now, for Kim Hana's work. Eo? What is this?" He held up the two halves of the snapped CD in clear view for the whole class to see.

 

You felt a stone drop in your stomach as the size of your eyes doubled. *W-what?*

 

The two guys behind you were just as shocked as their eyes flickered back and forth from you to the broken CD.

 

"There should be a back-up copy in the recording studio, right Hana?" Daehyun blurted anxiously.

 

When you turned to look at him, he could see how worried you were. "Y-yes! There is."

 

The Professor shot you a sympathetic look. "I'll go retrieve it."

 

The three minutes or so you spent waiting for her return felt like hours to you. But when she finally returned, she was empty-handed with a frown clouding her expression.

 

"Hana's back-up copy wasn't there. But I've asked the technician to go through the cameras to see if anyone had taken it last week," she said.

 

You did nothing but clutch your hands together tightly as you hung your head low, silently praying for your CD to show up.

 

Daehyun furrowed his eyebrows. *This is just too much to be a coincidence. Someone must be behind all this.* Immediately, his eyes diverted towards the girl beside you who looked like she didn't have a care in the world. *As Hana's friend, shouldn't she be more worried about her?*

 

The door suddenly slid open as a figure burst into the room, looking quite troubled. It was the technician. "I have the footage here and indeed, someone has taken the CD -- "

 

He was cut off by the Coordinator's anguished growls. "What a disgrace to the college! Who would do such a thing!"

 

The technician shifted on his feet. "I… I don't know how to tell you. You see --"

 

The Coordinator swiped the CD containing the camera footage and put it into the laptop, turning on the projector. "I'll see for myself who it is then."

 

Everyone watched on as it showed you putting your CD case in a slot before you left. Not a moment later, someone else entered the recording studio. It was a male. But from this angle, only the person's back figure could be seen. But you noticed that this person looked very familiar. *That looks like… No. It isn't him. It can't be. It's someone else* you adamantly told yourself.

 

The male picked up your CD and seemingly inspected it. But when he turned around to reveal his face to the camera, you felt your heart drop and your face paled.

 

*No…*

 

You couldn't utter the person's name at the moment, but another student in the room helped you to it.

 

"T-that's…

 

 

 

 

Yang Yoseob-sunbaenim…"

 

 

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*Gasp* Oh no! Not Yoseob-sunbae, it can't be him! ..... or can it? Mwahaha :P

 

I still have major assignments to get done but I owe you guys an update, so here it is ^^ Hopefully you guys liked it.

 

Thanks to all my subscribers and readers, as always :)