Chapter 4: Sorrowfully 1
“Did you hear…?”
“Of course. I actually recorded it…”
“It was so good…”
The tenor’s chorus part had ended. While massaging my throat, I observed the surroundings and it was filled with gazes full of admiration. A girl joyfully holding onto a recording tool; a girl staring with blank, dreamy eyes and a boy starting a conversation saying he was baffled…
With the listener being me… not… it was Kim Wuju who was standing right beside me.
“Wuju, is it okay for me to record as well?”
“Un.”
“Let me take care of it.”
The appearance of receiving lots of recording requests appeared like a fan meeting. As the students put forth their recorders, Kim Wuju’s helper placed them in several places with experienced movements. She must’ve done it a lot considering her fast hands.
Seeing all that happen, Noh Jusup made a frown.
“Why are they like that all of a sudden? So abrupt.”
“Kim Wuju’s good after all.”
“I mean, he was good since the admission so why are they suddenly like that…”
Noh Jusup complained while looking at Kim Wuju in a seemingly jealous manner. After staring at the girls whose eyes were dropping drips of honey, Noh Jusup mimicked Kim Wuju in a cringey tone before being hit by Han Dasom to a stop.
Shrugging my shoulders I turned my head away. Well, there was nothing wrong with Noh Jusup’s words but I could understand their attitudes as well. Most students gathered here have come due to their love in music so feeling admiration close to a fan in front of someone good at performing was pretty normal.
And on top of that, the solo from the Improvement Concert.
They had heard a song at a level different to the half-hearted choruses – a solo with all of Kim Wuju embedded into it. Considering that Kim Wuju was previously not from Future Middle School, it was nothing to be surprised at.
Likewise, Lee Suh-ah and Chloe that had shown overwhelming performances on Kim Wuju’s level were also being showered by likes. Of course, not all of them approached with pure hearts.
With a glance, I could see some students of the Composing department show their faces from outside the classroom.
“…Are their lessons not over yet?”
“Why do they finish so late?”
The composing department. Their faces visible through the windows were apathetic, with no fan-like atmosphere at all. It felt slightly bitter when I thought of those people approaching Lee Suh-ah and Chloe. I understand that composers need to find outstanding performers to present their songs but still…
To clear up the rowdy atmosphere of the class, teacher Ku Mingi clapped and concluded.
“Everyone, you know that the first Concerted Music prac test is coming up soon right? The groups that have yet to hand in the songs please do so. To groups that fail to hand it in 1 week before, there will be deductions in marks. Then let’s stop today’s lesson here and don’t forget to practise. Oh right and…”
The gazes of the students gathered towards the teacher. After stopping his words, teacher Ku Mingi glanced around the students before eventually slowing down and stopping at one place.
… It somehow feels like he’s staring at me.
While I was glancing around to check what was around me, the teacher opened his mouth from within the quiet classroom.
“Can student Jo Yunjae see me for a bit?”
“Sorry?”
With a start, I looked around but his gaze towards me remained unchanged. He smiled and ended his words.
“Please visit the staff room.”
“Uh… yes.”
“Then.”
After dropping a bomb, he left the room. I could feel the chattering opera department students gathering their gaze towards me.
“Isn’t it the first time teacher Ku Mingi has called someone to the office?”
“Who was that again?”
“He’s the one singing every day with that girl over there.”
“Ah, that…”
It felt rather weird as I had no idea why he wanted to see me. There was nothing I’ve done wrong and I haven’t shown off during class either. After some thinking, a spark of thought sprang past my head.
Ah, is it regarding that time when he said he would give a few lessons to me? Is it because I didn’t give him a reply…?
I suddenly felt a chill travel down my spine. Did I perhaps ruin the mood of the great senior opera singer, Ku Mingi? No way, right…
But he didn’t say anything after that so I thought we had gone over it, and I couldn’t walk up and ask for it either. I was organising the thoughts in my head when Noh Jusup tapped me.
“Did you do something? Don’t tell me you told him a dad joke as well?”
This guy… how long is he going to use this thing for? When I turned over, I could see a happy, smiling Noh Jusup.
“…No, back then with Lee Suh-ah, the atmosphere was rather stiff so I wanted to ease it up a bit…”
“What stiff atmosphere? Who was the one that threw a wet framed-image-blanket on the atmosphere huh?”
“It was actually pretty funny though right?”
“Okay~ next old man in line please.”
“You!”
Hearing the word ‘old man’ made me feel a little flushed. I chased after the running Noh Jusup for a while but it was indeed difficult with this body. When I came to a stop to regain my breath, Noh Jusup approached with a grin, and after glancing at the surroundings for a bit, he shoved at my shoulder with a smile.
“Hey but from the teacher’s expression, it shouldn’t be anything major. Just go.”
“…Right.”
…It won’t be anything major right?
*
Creak.
As I opened the large wooden door, the door hinges softly creaked in welcome.
“Excuse me…”
When I carefully pointed my head in, I could see the inside of the staff room. A warm afternoon sun shined brightly onto the room. There were white high-class walls, wooden tables placed with exact distances in between, blue dividers separating the compartments and few vases here and there.
The staff room which I hadn’t seen in a while was still in a relaxed mood. After greeting the teachers nearby I searched for teacher Ku Mingi and moved my steps.
Teacher Ku Mingi is… ah right there.
I carefully approached as the teacher appeared in full. He was focusing on something with his glasses on.
Standing in front, I observed the teacher for a bit.
Teacher Ku Mingi. It felt rather different when I saw him like this. If I were to add the time before my time travel, he was only a few years older than me but I would strangely feel nervous before him. Is it because he was a great senior with superb achievements?
I slowly opened my mouth.
“Um…”
“Ah, student Yunjae you have come. Please sit here.”
“Yes.”
His bright face as he led me to a seat was slightly burdensome. I think I would be more comfortable if he was just scolding me… it felt like I was sitting on pins and needles but teacher Ku Mingi gave a relaxed smile.
“Are you doing well in school? I’m worried whether you were able to adapt or not.”
“Ah… yes sir. I am currently trying my extreme hardest to adapt without a single issue. Thank you very much for your consideration.”
“…? Well, that’s good.”
Tilting his head with his eyes still on me, teacher Ku Mingi then continued to throw a few questions. Did you make a lot of friends, are there any inconveniences, are you eating well… during the questionnaire, he suddenly smiled.
“Student Yunjae. Is your family from the military? Why are you so stiff, you can be more casual.”
“No sir… yes.”
“Haha, this is quite interesting.”
After taking a gulp of the coffee with a grin, he leaned on the seat and opened his lips.
“The reason I called student Yunjae was just because I was a little bit interested personally. Hmm… it’s not something that big but…”
Is it finally the main topic?
With all my nerves, I concentrated on the teacher’s mouth. After slurring his words for a bit, teacher Ku Mingi resumed his words.
“Did student Yunjae… by any chance learn about conducting before?”
“Sorry?”
It was an extremely unexpected question. I stared dumbfoundedly at the teacher before slowly giving a reply.
“Conducting… officially no I haven’t.”
“By officially you mean?”
“Ah…”
Damn.
I said it wrong and couldn’t think of any more words to continue. I couldn’t tell him that I had acted as a quick substitute conductor in choirs and other places right?
Would it have been better to just say that I had never learned it before? Sweating in deep thought, I contemplated for a while before thinking of a rough excuse.
“Uh… I just saw some conducting videos and lessons on the internet…”
“Aha.”
A nod, and he entered a deep silence. It seemed that he was thinking deeply of something and after a few taps on the desk, he opened his mouth.
“Student Yunjae, when I asked the theory and SRMD teachers they complimented a lot saying you were a great student. And there was also that impression from the day of the interview as well…”
“Day of the interview?”
Sipping on his coffee, he continued with a nonchalant tone.
“Ah, I’m talking about what you said after listening to student Song Mirae’s singing. It was a song with quite a high tessitura so it’s not easy to tell the voice type from just hearing it once. More so for young students…”
Song Mirae? Interview?
Hearing the rain of compliments from the teacher, I felt a puzzle being solved inside my head. Song Mirae who strangely showed her dislike towards just me. Noh Jusup and Song Mirae who had asked me about the things that had happened during the interview and what the teacher was saying right now…
A song with high vocal range; finding out vocal types… and then I thought of the somewhat husky voice of Song Mirae.
Feeling like a light bulb was going off in my head, I opened my mouth unconsciously.
“Did I… tell Song Mirae that she was more suited to being a mezzo soprano?”
“Hmm? You don’t remember? Well, I just picked it up from the side so that’s understandable I guess…”
“Ah… that’s why Song Mirae was…”
Only now did I understand all of her actions.
On the day of the interview, she heard a person she was seeing for the first time talking smack about her voice, so it was natural to be angry. And since most protagonist roles would fall under sopranos, there were lots of females who disliked mezzo sopranos and stuck to being sopranos as well…
Like, why did me from 20 years ago show off and chime in others’ businesses like that?
When I lowered my head in shame, the teacher asked in a curious tone.
“Did student Song Mirae say something? I’m sure I was the only one that heard what you said back then?”
Now what was this about? I raised my head and saw the expression on the teacher’s face gradually changing. From puzzlement, to contemplation and finally a slight anger.
After frowning and scratching his chin for a bit, the teacher gave out a deep sigh.
“Fuu… it seems there are some teachers with big mouths. I’ll apologise for this for now. In any case… what I wanted to say was this.”
He continued his words.
“Student Jo Yunjae. You were born with really great ears. I’ve seen it during both the interview and the evaluations. I’ve done slight tests during Concerted Music as well… and your listening skills – that subtle ability to dissect the songs is the best from this school from what I have seen.”
I was blankly listening to the teacher’s compliments when my thoughts suddenly came to a stop.
Best.
The best from this school.
Me? More than that Kim Wuju and Lee Suh-ah?
After intertwining his hands with a serious expression, he continued.
“And that is a great talent for executants as well but… to conductors it is like a gift from the heavens.”
“Sorry?”
“Ah, was it too sudden? The conducting department would continue talking on and on about it. It was a request to transfer your major over to the conducting department but… the most important thing is your own wish.”
While staring at me who was standing still deep in thought, he smiled.
“That wish, whatever direction it may be, I wish you could let us hear it during the Improvement Concert.”
Teacher Ku Mingi waved his hand.
“You may now leave.”