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Chapter 7 Lightly 5

Song Mirae.

Even after returning to our seats, her eyes remained unfocused. I thought she was strong-hearted but... thinking about it, she was only 17 years old.

Clicking my tongue, I tapped on her shoulders.

“Did you receive the music sheet behind my back before I did?”

“...No...”

“Then you did practise for only one night.”

“Yeah...”

“It’s normal for it to be hard to even memorise the lyrics over one night. Isn’t it? It is, right?”

“I guess...?”

Seeing her eyes regaining its focus, I smiled inwardly. I was worried that she would ask, ‘what about you then’, but fortunately, she didn’t.

“Right. In which universe is there a person that gives you lyrics a day before the presentation? And in which universe is there a person that badmouths about that? It’s them that’s bad.”

“You’re right! How can she give me the lyrics a day before? Serio...”

Yu Minji apologised with a sullen expression.

“...Sorry.”

“Hik.”

Why’s she so scared? I grinned while thinking that when Yu Minji made a serious expression.

“He hates me a bit so he picks fights like that quite a bit, but I didn’t think he would do that at a place for practice like this. I should’ve seen that coming...”

“...It’s alright.”

“I have no words to say. I should’ve just played it off a computer...”

“I was the one that agreed to it after you said we didn’t have to come, so I’m okay.”

Song Mirae then whispered.

“And actually... I’m in the same club as that sunbae and... I declined his invitation to perform for someone he introduced and came here so I think he was a bit angry with me.”

Watching Song Mirae forcing out a smile, I touched the music sheets. Well, whatever the case, Yu Minji had her faults as well. Even though it was a practice, since we were performing in front of people, she should have given us the lyrics beforehand.

However, the date of the interim presentation was rather early, so you could tell from both Group 1 and 2 that their performers had made mistakes as well due to a lack of practice. And yet this man pointed out a mistake that wasn’t on the basic rhythm or pitch but on expression? On top of that, the reason for that being a lack of practice which was impossible to prove?

This was just picking a fight on purpose.

I felt annoyed.

Right now, I just sat back because it was impossible to prove right now but on the actual presentation day, we would be able to flatten that tall nose of his.

However, I didn’t want to wait for a month.

“Yu Minji-sunbae. Is he good at composing?”

“Mhmm... let’s see... if we had it put it, a bit worse than me I guess?”

“...I guess we should say he’s quite good then.”

“Well yeah.”

A little bit worse than the top student of the composing department... would mean that there was no way for me to point out anything in regards to the composition of songs. If it was about opera that would be different but I just picked up other things as a side while studying Harmonic studies so it wasn’t something that could be compared to a composing major.

However, there was something I could rely on.

Yu Minji.

That strangeness I felt while working with her.

How the song resonates and leaves the mouth – how an opera singer sings and the reason for giving the lyrics earlier on...

These flaws of the student composers who knew nothing about these practical things. In regards to that, even someone like me who only had the long years of singing under my belt could say something, couldn’t I?

“...”

Quickly, I counted the leftover groups. Group 3 had just finished so there were four groups left until Group 8 which Kim Sukwon was in.

Good, I still had some time.

While analysing the songs of these remaining four groups, let’s collect evidence that could trample over Kim Sukwon. Thinking that, I stared at Group 4 walking up but seeing them, I bit my lips.

“Ah...”

I saw various instruments in the hands of every performer. It was an instrumental song, without a singer.

Rapidly I glanced at the other groups and found out that Group 5 also appeared to be doing an instrumental song. If it was an instrumental and not an opera, there was no way for me to analyse.

Then the remaining groups were Group 6 and 7...

“Sunbae. Can you nitpick on the song of that Kim Sukwon or whatever?”

“Nitpick? Mhmm... it would be hard. That guy’s quite decent at composing himself and even if I somehow did, that guy would be able to bring out a rebuttal with ease.”

“...”

After heaving out a short sigh, Yu Minji whispered.

“That’s why I told Song Mirae to hold back for a month. To be honest, if I could, I would’ve smashed him down right here today.”

...As expected huh.

However, I was way too angry to just go over that with a nod.

Why, I wonder.

I’m not even that close to Song Mirae so why was I angry? Was it just because her trembling figure appeared sympathetic, or was it because I saw my previous self – who had been broken into pieces by a wall – in her?

...I wasn’t sure.

What I was sure however, was that I did not want to just move on. Although it might seem petty and small-minded, I wanted to pay him back.

“...”

Listening to the performances of the remaining Groups 6 and 7, I imagined inside of my head. Hearing the voice mixing into the accompaniment, I thought;

Where would the hole be?

And where would I find his weak point?

To be honest, it appeared hopeless. Although I did study harmony, I wasn’t at the level of a composer so it was hard to find problems from composing major students.

However, after concentrating, there were certain sounds I could hear.

‘Lyrics. If they added those lyrics to that sort of beat, it won’t be able to emphasise the important words.’

‘A clash of melody and accompaniment – although it never occurs on the sheet, during the expression the pitch would change and cause discord. It’s something that happened due to not knowing about opera.’

‘Triplets – they are way too traditional and makes the whole song sound colourless. Was it something desired by the composer?’

Slowly but surely, it felt like I was building a tower inside my head – or rather, two towers of the accompanying instruments and opera rising up in a spiral.

The resonating song where accompaniment would do its own job and opera would carry its own tasks to support each other – from those, I decisively ignored the accompaniment part and focused on the opera.

Since the only field I was better than that Kim Sukwon was opera.

Opera. I dangled onto the opera part that was building itself up in accordance with the music and added fixes upon fixes.

How would I give feedback to Kim Sukwon and how would I suggest a better song?

I got rid of the unnecessary aspects and threw them away, added necessary parts and completely destroyed structures that couldn’t be fixed.

During all that, there were things I understood.

Right, with this type of accompaniment, this type of song would be better huh.

“Oi, they’re starting.”

When I came to myself, it was already Kim Sukwon’s group’s turn to present and I could see Kim Wuju and a piano accompanist walking up.

Just two was it

When I was staring at Kim Wuju following his helper, it felt like his closed eyes turned towards my direction. He then raised his lips into a bright smile.

“...”

Soon, the accompanist sat down in front of the piano as Kim Wuju faced the front.

Slowly, the music started to flow.

*

“Then it’s Group 3’s... turn for feedback...”

Slurring the ends of his words, teacher Ahn Kibum stared at us, seemingly worried that we would have another fight. Suppressing the little smile that was about to leave, I shoved Yu Minji from the side.

Don’t worry sir, we won’t be fighting.

We’re just giving feedback.

Standing up from the seat, Yu Minji coughed once before opening her mouth.

“Kuhum. Kim Sukwon. In your song, wasn’t the modulation too sudden in the middle? There should’ve been enough buildup...”

“That’s because I wanted to put in enough tension in the song~”

“...Alright, but in the middle, I found the composition of chords was in a mess...”

“That’s just a subjective matter isn’t it? You could say it was in a mess but you could also say that it had a jumpy charm to it. Or perhaps are you saying it is completely wrong?”

“...That’s not what I mean.”

“If you’re finished, should we go over to the next group?”

Looking at Yu Minji’s upset expression, I let out a small sigh. Since they were at similar levels, there weren’t many things she could point out and even if there were, they were all easily blocked.

“Wait for a second.”

I gave a nod to Yu Minji who stared at me with a sullen expression.

Let me try.

Yu Minji returned a nod herself before opening her mouth.

“Our group’s performer has something to say.”

Hearing that, I stood up from the seat and looked at the wide classroom. The second-grade upperclassmen had curiosity in their gazes about the fact that a performer was providing feedback, while enjoying the war of nerves between us, as Kim Sukwon wore a frown over to the side.

“Oh really? A performer? Aren’t you a freshman from the opera department?”

“Yes, I am.”

He crumpled his expression.

“And yet you want to point out something from the song against me, a composing major.”

“No.”

I replied with a smile.

“It’s just feedback.”

“...Good. Go ahead.”

Seeing him folding his arms, I once again went through a simulation of what would happen. Would this work? No, it would, and I had to make it work. After a deep breath in, I slowly let the lure down.

“You know the highlight part in the middle. The ‘For you~’ part.”

“Right.”

“The... beat there was wrong.”

“What?”

After twitching his eyes, Kim Sukwon looked around, seemingly wanting to check whether he heard correct. Checking the confused looks on the surrounding faces, Kim Sukwon’s expression changed rapidly.

From befuddlement to doubt and...

A smile appeared in full.

“What? Beat? Puhahat! Y, you’re saying I got the beat wrong? The basic of basics? This guy’s a funny one. Kuhup.”

“No, I meant the performer got the beat wrong. Don’t tell me you didn’t realise it?”

With a smile, he clapped his hands.

“Oh really? I didn’t hear a single bit though? Can our dear junior of the opera department share with us exactly where it was wrong?”

Good.

Making a smile inwardly, I walked up to the stage. I saw Kim Wuju standing at the front of the class, with his eyes closed, wearing a smile.

...I felt a bit sorry for him. Fortunately I did hook Kim Sukwon up and change the focus of the topic but...

After standing at the spot, I signalled to the accompanist politely, and he began playing.

“This accompaniment. It’s a 3/4 time signature right? While the melody is a 4/4 time signature.”

“And?”

“So they should only coincide once in 12 beats but just then, they met twice inside one frame of 12 beats. That’s why it wasn’t good to hear.”

“...What?”

“In other words, the beat was wrong.”

When I turned my gaze at him, Kim Sukwon made a confused expression before crumpling his expression once again.

“What a joke. Do you think I wouldn’t have been able to catch that? If the beat was wrong, it would’ve been obvious.”

“That’s... because it was done ‘too well’.”

Looking at the side, I found Kim Wuju tilting his head, questioning where he was wrong. Right, to say it was wrong, it was too nice to hear, because he went over that intertwining part with a trick.

A trick that muddled up the beat.

For opera singers that separated one syllable of ‘dang’ into ‘da’ ‘a’ ‘ng’ to make it easier to sing, it was a pattern used like a habit.

But sometimes, the standard ways sounded better than tricks.

Taking my eyes off Kim Wuju, I asked for another accompaniment with a gesture, and matching with the accompaniment, I went in immediately before the problematic part.

“For you–. This is how Kim Wuju sang just then.”

When I turned my head, I found puzzled expressions looking at me, curious as to where the problem was at.

“That was wrong just then?”

“I don’t think so.”

“What is he saying”

After staring at the rowdy people for a bit, I gestured again for the same accompaniment. I could hear the gently flowing piano accompaniment and this time, a bit differently, I went in faster ever so slightly.

“For you–. This is the correct beat.”

In that instant, the class turned quiet.

“Uh...?”

I could see upperclassmen blinking their eyes in shock. Right, of course it would feel different. The charm of this song was the slight mismatch of the melody and the accompaniment and yet he went over it with a trick, leaving it rather tasteless.

But, if we performed it honestly, it could result in a more beautiful sound, which no-one could deny.

“Right?”

“...Wait a second.”

After going through the music sheet, Kim Sukwon stood frozen and couldn’t say a single word. He was probably surprised because I got it exactly right with the score.

“This is... his mistake. It was him that made the mistake!”

Staring at the sunbae who was stuttering his words, I gave him feedback.

“Yes a mistake. Of course performers can make mistakes, but before you said you didn’t know he got the beat wrong.”

“...”

“You didn’t know the fact that he got the beat – the basic of basics – wrong, despite being the composer yourself?”

I was watching his expression crumple when teacher Ahn Kibum made a satisfied smile from the corner where he was sitting in.

“Right. Those are correct words. A composer should take responsibility for his own song and if the performer was wrong, he should at least go over that like how our freshman student had done. Do you understand, student Kim Sukwon?”

“...That...”

“I’m asking whether you understood or not.”

Teacher Ahn Kibum was openly pushing Kim Sukwon to a corner, seemingly not happy about his actions before. In front of the situation that had been suddenly turned, Kim Sukwon replied while biting his lips.

“...Yes.”

After glancing at him, teacher Ahn Kibum turned his gaze towards me.

“By the way...”

He then asked with a flicker in his eyes.

“How was it possible for you to discover such things?”

Un?

What was this about?

Blinking my eyes, I tilted my head and replied.

“Sorry...? I could just tell after listening to it.”

“Haha. Are you teasing the seniors here that couldn’t tell after hearing it? You don’t have to be nervous and you can just say it.”

“Umm... That...”

I could feel the gazes gathering on me at once – gazes filled with curiosity asking for me to share the secret method.

‘There is no secret method though.’

...Suddenly, I felt like I could somewhat understand the feelings of the boy who cried wolf.

I was just pointing out the wrong beat and even if you asked me how I knew that...