Ch.5005. F Code is F.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t treat you better~”

“Now I’ll let go of you in my arms~”

Inside a small karaoke booth.

An explosive volume that the cheap microphone could barely contain was shaking the entire space.

Though it wasn’t the kind of rock song typically performed by bands, Juyeon was showcasing singing skills comparable to those celebrity prank videos where professional singers surprise people at karaoke.

Yet even in the midst of her passionate performance, Juyeon couldn’t shake off her nervousness…

‘Seo-eun unnie… when are you coming back…’

She had already sung five songs in a row by herself after hearing that Suhyeok didn’t enjoy singing.

She was particularly annoyed today with Seo-eun, who never seemed to return whenever she called senior Jaejun.

She couldn’t suggest going home since she didn’t know when Seo-eun would return.

And Juyeon wasn’t assertive enough to force Suhyeok to sing either.

“Now I’ll let you go…”

Waiting through the entire instrumental break without skipping it to kill time, Juyeon’s face showed clear signs of fatigue.

-Clap clap clap clap

When the song ended, Suhyeok applauded enthusiastically as his way of showing appreciation.

“You sing… really… well…”

Suhyeok was equally uncomfortable with the awkward atmosphere.

But there was no lie in his compliment about her singing.

Though he never performed with her, Suhyeok had often heard Nayoung sing and could appreciate how extraordinary Juyeon’s skills were.

From the first song, he understood why Seo-eun and Choigang praised her so highly.

How could such a powerful voice come from such a petite frame?

The soft screen lighting illuminated Juyeon’s face as she clutched the microphone like a precious treasure, giving her the appearance of a character straight out of an anime.

But even these complimentary exchanges were reaching their limit.

After applauding and praising her at the end of each song, the two were running out of things to say to each other.

“Thank… you…”

Just as she was fiddling with the remote, wondering what song to sing next.

Their savior burst through the door.

“Hey guys! Sorry for the wait!”

Seo-eun, looking even more cheerful than before.

As soon as she entered, she rubbed her cheek against Juyeon’s face.

“Suhyeok! Did you hear Juyeon sing?”

“Yes! I was amazed at how good she is.”

“Right? She’s so talented, but when I tell her to post shorts online, she absolutely refuses!”

“Well… that’s because I’m shyyy…”

Familiar with the routine, Seo-eun stretched Juyeon’s cheeks and took the remote from her hand, passing it to Suhyeok.

“Now! Suhyeok! Pick a song!”

“What…? You want me to sing?”

“Yes! I’ve heard Juyeon sing many times, so let’s just hear one song from you before we go!”

Though he wanted to ask if they could just leave, Suhyeok felt guilty about making only Juyeon sing all this time, so he took the microphone.

Well, at least this one…

The song Suhyeok chose was the one he’d been humming most often while showering lately.

Since it was the only song he knew the lyrics to perfectly, he nervously focused on the screen.

“Standing on that street where I waited for you~”

Suhyeok didn’t take his eyes off the lyrics screen for even a second, and only after the instrumental break ended did he look across at the others.

Juyeon was clapping politely while watching his reaction, and Seo-eun was smiling brightly.

Was I… not that bad?

“This year we’ll go without backup vocals again~ Yay~”

Suhyeok felt like a dagger had been plunged into his heart.

* * *

The third week of March had finally begun.

The dormant flowers were starting to bloom one by one, and love songs announcing spring began playing in the streets like an annual routine.

While the past weekend wasn’t particularly busy for Suhyeok, it was his most anxiety-filled weekend of the year.

Because today was Spirit’s [Song Selection Meeting].

Purple Storm had nominally created song lists too, but those were all prepared by Nayoung, the vocalist.

In other words, the session musicians playing other instruments had no say.

Not that it would have mattered anyway since they never practiced.

“Hmm…”

Standing in front of the elevator with his guitar, Suhyeok stared intently at his smartphone screen.

Music video links he had saved in his chat with himself for reference.

As usual, his mind was racing with anxious thoughts.

‘What if they despise my selections for being terrible?’

He had chosen songs based on his own taste, but Suhyeok wasn’t familiar with Spirit’s musical color.

What kind of music did the other members prefer?

What level of difficulty could they handle?

Should he consider audience reaction at the festival?

He should have asked these things during their drinking sessions instead of just talking nonsense!

After getting off at the fifth floor where the practice room was located, he swallowed hard and placed his hand on the lock.

Entering the password Seo-eun had personally sent him, Suhyeok opened the door, turned on the lights, and set his guitar down in a corner.

About 30 minutes remained until the meeting.

Having arrived early to avoid being late, he sat on the sofa and listened to his prepared songs through earphones once more.

This one’s flashy, so they might like it.

I wonder if Choigang would like it, even if the others don’t.

-Knock knock knock

While concentrating on his monitoring.

Suhyeok turned his head at the unfamiliar sensation on his shoulder.

Soft yellow hair that seemed to capture sunlight caught Suhyeok’s eye.

As he gradually raised his head to face the owner of the hair, Suhyeok immediately recognized who she was.

This person is…

“Excuse me.”

“…Yes?”

“Who are you?”

A somewhat indifferent tone.

“Ah… I’m… the new guitarist…”

Not only had he failed to notice her entering, but her beauty also contributed greatly to his confusion.

Delicate features perfectly arranged on her small face.

Not a single blemish could be found on her snow-white skin.

Had he ever spoken to someone this beautiful in his life?

The woman before him had such a distinct impression that she could easily be mistaken for a shopping mall model or influencer.

“Oh? Then you’re Lee Suhyeok? That was your name, right?”

“Ah. Yes.”

“Why so formal? I remember we’re the same age.”

She smiled slightly and extended her hand toward Suhyeok.

“My name is Hana. Yoon Hana.”

Putting down his phone, Suhyeok stood up abruptly and took her hand.

“I’m Lee Suhyeok, new guitarist! I mean, that’s me.”

“You came really early? I’m usually the first one here.”

After shaking hands, she put down her bag and picked up a guitar from the stand as if familiar with the place.

Hana connected the cable and turned on the amplifier.

Suhyeok just stood still, watching her actions.

Once the red power light came on, Hana took a pick and began plucking each string from top to bottom.

“This tuning is off. Could you hand me the tuner from the desk over there?”

After Suhyeok brought the tuner, Hana finished tuning the guitar, turned down the volume, and stood up.

He thought she was going to practice or play…

Suhyeok, who had been curious about her skills, felt somewhat disappointed.

“Hey.”

Hana approached Suhyeok and casually spoke.

“Yes.”

“I’m asking because I need to know, but could you play something for me?”

“What? Now?”

He thought he had already passed that interview-like hurdle once.

At Hana’s request, Suhyeok’s body stiffened.

“Ah. Um… but I only know how to play one song… if that’s okay with you…”

“Hmm?”

Looking at the awkward Suhyeok, Hana noticed something strange in his words.

His personality and appearance seemed roughly similar to what Seo-eun had described.

That he was somewhat timid like Juyeon.

That his long bangs made him look like he maintained a rocker style.

That he seemed passionate, which was good…

“What do you mean you only know one song?”

“Just what I said…?”

“What song is it?”

Since her unnie wasn’t the type to lie about such things, Hana thought there must be some story behind this.

“It’s a song called ‘Illegal Legacies’…”

“Nick Brandon’s?”

“Oh! That’s right!”

Suhyeok was surprised that Hana knew such a deep instrumental track, but Hana was far more surprised.

Nick Brandon was not an easy guitarist to copy.

To be precise, it was almost impossible to play perfectly at an amateur level.

Known for having the most bizarre techniques among guitarists, he was an artist who performed straightforward yet insanely fast and flashy playing.

“Um… okay…? Then could you try playing it?”

“Can I… use my own guitar?”

“Of course. It’s yours, why would you need my permission?”

Unplugging the cable and connecting it to his guitar, Suhyeok tried to calm his racing heart.

I can do this.

Can I do this?

I’ve already done it once.

Why am I so nervous?

Seeing Suhyeok holding his pick like he was performing a ritual, Hana tried to ease his tension.

“Look, I just want to see how much you can play, so feel free to be comfortable.”

How much I can play.

How much I can play.

How much I can play.

How much I can play.

For Suhyeok, who remembered being rejected after a level test at a music academy in middle school, her words only triggered his trauma.

“…I’ll give it a try?”

The advantage of practicing the same song for dozens of hours and hundreds of times was that the body remembered the movements.

The effects of his mental state or daily condition became minimal, and only the habits of his trained muscles carried him through.

Regardless of Suhyeok’s nervous feelings, his fingers moved well, managing to execute the bizarre stretches in perfect rhythm.

“Wow…”

While watching Suhyeok’s performance, Hana was both impressed by his skill and experiencing strong cognitive dissonance.

How could someone who could play such a difficult song at this level claim to know only one song?

It didn’t make sense no matter how she looked at it.

The performance rushed toward its climax.

Suhyeok became completely immersed and no longer conscious of Hana’s presence.

If I can just get through this part!

In the end, he rushed through the final five seconds today as well, leaving him with a sense of regret.

Ah… when will I ever be able to play this part properly?

Still, feeling he hadn’t done too badly, he looked to gauge Hana’s reaction…

After wearing a puzzled expression, her first words to him were unexpectedly:

“Could you play an F chord for me?”

Unfortunately, that instruction didn’t exist in Suhyeok’s manual.