Chapter 26: Arts Festival (3)

After that small spark during our conversation, silence fell again between me and So-yul’s parents.

Whatever the reason, I’d been rude to people I’d just met. As minor penance, I decided to keep my mouth shut. Since So-yul’s parents had no reason to speak first either, we all ended up maintaining silence.

It was the same when we reached the auditorium.

“…Could you show me your tickets for a moment so I can find your seats?”

When I made this quiet request, So-yul’s parents held out their tickets with annoyed expressions.

Of course, they didn’t say a single word.

Taking them to check, I saw numbers 15 and 16 clearly written on the tickets. Front row center. The seats closest to and directly facing the stage.

Just how VIP were they?

Well, it wasn’t my place to judge. I returned the tickets and walked ahead. Two sets of footsteps followed behind me.

Finally reaching the front row of the auditorium.

“Your seats are here.”

“…”

When I showed them to their seats, So-yul’s parents sat down silently.

Their immediate crossing of both arms and legs clearly showed their irritation.

Obviously, they seemed to have no intention of offering any thanks.

Really, they weren’t like their daughter at all.

Well, what could I do about it? I hadn’t particularly expected thanks, and getting it wouldn’t benefit me anyway. I just gave a slight nod and turned around.

And with this, my duties as an arts festival helper were complete.

“Phew…”

An unconsciously tired sigh escaped. Fatigue and drowsiness danced together in my head.

Since others were in charge of cleanup, I was free now. I could eat dinner early or rest in my dorm. In fact, I’d even seen some people heading to their dorms after finishing their duties.

But I couldn’t do that.

Because I still had one most important thing left.

“We are preparing the stage for Han So-yul’s final performance. Thank you for waiting quietly for a moment.”

The MC on stage said while sweating profusely.

Despite this earnest request, the audience’s murmuring showed no signs of stopping.

Checking my phone showed 7:08 PM. The schedule was already off track. It wasn’t strange that people wondered why it hadn’t started yet.

I too worried for a moment that something had happened to So-yul, but well, since they just asked us to wait briefly, it was probably needless concern. Maybe they were waiting for her parents to arrive.

This meant the performance would start soon.

Student attendance was mandatory, and I was a proper student. My seat must be somewhere if I looked. However, moving to my seat during the performance wouldn’t be good for me or the audience around me. Though my legs ached, I decided to watch while standing.

For this reason, standing at the left front of the auditorium, I could see countless audience members at once.

At a glance, it looked about 70% full. Considering those who’d left after watching earlier performances, this was an impressive number. Just filling this much of such a huge space was amazing enough.

Glancing over, I could see So-yul’s parents too.

Both still wore blank expressions with crossed arms, just like before.

The audience’s faces would be much clearer from the stage.

Could So-yul overcome all this pressure and succeed in her performance?

Finally the MC tapped their microphone.

“Thank you for waiting. They say preparations are complete now.”

When the MC’s voice rang through the auditorium, the noisy audience quickly quieted down. Somewhere I heard whispers of “Oh, is it starting?”

“Now then, let me introduce our final session.”

These words made my spine tingle. I swallowed to ease my dry throat.

The MC continued:

“Piano solo by Han So-yul.”

The moment these words ended, the auditorium plunged into darkness. It became so dark you could barely make out what was right in front of you.

But only briefly. Soon a brilliant spotlight illuminated the right side of the stage.

No one stood there yet.

As everyone in the auditorium stared at that spot.

One person slowly walked into the spotlight.

Large eyes and pretty pink lips. Amber hair gleaming brilliantly under the intense light. A pure white dress perfectly embodying its meaning, revealing pure yet bewitching charm.

It was So-yul.

Unlike before, her face wore light makeup. It enhanced her natural beauty, giving an almost noble impression.

The dress looked as elegant as when I first saw it. Thanks to its restrained design that allowed easy movement, the maker’s skill was truly admirable.

“Wow, she looks like a doll…”

Someone sitting nearby whispered this.

I silently agreed.

The spotlight followed So-yul with each step. The star of this performance, the one everyone here should focus on. Following this meaning, the audience’s gazes shifted bit by bit.

Reaching the piano, So-yul turned to look over the audience. Of course, she didn’t forget to wear a bright smile.

Her slight pause looking somewhere was probably from meeting her parents’ eyes.

Then standing straight, she placed her hand on her chest and gave the audience a polite bow.

Unlike usual, her movements seemed somewhat stiff. Though she’d claimed to be in perfect condition, she couldn’t hide her nervousness.

After her brief greeting, So-yul soon lifted her head.

Then turning around, she gently took her seat at the piano. Every movement was classical. Though I’d seen her like this many times before, an elegant atmosphere flowed strongly.

She softly placed her long, slender fingers on the piano. Slowly closing her eyes, she took a long breath through her small mouth, then released it inaudibly. A final gesture to calm her racing heart.

A moment later, So-yul’s eyes snapped open.

Her gaze was sharp enough to overwhelm viewers. Her face wore a fierce expression as if hating someone.

Not the kind model student facade she showed others, nor the playful demeanor she always showed me. A So-yul I’d never seen before.

As if she’d truly been possessed by another soul.

In the auditorium, silent without even a rustle, as everyone held their breath waiting…

Finally, the performance began.

Heavy melody and slow tempo. A piece that raised an ominous feeling as you listened.

She’d never played something like this when with me. When had she practiced this?

Her movements striking the keys showed no hesitation. Not just moving arms and fingers, but movements carrying emotion.

So-yul, who’d clearly shown nervousness until just before, was already nowhere to be seen.

Everyone in the auditorium focused on the performance with sealed lips.

Teachers standing watching like me, outside staff who seemed to be managing sound – everyone was in the same position now.

The piece’s tension gradually built.

As the tempo slowly increased, even I felt the urgency transmitted. I felt my pulse quicken along with the accelerating piece.

Even to me, lacking background knowledge about the piece or basic piano knowledge, the theme it tried to express came through hazily.

So-yul, moving her lips and shaking her head, seemed to have become the piece’s protagonist.

Her long eyelashes occasionally flickered as if angry at something. Sometimes I even caught her biting her pink lips hard.

This So-yul gave off a different feeling I’d never known before.

Soon the performance reached its climax.

The melody and tempo raced toward the end, left and right hands slightly misaligned to create intentional disharmony.

The resulting melody birthed an unknown terror and fear.

I wasn’t alone in suddenly feeling these frightening emotions.

I clearly heard a nearby audience member unconsciously exclaim “Whoa…”

Her white fingers on the keys had moved freely from the start.

As if each had its own will, or as if all were dancing together as one body.

Though I wasn’t sure, I felt certain this was the most difficult piece among So-yul’s performances I’d seen.

In technique, emotional line, and methods of expression.

The piece racing toward its peak… suddenly became fragile as if resolving everything.

Though I wasn’t certain, it felt like we were reaching the end. This point surprised me. It felt like barely any time had passed since the piece began.

That meant I’d become immersed in So-yul’s performance remarkably quickly.

Finally the performance’s intensity and the piece’s tempo gradually faded out… until at last, all sound died away.

Her white fingers stopped firmly on the keys. So-yul’s dance-like movements also froze.

The performance she’d prepared for so long ended like this.

Only silence flowed through the auditorium after the performance ended.

Everyone was so overwhelmed by So-yul’s charisma that no one could move.

Just then, small applause from somewhere broke that silence.

It spread to the surroundings instantly.

Before long, thunderous applause filled the auditorium loud enough to ring in your ears. As if responding to So-yul’s excellent performance, the sound continued for a long time.

Of course, I too clapped with all my might.

Receiving such brilliant applause, So-yul stood from her seat.

Her fingers gathered on her dress trembled finely. Though I’d thought she’d overcome her nerves, she seemed to have just postponed them. Perhaps due to the rushing excitement, her lips visibly trembled.

Bow. So-yul gave a long greeting just like before starting. This time too, her face wore a beaming smile full of joy.

Then she lifted her head.

Her brightly lit expression froze for a moment.

But this too didn’t last long. Soon recovering her smile, So-yul slowly turned and walked toward the side of the stage.

Under the same brilliant spotlight as before. Unlike before, hearing fierce applause.

Her steps showed just a slight stagger.

As So-yul disappeared like this, looking at the stage where only unending cheers and applause remained.

I felt something pricking around my chest.

It was just a feeling. I thought it couldn’t be.

Really, thinking it couldn’t be, I glanced at where So-yul’s parents sat.

In the auditorium filled with applause loud enough to hurt your ears.

So-yul’s parents… just watched the stage expressionlessly with crossed arms.