Chapter 29 – [Interlude – 1]

[So-yul]

Click.

A small sound echoed as I locked the changing room door. Following it, a faint sigh escaped my lips.

Both sounds spread far through the backstage area, now completely quiet with even Woo-jin’s footsteps gone.

Though I’d been sighing constantly since finishing my performance, the meanings were completely different.

Earlier it was from feeling pathetic and foolish, from not giving a performance excellent enough for Mom and Dad to acknowledge. Those sighs came from such regretful feelings.

But just now it was a sigh that felt like something had been resolved.

Indeed, that’s exactly what happened.

After finishing my performance and arriving backstage. After waving goodbye to friends who’d waited for me, telling them to go ahead. …After locking myself in the bathroom to wipe away tears.

Like that, this time too, I was about to end with an incomplete combustion – shouldering self-blame for failing to meet my parents’ expectations. Unable to show it to anyone despite that.

But thanks to Woo-jin appearing just then, stumbling over his words to offer sincere comfort.

My mood that had sunk to the icy bottom was swept away like a lie.

Though endless applause from countless audience members and non-stop cheers had been useless, hearing Woo-jin’s comfort made me this happy. Finding it amusing even to myself, I couldn’t help giggling quietly.

When I looked in the mirror on the changing room wall while letting that laughter flow:

My face in the mirror wore the brightest possible smile.

All thanks to Woo-jin’s comfort.

‘I… watching you perform today, I really felt you were amazing.’

‘Plus, actually from the start, I could feel how much you loved piano, enough to come out at night and pretend to play.’

‘In the piano room too. Seeing you perform up close, I felt your “piano prodigy” title wasn’t given for nothing.’

‘When you played piano over the phone, I even felt my loneliness dissolving.’

“Huhu…”

No matter how many times I recalled it in my mind, laughter kept escaping. Maybe Woo-jin’s comfort held some mysterious magic. It was fascinating enough to birth such ridiculous imaginings.

Who would have thought Woo-jin saw me that way.

As I expected, Woo-jin…

Must definitely be much kinder than he appears.

It’s certain. A fact beyond any doubt.

Looking at how he tried with all his might to comfort me, just a fake girlfriend, it couldn’t possibly be otherwise.

And that’s not all.

Though Woo-jin is always blunt. Never takes anything I say at face value. Always grumbles needlessly when I tease him.

In the end he always plays along with my teasing. Plus he always gives interesting reactions.

And today for the first time, though fake, he clearly declared himself my boyfriend. Now it seemed okay to hop forward a few steps.

Huhuhu. What fun things should I do next? I was already getting excited for tomorrow.

While thinking up various ideas as I took off my dress.

Suddenly, I remembered my parents’ reaction after my performance.

Mom shooting me cold glares rather than bright smiles.

Dad just staring at me with an unreadable lukewarm expression beside her.

And then messaging they were leaving right away, without even talking to me despite coming such a long way.

For a moment, sharp pain flashed through my chest. I squeezed my chest tight while squeezing my eyes shut. At the same time, feeling like something might spill out, I had to bite my lower lip hard.

I hadn’t hoped for such cold reactions. I just wanted to hear one word saying I did well. I just wanted to show I could do wonderfully on my own.

I never dreamed that would be such an overwhelming task.

I decided to wait quietly until the throbbing sensation faded. I’d always endured like this. I thought I just had to bear it the same as always.

But before that.

Woo-jin’s words from earlier came alive in my mind.

‘So, I know everything. How you felt, preparing for this arts festival, I saw it all.’

‘I just don’t want you making such a sad expression.’

…That’s right.

Though Mom and Dad didn’t acknowledge me, at least I have one person who sees my heart properly.

And that person told me he didn’t want me making sad expressions.

Then there was only one thing for me to do.

I spread both hands wide and slapped my cheeks.

I couldn’t stay caught up in the past forever. There was even an overseas competition much more important than the arts festival at the end of term. It was time to cheer up quickly and regain my pace.

With this resolve, I gathered my thoughts and opened my eyes to look in the mirror again.

My face was flushed bright red, enough for anyone to notice at a glance.

Maybe… I’d slapped my cheeks too hard.

◎

“Right. Take care.”

“Yes! I’ll be careful!”

After returning the security guard’s concerned greeting, I slipped out the school gate.

The restaurant where the orchestra kids invited me for dinner was about 10 minutes from the main gate. Though I was tired in various ways, it was a perfectly walkable distance.

As soon as I left school, my ears filled with the noise of people chattering.

Uniquely, many people visited around our school. Probably thanks to the seasonal flowers blooming inside and outside the school.

Plus right next door were various restaurants and cafes, even a small park. At a normal school, students would be the main customers. Fortunately outsiders came here.

Which meant there were many things to see while walking.

Just then in the park, young men and women were playing with children. Counting, there were five children. The adults looked too young to be parents. Maybe they were aunts and uncles?

As I understood it that way…

“Now Daddy’s it. If I catch you, you get a sausage octopus at home.”

“Uu, umm… honey. I’m getting tired…”

“Exercise even if you’re tired. What are you doing getting exhausted before the kids?”

Hearing this chatter, they were young parents after all.

The children running to catch their dad who’d finally become “it” looked like they were having so much fun. Glancing at dad’s expression he seemed nearly dead… but anyway, the family seemed to get along very well.

Watching them, a faint smile formed on my face too.

Walking a bit further, I ran into an arts track friend from my year.

They seemed to be heading back after dining with parents who’d come to the arts festival. Perhaps thanks to successfully finishing the arts festival and having a nice dinner with parents, their expression looked very bright.

Our eyes met for a moment but I was already quite late for my appointment. There wasn’t time to comfortably chat. I just bowed my head to my friend’s parents in greeting and kept walking.

As I hurried my steps, leaving my friend’s family behind.

I thought this must be how parents and children should properly be close.

Especially for kids at our school. Since you could only enter if you excelled at something. If you had a bad relationship with your parents you’d likely become twisted, so admission wouldn’t be easy.

Plus parents naturally cherish children more when they’re good at studying or anything else. I’d even seen countless kids who just grew up receiving lots of love.

Of course… I was a bit different.

Come to think of it, I remembered when Woo-jin went home for the weekend after midterms.

Though I didn’t know the details, he’d said he felt lonely then.

Did Woo-jin also carry some circumstances?

If so, he could tell at least me a little.

Finally I arrived at the after-party location.

“Oh? So-yul’s here.”

“Are you okay? Not tired?”

“You did great today. You were amazing.”

Friends surrounding me as soon as I entered the restaurant welcomed me with various comments. Then several attached themselves and even hugged me tight.

Since I’m so small I usually get taken care of like a little sister, but not quite to this extent.

That must mean… my complexion looked quite bad when I came down from the stage.

Dinner was still in full swing. Considering when the after-party started, they seemed unusually slow eating.

Maybe they’d waited for me to arrive, even though I wasn’t part of the orchestra club.

…Really, I must be a blessed person.

A smile formed automatically at the touching thought. Usually I might have burst into tears, but sadly I’d used them all up crying earlier.

Instead I decided to show at least a bright smile.

Someone said while looking at me:

“You looked so depressed earlier. I’m glad you seem better now.”

It was a comment that hit the mark.

“R-really?”

When I asked with an eye smile, my friend poked me and asked:

“Yeah. Did something good happen?”

Something good… of course it had.

But it was something no one could find out about. Because we’d promised that between us. No matter how close a friend, I couldn’t honestly share it – something I had to keep completely secret.

Therefore.

Putting my index finger to my lips, I answered softly:

“It’s a secret.”

“What?”

The restaurant interior quickly filled with boisterous laughter.