Chapter 65 : Reach the Ends of the Sky (2)

“What do you mean by saying it has no meaning?”

I spoke without thinking.

The smile that had been brightly blooming just a moment ago instantly faded.

The shadow on her face seemed particularly dark.

The black-haired part-time worker turned her head towards the window, as if avoiding my gaze.

The late afternoon sunlight gently descended onto her long eyelashes and shattered.

“I think… it’s become difficult for me to sing.”

Her voice, once again directed at me, was oddly calm.

But beneath that calmness, I could feel a heavy emotion sinking.

Resignation.

She slightly raised the corners of her mouth and continued speaking.

“Originally… singing was my job. I used to write and sing my own songs.”

A singer-songwriter.

An artist who composes and writes lyrics herself.

“Then… I developed a problem with my throat. I can no longer sing like I used to.”

Ah.

It wasn’t retirement or a break.

It was something more final, something that meant she could never go back.

For a singer, losing their voice.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine the weight of that.

“I… I’m sorry for asking such an impolite question.”

I awkwardly apologized.

I felt like I had touched on something I shouldn’t have.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Hehe.”

She gently waved her hand, as if it really didn’t matter.

The inside of the café was still filled with the languid afternoon air.

Our quiet conversation was the only thing filling the space, like a gentle background music.

“Life isn’t bad right now. I’m okay working in a quiet place like this. My income is much more stable than before.”

She shrugged her shoulders lightly.

“After all… I wasn’t a famous singer to begin with, so there’s nothing to regret. Actually, I earn more now with this part-time job.”

However, her voice carried a trace of regret.

In her eyes, which were trying to smile, there was a shadow of lingering regret.

A shadow of the affectionate emotion she couldn’t let go of, towards the music and voice that had once been her world.

The song she had created, Letter to the Sky.

Just seeing a single sheet of sheet music had made my heart ache.

Something inside me told me—This can’t be forgotten, unnoticed.

It felt like such a waste.

I’m not sure what someone like me could do,But at least for this song.

“Um… Excuse me… if it’s not too much trouble.”

At my sudden words, she looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“That song… Letter to the Sky. Would it be okay if I… try singing it?”

Honestly, I don’t know much about music.

The only thing I learned was from taking piano lessons when I was young.

I didn’t have any professional knowledge.

But strangely enough,Just by looking at the notes on the staff,Just by reading the title written in the corner of the sheet music,I instantly understood how beautiful this song was.

It felt like every part of my body was telling me that.

That was why.

Even though I knew it was an inappropriate request, my mouth moved first.

Because it was so heartbreaking that this song might be forgotten just like this.

I wanted it to have the chance to resonate in the world, even if it was just once.

And coincidentally,I had the opportunity to do so.

***

(Formally) Singer-Songwriter.

(Currently) Café Part-Time Worker.

Yun Hayeon quietly stared at the silver-haired girl in front of her, Yoo Seoyeno.

Just a moment ago, when she entered the café with a face full of nervousness,Yun Hayeon murmured to herself,‘What in the world… is that cute creature…?’

Her long silver hair shimmered softly in the sunlight,Her skin as clear and white as porcelain,Her large golden eyes looked like golden jewels,But at the same time, they seemed to tremble, a bit uneasy.

Overall, she had an unreal beauty, like a doll, but the expression of being extremely frightened created a strange sense of protectiveness rather than discomfort.

As expected, she fumbled in front of the menu for a while, unsure of what to do, so I spoke to her first and recommended the signature menu.

“Yes! I’ll have that… please.”

The voice I heard then.

It was as clear and pure as her appearance, perhaps even more so.

The special tone that caught my ear, I was unknowingly startled by it.

A faint sense of déjà vu crossed my mind, as if I had heard it somewhere before, but I let it slide without much thought.

Then, the small commotion that followed.

When she dropped her card and bent down to pick it up, an old stack of sheet music spilled out of her bag.

The girl’s gaze lingered on the sheet music for a moment as she helped me pick it up.

Then, from the girl who sat at the window seat I had recommended, came her words.

“Um… excuse me, that sheet music…”

“Could I ask… what song it is?”

“I just… it seems like such a beautiful song. Even just by looking at it…”

“It just looks nice…”

Her words were awkward but sincere, with no pretension or affectation, a pure admiration.

For the first time in a while, Yun Hayeon’s emotions were stirred.

She felt something hot rise from deep within her chest.

There was nothing more delightful for a creator than having their work recognized by someone.

And to hear it spoken so genuinely, with such pure eyes and an honest expression, made her heart race.

And the girl’s kindness didn’t end there.

“Would it be… okay if I sing it?”

Yun Hayeon paused for a moment.

Could she be someone from the music industry?

A student studying composition? 

Or perhaps… an aspiring singer? 

Or even a current singer or idol?

Honestly, with her looks, it wouldn’t be strange if she were the center of an idol group right away.

But considering how she acted when she ordered… she seemed a bit too shy to be an idol.

Of course, even celebrities don’t always act hyperactive when the cameras are off, and there are plenty who are much quieter and different when the cameras aren’t around.

For a brief moment, Yun Hayeon was lost in thought.

Since losing her voice,Her songs had become like a faded diary, something she kept to herself without ever showing anyone.

Now, this girl, a stranger, wanted to sing her song.

‘But…’

‘But…’

What’s the point now?

There would never be anyone in this world to sing this song fully.

She didn’t know who this girl was, but…Who would be the singer to perform the song of a no-name singer-songwriter who had lost her voice?

Rather than letting this song forever stay in the dusty sheet music,It might be worth listening to the girl who genuinely wants to sing it,Who sincerely believes the song is really good and wants to try singing it.

“Even if the song itself might not be perfect… her voice earlier was really beautiful.”

At least, her voice was so clear and wonderful that it left me in awe.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Yun Hayeon spoke.

“Okay.”

And then added,”Well, could you leave your number? I’ll contact you after my part-time job ends.”

***

“You live in a goshiwon.”

That evening, Yoo Seoyeno stopped in front of the goshiwon, which she had found using a map app.

The address was given to her by the part-time worker named Yun Hayeon.

She paused at the entrance of the goshiwon, taking a deep breath.

It almost felt like she was going for an interview.

Just in case, she had also drunk some bellflower tea, so it should be fine. 

Probably.

By the way, to visit a stranger just for a song,And to muster such bulldozer-like determination…She was a bit surprised by herself.

‘It was such a song that I liked so much.’

She had come all this way just from looking at a single sheet of music.

It was purely based on her instinct.

Surprisingly, this feeling might fade the moment she sees the whole sheet music.

But,Still.

She entered the goshiwon.

At the end of the narrow hallway, Yun Hayeon smiled faintly.

She was dressed in comfortable training clothes instead of the neat uniform she had worn during the day.

Her makeup-free face looked a little paler, but her eyes had a subtle vitality that wasn’t there during the day.

“You got here quickly.”

“Ah, yes. The app showed me the way…”

An awkward greeting passed between them. 

Yun Hayeon gave a shy smile as she looked at the narrow, long hallway.

“As you can see… it’s a bit rough, right? But it’s livable. Instant noodles are free…”

Despite her somewhat melancholic appearance, she seemed to be staying positive.

“Anyway, the soundproofing here is terrible. It would be better to go up to the roof. Would you like to follow me?”

“Yes.”

They climbed the creaky metal stairs, and when they opened the rooftop door, a chilly night breeze rushed in.

The lights of the surrounding buildings twinkled in the darkness, and the faint noise of the city could be heard in the distance.

Yun Hayeon took an old plastic chair from one side of the roof, dusted it off, and said,”Here, you can sit here… or would you prefer standing to sing?”

“Yes, I’ll stand.”

Yun Hayeon handed over the sheet music.

The sheet music she had casually seen earlier that day.

Taking a deep breath, Yoo Seoyeno cleared her throat.

The night view of the city surrounding her.

The sheet music in her hand, < A Letter Sent to the Sky >.

The complicated symbols were still unfamiliar.

She didn’t know how to read music very well. 

Her music experience was limited to playing Czerny in elementary school, nothing more.

However,The moment she faced this sheet music again,The melody was forming in her mind on its own.

It felt as though she had always known how to sing it, from the very beginning.

It was a feeling similar to reading her native language without thinking, unconsciously.

In front of Yun Hayeon’s silent gaze, Yoo Seoyeno took the first note.

‘…!’

The very first phrase of the song.

When Yoo Seoyeno’s voice reached Yun Hayeon’s ears,Her eyes, along with her breath, trembled wildly.