Chapter 49

In the afternoon, in one of S.M's practice rooms, there was someone who was smiling happily. It wasn't Kim Tae-yeon or Jessica, but Tiffany.

Tiffany had heard Kim Tae-yeon say she was going to find Jessica yesterday, and sure enough, she saw her rush to Jessica during lunch today. Tiffany, who was anxious about a potential conflict, found the outcome to be surprisingly good. It was clear that the two had talked things out, expressed mutual understanding, and even smiled at each other, rather than continuing their silent rivalry as before. Although Jessica still seemed a bit unwilling, Tiffany knew this was just her being stubborn. However, what surprised Tiffany was that Jessica's stubbornness wasn't directed at Kim Tae-yeon, but at Lee Jung-min, who was watching videos in his room (heh, whatever he was watching).

"Tae-yeon, what did you talk about with Sica?" Tiffany quietly pulled Kim Tae-yeon aside after the practice, her eyes curved into two crescent moons, looking very cute.

"It was about Sica staying overnight at a senior's house," Kim Tae-yeon said, her eyes twinkling as she leaned in to whisper.

"Ah?" Tiffany panicked, her mind going blank. She didn't think about why Jessica and Kim Tae-yeon had become closer instead of fighting, and being easily trusting, she took the joke seriously. "You didn't betray me, right? I was just talking nonsense."

"I didn't betray you, but Sica seems to know it was you who told me," Kim Tae-yeon continued to tease Tiffany, seeing that she was falling for it.

"Really?" Tiffany asked, half-believing, half-doubting.

"Of course, who else would know about it?" Kim Tae-yeon guessed that Jessica wouldn't tell anyone else, as she was usually very reserved, and this matter was quite private.

Tiffany thought about it and realized that only she and Krystal were there that day, and Krystal wasn't close to Tae-yeon. So, the only person who could have told Tae-yeon was herself. This was the famous reasoning of Muni.

"Sorry, Sica, I was just talking nonsense when I said you stayed overnight," Tiffany wailed to Jessica, who was slumped on the floor. She had lowered her voice, but her volume was known to be super loud among all the female trainees at S.M, and everyone in the room heard her.

The entire practice room fell silent.

"Ah!" Jessica's face turned red, and she lunged at Tiffany.

"Unnie!" Before anyone could see the expected fiery confrontation between Jessica and Tiffany, a loud cry came from the door. It was Sulli, who had just returned from buying drinks for the seniors. She was staring at Jessica with wide eyes, unsure if what she heard was what she thought she heard. The impact was too great.

Sulli quickly closed the door and even nervously looked out the double-layered glass window. Fortunately, the practice room was soundproof. To avoid disturbing other practice rooms, they were all soundproofed. So, no one outside should have heard what Tiffany said, and the few who stayed behind for extra practice were all "insiders."

"Sulli, it's not like that," Jessica, who was more concerned about explaining to Sulli than scolding Tiffany, said. Sulli was a girl who could be described as a textbook moral teacher. When she thought the seniors were doing something wrong, she would look at them with her bright eyes until they felt ashamed. Jessica saw Sulli's eyes starting to brighten, and she knew the "Sulli's Glare" was coming.

"Unnie, you're not even an adult yet. It's wrong to do such things now. Our bodies and minds are not fully developed, and any decisions we make now are immature. Such decisions can affect our entire lives. Unnie, shouldn't you be more careful? The person who made Unnie practice so hard and hasn't shown himself to the people who truly care about Unnie is definitely a man without responsibility. How can Unnie, how can he, he..." The content clearly exceeded what Sulli could say without blushing, so she stuttered and couldn't continue.

Everyone in the room was shocked, even more so than when they heard Tiffany's words. The four who knew the truth—Kim Hyo-yeon, Kwon Yu-ri, Choi Soo-young, and Lim Yoon-a—were all laughing on the floor, pounding the ground. Others were afraid of Jessica's anger and covered their mouths, but Kim Tae-yeon, who wasn't afraid of Jessica, laughed the loudest. The more they laughed, the more Tiffany felt ashamed, thinking she had really messed up for Jessica.

"Sulli, it was just a sleepover," Jessica quickly changed the story to a version that Sulli could accept, like staying out to avoid disturbing her mother or going out with friends due to stress. The story was still the same, just slightly modified.

After understanding the situation and getting Kim Tae-yeon's confirmation, Sulli believed Jessica. However, she turned to Tiffany, who was nervously waiting: "Unnie Muni, please study Korean more seriously. It's very important. If you make a mistake in daily life, it's not a big deal, but sometimes it can be serious. For example, a language error in court testimony can lead to an innocent person being wrongly imprisoned, or a language error in a doctor's instructions can cause a medical accident... " Jessica finally escaped, but Tiffany was now in deep trouble...

Lee Si-woo is a second-year student at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. She excels academically, is beautiful, and plays the piano well, making her the envy of many peers. However, she felt a bit different from others. While other 20-year-old girls were obsessed with handsome idols, flashy dances, and explosive stages, she preferred lyrical classical music and people who lived poetically. Lee Si-woo always thought her personality and preferences were influenced by her name.

Lee Si-woo usually spoke little and often read books and listened to music quietly. At first, everyone thought this was a sign of a lady, with the grace of a well-bred woman. However, as time passed, her classmates began to change their views. Some said she was fake, others said she was pretending to be pure, and some even whispered that if she wanted to be a lady, why didn't she go to Ewha Womans University. The more people said this, the more Lee Si-woo wanted to hide, making her even more isolated. But there are always children who don't fit in.

On Monday, with few classes, Lee Si-woo went to her favorite bookstore after the afternoon class, seeking solace in the worlds hidden between the pages. The bookstore was different from other places; even the music played was soothing instrumental music, not the "noisy" pop songs that bothered her. Here, she could always enjoy a moment of peace. She walked into the bookstore, found a corner, picked up the book she hadn't finished a few days ago, and smiled as she opened it, gradually immersing herself in another world.

After a while, Lee Si-woo felt that something was different today. She paused to listen and realized the key: today, the bookstore owner was playing a song with lyrics, not the usual instrumental music.

Lee Si-woo listened carefully and heard, "Five hundred beautiful words haven't been said, not 'I love you' or such clichés." Her heart trembled, as if a string had been gently plucked.

The song was fresh and soothing, with a magnetic male voice that told a story. The gentle longing and subtle nostalgia flowed directly into her heart. The lyrics were profound, and the melody was fitting. Lee Si-woo, who loved classical music, realized for the first time that songs could have such charm. A good song could be like a good book, unfolding a different world before people.

"Owner, what's this song? Do you have the CD here?" Lee Si-woo decided to take the song home, wanting to keep this feeling and often listen to the story in the song. She had experienced a first love, but it was unrequited. Just as she was about to confess, the senior brought a senior girl to her, and she could only offer her blessings. The song reminded her of that time, of her innocent and adorable self.

"I downloaded it online. It's by a new artist, pretty good, right?" The bookstore owner, who had a "literary" side, played the song because he liked it and wanted to share it.

"A new artist?" Lee Si-woo was surprised. Music has commonalities, and although she loved the piano, she knew that such music required a solid foundation and deep experience to convey such emotions. "No album?"

"Not yet, just the digital release," the owner said, looking a bit hopeful. "They say the album will be released on Wednesday."

"What's the song called?" Lee Si-woo decided to download it online first.

"Oh, it's called 'Confession,' and the singer is Lee Jung-min. He's very handsome, you girls will definitely fall for him," the owner joked, knowing Lee Si-woo was a regular customer.

Lee Si-woo took out her phone and started searching for "Confession." The cover of the digital release featured Lee Jung-min's face, which was indeed handsome, but his looks weren't what moved her. She felt a strong urge to understand this man and the story behind the song.

In the streets and alleys of Seoul, many shops began playing "Confession," especially bookstores, cafes, and music stores. People seeking a peaceful atmosphere, like thirsty crops after a long drought, were immediately drawn to the song. In the bustling and glamorous Korean music scene, few people made such songs, and those who did were usually a few familiar faces. The appearance of Lee Jung-min and "Confession" made those who considered themselves "unique" exclaim, "This is it!"—this was what they had been searching for but couldn't find.

The current state of Lee Jung-min, who was seen as the new hope of the new-generation indie and literary music scene, would shock those who had high hopes for him. He was at home, wearing an apron and stirring a wok, cooking a dish of Kung Pao Chicken.