Chapter 67

Jessica now felt terrible. Although Lee Jung-min had a youthful face, his height was anything but youthful, easily exceeding 1.8 meters. When Jessica spoke to Lee Jung-min, she would unconsciously raise her face, not just out of pride, but also because of the height difference. After hearing Tiffany's comment about Kim Tae-yeon, Jessica also looked towards the kitchen and tragically realized that if she were in Kim Tae-yeon's place, the effect would be no different.

Kim Tae-yeon was washing dishes in the kitchen, completely unaware that Tiffany was making fun of her height. If she knew, she would surely have rushed out to give Tiffany a good scolding. Unfortunately, Kim Tae-yeon was completely unaware. She was still thinking about how to ask Lee Jung-min for advice on singing techniques. The only two songs she could find that Lee Jung-min had sung were "I Don't Want to Miss You," which was impressive due to its high difficulty, and "Confession," which was entirely emotional. This kind of performance, which ignored the difficulty of the song itself, was exactly what Kim Tae-yeon, who was stuck in a bottleneck, was desperately seeking.

Lee Jung-min tidied up the table and walked to the kitchen sink, where he saw Kim Tae-yeon washing dishes with her hands directly in the water. Lee Jung-min shook his head, walked over, and took Kim Tae-yeon's hands out of the sink, drying them with a towel specifically for the kitchen. "There are gloves right there, why don't you use them?"

"They're too much trouble." Kim Tae-yeon always washed dishes this way at home.

"The water has detergent in it, which is corrosive. It can damage your skin if you leave your hands in it." As Lee Jung-min dried Kim Tae-yeon's hands, he could feel how plump and soft they were, even through the towel. Her small, white, and tender hands were like delicate white lotus roots. Lee Jung-min found it amazing and picked them up to look at them, wondering how someone could have such small hands, like a child's.

Lee Jung-min had no ulterior motives in drying Kim Tae-yeon's hands; he did it out of habit, as if taking care of a mischievous neighbor's child. Kim Tae-yeon looked so young, and Lee Jung-min loved children, so it was natural for him to take care of her. However, Kim Tae-yeon didn't know this. No one had ever told her that dishwater could damage her hands, and this gesture, similar to something her father might do, warmed her heart. She thought to herself that this Jung-min oppa was a warm-hearted man.

Jessica watched everything in the kitchen, and although she didn't think Lee Jung-min and Kim Tae-yeon would really get together, she still huffed in dissatisfaction.

"Xica, are you full too?" Tiffany, lost in thought, heard Jessica's huff and thought she was feeling the same way. Today, Tiffany deeply regretted insisting on coming. Now, all her efforts over the past few days had been in vain. With her constitution, she gained weight just by drinking water. She was in trouble, suspecting she had eaten enough for several days, which was why she felt so bloated. Lee Jung-min had made appetizing dishes, and among the four of them, only he was fine, while the other three girls ate much more than usual.

Jessica rolled her eyes at Tiffany. This girl would be kidnapped by someone in the future, always so absent-minded.

"Oppa, that song 'Confession' is really moving. How did you do it?" Kim Tae-yeon, who had developed a strong liking for Lee Jung-min, asked her question.

"Want to learn the secrets?" Lee Jung-min smiled. This little girl was really cute, looking so serious but giving off a mischievous vibe.

"Of course, I've already paid the tuition." Kim Tae-yeon chuckled like a middle-aged woman after saying this.

Lee Jung-min looked at the Pea Doll toy on the sofa, which Tiffany was hugging. "That's a meal ticket, not tuition."

"Having a meal is doing you a favor. We came to keep you company, so isn't it only right to eat with you?" Kim Tae-yeon, who didn't talk much to strangers, liked to joke and play around with people she knew well.

"Alright, thanks for the favor." Lee Jung-min replied in a soulless tone.

Kim Tae-yeon had come specifically to learn singing techniques. "Oppa, tell me the secrets."

"Speaking of secrets, there really are some. A good singer is also an actor, and the two are interconnected." Lee Jung-min thought for a moment and shared his insights with Kim Tae-yeon. To make it easy to understand, he described it in simple terms. "Film and television works are often created to express certain ideas or emotions. Actors can only perform their roles well if they deeply understand the underlying meaning. To get into character, actors often use the method of 'getting into the role,' imagining themselves as the true protagonists to create powerful performances.

Songs are the result of collaboration between composers and lyricists, and they also contain the emotions or ideas they want to express. A singer's job is to first understand what the song itself is trying to convey. Singers are like actors and can use the same method of 'getting into the role' to stimulate their emotional expression. By imagining themselves as the protagonist of the song, they can better convey the performance.

A song is not just a song, an idea, or a story; it is an art that requires a singer's genuine heart to present perfectly."

Kim Tae-yeon nodded in agreement. Jung Yoon-woo had also told her something similar, but although he was strong, he wasn't good at teaching. He always emphasized emotion and sincerity but didn't consider that Kim Tae-yeon was still a child and couldn't have the rich experiences needed to convey genuine emotions.

Lee Jung-min's explanation was much easier to understand. Emotions don't have to be entirely real; they can be simulated. As long as one observes and thinks more, even simulated emotions can be powerful and touching. For example, in the movie "Ghost," the actors didn't really experience such bizarre supernatural events, but that didn't stop the film from becoming a classic or the lead actors from receiving high praise for their performances. This is an example of simulated emotions touching the heart.

After finishing, Lee Jung-min put the clean dishes in the sterilizer, while Kim Tae-yeon stood there thoughtfully. She cleared her throat, feeling a desire to sing and wanting to try if it would really work.

"Let's go to the practice room?" Kim Tae-yeon suddenly said, wanting to sing right away. As the saying goes, "Sing if you want to, and sing loudly, but don't disturb others," so going to a practice room seemed like the best choice.

In Korea, practice rooms are like KTVs in China or karaoke bars in Japan, just with different names. The term is a Japanese-English hybrid, a product of the Japanese language being influenced by English. Koreans often combine their passion for singing with eating and drinking. They drink when they eat, and they sing when they drink, forming a complete industry. Therefore, areas with many practice rooms often see drunk people leaning against walls.

Lee Jung-min treated the three girls to a nearby practice room. There were many such places in Cheongdam-dong, and they walked there, which also helped with digestion.

The practice room was well-decorated, and the capital to open a business in Cheongdam-dong was substantial. The high housing prices determined the consumption level, and the place was popular, even on a Wednesday. Lee Jung-min, with three young and beautiful girls, immediately attracted many gazes, but his protective measures were good, and he was still a newcomer with no fame, so he wasn't worried about being recognized.

"Wow, this is different from the places we usually go to." Tiffany looked around in amazement. As trainees, they all had confidence in their singing and liked to sing when they went out, often competing with each other. They couldn't sing in the practice room, as the dedicated soundproof rooms were used by senior artists, so they chose practice rooms to satisfy their needs. These girls had their own regular spots, but they were not as good as this one.

Although there were only four of them, Lee Jung-min booked a super-large room. Since it was his birthday, even with fewer people, the venue had to be party-level. Inviting Song Seok-jae was out of the question, as he was extremely busy, and Baek Geum-hum, a brute, was the last person Lee Jung-min wanted to ruin the atmosphere, especially if he scared the underage girls with his talk.

"Oppa, what song do you want to sing? I'll help you choose." Kim Tae-yeon was the most enthusiastic, and Tiffany was huddled with her, fiddling with the song selection computer. Jessica, with her legs crossed, sat on the sofa, looking cold and distant, lost in thought again.

"Me?" Lee Jung-min, who was ordering snacks, looked up, thinking for a moment, and said, "Anything."

"Then we'll choose last." Kim Tae-yeon scratched her head, wondering what song to choose. She then turned to Tiffany for help: "Xica, what song should I sing?"

"Sing the song you like!" Jessica glanced at Lee Jung-min and said.

This was something Lee Jung-min had once said to Kim Tae-yeon, and she had only told Tiffany. Now, Jessica's tone clearly had a hidden meaning. Kim Tae-yeon looked at Tiffany speechlessly, realizing she was a big mouth.

"Hehe, I accidentally let it slip." Tiffany tried to act cute to get away with it. In reality, she had deliberately "tattled" to Jessica.