Chapter 41

41. A Small but Big Step

"Wow, that was really good!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

After finishing his song, Jinhyeok received enthusiastic applause from Se-rin, who was smiling brightly. She seemed completely unaware that she had been humming along with the song.

"Se-rin."

Jinhyeok looked at her and said,

"Want to sing together?"

"Huh?"

Se-rin blinked, then suddenly grinned.

"Hey, I know I can't sing."

"It's okay. What's the harm? It's just the two of us here."

"Huh? That's true, but…."

Se-rin looked around the practice room as if noticing it for the first time. The room was quiet after Jinhyeok's song had ended.

Jinhyeok rummaged through the bag beside him and pulled something out.

"Here, the sheet music."

It was the sheet music Jinhyeok had drawn for Se-rin.

"Can you read sheet music?"

Se-rin nodded and looked at the sheet music.

"Did you draw this, Jinhyeok?"

"Yep."

"Did you draw it to show me?"

Jinhyeok smiled and nodded at Se-rin, who was looking at him.

"Wow…."

Se-rin looked at the sheet music again, her face showing a sense of being moved.

"Let's try it together. It's okay if you can't sing. I just want to try it with you."

"……"

After a moment of contemplation, Se-rin said,

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

She smiled at Jinhyeok. This was the courage Se-rin could muster because Jinhyeok was the one asking.

"I'll start first, and you can join in when you feel comfortable."

"Okay."

Swish.

Jinhyeok's guitar intro played. Se-rin swayed her body slightly to the beat as she looked at the sheet music.

"When Christmas comes, we'll meet."

Se-rin followed the melody with a shy, almost inaudible voice.

"I hope it snows, but it's okay even if it doesn't."

"Anyway, it's the Christmas we've been waiting for."

"It's okay to forget everything for a day."

"It's okay to be happy for a day."

"If we meet again somewhere unknown, in a way that feels new and unfamiliar, our meeting will be a bit different."

"Then, shall we meet then? We don't need to set a specific time—."

By the time they reached the chorus, Se-rin had her eyes closed.

As her body moved to the rhythm, a natural smile spread across her face.

"Then, shall we meet then? We don't need to set a specific time—."

Se-rin's voice, open and without a hint of nervousness, flowed out.

"Then, shall we meet then…."

While Jinhyeok paused his singing, a single phrase from Se-rin flowed out naturally.

"Huh? Why?"

Se-rin stopped singing a phrase late and looked around, wondering what had happened. She thought someone might have entered.

After confirming no one had, she looked at Jinhyeok with a "Why?" expression.

"You did well."

"Huh?"

"Your singing."

Se-rin's eyes widened in surprise. Jinhyeok smiled and nodded.

"Ah—!"

Se-rin covered her mouth with both hands. She then said excitedly,

"Did I really sing properly?"

"Sure did."

"Ah—!"

Se-rin jumped up and down,

"What do I do!"

She hopped around the practice room. Jinhyeok watched her with a pleased smile.

It was fortunate.

This time, she didn't fall.

***

Students filled the schoolyard, proudly displaying their similar hiking outfits, signaling the start of the real winter for high school students.

The school isn't even on a mountain. Why are they all wearing hiking outfits?

I heard the CEO of The North Face misunderstood the rapid growth of the Korean market as being due to Korea's mountainous terrain.

"Huff, huff."

"Ouch. Getting old is tough. Going to school is so hard now."

"Exactly. Why are all schools on mountains?"

"There's a theory that the intense Korean college entrance exams are designed to make students exercise on their way to school."

'……'

Listening to the complaints of the seniors who had just finished their college entrance exams, I thought the CEO of The North Face might not be entirely wrong.

"Jinhyeok, did you buy a down jacket? Wow, this is the new model for this winter."

Jinhyeok didn't understand why Do Min-woo could tell it was a new model.

No matter how he looked at it, it just seemed like a different color.

Jinhyeok looked at the logo on the chest of the down jacket.

The North Face.

A brand he couldn't even wear during his orphanage days.

Back then, he had felt a bit left out for not being able to follow trends, but now, Jinhyeok felt a bit embarrassed. However...

"Jinhyeok! Ta-da!"

"Where did you get this down jacket? Mom."

"You said you wanted a The North Face. I decided to buy it for you!"

Hiking outfits are backbreakers. Jinhyeok hadn't asked for it, but he felt a bit guilty.

"That must have been expensive…."

"It's okay, it's okay. You don't pay tuition with your scholarship. I felt bad for not buying it last year. Try it on!"

"It's fine…."

"Wow! Our son looks like a model. The company should pay him for modeling. Haha."

The warmth of his mother's smile was more comforting than the down jacket. For Jinhyeok, that was enough.

"Jinhyeok, what are you going to do after the final exams today?"

"I have a drama practice today."

"Ah, come on. Take a break on the day the exams end. You're too strict."

Jinhyeok looked at Do Min-woo.

"Why?"

"You said we need to start running as soon as the exams end because the competition is coming up soon. Manager Do."

"Huh? Oh, right! The competition is just around the corner! We need to work hard!"

Do Min-woo clenched his fist tightly.

***

"Wow, this is like the sun rising in the west."

"……"

"Who would have thought Jinhyeok would suggest going to a karaoke room. Wow, I might cry. Look, Min-yeong. Are my eyes tearing up?"

Kim Min-yeong folded her fingers with a meaningful smile.

"Why? Should I cry? Then make me cry."

"Come on, President. You said you were sorry earlier. Are you usually this grumpy?"

While Do Min-woo was joking, Min-seo-yeon quietly asked Jinhyeok,

"Really, what's up with you?"

"Se-rin didn't tell you? We're going to a karaoke room."

"So, what's up with you two? Suddenly going to a karaoke room?"

"Is it strange for high school students to go to a karaoke room after exams?"

Min-seo-yeon narrowed her eyes skeptically. At that moment,

"Hey, guys!"

"Huh? It's Se-rin."

Lee Young-joon, who spotted Yeon Se-rin first, waved happily.

"Wow, Se-rin…. What's up?"

While Kim Min-yeong's mouth dropped open,

"Wow—!"

Do Min-woo ran up to Se-rin.

"Se-rin! It's been so long!"

"Nice to see you, Min-woo."

"Wow, what's the occasion today?"

"Why?"

"I mean, you're all dressed up. You look like an idol singer."

"Oh."

Se-rin blushed shyly.

Yeon Se-rin, dressed up to the nines, was a surprise even to Jinhyeok.

If she had decided to turn the world around her into black and white, she had already succeeded.

Min-seo-yeon, who was standing next to Jinhyeok, tilted her head.

"Really, there must be something going on."

Jinhyeok smiled quietly at her.

Excited by Se-rin's arrival, Do Min-woo exclaimed,

"Wow! It's great to have everyone together! Let's have a good time today!"

So, when our friend Do Min-woo says "let's have a good time," he means...

...

...

"Never make you cry— I'll love you—. Woo-woo-woo—!"

As Do Min-woo's heartfelt performance shook the nonexistent microphone stand,

Kim Min-yeong quickly grabbed the karaoke book to hide her face. Lee Young-joon, who missed his chance, aimed for another book,

"Ah!"

But it was already stuck to Min-seo-yeon's face.

Turning his head frantically, it was too late. The last refuge, the large remote control, was already in Jinhyeok's hands.

With no place to hide, Lee Young-joon pressed his face against a poster on the wall.

"Let's see. The song number is…."

Young-joon muttered meaningless words.

While everyone was searching for a place to avoid Do Min-woo's heartfelt baptism,

Only one person, no, one angel, stood with her hands clasped to her chest, receiving Min-woo's baptism with reverence.

"Wow—!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

After Min-woo finished his song, Se-rin clapped enthusiastically.

"That was amazing, Min-woo!"

"Hehe, thanks."

Do Min-woo, blushing, handed the microphone to Se-rin.

"Okay, it's your turn, Se-rin."

Tension spread across Se-rin's face. She slowly stood up and walked to the karaoke machine.

"Wow!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"I've never heard Se-rin sing before."

Everyone focused on Se-rin with expectant expressions, which only added to her tension.

Se-rin's trembling eyes met Jinhyeok's.

Jinhyeok smiled calmly at her, nodding reassuringly.

She would definitely do it. Jinhyeok believed this, having seen her surprising performance in their few practice sessions.

After her voice opened up with her mother's song, Se-rin had confidently sung other songs in front of Jinhyeok.

And now,

The Asian diva was about to take a small but significant step towards the life that should have been hers.

Who could have imagined that this remarkable step would begin on this small karaoke stage, except Jinhyeok?

The joy Jinhyeok felt, witnessing this unknown brilliant world alone, was greater than he had expected.

Ding-dong-dong~

The intro of the song played.

Se-rin, dressed up as if to show her determination, slowly brought the microphone to her lips.

"You, who I can't help but look at without thinking…."

The first phrase, which should have been delivered brightly and confidently.

'Ah….'

Unfortunately, Se-rin couldn't do it.

To Jinhyeok, her voice sounded a bit uncertain and strained. Se-rin barely managed to catch the pitch and rhythm.

"Wow—!"

But even that was enough to surprise the group.

"Why do you keep haunting my thoughts?"

Fortunately, as the song continued, Se-rin regained her breath.

"I can't possibly do that to you. No, no, that's not true at all."

A clear, bright voice.

"……"

Do Min-woo, who had picked up the tambourine, froze and quietly put it down.

"Tell me it's not true. I can't possibly love you? No, that's not true at all—."

As Se-rin's rhythmic vocals freely took flight,

"Wow, amazing."

Kim Min-yeong covered her mouth in shock.

Even Min-seo-yeon, who rarely showed any facial expressions, had wide eyes of surprise as she watched Se-rin.

"Please, please, let it be that I don't love you. Please!"

Ding. Dong.

The song ended, but no one clapped.

"Wow."

Just a short exclamation from Min-yeong.

There are times when even clapping is forgotten.

In the silent karaoke room, where everyone was frozen, Se-rin blinked her large eyes.

Breaking the silence,

Ding-dong-ding-dong!

"Really well done. 89 points. With a bit more effort, you could become a singer!"

The karaoke machine cheered for Se-rin's effort.

Do Min-woo, who had scored 95 points earlier, quietly stood up with the tambourine and muttered something that sounded like a joke.

"I need to destroy that."

***

Tap. Tap-tap.

- Song Title: Let's Meet at Christmas

- Composer/Lyricist: Song Ha

- Participant (Name/School/Grade):

Jinhyeok's hand, which had rested for a moment, moved again over the keyboard.

- Participant 1: Jinhyeok Woo (Myeongseong High School, 1st Year)

- Participant 2: Yeon Se-rin (Siheung Girls' High School, 1st Year)

- Team Name: By Chance

- Team Type: Mixed Duo

Tap.