As the final, haunting notes of the song faded into the acoustics of the room, Byul Ee broke the silence with an enthusiastic round of applause.
"Wow! You have a beautiful voice," she exclaimed, her claps echoing slightly in the small studio. "The way you hit those notes… your tone is incredible."
The girl didn't answer immediately. She turned her head slowly, her dark, intense eyes locking onto Byul Ee's face. She didn't blink; she simply stared, her gaze so piercing that Byul Ee felt a sudden, familiar chill prickle across her skin.
"I… uh… I just meant that you're a really talented singer," Byul ee stammered, feeling flustered under the weight of that unmoving stare.
Finally, a gentle, almost sad smile appeared across the girl's lips. "Thank you," she said softly. She gestured to the empty stool beside her. "Please, have a seat."
Byul Ee sat down, her curiosity getting the better of her. She glanced at the sheet music resting on the stand, filled with scribbled notes and lyrics. "This song… I've never heard it before. Is it a new demo for the debut group?"
The girl looked down at the paper. "This? No. This is a song that was… rejected by the producers. They said the lyrics were too deep. They said it didn't have a chance of becoming popular."
"But it's so beautiful!" Byul Ee insisted, leaning in. "The rhythm, the melody, and the way you sing it… I'm sure it would be a hit if it were actually released." As she spoke, she found herself struck by how stunning the girl was. She had skin as pale as porcelain, deep brown eyes that seemed to hold a world of secrets, and long, ink-black hair that fell perfectly over her shoulders. "You're even pretty enough to be the visual… those producers don't realize how much heart goes into composing something like this," she added with a sympathetic pout.
"I'm Dae Hada," the girl said, introducing herself at last.
Byul Ee nodded warmly. "I'm Byul Ee. It's nice to meet you, Hada. Though, it's strange… I've never seen you around the company before. Are you a new trainee?"
"No, I'm not new," Hada said, her gaze drifting back to the scribbled lyrics on the paper. "I'm actually… quite a regular here. Although my debut was… postponed, I'm still training under senior mentors and working with producers to create music for the upcoming groups." She turned back to Byul Ee, her eyes softening with a warm, almost protective light.
"Ah! That explains why I've never seen you around the main halls," Byul Ee said, leaning in. "So, how is your training going? Were you close to being selected for the lineup?"
The sparkle in Hada's eyes dimmed for a fleeting second, replaced by a shadow of something heavy. "Well… they told me I still needed more training. To work on my expressions and hitting the highest notes. That's why the debut was delayed. But," she added, her tone remaining warm, "they said I could work as a producer in the meantime."
Byul Ee nodded sympathetically, though she couldn't help but feel a burst of her own excitement bubbling up. She couldn't keep the news in any longer. "Well, guess what? I was actually selected! I'm going to be a member of the new girl group."
Hada's expression vanished. For a few seconds, she became a statue, her face a blank mask as she stared at Byul Ee. The air in the small studio seemed to get cold and a sharp chill raced up Byul Ee's arms.
Then, as quickly as it had vanished, the warmth returned to Hada's face. She broke into a bright, happy smile and reached out to pat Byul Ee's arm.
"Congratulations!" Hada said softly. "You're going to be a star. You're going to be as popular as you've always dreamed."
"No, I'm not new," Hada said, her gaze drifting back to the scribbled lyrics on the paper. "I'm actually… quite a regular here. Although my debut was… postponed, I'm still training under senior mentors and working with producers to create music for the upcoming groups." She turned back to Byul Lee, her eyes softening with a warm, almost protective light.
"Ah! That explains why I've never seen you around the main halls," Byul Lee said, leaning in. "So, how is your training going? Were you close to being selected for this lineup?"
The sparkle in Hada's eyes dimmed for a fleeting second, replaced by a shadow of something heavy. "Well… they told me I still needed more training. To work on my expressions and hitting the highest notes. That's why the debut was delayed. But," she added, her tone remaining warm, "they said I could work as a producer in the meantime."
Byul Lee nodded sympathetically, though she couldn't help but feel a burst of her own excitement bubbling up. She couldn't keep the news in any longer. "Well, guess what? I was actually selected! I'm going to be a member of the new girl group."
Hada's expression vanished. For a few terrifying seconds, she became a statue, her face a blank mask as she stared at Byul Lee. The air in the small studio seemed to drop ten degrees, and a sharp chill raced up Byul Lee's arms.
Then, as quickly as it had vanished, the warmth returned to Hada's face. She broke into a bright, happy smile and reached out to pat Byul Lee's arm—though Byul Lee barely felt the touch.
"Congratulations!" Hada said softly. "You're going to be a star. You're going to be as popular as you've always dreamed."
Byul Ee's smile faltered for a brief second—a tiny flicker of doubt—before she beamed with renewed enthusiasm. "I still can't believe I'm actually going to debut. It's been four years since I joined this company," she said, her voice trailing off as she recalled the endless hours spent in windowless rooms, the sweat-soaked practice clothes, and the years of hoping.
As Byul Ee spoke, Dae Hada's smile slowly dissolved. She didn't look away; instead, her eyes began to wander across Byul Ee's face, tracing her features with a clinical, almost unnerving intensity. It was as if she were looking for something that wasn't quite there.
"And now I'm just so happy that... I can't even find the words to express it," Byul Ee finished, looking at Hada for a reaction.
Hada immediately forced her smile back into place, though it didn't quite reach her eyes this time. "It's a wonderful thing," she said gently. "To be so happy you're left breathless. And the best part is that you finally know the truth—you know you're going to debut."
"Yeah," Byul Ee agreed, though the phrasing felt a bit heavy. She looked around the cramped, soundproofed room. "By the way, I never see you outside the studio. Not even during lunch hours. Do you ever... go outside?"
Hada paused. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the low hum of the recording equipment. "Well," she replied eventually, "I actually have my meals here. I work here. I... don't go outside much anymore. You see, the CEO calls on me constantly. We spend a lot of time discussing how to promote the groups and how to make sure the album sales reach the top."
Byul Ee nodded, though a small chill settled in her chest. It was strange for a trainee to be that close to the CEO, but she brushed it off. Perhaps Hada was just that talented. "You must be really important to them, then," Byul Ee whispered.
Hada's gaze didn't waver. "You have no idea," she murmured.
Byul Ee paused, the gears in her mind turning slowly. Wait... why is she speaking so mysteriously? she wondered. Although Hada smiled warmly and seemed genuinely happy for her, there was an unsettling weight behind her words—as if every sentence carried some meaning that Byul Ee couldn't quite grasp.
"Perhaps the CEO is just incredibly excited for the debut?" Hada asked, her voice soft and her smile never wavering.
Byul Ee hummed in response, her gaze lingering on Hada's face. She found herself searching Hada's expression for some sign of the "truth" she kept hinting at. It was then that she noticed it: a thin, jagged scar on the side of Hada's neck, partially concealed behind the dark curtain of her long hair.
It looked old, yet it stood out starkly against her porcelain-pale skin.
Byul Ee's eyes remained glued to the mark. That scar... it looks so deep. It looks dangerous, she thought, her mind racing as she examined the jagged line. It was positioned precariously close to the pulse point of Hada's neck—the kind of injury that could easily be fatal. Yet, there it was, a long, healed testament to something terrible.
Hada's eyes flicked toward Byul Ee, immediately catching her stare. As their eyes met, Hada didn't flinch or try to hide. Instead, she offered another one of those impossibly warm, serene smiles.
The contrast between the lethal-looking scar and the gentle smile sent a jolt through Byul Ee. It felt as though a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over her head. Every instinct in her body began to scream, a primal urge telling her she needed to get away from this room—and this girl.
"H-Hada... I... I think I should go back to my room," Byul Ee stammered, her voice trembling. "It's... it's getting really late."
"Oh, is it?" Hada glanced up at the clock hanging on the studio wall. The ticking seemed to grow louder in the silence. "Ah, it is quite late. But don't worry, Byul Ee. It's never too late to go to sleep."
Hada's smile widened just a fraction, a look of profound peace on her face. "Goodnight, then."
Without waiting for another word, Hada turned back to her sheet music and began to hum the low, melancholic rhythm of her song again.
Byul Ee didn't wait. She muttered a quick goodbye, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She practically ran from the room, her footsteps echoing sharply in the deserted hallway as she fled toward the safety of her room.
Hada watched in silence as Byul Ee fled the room in haste, the heavy studio door swinging shut with a soft thud. The hallway outside fell silent, but Hada remained still, her gaze drifting toward the empty seat where Byul Ee had just been sitting.
The warmth in her eyes didn't fade; instead, it deepened into something bittersweet, a look of immense, aching patience.
Picking up the melody right where she had left off, she began to sing. Her voice was a crystalline thread in the quiet room, perfectly hitting the low, resonant notes of the rhythm.
"Oh, my love... please don't be late..."