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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Duet Partners
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"Partners seated properly?"
Huh Ji-woong asked without even properly looking at the students sitting in the practice room.
After the vocal test, on Ji-woong's instruction, duet partners had paired up and taken their seats.
Lee Cheong-ha, sitting next to him, gave a small nod in response to Ji-woong's words without making a sound.
Moon Woo-hyuk with Song Ha-na. Kim Sun-woo with Ra Hye-jin. Min Woo-sik with Lee Da-som—they formed partners and took their seats.
"Until the vocal test is over, you'll sit like this for vocal lessons going forward."
"Until when?"
Moon Woo-hyuk asked Ji-woong in a snide tone, his face somehow sullen.
"For three weeks. The vocal test is in three weeks."
Ding dong dang dong.
"Alright. Head back to the classroom and prep for the next class."
Vocal class ended, and Ji-woong exited through the front door.
Next, Moon Woo-hyuk kicked a desk with a bang, stood up, and stormed out of the practice room.
Who pissed him off? Why's he acting like that?
Song Ha-na left her seat with a face that showed no concern even though her partner was pissed.
Too busy eyeing that side due to Moon Woo-hyuk's weird vibe, when Kim Sun-woo suddenly stuck his face in.
Clunk.
Startled by the suddenly pale face filling her view, she recoiled backward.
Even so, the practice room chairs were long desks pushed together, so she just bumped into it.
Her back throbbed needlessly from the collision.
"...You scared me."
"Hey. I'm Sun-woo, Kim Sun-woo."
Kim Sun-woo greeted her without batting an eye, despite startling her.
What event is this? Before regression, she'd never even exchanged words with Kim Sun-woo.
"Uh, hey. I'm Lee Do-hyun."
Life's full of surprises. Guess you do see more if you live long enough.
A bit flustered by Sun-woo approaching first, she straightened her back and replied.
"I heard your singing. Your voice is amazing."
"Thanks."
"Did you go to an arts middle school?"
"Ah, no, I didn't go to one."
Kim Sun-woo had gone to Hansung Arts Middle School.
He must've assumed from the skill she'd just shown that she was from some arts middle school.
Sorry, but wrong guess.
"I see. No wonder the name sounded unfamiliar. Someone this good would've been known if from arts middle."
Kim Sun-woo smiled brightly, looking somehow relieved.
He smiles so well, she thought suddenly.
That's why he came over to talk.
So pure. Is it because of this age?
No malice or wariness showed on Kim Sun-woo's face, even as she examined it.
If he'd approached like this, any wariness must be minimal.
Thinking back, Kim Sun-woo was like this.
Friendly with everyone, always affable—no one had seen him angry once in three years.
Though she'd barely exchanged words with him herself.
"Thanks. You were way better."
"You've never done a musical competition either?"
She nodded silently.
With our family barely scraping by to get me into arts high, asking them to prep for competitions would've snapped their backs.
"Hmm. Got it. Since we met at the same school, it's fate—let's get along well from now on."
Kim Sun-woo offered a handshake, beaming so brightly his face seemed to shine.
At this level, it's a talent.
Dazed by the smile, she took his hand as if enchanted.
"Uh... yeah, take care of me."
Even a guy would call him handsome. Snap out of it.
She lightly gripped Sun-woo's hand and shook it.
'His hand's so soft?'
Maybe hold on a bit longer... She quickly shook her head and let go.
Felt like some ghost possessed me.
Kim Sun-woo tilted his head with a strange smile.
***
Not every class in the musical theater department was musical-related.
As a high school, it naturally included Korean, English, math, PE, and all.
After vocal class ended, she attended up to 7th period, then headed straight to the dorm.
Sitting still in one spot for classes after so long made her fidgety.
But her back didn't hurt as much as expected.
Guess the body really did get younger.
She unpacked her bag and started on the continuous assessment assignment.
Watch a musical video and submit a review.
It'd been a hassle back then, but now she saw the perks of Cheongyeom Foundation support.
Providing these videos for free and the chance to analyze them.
"Wow... How do you even produce that kind of volume?"
An awed exclamation slipped out watching a foreign musical actor with insane projection.
Unknowingly, she hit spacebar to pause the video and gaped.
"Open the mouth... like this?"
She tried mimicking naturally, then caught herself.
Memories of past mistakes flashed.
This wasn't what she should be doing now.
Not volume size—study tone.
Maintain tone without straining the throat.
Vocal cord nodules.
She couldn't go through that hellish pain again.
Resumed the video and lost track of time, totally immersed.
Who knew just watching could be such good study.
If she'd realized sooner, she'd have worked harder.
Now, 16 years earlier, she discovered the fun in the assignment and dove in.
Musicals are just too fun.
The sky had darkened before she knew it.
"Do-hyun not back yet?"
Woo-sik saw the dark dorm room and figured Do-hyun must've gone out like him.
Having snuck in first to scare Do-hyun on return, Woo-sik froze like he'd seen a ghost, hand over mouth.
In the pitch-black dorm room, Do-hyun's smiling face faintly lit by the laptop screen.
Woo-sik crept behind Do-hyun to see what had him so engrossed with that expression.
"Eek."
Turning at Woo-sik's sound, there he was with a traumatized face like he'd seen something he shouldn't.
Why's he looking at me like that? Should've just washed up and slept since he came late.
"Back?"
"Wow, already doing homework? Impressive, you."
"Gotta do it, so I am."
Glancing at the clock, it was nearly 9 p.m.
Must've been out playing.
Figured it suited Woo-sik's social vibe.
Turning back to the video, Woo-sik plopped down next to her and started chattering unasked.
"No way. Saw kids from other departments at the sports field—they were all killing it."
"Yeah?"
She replied indifferently, savoring the number reaching its climax, when a hand reached from behind and paused the video.
"Must be the rich kids vibe. Damn. Tuition's steep, but the buildings and facilities are insane. Our dorm's better than my house."
After pausing the innocent video, Woo-sik flopped onto the bed.
Shaking her head at him, she replayed the video.
Woo-sik, fiddling with his phone, looked up and asked.
"Hey, your family's loaded, Do-hyun?"
She sighed and paused the video again.
Probably only Woo-sik could ask that so casually.
Didn't feel bad, weirdly.
Knew it was pure curiosity, no ill intent.
"Nope."
"Figured. Poor kids like us got that bond, y'know? Something that clicks."
Not really.
She thought to herself and turned back to the laptop.
Until Woo-sik spoke up.
"Ah, gotta snag some scholarships."
"Scholarships?"
Her head whipped back to Woo-sik.
Couldn't help it.
"Yeah. They got tons of money, so they give a lot. But I'm not the type to rush back and grind homework like you."
Scholarships... Yeah, needed those.
Seemed like there were plenty, but memories fuzzy after so long.
Back then, she was so clueless.
Obsessed with succeeding in musicals, focused only on practice.
Ignored family finances.
That debt from arts high tuition back then came back to bite her later.
Grabbed her ankles.
"Know what scholarships there are?"
Might as well sweep them up post-regression.
Sounded better the more she thought.
Compared to before, throat's fine now, acting and physical stuff covered by experience—confident.
"I'm great at window-shopping rice cakes I can't eat."
Asked, and Woo-sik excitedly scooted closer.
New student top score scholarship, external awards, outstanding club, comprehensive eval excellence, etc.
Real interest, as Woo-sik rattled them off.
Rich school meant plenty of aid.
Why hadn't she cared before?
But no one could get them all.
Max 100% tuition, excess auto-donated.
So what to aim for...
"There used to be one that gives it all at once. Grade top scholarship and... Just enter Cheongyeom Arts Festival, and they give full ride?"
Checked Woo-sik's words: arts fest scholarship applicable from second semester.
First semester, aim for grade top then.
If things kept going like this, reachable goal.
Vowed inwardly: stand at Cheongyeom Arts Festival in one year.
"I'm out, give up."
Woo-sik, who'd been explaining eagerly, flopped onto the bed, overwhelmed.
"Don't give up. You'll regret it later."
"What? Thought you were my uncle for a sec."
Don't regret like me—do your best while you can.
Swallowed more unsaid words as Woo-sik's face turned weird.
Gotta watch my mouth more.
***
Ji-woong brewed coffee at a corner of the teachers' lounge, thinking of Do-hyun and Cheong-ha.
As rumored, Lee Cheong-ha's stage fright was still ongoing.
Kim Sun-woo, Song Ha-na, Moon Woo-hyuk—fine, but Lee Do-hyun and Lee Cheong-ha.
Ji-woong saw a glimmer of potential in Lee Cheong-ha.
Her tone wasn't bad, for one.
General high transfer with stage fright.
When her enrollment became known, it stirred brief controversy among teachers.
Seemed resolved somehow.
Cheongyeom Arts High accepting a transfer meant she had that much potential.
This vocal test wasn't proper, so no one could tell from it.
'But what's with him?'
Ji-woong frowned, recalling Lee Do-hyun.
Why'd he request Cheong-ha as partner? Heard her tone and knew?
A 17-year-old newbie with ears like that?
Even the elite trio, trained as prodigies since kids, didn't blink at Cheong-ha's song.
Song Ha-na even scowled when Cheong-ha stopped midway.
Friends maybe? Didn't seem so.
But ignoring others and going straight for Cheong-ha was odd.
Ji-woong grabbed his coffee mug, returned to his seat, and opened the student records.
Seeing young Do-hyun's face, he dug into the admissions app for his.
Han Hyo-jin approached, seeing Ji-woong intently alternating between the two docs seriously.
"What're you staring at so hard?"
Ji-woong slammed the student record shut.
Ignored her, gulped his coffee, but she wouldn't leave his desk.
"Butt out."
Her seat was right next to his, of course.
"Huh Teacher."
"What now."
Han Hyo-jin's face soured.
Only called her twice today, but he was always like this.
"How're the new kids?"
"Same as always."
Ji-woong replied flatly, sipping coffee.
"Can I see the vocal eval sheets?"
Ji-woong handed them over without looking.
She took them casually, used to his demeanor.
Naturally, her eyes went to the famed elite trio.
As expected, high marks for Kim Sun-woo, Moon Woo-hyuk, Song Ha-na.
But another A.
Lee Do-hyun A.
And the name on the protruding admissions app: Lee Do-hyun.
'Well, well?'