Genius of a Performing Arts High

Chapter 5: Softly 7

There was something I had ignored during the singing. It was that there were things in the world that couldn’t be done with will alone.

“Uh...”

The last verse.

After perfectly finishing the song, I closed my mouth but seemed like I was as light as a feather. My eyes turned blurry and the brain refused to think properly. Feeling a little dizzy I staggered and lowered my head, and only then did I start hearing sounds of murmurs.

“...!”

Ah damn. Did I try too hard

Crouching down like that for a bit, the sense of reality started reaching back to me, and soon the sounds of applause, followed by a rowdy worried atmosphere and a hand reaching onto my shoulder were registered.

Shaking my head once and staring forward, my eyes found its focus again and after blinking a bit, I saw Han Dasom’s face right in front of my own.

“Yunjae, are you alright?”

Staring at her lips reflecting the bright sunlight, I replied.

“Yeah... just a bit dizzy.”

Wow seriously, lots of things happen when the body’s this weak; to think I was about to faint from singing.

I stood up with a speechless grin, and saw the surrounding people tilting their heads. The dizziness wasn’t there for that long it seemed, and when I gave a nod signalling that I was okay, the claps started ringing again.

“Damn you sing way too zealously.”

“But still good.”

“I thought there was only Kim Wuju from the freshmen but you’re quite good too.”

Comparing me to Kim Wuju, the evaluations were too good. When I lowered my head in embarrassment, the people started leaving after tapping my shoulder and within that, Jun Shihyuk approached with a blank expression.

“Is your body still not good?”

“Still?”

When I tilted my head, Jun Shihyuk roughly went over it.

“...More importantly, since when were you able to go up to B? You hit an A flat last time, it went up quite quickly.”

“That... after changing the vocalisation method it went up. I think I can hit up to C.”

“What? C? High C?”

“Yeah...”

Suddenly, feeling ‘ah, damn’, I glanced around and found the surroundings getting rowdy after hearing C. There was Jun Shihyuk asking again to double-check his hearing, upperclassmen making intrigued expressions, freshmen students looking over with surprise, and Han Dasom who became proud herself for some reason, giving nods.

Especially the opera department students of our grade who knew that I couldn’t make high notes back then were more shocked.

“Oi weren’t you unable to sing an F or something?”

“What’s with this talented bastard reaching all the way up in just one month...”

“...No, I can only make it and can’t sing it yet.”

“But still, sigh... When can I make high notes...”

Seeing Jun Shihyuk lamenting, I secretly heaved out a sigh. I knew that feeling very well because I had been a baritone myself – that helpless feeling that I was the only one that couldn’t make high notes.

“...”

When I stepped back silently trying to avoid the reverse scale, Jun Shihyuk soon changed to a serious expression and opened his mouth.

“...Anyway congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“See you in the prac test then.”

After Jun Shihyuk walked past, it seemed like the surroundings had finally become less crowded. Seeing his back furthering away, I scratched my head.

Hmm... I reached today’s goals for now, and found out my rough limits.

“Ah, ah.”

Touching the aching stomach I thought for a bit.

In conclusion, songs on Nessun Dorma’s level were still too much for me evident from how I was about to faint just then. There was a problem with the body but it was also due to the mental fatigue resulting from focusing on the vocalisation.

If there were too many things to think about, it was bound to raise mental fatigue after all. Besides, the level of perfection wasn’t that high either.

It was only because I sang right in front of them that I had received positive feedback and the volume was so small that in a proper hall, the back rows wouldn’t even be able to hear a word.

There were various wrong bits on top of that, with unstable timbre and... I’m sure the kids listening from afar had scoffed at it.

More importantly, whether the vocalisation was properly done was the bigger question.

How do I fix this... while scratching my hair, I talked to Han Dasom.

“Hey how was the song just then?”

“It was the best.”

Ah right, her feedback is meaningless.

Gazing away from Han Dasom who was sparkling her eyes, I soon came to a halt.

Feedback?

*

Staring at Jo Yunjae singing, a man turned slowly and carried his feet away. In the breeze, his green nameplate showed itself.

Kim Sukwon.

Walking for a while, Kim Sukwon had fallen into deep contemplation.

‘Jo Yunjae...’

After a little thought, he broke out into a smile.

Jo Yunjae – after hearing that ‘Yu Minji’ from the composing department had picked him, he had tested him with ‘Nessun Dorma’ but he was nothing much. Although subtle details like his pronunciation and diction were quite good, there were too many aspects he was lacking.

Of course there was the shortness of breath which was the basic but on top of that, he could see that the vocalisation itself was quivering, not knowing what was the correct resonance.

For example, if his voice was broken into A, B, C and D types, then he wasn’t sure whether Type C or Type D was better to hear. Even he himself was unclear so the voice was trembling between A~D.

That’s usually something found from beginners that just started learning vocalisation though...

‘Yu Minji. You’re using that kind of newbie to fight against me?’

After giving a scoff, Kim Sukwon opened the doors of the club.

[Cantabile]

The students that had been inside the room started standing up one by one before greeting.

“Hello sunbae!”

“You’ve come?”

“Un right. Is Wuju in?”

Glancing around with an amiable smile, Kim Sukwon soon found Kim Wuju sitting down on one of the chairs, with his eyes closed and face pointing at him. With a satisfied smile, Kim Sukwon stared at him before walking up and starting a conversation.

“Wuju. I’m almost finishing up with the song. When are you free? You need to try singing.”

“I think we’ll be free around the weekends, right Hana-noona?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Kim Wuju checking his schedule with the helper next to him, Kim Sukwon nodded his head.

“Right, then let’s meet up during Saturday lunchtime. It’s a lot easier to get things finished up beforehand, and we have time to polish up as well.”

“Yes sunbae.”

“Aye. Well, it doesn’t seem like we need to try that hard though. I was a little worried about Yu Minji but the performer she picked, seemed to be nothing special.”

“Ah, that Yu Minji-sunbae.”

“Yeah.”

After a casual conversation, Kim Wuju suddenly opened his mouth.

“If possible, can you tell me who the performer for Yu Minji-sunbae is?”

“Un? Ah, Jo Yunjae.”

Saying the name out loud, he suddenly remembered.

Now that I think about it, I remember him rejecting our circle’s invitation. I heard he wasn’t bad so I told Song Mirae to try to take him in but...

He remembered being rejected after thinking that it was okay to put Jo Yunjae in as a supporting actor. Touching his chin, Kim Sukwon opened his mouth.

“Hey Wuju. Let’s smash them.”

With satisfaction, Kim Sukwon nodded his head.

Yu Minji.

Up until now, I had come second due to the performers but this time it’ll be different. His own performer was the wildcard itself, Kim Wuju, while the other side was a newbie with trembling vocalisation.

As it was between same-level composers, there was no way for him to lose. While Kim Sukwon was in his happy daydreams, Kim Wuju surfaced a strange smile.

“Jo Yunjae... that will be interesting”

*

Vocalisation.

Until now, I had practised by recording and listening to the audio file. I would sing, record it and try another method to compare and see which one was better. Through these minute changes, I would find the best vocalisation method.

In thought, I touched my ears.

“Hmm...”

Ears.

As mentioned before, the voice heard by one’s own ears were different to the real voice and that was why I had practised like that. Besides, because of the fact that a completely different sound unlike before the time travel was coming out, my ears weren’t used to it.

So far, I had relied on the 20 years of experience to roughly analyse the sound being relayed through the bones but with this unfamiliar vocalisation, that was out of question.

“...”

The problem with this method however, was that it was way too slow.

It was a repetition of continuous singing, recording and listening, not to mention the details that would be lost during the recording process. While I was in such thought, Lee Suh-ah sitting next to me entered my vision, and seeing her glaring at the textbook, I opened my mouth.

“Oi Lee Suh-ah.”

“What.”

“Do you wanna practise with me today?”

With a flick, Lee Suh-ah raised her head with a strange expression.

Right, Lee Suh-ah.

The person with the greatest understanding of opera from my acquaintances. If it was her, she would be able to properly point out the problems within my vocalisation and could give feedback on which was better.

I was thinking of asking teacher Ku Mingi for it but he was too busy and I could only see him once a week, while Han Dasom would nod saying it was good whatever sound I made.

Chloe and Noh Jusup would tilt their heads in confusion as well.

‘And other than that... I really have no acquaintances apart from them.’

Clicking my tongue I stared at Lee Suh-ah and she returned an openly unpleasant expression.

“Me? With you? Why?”

...Was it something that called for this much of a reaction?

Feeling a little flared up, I replied.

“What’s so bad about me? Am I not a decent practice partner? Rather than doing alone, how good is it to listen to others and point out things? We can find out habits we weren’t aware of and stuff.”

“You’re right, that’s possible. Your singing is quite good after all.”

Then isn’t’ that fine? Seeing me blinking my eyes, Lee Suh-ah opened her mouth with a cold expression.

“But your personality is weird. Making weird jokes, and lying that you went to the army.”

“No that... I really did go though...”

“Whatever.”

When I saw her scoff, I felt indignant and full of frustration.

“No but in truth, the framed picture was quite funny wasn’t it? Back then you ran away to hide your laugh right?”

“Ha, nonsense. It was super boring okay?”

That’s how you want to play things huh? I’m sure it was definitely a high-class joke that was extremely funny.

Today, I’m not backing off until I regain my honour. Vowing as such with my eyes closed, I opened and met her eyes with a serious expression before opening my mouth.

“Do you know why you can’t hear a psychiatrist using the bathroom?”

Clenching her teeth, Lee Suh-ah growled.

“Don’t do it.”

“Because the ‘P’ is silent.”

“...”

Staring at her face that had suddenly crumpled, I added more attacks.

“How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?”

“I told you, don’t do it.”

“10 tickles.”

Seeing Lee Suh-ah’s eyebrows twitch after some thought, I made a victorious smile and followed through.

“How do lawyers say goodbye?”

“I don’t know. ‘Goodbye’? I’m going.”

To Lee Suh-ah that had shown her back to me after standing up, I said calmly.

“I’ll be suing ya!”

“...Ut.”

Uh? It seemed like her shoulders twitched there for a bit though?

“You laughed just then right?”

With a grin I approached her, to which Lee Suh-ah responded by running away. I quickly ran after her.

“You laughed, you laughed right? You like the cute style of puns huh? Okay.”

“No I don’t!”

Chasing after her persistently, I whispered one by one the lines in the most recent humour collection.

“When do you think a joke becomes a dad joke?”

“Ah! Jo Yunjae, annoying!”

“So are you going to practise or not?”

*

In the end, Lee Suh-ah that had been dragged to the practice room crossed her arms with a sulky expression.

“So why did you want to practise with me?”

“I changed the vocalisation method recently so please evaluate how it is.”

“You changed the vocalisation?”

Seeing her questioning gaze, I gave a nod. Well, that kind of reaction was natural as it wasn’t a common thing to change vocalisation. After making a blank expression, Lee Suh-ah heaved out a sigh.

“Then you should do that with Han Dasom.”

“I asked her while singing with her everyday but she only says it’s good.”

“What about Chloe?”

“I practise with her during the weekends but she says she doesn’t know either.”

After staring at me with slightly colder eyes, she shook her head.

“...Do it with Mirae. Mirae was also looking for someone to practise with her.”

Mirae? Song Mirae? Why Song Mirae all of a sudden?

Tilting my head, I scratched it once.

“I haven’t even talked to her properly though?”

“Then try.”

“That... I don’t really have a good relationship with her...”

Thinking of the mezzo-happening on the day of the interview, I opened my mouth awkwardly while Lee Suh-ah kept on staring at me. And after gazing at me with a strange expression, Lee Suh-ah soon carried her eyes over to the ceiling and contemplated deeply.

What is she thinking about?

As I was inspecting her blankly, Lee Suh-ah heaved a sigh before nodding her head.

“...Can’t be helped. Okay let’s do it. I was curious as well.”

“Curious? About what?”

Wearing a serious expression Lee Suh-ah looked up at me and replied.

“Where your real skills are at.”

“Un...?”

Seeing her flick her black hair sideways before sitting on the seat, I thought.

Real skills?

What real skills. I was always showing 200% of my skills...

Was she perhaps telling me to do better?