Chapter 52 : Unexpected (1)

A black private taxi suddenly appeared at the school gate.

Who takes a taxi to school?

It’s not even time to be late…

While the kids were wondering, a girl got out and took something long out of the trunk.

The kids sneaked a peek at her face, and it looked familiar.

A cold impression with slightly upturned eyes.

Not gentle at all, and if she stared at you with a blank expression, you would freeze…

It was Ha Su-yeon’s face.

Some of them unconsciously took a step back.

Even though she has changed a lot recently, her notoriety doesn’t disappear easily.

But Su-yeon, with a guitar hard case and a carrier in each hand, tried to wave at the kids.

Realizing that both her hands were blocked, she gave an awkward smile.

“Ha Su-yeon~ What’s that?”

“A guitar.”

“Why a guitar?”

“Because  Da-in said she would jump off the roof if I didn’t play it during the performance evaluation, and she was yelling so loud that the windows were about to break.”

Su-yeon grumbled, but there was no hostile or genuinely annoyed atmosphere.

It was just a light jab at a friend.

With that answer, the slightly tense atmosphere among the kids unknowingly relaxed.

But Su-yeon didn’t notice it at all and dragged her carrier into the school.

“Um, I did say to bring instruments…”

The music teacher looked troubled.

Instead of answering, Ha Su-yeon pointed to Da-in next to her, who was constantly beaming.

“I just wanted to use the recorder, but she kept telling me to bring my guitar.”

“Well!

It’s good to be serious about performance evaluations.”

“Yeah.

If not for me, where else would I be able to brag about how well I play the guitar?”

“There are plenty of places.”

 Ha Su-yeon looked dumbfounded at Da-in’s words, then placed a chair in the middle of the slightly cleared music room and put the amp on it.

 Ha Su-yeon was glad that it was a wireless amp, so she didn’t have to go through the hassle of setting it up.

“What song are you going to play?”

“Memories of the Alhambra.”

“What?”

The music teacher was taken aback.

It was a song that she had put on the list half-jokingly, and no student had even tried to play it in the past few years.

She had put it on the list to give the kids a good song to listen to, so why was this kid suddenly volunteering to play it?

‘Does she play the guitar well?’

It’s not even a song that’s played on an electric guitar.

When Francisco Tárrega was alive, there was no such thing as an electric guitar.

It’s an impressive song with a continuous tremolo that never stops.

“Are you really going to play it?

That song?”

“Yes.”

At Su-yeon’s firm answer, the teacher took out a Yamaha silent guitar that she had put in her bag.

It was a kind of assembled guitar made to be portable.

It was a tool she brought to accompany the students’ performance evaluations.

The kids exclaimed “Ooh~” for the second time at the strange appearance.

“I’ll start the accompaniment first.”

“Okay.”

She recalled the accompaniment.

What note did it start with?

It had been a long time since she had played the song, so it wasn’t easy to remember.

She started playing the accompaniment hesitantly, and the main guitar soon followed.

The warm sound unique to classical guitars is slightly reproduced through tone control.

“Wow, crazy Ha Su-yeon…”

“Why is she so good?”

“Isn’t she going to give us all zeros?

Isn’t this a relative evaluation?”

“It’s an absolute evaluation…”

Amidst the kids’ praise and inane conversations, Su-yeon’s tremolo continues.

It’s not the same level of playing as someone who has been playing classical guitar all their life, but Su-yeon shows a level of skill that is hard to believe for a high school student.

‘She’s definitely getting full marks.’

After about 30 seconds of playing, the music teacher concluded.

But the performance didn’t stop.

A carefully crafted live performance that is hard to hear normally.

It was a pity for the student who was playing now, but she didn’t stop the performance because she wanted the students to hear this song.

After school.

 Ha Su-yeon was caught by the kids who asked him to play one more song, and she played Philip Sayce’s Alchemy.

Then the kids all ran away like the tide.

Even Da-in, who had been listening, said after the song, “It’s really good… but it’s not my style.

Isn’t it too old people’s style?”

‘Is it that bad…?’

 Ha Su-yeon thought that Philip Sayce was a relatively young musician.

Alchemy was a 2012 song… but then she realized that 2012 was already 10 years ago.

Why does time fly so fast?

 Ha Su-yeon grumbled and walked to the end of the hallway with her things.

She could have used the central staircase, but for some reason, the DNA imprinted in her childhood prevented him from using it.

Then, she heard the sound of a bass and cheers.

The unadulterated bass sound seemed to vibrate the floor and reach her feet.

Without realizing it, she went to another class and found someone buried among the curious high school students.

“Oh!

Su-yeon!”

It was  Lee Seo who stuck her head out.

“What are you doing?”

“The kids asked me to play the bass.

I was playing a few songs that I practiced recently.”

Lee Seo was singing with only the bass and vocals, leaving the accompaniment to YouTube.

The classroom, which had been cheering for such kids, became quiet in an instant due to the sudden intrusion of Ha Su-yeon.

It is true that Su-yeon has changed a lot.

But still, the image of her that they had seen while living in the Jongno area for the past few years was so ingrained in their minds that the kids couldn’t help but react automatically.

“Su-yeon…

Did you play the guitar too?”

A first-year student who was listening to music in the second-year classroom because of her acquaintance with Lee Seo

Su-yeon nodded without a word at the slightly timid question.

‘She doesn’t know who I am.’

Su-yeon (who lost her memory) has a blank expression in most situations.

But Lee Seo thought she could read Su-yeon’s expression a little better now, and she spoke to her.

“Do you know this song?”

“Um…

I know it roughly.”

“How?”

Lee Seo was astonished by the answer she got after asking.

Su-yeon frowned as if it were absurd and answered.

“Isn’t this the song that you kept advertising every day, saying that it’s good and that we should try playing it?

My ears were about to bleed, so I listened to it and played it once or twice.

I heard the beginning part earlier too.”

“Oh…

Then do you want to play together?”

At Lee Seo words, the kids started making “Ooh~” sounds while trying to read the atmosphere.

Su-yeon sighed deeply and took out her guitar from the hard case.

A sudden performance and cheers poured down again.

Lee Seo smiled brightly.

Japanese music suddenly became popular among teenagers these days.

Since Lee Seo was from that side, she was happily practicing, hoping to have a chance to show it in front of others.

And the time for the music performance evaluation came.

Lee Seo brought her bass as if she couldn’t help it, got full marks, and played songs for the kids with an attitude of, “Since I brought my bass, I have no choice but to play a few songs~”.

The kids were quite excited when she played a few songs that might be on TikTok.

The song she just got requested was also a song that was quite popular on TikTok, but it was also a song that Lee Seo liked.

But there was one thing that was a little disappointing…

“I don’t know this song well, so I’ll only play the rhythm except for the highlight part.

I’ll just improvise the rest.”

At Su-yeon’s words, Lee Seo nodded.

Su-yeon adjusted the tone.

While the kids were wondering what was going on, and some kids were preparing to record with their phones,Lee Seo nodded at Su-yeon, who was ready to play.

And the guitar sound begins.

The kids were surprised by the hand movements that were unimaginable for someone who said she would ‘just play’, and the deliberately violent foot stomping.

Lee Seo added the bass at the right timing and started singing.

I don’t even know the language to fit in with my surroundings.

My defense is weak, but my instincts are sharp

Once you’re pushed forward, stop

Like a piece of cotton

Childish words proliferate

Just as she was about to do the following rap part, she heard a slightly slurred mumble from the side.

Lee Seo was so shocked by Su-yeon rapping that she almost forgot to sing.

‘Wait, that’s not rap.’

When she listened closely, it was a mumble that sounded like rap.

That’s right.

There’s no way Su-yeon would have memorized all that.

“5-!”

Hate is just the beginning

It’s easier to think that way

3.2.1 Distorted

Your mouth

Cigarette, extra strong

I cut it off, but

drink up we’re still tough.”

After the intense intro part of the chorus, the chanting continues.

The only sounds are the guitar, bass, and the sound of the kids clapping and stomping their feet to the rhythm.

But it sounds like a band is performing here.

The source of that sound was coming from Su-yeon’s hands, which were rapping quite accurately this time.

The guitar never stops making sound, as if she has four hands.

As the performance continued, the kids with sensitive ears could tell.

Even though she’s moving so busily, she’s not burying the bass at all.

Rather, she’s only highlighting the strengths of the slightly inexperienced bass, or subtly covering up the shortcomings.

As if to say that she’s long since parted ways with her former self, who used to monopolize every opportunity to stand out, look cool, or look pretty.

Up and down growth is not quite there yet

I want to be filled with the taste of the top of the bottom

A short guitar solo is followed by a bass solo that fills the space.

And in the rap part that marks the middle of the song, Lee Seo unconsciously looked at Su-yeon without singing.

And Su-yeon also looked at Lee Seo.

With a look that asked why she wasn’t singing, while continuing to play the guitar.

…Figured the days of genre were long gone, Thanks a lot #song*#775…..

The atmosphere became strange for a very brief moment.

Lee Seo rapped as if she were embarrassed and smiled faintly to change the atmosphere.

“That was fun.”

“I guess…”

 Ha Su-yeon pushed away Lee Seo, who was clinging to her.

If she had been carrying a gig bag, she would have just pushed her away with her hand, but she couldn’t because she had brought a hard case for some reason.

“You’re heavy!

Get off me.

I’m already dying because of these two things.”

“Want me to carry it?”

At those words, Lee Seo who had been resting her chin on Ha Su-yeon ‘s shoulder, snatched Ha Su-yeon carrier.

“No, just give it to me.

I already called a taxi.

It’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Oh~ A rich girl indeed.

I guess I’ll have to walk.”

“Want a ride?”

“No, I’ll just walk for exercise.

It’s not that heavy…”

At those words, Ha Su-yeon looked at Lee Seo.

‘Ha Su-yeon’ was also tall for a woman, but Lee Seo seemed to be growing taller every time she saw her.

Not only in height, but also in many other areas…

 Ha Su-yeon cleared her throat for no reason, and Lee Seo looked at her wondering what was wrong.

Amidst the slightly quiet atmosphere, a ringtone rang out.

“You…

You should change that…

Your ringtone…”

“Do I have to change it if it’s not inconvenient?”

While the iPhone’s default ringtone was ringing, Ha Su-yeon put down her hard case for a moment and answered the phone.

The voice that came through was a familiar man’s.

“Su-yeon!

It’s  Jung-hong.

Is it okay to talk?”

“Yes.

I’m on my way home now.

What’s this about?”

“Well, we had a memorial concert a while ago, right?

I don’t know if you remember, but someone came.

I don’t know if you greeted her or not.

Anyway, she said she really enjoyed your performance and wanted to give you a gift…”

“Yes?”

 Ha Su-yeon had a dumbfounded expression, wondering what this sudden gift was about.

But that expression quickly turned into one of delight.

“She said she got a Binson Echorec, the one Ha Su-yeon  used.

She wants to talk to you about it.

Can you come by today?”

“I’ll go!!

Thank you!!

I’ll go now!!”

Lee Seo stepped back in surprise at Ha Su-yeon ‘s rarely heard voice full of delight.

But Ha Su-yeon didn’t have time to worry about that.

She had to go find her equipment right away.

“Where are you going?”

“Equipment!

To find my equipment.”

“Can I come too?”

At Lee Seo words, Ha Su-yeon looked at Lee Seo face.

A face full of curiosity.

Well, there’s no reason why not…