LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 72
Choi Yeseo’s Concert (1)
A week had passed since I saw the old memory in the abandoned school building.
Now, the weather had fully embraced the cold, leaving no doubt that winter was coming.
“So much to do, and so little time.”
Despite my grumbling, my hands moved busily.
Today marked the completion of the [Siren] project. The final product exuded an atmosphere completely opposite to its original version.
The old [Siren] depicted a nature that sought to kill her. The [Siren] before me now was one protected by nature.
It felt exactly like what I had seen in that old memory.
The sea and rocks remained the same as before, but the surrounding environment was transformed.
The sharp gusts of wind and rain were replaced by clear, serene skies. Thunder and lightning had disappeared as well.
The jagged rocks had been reimagined as a small, gentle island. It wasn’t large—enough to accommodate about ten people—but it made a difference.
Aside from that, I had worked tirelessly on the finer details. But now, it is finally finished.
“One body, and so much work for it to do~,” I hummed, my off-key tune reflecting my exhaustion as I cleaned up my tools.
The floor was covered in splatters of paint, and my clothes were far from spotless.
Behind me, Lee Ji-chul, who had been silently watching, expressed his awe.
“Wow. Incredible. Truly incredible. As expected of Master Woo Hwa’s disciple…”
“Please stop. That’s too much.”
Shuddering at the overly sentimental tone, I took off my apron and stood up.
“I’m going to take a shower. If Choi Yeseo arrives, let her know she can head over first.”
“Understood. And lunch?”
“I’m too lazy to eat. I’ll just skip it.”
“Oh dear, should I call your mother then…”
That old man! I sighed heavily and escaped to the shower room.
“Ah, ah↗, ah. Nope, that’s not it…”
When I arrived, Choi Yeseo was already there, practicing under Siren’s guidance.
Her posture looked much more comfortable than it had the last time I saw her.
The expanded rocky area was impressive; it seemed like you could even set up camp there now.
As I looked around at the altered scenery, my eyes met Siren’s.
By now, she’d grown used to me visiting. Instead of any grand reaction, she simply nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
I responded in kind and approached the two of them.
“How’s it going?”
I plopped down next to Choi Yeseo and asked.
“Ah, Ha-eun! Please help me! The concert is only a month away…”
She practically clung to my shoulder, her face looking utterly pitiful.
When I glanced at Siren in bewilderment, she simply shrugged.
“Yeseo’s voice is definitely good, and her technique is excellent, but… something’s off. Like, her emotions feel a bit unclear?”
Siren rested her chin on her hand as she gave her assessment.
“I don’t know what’s different! But something keeps feeling wrong!”
“Don’t just whine about it—sing something for me. I’ll listen.”
“Huh? Right now?”
“When else would it be?”
After a brief hesitation, Choi Yeseo began to sing.
“Beyond the far edge of the blue sea, I gazed out and saw~.”
Her clear, refreshing voice filled the air, resonating beautifully in my ears.
‘She’s good.’
I closed my eyes and let her song wash over me.
When it ended, I opened my eyes to the sound of Siren clapping.
“What do you think?” Siren asked, turning to me.
“It’s good. Honestly, it’s even better than what I’ve heard on TV.”
“Ah, ugh…”
Ignoring Choi Yeseo, whose face turned red in real time, I looked back at Siren.
“Well… I’m no expert in music. Do you still think it’s lacking?”
“No, it’s great. Everything’s great. But… it’s a little bland.”
Siren tapped her chin with her fingers in a V-shape before snapping them dramatically.
“Idols are all about love, right? They thrive on the love of their fans.”
“Well, that’s one way to look at it.”
“But Yeseo’s singing doesn’t really convey that love. It’s like drinking flat soda.”
“Yeah, that’s not something I can help with.”
I tilted my head and looked at Choi Yeseo.
Her expression had grown serious at some point.
“I just don’t get it…”
She sighed heavily, her face clouded with frustration.
A moment of silence fell as everyone seemed to retreat into their thoughts.
…Time to change the subject.
“Anyway, Siren, what do you think of the new world I created?”
“Oh, right. I really like it. It feels so peaceful now.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I’ll work on changing the rest of the world like this too.”
Siren spun around the island’s edges, showing off a few tricks.
Her antics seemed to cheer up Choi Yeseo, lifting the mood.
♩~♬.
Accompanying the song Siren started to sing, the serene melody wrapped around us, creating a magical moment.
I happened to glance at Choi Yeseo’s golden hair swaying gently in time with the rhythm.
She had surrendered herself to Siren’s music, completely absorbed.
Instinctively, I placed a hand on her head.
Thump.
It was a mistake, but I didn’t pull my hand back.
“Huh? Ha-eun?”
Choi Yeseo blinked up at me with wide eyes, her expression a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
I stayed silent, and her face started to flush visibly.
This was amusing.
“Hm.”
At some point, Siren returned to us, her eyes narrowing mischievously.
Then she said, “Yeseo, sing again. Right now.”
“Wh-what? Right now?”
Despite her flustered state and her reddened cheeks, Choi Yeseo complied.
“Beyond the far edge of the blue sea, I gazed out and saw~.”
“…? Huh?”
Why does it sound… different? It was the same song as before, but there was a slight change in the feel of it.
“Huh?”
Choi Yeseo looked just as confused. It seemed she’d noticed the difference herself.
“Hm~.”
Siren’s sly gaze darted between the two of us. Her expression was so smug it made me want to smack her.
“What are you staring at?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
Siren chuckled slyly and glanced at Choi Yeseo.
“Congratulations. You’ve found the solution.”
“Huh? What solution?”
“Come on, you’re sharp enough to figure it out~.”
With that cryptic remark, Siren swam into the sea, leaving just the two of us behind. An awkward silence settled in the air.
“Do you want me to do it again?”
“No, it’s fine…”
Choi Yeseo declined, though I felt a twinge of disappointment.
Still, there’s no way that puff of steam rising from her head was real, right?
“Here, take these.”
It was a weekday lunch break, and I was hastily filling my stomach with bread and a drink when Choi Yeseo came to our classroom.
“What’s this?”
She handed me two concert tickets.
Next to me, Hong Yehwa, who was also nibbling on bread, perked up with shining eyes.
“Are these for us?”
“I already gave one to Yeol. I only got three, so I thought it’d be nice if you three came…”
Judging by her faltering voice, it was clear she must’ve begged for them.
‘But is it really okay to give away concert tickets so easily?’
From what I’d heard, tickets like these were sometimes sold on the black market.
These days, though, reselling tickets was pointless since non-original buyers couldn’t enter the venue.
“November 28th? That’s coming up soon.”
“I told you it’s a month away. It’s the last concert of the year.”
Choi Yeseo looked at me with a smug expression.
“So? Don’t I seem more like an idol now?”
“Oh.”
“…That’s it?”
Was that not the reaction she was looking for? But I already knew she was an idol. What more was I supposed to say?
“Oh.”
“Yehwa, you didn’t have to join in…”
“…Isn’t this enough?”
At Hong Yehwa’s sincere question, Choi Yeseo’s shoulders slumped.
Feeling a little guilty, I stopped teasing her and offered genuine encouragement.
“When you go overseas, it’ll probably be hard to see you.”
“…Then we could just go together.”
“?”
“Nothing. Forget it.”
I didn’t catch her muttered words, and when I tilted my head curiously, she brushed me off.
“Well, anyway, thanks for this.”
“You have to come, alright? Promise.”
After confirming my and Hong Yehwa’s agreement, she returned to her classroom.
Still, a concert, huh…
The timing seemed tricky. If I pushed things around, I might be able to make it on time.
‘But if I reschedule my check-up again, I might really end up in the hospital.’
I should call later and see if I can move my appointment to the morning.
After school, I arrived at Lee Ji-chul’s studio with Teacher Lee A-reum.
Teacher Lee A-reum’s jaw dropped as she looked at the revamped [Siren].
“Wow! Seriously! Just looking at this makes me feel refreshed.”
“I tried to make it that way. It wasn’t easy, you know.”
Completely ignoring my words, she wandered around [Siren], marveling at every detail.
“It’s just a painting. What’s so impressive about it?” I asked, tilting my head.
Teacher Lee A-reum grinned sheepishly as she replied, “Well, I heard it was one of my sister’s favorite pieces, so I wanted to see it at least once.”
Her hand gently brushed against the frame with a careful touch.
“Ugh. Even if you’re rich, one accident can ruin everything. Being a salaried worker is the best, I tell you.”
Her smiling face betrayed no emotion, as if the loss of her sister wasn’t her burden to bear.
“If it had been your brother who died, you wouldn’t be smiling like this. But since it’s a sister you didn’t even know, it’s easier to laugh it off.”
“You’re strong.”
“Eh, I think anyone would be like this.”
That “anyone” definitely didn’t include me, though.
Even as Teacher Lee A-reum joked, her face showed traces of lingering sorrow for her late sister.
“What’s the point of clinging to the dead? The living have to live their best lives.”
That sounded like something a sociopath would say.
“Do you want to meet Siren?”
“Yeah! I want to meet her. Does she really look like a mermaid from the painting?”
“She looks like the painting, but… her face might be a bit worn from smoking and drinking.”
“…What are you even saying?”
She frowned at my explanation, but what could I do? It was true.
Still, Siren had a decadent charm that made her undeniably attractive.
If not for her fish-like lower half, she’d probably have plenty of admirers.
‘…Or maybe she still does?’
I took Teacher Lee A-reum into the illusory world where Siren resided.
Her reaction could be summed up in one word:
“I want to go back.”
The isolation of the sea-bound island had triggered her severe seasickness.
She lasted barely five minutes before we left.
Even as we exited, the traumatized expression on her face was unforgettable.