Half an hour later she was in the restroom of the below floor. "You wait here. I'll go and see when they start. When they get in the booth, I will come to get you. Ok?" Mi-Suk asked her.
"Ok! I'll wait here," Noelle replied as Mi-Suk was stepping out to complete her mission.
"The things I go through for... what?" she muttered to her reflection in the mirror. Why was she hiding in the restroom? Why did she have to endure this stress? She was trying to prove herself to Chloe, but in doing so, she was putting herself directly in the line of fire.
Her biggest fear was that someone would discover the real reason she had come to Korea. Wasn't being this close to him increasing that risk? One wrong word, one careless look... She hadn't considered this thoroughly before. Before meeting him, it didn't matter. Now, she was terrified that someone would connect the dots and turn her into the company's latest joke—the subject of everyone's whispers during their breaks.
It was all her cousin's fault! Lucille and her words drove her to this madness. Back then, on the same day, she had broken up with her boyfriend and started entertaining ideas far too crazy. And now she was hiding inside the toilets. Life was moving on and she had to choose a side. She was betting all her money on Chloe now and hoped that everything would go smoothly.
Two and a half more months.... I can do it!
After a few minutes the door opened and Mi-Suk appeared. "Come on! Time for you to get in."
They reached a shut, heavy door with a huge number two on its right side. Mi-Suk pulled the door with all her strength, and they got in. The interior was spacious. As Sang-Jun had said, there was a couch on their right-hand side. A pair of headphones was lying there. Mi-Suk swiftly pointed at them before going to sit in the chair at the control panel.
The control panel was huge. It had so many buttons, switches, lights, and indicators that she couldn't understand how anyone could remember what each one did. But then again, how did she ever learn all the equations in Economics theory? It just needed practice.
As she examined the space, she noticed the monitors. There were screens high on the walls, projecting what was going on inside the booth. There he was; sitting on a highchair, across from a senior man who she guessed was Mr. Song, his instructor. There he was, nodding kindly and respectfully to the older man. There he was, just meters away from her. There he was, calm and approachable, not like the man she had last seen, struggling with Mi-Ok. No, she should not confuse herself. This was not the real him.
Mi-Suk put on her headset, and Noelle realized she had to do the same. She sat on the sofa and examined the window in front of the control panel. It was the booth window, and indeed, nobody inside could see her unless they pressed their face to the glass. She put on the headset, and the serene voice of Mr. Song reached her ears.
"Don't forget to practice every day. We have been working together for so many years, and it pains me to see you losing even one percent of your potential. Do your warm-ups and all the exercises. I know you are not singing as much as you used to, but that doesn't mean you can give up on what we have accomplished. I was so glad when you called me two weeks ago and asked to start regular training again," he said.
"Yes, sir. I am practicing every day now," Ye-Jun replied gently. "I am also happy to start practicing with you again. I was so preoccupied this past year that I neglected what is important."
No, that is not the real him....
What a liar. Not only was he looking kind, he was also sounding kind.
"Enough with the talking; Ms. Cho Mi-Suk is expecting your performance," Mr. Song said. Mi-Suk smiled widely at Mr. Song. Ye-Jun looked through the glass mockingly at Mi-Suk and stuck out his tongue while Mr. Song was looking at his papers.
Ha! There he is! That's the real Yeong Ye-Jun!
Noelle thought, looking at him. He needed Mr. Song, that's why he pretended to be nice and obedient. But Mi-Suk? He didn't care about her, so he was free to mock her. Like a kid. Why didn't this mischievousness annoy her that much? Mi-Suk returned with an annoyed grimace. Noelle wanted to text her something, but she had left her phone on her desk.
Afterwards, the practice began. Noelle soon forgot all her reflections on his true colors. From the very warm-ups—the hummings and buzzings and vocal exercises—his voice filled her ears. Her whole body pulsed with the rhythm of his voice. He was indeed gifted. He was able to create so many emotions just by using his lungs and his vocal cords. And his lips, and his teeth, and his tongue. She realized that she was slipping into a place she should never go again.
She looked at Mi-Suk, who seemed far more indifferent to his singing than she was. Maybe Mi-Suk had heard him so many times that it no longer affected her. But Noelle had also heard him countless times. And yet, he still affected her.
Now, sitting on the couch and wearing the headset that transmitted his voice, she permitted herself to indulge just a little bit. Noelle closed her eyes and enjoyed the songs. For a whole hour, she allowed herself to be swept away by a sweet and strong voice that carried her to a calm and happy place. How lovely to feel that once again… It was almost like she could forgive him.
Mr. Song's voice brought her back to reality: "You did very well. I think we are done for today."
She immediately realized it was her cue to disappear. She saw Ye-Jun standing up, and panic set in.
Mi-Suk interfered to slow him down. "Hey, wait! I told you I want to take some photos!" she said, starting to adjust her phone and giving Noelle enough time to sneak out. She couldn't hear what Ye-Jun was saying, but she caught a glimpse of him mumbling some annoyed words.
When she exited the studio, her feet began moving fast. Without thinking, she climbed the stairs up to the office, practically running. Her heart was beating fast. It's just the sudden exercise, she reassured herself. Out of breath, she paused on the staircase, and the memory of the first time she'd heard him live washed over her.
It was around a year ago, when she had just arrived in Seoul. Of course, she had booked the tickets a couple of months in advance. The moment she heard he had a live concert—one of his rare appearances—scheduled for when she would be there, she took it as a sign from the universe that she was on the right path and that her endeavor wasn't so crazy after all. Noelle instantly booked VIP tickets; they were quite expensive, but she needed to be as close as possible. She didn't know back then if she would even get the internship. This was her only chance to see him in person—from a distance, but in person. She set an alarm and woke up in the middle of the night, refreshing the ticket website until the sales opened, and she was lucky enough to get the seats she wanted.
The day of the concert, she arrived at the hall alone. She felt strange—a foreigner by herself among groups of Korean girls. Noelle struggled to look calm and normal, but she felt as if all eyes were tuned on her, like she had a banner over her head that read, 'Yes, I am doing the craziest thing possible.' She had booked a seat because she wasn't brave enough to go for the standing VIP section right under the stage. She was certain she would stand out, and that he would notice her. The moment the lights turned down, she finally relaxed.
The opening act of a new group was enough to excite the whole place. She didn't know them back then, but they became the next big thing, and she heard them everywhere in the months that followed. However, the crowd wasn't there for them. They couldn't fill the hall. He could.
When their set was complete, without any special introduction, the hall was filled with his voice emanating from the darkness of the stage. She was taken aback, got goosebumps, and was short of breath. Noelle had recognized the first verse of one of his most popular songs. So had the rest of the hall. A wave of noise erupted, and a single spotlight washed over him, bright and sudden at the center of the stage. He was standing gracefully and smiling. She could feel the tension and the connection with the whole audience. It was magical. He welcomed his fans, and after a moment, he continued singing. Noelle was on the edge of her seat, letting the beautiful melody wash over her.
For more than two hours, she watched him sing and perform, interacting with the audience and charming them. When the show ended, she was one of the last to get up from her seat. Noelle hadn't watched many live performances, none of that size, at least. She wasn't sure if what she was feeling was because of the spectacular staging or his talent.
Now, standing in the staircase, fighting to calm down, she was certain. Now she knew. He was talented beyond compare.