Midnight Tales | ✔

22

Jaehyun

"Jaehyun!"

I quickly hid the journal as Soyoung barged inside the study room. She turned to me excited. She walked over to the front of the desk and put her hands on the table.

"I know how you can go back"

"Do tell me how?"

"You appeared here by playing the melody I play most nights right? What if you play it again, at the exact time. It's almost the same time from where you arrived!"

"I'm not sure—"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me up. "Come on! Try it!"

"Okay! Okay!" I said and quickly hid the journal underneath the desk and stood up, following after Soyoung.

She pulled me to the music room. It was the first time I've seen the music room since arriving here, I wasn't able to really looked around on the first day since Soyoung knocked me off unconscious. The music room's the nearest one to look similar to the one in our reality. The only difference was the absence of the bench on the side. I sat on the piano stool and Soyoung stood beside me. I lifted the lid and put my hands on the keys.

I really hope this works though.

Then I started to play the melody as I remember it. Pressing the right keys and playing the right notes.

"No you're doing it wrong," Soyoung said. I turned to her. "You played the note too high on the second repetition. Go a note lower"

I followed what she said. "Like this?"

She shook her head. "No. Let me"

I moved to the side to give her space on the stool. We sat beside each other as I watch Soyoung play and followed her using half of the piano keys. We were so immersed in it that we didn't notice that an hour has passed already.

"It didn't work" Soyoung muttered as she stare at the piano, disappointed.

Play for Soyoung.

"It's okay. I'll just play another one" I smiled at her. She quickly turned to me, wide-eyed.

"Really?"

I nodded and turned to the piano. I lifted my hands again and started playing Chopin, Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2. Soyoung chuckled. "I know this one" she then lifted her hands and started to play on the right side. It's been a while since I've played the piano like this, I couldn't find the time. Both of us played in sync, hitting the notes together.

I turned to Soyoung who was smiling while playing, eyes on the keys.

How can a person, someone like Soyoung, be given life like this? Stuck in a never-ending cycle of time with no one else. Her existence is hidden from everyone. What did she do to deserve a life like this?

We ended the piece with the last note and Soyoung laughed, turning to me. "You play well"

I smiled at her. "You're not bad either"

It must have been the adrenaline after playing, or the sunlight peeking in and touching Soyoung's face, or the glow in those eyes filled with gold and brown, or simply the smile on her face. But in that short moment—between those few seconds watching her—I've decided.

It's not because someone told me to do it, or because I couldn't save her. It's not about those things anymore.

Because then, right on that place. I've decided.

I will make Soyoung happy because I genuinely want her to.