𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲

chapter 25

A/N: This chapter is a HUGE step for Y/N, I really hope you all enjoy!!

You wake up just in time for the little festival that evening, the teachers deciding to arrange some performances as a fun way to end the trip. Sua had come back to the tent to grab a cardigan since she was starting to feel cold, and had noticed you sleeping there.

She wakes you up to see if you're okay and tells you that the talent show would be starting soon, so you smile and sit up before walking out with her. You don't have to walk far since the stage is set up right outside the area where the tents are located, so within a few minutes you're sitting beside Jugyeong with Sua on her other side.

"Are you feeling better now?" you ask Jugyeong, and she nods before asking you the same question. You smile lightly with a nod and moves to lean your head against her shoulder, the action causing her to let out a little chuckle. You weren't expecting to actually have fallen asleep for that long, but you're genuinely feeling a lot better - your sadness from earlier is completely forgotten as you listen to the music.

You start to feel yourself wake up properly after the first few performances, finding yourself cheering and clapping along. You have lots of fun, especially when Chorong and the boys do their little comedy show which makes all of you laugh.

After all the prepared performances are finished, the MC for the trip walks onto the stage.
"Does anybody else want to sing or perform anything?" he asks, and Jugyeong quickly looks at you but doesn't say anything. Your eyes widen when you realise what she's hinting at, immediately shaking your head in panic. She nods immediately and remains quiet, but the MC picks up on the tiny interaction.

"What about the pretty student over there in the middle, with the black jacket?" You look around for a few moments as you try to find who the MC is talking about, but you see that everybody is looking at you. You look down and see that you're still wearing Seojun's jacket, and gasp at the realisation. You look up in panic for a moment, meeting eyes with Seojun when you do.

He has a gentle smile on his face, as if to say you don't have to if you don't feel comfortable. Seojun has never heard you sing since the day you told him about your past, and - while he does want to hear you sing - he also wants you to be comfortable. You look around for a few seconds and see that everybody is looking at you with either hopeful, comforting or reassuring eyes. Not a single person seems to be looking at you negatively, they all seem to genuinely want to hear you sing.

It's at this moment that the realisation hits you - these people are nothing like the bullies from your old school who used to pick on you for no reason at all. They care for you and support you. You close your eyes for a moment, squeezing Jugyeong's hand which is in your own - she had grabbed your hand the second you began to panic. Here goes nothing, you think to yourself, before finally taking a leap of faith and standing up.

Your classmates instantly erupt into claps and cheers as you move towards the stage. You walk over to the microphone in the centre of the stage, pondering over something for few seconds before deciding to also grab the guitar to the side. You haven't played in a while but you know there's one song that you still remember perfectly, and as you put the guitar strap over your shoulder you look up at everyone briefly.

Their expressions seem to hold a mixture of fascination but also confusion, not knowing you could play guitar nor sing. Even Jugyeong and Seojun are shocked by this, they didn't know you could play the guitar either. Seojun throws you a comforting smile when you look at him anxiously, as do the rest of your friends when you make eye contact with them.

You close your eyes, taking a deep and shaky breath, before finally starting to sing. You keep your eyes closed for a while and just focus on singing because you're nervous, but as you sing you slowly feel yourself start to relax as the tension begins to leave your body. The stress and sadness from that day is instantly forgotten, an effect singing tends to have on your body, and when you finally open your eyes your heart warms at what you see.

Everybody seems to be in awe of your voice, the whole area silent as they cling to each and every note you belt out. That moment is more precious to you than people realise, because it is the moment you're finally able to overcome your fear of singing in front of others and showcase your talent without the worry of being bullied because of it.

A/N: This is just to show what key you sing in :)

Seojun just stares at you in awe, his mouth wide open in shock and his eyes not leaving yours when they meet. You look beautiful, possibly the most beautiful he has ever seen you before, and his heart warms as he watches the relieved smile on your face as you sing. He didn't know you could sing that well, or that you were so skilled at playing the guitar, and the realisation just warms his heart - you really are incredible.

Chorong and the others pick up on Seojun's starstruck expression as he doesn't look away from you for even a second, and they smile at each other. Why are you denying what's clearly there, he thinks to himself as he watches Seojun.

The second you finish singing, the whole area is silent for a few seconds before everybody begins cheering and screaming. You finally let out a huge grin as you finish, proud of yourself for finally overcoming your fear.

"We didn't know you could sing that well!" You hear shouts as you make your way back to your seat, instantly snuggling into Jugyeong's side shyly. She looks at you with a proud smile, as do the rest of your friends. When you look at Seojun, he's still staring at you with his mouth agape, still in awe of your beautiful voice.

"I think there's one more performance left," you hear the MC speak up, once everybody finally calms down from their shock over hearing you sing for the first time. "I hear we have a celebrity here, a student who used to be a k-pop idol trainee," he says, and that seems to finally break Seojun out of his daze. He turns to his friends in shock, knowing they must've been the ones to expose him, before looking at you now sitting back down beside Jugyeong.

You have a smile on your face, similar to the one he had on his face to comfort you before you got up to sing.
"Do you want to hear me sing?" he asks you when everybody starts cheering, but he pays them no mind. He only intends to sing if you say yes. When you nod with a soft smile on your face, hugging your knees to your chest, he returns the smile before getting up.

You clap for him as he gets up and walks over to the stage, as do the rest of your classmates, and when he begins singing the smile doesn't leave your face. You clasp your hands together and hold them to your chest as you listen to him singing in awe, and Seojun's friends smile fondly when they see that you have the same reaction as Seojun did to your singing.

You have such an affectionate gaze and the softest smile on your face, staring at him as if he's the only thing in the world that matters. They really can't believe that the two of you still haven't figured it out yet.