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2010.
Areum browsed through the music equipment, testing the keyboards, pianos, guitars, MIDI controllers, music producing equipment attempting to make her own beats out of pure curiosity. Barely anyone was in the store due to everyone going to the lunch rush hours so she felt comfortable to play quietly in the store. While her parents tried to sell her old keyboard with the best price possible. Despite losing her prized possession, her keyboard, at least they could afford the week's meals.
Areum continued to browse while settling on her favorite instrument. The piano. The harmonious sounds created from it, she loved. The simplicity of the instrument, she loved. How she can portray her emotions just from a simple combination of black and white keys, she loved. She believed that the piano keys may just be black and white but they can sound like a million colours in your mind.
"That's a beautiful melody you're playing."
Areum quickly moved her hands off the piano, jumping slightly, stuttering out, out of embarrassment of the sudden compliment, "t-thank you."
She looked at the man, noticing his kind eyes, sincere smile and how he was rather larger than the average Korean man.
"I haven't heard it before," he said smiling, making sure to keep his distance not to frighten the young girl, "did you make it up by any chance?"
"I did," she stated, being cautious of the stranger.
"Wow, I'm very impressed," he complimented as Areum smiled, "have you, by any chance, thought about becoming a musician."
Before Areum could answer, she felt a sudden pressure on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw the faces of her parents that stood slightly behind her with her father's hand on her shoulder.
"Excuse, did you need my daughter for anything," her father asked, looking at the shorter man.
"Actually yes," he smiled, "your daughter I believe has a gift for music and if by any chance she wants to become a musician my company is holding auditions and I would like to see if all of you would consider her to audition."
"I'm sorry," Areum's mother apologised, "but we only have interest for our daughter to have more of a stable career, we don't want her to end up like us."
Areum's mood instantly dropped at her mother's statement.
"I understand but please consider," the man said handing her his business card, "my name is Bang Si-hyuk and I hope you consider auditioning."
Her family left the small shop walking back to their apartment. The streets were empty and quiet as usual. Areum walked next to her father thinking about the offer that Bang Si-hyuk gave her. Sneaking her hand into her mother's hand bag, she retrieved the business card, looking at it intently. She noticed the same logo 'BigHit' on the card, the one she remembered from the competition only a few days ago. She noticed the location of the audition, 'Seoul', that was around 3 hours to drive there but considering her parents didn't own a car, taking a train would be significantly longer and expensive.
"The money from the keyboard should hopefully last a while."
Hearing that statement, Areum couldn't help but feel conflicted and growing frustration with her relationship with her parent's and music. She felt like a bomb about to detonate. She just wanted someone, anyone to listen to her feelings of pent up frustration due to her parents but she had no one. Not even her parents. Why couldn't they just admit her love for music? She couldn't help but wonder if she was just being selfish. Bottling up her emotions, she took a deep breath, placing that facade of the stranger she was forced to be.
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