Dahyun x Wonwoo
Dahyun's steps were light as she skipped down the university hallway, humming to herself with a stack of sheet music clutched to her chest. She'd been chosen to perform in the annual arts showcase-a big deal for any student at the music department. But there was a twist: the event would be a collaboration between music and literature students. Dahyun would be paired with a writer, and together, they'd craft a performance blending her music with his story.
As she neared the library, her eyes scanned the rows of bookshelves until she spotted him. Jeon Wonwoo. Tall, dark-eyed, and notoriously reserved, Wonwoo was a literature major with a reputation for staying buried in his work. Word was, he spent more time alone than with friends, a quiet, mysterious figure in the background of their bustling campus. Still, he was supposed to be incredibly talented.
With her usual sunny energy, Dahyun approached him, extending a hand. "Hi! I'm Dahyun. I guess we're partners for the showcase?"
Wonwoo's gaze flickered briefly from his book to her hand. After a moment, he shook it, his expression neutral. "Yeah... Dahyun, right?"
Dahyun beamed, not phased by his monotone response. "Right! So, what do you think? I thought I'd play some pieces, and you could write a story inspired by them."
Wonwoo raised an eyebrow. "Just... play, and I write?"
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Music is all about feeling, right? I thought maybe my notes could spark a story for you."
He sighed, closing his book. "I guess we can try."She took that as a win.
---
Their first session didn't go as smoothly as she'd hoped. Dahyun had carefully chosen a piece she'd written-a light, melodic tune that reminded her of spring. She played it with closed eyes, letting the music fill the room, imagining colors and light, a world without words.
When she finished, she turned to see Wonwoo jotting something in his notebook. Curiously, she leaned over his shoulder to peek, only to find him scribbling the words: "pleasant but predictable."
Her jaw dropped. "That's it? Pleasant but predictable?"
He glanced up, not quite catching her frustration. "It's nice. But there's no tension. It doesn't tell me anything new."
Dahyun crossed her arms, a spark of irritation heating her cheeks. "Not everything needs to be tense and dark, you know. Music can be beautiful and still have depth."
Wonwoo just shrugged, unfazed. "And sometimes beauty isn't enough. There needs to be something real."
Frustrated, Dahyun gathered her things, trying to hold back her disappointment. This wasn't going to be as easy as she'd thought.
---
Days passed, each session bringing new clashes. Dahyun would play; Wonwoo would critique. She tried everything-songs in minor keys, faster tempos, sadder melodies-but nothing seemed to satisfy him. Her frustration grew until finally, she couldn't hold back.
"Maybe if you actually listened instead of dissecting every note, you'd feel something!" she snapped one night after yet another critique.
For a moment, silence filled the music room. Wonwoo studied her, his gaze unwavering. "Maybe if you stopped trying to make everyone happy with your music, you'd find something worth saying."
His words struck her like a chord gone wrong. She left that night, too hurt to reply.But his words lingered. As much as she didn't want to admit it, there was a hint of truth there. She'd always tried to make music that would make people happy, but had she ever played something that was just for herself?
That night, she returned to the piano alone. Her fingers found unfamiliar patterns, a melody that was raw, tinged with her own insecurities and fears she rarely expressed. When she finished, she felt exposed, like she'd left a piece of her heart on the keys.
The next day, she shared the new piece with Wonwoo. His reaction surprised her-there was no critique this time, just a quiet, almost pensive silence.
"It's... honest," he finally said, his voice softer than she'd ever heard.Dahyun met his eyes, a new understanding passing between them.
---
From that point, their sessions changed. Wonwoo began bringing pages of his story to read aloud, each line carrying a weight of emotion that Dahyun had only glimpsed before. In return, she played pieces that matched his words, notes that resonated with the feelings behind his sentences.
One evening, as they worked late in the empty music room, Wonwoo opened up about the inspiration for a piece he was writing-a story about an old man searching for memories he'd lost to time.
"It's... about my grandfather," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "He used to tell me stories when I was a kid. But now... he doesn't remember them. I write because I don't want to forget."Dahyun felt her heart ache for him, understanding the vulnerability he hid behind his stoic mask. Without thinking, she reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
In response, he just looked at her, his eyes reflecting a mixture of gratitude and something deeper. A warmth bloomed in her chest, a new feeling that words couldn't capture.They continued their work, but now, the lines between music and words, between Dahyun and Wonwoo, blurred in ways she hadn't expected.
---
The showcase was just days away, and the pressure was mounting. They'd crafted a performance that interwove her music with his story, each piece reflecting their journey together. But with so much on the line, tensions flared once more.
"It's missing something," Wonwoo muttered as he read over his final draft. "This part-about loss. It needs to be darker."
Dahyun, drained from the weeks of rehearsals and late nights, couldn't hide her irritation. "You're always pushing for more darkness. Not everything has to be bleak, Wonwoo."
"It's not about being bleak," he said, a rare frustration slipping into his voice. "It's about being real. This story is about losing someone you love, and that's not something you can sugarcoat."Dahyun's chest tightened, her heart pounding as she realized how deeply the story mattered to him.
She took a steadying breath, setting aside her pride. "Okay. Let's make it real, then."
Together, they poured their souls into the final piece. Her fingers danced across the piano, creating notes that held both beauty and pain. His words, raw and unfiltered, filled the spaces between the music, a blend of light and shadow that spoke of their shared struggles and vulnerabilities.
The night of the showcase, their performance was met with a silence so profound it felt like the audience was holding its breath. When they finished, there was a beat of stunned quiet before the applause erupted.
As they left the stage, Dahyun turned to Wonwoo, her eyes shining. "Thank you... for helping me find something real."Wonwoo offered her a rare smile, his voice soft. "Thank you... for showing me beauty isn't empty."
In that moment, she knew their connection was more than just words or music-it was a harmony, a shared understanding that would linger long after the notes had faded.
---The End---
Thank you for reading , also feel free to hit me up with ideas and pairing .
