piano girl (이희승) ✔️

// 26

- piano recital :-)

Hwang Eunji POV

Woozi drives me to the venue.

"Are you ready?" He asks, looking at me through the rear-view mirror. He notices me fidgeting with my music and gently places his right hand on my forearm. I hide my surprise at his sudden touch.

"I'm just nervous." I say sheepishly.

He smiles softly. "You'll do great, Jin. And even if you mess up, no one will notice." We hit a red light and he fully faces me. "Okay, I'm going to ask you something. Do you think anyone in the audience is thinking 'Damn, I hope Eunji fails!' or 'I hope she sounds terrible!'" I can't help but laugh. Woozi smiles, his eyes crinkling. "Do you think that?"

I shake my head. "Probably not."

Woozi nods as the light turns green, and he turns back to the road. "Exactly. Keep that in mind when you perform."

I look at my hands. "Thank you, Jihoon."

He doesn't respond for a moment. "Of course, Jinnie."

I frown for a moment. "How come people call me Jinnie and Jin, when my name is Eunji? Is it because of HeeJinic or Hyunjin?"

"It might be because of HeeJinic. Everyone's really used to like... HeeJin at this point, so we all just call you Jin or Jinnie." He glances over at me quickly. "Do you want it changed?"

"Nah, it's good." I smile brightly. "I actually like it."

A current pianist is playing, and I'm shaking.

Another pianist, Kim Dahyun holds my hands gently. 

"You always crush the other pianist, Eunji." She says with a smile. I sigh and shake my head. Dahyun rolls her eyes. "Don't lie. You're amazing."

"Thanks, Dahyun-unnie." I exhale, looking down at my hands. Dahyun's pale fingers are only holding my fingertips.

The pianist ahead finishes and a wave of applause sounds.

Dahyun smiles and stands up from her crouching position. "My turn. Wish me luck!"

The current pianist, Min Yoongi walks off of stage with a bright smile. He and Dahyun high five before she walks on stage. He makes his way over to me.

"You're after Dahyun, correct?" He asks before sitting down next to me. I nod. "Well, I'm excited to hear what you're gonna play!" 

I smile. "I haven't told anyone."

Yoongi laughs. "A surprise?"

I grin. "Yeah. It's a piece that means a lot to me, and I want it to be special."

"That's sweet." Yoongi says. He looks down at my hands. They started shaking when Dahyun left. "Your fingers. Can I hold them?"

I exhale shakily and nod. Yoongi gently touches my nails, causing me to flinch.

"I'm sorry!" Yoongi says quickly. I smile and shake my head.

We sit in silence as we listen Dahyun play- a self composed piece called Feel Special.

I then groan out of nowhere. "I'm the last pianist to play!"

"Then you get the honor of ending the whole thing." Yoongi says. "Stop sweating it, Eunji-ah." He pats my head softly.

Out of all the pianists Mrs. Kwon teaches, I am the youngest at 16. She teaches advanced pianist.

"How's school?" Yoongi asks. I shrug.