A Sound from the Moon

Twenty Four

The next day, Joy had a terrible hungover. She could still talk and walk, but she stayed on the couch for most of the day. A lot of people missed training the next day. I only laughed at her when I got back from the music shop. She groaned and covered her ears with the pillows.

But now I happily tell Chan about the party as we do coffees. He chuckles at my story and says small comments. When customer arrival dies down, he turns to me and says, "I'm glad you didn't get wasted. It would've been illegal, too."

"Is the drinking age the same here as it is in America?"

"I don't know. I didn't live in America."

"What?" I say with surprise. "Where did you grow up?"

"Australia."

"Shut up." He does a proud nod and I let out a scoff. "Seriously? That's so cool! Is there huge spiders there?"

"The biggest you'll ever see."

I shudder at the thought of it. He does a warm chuckle and says, "But usually the drinking age is twenty one. In Seoul it's twenty."

"That explains Joy."

He laughs at my comment. "She was wasted?"

"Not as wasted as everyone there. She was still hungover when I was stepping out. I think I'll use my break to make her a hungover coffee."

"I can make one for her. It'll cure her right up. Trust me."

I would, without a doubt, trust him with anything. And I don't know why. I watch him make Joy's coffee and I realize the way my heart flutters just for him. It's the same feeling I get when I'm singing with the members or when I'm laughing with each one of them.

My heart begins to hum a new melody when he comes back with his sweet smile. I want to hear more of the song it wants to show me. So I lean towards him with a sweet smile when we find an empty table at our break.

"Thank you for the coffee. She'll love it."

"Of course. I got you. If you don't mind me asking...why are you living with roommates? What are you training for? Are you a foreign exchange student?"

And just like that, my heart stops whistling and I debate whether I should tell him the truth. The members didn't really give me any specific instructions about my training or fame. What would he do if I open up? Would he still look at me the same way?

I can't lose him. So I carefully answer, "Something like that."

He's quiet as he tries to connect the dots. I remember Wendy telling Seulgi that she knew when she was lying because she can't ever keep eye contact. So I keep my eyes on Chan. But for some reason, he has the same ability Irene has of hearing my heart even if it's whispering.

He leans forward with a curious shine in his eyes as he says, "I thought you were in high school still."

"I am. But I'm a foreign exchange student."

Chan does a small scoff. "You don't trust me."

"Hm?" My heart shivers at those words that stab right through me. It leaves me weak. It breaks down my walls giving me the ability to show him the true light he is so often trying to reach for.

His eyes shine like the stars. The moon outside reflects the beauty of his gentle heart. How can I hide from someone like that? He is like the sun and the sun hides the darkness. Eventually it's light will find me.

So I give in to his tender look as I let out a soft sigh. "Okay. I'm gonna tell you something that's top secret."

Chan lets his eyes grow wide. "You're not a spy, are you?"

I laugh at this. "No, silly. It's...it's personal and very important to me. You would be the only one from my work life to know."

"Okay," Chan says with a firm look. It makes him look older and I get sweet shivers from this look.

I quickly give him a smile and whisper, "I'm training to become a singer."

He lets these words sink in and I'm worried he might not like what he just heard. But then an excited shine radiates in his smile as he says, "Like...you're a pop star? Like K-pop?"

I nod. "I'm with SM Entertainment as a trainee. Do you remember my roommates that came to visit?" He nods. "They're the group Red Velvet. I'm part of Red Velvet."

He sits back in his chair with a slight awe. "No wonder I recognized them from somewhere. My sister listens to their music a lot. But they're just starting, right?"

"No. They've actually been singing for a while now. But it's the twentieth century. SM is changing and so are their trainees."

Chan finally does a scoff at everything. "So you're famous. I'm practically talking with a famous person!"

I chuckle as I say, "Keep your voice down!"

"Lets take a picture together! Someday it'll give me big bucks."

I laugh loudly at this. "You're crazy! I'm not even that famous. I'm barely a trainee."

Chan does a soft laugh as his expression softens again. "You are very talented, Yeri. I had a feeling you were special."

"Being in SM doesn't make me special."

Chan does his little smile that makes my annoyance disappear. "You're right. You have a natural talent. You make people smile. You are radiant with just stepping into a room."

I scoff with a blush as bright as his eyes. I look away as I shake my head in disbelief. But my heart leans more towards him as he says, "You don't believe me. You never believe anyone but they all see it. Customers love you. The world will love you. You don't realize that you change the world with just your smile. Let the world change. Let them see. They will finally find the light it needs the most."

His words silences the world around me. I'm frozen and it's not cold. It's a warm kind of silence that brings tears to my eyes. He does his little smile he gave me when we first met and I'm back at that moment. A moment of silence and warmth. Nothing has a sound but the music my heart begins to hum.

It becomes clearer as I lean in. Chan's eyes land on my lips and gently leans closer, too. But something pulls me back. My head yells at me to stop and as usual, I obey. It's the sound of my mother's voice telling me to focus.

I sadly sit back and Chan clears his throat as he awkwardly scratches the back of his head. He gives me his nervous chuckle as he begins to stand. "Well, thank you for trusting me with your top secret, Yeri." He lets his nervous blush slip away as he playfully says, "Don't forget of your first friend you ever made in Seoul when you become a superstar."

That's the thing. I could never forget Chan. No matter how hard I try, my heart will always hum for him. He has become a melody from the song of the night. A sound of the moon who has silently witnessed our hearts singing together for the very first time.