Michaeng (Short Stories) Vol. 2

OMG 7

"She was supposed to have a concert before she passed, but it never happened," Chaeyoung said as she met with Jihyo's manager.

"Do you think she would have found peace if it had?" Mina asked, her voice soft.

"She loved the stage," Chaeyoung replied. "Maybe it would have been the moment that helped her finally rest."

Now, in the intimate theater, Jihyo stood at the center, the spotlight illuminating her as Chaeyoung and Mina sat in the audience. The first notes of an acapella arrangement began to play. Jihyo's voice, powerful and haunting, filled the space as she sang Defying Gravity. Every note reverberated through the room, each word resonating deeply, stirring something in the air itself. Her performance was flawless, every phrase hitting with such emotion that it seemed to transcend the physical space.

Tears welled in Jihyo's eyes as she sang, each word of the song carrying the weight of her own journey—her pain, her love, and her desire to soar despite it all. As the final note lingered, there was a moment of silence, and in that stillness, Chaeyoung and Mina could feel the depth of the performance, as if Jihyo had poured every piece of herself into it, leaving nothing behind.

🎵Tell them how I am defying gravity
I'm flying high, defying gravity
And soon, I'll match them in renown
And nobody in all of Oz
No wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down... 🎵

As Jihyo reached the final, soaring notes of the song, her eyes closed, allowing herself to fully immerse in the emotion of the moment. When she opened them again, she caught a glimpse of the two familiar faces in the audience—Chaeyoung and Mina—before she silently mouthed the words, "Thank you"

With that, a quiet stillness filled the room, and Jihyo's soul seemed to slip away, her spirit finally at peace. The weight she had carried for so long was lifted, and the tension in her body faded. Her performance, her final gift to the world, had brought her the rest she so deserved.

When Jihyo's soul faded peacefully, an unexpected urge surged within Mina. She found herself drawn to the stage, as if some invisible force was calling her. What if this, too, was her way to find peace? She didn't hesitate—her body moved of its own accord, guided by something deeper than thought.

Mina turned to Chaeyoung, her voice steady but soft. "Play Clair de Lune, please"

Chaeyoung, still processing the weight of what had just happened, nodded without a word. She quickly cued the music, and the soft, ethereal notes of Suite Bergamasque L.75:3: Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy filled the space, wrapping the room in its hauntingly beautiful melody.

As the first chords floated through the air, Mina's body began to move, her movements light and fluid, as though the music itself was conducting her. She stepped onto the stage, her feet barely touching the ground, each gesture a delicate expression of grace. It was as if she were no longer bound by the physical world, but carried by the music itself. Her ballet was a silent conversation with the melody, every extension of her limbs, every turn, and every leap imbued with a kind of purity and elegance that was both heartbreaking and beautiful.

Chaeyoung sat frozen in her seat, her heart racing as she watched Mina dance. She was mesmerized. There was something almost otherworldly about Mina's performance, something that made the air itself feel heavier, as if the room itself were holding its breath.

Chaeyoung's hand moved instinctively to her sketchbook, and before she even realized it, her pencil was in motion, capturing Mina's, indeed she was ethereal—her beauty and grace so striking that it was impossible for Chaeyoung to look away.