Jazz for Two: The Silent Beat

Episode 17: In the Key of Fate

Episode 17: "In the Key of Fate"

The days after their performance in the music hall were quieter than Do Yoon had expected. The heavy, suffocating presence of the curse seemed to have lifted, but a new tension had settled in its place. It was as though the air itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Do Yoon sat at his desk in the dorm, staring at his guitar. His fingers itched to play, but every time he reached for the instrument, the same feeling gripped him — a tightness in his chest, a feeling like the music was waiting for him, watching. He couldn't shake the thought that the curse was never fully gone. It was like an echo in his mind, always there, always lingering, pulling at him.

The music wasn't just haunting him anymore. It was a part of him. And the worst part was, he liked it.

He looked up from his guitar as Ju Ha entered the room, his steps quiet but purposeful. The moment their eyes met, the unspoken bond between them pulsed — stronger now, after everything they'd been through. The air between them was still electric, charged with more than just fear. There was something else there, something deeper.

"Hyung," Do Yoon greeted softly, his voice hesitant. "Have you... felt it? The music. It's still there, isn't it?"

Ju Ha's gaze shifted, but he didn't say anything at first. He just stood by the door, his eyes scanning the room before he spoke, his voice low. "I feel it," he admitted. "The music's still inside us. It's like a constant hum in the back of my mind."

Do Yoon's heart sank. He had hoped that after their performance, after creating their own song, it would be over. But no, the curse was still there. It hadn't let go. "What do we do now?" he asked, his voice small.

Ju Ha closed the door behind him and crossed the room, sitting beside him on the bed. The air seemed to thicken as Ju Ha leaned in closer, his presence comforting yet heavy with something unspoken.

"We keep fighting," Ju Ha said, his voice firm, though there was a slight tremor beneath it. "The curse is weakened, yes. But it's not gone. And we still don't understand everything about it. We need to learn more. We need to understand why it was connected to us in the first place."

Do Yoon felt his pulse quicken at the thought. Their bond had been their strength — it had kept them alive, it had helped them break the Devil's Chord. But it also made them vulnerable. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized: this wasn't just about the curse. It was about their relationship, too.

The music, the supernatural force, had tangled itself with their emotions, their thoughts, their fears. It was as if their connection had become a manifestation of the curse itself. But why? What had made them the chosen ones to bear the weight of it?

Do Yoon didn't know, but he had to know.

"I know what we need to do," Ju Ha said, breaking his train of thought.

Do Yoon looked at him, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"

"We need to go back," Ju Ha said, his eyes dark with determination. "Back to the building. To the music hall. There's something there we missed. We need to confront the source of the curse. Not just the music, but whatever started it."

Do Yoon's stomach twisted at the thought. He hadn't set foot in the old music building since they'd broken the Devil's Chord, and the memories of that place were still fresh — the cold air, the whispering spirits, the sense of being watched at all times.

"But why?" Do Yoon asked, his voice trembling despite himself. "Why go back? Haven't we done enough?"

Ju Ha met his gaze, his expression unreadable. "Because we haven't done enough, Do Yoon. The curse is still tied to us. And I have this feeling — this gut feeling — that the answer is still there. In that building. In the heart of the music."

Do Yoon could see the determination in Ju Ha's eyes, but there was something else there, too. Fear. It wasn't just the curse that had them trapped. It was the unknown. Neither of them truly understood what was happening. They didn't know what awaited them if they went back.

But Ju Ha was right. There was no other choice. If they were ever going to be free, they had to go back to where it all started.

"Okay," Do Yoon said, his voice barely above a whisper. He felt a strange calm settle over him. They would face whatever lay ahead. Together.

The walk to the old music building felt longer than it ever had before. The sky above them was dimming, the sun beginning its descent beneath the horizon. The city was alive with the sounds of evening, but in the space between the buildings, there was only silence.

The music hall loomed before them, its cracked stone walls still standing tall against the weight of time. It was as if it had never been touched, never been changed. The windows were dark, lifeless. The door was ajar, just like the first time they had entered.

Do Yoon felt his pulse race as they stepped inside. The smell of dust and age hit him immediately. The vast, empty space of the hall stretched before them, the shadows casting eerie shapes on the walls.

"You ready?" Ju Ha asked, his voice low, barely above a whisper. He looked at Do Yoon, his eyes searching, uneasy.

Do Yoon nodded, though his heart was hammering in his chest. "Ready as I'll ever be."

They walked further into the hall, their footsteps echoing in the stillness. The piano was exactly where they had left it — a silent, waiting presence. But something had changed. There was an energy in the air, a tension that hadn't been there before. It was as if the building was holding its breath, waiting for something.

Ju Ha walked up to the piano, his fingers brushing lightly over the keys. It was like a familiar touch, but this time, the music didn't come. Instead, there was a low, dissonant hum — a vibration that ran through the air, shaking the very walls of the room.

Do Yoon froze. His mind raced with panic. "What's happening?" he gasped.

Ju Ha looked at him, his eyes wide. "It's the song. It's trying to draw us in. But we have to resist. We need to find the source."

The hum grew louder, reverberating in their bones, in their chests. It was a call — but not a musical one. It was something deeper. Something ancient.

"Hyung..." Do Yoon's voice shook. "What if we can't fight it? What if we—"

"Shh," Ju Ha interrupted, his expression hardening. "We can fight it. We just need to understand it."

The hum seemed to grow louder, more intense. And then, suddenly, there was silence. It was like the entire building had stopped breathing.

Do Yoon's heartbeat was the only sound left. He swallowed hard, his eyes darting around the room. "What now?"

And then they heard it.

A voice. Not from the piano. Not from the walls. But from the very air around them.

"You're not the first," the voice whispered, low and chilling, "And you won't be the last."