SpartAce I: School Love Affair

Warmth and Coldness

There seems to be moving inside Ji Hyo's chest as her fingers touch every key, release every note, create every sound.

And as she lets go of all the cautiousness she has inside, she feels like becoming one with the music.

Up in that stage, she no longer cares about what everyone will say. It is no longer about impressing the audience, but about expressing her feelings. All the hurt, all the pain, frustration, disappointments.. she lets it all out together with every sound she makes.

It has been a long time since she has felt this free. And she never thought she would find freedom in such a place where she is in the sight of everyone in the room.

She takes a risk of glancing at the audience as her fingers hover over the piano keys.

In the front row of audience, she spots familiar faces. She still has to stare for a second before she recognize them.

It is Jong Han, waving her small hands at her. She is sitting next to her mother and her other friends.

And as her gaze darts around that place, she comes eye to eye with Jong Kook.

Looking at him, who is staring at her so strangely tonight, she goes out of her concentration.

Her heart skips a beat, and together with that beat goes her timing.

She catches back to the timing and looks away, only to see another set of familiar eyes in the crowd.

This time, it is not someone encouraging, but startling.

Her aunt is staring up at her, her eyes so cold and judging as steel, the side of her lips curved in a smile, as if she is just waiting for her to screw up.

Suddenly, she goes out of tune. She looks down at her hands and becomes so aware at every move she makes. The smooth flow of her movements suddenly go controlled and chained up.

She panics. Her music turning sour from sweet.

Nervousness starts to crawl up her chest, down to her stomach, and down to her knuckles.

Suddenly, she finds it hard to catch up with her timing and her breathing.

She can also hear the whispers of the audience, the auditorium starting to get noisy with whispers.

She's a fool to believe she can do it.

Of course she can't. She had just put herself up in that stage for everyone to criticize.

She's a laughing stock. Someone to talk behind their back.

A humiliation. A disappointment to her aunt.

Why did she even dream that she can do it? This has never been her passion.

Just as she is about to stop and give up, she hears another set of notes playing along with her music, the same tune but in a lower note.

That seems to distract her from her panic and looks around.

At the other side of the stage, Gary stands right behind an electric keyboard, accompanying her, guiding her back to the right timing.

And when she has finally gathered herself, she can hear the music they are both producing.

It is something that can lift up anyone's heart.

It is his and her melody combined, creating an even more astonishing sound.

She can feel the audience go calm and amazed again.