Searching for Heaven on Earth - Choi Youngjae

it all started

"It somewhat started when I got a different subject for my photography class..."

"Subject? Would you care to explain it further?"

"Well, we photographers don't just take pictures. Our professors also require us to take pictures of just a certain thing."

"Okay. And what was your subject?"

"A lady."

"And that's why you decided to take her as your model?"

"To be honest, her, being my model wasn't planned."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

March 21

As I opened the rolled piece of paper that was left in the box, I was somewhat excited and nervous at the same time.

Subject: A Lady

"Sir, how is this?" I asked showing my professor what was written, then he just plastered a smile on his face while looking up at me as he was sitting behind his table.

"Well Mr. Choi, it could be your lover or such." He answered winking at me making me shake my head, chuckling quietly.

"I don't have a lover, sir, but I'll see what I can do." I stated making him shrug before dismissing the whole class.

📷

Once the corridors weren't congested, I started walking through what seemed a never ending corridor of empty classrooms, I stopped on my tracks as a faint sound of a piano being played can be heard not too far from where I am.

I slowly closed my eyes as I pictured a person behind a grand piano; fingers dancing gracefully against the piano tiles producing a light rhythm. Then cautiously, I opened my eyes as I recognized the song being played; Skinny Love.

For an unknown reason, my heart began beating fast. And with a fast surge of adrenaline, I ran through the corridor filling it with the sound of my shoes gaining contact with the pale colored floor. I stopped and heard the sound getting closer.

"Where is it?" I asked myself before running to te right. Then slowly the sound was getting louder and louder making me know that I'm close to it's source, that's why I kept on running and running until.... the music stopped which caused me to stop in my tracks as well.

'Where did it go? Why did it stop?' I don't know but, it's like the earths gravity was forcing my feet to keep on walking, so I did.

Then after a while of complete silence, the music came back again making me perk up again.

As I was nearing a wall, for what it seems to me as a dead end, my eyes landed on one certain door; and I knew for myself that the music was there, the person behind the piano is also there.

As I neared the door, my hands were trembling making it hard for me to grip the cold metal, but it was a miracle because I did. And as I rotated the metal knob, I swung the door open gently, making sure not to create any noise.

When my head had popped out behind the door, my heart- it stopped beating for a second that seemed as a million years as I was greeted by a figure of a woman; wearing a pastel pink dress, with her hair neatly tied in a bun, with her back facing me as she was playing the piano.

She still sat on her chair, playing the song again.

Sweet words started spilling out of her lips as her fingers had once again started its magic, making me watch her with awe.

I don't know how long I've been listening but as far as I can remember, I took a picture of her then I wrote something on a sticky note which read

"You are such a work of art..."

As I pinned it in the inner side of the door, I proceeded my journey home, hoping one day, I can see her again, but next time, I can see her face.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

"So you mean, you met her at school?"

"Yes."

"Is she a student there?"

"No..."

"No? Then what?"

"She's the new music teacher..."