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It’s been a week since I started middle school.

During recess time,
Middle school Sunbaes’ came into our classroom.

“Hello. We are the dance club!”

Ah,
So they’re here to promote their club.
Middle school students were required to participate in club activities for three hours each month under the pretext of creative experience activities.

“We welcome anyone who likes dancing or wants to learn to dance, so please apply to the dance club!”
“And today during lunch break, there will be a dance club performance on the outdoor stage, so please come and watch!”

Sohee’s eyes sparkled as she watched the dance club promotion.
Sohee turned her head and asked me.

“Dohee, which club are you going to join?”

I don’t really care which club as long as it’s one without many people. Hmm, the library club sounds like a pretty good option.
However, if I say the library club, little shy Sohee would probably timidly follow me and join the library club as well, without being able to assert her own will.

“Well… where do you want to go?”

“I like the dance club that was just promoted… or maybe the band club?”

Little shy Sohee is considering joining popular clubs…?

“You do?”

“Yeah… Actually, my Mom told me to join an outgoing club…”

“Ah.”

Indeed, Sohee’s parents must have been worried about her personality.

“And actually, I wanted to try it too. Hehe…”

“Okay, good luck. I think I’ll go to the library club.”

Sohee’s face immediately turned tearful.

“Hing… Then I’ll go to the library club too…”

Sigh.

“Shall we go see the band and dance club performances during lunchtime?”

“Yeah!”

It’s a hassle, but since she’s cute, I’ll let it slide.

.
.
.

Lunchtime.

Today’s lunch menu:
Cod filet gangjeong.
The food police have arrived.
What the ****.

It reminds me of the military.

“Sohee, does it taste delicious?”

Unlike me and Sujin, who haven’t even taken a bite, Sohee was stuffing food into her mouth.

“No…”

“Then why are you eating it?”

“Mom told me to eat it all…”

Sigh… I wonder if this kid is naive or just foolish?

“Enough, stop eating.”

“But… Mom…”

“Let’s go to the snack bar, I’ll buy something for you.”

I made Sohee stand up and headed to the snack bar.
The snack store was packed with students.
The nutritionists who put Cod filet gangjeong in the school lunch menu must have had some deal with the snack bar.

‘So, what should I eat?’

I looked around the store.

‘Oh, the school store has cheese croquettes these days.’

“I’ll have a cheese croquette. What about you, Sohee?”

“I want to get the same thing as Dohee. Hehe.”

I turned my head to Sujin.

“Is that so? Sujin, what about you?”

“Huh? You want to buy something for me too?”

“If you don’t want one, it’s fine.”

“Then I’ll have a pizza bun!”

“Okay.”

I stood in line to order.
While I was waiting in line, someone next to me tapped me on the shoulder.

Who is it?

Turning my head around, I saw Baekhwi standing there with a smile.

“Oh, Baekhwi, long time no see?”

It feels like it’s been about 3 years since I last saw you?

“Yeah, it’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Me? Well, I’m fine, nothing special. By the way, you’re a bit taller than me, have you grown a bit?”

Baekhwi seemed to be over 170 cm tall now.
Now I have to look up at him…
I’m sure I’ll be over 170 cm tall, eventually right?

“Yeah. I’ve grown a bit.”

“Three years ago, you couldn’t speak properly and you would just glance at me, but now you’re speaking well.”

“What are you talking about! That never happened!”

“Do you still like me?”

Baekhwi’s lost for words, his face turning red.

Finally it was my turn to order.
I told the store lady,

“Ajumma, one pizza bun and two cheese croquettes.”

After I received the bread and paid the bill, I said to Baekhwi,

“Focus on your studies. I’m leaving now.”

Baekhwi seemed like he wanted to say something more, but I quickly left.

Ah, this guy still looks at me with those lovesick eyes.
Sigh, this damn popularity.

Well, even I get carried away by my charms when I look in the mirror every day, so what can a guy like him do?
I guess it’s my fault for letting my charm flow around so carelessly.

After I escaped the crowd I opened the microwave to heat up the bread.
Bread is meant to be eaten and shared, that’s the golden rule.

I took out the bread and handed it to Sohee and Sujin.

“Thank you~” “Thanks for the food!”

“Okay. By the way, Sohee, you wanted to see the dance and band club performances earlier.”

“Ah, yes!”

“Okay, let’s eat on our way there.”

We headed to the outdoor stage while eating the bread.
On the way to the outdoor stage, Sujin asked me,

“Hey Dohee, I saw that you were talking to Baekhwi earlier. Do you know him?”

Ah, Sujin and Baekhwi are in the same class.

“Yeah.”

“Really? How?”

“Just that our Moms know each other. Why?”

“He’s so good-looking. Did you know that the girls in our class are already making a fuss about him?”

Sigh,
Typical middle school students.

“Just focus on your studies.”

“Why? Don’t you like him?”

“It’s not about liking or disliking or whatever.”

“True… Dohee, since you’re a trainee, you shouldn’t be in a relationship.”

Sohee, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, said,

“Tra… trainee?”

“Yeah, a trainee. Didn’t you know Dohee is an idol trainee?”

Sohee looked surprised and said,

“Re… really?”

“Yeah, then I guess you don’t know about the other things either?”

“Whoa! Jeong Sujin! Stop, it’s embarrassing!”

Let’s keep going a bit more.

Sujin started bragging about me.
Winning piano competitions, being top of the class in the entire school, confessions from both boys and even girls in elementary school, and so on.

When Sujin finished talking, Sohee looked at me with her mouth agape.
I said while pinching Sohee’s cheeks,

“Why? Isn’t your Unni so cool?”

Sohee nodded her head vigorously.

I know, too.

When we arrived at the outdoor stage, it was packed with kids who came to watch the performances.
Luckily, there were a few seats left.

“Let’s sit here.”

As soon as we sat down, the dance club performance on cue started performing at the perfect time.
The first performance was ‘To You’ by the senior group Pastel Love, who as of late are currently topping the charts.

During my trainee life, I practiced every boy group and girl group song without exception, but among them, I practiced our company’s senior group, Pastel Love’s songs until I was sick of them.
Needless to say, ‘To You’ is still something I have practiced recently as well.
Let’s see how they do.

.
.
.

Hmm… they’re working hard.

I deliberately spoke out loud to myself for Sohee to hear.

“Tsk, that’s not how you dance that part.”

Hearing what I said, Sohee looked at me with admiring eyes.
Ha.

After Pastel Love Sunbae’s ‘To You’ ended, the following stages were songs I had practiced.
As expected, I feel like I’d do it better.
It’s only natural since I’ve trained under a professional choreographer for over three years.

After the dance club’s performance ended, the members came up on stage to say thank you to the audience.

“Thank you for watching! Please support the dance club!”

Still, I liked seeing their hard work.
I held Sohee’s hand and clapped.

“Alright, applause~”

As soon as the dance club’s performance ended, the band club’s performance began with an accompaniment.
A male vocalist.

Oh? This song?
A famous high-pitched male rock song, ‘Drain,’ which I also like and practiced several times before.

This song is really hard to sing.
They’re going to sing this?

“Hmm… They’re singing it like this.”
“…”
“Yeah, that’s right.”

****, singing really is all about talent.
Why does his tone sound so good?
Did he also receive training as well?

Sohee looked at me with a cold expression this time.

“What are you looking at?”

At my words Sohee turned her head back to watch the performance.
Today’s personal practice time will only be for vocal practice.
Really.

.
.
.

A few days later, having no choice but to come, I found myself in front of the music room for the band club interview to join the band club that Sohee wanted.

A band club member wearing a 2nd-year name tag handed me an interview form.

“Please fill this out.”

“Okay.”

I filled out the questionnaire and handed it back.

Sigh…
I can’t believe I have to be interviewed by middle schoolers.
My pride is wounded.

When I turned to look at Sohee, the source of all evil, I saw her hands trembling, probably nervous about the interview.

“Sigh… Are you nervous?”

“Yes…”

“Then why did you say you wanted to join the band club?”

“Because I wanted to see Dohee sing…”

Sigh… Fine, I’ll let it slide this time. You’re too cute.

“Next time, just be honest. We can always go to a coin karaoke place together.”

“Okay… I’m sorry…”

Sohee is like a cat; if she weren’t so cute, she’d have been extinct by now.

“Next person, please come in.”

It’s my turn.

As I entered the music room, the band leader in front of me said,

“Please introduce yourself.”

Sigh…

“Hello… I’m Lee Dohee from Class 1 grade 1.”

“What is your motivation for applying?”

It’s written on the questionnaire.

“I came here because I love music and want to be on stage.”

“What part are you applying for?”

*****, it’s written on the questionnaire.

“Keyboard and vocals.”

“Then which one will you perform on stage?”

“I’ll just do both at the same time.”

I sat in front of the piano.

Phew. Let’s just think of it as busking.

What song should I play?

I asked the interviewers,

“Do you have a song request? Anything is fine.”

One of the interviewers, who was the student that sang ‘Drain’ at the previous stage performance, answered,

“Really, anything is fine?”

“Yes. I know most songs.”

“Then please sing ‘Drain’.”

Alright, talented kiddo.
Let me show my superior skills as someone who’s had professional training, I’ll put you in your place.

I started playing the piano and singing.

“— On the day of joy and the day of sorrow, pass by slowly—”

“— You who vanished in front of me while trying to embrace you, you were just an illusion—”

“— When I wake up, the tears dry on the sands of sleep—”

“— I am in the desert of roses! —”

.
.
.

The song ended.

“Wow…”
“Unbelievable…”

Yes, even though I’m not as skilled as the current professional singers, I’m competing for the main vocal spot among trainees.
To become this good, I had to be held captive by Teacher-nim Kwon and sing while doing planks all day long… I’m really on the verge of tears.

“Thank you.”

“You sing better than me!”
“Insane.”
“Can you sing one more song?”

“Well, instead of singing, I will just play one song on the piano”

I performed the first movement of Brahms’ Sonata No. 2, which I had played at last year’s competition.

When the performance ended, the interviewers were left with their mouths open in awe as they exclaimed in admiration.

“Thank you.”

Wow, this feels so exhilarating.
Lee Dohee is so cool.

.
.
.

I’m grabbing Sohee’s head and shaking it.
Sohee, with her head in my grasp, said,

“Dohee, I’m so sorry.”

“Urgh!”

Sohee didn’t pass the band club audition.
Reluctantly, I withdrew my application to the band club and joined the library club with Sohee instead.