After a week since witnessing the old memory in the abandoned school building, the weather had grown noticeably colder.
"So much to do, so little time," I muttered, sighing as I busied myself with work.
Today marked the completion of the [Seiren] project. The piece turned out to be the complete opposite of its previous iteration.
The original [Seiren] depicted nature trying to kill her. But the version now before me showed her protected by nature instead.
It felt... familiar. Almost like something I had seen in that old memory.
The backdrop of the sea and the rocky landscape remained the same, but the surrounding environment had changed completely.
The harsh winds and storms had disappeared, replaced by clear skies. The thunder and lightning were gone as well.
Even the sharp, jagged rocks had been reshaped into a small, tranquil island.
Though it was only large enough to fit about ten people, it felt significant.
There were countless details to refine, but at last, the work was done.
"One body, but I’m juggling ten tasks," I hummed, half-singing a self-composed tune that was off-key in every possible way while cleaning up my tools.
The floor was splattered with paint, and my clothes were in no better shape.
Watching me from behind, Lee Ji-Cheol let out a low whistle of admiration.
"Impressive. Truly remarkable. You are indeed Wu Hua’s disciple."
"Stop with the cheesy compliments," I grumbled, shivering as I removed my apron and stood up.
"I’m going to wash up. Oh, and if Choi Ye-Seo shows up, tell her to wait."
"Got it. What about lunch, though?"
"I’m too lazy to eat. I’ll skip it."
"Shall I call your mother?"
This guy...
I sighed heavily and escaped to the shower room.
***
"Ah, ah↗. Ah. No, that’s not right..."
Choi Ye-Seo, who had arrived earlier, was practicing under Seiren's guidance.
Her posture looked much more relaxed compared to last time.
The rock platform had certainly become more spacious—it looked like you could lie down and camp there if you wanted.
As I looked around, taking in the changed scenery, my eyes met Seiren’s.
Now familiar with me, Seiren simply nodded slightly.
I returned the gesture with a casual nod of my own and walked over to where they were.
"How’s it going?" I asked, plopping down beside Choi Ye-Seo.
"Ah, Eun-ah! Please, help me! The concert’s only a month away!"
She clung to my shoulder, her expression pitiful.
Glancing at Seiren for an explanation, I saw her shrug nonchalantly.
"Ye-Seo’s voice is definitely great, and her technique is solid... but something feels off emotionally," Seiren mused, resting her chin on her hand.
"I don’t know what’s wrong! It just feels weird!" Ye-Seo cried out, frustrated.
"Stop pouting and sing it for me. I’ll listen," I said.
"Wh-what? Right now?"
"Of course, now."
The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.
After a moment of hesitation, Choi Ye-Seo opened her mouth.
"To the farthest edge of the blue sea, I gazed far away~."
Her voice, crisp and clear, filled the air.
‘Not bad,’ I thought, closing my eyes to focus on her singing.
When the song ended, I opened my eyes to the sound of Seiren clapping.
"What do you think, Eun-ah?" Seiren asked.
"It’s good. Honestly, it sounds even better than what I’ve heard on broadcasts."
"Eep, ugh..."
Choi Ye-Seo’s face turned bright red, but I ignored it and turned back to Seiren.
"Well... I’m not a music major or anything. Seiren, do you still think it’s lacking?"
"Not at all. It’s great. Everything is great, but... it’s just a bit bland," Seiren said, tapping her chin with a V-shaped hand gesture.
Then she snapped her fingers and spoke with a mischievous grin.
"Idols are all about love, aren’t they? They live off the love of their fans."
"Well, that’s true," I agreed.
"But Ye-Seo’s singing doesn’t convey much love. It’s like drinking flat cola."
"That’s not something I can help her with," I replied, tilting my head toward Choi Ye-Seo.
She was now wearing a serious expression, clearly lost in thought.
"I don’t get it..." she muttered, sighing deeply.
An awkward silence settled between us, as if we all needed a moment to think.
...Maybe it was time to change the topic.
"By the way, Seiren, do you like the changed world?"
"Oh, yes. I really love it. It feels so peaceful now," Seiren said, spinning around the island with playful elegance.
Her antics lightened the mood, and even Choi Ye-Seo seemed entertained.
♩~♬
Seiren began to sing, the beautiful melody filling the air as we all enjoyed the moment.
My gaze shifted to Choi Ye-Seo, whose blonde hair swayed as she moved along with the rhythm.
Without thinking, I reached out and placed my hand on her head.
Plop.
I didn’t remove it.
"Huh? Eun-ah?"
Choi Ye-Seo’s wide eyes stared at me in confusion, her expression gradually turning redder as I didn’t respond.
This was... fun.
"Hmm."
Seiren returned, narrowing her eyes at us with a sly grin.
Then she spoke.
"Ye-Seo, sing now."
"Wh-what? Now?"
Even flustered and blushing, Ye-Seo complied with Seiren’s request.
"To the farthest edge of the blue sea, I gazed far away~."
"...? What’s this?"
Why... why does it sound different? It was the same song, yet there was something subtly changed about it.
"Uh, huh?"
Choi Ye-Seo seemed just as bewildered as I was, her expression showing she had noticed it too.
"Ahem~."
Seiren smirked, giving us a look that made me want to smack her.
"What are you staring at?" I snapped.
"Nothing. Nothing at all," Seiren replied, laughing as she looked at Choi Ye-Seo.
"Congratulations. You’ve found the solution."
"What? Solution to what?"
"Oh, come on. Surely you’ve caught on by now~," Seiren teased, diving gracefully into the water.
With just the two of us left, an awkward silence filled the air.
"Want me to do it again?" I asked.
"No, it’s fine..."
Though she refused, I felt a twinge of disappointment.
...By the way, was that steam rising from her head just my imagination?
***
"Here, take this."
It was lunch break on a weekday. I was lazily munching on bread and drinking some juice to fill my stomach when Choi Ye-Seo appeared in our classroom.
"What’s this?"
She handed over two concert tickets.
Beside me, Hong Ye-Hwa, who was also eating bread, lit up with interest.
"Are you giving those to us?"
"I already gave one to Yul-i. I received three tickets, so I thought it’d be nice if you three came together..."
Her voice trailed off toward the end. It was clear she had begged to get them.
‘But can you really just hand out concert tickets like this?’
I’d heard somewhere that tickets for popular concerts often ended up on the black market.
Though these days, even if they were resold, entry wasn’t allowed unless the buyer was the original purchaser.
"November 28th? That’s coming up soon," I noted.
"I told you, it’s in a month. It’ll be my last concert of the year," Choi Ye-Seo said proudly, glancing at me with a triumphant look.
"So? Don’t I seem more like an idol now?"
"Oh."
"...Is that all?"
Was that not the reaction she wanted? I mean, it wasn’t news to me that she was an idol. What more was I supposed to say?
"Oh," I repeated.
"Ye-Hwa, you don’t need to join in..."
"Isn’t that enough of a reaction?"
At Hong Ye-Hwa’s innocent question, Choi Ye-Seo’s shoulders slumped.
After teasing her for a moment, I decided to offer some genuine encouragement.
"If you go overseas, it’ll probably be hard to see you in person anymore."
"...Can’t you just come with me?"
"What?"
"Nothing. Forget I said anything."
She mumbled something, but I couldn’t catch it. When I tilted my head curiously, she quickly brushed it off.
"Anyway, thanks," I said.
"You have to come, okay? Promise me," she said, making sure to get confirmation from both me and Hong Ye-Hwa before heading back to her classroom.
A concert, huh.
The timing might be tricky. If I pushed myself, I could probably make it on time.
‘If I postpone my follow-up appointment again, the hospital might actually call me in.’
I’d need to check if I could reschedule for a morning slot. I’d call them later.
***
After school, I arrived at Chairman Lee Ji-Cheol’s studio with Teacher Lee Ah-Reum.
Seeing the newly completed version of [Seiren], her mouth dropped open in astonishment.
"Wow! This is amazing! Just looking at it feels so refreshing."
"I worked hard to make it that way. It wasn’t easy, you know," I said, but she ignored my words and continued circling around [Seiren].
"It’s just a painting. What’s so fascinating about it?" I asked, tilting my head.
She smiled sheepishly before replying, "Well, it’s a piece my sister loved. I always wanted to see it at least once."
Her hand gently brushed the frame, her touch careful and reverent.
"Still, even if you have money, one accident can ruin everything. Being a salaryman is the best," she said with a laugh that betrayed no emotion.
It was as if she truly had no personal connection to the person she was talking about.
"If it had been my brother who died, I wouldn’t be laughing like this. But since it’s a sister I’ve never even met, it’s different."
"You’re strong," I remarked.
"Eh, anyone would feel the same way."
I didn’t include myself in that "anyone."
Despite her joking tone, there was a hint of bitterness on her face.
"What’s the point of remembering the dead? The living need to focus on living well."
Wasn’t that just being a sociopath?
"Want to meet Seiren?" I asked.
"Yeah! Does she really look like the mermaid in the painting?"
"She does... but imagine if the mermaid drank and smoked way too much."
"...What are you talking about?"
Her expression twisted into something between confusion and disbelief, but what could I do? It was the truth.
Still, Seiren was a stunning beauty in her own way, exuding a decadent allure.
Well, except for the whole fish-tail situation. If not for that, she’d probably have plenty of admirers.
‘Actually, she probably still does.’
With that thought, I led Teacher Lee Ah-Reum into the illusionary world.
Her reaction could be summed up in one word:
"I want to leave..."
She had gotten seasick almost immediately upon finding herself on the isolated island surrounded by the vast ocean.
We left after barely five minutes.
Even as we returned, she seemed unable to shake the image of Seiren’s face from her mind.