The Novel's Extra Chapter 91

Chapter 91
Chapter 91 . Fake and Real (3)

 

“…Hm . ”

Thursday, after end of classes .
Currently, I was standing in front of the Dorm 2 entrance .
Dorm 2 was the girls’ dorm, so it was the last place I expected to visit .
But I had no other choice . If I didn’t get it over with today, it would be too late . Class Competitions were starting tomorrow, and once that was over, everyone would be busy preparing for the midterms in two weeks . It wasn’t that I would be busy, but the person I was planning on meeting was .

After taking in a deep breath, I walked into Dorm 2’s pretty entrance .
Not long afterwards, I ran into someone unexpected .
Wearing comfortable clothes, she seemed to be on her way to the library . I greeted her .

“Rachel-ssi!”

When Rachel saw me, she stopped in place and swallowed hard . It didn’t look like she planned on moving from that spot, so I approached her first .

“Are you going to the library?”

“Y-Yes… what are you doing here?”

“Ah, I have something to do . ”

I replied with a smile . Then, I examined her carefully .
During exam periods, she looked a bit different . Her hair seemed more disheveled and unkempt . She seemed to be pushing herself because I was her competitor .

“Oh right, you haven’t been asking me any questions lately . ”

“…I thought I should try to solve them myself before going to seek help… Also, Hajin-ssi needs to study too . ”

“Oh really? If you’re having trouble, you can always ask me . I’m fine with it . ”

In response, Rachel nodded silently .
I wanted to go with her to the library, but I didn’t have time .

“Then you should get going . I’ll see you tomorrow . ”

“Yes…”

Rachel trotted off . She seemed to be in a haste to get to the library . Did she want to study that much?
In any case, I headed deeper into the dorm .
My destination was a pavilion near room 201 . Someone was waiting there by the time I arrived . I walked up to her . She seemed to have seen me too as she lightly waved her hand .

“You’re here . ”

Yoo Yeonha spoke with a bright smile . Just like always, her casual clothes were black . Her white skin suited her black blouse and black skirts .

“Yeah . ”

“So, why did you call me?”

Yoo Yeonha looked at me with eyes full of interest .
The reason I came to her was simple .
It was because of the ginseng I found when I went to Suwon with Kim Suho . It was a five-year-old ginseng, and I thought carefully about how to use it .
I didn’t plan on selling it as I now had more than enough money .
The best use of it would be to produce medicine, but I didn’t have the connections and equipment to do so . I tried using Stigma’s magic power just in case that was possible, but it seemed two streaks of Stigma was nowhere close to being enough .

“You made a pharmaceutical firm, right?”

“… . ”

Yoo Yeonha flinched at my straightforward question . But anyone could have found out about it . Most people in Cube already knew that Yoo Yeonha was doing business .

“…It’s been about two months . My close acquaintances all know about it . What about it?”

Yoo Yeonha’s pharmaceutical firm was destined to succeed .
I had Hosup do a quick background check, and it seemed

it wasn’t going so well currently . Although she had the researchers and necessary equipment in place, she was lacking materials .
It was understandable . For the current Yoo Yeonha, finding a proper ginseng digger would be difficult . Most skilled ginseng diggers already had exclusive contracts with giant pharmaceutical companies, and these companies were true giants that wouldn’t flinch at Essence of the Strait’s name .

However, ‘pharmaceutics’ was a huge industry in this world, so Yoo Yeonha wouldn’t give up .
Eventually, her pharmaceutical firm would become one of the top three pharmaceutical companies . Thanks to the ‘connections’ Yoo Yeonha was always obsessed about, it would only take ten years .

“Here . ”

I threw her the ginseng . Yoo Yeonha received it with a confused look . Once she identified it, her jaws dropped .
With this, I hoped I could be considered one of her ‘connections’ .

“T-This… . ”

“It’s a five-year-old ginseng . Use it for research, and you can pay me back later with a high quality medicine . ”

That’s what I said .
The person in charge of Yoo Yeonha’s pharmaceutical firm… if I remembered correctly, his Gift was ‘Researcher’ .
With this Gift, he never forgot a technique he acquired . I wouldn’t have to wait long until I could receive high-intermediate rank medicines .
Yoo Yeonha looked back and forth between me and the ginseng, then put the ginseng away .

“Where did you get this? Ginsengs don’t appear often in the market these days… . ”

Immediately after saying that, Yoo Yeonha flinched . The market she was referring to was Violet Banquet, a black market . She started to sweat a little bit, and I smirked .

“It’s possible, right?”

“…Ah, yes, of course . I’ll even pay you back with interest . It will take a while though . ”

“That’s fine . ”

I gave her a thumbs up . Yoo Yeonha stared at me calmly, then made a mischievous smile .

“…By the way, have you prepared for the singing competition?”

“Yeah, I picked a song, and I went to a rehearsal this morning . ”

“This morning?”

“Yeah, that’s why I wasn’t in class for the morning announcements . ”

Cube even hired professional musicians for the Class Competitions . They were all people with Gifts related to music, and they arranged the song I chose in under an hour .

“Huhu, then can I look forward to it?”

Yoo Yeonha seemed to be laughing at the thought of me singing, but I retorted confidently .

“Yeah, look forward to it . It’ll go beyond your expectations . ”

Then suddenly, Yoo Yeonha’s smartwatch vibrated . It was a call . Yoo Yeonha glanced at her smartwatch, then looked back at me .

“I’ll take my leave now . ”

“Yes, thank you . I’ll return today’s favor two… no, threefold in the future . ”

When I tactfully turned to take my leave, Yoo Yeonha picked up the call with earphones .
But suddenly, I grew curious of its content, so I strained my ears . My Gift, Observation and Reading, activated, making me eavesdrop on Yoo Yeonha’s call .

—…Yes, I’m in Daehyun hospital . Nurses are saying that Chae Jinyoon’s finger just moved . I stopped by to check if it was true .

When I heard this voice, my feet suddenly stopped in place .
I quickly turned around and faced Yoo Yeonha .

“Really?”

—Yes, but…

“Ah, hold on a minute . ”

Yoo Yeonha put the call on hold and glanced up at me . I asked without caring about being tactful .

“…What is it for?”

“Uh, well, just networking . ”

“…I see . ”

“Um… what’s up with that face?”

I turned

turned around without answering her .
I felt a stinging pain on my temple . I pondered as I walked in a daze .
Chae Jinyoon’s finger moved .
Of course, it might have been a mistake by the nurses, or even a simple convulsion . But regardless, this news made my heart beat harshly .

“… . ”

After walking for a while, I came across a bench . I sat down .
I fell in thought, almost soullessly .
The point the seed germinates .
I needed to know the specific time .
Now that my feet were on fire, I remembered the Book of Truth . I immediately opened it and asked .

‘When will the Devil’s Seed in Chae Jinyoon germinate?’

The Book of Truth didn’t tell me the answer, meaning Stigma’s magic power wasn’t enough .
I broadened the scope of the question and asked again .

‘Give me an approximate estimate on how much the Devil’s Seed in Chae Jinyoon has developed . ’

This time, all two streaks of Stigma were sucked away .
Then, the number 89% was engraved in the book’s page .
89% .
Assuming that the seed has a five-year incubation period, I only had half a year left .
Half a year .
Six months .
Before the end of winter and the return of spring… that was it .
I didn’t have much time .

With a stiff face, I held up my smartwatch .
‘When will you contact me again?’
Boss’ message entered my eyes .
 

—Cube’s first-year Class Competitions begins now!

The first-year cadets’ long awaited Class Competitions finally began .
The first day of Class Competitions started with a soccer tournament . Everyone from Veritas class went out to cheer for the eleven classmates who were participating . While most cadets were rejoicing at the fact that there would be no Phenomenon Realm Analysis class, the soccer match began .

“…Wow . ”

That was my reaction after observing the match for just twenty minutes .
I was glad I wasn’t participating .
That was how intense it was . Although using magic power was forbidden, cadets were existences whose physical abilities had transcended those of humans . For these monsters who could run 100 meters in 3 seconds, it was impossible to hold a normal soccer match .
The soccer ball flew back and forth, as did the players . I watched this wuxia world soccer match like I was watching a movie .
Then suddenly, Rachel, who was sitting next to me, poked my shoulder .

“Hm?”

When I turned around, Rachel looked at me and mumbled .

“Um… . ”

“Yes?”

“Today’s singing… . ”

“What about it?”

“What song… . ”

“What song am I singing?”

Rachel nodded . She seemed a bit worried, but also scared . Was she worried that I would fail? How kind .
I replied with a smile .

“Have you heard of If?”

“Yes?”

It didn’t look like she knew . I couldn’t blame her . If was a song released in 2008 .
Perhaps because I mentioned a couple real singers when I was writing this novel, ‘Taeyeon’ existed in this world as well . Naturally, her song, ‘If’, also existed .
Although it was a song from a female artist, I chose the song because I empathized with the song’s lyrics, specifically the line, ‘I’m afraid to meet because of the goodbye that would come in the future’ .

“Rachel-ssi probably hasn’t heard of it . It was released in 2008 . ”

“…2008?”

“I think so . ”

I had to lower the key, but the musicians Cube hired made all the necessary arrangements . They

They even praised me, calling me a great singer .

“Whooa!”

At that moment, the crowd broke out into cheers . I looked at the match and saw Kim Suho doing a goal celebration . Now that I think about it, the Class Competitions was a way to make Kim Suho shine .

“… . ”

Then, I discovered Chae Nayun sitting in the front seat, happily cheering .
A part of me immediately felt uneasy .
Did Chae Nayun hear the news? Did she know that her older brother would wake up in half a year?
At that moment, Chae Nayun turned around and met my eyes . I gave her a weak smile, then turned away .

…Time passed by, and the 90-minute-long soccer match ended .
Our class was the obvious winner .
Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak scored three goals and two goals respectively, and the opponent didn’t score a single time thanks to Yi Yeonghan’s miraculous saves and Kim Horak’s stalwart defense .
 

Outdoor competitions continued until 5 P . M . Afterwards, cadets moved to the indoor auditorium to watch today’s final event, the singing competition .
In the auditorium that had a maximum capacity of 4000 people, second and third-year cadets could also be seen .

“Oh right, Class Competitions are only for first-years . That’s why there are so many seniors here . ”

Chae Nayun, who was looking around the auditorium wondering why there were so many upperclassmen, finally came to a realization . Yoo Yeonha retorted lightly .

“Yeah, our second-year seniors can’t participate even if they wanted to, so they’re spectating instead . ”

“Is Kim Hajin really going to represent our class?”

As she said that, Chae Nayun looked around . Kim Hajin was nowhere to be seen . He was likely in the waiting room, and Chae Nayun couldn’t help but worry .
No matter how much she thought about it, Kim Hajin didn’t look like the type who could sing well . He looked like a stereotypical tone-deaf person . Wouldn’t he just embarrass their class?

“He looked confident . He told me to look forward to it, so I am . ”

Yoo Yeonha snickered and turned her gaze to the stage .
The emcee appeared at that moment .
He exchanged small talk with the audience, then started the singing competition at exactly 6 o’clock .
The first on stage was Neilee, a female American cadet from the World class .

—I… chose a song called Promise .

Neilee sang an R&B song called Promise .

“Oh, I know this song . ”

Chae Nayun got excited as it was one of the songs she liked .
Neilee met Chae Nayun’s expectations, heating up the atmosphere with her explosive voice and vibrations .

“…She’s gotta be the first place winner . ”

“Yeah, she’s a great singer . ”

Kim Suho suddenly replied to Chae Nayun’s mutter . He had approached her before she noticed .

“Kim Suho? When did you get here?”

“Just now . So when is Hajin coming up?”

“I don’t know . ”

After Neilee, a Chinese cadet from Cultivation class named Jin Harim came up . He sang a song called ‘Sad Day’, yet another song laced with high notes .
It was the same for the cadet after Jin Harim .
Cadets chosen as their representatives all chose songs with high notes and powerful climax .
The competition continued and eventually reached the ninth stage .

“Auu, my ears . ”

Chae Nayun and many of the cadets in the audience were growing tired of hearing the same kind of songs . It was then .
Tak, tak .
Kim Hajin walked up to the stage with resounding footsteps . resounding footsteps .
He was dressed nicely unlike his usual self . His black jacket and jeans suiting him well, and he seemed taller than usual as though he had shoe inserts .

“Ooh, look at Hajin~”

The corners of Kim Suho’s mouth were practically hung on his ears as he looked at Kim Hajin . Chae Nayun was dumbstruck looking at such Kim Suho .

—Please introduce yourself .

The emcee told Kim Hajin .
Until then, the audience was still noisy . Perhaps because the eighth contender sang too well, everyone was busy talking among themselves to pay attention to Kim Hajin .
However…

—I’m Kim Hajin from the Veritas class .

A single sentence by Kim Hajin silenced the crowd . The way his voice rang on the microphone was surprisingly pleasant .

—I prepared a song called If .

—If?

—Yes . I don’t think many people have heard of it . It was released in 2008 .

Then, the audience began to stir .

“What?”
“2008? Is it trot?”[1]
“Is he an attention whore?”

2008 .
That was when first-year cadets were born . Hearing that the music was from almost two decades ago, most cadets seemed to think it was old-fashioned .
However, Kim Hajin remained unperturbed and began .

—Then I’ll start .

The lights went off other than the stage light shining on Kim Hajin, and monotonous piano accompaniment rang out . Soon, Kim Hajin’s breath melted into the piano sound…

—If I were to go…

And the first line of the song rang out . That was enough . That single line scattered the audience’s complaints away .
His soft vocals seemingly embraced the auditorium .
First line, second line… . As the slow song progressed, the auditorium grew quieter until only his voice filled the huge auditorium .

—Because I’m like a fool, and can only watch you from afar…

With his eyes closed, Kim Hajin recited the lyrics like he was savoring them . There wasn’t a single high note or fancy technique . However, his impossibly beautiful voice captivated the entire audience . Heavy, delicate, sweet, and temperate; everyone held their breaths as they savored this moment .

“…His voice . ”

Chae Nayun murmured in a daze . Sincere goosebumps rose up on her arms, while her eyes captured Kim Hajin’s singing figure . His voice seemed to flutter in front of her, shining brilliantly to the point that she felt like she could touch it if she reached out just a bit .

—Because I’m afraid of the sadness and hurt that comes after our meeting .

The final line of the song was the nail in the coffin . A cold falsetto perfectly melded into the heated atmosphere . Even after the song ended, the audience was in a daze as though they just woke up from a dream .
Soon, they applauded .
However, Chae Nayun stayed still without any motion .
The song no one in the audience had heard about was brilliantly perfected by Kim Hajin . Its lyrics were still lingering in her ears .

“Thank you . ”

Kim Hajin made a bashful smile as he bowed to the audience .
At that moment, his eyes met Rachel’s . For some reason, Rachel’s eyes were wet with sorrow .

‘This music is pretty sad . ’

Thinking so, Kim Hajin smiled lightly .
But behind Rachel was Chae Nayun . When he discovered Chae Nayun, the smile on his face disappeared, and he turned around feeling a bit uncomfortable .

Soon, he received an alert on his smartwatch .

[You obtain 98 SP!]
[Luck bonus activates! You obtain 15% additional SP!]

 

1 .  https://en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Trot_(music) 

Chapter 91 . Fake and Real 3 Hm . Thursday, after end of classes . Currently, I was standing in front of the Dorm 2 entrance . Dorm 2 was the girls dorm, so it was the last place I expected to visit . But I had no other choice . If I didn t get it over with today, it would be too late . Class Competitions were starting tomorrow, and once that was over, everyone would be busy preparing for the midterms in two weeks . It wasn t that I would be busy, but the person I was planning on meeting was . After taking in a deep breath, I walked into Dorm 2 s pretty entrance . Not long afterwards, I ran into someone unexpected . Wearing comfortable clothes, she seemed to be on her way to the library . I greeted her . Rachel ssi When Rachel saw me, she stopped in place and swallowed hard . It didn t look like she planned on moving from that spot, so I approached her first . Are you going to the library Y Yes what are you doing here Ah, I have something to do . I replied with a smile . Then, I examined her carefully . During exam periods, she looked a bit different . Her hair seemed more disheveled and unkempt . She seemed to be pushing herself because I was her competitor . Oh right, you haven t been asking me any questions lately . I thought I should try to solve them myself before going to seek help Also, Hajin ssi needs to study too . Oh really If you re having trouble, you can always ask me . I m fine with it . In response, Rachel nodded silently . I wanted to go with her to the library, but I didn t have time . Then you should get going . I ll see you tomorrow . Yes Rachel trotted off . She seemed to be in a haste to get to the library . Did she want to study that much In any case, I headed deeper into the dorm . My destination was a pavilion near room 201 . Someone was waiting there by the time I arrived . I walked up to her . She seemed to have seen me too as she lightly waved her hand . You re here . Yoo Yeonha spoke with a bright smile . Just like always, her casual clothes were black . Her white skin suited her black blouse and black skirts . Yeah . So, why did you call me Yoo Yeonha looked at me with eyes full of interest . The reason I came to her was simple . It was because of the ginseng I found when I went to Suwon with Kim Suho . It was a five year old ginseng, and I thought carefully about how to use it . I didn t plan on selling it as I now had more than enough money . The best use of it would be to produce medicine, but I didn t have the connections and equipment to do so . I tried using Stigma s magic power just in case that was possible, but it seemed two streaks of Stigma was nowhere close to being enough . You made a pharmaceutical firm, right . Yoo Yeonha flinched at my straightforward question . But anyone could have found out about it . Most people in Cube already knew that Yoo Yeonha was doing business . It s been about two months . My close acquaintances all know about it . What about it Yoo Yeonha s pharmaceutical firm was destined to succeed . I had Hosup do a quick background check, and it seemed it wasn t going so well currently . Although she had the researchers and necessary equipment in place, she was lacking materials . It was understandable . For the current Yoo Yeonha, finding a proper ginseng digger would be difficult . Most skilled ginseng diggers already had exclusive contracts with giant pharmaceutical companies, and these companies were true giants that wouldn t flinch at Essence of the Strait s name . However, pharmaceutics was a huge industry in this world, so Yoo Yeonha wouldn t give up . Eventually, her pharmaceutical firm would become one of the top three pharmaceutical companies . Thanks to the connections Yoo Yeonha was always obsessed about, it would only take ten years . Here . I threw her the ginseng . Yoo Yeonha received it with a confused look . Once she identified it, her jaws dropped . With this, I hoped I could be considered one of her connections . T This . It s a five year old ginseng . Use it for research, and you can pay me back later with a high quality medicine . That s what I said . The person in charge of Yoo Yeonha s pharmaceutical firm if I remembered correctly, his Gift was Researcher . With this Gift, he never forgot a technique he acquired . I wouldn t have to wait long until I could receive high intermediate rank medicines . Yoo Yeonha looked back and forth between me and the ginseng, then put the ginseng away . Where did you get this Ginsengs don t appear often in the market these days . Immediately after saying that, Yoo Yeonha flinched . The market she was referring to was Violet Banquet, a black market . She started to sweat a little bit, and I smirked . It s possible, right Ah, yes, of course . I ll even pay you back with interest . It will take a while though . That s fine . I gave her a thumbs up . Yoo Yeonha stared at me calmly, then made a mischievous smile . By the way, have you prepared for the singing competition Yeah, I picked a song, and I went to a rehearsal this morning . This morning Yeah, that s why I wasn t in class for the morning announcements . Cube even hired professional musicians for the Class Competitions . They were all people with Gifts related to music, and they arranged the song I chose in under an hour . Huhu, then can I look forward to it Yoo Yeonha seemed to be laughing at the thought of me singing, but I retorted confidently . Yeah, look forward to it . It ll go beyond your expectations . Then suddenly, Yoo Yeonha s smartwatch vibrated . It was a call . Yoo Yeonha glanced at her smartwatch, then looked back at me . I ll take my leave now . Yes, thank you . I ll return today s favor two no, threefold in the future . When I tactfully turned to take my leave, Yoo Yeonha picked up the call with earphones . But suddenly, I grew curious of its content, so I strained my ears . My Gift, Observation and Reading, activated, making me eavesdrop on Yoo Yeonha s call . Yes, I m in Daehyun hospital . Nurses are saying that Chae Jinyoon s finger just moved . I stopped by to check if it was true . When I heard this voice, my feet suddenly stopped in place . I quickly turned around and faced Yoo Yeonha . Really Yes, but Ah, hold on a minute . Yoo Yeonha put the call on hold and glanced up at me . I asked without caring about being tactful . What is it for Uh, well, just networking . I see . Um what s up with that face I turned around without answering her . I felt a stinging pain on my temple . I pondered as I walked in a daze . Chae Jinyoon s finger moved . Of course, it might have been a mistake by the nurses, or even a simple convulsion . But regardless, this news made my heart beat harshly . . After walking for a while, I came across a bench . I sat down . I fell in thought, almost soullessly . The point the seed germinates . I needed to know the specific time . Now that my feet were on fire, I remembered the Book of Truth . I immediately opened it and asked . When will the Devil s Seed in Chae Jinyoon germinate The Book of Truth didn t tell me the answer, meaning Stigma s magic power wasn t enough . I broadened the scope of the question and asked again . Give me an approximate estimate on how much the Devil s Seed in Chae Jinyoon has developed . This time, all two streaks of Stigma were sucked away . Then, the number 89 was engraved in the book s page . 89 . Assuming that the seed has a five year incubation period, I only had half a year left . Half a year . Six months . Before the end of winter and the return of spring that was it . I didn t have much time . With a stiff face, I held up my smartwatch . When will you contact me again Boss message entered my eyes . Cube s first year Class Competitions begins now The first year cadets long awaited Class Competitions finally began . The first day of Class Competitions started with a soccer tournament . Everyone from Veritas class went out to cheer for the eleven classmates who were participating . While most cadets were rejoicing at the fact that there would be no Phenomenon Realm Analysis class, the soccer match began . Wow . That was my reaction after observing the match for just twenty minutes . I was glad I wasn t participating . That was how intense it was . Although using magic power was forbidden, cadets were existences whose physical abilities had transcended those of humans . For these monsters who could run 100 meters in 3 seconds, it was impossible to hold a normal soccer match . The soccer ball flew back and forth, as did the players . I watched this wuxia world soccer match like I was watching a movie . Then suddenly, Rachel, who was sitting next to me, poked my shoulder . Hm When I turned around, Rachel looked at me and mumbled . Um . Yes Today s singing . What about it What song . What song am I singing Rachel nodded . She seemed a bit worried, but also scared . Was she worried that I would fail How kind . I replied with a smile . Have you heard of If Yes It didn t look like she knew . I couldn t blame her . If was a song released in 2008 . Perhaps because I mentioned a couple real singers when I was writing this novel, Taeyeon existed in this world as well . Naturally, her song, If , also existed . Although it was a song from a female artist, I chose the song because I empathized with the song s lyrics, specifically the line, I m afraid to meet because of the goodbye that would come in the future . Rachel ssi probably hasn t heard of it . It was released in 2008 . 2008 I think so . I had to lower the key, but the musicians Cube hired made all the necessary arrangements . They even praised me, calling me a great singer . Whooa At that moment, the crowd broke out into cheers . I looked at the match and saw Kim Suho doing a goal celebration . Now that I think about it, the Class Competitions was a way to make Kim Suho shine . . Then, I discovered Chae Nayun sitting in the front seat, happily cheering . A part of me immediately felt uneasy . Did Chae Nayun hear the news Did she know that her older brother would wake up in half a year At that moment, Chae Nayun turned around and met my eyes . I gave her a weak smile, then turned away . Time passed by, and the 90 minute long soccer match ended . Our class was the obvious winner . Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak scored three goals and two goals respectively, and the opponent didn t score a single time thanks to Yi Yeonghan s miraculous saves and Kim Horak s stalwart defense . Outdoor competitions continued until 5 P . M . Afterwards, cadets moved to the indoor auditorium to watch today s final event, the singing competition . In the auditorium that had a maximum capacity of 4000 people, second and third year cadets could also be seen . Oh right, Class Competitions are only for first years . That s why there are so many seniors here . Chae Nayun, who was looking around the auditorium wondering why there were so many upperclassmen, finally came to a realization . Yoo Yeonha retorted lightly . Yeah, our second year seniors can t participate even if they wanted to, so they re spectating instead . Is Kim Hajin really going to represent our class As she said that, Chae Nayun looked around . Kim Hajin was nowhere to be seen . He was likely in the waiting room, and Chae Nayun couldn t help but worry . No matter how much she thought about it, Kim Hajin didn t look like the type who could sing well . He looked like a stereotypical tone deaf person . Wouldn t he just embarrass their class He looked confident . He told me to look forward to it, so I am . Yoo Yeonha snickered and turned her gaze to the stage . The emcee appeared at that moment . He exchanged small talk with the audience, then started the singing competition at exactly 6 o clock . The first on stage was Neilee, a female American cadet from the World class . I chose a song called Promise . Neilee sang an R B song called Promise . Oh, I know this song . Chae Nayun got excited as it was one of the songs she liked . Neilee met Chae Nayun s expectations, heating up the atmosphere with her explosive voice and vibrations . She s gotta be the first place winner . Yeah, she s a great singer . Kim Suho suddenly replied to Chae Nayun s mutter . He had approached her before she noticed . Kim Suho When did you get here Just now . So when is Hajin coming up I don t know . After Neilee, a Chinese cadet from Cultivation class named Jin Harim came up . He sang a song called Sad Day , yet another song laced with high notes . It was the same for the cadet after Jin Harim . Cadets chosen as their representatives all chose songs with high notes and powerful climax . The competition continued and eventually reached the ninth stage . Auu, my ears . Chae Nayun and many of the cadets in the audience were growing tired of hearing the same kind of songs . It was then . Tak, tak . Kim Hajin walked up to the stage with resounding footsteps . He was dressed nicely unlike his usual self . His black jacket and jeans suiting him well, and he seemed taller than usual as though he had shoe inserts . Ooh, look at Hajin The corners of Kim Suho s mouth were practically hung on his ears as he looked at Kim Hajin . Chae Nayun was dumbstruck looking at such Kim Suho . Please introduce yourself . The emcee told Kim Hajin . Until then, the audience was still noisy . Perhaps because the eighth contender sang too well, everyone was busy talking among themselves to pay attention to Kim Hajin . However I m Kim Hajin from the Veritas class . A single sentence by Kim Hajin silenced the crowd . The way his voice rang on the microphone was surprisingly pleasant . I prepared a song called If . If Yes . I don t think many people have heard of it . It was released in 2008 . Then, the audience began to stir . What 2008 Is it trot 1 Is he an attention whore 2008 . That was when first year cadets were born . Hearing that the music was from almost two decades ago, most cadets seemed to think it was old fashioned . However, Kim Hajin remained unperturbed and began . Then I ll start . The lights went off other than the stage light shining on Kim Hajin, and monotonous piano accompaniment rang out . Soon, Kim Hajin s breath melted into the piano sound If I were to go And the first line of the song rang out . That was enough . That single line scattered the audience s complaints away . His soft vocals seemingly embraced the auditorium . First line, second line . As the slow song progressed, the auditorium grew quieter until only his voice filled the huge auditorium . Because I m like a fool, and can only watch you from afar With his eyes closed, Kim Hajin recited the lyrics like he was savoring them . There wasn t a single high note or fancy technique . However, his impossibly beautiful voice captivated the entire audience . Heavy, delicate, sweet, and temperate everyone held their breaths as they savored this moment . His voice . Chae Nayun murmured in a daze . Sincere goosebumps rose up on her arms, while her eyes captured Kim Hajin s singing figure . His voice seemed to flutter in front of her, shining brilliantly to the point that she felt like she could touch it if she reached out just a bit . Because I m afraid of the sadness and hurt that comes after our meeting . The final line of the song was the nail in the coffin . A cold falsetto perfectly melded into the heated atmosphere . Even after the song ended, the audience was in a daze as though they just woke up from a dream . Soon, they applauded . However, Chae Nayun stayed still without any motion . The song no one in the audience had heard about was brilliantly perfected by Kim Hajin . Its lyrics were still lingering in her ears . Thank you . Kim Hajin made a bashful smile as he bowed to the audience . At that moment, his eyes met Rachel s . For some reason, Rachel s eyes were wet with sorrow . This music is pretty sad . Thinking so, Kim Hajin smiled lightly . But behind Rachel was Chae Nayun . When he discovered Chae Nayun, the smile on his face disappeared, and he turned around feeling a bit uncomfortable . Soon, he received an alert on his smartwatch . You obtain 98 SP Luck bonus activates You obtain 15 additional SP 1 . https en . wikipedia . org wiki Trot music

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