Chapter 205. Graduation Ceremony, A Renewed Heart (2)

“A… partner?”
– Carrie Cloudia is doing an American Tour from May to July. A notice recruiting a female dancer for the title song ‘Coming’, had just appeared.
“Wait, a dancer? And from May to July?”

JooAh’s voice became louder.

“Oppa, I have my own activities to do at that time. And also, a backup dancer? You know who I am, and you still say those words?”
– Well, you’re completely new to the American market. You can’t just kick it away because this is dancer recruitment. Also, don’t you think that kicking away this opportunity is not good just because of immediate profits?
“That’s…”

He was completely right.
Being pointed out by KangYoon, JooAh became silent.

– JooAh. Even if you’re the best in Asia, here, you’re just…
“I know, I know, alright? You don’t have to tell me that.”

JooAh grumbled at the phone since her pride had snapped.
The people in the lobby looked at her like looking at a strange person, but nothing entered her eyes.

“You can’t do this to me.”
– I can’t? Hahaha. Sheesh, you’re one tough woman.
“Oppa!”

JooAh snapped, but KangYoon spoke calmly without minding that.

– Yeon JooAh, go back to your roots.
“Ugh…”

She had nothing to say.
She had constantly reminded herself that she was starting from the bottom, but it seemed that going back to her roots wasn’t that easy.
JooAh looked down powerlessly.

– Come home once you set your mind. okay?
“…Fine.”

After the call, JooAh put her phone inside her pocket.

‘Tch. This is frustrating. He always pokes where it hurts.’

Grumbling at KangYoon, who wasn’t even here, JooAh left the lobby with a frown.

***

The concert business was hot from December to February.
This was the period when most concerts took place.
As such, Elin Illumination, one of the best concert lighting companies in Korea, was having a very busy time.

“That day is Fallin’s concert, and the day after that is…”

At the President’s office.
The President, Kang InSoo, had a satisfied smile on his face while looking at the plans that were filled until March.

“Hahaha. It would be nice if this actually happened.”

Since the business was going well, he was feeling good. It would be wonderful if every day was like this, but that was simply impossible.
Just as he was about to sign some documents, the telephone started ringing.

– President, there’s a guest.

Being guided by a secretary, the short-statured middle-aged man extended his hand to President Kang InSoo.

“Long time no see, President Kang.”
“Welcome, Director Yoo. It’s been a long time.”

The middle-aged man, Director Yoo GyungTae of MG Entertainment, received a cup of coffee from the secretary and crossed his short, thick legs.

“I should have visited more frequently, but lately, I had some things to do. Forgive me on that one.”
“Not at all. I should have visited as well….”
“Nah. Rather than that, Secretary Yoon is as pretty as ever. Hahaha.”

After complimenting the secretary’s looks, Director Yoo GyungTae started talking about his reason for visiting.

“We decided to hold an encore concert with ECTM this time at the central hall. President Kang, you are going to join us, aren’t you?”
“Hahaha. Is that so? I’ll definitely be joining since you’re inviting me. When is it/”

Although Director Yoo GyungTae’s words had a slightly imperative tone, President Kang InSoo’s eyes shone.
ECTM was currently the most well-off male idol group that MG had right now. Moreover, ‘central hall’ referred to the biggest concert venue in all of Korea, the multipurpose hall of the World Cup Stadium.
There was no reason for him to back out on this.

“It’s at the end of February. As for the date…”

But then, when Director Yoo GyungTae told him about the date, President Kang InSoo’s eyes turned strange.

“It just has to be on that day….”
“What is it? You can’t join me?”
“The thing is…”

Friday, Saturday, Sunday in the last week of February.
Kim JaeHoon’s concert just had to be on that day.
Director Yoo GyungTae, seemingly unaware of it, urged him to speak.

“You have plans already? Oh well, I can’t help it then. You can’t just break a contract.”
“*Ehem*… it’s, not like that…”

Kim JaeHoon vs ECTM
World Entertainment vs MG Entertainment.
Comparing the size of the stage as well as the size of the audience, the more profitable one was clear in his eyes.

“Hey, this is unlike you.”
“Ah, not at all. We, we can do it. Hahaha.”
“Right? I knew it, President Kang! Actually, You would have put me in a difficult position if you rejected me. Hahahaha!”

Director Yoo GyungTae pat President Kang InSoo’s shoulders joyfully.
He promised him to treat him to dinner before leaving.

“I’ll send you the papers by today.”
“Yes, Director.”

After Director Yoo GyungTae left, President Kang InSoo sighed in his office.

“…Yeah. MG is better in many ways, I’m sure.”

He was worried that a strange rumor would appear within the industry, and he also felt apologetic, but profit was more important.
He picked up his phone after resolving himself.

***

“World should be in a tight spot this time.”

Leaving Elin Illumination, Director Yoo GyungTae smirked.
Actually, there was another lighting company that MG had subcontracted for ECTM’s concert. However, he went to Elin Illumination for the encore concert. There was the fact that Elin Illumination was one of the best in the industry, but there was also another purpose.

“If the contract goes down the drain, they’ll have to pick other companies, and it won’t be easy installing all those equipment. Moreover, Lee KangYoon isn’t the type of guy who would randomly pick his business partners… Lee HyunJi will be in a tight spot too then. Heheh, this seems fun.”

Thinking that World Entertainment, a thorn in his eyes, will have a hard time this time, Director Yoo GyungTae felt refreshed.

(T/N: Never could he imagine KangYoon pulled JooAh out of her activities for two months, lol. Even more considering that’s the concert period, and there’s practice to do…)

***

The day of HeeYoon’s graduation.
Before they left the house, KangYoon smiled awkwardly while looking at the entrance ticket for the graduation ceremony.

“To think you’d need a ticket to go to a graduation ceremony… It feels kinda weird.”

HeeYoon smiled as he tied KangYoon’s necktie.

“The graduation ceremony is separate for each department. They also collect the names of the attendants beforehand. I got two because both you and JooAh were coming. There, all done.”

KangYoon was satisfied with his indigo-colored tie and put his coat on.
JooAh, who was putting make-up on in the living room, suddenly shouted.

“HeeYoooooon! Tint, do you have any tint?”
“Tint? I only have an orange one.”
“That’s fine. Can I borrow it? I forgot that I ran out of it.”

JooAh borrowed a tint from HeeYoon and put it on in a hurry.
After everyone was ready, KangYoon drove everyone to the college.

“Then see you later, oppa.”

HeeYoon headed towards the second floor as they entered the hall.
KangYoon and JooAh entered the hall after handing in the tickets that HeeYoon gave them.

“…Oppa, is that an instrument?”

JooAh was taken aback by the grandeur of the pipe organ that was on the stage.
KangYoon exclaimed at the bright white light that the pipe organ was producing and nodded.

“It’s called a pipe organ, and it’s nicknamed the king of musical instruments.”
“The king of musical instruments, huh? Well, it’s huge… and it’s cool too. I wanna dance to it.”
“Pfft, nice idea.”

The two-headed to some seats in the middle of the crowd where they could see the stage well.

‘Looks like she’s set her mind.’

The dejected JooAh from a few days ago wasn’t here anymore.
She seemed unwavering as though she had come to a decision.

“What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“You’re no fun.”

JooAh seemed mesmerized by the grandeur of the pipe organ as she closed her eyes and listened in.
Some time passed and the graduation ceremony began.
Amidst a serious atmosphere, the conferment ceremony for the master’s degree began.
Everyone passionately applauded when a physically impaired person received an honorary master’s degree.
After the master’s degree, the conferment of the bachelor’s degree began.

[Number XX-9283-585 HEEYOON LEE.]

After her colleagues received theirs, HeeYoon received the degree from the dean.
Seeing HeeYoon having a light hug with the old dean after a handshake, KangYoon’s eyes reddened.

‘……’

His sister was barely capable of everyday life before and now here she was, receiving a degree after a long period of studying overseas. And with music of all things.
He only wanted her to stay healthy…

“…Here.”
“Ah….”

KangYoon wiped his tears with the tissue that JooAh offered him.
It seemed that he got emotional.
When HeeYoon turned around to greet everyone else, KangYoon couldn’t even look at her straight.
JooAh would usually tease him for such actions, but she only patted his back this time.

‘You’ve worked hard.’
‘……’

KangYoon smiled gently seeing JooAh act like this.
After the conferment ceremony, HeeYoon, wearing a gown, ran towards where JooAh and KangYoon were.

“Oppa!”

HeeYoon excitedly rushed into his arms.

“Whoa, there.”
“Hahahaha.”

HeeYoon seemed excited as though she was liberated.
Seeing a good scene, JooAh, took out her phone and opened the camera app.

“There, photos are for times like this. Stay there.”
“Oppa, try this on.”

HeeYoon put the academic cap on KangYoon’s head.
Wearing such a thing for the first time, KangYoon felt a little strange.

“There there, here it goes.”

JooAh took photos of the two and received the academic cap from KangYoon.
Soon, HeeYoon’s friends came around and greeted KangYoon and JooAh, took photos, and left behind memories of graduation.
On the way to the cafeteria, prepared for the graduates, KangYoon asked HeeYoon as though he had remembered something.

“Isn’t Reina graduating this year as well?”
“She took a year off for her musical. She’ll graduate next year. She told me she couldn’t make it today.”

After that, the three of them continued to immerse themselves in the joy of graduation.
After the meal, JooAh went to the MG Entertainment’s American branch for practice, while HeeYoon headed home to pack her things.

“Oppa, don’t you have to help HeeYoon out?”

Seeing that KangYoon was accompanying her to the company, JooAh asked in surprise and KangYoon shook his hand saying that it was okay.

“Most of it is done. HeeYoon should be fine doing the rest.”
“But even so, she should…”
“Don’t you need my help right now?”
“……”

JooAh was at a loss for words.
He was harsh at times, but at times like this, he was also…

“…JinSeo has it good.”
“What?”
“Nah, it’s nothing. Fine, I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”
“Ouch, it hurts.”

JooAh put KangYoon into a headlock.
As soon as they arrived at the branch company of MG Entertainment, JooAh changed her clothes and did some light stretches.
KangYoon played the video of Carrie Cloudia’s ‘Coming’.
JooAh lightly tapped with her foot along with the cheerful jazz music.

“So I have to dance like the woman next to her?”

JooAh pointed at the white woman who appeared in the chorus and danced next to Carrie Cloudia.

“Yes.”
“But man, both of them are so tall. They look to be 170 at least?”
“I heard that Carrie was 172cm tall.”
“…That’s huge. Won’t I end up looking like a cicada on an old tree?”
“Actually, you might complement each other. You can’t change your height, so don’t worry about that.”
“Okay.”

JooAh couldn’t take her eyes off the singer in the video, Carrie.
Carrie was very proficient with the dance that required moving elastically while in a horse-riding stance, but meanwhile, the other white woman couldn’t keep up easily. It was a small difference, but JooAh’s eyes were sharp.

“She’s a little awkward on this part, isn’t she? It’s not a big difference though…”
“Can you fill that gap?”
“With enough practice, sure.”

KangYoon nodded his head seeing that JooAh was confident.
After the video ended, JooAh stood up and stood in front of the mirror.

“Then shall we start?”

JooAh made a wave with her body.
Seeing her so confident, KangYoon thought.

‘Gold, huh. It won’t be easy.’

It wasn’t a problem with her.
KangYoon watched carefully as JooAh produced music notes with her steps.

‘It’s not about her foundations. The problem is how to create gold light.’

KangYoon thought about how he could make a white light dance to silver, then to gold.
All dances had a highlight.
The highlight of “Coming’s” choreography came just after the horse-riding stance where the sexy legs were emphasized along with a seductive expression.
JooAh also seemed to have noticed the importance of that part as she repeated the same part and thought about how to make it better.

“It’s hard…”

She repeatedly went back to the horse-riding stance and continued until the wave part, but JooAh didn’t seem to like her moves.

‘White.’

Even to KangYoon’s eyes, there were no signs of silver.
Forgetting to eat dinner, JooAh kept repeating the same moves, but she ended up collapsing on the floor without being satisfied with her moves.

“Urgh, so tiring…”
“Let’s rest a little then.”

KangYoon also gave her some advice throughout, but it wasn’t easy creating a silver light.
She tried smiling, emphasizing her legs more, and tried many other things but nothing was satisfactory.
Just as JooAh was lying down on the floor after drinking some water, KangYoon played back the video.

‘How is JooAh different to Carrie?’

KangYoon contemplated on the differences between the two people as he kept watching the long legs that Carrie showed through her skirt. (T/N: lewd.)

‘JooAh is small. The women in the video all have tall heights and pretty legs. However, their legs aren’t extremely pretty according to the standards here. Aren’t we too focused on copying the video?’

After organizing his thoughts, KangYoon called out to JooAh.

“Can you try doing what I say?”
“Do what?”

KangYoon asked for a change in the choreography.
He left out the wave after the problematic horse-riding stance and switched it out to a move that emphasized her waist a little more.
JooAh was worried while changing the choreography.

“Is it okay to change the choreography like this?”
“It’ll be better than just wearing clothes that don’t fit you.”
“Okay.”

JooAh changed the choreography like what KangYoon said.
Moreover, KangYoon had her tie the bottom of her shirt to show off her bellybutton a little.

“…Pervert.”
“I, I’m just trying things out!”
“Hahaha, it was a joke. Then here it goes.”

When the music flowed out, JooAh did a light twist. When she did, her thin stomach was revealed and it emphasized her thin waistline and hips.
She gave KangYoon a slight wink as she did the dance.
That was the end of the changed choreography.

“Oppa, how was it?”

JooAh asked KangYoon who was standing there absent-mindedly, but he didn’t answer her as though he had come across something strange.

‘Yes, that’s it!’

Silver.
KangYoon clenched his fist while looking at the light created by JooAh.