The Piano and The Past. /Johnny/

Chapter 27

The next day, as early as 5 am, Youngho was busy looking for something in his room. His mother knocked his door. "Can I come in?"

"Hm." He didn't look at her face once as he kept looking for something. "What is it, mom?"

"Are you looking for this?" She had something in her hand. A mysterious black covered thing.

Youngho smiled widely at her and hugged her. "Thanks."

"Anytime. It's nice to see you being like this again."

--

The recital participants were gathered in the backstage waiting room. They were grouped in their appearance orders. Doyoung was in the first two groups, and Nara was in the last three groups. The two met and greeted each other. Boram's violin recital was the next week, so she also came and cheered for Nara.

Nayeon also came, along with Haeun, she brought a camcorder to record everything and sent the video to their parents. They sat nervously. "Do you think she can do it?" Haeun asked Nayeon.

"As far as I can see, she can't. But I don't know why I don't have any bad feelings today..."

"Maybe because we sit next to these cute little boys." Haeun joked. Jaemin sat next to Haeun and Jisung, Chenle, Jeno, Haechan, Renjun, were next to him respectively.

"They're those boys from the hospital, right? The ones who visited Nara in their uniforms." Nayeon recalled the boys. Haechan remembered seeing Nayeon so he nodded at her. "You guys were at the hospital, right?" She asked him.

"Yes, we were. Nara noona is our friend." He thought of something. "Or let's just say she's our hyung's future girlfriend."

"Stop saying nonsense, hyung." Jisung responded.

"I'm fine with that statement." Nayeon chuckled. "I'm Nara's sister. You're here to cheer for her?"

"And Doyoung hyung. He's also performing." Jeno added.

"And for Nara noona's duet friend, Jinah ssi." Jaemin whispered at Jisung. The two giggled. Chenle lightly tapped Jisung's head to behave.

"Okay, sure. We can watch them all together." Haeun said, half laughing.

--

At the backstage, Nara got a call from Youngjin. She picked it up.

"Hm?"

'Good luck with your recital today, Nariya.'

"Thanks." Nara flexed her left wrist to make it move freely and less painful. She also reread her sheets to recall the notes. "Oppa, if you have nothing more to say, I-"

'I know I did you wrong, but I really need to be with you.'

"Can't you even pick the right timing? I'm preparing my recital right now."

'I'm sorry. Okay, look. I will come to you after your performance. Can we meet then?'

Nara fixed her hair and turned around. "Oppa, you know I-"

Youngho stood few feet in front of her. He was in his white suit, with black shirts underneath. Looking nervous, he tried to greet her. "Been a while."

She still had her phone sticked to her ear. Youngjin was still talking to her but she couldn't care less. "Why- what's going on?"

He walked toward Nara and showed something in his hand. Her gachapon. "To help you. I have promised you, haven't I?"

'Nariya? What's going on?'

"But- but, what's with your suit-"

Youngho smiled and took her left hand, putting the gachapon. "I'm going to lend you a hand tonight."

"How can you? I mean- you don't know what am I going to play-" Nara felt nothing but flustered. "And I don't think they allow a change in player-"

"Three weeks a long time, don't you think?" He teased her. "I haven't slept properly since. I'm so sleepy."

'Nariya, what's going on? What is he talking about?' Youngjin was still on the phone and Nara grasped into her sense.

"Ah, oppa. I have to hang up."

'I will come to you after your performance, okay?'

She stared at Youngho, who was nervously waiting for Nara's respond. "I'm sorry, I think you're too late for that." She hung up the phone.

/flashback/

Youngjin and Nara were having a fight since two days ago. She pushed him away. "You're always prioritising everything but me. I don't even know how this relationship even works anymore."

"You always overthink. We're okay. I do have something important to be done."

"Was that really important that I have to go home alone from that academy alone? It's my first time there and you were the one who asked me to go to that place."

He sighed in frustration. "You're not a little girl anymore, okay? You always go here and there without any problems. Now tell me why you're going home alone from that academy is a problem?"

"It's my first time there. And you promised me to be by my side for everything that turns me into a pianist. Not a problem then?"

"It was just a normal transporting like you usually do. I don't see anything wrong with that."

"You're so dense, aren't you?"

"What more now? Tell me everything that I know nothing about."

Nara sighed. "You're going to regret this. If you keep loosing the chance to be with me, then it's not my fault if someone is stealing me away from you."

Youngjin stared at her.

"If you're too late, then it's your fault. It's not mine." She said and walked away, holding her tears. Nara said that confidently but deep down she knew no one was trying to steal her from Youngjin. "You stupid."

/end of flashback/

Youngho looked at Nara. "He's going to be late coming in here? I mean, he's allowed to watch your performance, I was just-"

"He's already late anyway." Nara smiled at him and he was about to blush. It's been a while seeing her face again, even so seeing her smiled at him.

One of the staff came with a checkerboard. "Park Nara. B753."

"That's me." She approached the staff.

"Come with me. You will enter the stage from Door F6." He signalled her to follow him. Nara and Youngho walked together and the staff noticed this. "What are you doing?"

"We're going to play the piano...?" Youngho said.

"Yeah, but it's only her. Not you."

"We're playing together." Nara added. The word 'together' almost made Youngho's face turned red. Fortunately it was only his ears that turned red.

The staff's face became serious. "You know you're going to be disqualified if you do this, right?"

"It's my last recital anyway." She said excitedly to the staff.

Youngho almost didn't believe on what he just heard. As the staff went to check with the staff on Door F6, he tapped Nara's shoulder. "Tell me why this is your last recital."

"I'm quitting the academy. As of yesterday. No more chasing Youngjin oppa's dream. I want to continue my study."

He couldn't be any happier with her reason. He almost wanted to hug her that instance but the staff called her.

"Park Nara. Please enter the stage."