CHAPTER 16
The first day of the new semester.
The classroom was filled with unfamiliar tension.
‘How long has it been since I sat in a lecture room?’
It felt almost like visiting an old memory, so I found myself looking around for no reason.
“Seol!”
Moon Ah-rin came over, waving her hand enthusiastically. She quickly took the seat next to me and whispered with a grin.
“It’s so nice that we’re taking our major classes together, right?”
“Yeah.”
I smiled lightly and nodded. Ah-rin immediately began chatting away.
“This harmony class is taught by Professor Jung Tae-sung. He’s really nice and close with his students, so even though it’s a required course, it’s super hard to get a seat. Some people don’t get to take it until their senior year.”
I was half listening when more familiar faces entered the classroom.
“Oh!”
They spotted me too and looked surprised.
Lee Hyun-ji’s eyes curved into a bright smile as she approached warmly.
“Seol, you’re in this class too? I knew you’d pass for sure~. Oh, and everyone from our study group got accepted!”
Behind her stood Han So-yeon with a slightly sharp expression, Yoo Da-yeon bowing politely, and Choi Dong-hyuk grinning.
I bowed back.
“Let’s compare schedules later. It’d be nice if we have overlapping classes!”
Hyun-ji said excitedly.
‘Maybe you should check the opinions of the people behind you first.’
I glanced behind her.
As expected, Han So-yeon was frowning deeply.
“Oh right. The person next to you is, um…?”
“Let’s sit more toward the front. We should make sure the professor remembers our faces.”
Han So-yeon grabbed Hyun-ji’s arm and cut her off.
“Unni?”
“Some people probably don’t need to study harmony anymore, so sitting in the back is fine for them. I’m not like that.”
She smiled faintly while looking me up and down.
Anyone could tell that was directed at me.
It seemed she still hadn’t forgiven me for leaving the study group halfway.
“What’s wrong, unni?”
“So-yeon.”
Hyun-ji and Yoo Da-yeon looked troubled, but Han So-yeon clicked her tongue and strode toward the front.
“Sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately.”
“It’s fine. Have a good class.”
“Okay. I’ll text you later. Let’s grab a meal together!”
Hyun-ji hurried after the others, and Yoo Da-yeon followed.
Choi Dong-hyuk passed by me and said calmly,
“Told you you’d get in.”
“Pardon?”
But he was already far ahead.
I awkwardly scratched the back of my neck when Ah-rin asked,
“Who were they? I’ve never seen them before.”
“I did a study group with them over break. Just for a short time.”
“Oh… really? Looks like they all passed the transfer exam too.”
She smiled, but her gaze lingered on their backs.
The atmosphere felt slightly strange.
Instinctively, I realized Ah-rin was wary of them.
“But Seol.”
The corner of her lips curved oddly.
“That girl was kind of snappy toward you. Was that aimed at you?”
“Yeah. She’s been like that ever since I left the study group.”
“That’s ridiculous. You don’t need to hang around people who treat you like that.”
Her tone was soft, but it had hidden thorns.
“You only need one friend. Me. Right?”
“…Yeah. I guess.”
Watching her get worked up was strange.
The person who had exploited and treated me the worst was her.
And yet, at this age, she genuinely got angry when someone treated me badly.
‘What is it? A mindset of ‘only I get to criticize you’? Or did you actually care about me back then?’
I studied her face for a moment, then smiled bitterly inside.
Neither possibility brought much comfort.
Just then—
Buzz.
My phone vibrated.
A SoundPlace notification.
[ Someone has left a comment on your track. ]
‘What?’
The only track I had uploaded was .
Who would comment on that?
“Who is it?”
“Not a person. A SoundPlace notification.”
“…SoundPlace?”
“Yeah. I uploaded something recently just to see. Apparently someone left a comment.”
Ah-rin immediately pouted.
“What? You promised I’d be the first to hear your original song!”
“Sorry. It’s not good enough to show anyone yet. I just wanted to see people’s reactions.”
After calming her down, she quickly changed her expression.
“What did the comment say?”
“Hold on.”
I clicked the notification.
The comment appeared below the track.
[ Hello. This is producer Min Chan-hyuk from VTunes.
It seems the message I previously sent did not go through, so I am leaving this comment.
I very much hope to use your uploaded track as a source, and I ask for your understanding in contacting you this way.
I would like to discuss the details via email or in person.
I will be waiting. Please contact me.
P.S. Even if you receive other offers, I would appreciate it if you remember that we contacted you first. ]
‘What is this?’
I couldn’t hide my surprise.
It’s rare for someone to make a formal offer in the public comment section on SoundPlace.
Even though it’s not exactly a secret where producers search for tracks—
There’s still some level of discretion.
Other competitors might notice.
Even people who weren’t interested before might start paying attention.
‘That’s probably why he added that last line… But what does he mean by the previous message didn’t go through?’
I checked my message inbox.
Nothing.
‘Was there a site error?’
Rare, but that was the only explanation I could think of.
‘Min Chan-hyuk from VTunes.’
A producer known for having a sharp ear.
Good at discovering rookie composers.
Exceptional at reading trends one step ahead.
He definitely recognized the value of this track.
VTunes might be a mid-sized company, but it has solid footing in the industry.
And Min Chan-hyuk would know how to use such strong material well.
As a debut opportunity, it didn’t get much better than this.
‘What should I do…’
My thoughts tangled together.
At school, I had to be careful and observe Ah-rin’s reactions.
But—
‘Using a composer alias is a completely different story.’
That was my freedom.
My fingertips trembled.
Deep in my chest, a strange longing surged.
‘I want the world to hear my music.’
Instead of being robbed, hiding, and bowing my head like before—
This time—
The music I created,
By my own will,
I wanted it to echo across the world.
Just imagining it made my heart pound.
Then suddenly Ah-rin leaned in.
“Wow. What’s this?”
I looked up.
Her curious eyes met mine.
Instinctively, I flipped my phone over, but it was too late.
“VTunes? I’ve never heard of them. Isn’t that some kind of phishing scam?”
She spoke in a worried tone, subtly dismissing it as fraud.
If I hadn’t known VTunes, I might have doubted it.
I smiled slightly and tested her.
“Yeah. And there was no message in my inbox. That’s weird. Maybe it is phishing?”
For a moment, suspicion crossed my mind.
What if she already knew about my SoundPlace upload and had done something?
I wanted to see her reaction.
But Ah-rin answered without the slightest change in expression.
“Right? That’s so weird. Just ignore it!”
She even looked annoyed on my behalf.
‘So it’s not her?’
She didn’t even seem to know I used SoundPlace.
Maybe I was overthinking.
‘If I start working as a composer, I should do it without her knowing.’
I nodded as if I fully agreed.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Exactly! These days, scammers target desperate hopefuls. I’ve heard about stuff like this.”
She grabbed my hand tightly.
“Good thing I was here. What would you have done otherwise? You seem smart, but you’re surprisingly naive sometimes. You really need someone to look after you.”
For a moment, I was speechless at her shameless tone.
Just then—
Click.
The classroom door opened.
Professor Jung Tae-sung walked in.
The noisy chatter instantly quieted.
He stepped up to the podium briskly.
“Alright, alright. I know you’re all excited to catch up after break, but now it’s my time, so please turn off your personal broadcasts~.”
Students’ attention turned toward him.
Thanks to Professor Jung, my conversation with Ah-rin ended naturally.
I quietly let out a breath.
I had almost let my emotions show.
“Wow.”
Jung Tae-sung scanned the room.
When his eyes met mine, he grinned.
“Lots of familiar faces here~.”
