To Byul (Omegaverse)-Chapter 76: Don’t worry, I’ll make it work

Chin-hwa stared at Kang-woo with a face that showed he was short of words. What could... What could Kang-woo want?

Well, they were already in the club room, so this was the part where he gave him his space.

"I don't think I'm doing anything out of the ordinary." Kang-woo said, his gaze traveling away from him. "Usually, when someone comes to a new place, they usually sit next to the person they are familiar with." His gaze traveled back to Chin-hwa. "So, is it wrong of me to sit next to you? Or do I make you uncomfortable?"

"Oh, no. Not at all." Chin-hwa denied, even though he felt extremely uncomfortable.

If he let it show that he was uncomfortable when it was just the two of them, he would only be stating plainly that he did not want to be near him.

He already said to put the past behind him and act like nothing ever happened between them, yet he was the one always avoiding Kang-woo's gaze, stuttering, and being all awkward.

He made it clear that his presence made him uncomfortable, yet Kang-woo was still asking for confirmation. He wanted to hear it from Chin-hwa's mouth if he was the reason for his discomfort.

"Since I don't make you uncomfortable," Kang-woo said, "Then, do you mind if I steal this position during the meeting?" He asked with that polite smile sticking on his face like a tape.

"Yeah, sure." Chin-hwa answered, struggling to keep his gaze on him. "Do what you want."

"Thank you."

"Alright, settle down." The club president announced as she walked in with some scores in her hand.

There were a few others following her from behind. A few in the same year as Chin-hwa and two in their final years.

"Okay, I've got the screws as I promised I would." She said, "And..." Her eyes fell on Kang-woo and her words got caught in her throat. "Oh... Oh my, we have a new face today." She said. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

"Oh, he already did that." Iseop said but she wasn't satisfied with that.

"Well, I wasn't here." She said, dropping her hand on her waist. She turned to Kang-woo, smiled, and said, "Why don't you introduce yourself again for us? Who was a tab bit late?"

Kang-woo nodded and said,

"Lee Kang-woo. A transfer student in Interior designing in the third year, and... I'm an Alpha."

"Of course you are." She snickered but then realized she was being a bit loud and cleared her throat. "You're definitely an Alpha. I'm Mo Yoon-woo." She introduced herself. "As my name implies, I'm half Chinese, half Korean. President of the music club and..." She grinned. "An Alpha as well. It's nice to meet you, Kang-woo."

"Likewise." Kang-woo answered. He didn't get up from his seat during his introduction but his calm and polite demeanor made it hard for anyone to point it out as rudeness.

"Alright, you all can do your individual introductions later. For now, shall we begin?" Yoon-woo asked, turning to the rest of the club members. "Since the school festival is coming up, we need to prepare something, and though it's still about two weeks away, we need to start getting prepared from today."

A few members took some of the scores from her and started handing them out.

"I wrote names on top of the scores since I'm expecting each and every one of you to prepare a performance." As soon as she said that, Chin-hwa gulped.

Kang-woo noticed his shift as soon as he did and turned towards him. He looked rather disturbed.

Yoon-woo walked up to Chin-hwa and said,

"Now, Chin-hwa, I know you said you don't do public presentations, but you have a great voice, and you are part of the music club. I want you to get over your fear, break that shell, and stand on stage. Can you do that this time?" She asked but Chin-hwa shook his head. She sighed. "Look, I'm not asking for your permission this time around. If I keep letting you sit it out, it's going to look like I'm being biased. You're not the only one who has stage fright. Others do too, but they try their best to concur it."

"But..." Chin-hwa pursed his lips. How was he going to tell her that it wasn't stage fright that was keeping him off the stage?

"If I may," Kang-woo spoke up. "Since I'm new and I'm certain no score was prepared for me, would it be okay if I worked on this with Hwa?"

"Oh, 'Hwa'? You two seem to be close." Yoon-woo said and Kang-woo smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll make it work."

"Well, what will you do?" Yoon-woo asked him. "Don't get me wrong, I'm certain you're capable of a variety of things but the only assistance you can give to Chin-hwa's score is by either playing the violin or the piano."

Kang-woo turned his head towards the covered piano at the center. There must be a violin there as well. Well, he could make it work.

"Yes, I understand. You can count on me." He said to her confidently and since he said so, she decided to go by his words.

"Alright, I'll leave Chin-hwa to you." She glanced at Chin-hwa, whose head was bowed, and then sighed. "I hope things go well."

She walked away and Chin-hwa grabbed Kang-woo's coat.

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what, Hwa?" Kang-woo asked.

"Why did you say you would help me out? I... I didn't want to sing. I don't want to be on the stage. If you didn't interrupt, I might've convinced her to--"

"That didn't seem to be the case." Kang-woo said and Chin-hwa bowed his head, knowing it was true. Yoon-woo was already fed up with him always sitting on the sidelines with the excuse of a stage fight. "Hwa," Kang-woo called. "...why don't you want to be on stage?"

Chin-hwa stayed silent.

"I know you don't have stage fright." He said. "I know you shine the brightest and look the happiest when you sing, so why?"

Chin-hwa's eyelids pressed tightly together.

"Why do you hide it away? Your beautiful voice."

His words struck a cord in Chin-hwa's heart but he clenched his teeth, planning not to listen to his words.

"Are you doing this because you wish not to stand out? If it's so then you don't have to worry too much. If you perform on a small stage, I don't think you'll get all that haunting attention," Kang-woo said, not understanding the full complexity of Chin-hwa's insecurities and fears. "Chin-hwa, it will be okay, so tell me, why do you not want to participate in the event?"

Fed up, Chin-Hwa yelled at him,

"Because I have no reason to sing."

His voice echoed in the entire hall. Everyone turned towards him, wondering what that outburst was about and why he had the outburst.

This was literally the first time they had seen Chin-hwa act so strangely.

Chin-hwa panted after that outburst and then covered his face, digging his fingers in his face as he squeezed hard in embarrassment.

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"Just... Leave me alone."

Kang-woo was stunned. He watched Chin-hwa squeeze in and try to hurl himself away from reality. It was strange.

He still couldn't get his words out of his head. He had no reason to sing?

But what did that mean? What other reason besides letting the world know of his beautiful talent? What other reason besides living up to the expectations of those around him? What other reason besides... His love for singing?

Kang-woo was confused.

Was this also a result of his departure? Chin-hwa used to love singing. He would pour his heart and soul into the notes and the melody would reach the hearts of everyone who listened to it.

He would sing with his eyes brimming with life as he gazed towards the audience, his parents, and his siblings, and then finally, he would gaze at him, smiling as he poured the last notes out.

What had happened to that zeal?

"Chin-hwa," Kang-woo called, placing his hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I cannot leave you alone. Not like this, at least."

Chin-Hwa looked at him with teary eyes.

"And I will try everything I can... To get your voice back."

Kang-woo meant no harm. He did not wish to hurt Chin-hwa's feelings and he did not wish to force him into what he did not want to do, but when it happened to be something that Chin-hwa loved doing so much, he felt, by all means, he had to bring back that love and get him to do it no matter what.

It might've been a little bit of guilt pushing him towards him, but it was also the concerned feelings he had for him.

It was as if Chin-hwa had become a completely different person, burying who he used to be and making a new persona for himself.

He stared at Chin-hwa sniffing as he fought back tears.

He did not like it.

"Okay, now that we've discussed what we all came here for," Yoon-woo announced. "Let's start the initiation." She looked towards Kang-woo. "It's a tradition that anyone who joins the music club must perform on their first day. Be it singing, or instrument, you have to do something. So, Lee Kang-woo, come down here and show us why we should keep you in the music club."