Devil’s Music

Late fall was merging into early winter, yet the library at HanYoung Women's University was packed with students busy preparing for their final exams rather than enjoying their holiday break. The only sounds filling the air were the flipping of pages and the occasional music leaking from someone's earphones turned up a bit too loud. It seemed that wearing earphones had become the norm to help concentrate, ensuring that these minor disturbances didn't bother anyone.

Yoonhee Han was a freshman at HanYoung Women's University, having just turned twenty about ten months ago. Despite being in the prime of her youth, vibrant and fresh, Yoonhee wasn't much into going out. Instead, she preferred to roll around at home watching YouTube videos. She was tall and pretty for her age, though not strikingly beautiful. She was just an average girl whose youth shone through her pure innocence.

While studying from her textbook at a large desk designed for eight, Yoonhee frowned and switched her constantly ringing phone to silent mode.

"Ah, Ji, you girl, I told you I'm at the library, why do you keep texting? Don't you know I have a mountain of studying to do?"

Preview messages filled her phone's screen.

[Annoying Sister] If you bring home chicken when you come, I'll tell you a huge secret.

[Annoying Sister] It's true! Not lying! It's not just about the chicken.

[Annoying Sister] It's news about Kay you'd want to hear.

[Annoying Sister] Sharing it because I'm your real sister.

Yoonhee grimaced at the messages, then massaged her forehead as if the frown lines were bothering her.

"News about Kay? What's new now?"

Instead of responding to the texts, Yoonhee searched online for any news about Kay but found nothing new. Even a YouTube search only brought up videos she had already seen, which made her sigh.

"Sigh, I'm the fool for being tricked, that bundle of annoyance!"

After shoving her phone back into her bag, Yoonhee turned off the sound and refocused on her studies. After reading through her textbooks for about three hours, she glanced at the clock, quickly packed her books into her bag, and pulled out her phone only to be shocked.

"What? 81 unread messages? Has Ji completely lost it?"

As Yoonhee left the library, she dialed Ji's number. Ji picked up almost immediately, as if she had been waiting by her phone.

"Hey!! Ji!! Didn't I tell you I'd be studying late because of exams? Why do you keep bothering me?"

"Listen, sis. If you don't hear me out, you'll regret not contacting me for these three hours for the rest of your life."

"Stop talking nonsense. You just want chicken, don't you? Did you already spend all the allowance Dad sent you? How can you run out of money so quickly and start asking for more? Learn to save some, will you?"

"No, that's not it!"

"What then?"

"Ah, really, it's not that! Kay is living in the house next door!"

"What?"

Without another word, Yoonhee hung up, considering the conversation not worth continuing, and made her way to the subway.

"Even for a clueless high schooler, this is too much. I never did such things when I was in high school. Who did Ji get this from?"

Grumbling to herself, Yoonhee's steps quickened until she noticed Shihwa, who seemed to have just finished her classes, walking alone toward the subway station. Happy to see her senior who usually took good care of her, Yoonhee quickly caught up and grabbed Shihwa's waist.

"Sister!"

"Ah!! You scared me!!"

"Kyahaha, did you finish your classes, sister?"

Shihwa, startled, looked Yoonhee up and down before responding.

"Ah, you really scared me. Yeah, I finished a while ago. I stayed a bit longer to work on a report for a liberal arts course. You've been studying for your exams, I see?"

Yoonhee smiled softly.

"Yes, sister. Let's go home together!"

"Sure, we live next door anyway. Did you study well?"

Yoonhee grimaced and waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't even mention it. Ji kept bombarding me with texts so much that I could hardly focus. I eventually had to put my phone on silent and barely managed to concentrate for three or four hours. And when I was leaving the library, guess what? Over 80 messages had come in. I swear, she might end up being a possessive stalker someday."

Shihwa smiled knowingly and teased.

"Why? What did she say?"

Yoonhee pulled out her phone and shook it frantically.

"Can you believe the nonsense she's talking? You're supposed to bait someone with something believable if you want them to bite. She said if I bring home chicken, she'll tell me a secret. And what's the big secret? That Kay is living next door. You know Kay, right? The one who's still a student but already a global superstar."

Shihwa tried to suppress a laugh and said, "Yeah, I know him. He's really handsome, that guy."

"Right, insanely so! I first saw him in a YouTube music video, and my heart nearly stopped. So, knowing I'm a fan of Kay, she tries to bait me with chicken. As if Kay would live next door, of all places! And isn't Kay currently in Nepal? Everyone knows that!"

"Well, I think Kay might have come back to Korea?"

Yoonhee looked surprised and started searching her phone for any news of Kay's return. As they walked towards the subway, not paying attention to the path and relying on Shihwa, Yoonhee couldn't find any news articles about Kay's return to Korea. She looked up at Shihwa and said, "There's no news about it? I'm a fan, so I check the news every day, but there was nothing about him coming back to Korea. Where did you hear it?"

Shihwa awkwardly laughed and replied, "Ahaha, it wasn't something I read. I just thought I heard something. Maybe he came back in secret."

Yoonhee looked at Shihwa skeptically but then nodded, "I guess celebrities of his caliber might enter the country secretly. But even so, the idea that Kay is living next door sounds more realistic than saying the chairman of North Korea is my neighbor, right?"

"Ahahaha, the chairman of North Korea? That's hilarious."

"Ugh, that girl is always up to no good, skipping study to think up pranks. These days, she's been sneaking off to our uncle's studio twice a week under the guise of going to a study hall, claiming she's practicing singing. She begs me to keep it a secret from Mom. At this rate, she might not even make it to college."

"Really? Ji sings? Is she good?"

"Well, she gets compliments at karaoke, but she's nowhere near professional level. I should be honest with her, but everyone else, including our relatives and her friends, keep telling her she's great, so she believes she actually is."

Shihwa thoughtfully stroked her chin and then said, "Didn't Ji tell you to buy chicken?"

"Yeah, since Mom will be home late because of church volunteer work, and cooking's a hassle, she told me to buy it."

"Hmm... Do you like chicken too?"

"Are you kidding? Chicken is the god of our times, the deity of this planet!"

"Kyahaha, really? Then how about I treat you, and we buy some chicken?"

"Really? You'll buy?"

"Yeah, my mom and dad went to a reunion together, so I was supposed to cook dinner for me and my brother. But it's easier to just eat chicken. Why don't you come over, and we eat together?"

Yoonhee hesitated before saying, "Actually, Ji was talking about your brother... But it's... I've never met your brother before... I get sick easily if I eat in front of men I'm not familiar with..."

"Aw, are you still shy around new guys at your age? What's the big deal? He's just the guy next door. My brother is quite handsome, though, hehe."

Yoonhee, intrigued by the mention of Shihwa's handsome brother, asked, "Really? Ji said he's very handsome, is it true?"

Shihwa folded her arms and raised her nose proudly, "Of course! Look at me. Could the brother of a beauty like me be unattractive?"

"Kyahahat, does he look like you? Kehehehe"

Shihwa raised her hand high and waved it as she said, "What's with that creepy laugh?!"

Laughing, Yoonhee quickened her pace, racing into the subway station.

"Ah, no, sister! Kyahaha"

The two, in good spirits, headed to Shihwa's home after buying two chickens from a store near their house. Upon their arrival, Ji, whom Yoonhee had briefly returned home to fetch, rummaged through the house excitedly.

"Where's your brother? Hey, Ji, you can't just come into someone's house and start digging around. Will you stop?"

Ji, ignoring her, scurried over to Shihwa, who was unpacking the chicken, and asked, "Sister, where's brother?"

Shihwa playfully smacked Ji's forehead and said, "He'll be here soon, you wild thing. Sit down and behave. My brother likes calm girls."

Ji suddenly clasped her hands together, hurriedly sat down on the sofa demurely, and lowered her flushed face, much to Yoonhee's bewildered amusement.

"Where did your brother go? The chicken will get cold."

Shihwa was transferring the chicken to a dish and said, "Oh, he went to apply for a military service exemption today because he's been studying abroad for more than a year. He called a while ago and said he's nearby. I told him we're eating chicken at home, so he'll be here soon."

"Ah, I see. Can I help with anything?"

"Just opening the packaging is enough; just sit and maybe watch TV."

Yoonhee hesitated for a moment beside Shihwa, then sat next to Ji, who was still posing demurely on the sofa, and glared at her.

"What are you even doing?"

"Don't make me talk. It's time to be a quiet girl."

"What does that even mean?"

"You don't need to know. It's punishment for ignoring my texts for three hours."

"Seriously, what are you talking about."

At that moment, the sound of the door's keypad being entered echoed through the house. Ji's face lit up with excitement, but she desperately tried to maintain her composed posture, barely resisting the urge to leap up in anticipation. Shihwa, who had been in the kitchen, rushed out, asking,

"Is my brother back?"

Keeping her pose, Ji looked eagerly towards the entrance, while Yoonhee, puzzled by Ji's behavior, turned her head towards the door.

>

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