Episode 7: The Album
Seo‑kyung's first recording session was scheduled for a Tuesday. Seo‑ah took the day off—the first vacation day she had ever taken that wasn't for a funeral or a hospital visit—and showed up at the studio with a bag of snacks and a nervous energy she couldn't shake.
The studio was in Hongdae, a converted warehouse with soundproofed walls and a control room full of equipment she didn't understand. Seo‑kyung was already there, tuning her guitar, her face pale.
"I'm going to mess up," she said when Seo‑ah walked in.
"You won't."
"What if I freeze? What if my voice cracks? What if—"
"Then you try again." Seo‑ah set the snacks on a table. "That's what recording is. You don't have to get it right the first time."
Seo‑kyung looked at her. "When did you get so calm?"
"I had a good teacher." She thought of Ju‑hyuk, of the dance studio, of the rooftop. "And I realized that failing isn't the worst thing that can happen. The worst thing is not trying."
The session lasted six hours. Seo‑kyung recorded three songs, each one better than the last. Her voice filled the studio, raw and honest, and Seo‑ah sat in the control room with tears streaming down her face.
When it was over, Seo‑kyung came out of the booth, her hair a mess, her eyes bright.
"How was it?" she asked.
"You're going to be famous," Seo‑ah said.
Seo‑kyung laughed—a real laugh, the kind she used to make when they were kids. "I don't want to be famous. I just want people to hear my songs."
"They will." Seo‑ah pulled her into a hug. "I promise."