章 16: The bitch fairy wants opera
Dan-bi was the centre of attention, the flower that all the butterflies flittered around. So why was it that Seung-ho wasn't here doing the same? The actress was surrounded by people but her eyes were frantically looking for the actor who was no longer in her sights. She could see Sun Young-mi with Aera but not the man that Young-mi had been dancing with.
"Dan-bi, darling!" Her best friend's voice came through the sound system as the music began to fade. "A birthday bash just isn't one without a birthday song. I know it embarrasses you but I'm doing it anyway!"
The partygoers in their gowns and masks began clapping loudly as she started to tipsily sing the birthday song. The musicians on the side began to play along to her singing. And slowly, many voices joined as one to sing for the shy birthday girl.
"Wooooooooo!" Yumi hollered into the mic when the song ended. "Come here, Dan-bi. Show us your beautiful face."
Ji-ho and Aera were nursing two crystal cups filled with wine. They watched the birthday girl sashay to the brightly lit stage where a beautiful throne sculpted like a snowy Calla Lily awaited Dan-bi.
"Our birthday girl has a special wish tonight," Yumi mysteriously said into the mic. "Right Dan-bi?"
The actress sat on her throne, her long beautiful legs crossed in front of her. The mic was handed to her and she smirked at everyone in the crowd till her gaze landed on Ji-ho.
"My good friend, Aera, introduced me to a very talented, very special girl today."
Ji-ho looked at Aera and raised a brow but the other woman shrugged. Even she didn't know what Dan-bi was up to.
"You've all heard of Jessica, or Sun Young-mi as she calls herself these days, haven't you? There have been some unsavoury rumours following Jessica but the past is the past. We don't hold her past against her when she's working so hard to achieve the dream some of us are already living."
A murmur spread through the crowd and a few heads turned to look at Ji-ho with sneers on their faces.
"What's her problem?" Ji-ho whispered to Aera. "Have I offended her in some way?"
Aera looked very put off by the stunt that Dan-bi was pulling. She regretted coming to the party, regretted bringing Sun Young-mi with her.
"Dan-bi is a jealous shrew," Aera responded with distaste. "She probably saw you dancing with my brother. Let's just leave, Young-mi."
Ji-ho tugged at Aera's hand and forced her to sit. She couldn't possibly leave before getting her revenge on Blue. "No, let's see what she wants from me."
"-told me that Jessica was inspired by the Queen of the Night. That her dress tonight is an expression of her admiration for Mozart's opera called The magic flute."
"Oh god," Aera groaned. "She wouldn't.."
"Jessica is a genius of a singer and she's proved it through her live sessions. So tonight, I have a song request. Jessica, please sing the Queen of the Night's aria for me. This is my birthday wish."
"Is she insane?!" Ji-ho whispered to Aera. "She wants me to sing opera?!"
"We're leaving," Aera declared as she made to drag Ji-ho away with her.
"Jessica, Aera, are you just going to leave like that?" Dan-bi sadly asked. "Am I asking for too much?"
The spotlight fell onto the two escaping girls even as a wall of people blocked their paths.
"Aera, let's not run," Ji-ho told her softly. "I'll sing if she wants to hear it."
"But it's opera, Young-mi.. she's trying to humiliate you by forcing you to sing out of your comfort zone."
"Come on," Ji-ho turned around. "The birthday girl wants her song so she'll get it."
___
Sun Young-mi had her head held high and her back straight as she walked to where Dan-bi was seated, smirking at her like a lovely bitchy fairy.
"Welcome, Jessica."
Ji-ho smiled and it was filled with derision. To think that she was going to attempt the aria without any vocal warm-up or preparation. Despite her medical studies, Ji-ho had never lost her love for listening to and attempting to sing along with famous coloratura sopranos like Diana Damrau. The aria that Dan-bi wanted from her was renowned as a demanding piece to perform well. The vocal range expected of the song went from an F4 to F6. It was impossible for Ji-ho to sing the whole aria so she had to cut it short but make it impactful.
"I only remember a few lines from the piece so you'll have to forgive me for singing just those lines," she told Dan-bi.
"Not a problem, Jessica. A single minute of your beautiful voice is enough to satisfy me." Dan-bi honestly couldn't believe that the twit of a girl had the audacity to even attempt the rage aria. She wasn't entirely ignorant of the song and had requested it because of how difficult it was to sing.
"Go on, sing for us," Dan-bi encouraged her.
Ji-ho held the mic and faced the cream of the acting society. From the masks they wore, she could not tell who was who. Aera stared at her like she wanted to get onstage and yank her away. Ji-ho smiled reassuringly at her friend. She'd sung the aria a hundred times with Diana while taking showers and cooking. She just had to believe in herself and go for it.
"So bist du meine.." her clear voice rang out high pitched and vibrating beautifully.
Perhaps the pianist felt sorry for her since he knew just what a terrible situation she was in. When Ji-ho opened her mouth and sang those lines, piano music began to accompany her next lines. He was a professional who was familiar with the aria and thus accompanied her perfectly though Ji-ho started midway through the song.
The midpart part that Ji-ho chose was one of the most difficult lines to sing. It was a series of high pitched staccato between two lines of lyrical singing. Ji-ho struggled to hit the high F6 note but someone up in heaven was watching her because the note came out crisp and clean.
"Aa~ ah~ ah~ah~ah~" Sun Young-mi sang the staccato so cleanly that anyone who doubted her vocal abilities was put in their place at that moment.
Dan-bi's fingers dug into the soft cushion of her chair as she listened in disbelief. Jessica, the Jessica of Genesis could sing opera?! She would have never called her on stage if she knew that this was only propping her up for incredible success.
"SUN YOUNG-MI! BRAVO!" A voice called out from the crowd. The person who shouted began to clap enthusiastically for her. He was a fan of opera and understood just how significant the short performance was.
Ji-ho smiled at the crowd and handed the mic to Yumi who was just as stunned as Dan-bi. They'd plotted to hurt Jessica but had kicked an iron plate.
"Young-mi," Blue whispered from his place in the crowd. His muse, his Jessica, how had he never known that she was a mistress of classical singing? Iris paled in comparison to Sun Young-mi. He felt devastated as he realised he'd thrown away a diamond to gain a lump of mud. Nevertheless, he would remedy it tonight. Blue recalled just how in love Jessica had been with him before the stupid decision he had made. Love wasn't easily forgotten. He would remind her of it and she would be his forever.
クリエイターの想い 
winterblossom
winterblossom Opera singing isn't it if one uses a mic. Yeah, I'm a purist that way. So I won't consider Ji-ho's performance to be an actual opera. She's a classical singer and we'll leave it at that. Also, if you're curious, check out the aria as sung (lip synced) by Bae Rona on Youtube. It's from a drama called penthouse. The clip is only one minute long and is the part that Ji-ho sang.
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