The snacks were delivered a couple of bottles of soju, and two dinners to be delivered ter. They have some music pying in the background while sating themselves first. Once the edge was taken off, with liberal use of snacks and alcohol, they started getting the songs they wanted to sing programmed.

  Soo-young started with more pop and energetic songs. JooHyun had more serious, near bald types first. The song list would evolve as the night went on. They had to explore what the other was interested in first. Also, they were good at singing.

  JooHyun had already heard the other sing as she pyed around at work. Her voice had a good range, style, tone, and fvor. She was just as good with low tones as well as higher notes as well. She could carry notes for longer than most average people could. She was steady in her singing. She did not have much of a vibrato, but that was fine as well, too.

  Despite both of them trying to become friends, both of them were still actually intimidated by the other. Both of them wanted to put their best collective feet forward to impress the other. JooHyun knew that Soo-young would eventually ‘challenge’ her singing wither own and was nervous about how she would compare. Though the younger woman’s soft and warm voice was a joy to hear, she could also belt out and sustain some serious tones as well.

  Soo-young has always been either talking or singing at work, so she was not really aware of what she was getting herself into with this venture. She knew that this mousy-voiced goddess had a wonderful voice, but just not really aware of just how good of a voice that she had. Nor was she aware of all of the things that could be done with her tiny, little voice.

  But, she was about to learn.

  Soo-young started things rolling. She started with a song that she had sung several times at the restaurant. About mid-song, JooHyun joined in. They surprised each other by complimenting each other well, despite the song not really being for a duet. They smiled at each other again.

  Then it was JooHyun’s turn. She chose a bald, but not an insipid or sad one. It was more of a sappy love song. The cool, clear tones came through with a wistfulness that bordered on regret and loss. The younger woman was conflicted – while she was thoroughly enchanted by the beauty of the song and voice, the subject of the song had nearly broke her heart. Soon as she realized it, she wanted more. This would become her new addiction, JooHyun singing. She had no idea how right she was.

  Then again, most people were just after hearing her for the first time.

  There were some poor souls out there that got quickly addicted in university and are still suffering from the withdrawal of her singing voice. Some people don’t even know her face, just her voice from echoes down halls or stairwells. There were rumors from those days of sirens and ghosts on campus when she was singing to herself at night outside.

  The songs were sometimes sad, sometimes calm, sometimes sweet, and a few bitter. But all were unwaveringly beautiful.

  JooHyun’s favorite pce to go sing was in a meadow on a hill behind the main campus. Usually ying down, not to hide per se, but because she likes to look at the stars while singing. So, there was a school wide hide-n-seek game of Find the Singer. So far, no one had. Though, the legend was born in mystery. Even years after she graduated, ten years ter, there are still stories about the Mysterious Singer.

  There are still bootlegs floating around. Several clever people set out recorders and have copies of the singing. There are many copies that are given to people who would either appreciate the singing or who needed to hear it. There was an understood agreement that they could be given to others, but never sold. The one person who tried to sell copies, but after the second time his leg was broken, all thought of selling left the collective minds.

  The one time that she did hear a recording of herself, she heard the recording in passing. She was walking down the dorm hallway when she heard her own voice floating out of someone’s room. Embarrassed, she turned crimson, tucked her head down, and walked faster. But, that did not stop her from singing. Though, she did move to a different spot occasionally. No need to be predictable, right?

  All of these memories fshed through JooHyun’s mind in an instant. The memories were a bit maudlin, so she had a small smile and just made Soo-young fall in love just that much more. Not that the poor girl needed too much encouragement to love her just a little more.

  Nor did anyone else, for that matter.

  JooHyun was amused to see the hamster wheel tuning in Soo-young’s mind. She turned up her smile into an urchin’s grin. She gently tapped Soo-young’s forehead by extending a finger and flicking her.

  “It’s your turn, dear,” was said with a brilliantly unrepentant grin.

  Soo-young blushed, took the microphone, and pretended as if nothing happened. She also ignored the fact that she knew that she was not fooling anyone.

  Soo-young chose her next song. It was also a love song that complimented her voice very well. The song was the total opposite of the one that JooHyun sang. She chose to sing “JeT’aime” in the original French. This did manage to pleasantly surprise her partner of the evening.

  The further into the night, the more soju swilled and snacks devoured, accompanying the inevitable silliness they also became the more critical they got of each other. They discussed music theory. They discussed how the songs were sung, what was sharp, what was ft, and how they could polish up each other’s singing ability.

  With their frequent get togethers, both of their singing improved noticeably. They were just about as perfect together as they could get. But there was still something missing. They were in perfect harmony, but still…cking.

  So, when JooHyun told Soo-young that they sing, that was why she was shocked. Soo-young understood how high the standards that JooHyun had. That anyone could impress her was an automatic high vote of confidence.

  She could not wait to get off work and go singing.