Chapter 28. Circumstances (1)
'It's bigger than I thought.'
Lee Hyun glanced around the Tarot bar. It was his first time visiting a place like this and for some reason, he was getting a bad feeling from here.
It was not like Tarot bar was different from other bars.
There was a stage in the centre where musicians could perform and tables were spread out for people to sit.
There was also a cocktail bar selling drinks and alcohol.
Tarot bar was the same as other bars, at least in structure, but the difference was the atmosphere.
'It don't look like a good place to hang out.'
The atmosphere of the bar was slightly eerie and most people won't like coming here. As he glanced around, he noticed that most of the people have scars or weird tattoos on their bodies.
'It looks like it's true that this bar is run by a local gang.'
Lee Hyun thought and sat down in front of the cocktail bar. He ordered a drink and moved his gaze towards the stage.
'There she is! Ya Harin!'
The sole reason he had come here today was to talk with Harin again. He had really liked her singing.
There was no way he would give up on her so soon.
Under the bright light, Harin's bright face was glowing even more. Her hair was not tied this time and her beauty was coming out more.
She looked slightly nervous, but she gradually calmed down and looked around the audience.
At that moment, her and Lee Hyun's gaze came across each other. Harin seemed to be surprised seeing Lee Hyun here.
Her gaze lingered on him for a while before she finally moved it away.
'She remembers me.'
There was no way Lee Hyun would miss that. He began to drink as the performance finally started.
"Cry. I'm crying tonight…"
"Under the moonlight…"
"There's no one else, but me here…"
Harin's bright voice filled the whole bar. Lee Hyun didn't know if it was a coincidence, but Harin was singing Never give up.
The slow ballad took a new shape as Harin sang it. Her diction was different from the original singer, Lee Hyerin.
Lee Hyun silently began to compare the two, but he soon realised that there was no comparison between the two versions.
Lee Hyerin had sung it in a more brighter tone with the notes getting higher. Her version was soft to ears while Harin was singing it in a different way.
She just took the basic essence of the song and added her own emotions on top of it.
'Her version is less bright, but it lingers in your brain more.'
Lee Hyun calmly analysed it.
Harin was singing in a darker tone, but due to her bright voice, the song was not ruined.
Moreover, her diction was slightly different and she was deliberately lowering the notes.
It was because she still can't sing high notes and has to lower the notes to avoid the mistakes.
'It looks like she has more talent than I thought.'
That was the conclusion Lee Hyun made as he enjoyed her singing. He even started to think of a song that would suit her perfectly.
It was like he was being inspired while listening to her singing.
"Never give up, even when you are in trouble…"
"Just stand up again, push through your difficulties…"
"Never give up…"
Harin soon sang the final verse and the song came to an end. She was only singing for 3 minutes but it has a whole lot of emotions in it.
Despite that, the audience response was lukewarm.
Most of them have mostly ignored her singing and were chatting. Those who have listened to her were clapping but it was not an enthusiastic response.
Many of them were even looking at Harin with a disgusting expression on their faces.
'Sigh! I don't even know if they liked my singing or not.'
Standing on the stage, Harin sighed. She had already expected this reaction because she was used to it.
Still, she wished for people to like her singing and at least show a smile on their faces, but there was nothing like that.
Tarot bar was not a place with people who understand music.
It was just a place for people from the dark society to drink and have fun. Harin also knows that, but she was still disappointed.
Clap! Clap!
Suddenly, an enthusiastic clap rang out. Harin raised her face and saw Lee Hyun clapping for her.
There was a smile on his face like he had really liked her singing.
'W-What is he doing?'
Harin thought and for some reason, she became flustered.
She can see that Lee Hyun was clapping because he had liked his singing. He was not acting and she felt happiness seeing that someone really liked her song.
At that moment, she noticed someone coming towards her.
"Hey, beauty, I really liked your singing. Now, I want a 'private lesson' from you. I also want to sing like you."
It was a guy who looked to be intoxicated. Harin knew him too. There was not once when she was harassed by the drunk guy.
"Sorry, I don't give private lessons."
Harin panicked seeing him and tried to get out of here.
She had gotten used to dealing with these types of men. She tried to flee to the backstage but the drunk guy grabbed her hand.
"Y-you always refuse me. Don't you see this handsome face? I promise I would satisfy you."
"L-let me go!!"
Harin shouted and tried to shake off his hand, but she was too weak.
The drunk guy grip got stronger when he saw Harin struggling. It doesn't look like he would stop at any moment.
"H-help me!!"
Harin looked towards the audience, but most of them were laughing or smirking like they were enjoying the show.
No one came to help her.
She became scared. It doesn't like the drunk guy would stop at any moment.
She was warned by the other singers that these types of things happen here, but she had still kept singing here.
It was because she didn't have a choice. Her grandmother was sick and she had to earn money for her medicines.
'W-what should I do now?'
Harin thought as tears started coming out of her eyes.
She saw no hope and her despair reached the peak. At that moment, someone sprinted towards her at the fastest possible speed.
It all happened before her eyes.
Bang!
She saw the same guy she yelled at previously, lunged forward and punch the drunk guy in the face.
The punch exert enough force to make the drunk guy fall on his butt.
"Sorry about that, but I just felt like punching you."
Lee Hyun said as he glared at the drunk guy on the ground. The drunk guy has already passed out because of his punch.
'I hadn't realised it at first, but I feel stronger than before.'
Lee Hyun thought and glanced at Harin who was still stupefied.