Kaylee felt like she wished to dig a hole and hide her face while Jacob complimented her endlessly like she was a goddess.
"Wow, miss Roe, your play was superb beyond words. I barely noticed that I held my breath for ten minutes. You look like someone else the moment you touch the piano keys and run your fingers over them. The sound of your playing, the aura that emanates from your body movements, was really… really… otherworldly being! How did you do that?"
"Jack, you're too much."
"No, no, no. I'm not too much. I'm talking facts here, am I?" Jacob asked his friends who joined in the competition.
"That's right. I was shocked when you told us that we had to match the way you played. But after hearing your words of encouragement, we felt that we found who we are as pianists."
"It is true. Thanks to seeing you play and hearing your motivational words, we feel like a music goddess is blessing us."
"Uhm... there is no music goddess." Kaylee stated, which was immediately followed by everyone's amused laughter.
"We know that there is nothing such a music goddess. But if there is one, I'm pretty sure it will be you."
Kaylee didn't know what to do anymore because right now, she felt like she was overly… nervous!
As far as she could remember, she had never been surrounded by this many people. Well, there would have been a lot of crowds around her the moment she stepped off the stage, but Kaylee always managed to escape and return to her private dressing room.
Now… she couldn't run away, and these teenagers crowded around her, praising her, making her not know what to do.
Wendy noticed her friend's discomfort and immediately reminded the contestants of the event that was still going on. In the end, one by one, they all walked back into the waiting room to prepare themselves mentally before their names were called out to appear in front of the audience.
But it seemed they were too excited about talking to Roe that they were still talking about their music goddess without knowing that Kaylee could listen to their conversation.
"Do you see that? Roe isn't arrogant at all."
"Totally agree with you. She is nothing like those terrible rumors. What Ice Queen!? She was kind and warm to us."
"She looks innocent, though. I think people who jealous of her took this advantage and spread bad rumors about her."
"Might be. Gosh, I like her very much!"
"Me too. From now on, she is my role model."
Jacob laughed with amusement at the blushing Roe. "Looks like this is your first time facing a crowd like this." guessed Jacob because he also knew very well that Roe rarely appeared in front of her fans.
Jacob thought Roe was an arrogant woman and kept a distance from ordinary people, so Jacob preferred Wendy, who was more cheerful and greeted her fans with an open heart.
Who would have thought Roe's true nature as someone shy and innocent to make Jacob fall in love with her even more?
"Who said that? A lot of people have surrounded me." denied Kaylee in a stern tone, but her face was still as red as a tomato to make Wendy and Jacob could not believe her words.
Well, Kaylee was not lying because, for the last three months, she has been surrounded by teenage boys on campus.
[Author: That doesn't count, right?]
"You look so beautiful." Jacob blurted without his brain's command making Kaylee stare at him in disbelief.
Jacob smiled sheepishly when he realized the words he was declaring. "Ah, that... I mean ..." Argh! Because the words have already been spoken, Jacob would not chicken out. "You seem to shine on stage, but when you meet your fans, you appear more radiant. Wouldn't it be great if you met your fans often? I'm pretty sure they will also feel happy talking to you."
Wendy smiled gently and gave this young man one point plus. Then she glanced at her friend, who currently looked confused, not knowing what kind of response was given.
Ah, no. Wait. Wendy rechecked her friend's eyes and realized that her dear innocent friend is in 'other dimension' mode!
Could it be… Roe didn't listen to Jacob's explanation just now, and her mind turned to the question, 'Why is Jacob praising me?'
"Ehem… ahem… Roe, we have to go back. Soon the next round of competitions will start." Wendy elbowed her best friend's waist slowly and managed to bring the girl out of her 'other dimension.'
"Ha?"
"We're almost late."
"Ah, right. We have to get ready." Kaylee immediately walked over without glancing at Jacob, headed into the main hall, and sat on the jury bench.
Jacob, who saw Roe walking without glancing at him, was confused by her attitude change. Did he speak wrong? It seemed Roe hated meeting strangers.
But... isn't Jacob himself a stranger to that girl? Then why was the girl being friendly and smiling sweetly at him? Is it possible… Does Roe like him??
Jacob covered his mouth with one hand to hide his happy smile as his face turned red.
Ah, will he be allowed to see Roe again after this and ask for her number? Alright. Once the event was over, he would go to Roe to ask for the girl's number.
Meanwhile, Kaylee, who had sat in her place, couldn't stop wondering. Why did Jacob compliment her on being beautiful?
Not that she had never heard of this kind of compliment. It's just that hearing the word 'beautiful' come out of Jacob's mouth, who is her best friend on campus, was very strange.
Somehow she felt guilty and had negative thoughts. What if Jacob found out that Roe is Nick? What if Jacob found out that all this time Nick, who has been his best friend on campus, is a girl?
Will Jacob be mad at her? Would that young man hate her? Somehow Kaylee didn't like to think that there was a chance that Jacob might hate her.
Even though her college friends would turn against her and be hostile to her, Kaylee hopes that Jacob is someone who will stay by her side and be friends with her.
The young man was her first male friend on campus and treated her the same from start to the end of the day. Even though Jacob had not helped her when their friends were against her at the beginning, the young man did not join them nor bullied her.
Kaylee felt that if she had been a girl in front of Jacob from the start, that young man would have protected her and wouldn't let anyone bully her.
Somehow Kaylee felt like that, and somehow… she felt her heart didn't stop beating every time she remembered the young man's smile when praising her.
Her face felt hot as she remembered the young man's adoring gaze directed at her, making her hold her cheeks in her hands.
What is this? What is this feeling? Is it possible…