That night, Woo Jin headed to the music room apprehensively. The hallways were dimly lit and quiet, most of the students have either gone home or studying in the library. There was no one else in sight.

He can hear faint music coming from behind the closed door. Woo Jin gently eased the door open, and he found Eun Jae standing in the middle of the room, eyes closed, her fingers moving effortlessly over the violin while the other dances with the bow gracefully. Their chosen song was playing in the background, and Eun Jae followed with the ease of someone who understands the violin perfectly.

Woo Jin watched her, unmoving. Her long, brown hair was tied back into a top knot, a few tendrils had escaped to frame her eyes. She swayed along to the music, oblivious to him and the dimly-lit music room they were in. only the front lights were turned on, directly over the piano, and it acted like a spotlight on Eun Jae, the space illuminated around her while the rest was in shadows.

She looked completely at ease, the tension lines that always seem to be in her forehead had disappeared. She looked softer, and at peace.

The music ended, Eun Jae pulled the bow one last time with a flourish, breathing deeply. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and finally noticed him by the door.

"Hey, I didn't hear you come in."

Woo Jin told himself to move forward, putting his bag down on one of the seats. He noticed one of the tables cluttered with papers, pens, and highlighters. A medical textbook lay opened and abandoned on top of the mess.

"How long have you been practising?" he asked

Eun Jae looked at her watch, "About an hour, I guess? I was bored." she admitted

Woo Jin sat on the piano bench and tried a few keys. "What do you think?" he asked her, "of the piece, I mean."

"Not too bad," Eun Jae answered, "I guess the tricky bit would be to synchronise our playing."

Woo Jin nodded, he folded the sleeves of his jumper up and asked, "Shall we have a go?"

Eun Jae nodded and placed her violin on her shoulder.

~*~*~*~

Another thirty minutes passed by, during which Eun Jae had to grudgingly admit to that Woo Jin was indeed a good pianist.

His fingers tap the keys lightly, almost reverently, as he play. Never once did she see him look at the music sheet, and the more they play the more convinced she was that he knew the piece by heart.

"When did you start playing the piano" she asked when they stopped for a break.

Woo Jin turned around in his seat to face her, "When I was nine, I guess."

"Ah, your parents taught you or did you have a teacher...?"

"My aunt did." he answered shortly.

"You are...pretty good," Eun Jae blurted out.

She thought he was going to rub it in, but he simply shrugged, "I only know enough to play the easy pieces."

"Butterfly Waltz isn't easy." Eun Jae pointed out.

"No, it's not," Woo Jin agreed, "but I played it many times growing up. It's the practice piece I often use."

"I see. Is that why you chose it?"

"Well," Woo Jin began slowly, "I thought between the two of us you will probably have more experience and will adjust better, so I thought its easier to find something I know to play rather than trying to learn it while attempting to synchronise with you."

Eun Jae stared at him, then she smiled amusedly, "So you admit that I'm better than you?"

Woo Jin scoffed, "Who has the time or the money to spend on music lessons these days?"

Eun Jae shook her head, "It was a good decision I guess, now that we're both familiar with the piece we just need to work on the timing. That should improve the more we practice together."

Woo Jin nodded, picking on a loose thread on his pants "What about you? When did you learn to play?"

"When I was six. I had plenty of money and time, like you said."

Woo Jin chuckled, and once again Eun Jae felt disarmed by his smile. She looked away and busied herself with cleaning her violin.

"I'm the youngest in my family, and my mum put all her attention on me," she shared, "So I went to violin and piano lessons, I did ballet, gymnastics, I even went on baking classes. I tried them all, but I loved the violin the most."

Woo Jin nodded along and said, "I could tell." he said. thoughtfully

"Really? how?" she asked, curiously

He shrugged, "When you play, it just seems like it's a part of you. You get completely lost in the music."

She felt her cheeks grew pink, "I didn't notice that."

"Of course not, the player rarely does." he said, his brown eyes gazing at her softly.

She felt a sudden warmness enveloping her as she stared back into his eyes, so deep and inscrutable. She realised that they've never been alone together before, nor have they enjoyed a conversation without bickering, and she had to admit that she doesn't mind spending time with him.

Her phone buzzed at that moment, breaking the mood in the room. Eun Jae opened the message from Seulgi

"Hey! We're at the restaurant now. Want me to order you some food?"

Eun Jae gasped, looking at the time. She forgot that she was supposed to grab some dinner with her friends. She quickly gathered her belongings, "I have to go. I need to meet Seulgi and Hyorin for dinner."

Woo Jin just nodded, "Right. I'd practice a bit more before I go."

Eun Jae stopped and looked at him "It's already 9pm, are you not hungry?" she hesitated for a second before adding, "Do you want to grab a bite with us?"

Woo Jin shook his head, already turning back to the piano, "I'm not working tonight so I'd practice some more...You go ahead, I'll clean and lock up after I'm done."

Eun Jae nodded, "Okay. Are you free tomorrow after five?"

Woo Jin nodded, "I'll meet you here."

Eun Jae picked up her stuff "Bye!" she called back to him as she left the door.

While walking, she typed out her message to Seulgi. She adjusted the strap for the violin case on her shoulder, but realised it was empty.

She smacked her forehead "Ya, Cha Eun Jae!" she scolded herself as she dashed back to the music room.

The door was ajar, and she could hear the piano all the way at the end of the hall. Woo Jin was lost in his own world, eyes downcast and the light casting shadows down his face. He occasionally glanced outside the window, letting his hands play unguided.

Eun Jae slowed down and stopped just outside the door to watch him. There was a lonely, almost remorseful look on his face, as he sat there all by himself. He's always been aloof, sociable enough to make acquaintances but not the type to hang out with his peers. It seems like he only goes to school to fulfill his studies and then leave to go to work. A lot of their classmates work part-time, but he seems to work the hardest.

Tonight, which might be a rare night off, he spends it alone again in a dark music room, the piano his only companion.

Eun Jae didn't want to admit it then, but she felt a pang of sadness for his sake. The room suddenly felt too big and empty, and it threatened to swallow him whole.

Biting her lip, she took her phone out and sent a message to Seulgi. Then, she stepped inside the room and cleared her throat as she dropped her things back on the chair. Woo Jin stopped playing, surprised.

"I thought you were leaving?"

She shrugged, "I changed my mind. They're already eating anyway, I'll just make them wait. Plus, I want to practice a bit more too. My finger placements could use a bit more work. It's always been trouble for me to get it right." she rambled on.

Woo Jin just blinked at her wordlessly.

Eun Jae cleared her throat again and looked at her phone, "Shall I order a takeaway?" she asked him without looking up.

Woo Jin didn't respond. Eun Jae finally glanced up, "Oi Seo Woo Jin. What do you want to eat?"

"I'm not hungry..."

"Well, I'm not eating on my own." Eun Jae muttered, "Bibimbap?"

Woo Jin shrugged and started to play again. Eun Jae called the company and ordered two servings, as well as some side dishes.

When the food arrived, Eun Jae had to forcibly remove Woo Jin from the piano bench and down to the floor to eat with her. At first, he hesitated to touch anything, so she pushed several containers his way and began to eat. They sat together in silence, focusing hard on eating their own portions.

"Consider this as payment," she blurted out, when she couldn't stand the quiet anymore.

"For what?"

"For that coffee you bought me during our first year?" she said, "I don't know if you remember that? by the vending machine after orientation?"

Woo Jin nodded, "I'm surprised you still remember."

"Of course I do." Eun Jae said

"Well...you waited quite a while to pay me back." he said, his tone teasing.

"Maybe I wasn't planning to," Eun Jae admitted with a grin, "but also consider this as a thank you for being my partner."

Woo Jin sipped his drink before saying, "The cash prize is quite huge."

Eun Jae nodded, "It would also look good in our portfolio. You know, extra-curricular. Being well-rounded."

"Is that why you wanted to join?" he inquired

Eun Jae looked thoughtfully around the room for a long time, then she shook her head. "No, actually, I just really wanted to play."

They continued to eat the rest of their meal in a comfortable silence.

~*~*~*~

Two days before their performance, Eun Jae stopped by Woo Jin's seat, "I have to skip rehearsal tonight," she said apologetically, "I need to go home for our family dinner."

Woo Jin nodded, "Ah, was that tonight? Cool. Have fun."

Eun Jae sighed, "Truthfully, I'd rather stay here and eat instant noodles."

"That bad, huh." Woo Jin remarked

She nodded, "Just a bit...tedious, I suppose. Anyway, see you tomorrow."

~*~*~*~

Eun Jae caught her reflection on the mirror, lifting the corners of her mouth to show a bright smile. She smoothed the front of her velvet dress and checked her pocket for the gala tickets. She took a deep breath and commanded herself to relax.

When she entered the dining room, her parents, older sister, and her two brothers were already seated. Eun Jae took the chair on her mother's right. Her eldest brother, Dong hee, was telling a story about his latest patient for a brain surgery, her dad nodding along.

"It was a very delicate operation," her brother was saying, "But I wasn't nervous. I think my hands have never been steadier than that moment."

"How long did it take?" Her sister, Shin Hye, wanted to know

"A little bit less than an hour."

"My, my," their mother said admiringly, "that is quite a feat, darling. Your first ever solo surgery and such a complicated procedure too. You have done well."

"You did, my boy." their father boomed proudly, "You made me very proud."

"Could you pass me the butter?" Eun Jae whispered to Shin Hye

"How's your hospital doing, Shin Hye? Have you settled in yet?" their father asked

Shin Hye nodded, "Sweden is very different from Korea, father. They have technology there that hasn't arrived here yet. It's all very advanced. The head doctor will give me a tour of their cancer research institute and then I will be a part of their new programme."

"That's great news, darling." their father said, "don't forget to ring us when you get there."

"I'd make sure to call often." Shin Hye promised

"Eun Jae," their mother suddenly said, "do you really want to eat that toast? It's very late. Are you not worried about gaining weight?"

Eun Jae looked down at the toast she had been buttering. She puts it down and smiled at her mother, "You're right mother, I should skip it. I'd rather have soup anyway."

"Just a little bit I think." their mother said, while their father asked, "How is school going, Eun Jae?"

She spooned some soup as she collected her thoughts. "Very well. I'm almost certain to rank first among our year by the end of this semester. The finals are coming up after Medicine week."

"Oh I remember that," Shin Hye said, "anything interesting going on?"

"Well actually," Eun Jae said with a smile, "There is a music competition on Sunday night, for singing or playing a musical instrument. It's during the main gala and a fund-raising event for the institute."

Her younger brother, Dong-geun snorted "As if they don't get enough money from generous stakeholders."

"I think it's just to attract more people to attend," Dong hee said breezily, "they want the alumni to return and give more money. That's all it is, a money-making scam."

Eun Jae shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "Yes well, I thought its nice to have a break sometimes—"

their mother laughed softly "We all do, dear. But it's a medical school for the brightest, what you need to be doing is studying hard."

"Your mother is right," their father piped in, "this close to the end of the school year, you shouldn't be getting distracted by this nonsense and just focusing on your studies."

"Yes father." Eun Jae intoned

"When will your internship begin?" Shin Hye asked

"Next school year, I think."

"Are you excited?"

Eun Jae nodded, "I'm looking forward to being in different settings, it would be a nice change from the classroom."

Dong hee smirked, "You innocent thing. Being an intern means you're a slave to your seniors, so make sure you butter up the right people."

"Who are your friends in med school, Eun Jae?" her mother asked

"Um well..." Eun Jae said, telling them about Seulgi and Hyorin.

"Their names don't ring a bell," her mother said thoughtfully, "Were there any doctors in their families?"

"I don't think so..."

her father cleared his throat, "It's good to make friends, but you should also think of making connections to those who are in a position to help you. You have to think of your future. Your older siblings all had strong ties to respectable families in the medical field, and that helped open up more opportunities for them."

Eun Jae nodded along, "I know quite a few people in school. I'd make more of an effort to get close to them."

Dong-hee leaned forward and smiled at her, "if you're struggling, you know you can always call me right?"

Eun Jae looked at him warily, but their mother giggled and cut in "Of course she does, that's what family is for, right honey?"

their father nodded in agreement. "Keep working hard Eun Jae, we expect you to live up to your siblings' names," he said,

"So tell me Dong-hee, your mother said you've been made the chief resident?"

The conversation floated away from Eun Jae. She gripped her spoon tightly and forced herself to take another bite, the tickets in her pocket itchy and uncomfortable.

~*~*~*~

It was a rare quiet night in the cafe. Woo Jin rested his chin on one hand, staring at the steady downpour outside. There had been no customers for the last hour, and he was bored.

He took out his phone and plugged his earphones on, swiping until he found the recording of their practice. Eun Jae thought it would be a good idea to record it so they can give themselves feedback.

Woo Jin pressed play and leaned back on his chair. He closed his eyes and drummed his fingers on the counter, following along. He knew the notes by heart now, and it gives him a great sense of satisfaction to hear himself hit each note in perfect timing.

When the violin entered, Woo Jin could imagine her standing in the middle of the room, hair swaying behind her. Her fingers deftly moving across the violin's neck, a small smile tugged her lips. Her eyes caught his and, instead of looking away like she usually does, she met his gaze steadfastly. Their harmonies crashing and tumbling with each other before rapidly intertwining to form a whole, complete, sublime experience.

He needed to tell her. She needed to know how extraordinary she was when she plays. The violin speaks all the emotions she had no words for. He could see the the delight when she plays and the longing when she puts it away. He could tell that this is something important to her, and no matter how much she brushes it off, she can't fool him.

He sighed and opened his eyes, just as a pair of customers entered the cafe and he went back to work.

~*~*~*~

"Any thoughts about what you'd like to specialise in?" Shin Hye asked her, "Oncology is a wide field with lots of options, its worth looking at."

"I've been looking at it too and it does look interesting. I want to do research—" Eun Jae said

"Research takes too long," Dong hee interrupted her, "and there is so little compensation. You have to leave those to the academicians. Why not go neurology? We have some of the highest paid consultants in the country."

"Yes," Eun Jae said, "that sounds good too."

their father shook his head, "We already have an oncologist and a neurosurgeon, and Dong-geun is an internalist like me, what you should look at is cardiac surgery."

Eun Jae turned to their father and said, "I'm not sure if I can do..."

"There is no reason not to go for it," he declared, "Eun Jae, we've given you all the tools to succeed. All you have to do is use them."

Eun Jae nodded wordlessly. She could see her sister trying to catch her eye but she refused to look up.

Once the main course was finished, Eun Jae excused herself from the dinner table, feigning that she had a headache.

"Why don't you have a rest in your room?" her mother said, "I will have someone wake you up in an hour and drive you back."

"Thank you mother." she replied gratefully

She rose and left the table before anyone else could call her back. She walked rigidly to her bedroom, closing the door behind with a loud, relieved sigh, letting go of all the tension she was carrying.

Kicking her shoes off, she slowly made her way towards her bed, crawling under the covers and burying herself deep in the pillows.

Not good enough, Cha Eun Jae. It's never good enough.

Eun Jae took her phone out, swiping until she finds the recording of their practice. She pressed play and closed her eyes, letting the music fill the little soft cocoon she made for herself.

Once the song ended, she played it again. Then again. Until her breathing went back to normal and her head felt a bit clearer. She went through her contacts list and pressed the call button.

"Hello?"

"I think we should practice the finale tomorrow, we're not in sync," Eun Jae said, "My tempo is too fast at my solo, and I keep missing the beat."

"Mm. If you say so. I thought it was okay." was his only reply.

"Sorry, are you busy?" she asked tentatively

"No, I just got home." Woo Jin answered, "How did dinner go?"

Eun Jae sighed heavily, debating whether to tell him, "it's finished." she finally said, "I'm just waiting for the rain to stop then I'll go home too. Its been raining heavily all evening, its relaxing."

"We closed early in the cafe since there were no customers." Woo Jin said. Eun Jae heard the pop of of a bottle lid as he opened a drink.

"Are you drinking?" she asked suspiciously

"Yeah, why?"

"On a school night? really? will you be ok tomorrow?"

"I can handle myself," he said nonchalantly, "plus it's only Coke."

Eun Jae scoffed a bit, "and I thought you have soju. I could use some right now."