Chapter 109 - Melodious Voice

"Yeah, tell me what happened that you look so riled up?" Sa Da Hye folded her hands across her chest and seriously looked at Song Ji Hwan.

"Today, I discovered a talent and I want you to sign it" Song Ji Hwan declared.

"I am sorry, what?" Sa Da Hye looked confused as she didn't get the context of what he was talking about.

"Aunt Da Hye, I was on the gallery until now and guess what I came across?" Song Ji Hwan tried to create some suspense.

"Hwan, I have a lot of other work, can you please come on point?" Sa Da Hye was losing her patience.

"Okay, okay. So, when I was on the gallery above, I heard Aera sing a song. Believe me aunt Da Hye, I didn't hear anyone sing with such a melodious voice for a very long time. She has a hidden talent, none of are aware of."

Song Ji Hwan excitedly informed her.

"Okay, so?" Sa Da Hye still didn't know how to react.

"I think you should sign her as an artist in your entertainment company and train her to be a k-pop star."

"What?" Sa Da Hye laughed as if she just heard some joke.

Song Ji Hwan frowned at her reaction but he patiently waited for her to be done.

Once she laughed her heart out, she looked at Song Ji Hwan, who was seriously staring at her.

She realized he was not joking and was actually serious.

"Are you serious?"

"Why would I waste my time in talking all of this, if I am not. You know me well" Song Ji Hwan retorted.

"Hwan, even if she is a good singer, a k-pop star needs to dance and have many more talents."

"You can train Aera, that's exactly what you people do, right?"

"But are you sure, she is that good? What if she sings well and sucks at other things?" Sa Da Hye asked him.

Song Ji Hwan rolled his eyes at her, "Obviously then fire her but believe me my intuition can never go wrong. If you sign her, you would be coming across an amazing raw talent before anyone else"

Sa Da Hye was in deep thoughts, still thinking about this proposition as she was not sure if she should take a 16-year-old seriously.

Although, they were close, what Song Ji Hwan is asking of her is something very huge. Signing Aera as an artist with KH Entertainment Company is not a small thing. Their friends will now get involved professionally.

Also, in future if there are any issues with Aera then it might not be very easy to terminate the contract with her given their close family relations.

Sensing Sa Da Hye's hesitation, Song Ji Hwan put another proposition in front of her.

"I understand your problem, I have another solution" Song Ji Hwan interrupted her thoughts.

"And that is?"

"I'll somehow show you her talent first, without even knowing it, you can't make a decision. But once you'll hear her, you will love her voice so much that you would be the first one to jump in this opportunity to sign her."

"What if I don't wish to sign her even after listening to her singing?" Sa Da Hye asked him.

"No worries, I'll take her to some other entertainment company. Her talent is enough to get her signed" Song Ji Hwan confidently declared.

Sa Da Hye chuckled hearing his statement, "Hwan, you are still very young. You don't know how this industry works"

Song Ji Hwan was not offended and politely smiled at Sa Da Hye. She was unaware of the fact that he already got an internship in her own company.

From here, Hwan can actually build some contacts and at least showcase Aera's talent to many influential people. He already had a back-up plan set in his mind in case Sa Da Hye refuses to sign Aera.

So, he was confident he will achieve what he wishes to. 

"Why are you smiling?" Sa Da Hye looked confused.

"Don't bother. Can you come with me? We will ask Aera to sing a song and you can see her amazing talent with your own eyes and hear her melodious voice with your ears"

"Okay, okay, let's do that" Sa Da Hye decided to give Song Ji Hwan a chance as he was clearly very excited.

She decided to listen Aera sing and will say she has to check with Kim Hoon and then slowly she will refuse Song Ji Hwan.

Sa Da Hye and Song Ji Hwan went to the lawn area and saw Aera playing some board game with Kim Do Hyun.

"Aera dear, can you come here for a minute?" Sa Da Hye gently called her and a confused Aera headed towards Hwan and Sa Da Hye.

"Don't tell her about me listening to her singing in secret" Song Ji Hwan whispered to Sa Da Hye, who just nodded her head.

"Yes, aunt Sa Da Hye?" Aera looked at the two people.

"Aera dear, actually there is a small event happening in my company, we wanted a child singer of your age for it. Your voice sounds sweet, so I am assuming your voice is fit for singing too. So, can you sing a small song for me?" Sa Da Hye cooked up whatever lie she could think of.

Aera was still confused, "Can't you ask Kim Do Hyun?"

"No, your voice is better than hers" Song Ji Hwan answered her only to get glared at by Sa Da Hye.

"I don't know how to sing" Aera answered.

"What is there to not know? Just like how you talk, you sing" Song Ji Hwan was getting frustrated seeing her reluctance.

"But I don't like it" Aera refused to give in to his request.

"Fine" Sa Da Hye was about to give up as she was relieved with the turn of events.

"Wait" Song Ji Hwan seriously looked at Aera, "Aera, how many favours do you owe me?" he suddenly asked.

"Two Hundred and thirty-four" Aera answered him, as he always reminds her the number of favours, she owes him.

Sa Da Hye didn't get the context but she patiently waited to see what he will do.

"So, as a part of my favour, can you please sing a song?" Song Ji Hwan nicely requested her.

This time Aera couldn't refuse and nodded her head.

She looked at her surroundings and made a request, "Can we please go somewhere else?"

"Sure"

The three people then went to the backside of the lawn where no one was present.

Aera nervously looked at Sa Da Hye and Song Ji Hwan. After being pestered by them, she tried to sing but her voice was breaking and she was unable to sing.

Sa Da Hye looked at Song Ji Hwan and shook her head saying no.

Aera stopped singing her broken song.

Song Ji Hwan took a deep breath and stepped towards Aera.

He held both her shoulders and looked into her eyes, "Aera, do one thing. Close your eyes, imagine you are alone here and sing a song. Please, I beg you"

"Why are you doing this?" Aera asked in confusion.

"Because just like you needed my help many times all these years, today I need yours. Can you please be considerate of my request and do me this favour? I never asked you for anything before and this is the first time. Please, Aera, if you will sing you would be doing me a huge favour"

Song Ji Hwan looked very emotional as if his life depended on her singing.

Sa Da Hye and Aera, both were confused seeing his extreme reaction but his words worked like magic on Aera and she seriously nodded her head.

Song Ji Hwan let go of her and took a step back.

Aera turned around, facing her back to Sa Da Hye and Song Ji Hwan.

She slowly closed her eyes and recollected every moment when Song Ji Hwan truly helped her.

Taking a deep breath, she imagined herself alone on the gallery like earlier and sang the same song she sang earlier as that was the only song, she was perfect at.

Imagining herself alone, actually worked and although she picked on a low note, she slowly got immersed in the song and forgot her surroundings.

Aera sang the song even better than when she did on the gallery earlier.

When Sa Da Hye, heard the changing notes in Aera's voice once she started singing properly, she was totally taken aback and her mouth was left open in a gape.

Song Ji Hwan didn't hype or exaggerate what he said earlier about Aera, he was being honest. Aera's voice was so melodious that even Sa Da Hye, who comes across fresh talent every day didn't listen to something like this since a very long time.

By the time Aera was done singing the whole song, Sa Da Hye and Song Ji Hwan were totally lost in this song and forgot the purpose of all this.