The dizi was being played solemnly yet soulfully at the gathering Im Jaebum was attending along with Jackson Wang and Mark Tuan over at the Grand Imperial Hotel at Changsha. Jaebum was feigning an intent interest in the song to avoid meeting the vast circle of friends the Chinese Hong Kong butterfly had made and was entertaining. Mark, though a man of few words, had a very amiable and yielding face and his warm smile was enough to match the pace of sociability with Jackson's. Mark, however, also kept an eye on Jaebum to check if the latter was doing okay by himself. He knew better not to disturb him when he was in a trance of his own. In fact, he was pleasantly surprised when Jaebum agreed to come with the said party. Though him and Jinyoung often played sick when it came to Jackson's sudden invitations to China, it was evident that Jeabum was in want of much needed diversion. After his scheduled solo album debut got cancelled by the company for not following their instructions to work on deep house instead of the contemporary r&b he worked on, he had little motivation left to go back to his daily practices. While listening to the flute solo, he kept drifting to his own music - all the time and effort he invested into his artistic creations. The members and mentors had all instructed him to keep the album for now and use it again in the future with better revisions, but the disappointment was in no way fleeting from his system. His scattered thoughts came to a halt when the flute player ended his song and stood up to welcome an erhu player. The reception of the latter was far more welcoming and apparently anticipated than it was for the flute player. In fact, some of the people even stood up in joint respect and admiration for the erhu boy. It surprised Mark, for the welcomed player seemed very young and did not have a profound air of confidence that experience generally lends. 'Oyye is that my little otter!!! Is that really Twea?' Jackson exclaimed in his usual hyper excitement. 'Really now, is there someone here you don't know?', Mark said, continuing: 'Who is he between? Some Chinese prodigy?' 'The heir to the Choi firm that sponsers and endorse many labels from JYP, SM and YG - the big three, believe it or not. This hotel is theirs too but the presiding head of the Chinese chain is someone from here. The Choi family generally sees the functioning of the Korean chain so I am surprised to see them hosting here. Well since Twae just graduated from university I guess his parents must be familiarizing him with all of their business branches. Poor guy alredy looks so underweight. I need me my otter back,' Jackson sulked. 'It's really annoying for me though when the hosts in to perform at the events they hold. Just let the professionals do their jobs.' Mark's agitated words did not match his facial contours though for he didn't give much thought to his words and did not feel annoyed at all. 'Hold that thought. My sudal has got skills probably no one in our group possess. His expertise in vocal range, agility and power could easily make him as the main vocal of Got6 had he ever complied and his hold on various Western and indiginous instruments is astonishingly brilliant.' Jackson sounded like a proud dad. Mark shrugged his shoulders with lack of interest and side-eyed Jaebum to see if he was still distressed or settling in. To his surprsie Jaebum looked like a prickled cat. Jaebum's reflexes had instantly been paralyzed on beholding the lonely mountaineer he saw last week. He could hardly believe the boy who took away his breath the week before was out here to bewilder him once again, for Jaebum already anticipated a splendid performance from the boy. 

Youngjae took the seat now vacated for him. His  head was slightly hurting for he had not slept a wink three nights in a row. Now that he had chosen to follow his parents' choice of career, he decided he will do it right. The Chois were already warming up to the determiniation he showed to follow in their path and they were put at ease regarding his now alienated future of doing music. They had made him learn piano and take vocal lessons as a kid as it was in vogue for the elites to do but when he expressed his desire to pursue music seriously, they questioned their entire life choices they made as parents. It was acceptable to them to have the little him perform on birthday parties and brunches and dinners venued outside. Therefore, following the rut they made him perform his newly learnt instrument at this occasion too, though this time Youngjae was less than willing, Why would they bring this practice back when it was so painful for him. But he hardly ever objected verbally. Settling in the chair, he looked at the erhu for a moment and then commenced to play it. The instrument let out an aching wail as its anatomy was upset and put to work. Youngjae played the timbre of the erhu sadly yet gently until the air seemed to pick up on a mellow scent. The folk piece he chose was Running River that the audience knew well enough to know if the player was just playing it or tragically convusling with it. Youngjae's facial expressions grew sore as the song intensified. Jaebum's insense and fixated senses weren't feigned this time. The music's ambience seemed to unsettle the sensitive ears, which were few and far between, but the general audience only applauded in genuine delight as the piece ended brilliantly. 

'Encore! Encore!', the venue echoed. 'A song this time. Let us hear your honey voice too.' Perturbed at the sudden demand Youngjae's expressions grew more sombre. His last song was at the mountain and he was set not to sing again. He bowed to the audience in pardon and  gestured to his neck implying that he was not in the best condition to sing. His mother, however, signalled him to not leave his seat for the hostess was principled to never let her clients down in thier requests. Mentally cursing himself for the control he had allowed others to have over him, Youngjae decided to pull himself through this yet another ordeal. Not that things were going as he had planned anyway. With this resolution, he started singing Eason Chan's Fau Kwa. His friendship with Jackson and his interest in multinlingual discographies had helped improve his cantonese. Jaebum and Jackson were both surprised at the rather radical song choice. Youngjae's power vocals filled the arena with nothing but awe. Youngjae had always agreed with the lyrics, he too believed that there were too many ways of being ordinary in the world but sublimity was achieved through radical exaggeration and resistance which he could never manifest. 

'The world don't agree with silence

So I give it my all

Veins are coming out,

Tell me am I existing now?'

His high notes afterwards almost pulled people up from their seats. 

'Just look at me, stop staring at the ceiling'

Hardly anyone managed to look elsewhere. Youngjae commanded everyone's attention, most of all Jaebum's who was invested in the performance like nothing else.  The screech at the end jolted everyone and the whole crowd broke into applause. But Jaebum grew gravely silent from the image he was beholding. The boy was bent over in his seat for what people took as his ending bow. But Jaebum could see that the boy had broken into a fit of tears after his screaming note at the end. He was in despair. Midst the loud cheers, Jeabum quickly left his seat that was not far from the slightly elevated stage and grabbing the arm of the bent over boy fleed the arena. Youngjae, not comprehending the situation, instantly hid behind the other man to prevent people from witnessing the vulnerability of the heir of this grand firm. Jaebum stregnthened his grip as he felt the young man draw near. They exited the open venue to the garden stretched far and wide, and clustered with trees and and their shadows -  a perfect hideout. The two young men just left behind them an obliviously cheering crowd and a confused pair of Markson.