‘A strange scent?’
Hyunsoo woke up from his sleep to the scent of flowers tickling his nose.
He usually only slept 3-4 hours, so it was still early in the morning.
“Huh?”
But the scenery of the room was not what he usually saw.
‘Oh, I came to Jessie’s house yesterday.’
Seeing the large screen that could only be in a small screening room, the events of yesterday came vividly to his mind.
It was around 6 PM when he left the store after being seen off by Samuel.
“Since it’s rush hour anyway and the traffic will be bad, do you want to eat here and go?”
Hyunsoo gladly accepted Jessie’s cautious suggestion.
“Sure! What do you want to eat? Since we worked hard today, it’s on me.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll pay. Hyunsoo, you often cook for me.”
“…I can’t let that happen. I got a ride today, and Samuel even introduced me to someone. Thanks to you, I’m getting an expensive piano, and now you want me to let you pay for dinner too?”
He shook his head firmly.
“I do have a conscience, you know. Allow me the honor to serve you this time? It might not be a family honor, but it’s something worthy of a line in my diary.”
“That’s funny… Well, if you put it that way. I have a place in mind, so let’s go there.”
Jessie took Hyunsoo to Pier 39, a popular spot for tourists.
The taco shop with a clear view of the sea was rustic but had its own charm.
Especially because it was sunset time, the scenery was exceptionally beautiful.
“This is so delicious!”
“Absolutely! The fish is super fresh.”
The fish tacos, filled with diverse seasonings and vegetables, melted in their mouths. Considering it was San Francisco, the price was not burdensome.
Good food, good location, good friend. The combination uplifted Hyunsoo’s mood, and he spoke with a flushed face.
“Coming to San Francisco definitely feels different. It’s nice to come here occasionally for a change of scenery.”
“Right. The city has a lot of homeless people and dirty streets, but just a bit on the outskirts, there are many nice places. …Would you like to visit a museum next time?”
“Oh, that sounds good. Now that you mention it, there are many famous museums here, right?”
“They often hold large-scale exhibitions, so I come sometimes too. There are also ones that you need an invitation to attend, and those are really worth seeing. Let’s go together then.”
“I’m all in.”
As Hyunsoo walked along with Jessie, he suddenly thought,
‘This is what an ordinary teenage life is.’
Going out shopping with a friend, eating delicious food. Such daily life was precious and enjoyable.
‘In the past or now, human relationships are the most important.’
He could have done today’s schedule alone, but it was definitely more fun with Jessie.
“Shall we head back?”
“Let’s go.”
Maybe that’s why the ride back felt a bit regretful.
‘Is it because it’s the first time we met outside just the two of us?’
They shared deeper conversations than usual, not related to classes.
“…”
But as they were almost home, a silence fell.
An awkward atmosphere filled the car.
“Hey.”
In the end, Jessie broke the silence first.
“It will take a few days for the piano to arrive… Do you want to practice at my place?”
Hyunsoo’s eyes widened at the mention of the piano.
“Now?”
“Yeah. The soundproofing is good, so we can play late. I’ll take you home afterward.”
Or was it for another reason that his heart wavered?
Anyway, Hyunsoo slowly nodded.
“Sure. Let’s go.”
Hyunsoo smiled as he looked at Jessie sleeping soundly beside him.
‘She must be tired.’
They played late last night.
Surprisingly, Jessie’s house, which could only be called a mansion, had a small concert hall.
-♩♪♫♪
Hyunsoo played the grand piano, which had an excellent sound, to his heart’s content, and later watched actual concert videos in a small theater.
Thanks to the state-of-the-art sound system and large screen, it felt like watching an orchestra live.
Listening to the music of top-tier performers sent chills throughout his body, and he was captivated by their ensemble, losing track of time.
‘I learned a lot.’
The sounds of various instruments still echoed in his ears. It was amazing to see dozens of people creating rhythm, melody, and harmony together.
He was so engrossed in the videos that he didn’t realize how tired he was.
‘But to fall asleep while enjoying the music.’
Hyunsoo chuckled and started tidying up the blanket.
“Huh?”
Then he realized Jessie, who was lying next to him, was shivering.
‘Did I only cover myself with the blanket?’
She was wearing only thin pajamas and sleeping uncomfortably curled up.
Hyunsoo immediately covered her with his blanket.
“…”
Jessie was still shivering. After some hesitation, he lay down beside her, keeping a careful distance.
‘Can’t let her catch a cold.’
Convincing himself, he decided to act as a human heater for just a little while.
The blanket was warm with their shared body heat. It felt like a cozy electric blanket in the middle of winter.
“…”
He closed his eyes slightly… and fell asleep again.
When Hyunsoo woke up again, Jessie was already gone.
Instead, there was a note left behind.
-Sorry. I have plans from the morning. See you at school later!
Hyunsoo insisted he was fine, but a secretary drove him home early in the morning.
‘Is this considered my first sleepover?’
Nothing significant happened overnight, but Hyunsoo entered the house cautiously, looking around without realizing it.
He recalled that his mom was in New York and his dad was away on a business trip, and he let out a sigh of relief for no reason.
“You’re home?”
“…!”
As soon as he stepped inside, Hyunsoo almost fell backward at the welcoming voice. It was someone he didn’t expect at all.
“Seems you’ve been busy? You didn’t even reply to my texts.”
“Adriana??”
It was really Adriana. She was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking at him.
“…What brings you here?”
“Kinda hurts my feelings. I thought you’d be happy to see me.”
For some reason, her voice was unusually dry today.
Hyunsoo awkwardly smiled.
“Of course I’m happy to see you. I just didn’t expect it, that’s all.”
“Oh. I came back last night with your mom. It was a bit sudden, so I called and texted you, but you didn’t respond.”
“Ah, I see. Do you have work to handle here too?”
He had heard she’d be working with his mom on the new launch, but he never imagined he’d see her in California instead of New York.
“Since your mom mainly works here, we got a budget to set up a separate studio in this area too. We’re looking at a few places today.”
“Oh, that’s great.”
“…Right? I think I’ll be coming here quite often.”
Adriana hugged Hyunsoo tightly, looking very pleased.
It was sudden, but they hugged often enough that it wasn’t strange… except she didn’t let go for a long time.
“Adriana?”
Instead of answering, Adriana sniffed Hyunsoo’s neck, taking deep breaths.
Like a drug-sniffing dog, she sniffed a few more places before nodding in satisfaction.
“Well, you still seem to be a boy.”
“…What?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it. I’m going back to sleep~.”
Suddenly, Adriana’s tone was as playful as usual.
Hyunsoo could only watch dumbfounded as she hummed and skipped up the stairs.
‘What on earth just happened?’
Shaking his head, he started preparing for school.
Before he knew it, the day of his appointment with Sasha had arrived.
Preparing for the music lesson.
Hyunsoo opened the practice room door with anticipation.
“You’re here?”
After a very formal greeting, Sasha got straight to the point.
“You prepared a piece, right?”
Sasha always seemed relaxed but looked very strict in front of the piano.
Hyunsoo, feeling tense, handed over the sheet music.
“Here, this is the piece.”
Over the past few days, he had chosen Chopin’s Nocturne while looking at the sheet music. Among the various versions, he chose the well-known and relatively easy Op. 9, No. 2.
“Can I hear it first?”
“Of course.”
After lightly stretching his fingers, Hyunsoo started playing immediately.
-♩♪♫♪♫♩
Sasha nodded silently while watching Hyunsoo.
‘His attitude is great.’
Some music scholarship students and most general scholarship students learned an instrument out of obligation.
Even if they had excellent basic skills, their attitude often showed, but Hyunsoo’s bright expression was pleasing to see.
-♫♩♪♫♪♫
As he listened without much expectation, Sasha became more serious as the performance continued.
‘His posture is perfect.’
Since the piece itself was easy, it’s understandable that there were no chord mistakes.
However, the hand shape and finger movements on the keyboard, and the unwavering posture throughout the performance, were something he wanted to show other students as an example.
‘He must have learned from a good teacher.’
With no bad habits and solid basics, he seemed to have great potential for growth.
“Oh, bravo.”
When Hyunsoo’s performance ended, Sasha clapped sincerely.
“It was very good. You can read sheet music?”
“To some extent. I studied hard.”
“It shows. Did you practice diligently in elementary school? Most beginners, no matter how much they memorize sheet music, are too busy looking at the keyboard while playing. But you played accurately while only looking at the sheet music.”
Sasha explained how difficult that was and praised Hyunsoo several times.
“If there’s one thing that’s a bit lacking, it’s the expression. It’s hard to explain in words, can you come out for a moment?”
They switched places. Hyunsoo’s eyes were filled with expectation.
‘I can’t believe I’ll be directly taught by Sasha.’
It was understandable. Sasha, who would become a world-renowned pianist in the future. The opportunity to watch his performance up close made Hyunsoo’s heart race.
-♫♪♩♪♫♪♪
Hyunsoo’s eyes widened as Sasha played the piano.
‘Is this the same piece?’
If he had played with a very honest posture and accurately, Sasha played the piano beautifully.
His hand movements were smooth like a ballet on the keyboard, and just by his graceful changes in posture, a sense of rhythm was felt.
-♪♩♫♪♫♪
The piece was expressed so elegantly. Though it was the same piece, the depth was different, and it gave Hyunsoo a big shock.
‘Where does this difference come from?’
He listened to Sasha’s performance while watching his hands closely. Comparing it to his own performance in his head, the differences stood out.
“How was it? Did you feel the difference?”
Hyunsoo nodded repeatedly.
“It felt like a completely different piece. The sheet music isn’t everything…”
“What made you think that?”
“Well, first, the left-hand accompaniment was impressive. I played both the right-hand melody and the left-hand accompaniment at the same volume according to the musical symbols, but Sasha, you adjusted the volume for each part, highlighting the melody?”
Hyunsoo pointed out specific parts as examples.
“Even though it wasn’t marked on the sheet music, when you played the accompaniment softer, the melody stood out more. In this lower part, you played the first note of the accompaniment strongly and the second and third notes gradually softer. Since chords are played simultaneously, reducing the volume emphasizes the melody.”
“Oh? Uh… exactly.”
Sasha was visibly surprised.
‘He figured all that out after just one listen?’
Even for an easy piece, it wasn’t easy for a beginner to grasp Sasha’s intentions after just one listen.
Usually, they would need direct feedback and to hear it several times to understand.
“Would you like to play it again while keeping those points in mind?”
So he tested it without giving detailed instructions.
-♪♩♫♪♫♪
“…”
Sasha was speechless.
‘He applied it immediately?’
Not only the pointed-out parts, but the overall expression of the piece improved.
It was clear that he understood the role of the accompaniment in supporting the melody.
“Hmm, something still feels off.”
Not satisfied there, Hyunsoo played the piece a couple more times.
“…!”
