“How many geniuses have I seen?”
The past flowed over his blue eyes.
“Empress Karas of Austria, Eden Simeon of Belgium, Billstein of the U.S., Spencer of London, Hikaru Akazawa of Japan…”
Sweat beaded on Tanaka’s forehead. Upon learning that the Berlin Philharmonic’s lion was in the neighboring country of Korea, he had rushed over.
The gaze that enveloped his entire body had a different but somewhat similar meaning to that of the Queen of Strings. Moreover, the names that came out of his mouth were of great figures who carried past glories.
“These are conductors I have met in the past. The grand orchestras that unfolded under their baton were enough to make me feel inferior as a conductor.”
“Are you saying that even you felt inferior, Maestro?”
Tanaka could hardly believe it. The person in front of him was undoubtedly the principal conductor of the world’s best orchestra.
“Musicians always live with a sense of inferiority. Some may target the unreachable Mozart, while others compete with fellow musicians at their side. Clearly, I belong to the latter.”
“Maestro, is there a conductor in Seoul that you have your eye on?”
A heat could be felt under his raised eyebrows. Even as time had passed, the charisma of the Berlin Philharmonic’s lion was still formidable.
Tanaka swallowed hard and continued his questions.
“Maestro, if you don’t mind me asking, could you tell me why you are staying in Korea during your sabbatical? I heard that you were invited to prestigious conducting competitions like the Antonio Pedrotti Competition and the Karas Competition.”
Suspicion was evident on Tanaka’s face.
It was strange no matter how one looked at it. The fact that the Berlin Philharmonic’s lion was staying in Seoul, which was not even known as a city of music. Wasn’t it considered a barren land for classical music?
But the answer he received was unexpected.
“If the goal of these world-renowned conducting competitions is to find the next generation of maestros, I can say that I am already doing that in Seoul.”
“What?”
What could this mean? Was there such a famous conductor in Seoul? Before Tanaka could continue his questioning, Yuri spoke up first.
“You asked if there is a conductor I am paying attention to, correct?”
“Yes, Maestro.”
There is a saying that the Berlin Philharmonic’s eyes are in the sky.
Their audition process is so rigorous that even most musicians cannot pass through its gates. Entering the Berlin Philharmonic is considered a milestone in the classical music world.
Could there really be someone that the Berlin Philharmonic’s lion has in mind? And in Korea, which is called a barren land for classical music?
“Of course, there is.”
Without hesitation, the blue eyes conjured up one person.
“Hyun―!”
It had been a while since Dongjoo visited. Dr. Tikhonov came running out with open arms as if they were long-lost family members.
As expected of the talkative doctor, he started pouring out stories about the team as soon as they met, to the point where it was almost deafening.
“Hyun, we have decided to continue researching graphene not only in the field of electronic materials but also in the field of bioengineering.”
“What?”
“We have discovered that graphene oxide can act as a mechanism to inhibit sepsis. Of course, it is still in its early stages.”
It made no sense. It was a research finding that would originally be discovered in the 21st century. Besides, wasn’t Dr. Tikhonov a chemist?
Although all sciences are interconnected with biotechnology, this was still unbelievable.
“By the way, did I not mention it? In the past, I also studied biology and medicine. After completing my residency in Russia, I could have worked as a doctor, but chemistry excited me too much. Had I not encountered chemistry, I would have become a surgeon obsessed with operations.”
I knew he was a genius, but I didn’t realize he was this exceptional.
There are occasionally such prodigies who are not satisfied with just one field and master multiple disciplines. There was a chief prosecutor at the Western District Prosecutor’s Office who also held a medical license.
“Where did you get the idea, Doctor?”
“You remember the advice you gave me in Russia, don’t you? You said graphene is like a lush old tree with countless branches, implying its endless possibilities for use. I got the hint from that.”
It was a remark I had made in passing to a doctor who was stuck in a fixed mindset. It was true that the application fields of graphene I had seen in my past life were diverse.
But to think he grasped it so precisely from just that comment, it was truly astounding.
“Isn’t he a delightful person?”
It was something my grandfather had said about Dr. Tikhonov.
After escorting me to my grandfather’s office, he saluted sharply, saying, “Boss, I shall return to the lab now!” Anyone would think he was dealing with a mafia boss.
“He is very capable. It was a wise choice to select Dr. Tikhonov, who is creative and free-spirited, over someone more old-fashioned like you suggested.”
“No, it was just luck. By the way, didn’t you have something to tell me today, Grandpa?”
Wasn’t it an unexpected summons? Normally, he would be helping the children’s orchestra practice at this time, but today was different as there was a call from Grandpa, so I came to Dongjoo.
“Isn’t your graduation in a week?”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
“Now that you are becoming a high school student, it’s time to tell you.”
Grandpa opened a locked drawer with a key as if he had been waiting for this moment. Inside was a brown envelope.
“Hyun, take a look.”
Just like before, when he handed me a stack of documents, he gave it to me in its entirety. Could there be a problem in Dongjoo that I didn’t know about?
Grandpa gestured towards the sofa with his head. Given the substantial amount of documents, it seemed he meant for me to sit and read.
Click.
I naturally sat on the sofa and picked up a pen. With a clicking sound, I started flipping through the pages.
“Grandpa?”
As I read through the documents, my face was filled with confusion. Much of the content was about real estate and financial assets, among which were many treasures I knew.
Especially in the overseas stock list, weren’t there names of giant companies that anyone would know in the future?
Though there were some missteps, this investment list was enviable even to Midas.
“These are recommendations from Yooha’s grandfather. Moving Dongjoo’s shares would not sit well with your uncles. Who knows how much longer this old man will live? The transfer has been completed without any issues, so don’t worry.”
“What do you mean?”
I couldn’t understand.
“It won’t be bad for you to use your excellent judgment to discern these things rather than this old man holding onto them. I made the list, but deciding what is real and fake within it is up to you, Hyun.”
My throat gulped hard. It felt like someone had shaken my mind. Just to be sure, I bit the inside of my cheek, but the stinging sensation indicated that it was not a dream.
Summarizing Grandpa’s words, everything in this list is…
“It’s yours, Hyun.”
Crunch, crunch―!
The sound of stepping on snow tickled my ears. Although it was the last winter break, I was heading to school as usual.
Hadn’t I practiced tirelessly for the orchestra performance on graduation day? The children’s skills had improved remarkably, to the point where it could be described as leaps and bounds.
But still…
-It’s yours, Hyun.
Grandpa’s voice kept echoing in my mind.
Grandpa had clearly said that it was up to me to judge what is real and fake within the list he handed over.
Such tasks weren’t particularly difficult for me, but it was something I needed to observe a bit longer.
Could it be that my palm lines had changed due to calluses from playing the violin all this time? Starting with royalties, my luck with money was unmistakably different from my past life.
As I approached the music room, I heard the sound of tuning.
It was time to return to the role of conductor.
Buzz.
The pitch wavered. Beads of sweat were forming on Lee Jin-ho’s face. Since he was in charge of the concertmaster role, he had to perform the solo part.
Wasn’t it a piece he was hearing for the first time, with a score he had never seen before? It was natural for it to be unfamiliar. However…
“Jin-ho, can we talk for a moment?”
I called Lee Jin-ho aside, away from the other students’ gazes.
“Your confidence falters when playing the solo part. Your shoulders become unbalanced, and your breathing becomes rough. As a result, your fingering speed noticeably slows down. Jin-ho, if you falter, the orchestra will waver.”
The roles of the concertmaster and the members are different. Moreover, a concertmaster who cannot properly handle the solo part cannot gain the members’ recognition.
Especially in a small orchestra like ours, if the concertmaster collapses, the members are likely to fall like dominoes. Therefore, I had to push him.
“There’s less than a week left until graduation. I will push your skills to the limit by then. It will be tough, but can you follow along?”
“I’ll definitely follow, Hyun.”
Seeing Lee Jin-ho’s determined face, I nodded.
Like Baek Jung-hoon, he would need Spartan training. He would have to practice endlessly through the night.
“Is it tomorrow?”
Yuri recalled what Kang Hyun had said earlier. He intended to showcase an original composition at the orchestra performance on graduation day.
It would likely be arranged for a small orchestra. Naturally, he was curious. He had already experienced Kang Hyun’s composing skills.
It was a late hour shrouded in dusk. However, Kang Hyun’s studio was lit up as if it were daytime.
“Is that the boy in charge of the concertmaster role? He is working hard until the last day.”
Yuri covered the backs of the two boys with a blanket. They had practiced so long that they had fallen asleep sitting up.
Especially the boy in the concertmaster role had noticeable calluses on his hands, indicating that if he didn’t give up music and continued to strive, he would surely shine one day.
Yuri moved to look at Kang Hyun, who was sleeping using a synthesizer as a pillow.
“What are you going to show, Violinist Hyun?”
Although he would find out tomorrow, he was already curious. What kind of piece would he create with his own orchestra?
Wasn’t he the boy who absorbed knowledge as if he were drawing it in? He was so eager to introduce this boy to the Berlin Philharmonic members immediately.
He was curious about what those proud musicians would say upon seeing this young boy.
“Gino, that’s not how you do it… Again, again… Again…”
At that moment, Kang Hyun mumbled to himself as if he were talking in his sleep. He must have been giving a lesson to the boy in the concertmaster role even in his dreams.
To that boy, it would be a fortune worth more than gold. Kang Hyun was someone who would soon etch his name in the classical music world. It was then.
Slide.
As Kang Hyun mumbled in his sleep, the sheet music on the synthesizer slid off and fell to the floor.
Yuri bent down and carefully picked up the fallen sheet music. His blue eyes slowly scanned the notes on the staff as if savoring them.
Andante Cantabile, it evoked thoughts of Tchaikovsky’s piece.
The slow yet splendid composition of notes, like a flower bud revealing its true form as it blossoms, captivated Yuri’s gaze.
It felt a profound beauty that words could not describe.
Like the laughter of children by a serene lakeside, it was a pure and clear musical feast, and the finale that beat like a heart was perfect for the graduation day, which marked both an end and a beginning.
“Violinist Hyun, you even make me feel inferior.”
Yuri knew. He could be someone’s Mozart, or conversely, someone else’s Salieri.
But contrary to his words, his face bore a deeper smile than ever before.
