“Kang Hyun, it’s time for breakfast.”
As I went downstairs with a towel around my neck, a savory smell tickled my nose.
I saw the now-familiar figure of Dr. Tikhonov. As always, he was wearing an apron.
“Boss, today’s breakfast is Russian home-style. I’ve named it ‘Vladivostok’s Dawn.’”
The table was filled with a soup made from salmon and flatfish, crepes with cream cheese, and a sweet and slightly tart pomegranate juice. Russia had suddenly unfolded before my eyes on the dining table.
No one had asked him, but Dr. Tikhonov loved to cook and serve meals personally. I had tried to dissuade him, but what could I do? He was so stubborn. He said that in Russia, cooking heartfelt meals for people you’re grateful to is customary.
“Thank you for always preparing these meals, Doctor.”
As breakfast was nearing its end, Dr. Tikhonov suddenly looked at me.
“Hyun, you seem a bit taller?”
It was welcome news to hear. Dr. Tikhonov was very observant. I had also personally experienced my fingers growing longer when playing the violin. Didn’t I have a memory of my fingers bleeding because they were too short when I played Caprices in the past?
Today, the breakfast felt especially delicious.
“We’re here, Kang Hyun.”
It was the first day of the new semester. Thanks to Mr. Kim, the driver, I arrived at Jeil High School, which looked similar to Jeil Middle School. Well, it made sense since they were both under the Jeil Foundation.
As soon as I entered the classroom, I felt the students’ gazes on me. I pretended not to notice and sat down randomly.
“Hyun-ah.”
At that moment, a familiar figure who had been the concertmaster at the last graduation ceremony approached me. It was Lee Jin-ho.
It seemed we were in the same class. Jin-ho had a bigger smile on his face than ever.
But from earlier, I noticed girls from other classes and grades passing by our class and glancing over.
“They’re all here to see you, Hyun.”
“Me?”
“You were already famous, but you became even more famous after the graduation ceremony. I heard there’s even a fan club now?”
I had a feeling that school life wouldn’t be smooth sailing.
At that moment, the school gate opened, and a burly middle-aged man entered. The stern-faced man scanned the room and wrote his name on the blackboard.
As usual, after the homeroom teacher’s introduction, the students started chatting among themselves.
“Kang Hyun.”
The homeroom teacher called me. I stood up without a word and followed him, hearing whispers around me.
The place I followed the homeroom teacher to was none other than the principal’s office. As the door opened, the pot-bellied principal rushed out barefoot.
“Oh, Kang Hyun!”
Anyone would think he had known me for a long time.
It seemed to be the influence of Im Hyera, the director. Didn’t Chairman Wang personally attend the Jeil Middle School graduation ceremony as well? It was understandable why the pot-bellied principal was so nervous and sweating. At that moment,
“Kang Hyun, could you give the congratulatory speech at the entrance ceremony?”
“Pardon?”
“As you know, our Jeil High School holds the entrance ceremony after the start of the semester. I would like you to give the speech there, as the representative of the new students and a famous violinist. Seeing how well you delivered the valedictory speech at the graduation, I think you’ll do great.”
It seemed like I was becoming a specialist in giving speeches.
“Mi-hyun noona, you seem busy.”
The gallery was bustling with work. New paintings were coming in waves, and the staff was having a hard time.
No wonder, considering each artwork ranged from a few hundred million won to over a billion won. Even the slightest mistake in displaying the new paintings was unacceptable.
“Hyun-ah, your school uniform changed? And you seem a bit taller too.”
“Today is the first day of the new semester.”
“You seem to get more handsome by the day. New visitors to our gallery often ask if you’re an aspiring actor.”
Mi-hyun noona, who seemed to have found a moment to breathe, approached me.
When I first met her, she was a fresh-faced new employee, but now she looked quite the career woman.
Maybe she remembered the help I had given her; Mi-hyun noona was always particularly affectionate towards me.
“Hyun-ah, do you know which of these artworks is the most expensive?”
At first glance, all the paintings looked similar. There was one depicting a farmer and another showing a city reflected on a river.
But the one I pointed to was a painting with a single blue dot on a white background.
“How, how did you know?”
Would you believe that this painting would be worth billions of won in the future? How did I know? Because this painting was also present when I worked under Im Hyera, the director.
Without saying a word, I waved and headed to the studio.
“Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, Sarasate…”
There were countless repertoires suitable for a recital. It was a feast of repertoires, lacking nothing regardless of what I chose.
But Maestro Gustav’s interview lingered in my mind like a fishbone. Didn’t he say he wanted to see a solo recital by the violinist Hyun?
At that moment,
“Hyun-ah, you were here.”
Director Im Hyera visited the studio just in time. She had a wide smile on her face, and the reason was simple. I had decided to hold a solo recital.
“What are you so worried about?”
“It’s my first solo recital. I can’t help but be concerned about the repertoire.”
“Auntie doesn’t know as much about music as you do, Hyun, but do you really need to use someone else’s pieces? Look at the scores you’ve composed. You could almost build a tower with them.”
Over the past three years, I had written countless scores. However, I wondered if those scores were ready to be revealed to the world. To me, they still seemed far from perfect.
“By the way, who will play the piano? Even for a solo recital, you need an accompaniment. If there’s a pianist you want, I’ll try my best to arrange it.”
“It’s okay. I’ve already found someone.”
“What?”
She probably didn’t expect that I would find someone so quickly, given that the recital was still some time away. Just as Director Im Hyera was about to speak,
“Hyun-ah!”
It seemed he couldn’t be a nobleman. Baek Jung-hoon entered the studio.
“Maestro, it seems that violinist Hyun will be holding a solo recital.”
A gentle smile appeared on the wrinkled lips.
“Maestro, may I ask why you’ve been so eager to see violinist Hyun’s solo recital? Honestly, I thought you would mention Heifetz’s performance.”
Adam didn’t understand. No matter how talented Hyun was, he was still a newcomer.
He assumed the maestro would want to hear Heifetz’s performance again. Moreover, weren’t they fierce rivals before Heifetz passed away?
“I’ve listened to Heifetz’s performances countless times in my youth. I often attended his recitals secretly because I didn’t want anyone to know due to the intense inferiority complex that consumed me. But at some point, his performances started to delight my ears. I couldn’t help but acknowledge him. You asked why I didn’t choose Heifetz’s recital as the performance I most want to see?”
The teacup with floating petals trembled.
“I’ve already lived a long life. I don’t have much time left. Why would I want to hear Heifetz’s performance again after I pass away? Shouldn’t I listen to a living performer’s recital instead?”
“Maestro, does that mean you consider violinist Hyun to be on par with Heifetz?”
“In time, I’m sure he will be. He might even surpass him.”
Adam was at a loss for words. He knew how significant Heifetz’s name was in the world of violin.
If the 19th century was known as the era of Paganini, wasn’t the 20th century known as the era of Heifetz?
Yet, Gustav unhesitatingly claimed that Kang Hyun would surpass Heifetz. It was a shocking statement for Adam.
“There’s a violin I received from Heifetz. It’s the one he played for a very long time. The great virtuoso told me this as he was passing away. ‘My old friend Gustav, if you find someone worthy of this violin, give it to them without hesitation. If no such violinist appears, turn it into ashes and scatter them over my grave.’”
At that moment, the butler brought in an old violin.
“Sometimes, I play this violin to avoid forgetting its melodies. Every time, it cries out, asking why I haven’t found a virtuoso to play it yet. Maybe I’ll find one during this trip to Korea—a new owner for this violin.”
Adam’s Adam’s apple bobbed prominently. Even from a glance, the strings exuded an extraordinary aura.
“Hyung, can we try it one more time?”
At my question, Baek Jung-hoon nodded. We had been practicing for almost a day and a half straight.
The piano’s role in a violin solo recital was significant. If the ensemble wasn’t in sync, the pitch could get completely distorted.
In that sense, Baek Jung-hoon was the best accompanist who matched my rhythm perfectly.
“Let’s start from the second movement again.”
Even though we stopped and restarted the performance, he didn’t complain. It showed how much he trusted me.
When we paused for a break, he said,
“Hyun-ah, if you continue like this, your solo recital will be sensational. I’ve never seen a violinist hold their first solo recital with original compositions. If you release an album, it’ll be a huge hit.”
Baek Jung-hoon continued to praise my scores. But to me, they still seemed lacking.
“Hyung, let’s start again from the beginning.”
As if he knew I would say that, Baek Jung-hoon smiled and took his place at the piano.
Under the full moon shining through the window, the melody continued to resonate endlessly.
“Hyun-ah, did you stay up all night again?”
Director Im Hyera entered the studio, her mouth agape. The synthesizer was cluttered with scores, and Baek Jung-hoon was sleeping curled up on the sofa.
We had been practicing day and night to prepare for the solo recital.
“Is it okay for Jung-hoon to stay here all the time?”
Baek Jung-hoon had started coming to the studio regularly again.
He had readily agreed when I asked if he could accompany me. It was almost as if he was preparing for his own solo recital, his enthusiasm making me feel a bit pressured.
“I thought you would be at Ichon-dong, so I sent it there.”
“What did you send?”
Director Im Hyera gave a mysterious smile. I shook my head, puzzled, and woke up the sleeping Baek Jung-hoon.
After shaking him a few times, he woke up startled. His mouth was wet with saliva, indicating he had fallen into a deep sleep.
“Hyung, let’s go have breakfast.”
Usually, I would have breakfast at the gallery, but today Director Im Hyera insisted we eat at Ichon-dong.
Baek Jung-hoon was also visiting Ichon-dong for the first time.
“Hyun-ah, wouldn’t it be rude to visit like this so early in the morning?”
“I’ve already informed them by phone. Grandpa said the more, the merrier, so it’s okay.”
After all, Dr. Tikhonov also joined us for meals. One more person wouldn’t be a problem.
“Oh?”
As we entered the Ichon-dong mansion, I heard a familiar voice from the kitchen. Baek Jung-hoon cautiously followed behind me.
“Yooha?”
I saw a familiar face sitting at the dining table.
