“Got it―!”
The cello’s melody bounced like a spring, mirroring the beating heart of the performer.
“Emanuel, what’s made you so happy?”
Dmitri, the concertmaster of the London Symphony, looked at Emanuel with a puzzled expression.
It wasn’t just Emanuel. The faces of the other members also had an inexplicable flush.
At that moment, Emanuel stopped playing, wore a meaningful expression, and held up three fingers.
“Dmitri, there have been exactly three times in my life when I was most desperate. The first was when I came out of my mother’s womb into this world, the second was when I auditioned to join the London Symphony, and the third was just yesterday at dawn, when I was trying to get a ticket for Hyun’s solo concert.”
“What! Hyun’s solo concert?”
The voice was so shocked that it seemed like ripples would form in Dmitri’s cold eyes.
“Dmitri, did you not know?”
Of course, it was a solo concert happening far across the world. Moreover, Dmitri lived as if he had built a wall between himself and the media. Practicing the violin all day, he couldn’t have known.
“Since it’s a solo concert in Asia, Hyun probably didn’t think of us. And since it’s his first solo concert, he must be quite overwhelmed. This time, the members who are free decided to all go to Korea together to see Hyun’s solo concert.”
“Then I must book a ticket as well.”
“They said all seats were sold out already? They sold out in an hour.”
Dmitri’s face showed disbelief. He couldn’t believe that all the seats had sold out in an hour.
He thought it might be a small concert hall, but when he heard it was at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, where the London Symphony had performed, he couldn’t help but exclaim.
It hadn’t taken even half a day for the London Symphony to fill the 2,500 seats there.
It was then.
“The maestro is here.”
The door to the rehearsal room opened, and Spencer, the conductor of the London Symphony, walked in. Even Spencer, who always maintained a poker face, had the corners of his mouth turned up. Dmitri stood up in astonishment.
“Dmitri, are you free next week?”
“Yes? Maestro?”
“We need to go to Korea together. There’s going to be an incredible concert there. Ah, don’t worry about the tickets, I’ve already booked them.”
At that moment, an irrepressible smile spread across Dmitri’s face.
“Welcome.”
As the door to the photo studio opened, the elderly photographer bowed politely.
When he lifted his bowed head, the elderly photographer looked visibly flustered.
It was understandable since foreigners had entered the old photo studio located at the corner of an alley.
“Hyun, what is this place? Weren’t we going to a restaurant?”
Eric from Northern Europe rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked around the photo studio. It must have been the jet lag causing his drowsiness.
“I thought it would be nice to create some memories. Come to think of it, we don’t have a single photo of us together from the Chapelle.”
Taking photos with a film camera would have been nice, but the old photo studio had its own charm.
Moreover, these friends had come all the way to Korea for my solo concert. They might not know it now, but as time goes by, these old memories captured will become irreplaceable happiness.
“Grandpa, please feel free to speak. I’ll interpret for you.”
“Then please move that big young man a bit to the side. The pretty young lady, please come to the center a bit more.”
The photographer nodded and adjusted their positions. Especially because of the big Eric, he had to change the composition several times.
At first, the photographer grandpa was quite nervous, but as time went by, he regained his original composure and showed his professionalism.
“Everyone, please smile.”
Anyone watching might think they were shooting a slapstick comedy. They all had awkward smiles on their faces.
I was no different. I had never gathered and taken photos with friends like this in my past life.
“Shouldn’t we shout a slogan or something when taking the photo? Like ‘For Hyun’s solo concert!’”
“Eric, we are not at a pub to drink beer. We are at a photo studio.”
Eventually, when natural smiles appeared, the photo was taken with a click. The photographer grandpa’s face was filled with a satisfied smile.
Although the photos would only be ready in two days, this moment had already become a cherished memory in the friends’ hearts.
“Just as I thought.”
It was when we entered Ichon-dong with the help of Mr. Kim, the driver.
Seeing the neighborhood filled with detached houses with walls like fortresses, William nodded.
Seeing my puzzled look, Zhang Yan explained from the side.
“There were rumors when Hyun was in Brussels. They said the student taught by famous maestros from Asia was Hyun. Another rumor was that Hyun was an heir to a royal family. Seeing this neighborhood that resembles Beverly Hills, the latter seems more plausible.”
Indeed, the house in Ichon-dong was a rare mansion in the 90s.
“Hmm, I know another rumor.”
At that moment, Anna made a playful expression and looked back and forth between William and me. William cleared his throat and looked out the car window.
“We’ve arrived.”
At Mr. Kim’s words, everyone turned their eyes to the mansion in Ichon-dong.
As we walked across the garden, my grandfather and parents came out to greet us. Since these friends had come from abroad for me, my family would be grateful as well.
My grandfather welcomed each friend by shaking their hands one by one, looking like a division commander in the military.
“Hyun, you really look like your grandfather.”
Anna whispered to me in a small voice.
I look like my grandfather? I had never thought about it.
“Your deep eyes look very similar. Maybe when you get older, you will have a dignified aura like your grandfather.”
“Anna, I’m still a high school student. Are you already thinking about me becoming a grandfather?”
“Hyun always feels like an oppa to me.”
Even though her appearance had become more lady-like, her personality hadn’t changed much from three years ago.
I understood why Anna saw me as an oppa. Before performances, I had even made funny faces to ease her tension.
It was then.
“Oppa―!”
Son Yooha was waiting for me at the entrance. But as she smiled brightly at me, her expression hardened when she saw Anna following behind.
Quick-witted William commented,
“It’s going to be a fiery dinner.”
“What? Are we having a barbecue tonight?”
Eric added belatedly, flaring his nostrils.
“A ghost?”
The dining table heated up quickly.
“In Moscow, Hyun was called ‘Little Ghost.’”
Had Anna learned storytelling somewhere? She started unraveling stories.
She was talking about an episode at the Moscow Conservatory. Although she was speaking in English, everyone understood. Of course, I was interpreting for my mother.
“One of the professors confidently claimed that Tchaikovsky’s ghost was moving inside Hyun. The undergraduates were so shocked on the day of the inauguration when they found out that Hyun was a living person, not a ghost. And on the days Hyun gave lectures in the main hall, there wasn’t a single ant in the corridors of the Moscow Conservatory.”
“This kid gave lectures?”
“Yes, Grandpa. Hyun gave lectures in the main hall, attended by undergraduates and professors alike. After that day, another legend was born at the Moscow Conservatory.”
My face felt very hot. I never imagined I would hear my story through a third party.
My grandfather, parents, and even Yooha were all looking at me with bright eyes.
My friends from Chapelle, who had already experienced me, were calm, but there was a look of surprise on their faces. Especially at the fact that I had lectured to the notoriously proud undergraduates of the Moscow Conservatory.
“Hyun always surprises me. It was more challenging to get a ticket for your solo concert than for an Elton John concert. When I heard that the tickets were sold out early in the morning, I screamed over the phone.”
William from England spoke as if complaining. I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry.
“Hyun, why did you hold your solo concert so late?”
Naturally, they were curious. Usually, the Queen Elisabeth Prize winners hold a celebratory solo concert that year.
But I had been silent for the past three years, so they would find it hard to understand.
“Because I didn’t think I was completely ready yet.”
Though my words were brief, my friends, being musicians, seemed to understand my sensitive nature.
At that moment, Eric, who had been gnawing on ribs with both hands, saw my hand and put down his ribs.
“Hyun, what’s with that ring? I haven’t seen it before.”
Though usually oblivious, he had sharp eyes at times like this. Anna also looked at the ring with great interest.
At that moment, Yooha, who had been watching quietly, burst out as if she had been waiting.
“It’s a couple ring―!”
‘Amazing.’
The long fingers on the piano keys rested as if they had done their job.
Baek Junghoon’s face showed intense excitement.
Although he hadn’t understood why Kang Hyun pursued perfection by revising the score a hundred times, after performing the complete piece together, he was left speechless.
“Hyung, let’s stop here for today.”
“Yes, good idea. Our bodies are well warmed up now.”
The solo concert was just two days away. They had been practicing all night.
Baek Junghoon’s hair was drenched as if he had been caught in a downpour, and his shoulders to his waist were soaked with sweat.
Kang Hyun was no different. His arms were filled with rising excitement.
He wanted to keep playing, but his arms were trembling, so he had to stop.
“By the way, how are your friends doing?”
“They said they all went to Gyeongbokgung together today? I think they are avoiding visiting the studio to not disturb my solo concert practice.”
“If they visit the studio, they will be as surprised as I was when I first came.”
Baek Junghoon’s gaze turned to the piled-up scores. A feast of numerous musical ideas was right there.
For musicians, this place would seem like a utopia. It was then.
“Shall I give you one more piece?”
“What?”
Though said jokingly, Baek Junghoon was already swallowing his saliva.
But he shook his head. Even though they were close, he couldn’t accept it lightly. He knew very well the value of Kang Hyun’s scores.
“Hyung, shall we play one more piece?”
“Are you sure?”
Although his arms were trembling slightly, Kang Hyun nodded without hesitation.
Baek Junghoon saw that and smiled broadly. It was exactly what he wanted.
Meanwhile,
At that time, numerous renowned figures were arriving at Gimpo International Airport.
Though ordinary people unfamiliar with classical music wouldn’t know, journalists covering classical music couldn’t help but be astonished.
The journalists who had been waiting based on a tip from Director Im Hyera kept swallowing their saliva.
“What on earth.”
What was going on?
Throughout the day, famous figures were arriving at intervals of a few hours.
It started with Hirose, the queen of strings from Japan, followed by Yuri, the lion of the Berlin Philharmonic, and then the members of the London Symphony arriving together at the immigration gate, making it feel like a dream.
Maestros and virtuosos from around the world were flocking to Korea, a desert for classical music.
Late at night, when the last flight from Austria arrived, a reporter couldn’t help but exclaim.
At the appearance of the eternal maestro, Gustav.
