“Vodka martini, shaken, not stirred.”
It was a phrase that reminded one of James Bond.
“Bartender, I’ll have the same, please.”
There seemed to be an invisible current flowing between Spencer and Yuri. Who would have thought they would choose the same hotel here in distant South Korea?
The bartender’s face showed clear signs of nervousness due to the unexpected contest between the two gentlemen with unpleasant expressions.
“How did you find the solo recital, Maestro Spencer?”
“It was excellent. I never imagined he would be so bold as to feature his own compositions. What did you think, Maestro Yuri?”
“I agree. I’m already looking forward to seeing what kind of performances violinist Hyun will bring to the Berlin Philharmonic.”
Spencer furrowed his brow. However, admitting that he was caught by such a simple ploy would be like admitting he was a novice, so he tried hard not to show his expression.
Nonetheless, it was indeed impressive. Didn’t he captivate an audience of over 2,500 people?
The mysterious musical feast and skillful stage manners reminded everyone once again that Kang Hyun was a born genius.
Moreover, wasn’t it amazing even after the performance ended?
“Violinist Hyun’s nerve is truly something to be acknowledged. I’ve never seen anyone speak so calmly in front of the eternal maestro, Gustav.”
It was when the recital ended, and maestros and virtuosos gathered in one place.
Even well-known musicians were holding their breath with tension, but Kang Hyun acted no different from usual. He spoke neither too much nor too little to anyone.
Who among the new talents could converse so comfortably with Gustav?
Certainly, it would be hard to find even among the maestros. They looked as if they were old friends.
“What do you think the eternal maestro Gustav gave to Hyun as a gift? It seems like no one knows. Do you know, Maestro Spencer?”
“I don’t know either, but I’ll find out and let you know when violinist Hyun joins the London Symphony.”
Yuri frowned. The bartender was having a hard time. At a glance, these people didn’t seem ordinary. No wonder someone might mistake them for bosses of a notorious mafia organization.
At that moment, Yuri put down his empty glass and said,
“One more vodka martini, shaken, not stirred!”
At that moment, Spencer’s glass was also placed down with a clink.
How many glasses had it been already? The bartender had already prepared another without needing to be prompted. He thought that the vodka martini contest might only end when one of them collapsed and placed the new glass.
“Hyun, how should we handle the interviews?”
Im Hyera, the director, couldn’t hide her smile. Various media interviews were flooding in as if a dam had burst.
It wasn’t limited to domestic media. Foreign music magazines had already featured news of my recital on their front pages. After all, renowned maestros and virtuosos had eagerly attended.
“Please select only the necessary ones, Director.”
Hadn’t I painfully realized in my past life? The more exposure to the media, the more it becomes poison. Unless you’re a politician, there’s no need to constantly appear before journalists.
“Hyun, if you do commercials this time, you’ll easily surpass the popularity of most sports stars.”
“Hyung, stop flattering me.”
“No, really, there’s even talk of a fan club for you.”
Baek Junghoon grinned mischievously as he picked up the ad concept. Given the uncertain times, it was a public service announcement featuring sports stars doing well overseas.
During the foreign exchange crisis, didn’t players like Chan-ho Park and Se-ri Pak inspire many young baseball and golf enthusiasts?
Se-ri Pak’s barefoot determination and victory at the US Open were repeatedly aired on TV.
“At this rate, there might be a nationwide violin boom. Violin teachers will be very grateful to you, Hyun.”
“It’s not that much, hyung.”
“By the way, there’s a barbecue party in Ichon-dong today, right? Can I come too?”
Of course. I nodded willingly. After all, Baek Junghoon had been the most helpful to me during the recital. Just seeing the bandages on his fingers showed how much he practiced.
Sizzle―!
The smell of grilling meat filled the mansion in Ichon-dong.
The barbecue area set up in one corner of the garden had a charming ambiance that rivaled any mountain lodge.
Moreover, Eric, who insisted on handling the barbecue with gloves on both hands, fit right in. It felt like being in a forest in Northern Europe.
“Zhang Yan, can I propose a toast for Hyun here?”
“Of course, Eric. Tonight’s banquet is for Hyun.”
“For Hyun, by Hyun, and for the night of Hyun! How about that?”
Although it sounded like a toast using Abraham Lincoln’s speech, no one objected.
It was a party with friends from the chapel and Baek Junghoon. The adults had stepped aside for us. Hence, the temptation to have a well-cooked piece of meat with a cold beer was brief.
“Hyun, you’re a soda drinker, right? Hehe.”
Eric, holding a miniature beer glass, laughed heartily as he poured soda into my empty glass. At that moment,
“Hyun, were those two always that close?”
Baek Junghoon asked with a puzzled expression. His gaze was fixed on two women engrossed in conversation.
But looking closely, though their lips were smiling, their eyes were not. It looked like an invisible current was flowing between them.
“Anna, you’re eating kimchi really well. Isn’t it spicy?”
It was kimchi, challenging even for foreigners. It was spicy and had oysters, making it a polarizing dish even among Koreans.
However, Anna was eating kimchi wrapped with meat without hesitation, as if it were a native Russian dish.
“I asked the housekeeper.”
“Asked what?”
“How to marry a Korean man, and she said I first need to enjoy Korean food.”
She must have heard unnecessary stories from the housekeeper. But Son Yooha’s face was filled with a sense of crisis. Understandable, as though she wasn’t picky, she couldn’t eat oysters.
“Oppa, but I know how to make kimchi!”
“Kimchi? Yooha, what’s that?”
At that moment, Son Yooha looked at me proudly.
Indeed, making kimchi is more important than just eating it well.
“It was truly an amazing performance, wasn’t it?”
Gustav’s eyes reflected the recent solo recital.
Under the splendid chandelier, Kang Hyun’s brilliance didn’t fade at all. Thinking of his melodies brought a smile to my face.
“Your Majesty, what did you think of the recital?”
“Maestro, please call me Hirose. The title of ‘Queen’ is too much for me.”
Sharon couldn’t get a word in with the combination of Gustav and Hirose. It was a proposal made with nothing to lose.
But who knew both the “Queen” of strings, Hirose, and the eternal maestro Gustav would agree so readily? And at the same time.
Today, she felt less like an interviewer and more like a part of a legendary fable.
“One million, two million, it doesn’t matter. If a classical album with Hyun’s compositions is released, I’ll be the first to get it. You heard what Hyun said at the signing session after the recital. He said he hasn’t named his compositions yet, just numbered them. It reminded me of the old composers who made a living from composing.”
“Are you saying he isn’t aware of creating masterpieces?”
“Rather than not being aware, I think everything he creates is a masterpiece. I felt the same when I first heard the ‘Iron Blood’ by pianist Baek Junghoon. It felt like the touch of a seasoned composer with years of experience. But considering Hyun’s age, it’s hard to believe.”
Gustav nodded at Hirose’s words. He too felt that way when he heard Kang Hyun’s compositions.
The pieces seemed like creations only possible by someone with diverse experiences and a rich life, making it hard to believe they were created by someone so young.
“I wanted to give him what Yasha left behind. His violin, imbued with his long touch and soul.”
At that moment, Hirose and Sharon’s eyes quickly turned to Gustav’s lips. They couldn’t believe it.
There were rumors in the classical world. The most famous one would be about Yasha Heifetz’s violin. Wasn’t it an instrument that left numerous legends?
Even after his death, it never appeared in public, leading to rumors that it had turned to ashes with Yasha.
Who would have thought that the eternal maestro Gustav had it?
“But he didn’t accept it.”
“What?”
Sharon unintentionally raised her voice. It was that surprising.
Who could refuse a violin used by Yasha Heifetz? Naturally curious, the eternal maestro Gustav slowly began to speak.
Buzz buzz―!
Eric’s booming voice was louder than the cicadas. It wasn’t my imagination that eyes in the airport were turning toward us.
His thick palm suddenly embraced me, creating a scene easily misunderstood if someone saw it.
“Hyun, stay healthy until we meet again. And be sure to contact me if you come to Norway!”
“Eric, you’re going to break Hyun’s back. Hyun, the rumors about you at the Shanghai Conservatory are growing daily. If you get the chance, it would be great if you could give a lecture in Shanghai like you did in Moscow.”
“Ahem, be sure to come to the Royal Academy of Music too. We’ll be waiting.”
Eric had joined the Norwegian Symphony Orchestra, while Zhang Yan and William remained at school. It wasn’t due to a lack of skill. They were honing themselves further.
At that moment, a platinum blonde girl hugging a framed picture stepped toward me.
“Hyun, it’s a wonderful gift.”
“It will become an even better memory as time passes.”
Anna gestured for me to come closer.
Smooch.
A warm touch on my cheek quickly moved away. Before I could react, Anna stepped back. With a meaningful expression, she whispered in my ear.
“Next time, I’ll learn how to make kimchi too!”
Where in Russia would she learn how to make kimchi? Thick beads of sweat ran down my back as I thought of someone’s face. The only relief was that the person didn’t witness this scene.
“Driver, please take me to Seocho-dong.”
It was usually the time to head to the Pyeongchang-dong mansion. I used to play Go with Chairman Wang and enjoy Zen dialogues under the guise of managerial training.
But today, I headed straight to Seocho-dong after seeing my friends off. It was the first day of field training.
“We’re here, Kang Hyun.”
Though it was the same building, my mindset was entirely different from my past life. Memories of joining the Jeil Group chasing power and ambition flashed by like a lantern.
As I entered the lobby, the desk clerk who had seen me before looked puzzled, then gradually wide-eyed.
“How can I help you?”
As I approached, she followed the protocol and asked. Unlike last time, she didn’t speak informally, likely due to the shock of me visiting the president’s office.
Who would have thought a student in a school uniform would be a guest of President Son Ilsun?
“I’m here to visit the Strategic Planning Office.”
“Excuse me?”
For some reason, I felt like playing a prank.
“It’s my first day at work.”
