“Conducting—!”
Unfortunately, the person on the other end of the line didn’t understand.
- Adam, that doesn’t make sense. How could Hyun, a violinist, be a conductor?
Of course, it didn’t make sense. Even Adam himself had expected Hyun to take the stage as a violinist. He was just as shocked when Hyun ascended the stage with an old baton.
- Adam, explain in detail. It’s already amazing that you met Hyun at the Berlin Philharmonic, but him taking the stage as a conductor? What on earth are you talking about?
Sharon urged him, unable to contain her curiosity. It was understandable since she was also an ardent fan of Hyun.
It was only natural. Despite being the cold-hearted editor known as the “Devil of Gramophone,” she couldn’t help but become a mere audience member in front of Hyun’s melody. But to explain it in detail…
“He wore a dark tailcoat. The end of the baton was faded and its shell peeling, old and worn, yet it shone like a finely crafted masterpiece.”
The concert hall was completely still. However, the image of the tailcoat fluttering with the melody and the baton cutting through the air fiercely was etched in his mind. And what about the conducting?
Gulp—!
Just thinking back on it made Adam’s throat bob. It was as if a wave of emotions surged through his chest.
The musicians played Tchaikovsky’s final moments as if they fully understood the word “Pathetique.” Amidst the melancholy romance, Adam felt an outpour of passion that made him break into a cold sweat, as if he had been drenched by a heavy downpour.
Even now, holding the receiver, Adam’s palm was soaked with sweat.
“To exaggerate a bit, it was a stage where you wouldn’t think of the Lion of Berlin.”
- What?
“It felt as if Hyun had been conducting for the Berlin Philharmonic for a long time, altering its very identity.”
The identity of the century-old symphony orchestra was changed by the fingertips of a young boy.
During the final movement of Pathetique, countless audience members shed tears. At the peak of intense emotions that pierced through the theme, everyone was left speechless. The lingering effect was so profound that they couldn’t even muster applause easily. The melody of Pathetique captured the audience even after the baton was lowered.
- Adam, is everything you just said true?
Didn’t he touch the hearts of the audience in a completely different way from the Lion of Berlin? The audience shivered and cheered from the young maestro’s fingertips. They were ensnared by his melody as if caught in a spider’s web.
As time passed, the memory didn’t fade but rather sharpened, with the tip of the baton continually coming to mind. Just like the legendary maestro who once heated up Berlin.
“The return of the young maestro.”
The headline for the scoop was decided at that moment.
“How was your first conducting?”
He was standing alone on the empty stage when Maestro Yuri slowly approached.
Even without the tailcoat or baton in hand, his mere presence made the concert hall seem to resonate and shiver.
“I am extremely grateful that you gave me this opportunity, Maestro. I still can’t shake off the lingering sensation. It feels like the concert hall is holding onto my heart.”
“When I first conducted the orchestra in Saxony, my mind was a blank slate. I was so nervous that I couldn’t remember how I conducted. Compared to that, you moved the audience. With your own style of conducting, no less.”
“Maestro, your praise is too much.”
How could he explain the blush that spread across his face? It was just a single conduct, but it was more precious than any experience he had ever had.
It was like playing the violin for the first time, with the melody wrapping around his entire body, the gaze of the audience and the sight of the orchestra constantly replaying in his mind. Even though he had put down the baton, his fingertips still burned with excitement.
“The tip of the baton must embody the emotions and decisiveness needed to lead numerous musicians. In that regard, Hyun, you are naturally gifted. Look at those empty seats.”
There were thousands of seats. Just moments ago, they had been filled with countless audience members. Their heat and gazes were still vivid in his mind.
“Do you know why it took so long for the standing ovation to erupt after the final movement of Pathetique ended?”
“Honestly, I was too overwhelmed to notice the delay in applause. My heart felt like it was about to explode.”
“Really? To me, it seemed like you were catching your breath, observing everything calmly after finishing. You were that impressive. You embodied Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique so clearly that the audience couldn’t shake off the lingering sensation easily.”
His wrinkled eyes were full of deep emotions. Hyun felt the same. His heart still hadn’t stopped trembling. It felt as if the end of his tailcoat was subtly shaking.
“Today, it wasn’t me who moved and touched the audience on stage; it was you, Hyun.”
“Thank you, Maestro.”
“What do you want to do next?”
It was a question he couldn’t easily answer. Choosing between the violin and conducting was an absurdity for him. However,
“One thing is certain.”
“Certain?”
“I want to make music, even if it’s just for a single audience member.”
It was an aspiration different from the past. Hadn’t he felt the waves of emotion sent by the audience?
It was a profound sensation incomparable to anything else. If he could move just one audience member with his melody, what else would matter?
Maestro Yuri finally gave a faint smile.
At that moment.
“Hyun—!”
The orchestra members began to come up onto the stage. Despite the grueling performance, smiles didn’t seem to leave their faces. And then, a cake unexpectedly appeared among them.
“It’s your last day in Berlin; we can’t just let you go.”
“Why the sudden cake?”
“It’s your birthday today, your first birthday as a conductor.”
Although he had conducted students at his graduation, why shatter the sentiment now? Alberto was already lighting the candles. Unless he blew them out, no one would stop. As he approached the cake, someone asked him,
“Hyun, how was your experience in Berlin?”
“It was the best days I’ll never forget.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration. When he left London, he never expected to have such an experience.
As the wind blew out the candles on the cake, Maestro Yuri’s cheeks twitched.
“Mother, what’s all this?”
It was a twelve-dish banquet that even a king would envy. Since he had been away for a month, his mother and the housekeeper had teamed up and rolled up their sleeves to prepare this feast. Anyone would think he was on leave from the military.
“Thanks to Hyun, Grandpa is living in luxury.”
“Grandpa, don’t eat too much meat. It’s not good for you.”
“Of course, who do you think you’re talking to?”
Grandpa was not just healthy but brimming with energy. How delighted he was to see his grandson after so long, if he had known this, he wouldn’t have spent his past life so futilely.
Even knowing it was pointless to regret, he couldn’t help but think this way from time to time.
“Hyun, now that you’re back, I want you to visit China when you have time.”
“Grandpa, China?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. Did you think I didn’t know you wrote to Deng Xiaoping every time?”
Nice—!
They say sincerity moves heaven. The gifts and letters he sent annually to Deng Zheng and Deng Xiaoping finally bore fruit.
The Chinese are not easily open-hearted to outsiders. Although he could have established connections with grand gifts, his sincere, time-consuming gifts must have built strong trust.
“Grandpa, have this.”
He carefully wrapped some food and handed it to his grandpa. After all, one should cherish moments when they can.
Grandpa cheerfully accepted the food, and his mother looked on fondly.
“Hyun, go to the company with Grandpa today.”
“To Dongju?”
“Yes, Secretary Kim and the employees want to see you after a long time. Besides, there’s something I want to show you.”
Something to show me? What could it be?
“We have arrived, Chairman.”
At the chauffeur Mr. Kim’s words, he stepped out of the car to find the executives already waiting. They were all familiar faces. And at the forefront stood his uncle.
“Chairman, let me escort you.”
Without responding, Grandpa moved forward.
Since morning, Grandpa had dressed in work clothes and was touring the factory. The executives followed closely behind.
Though Grandpa was over seventy, he sometimes personally supervised the site. He always told Hyun that a manager’s role is to keep the business site on its toes.
“Father, the path ahead is rough. Let me lead the way.”
What a sight, his uncle was clearing stones out of the way with his boot as if they were walking on an unpaved road.
Everyone there knew that this exaggerated display was because of Hyun and his father. Grandpa nodded and continued to walk, unfazed.
At that moment,
“Hyun, that’s where the new material factory related to graphene will be built.”
It was the place that would change the future of Dongju. A flood of emotions washed over him.
In the past life, Dongju had been absorbed by foreign capital and fragmented. He wanted to drive his uncle away from this place, but what could he do? Only he knew of the past where Dongju disappeared into history.
Looking at the site for the new material factory, his grandfather and father had a mix of excitement and anticipation in their eyes. Dongju would be reborn there.
“Now, let’s head to Dr. Tikhonov’s lab.”
Dr. Tikhonov’s lab was not far away.
After walking for about ten minutes, they saw Dr. Tikhonov arguing with someone in front of the lab.
“Just let me in—!”
Oh no, even from a distance, he could tell who it was by the voice. It was his uncle who had his forehead split open twice before. At the sight of Grandpa approaching, his uncle stopped yelling and widened his eyes.
“Beomkyung, what brings you here this morning?”
“Ah, Father. It’s just that I had some business at the new material lab.”
“So, what business—!”
Grandpa’s sharp voice made his uncle look like he might cry.
Surely, his uncle wasn’t there for any good reason. It was likely he intended to steal confidential documents, just like in the past.
In hindsight, it seemed better to send his uncle to an uninhabited island in the South Pacific rather than Tsushima.
“Father, aren’t you showing favoritism?”
“Favoritism?”
“Yes. You favor Hyun and his father too much. After all, aren’t I and my brother your real blood? We’re your children.”
Who would believe that this fool was over forty? His words sounded like the grumbling of a middle schooler. He felt like hitting his uncle’s head with all his might. Wasn’t he just like Yoo Jinseok? At that moment,
“You rascal—!”
Grandpa stepped forward and raised his hand high. Grandpa rarely struck anyone, so it was evident how furious he was.
His uncle, scared, instinctively covered his forehead with both hands.
Thud—!
They saw Grandpa collapse.
“Grandpa!”
