“Your favorite musician, huh?”
The voice was full of curiosity.
“It’s definitely the violinist Hyun, who gave me the most help and inspiration during the filming of this movie.”
In Jean-Pierre’s mind, the image of a young boy appeared. Though he was small in stature, the melody that flowed from his hands made listeners’ hearts race, just like Paganini did in the past.
The journalist licked his dry lips.
“Director Jean-Pierre, your latest film ‘Paganini’ has been getting a lot of buzz even before its release. However, critics are saying it won’t surpass your previous film, ‘La Vie en Rose,’ as a musical film. What do you think about that?”
“How can I rank my own works? But I can say that I have certainly grown compared to my past self while filming ‘Paganini.’ And I’m confident this film will achieve commercial success.”
Jean-Pierre’s eyes were brimming with confidence. The journalist swallowed hard, noticing the director’s unusual demeanor.
“Director, does that mean you are confident about this film?”
“To be precise, each performance scene felt as if Paganini had come back to life. The melodies that once echoed through Italy and Germany resounded again. I was so captivated by the edited footage that I lost myself.”
“Is it really to that extent?”
What kind of visual and sound quality made Jean-Pierre so confident?
Journalists typically need to extract exaggerated statements to make headlines, but that wasn’t necessary this time. Even if he just reported Jean-Pierre’s words as they were, it would be sufficient.
But to say that Paganini has come back to life—if this isn’t arrogance, what is?
Then it happened.
“If you’re curious about Paganini, there are two videos you should watch.”
“Two videos?”
“The first is the movie ‘Paganini’ starring Alessandro. The second…”
Jean-Pierre added with a mysterious smile.
“…is the making film starring the violinist Hyun.”
“Again!”
At the command, Baek Junghoon’s fingers moved. His long fingers began to dance once more over the black and white keys.
The legato technique, which ensures the smooth flow of pedal pressure and melodies, was keenly listened to by Kang Hyun, whose ears were as meticulous as a microscope.
“Again!”
Whenever a misinterpretation of the score occurred, the command was given. Kang Hyun didn’t explain in detail where and how Baek Junghoon went wrong, as if he wanted him to figure it out on his own.
Baek Junghoon, known as Korea’s next great master, turned back to the first page of the score without a word, just as he did when he first learned to play the piano.
“Again!”
How many times had it been? Kang Hyun raised his voice once more.
To those who didn’t understand music, it might have sounded like a sequence of soft and rich melodies. However, to Kang Hyun’s ears, it seemed like dissonance.
Baek Junghoon’s pride could have been hurt, but instead, he blushed.
The reason was simple. The more he played, the more he understood what Kang Hyun was aiming for.
“Again!”
Isn’t it presumptuous for a violinist? No, Baek Junghoon knew better than anyone about Kang Hyun’s piano skills.
At first, he felt a sense of hopelessness, like facing an endless wall. It must have been similar to Salieri’s feelings of jealousy and admiration for Mozart.
But now, those fleeting, narrow emotions no longer arose. Instead, the more he looked at the scores composed by Kang Hyun, the more he felt something beyond admiration.
“Hyung, let’s take a break.”
“Why?”
“Your fingers won’t hold out much longer. We’ve been at it for three hours straight.”
Only then did Baek Junghoon realize how much time had passed. His shoulders and back were already soaked with sweat.
Kang Hyun, sipping orange juice, spoke.
“Hyung, you interpreted the piece I gave you last time quite well, but this time, it seems like you’re struggling to get a grasp from the start. When I compose, I try to draw the notes as freely as possible without being bound by form and standards. But you seem to give each note too much weight.”
“Too much weight?”
“Other musicians might do the same. They often over-interpret the scores left by composers who were once called geniuses, but to me, those scores might have been written down thoughtlessly while they were in the bathroom. Of course, there’s no way to know the correct answer unless we bring those long-dead composers back to life and ask them. Just relax a bit more.”
Baek Junghoon felt as if cold water had been poured over his head. It was a completely different direction from the values he had felt while learning to play the piano.
He was shackling the melodies by giving the free-flowing notes too much weight.
“By the way, Samuel, the concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, was talking about you, hyung.”
“What?”
“He said he’s most interested in you among Asian pianists. He mentioned that if the opportunity arises, he would definitely like to collaborate with you.”
Baek Junghoon felt his heart race. Collaborating with the Berlin Philharmonic was one of his long-held dreams.
However, instead of excitement, a creeping fear began to rise. He wondered if he could really do well.
At that moment…
“Why are you so nervous when it’s not even confirmed yet? And if it’s you, hyung, I believe you can do very well.”
“Now that I think about it, Hyun, you seem more like the older brother.”
“Then why don’t you call me hyung for once?”
He was such a mature younger brother that it didn’t feel awkward to call him hyung.
Just as the break ended and they picked up the scores again, Kang Hyun started marking important parts with a red pen.
“Hyung, I won’t be able to come to the studio for a while.”
“Why?”
It hadn’t been long since he returned to Korea, and now he couldn’t come to the studio? It didn’t make sense.
The Kang Hyun that Baek Junghoon knew was a workaholic. At times, it seemed like he was in love with musical notes.
But the answer that followed was unexpected.
“There are some people I need to teach a lesson.”
“The war has already begun?”
The teacup was set down with a sound.
“Yes, Chairman. That’s exactly what he said.”
“A war without the smell of gunpowder. What did you think?”
“It was bold and daring. Perhaps the most accurate way to describe it.”
Chairman Wang’s wrinkled eyes were filled with a peculiar expression. Just hearing the story through Kim Sang-guk was intriguing enough.
Moreover, Kim Sang-guk had an exceptional eye for people. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be in the position of head of the Strategic Planning Office.
“Director Kim, tell me more about what you saw and felt.”
“I’ll be honest. At first, I thought you were testing me, Chairman. I thought the one assigning the task was Kang Hyun. But as we talked, my thoughts changed. Kang Hyun genuinely wanted to scout me. And then…”
“And then?”
Kim Sang-guk swallowed hard, whether from tension or thirst.
“He had an extraordinary presence. The words coming from this ordinary-looking young boy were so bold. When I looked at the contract, I couldn’t help but be surprised. I don’t know who prepared it, but it was meticulous and moved so swiftly as if they had anticipated this situation.”
“And what did he offer you? Equivalent exchange means he would have to pay you as much as he uses you.”
“He promised to fulfill my ambitions.”
Chairman Wang couldn’t hide his admiration. In life, there are people you can’t buy with money.
One such person was Kim Sang-guk. A man more ambitious for the power he would seize in the future rather than immediate monetary gain.
Kang Hyun had seen through this in a short time.
“Director Kim, what do you want to do now?”
It was Chairman Wang’s question. Kim Sang-guk’s face showed signs of contemplation.
The position of head of the Strategic Planning Office was hard-earned after years of effort. The difference between being the proxy of a high schooler like Kang Hyun and the head of the Strategic Planning Office was like heaven and earth.
But why? Kang Hyun’s eyes kept appearing in Kim Sang-guk’s mind.
Having made his decision, Kim Sang-guk slowly opened his mouth.
“Oh my, sir.”
Madam Yu Hyeonja, Kang Hyun’s mother, couldn’t hide her surprise at Chairman Wang’s unexpected visit. Moreover, the secretary behind Chairman Wang was entering the house with both hands full of golden bundles.
“Hyeonja, I’m here to see Chairman Yu.”
“Sir, my father is still not well and hasn’t made much progress.”
“It’s alright. I just want to see his face. I’ve brought a lot of things that are supposed to be good for his energy, so consult with his doctor and give them to him.”
Yu Hyeonja was grateful to her father’s old friend. He visited Ichon-dong every day without fail.
It’s during tough times that direct care shows how special a relationship is. Her only siblings seemed more interested in the inheritance than in their father’s health, so how could she not be grateful?
“Father, Chairman Son is here.”
Despite Yu Hyeonja’s voice, Chairman Yu, lying in bed, showed no reaction. The only solace was that his vital signs were normal.
Chairman Wang, looking at his friend lying there, turned to Yu Hyeonja.
“Hyeonja, I have something to discuss with Chairman Yu. Could you leave us for a moment?”
No matter how out of it a patient is, they say the ears are still open. The doctor also said that constantly talking to the patient would help.
Fighting back tears, Yu Hyeonja smiled.
“My friend, Yu Chairman. They say your children are making a fuss because you’re bedridden. Especially your eldest, Beomjin, he’s leading the charge to harm Mr. Kang. If his shares were firm, he would have already called for an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting to oust you from the chairman’s seat.”
Chairman Wang continued speaking with his hands behind his back.
“Your second son, Beomgyeong, instead of living in exile in Jeju Island, is now sticking close to your eldest and trying to take over Dongju together. And your third, Bokja, what can I say about her? She’s so eager for leftovers that she pretends to be dead at her brothers’ words. It seems like we’ve both failed in raising our children properly.”
There was no response, only the beeping of machines echoing hollowly over the hospital bed.
“But Hyeonja is doing her best to take care of you. She’s so filial, unlike my youngest daughter. And Mr. Kang reports to you about the company every time, doesn’t he?”
Even Chairman Yu, who had no luck with his children, had some blessings. It was his youngest daughter and her husband, and especially his grandson, Kang Hyun.
Chairman Wang recounted the story he had heard from Kim Sang-guk that morning.
“The best thing is that Kang Hyun has started to move. He asked me for a person to be his strategic piece, and do you know who it is? It’s none other than Director Kim of the Strategic Planning Office. No matter how you look at it, that kid’s eye for people is extraordinary. And his ability to push things forward is so impressive that Director Kim has already fallen for him. He said he wants to work with Kang Hyun, even if he doesn’t succeed. The reason is simple. It’s like that thing, you know? Every man wants to write his own history.”
Chairman Wang stared intently at the face of his friend lying on the hospital bed.
“How long are you going to keep lying there?”
“……”
“Old man, there’s no one else here. You can get up now.”
At that moment, Chairman Yu, who had been lying motionless, slowly opened his eyes.
