“Is this report true?”
Amber-colored eyes trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
“This was analyzed multiple times, right?”
“There have been a total of three analyses.”
“There was no problem analyzing the epicenter, right? The purity is truly unbelievable!”
Barbara’s cheek twitched violently. This was proof of how excited she was, given her usual lack of facial expression.
It was understandable. The exploration team’s report on the region was nothing short of astonishing. Particularly, the purity of the ore extracted from the epicenter was beyond belief.
“They’ve been conducting geological surveys radially across the exploration area. Kellick must be pretty excited. How was Kellick’s voice?”
“The voice of the exploration team leader was quite high-pitched.”
Of course, it was only natural to be excited.
The purity of the gold found in the epicenter far surpassed that of the gold vein discovered in Indonesia in 1983. If they could accurately determine the reserves and distribution of the gold across the exploration area, they might faint from shock.
Barbara’s eyes were more vibrant than ever.
Gold.
Its chemical symbol is Au, derived from the Latin word “Aurum,” meaning “shining dawn.”
It has been called the king of currency for thousands of years, and its value will remain unchanged for thousands of years more.
After President Nixon’s declaration of the gold standard policy, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom said that gold was no longer an object of investment. However, the world’s leading families and wealthy individuals continued to covet gold.
Isn’t it only natural? The more unstable the value of paper currency becomes, the more one must rely on the immutable substance of gold.
“At the end of despair, you will greet a shining dawn. Do you know what this means?”
“Chairman, I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.”
“It’s a phrase that miners who mined the mines often engraved in their hearts. To them, the dark mine with no end in sight was a night to greet the shining dawn.”
The reason Chairman Barbara coveted gold was simple. Was it because it was the world’s reserve currency, surpassing paper money? No, there was an even more important reason.
It was because of her parents, who had been in the mining business all their lives. Hadn’t they always wandered in search of a shining dawn for their young child?
Barbara, who had been walking in the darkness with no end in sight, finally saw a ray of light.
“Mysterious young man.”
His eyes were as clear and transparent as a lake, and as unfathomable as the ocean. He never lost his composure while speaking with her. It was enough to send shivers down her spine, as beautiful as his performance.
For Chairman Barbara, violinist Hyun was the shining dawn she had been searching for.
Chairman Barbara stood up. To meet Hyun.
Kang Hyun faced the elderly professors who were looking at him. He suddenly wondered if this was what a fan meeting for celebrities felt like.
Who would have imagined that he would end up standing in front of professors at Juilliard School of Music?
Moreover, the surprises didn’t end there.
“A movie theater?”
Kang Hyun exclaimed when he realized that the elderly gentleman he had met in the movie theater was the dean of Juilliard School of Music. He had no idea that New York was such a small world.
Joseph was holding the sheet music that Kang Hyun had given him as if it were a sacred relic. The sheet music was already tattered, looking as if several years had passed, a testament to how much he had studied it.
It seemed he had questions. This was evident from the dean Joseph’s eyes, which were not only intense but also overflowing with excitement. It was as if he had been waiting for this day.
“I don’t know if I deserve such a warm welcome from the professors at Juilliard School of Music. But honestly, standing in front of professors who have far more musical knowledge than I do is quite overwhelming.”
“Violinist Hyun, there’s no need to feel burdened. We decided to meet among ourselves first because we thought there wouldn’t be enough time for questions if we invited the undergraduates too. In fact, we all became fans after watching your movie.”
“Fans?”
Kang Hyun bowed deeply. It was a gesture of gratitude from the bottom of his heart.
These were professors who had dedicated their lives to music. And they recognized him.
How meaningful was that? As Kang Hyun expressed his courtesy, questions began to pour in, led by Professor Oliver.
The flood of questions was so overwhelming that it felt as if a dam had burst.
“The scene where you performed on the ship was actually filmed on the ship, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“It must have been difficult to play on stable ground, let alone on a ship. I initially thought it was special effects. The melody was very rich and unique. I heard that you used a special technique. Is that true?”
The elderly professors, as if they were students learning music for the first time, asked enthusiastic questions. Kang Hyun explained with all his might, and when words were not enough, he did not hesitate to give short performances.
It seemed as if the questions kept coming one after another, but Kang Hyun didn’t mind.
Seeing the professors’ eyes filled with curiosity made him feel as though they had returned to their childhood. It was a peculiar feeling.
“Violinist Hyun, how did you film the scene where you performed in the square in Italy? In the movie, there’s a scene where Paganini plays a street song he heard once with his eyes closed. A similar scene appeared in ‘La Vie en Rose’. Was that staged?”
“No, it wasn’t staged. I played the music I heard for the first time on the spot. At that time, an Italian composer performed as a street musician.”
“It wasn’t staged?”
It wasn’t difficult for most musicians to mimic and follow a tune through ear training.
However, Paganini’s portrayal in the movie went far beyond that.
Not only did he play the music he heard for the first time on the spot as if he were copying it, but he also transformed it into his own performance through arrangement.
As the questions were wrapping up,
“Violinist Hyun, if it’s not too much trouble, could you directly interpret this sheet music? The one you gave me at the movie theater.”
Joseph raised his hand, unable to contain himself.
His eyes were full of curiosity and excitement.
He had spent days studying the sheet music, but he couldn’t easily perform it as the original inspiration had.
It was only natural. Even with Mozart’s music, which had been dead for hundreds of years, interpretations were divided into many different opinions.
In a way, this was the perfect opportunity. Wasn’t the living composer right in front of him?
“Well, instead of explaining, I’ll perform and interpret it for you.”
Joseph clenched his fists in anticipation. The other elderly professors felt the same. They were thrilled at the thought of hearing violinist Hyun’s original composition.
Kang Hyun looked at the professors and naturally took his position as if flowing with the water.
Looking at the garden filled with recordings from Juilliard School of Music, I was reminded of my college days.
While everyone else was sipping makgeolli or soju on the fresh green grass, how fiercely had I lived? I had no memories, the kind that everyone else seemed to have.
It was only natural. As soon as I entered the law department, I devoted myself to the bar exam like a workaholic.
“Oppaaa—!”
Son Yooha’s face was filled with pride.
Well, she had just witnessed me giving a lecture to the professors with her own eyes.
She watched me with such a burdensome gaze that I almost coughed several times but managed to hold it in.
“Oppa, you were really cool. I think you’d make a great professor in the future.”
“Professor?”
“Yes, oppa will be a professor, and I’ll work hard to support you!”
Where did she learn to say such things? Judging by her face, she was full of mischief.
At first, Yooha’s pranks were bewildering, but over time, I got used to them. I had never seen such an adorable fox.
I was pulling Yooha’s cheek with one hand when I heard a rattling sound and looked up to see a helicopter flying overhead.
Indeed, the scale in America is enormous. Who would think to come to a university by helicopter?
“Oh, I’ve ridden that before.”
“What?”
“I’ve ridden a helicopter just like that in Korea. My grandfather took me on it.”
Ah, I had forgotten that Son Yooha was an heir to a chaebol family.
And not just any chaebol, but the leading one in Korea. No wonder about the helicopter. If they wanted, they could probably charter a private jet without any trouble.
As the noise of the helicopter faded, melodies began to flow from the green garden.
It was clear that the students of this performing arts school were each playing their instruments in the park.
“Oppa, your performance earlier was amazing.”
“You mean the last performance?”
“Yes, it was your original composition. I understand why the professor at the front wanted to hear it so much. Everyone looked enchanted.”
Yooha seemed to be hinting that she wanted to hear the performance again.
There was nothing I wouldn’t do for Yooha, who had even packed a lunch for me.
Moreover, the wind passing through the recordings felt like an accompaniment tickling my ears.
It seemed like the place was already perfect, so why don’t I give it a try?
“Giving a lecture to the professors at Juilliard.”
Barbara smiled pleasantly at the news she heard from her secretary.
She was on her way to meet Kang Hyun to deliver news about the exploration area. Fortunately, it was Juilliard where she had some familiarity. She knew the chairman and had often donated scholarships.
But to think he would lecture the professors at Juilliard.
“The more I see him, the more I want him.”
At first, Kang Hyun seemed like a rough gemstone, but as time passed, he became a coveted jewel.
How he discovered the exploration area didn’t matter. It was his drive and boldness in meeting her and proposing the deal that amazed her.
Barbara felt like she had found a true friend after a long time.
“We’ve arrived, chairman.”
The helicopter had arrived at Juilliard School of Music. The chairman of Juilliard was already there to greet Barbara, considering her annual donations.
“Chairman, I’m sorry, but can we find Violinist Hyun without causing a disturbance?”
There was no need to move with a large entourage. Barbara asked for the chairman’s understanding and walked with just one bodyguard.
As she entered the space between the music buildings, melodies were already echoing in her ears.
Despite being located in the heart of New York, known as the heart of the city, the university had a green garden like a botanical garden.
According to Kellick’s report, the purity, estimated reserves, and distribution of the epicenter were astounding. Barbara was curious about how Violinist Hyun would take this news.
Barbara had seen many wealthy people in her life. Some had become instant millionaires, and others had made money through extraordinary methods.
But for some reason, she felt that Hyun would be different.
As always, he would accept the facts with a calm face. His deep and composed eyes came to mind.
Barbara unknowingly quickened her pace. The bodyguard had to follow cautiously.
Just then, she saw the green garden where Hyun was supposed to be. And then,
“I’m a bit late.”
Chairman Barbara smiled gently, nodding her head.
In her amber eyes, she saw a man and a woman. It was a scene that naturally brought a smile to her face.
Hyun was playing music using a leaf as a harmonica, and there was a single girl looking at him lovingly.
“He has already grasped something more precious than gold.”
He was already spending time in his shining dawn.
