“Here you are, Maestro.”
At the sudden voice, Spencer looked up.
“May I sit next to you for a moment?”
“Do as you please.”
The Crown Prince of England, Samuel, slowly sat in the seat next to Spencer.
It was usually a bustling London Symphony Concert Hall filled with audiences. But now, with the whole of England bustling with a festival, the concert hall was on a break.
The only ones in the empty seats were Spencer and Samuel.
“Everyone is enjoying the festival, what are you doing here so gloomily?”
“I was reminiscing. By the way, is it alright for the Crown Prince to move around without any bodyguards, or have you aged enough to not need them anymore?”
Samuel smiled and looked at his lifelong friend. Spencer was well aware that the bodyguards were waiting outside.
However, Spencer was the only friend who treated him without pretense. When he was with Spencer, it was okay to forget about the royal formalities for a while.
“Spencer, if my body were younger, I’d put you in a headlock right now.”
“The Crown Prince must have been in the successor position for so long that he’s forgotten. Remember when we fought in the bathroom during our Royal School days? As I recall, you had a nosebleed back then.”
“Ahem. If it had gone all the way, I would have won. The dorm supervisor saved you.”
At that moment, Spencer and Samuel looked at each other and burst into a hearty laugh. Come to think of it, nothing had changed between them from their Royal School days to now, in middle age.
“Spencer, what were you reminiscing about?”
“I was reflecting on the years at the London Symphony from the beginning. From holding the baton for the first time to being appointed as the permanent conductor and meeting the most wonderful members of my life. I was reminiscing about the panorama of my life.”
“Who would have thought that the great Spencer would be so sentimental! Anyone listening would think you’re going to quit conducting tomorrow.”
Spencer gave a faint, mysterious smile. He knew his shoulder wasn’t in good condition. Hadn’t the physician said so? Even if the shoulder surgery went well, it might be difficult to continue conducting.
“At most, I have a few years left. My shoulder has to hold up until the new maestro of the London Symphony takes over.”
“Are you talking about Hyun?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Even though the lion of Berlin is eyeing Hyun, there’s no chance! But the most important thing is what Hyun thinks.”
In a way, Samuel was the link that connected Spencer and Hyun. Wasn’t it Samuel who first introduced Hyun to Spencer?
He understood why Spencer was so concerned. That was how unpredictable Kang Hyun’s personality was, unlike a child’s.
“Don’t worry, Spencer. You have a very strong ally besides yourself.”
“An ally?”
At that moment, the Crown Prince of England, Samuel, twitched his cheek.
“Her Majesty the Queen is a fervent fan of Hyun.”
His muddy boots and pants were stained with mud. His simple attire, topped with a green apron and a wide-brimmed straw hat, made him look unmistakably like a gardener. It was quite different from the Queen’s attire seen at the royal performance.
But didn’t those deep eyes seem to see right through you?
“Do you have a moment?”
“Of course!”
He responded with an overly raised tone, almost like a new employee in front of a direct superior. The Queen smiled kindly at his reaction.
The Queen put down her trowel and led him into the greenhouse.
As soon as he stepped inside, the rich and deep scent of flowers filled the air, as if to say the scent outside was nothing.
Various flowers displayed their colors like a painting. If there were a paradise of flowers, this would be it.
“This is a tea called Rose Queen. Its soft and rich flavor lingers in your mouth and leaves a good memory. Just like Hyun’s symphonies.”
He couldn’t tell if the tea was entering through his mouth or nose. Who would have imagined he would be sitting face-to-face with the Queen of England, enjoying tea time?
Every time his gaze met the Queen’s blue eyes, it felt as if she could read his mind.
“May I ask you something I’m curious about?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“What do you think music is, Hyun? At such a young age, to display such talent, I’m curious about your perspective on music.”
It was a difficult question. He had never thought separately about music. It wasn’t as if he had a clear value or ideology for his music.
It was as if fate had led him. But if he had to describe music in one sentence, there was no need to hesitate.
“Happiness, I think.”
Hadn’t he vowed not to dwell on the failed past? He had sought only happiness, abandoning power and greed.
In a way, music might be the train running towards the destination of happiness. The Queen smiled faintly at the unexpected answer.
“I entered Buckingham and wore the crown at a rather young age. At first, I was extremely nervous to stand before people. You might not believe it, but I didn’t like being in the position of the Queen. It wasn’t a position I sought. But as time passed, I realized that this was the path I was meant to take. In that sense, I think you will become an excellent musician, Hyun. You are already walking your path with such firm values.”
It was high praise. Having lived a life only hoping for success, he had never heard such words from anyone. At that moment, the Queen put down her teacup and looked at him.
“I’ll get straight to the point. Do you have any thoughts about coming to England, Hyun?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m not asking you to decide anything right now. But I want to open the way for you to study music in England after you become an adult. If you want, I’ll even provide citizenship and ensure you have no inconveniences in settling here. I want the melodies of the London Symphony to be reborn from your hands, just as Maestro Spencer did.”
He wasn’t as surprised even when he passed the bar exam. Who would have thought the Queen of England would make such a proposal?
Moreover, it wasn’t immediate but for the future, after he became an adult.
At first, he thought he had misheard, but the Queen’s piercing eyes did not lie.
As he couldn’t easily respond to the sudden proposal, the Queen gave a short nod.
“Take your time to think about it. England will always be waiting for your conducting. By the way, do you know this place is called the Magic Garden?”
“I didn’t know the name of the garden.”
“Tending to various flowers and trees is my small hobby. I’ve called this place the Magic Garden since I was young. It not only brings peace to the mind.”
Her white hair swayed as she pointed to the garden.
“It’s a mysterious place where anything you wish for comes true.”
“Honey, why are you so excited?”
Kang Hyun’s father, Kang Sunwoo, was struggling to calm his wife on the other end of the phone.
Normally calm and collected, she was now as excited as a lottery winner.
“Honey, we got a call from England.”
“From Hyun? I talked to him yesterday, so why?”
“No, not from our son, from the British Royal Family!”
Kang Sunwoo’s face changed color with the story coming through the receiver. Dr. Tikhonov, sitting across from him, looked puzzled.
The reason Kang Sunwoo’s eyes widened like saucers was this: they had been personally invited by the Queen of England.
“Wait, wait. Honey.”
A still excited voice came through the receiver. Meanwhile, Kang Sunwoo’s face showed a mix of joy and tension. After all, it was a national event invitation.
Moreover, the Queen of England had personally sent the invitation, leaving him speechless.
“Does Father-in-law know about this too?”
“Of course he does. He was also invited. When the Queen herself called, his hands were trembling.”
“What? The Queen herself?”
Kang Sunwoo unknowingly raised his voice and stood up. Dr. Tikhonov, now proficient in Korean, kept questioning, “The Queen?” with a puzzled look.
Kang Sunwoo gestured that he would explain everything later and gripped the receiver tightly.
“Even though she called through an interpreter, I couldn’t understand a word. I even asked about her hobbies, thinking of bringing a gift.”
“You asked about her hobbies?”
“Yes, and the Queen laughed and said her hobby is gardening.”
Of course, she was the Queen of a country. They couldn’t just prepare a gift, and she probably had everything. But his wife was seriously pondering it.
Perhaps it was her bright and kind nature that made him fall in love with her despite being born into a wealthy family.
Just then, a confident voice came through the receiver.
“Honey, since the Queen likes gardening, how about we prepare a hoe as a gift?”
Oh no, it felt like cold water was poured over his head. A hoe might be something that doesn’t exist in England.
“One week left.”
Somehow, he was handling a schedule in England as busy as a popular celebrity’s. After the royal performance, many people wanted to meet him, leading to this outcome.
Most of them were musicians with a deep interest in music, so he had no reason not to meet them.
“Chrissy, how about I prepare dinner tonight?”
“If you cook, Hyun, I’m looking forward to it.”
“How about spicy braised chicken and sikhye for dessert? I saw sikhye being sold at the Korean Mart.”
Chrissy was already addicted to his cooking. Even during his previous visit to England, he often made simple Korean dishes.
At first, Chrissy had declined, but now she was as hooked on Korean food as any native Korean. She even begged for recipes like in Chapel.
“Hyun, sometimes I mistake you for being older than me.”
“Really?”
“Yes, at times you seem like a boy of your age, but your caring nature is something a young person wouldn’t typically have. I’m always grateful. I will protect you with all my efforts.”
Her words made his nose tingle. Chrissy, after finishing her words, shyly put on her sunglasses. It added credence to the saying that muscular men have rich sensitivity.
“Chrissy, can I go for a walk for a bit? I’ll go straight to the Korean Mart to prepare dinner after the walk. Let the kitchen staff know in advance.”
Chrissy now seemed accustomed to his routine.
After all, it was a royal estate.
He couldn’t help but feel emotional as he walked in the Magic Garden where he had met the Queen a few days ago.
Though he was old enough to forget homesickness, his body wasn’t. Sometimes he still missed his parents and grandfather.
“A place where anything you wish for comes true.”
The Queen’s last words came to mind. A fitting line for the Magic Garden. The scent of flowers wafted, soothing his heart. Then it happened.
Huh?
He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve several times. He didn’t have a pollen allergy, but he seemed to be seeing things. Beyond the garden, familiar people were walking together. But as the figures became clearer, his eyes widened.
“Son!”
At that moment, his mother’s cheerful voice dispelled the mirage.
