“Everyone, did you have a good time over the past month?”
The scent of strong black tea filled the meeting room.
At the head of the table sat Principal Samuel, and in front of the long meeting table were professors lined up.
It was tea time, a long-standing tradition of the Royal Academy of Music, and could also be considered a faculty meeting. It was a time to share the events of the past month.
“First, let’s hear from Professor Bianca.”
The gray-haired female professor, known as Bianca, began to speak.
“In our violin department, twenty undergraduate students have already passed the preliminary round of the Queen Elisabeth Competition. Based on their capabilities, we expect at least three of them to advance to the finals.”
“Sabrina won’t be participating this year either, right?”
“Yes, as you know, Principal, she doesn’t listen to us…”
Samuel nodded briefly as if he had expected it.
“How about you, Professor Oldman?”
“In the piano department, as you well know, we are diligently preparing for the Chopin Competition to be held next year. Redmayne, Bell, and O’Connor, who are known for their exceptional skills among the undergraduates, are strong contenders. Especially O’Connor, who has already performed with numerous orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony. You can expect great things.”
Professor Oldman looked confident.
That was understandable, as there had been no significant achievements from students in other orchestral departments, including violin.
So much so that there were evaluations that this year might be remembered as a year without any accolades in the history of the Royal Academy of Music. Just then,
“Let’s talk about the exchange student who enrolled a week ago. Professor Bianca, have you met Hyun separately?”
“I’m sorry, Principal. I’ve been busy giving lessons to the undergraduates participating in the Queen Elisabeth Competition, so I haven’t had the chance to meet Hyun separately.”
“I understand. The undergraduates majoring in violin are all in a period of self-practice right now, so there wouldn’t have been any lectures. Do any of the professors here have met Hyun separately?”
At that moment, Professor Albert, with a sharp impression, who was sitting opposite Professor Bianca, raised his hand.
“Oh, Professor Albert, you’ve met him?”
“Yes, it happened by chance.”
“What kind of student was Hyun, whom you met, Professor Albert?”
Professor Albert, who was in charge of the cello, was known for being the second most strict person at the Royal Academy of Music, famous for his meticulousness.
Moreover, he was so harsh and cold when it came to music that he never bent his will even in front of the principal.
Professor Albert frowned. Was he about to say something bad?
“Calling him an undergraduate doesn’t fit.”
“Excuse me? What do you mean?”
Professor Albert answered Principal Samuel’s question without a moment’s hesitation.
“He was already an accomplished musician.”
It felt like I was seeing a hazy illusion.
Buzz.
When I awoke from the illusion at the end of the last note, the white-haired witch was no longer there.
The leaves that had been dancing with their heads together calmed down, and in the quiet forest, only the sound of the stream flowing filled the air.
I immediately turned my head to look at Tommy.
“Tommy?”
He, too, seemed unable to easily escape the lingering feeling, as if intoxicated by the ecstasy.
Only when the cold wind, carrying dew, brushed against his cheek, did Tommy shake off the afterglow.
He rubbed his eyes and said regretfully,
“Sabrina disappeared again.”
“Again?”
“She always disappears right after the performance. The first time I saw her performance, I thought I was seeing things. By the way, aren’t you hungry?”
I could almost hear Tommy’s stomach growling. As we followed Tommy through the dense forest, Sabrina’s melody kept lingering in my ears.
“An egg tart eaten early in the morning is the best!”
Tommy took a big bite of the egg tart and showed a satisfied expression. If he took another bite, it seemed like all his freckles would pour out.
It was early in the morning, so there weren’t many students in the dining hall. As if reading my mind, Tommy added,
“Students practice early in the morning and then come to enjoy brunch. Usually, there are no students in the dining hall at this time.”
“Tommy, how much do you know about Sabrina?”
“Sabrina? She’s a mysterious figure. As I mentioned in the morning, all I know is that she was the youngest to be admitted to the Royal Academy of Music and has never performed in front of others until now. Rumor has it that she doesn’t even talk to Professor Bianca, the head of the violin department.”
“Doesn’t she attend any lectures either?”
“No, she doesn’t attend any of the group lectures. It’s been 8 years since she started attending the Royal Academy of Music, so she must have already completed more than enough credits. She doesn’t need to attend classes anymore. The reason she hasn’t graduated yet is probably because she doesn’t like being in the spotlight.”
My curiosity was piqued. Wasn’t she the girl whose admission was personally authorized by the Queen of England?
The performance I had just witnessed in the forest was so enchanting that I couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality.
To exaggerate a bit, it felt like meeting the pure white deer I had seen at the chapel again. Just then,
Clank.
A plate was placed in front of us. It was a white plate with just one egg tart on it.
As Tommy raised his head, his eyes widened. His freckles seemed to be shaking as if an earthquake had hit them.
“Tommy?”
As I raised my head, the first thing that caught my eye was her skin, more transparent than pure white.
Then, beneath her silver hair and eyebrows, her turquoise eyes met mine.
Her small lips stared at me and asked,
“Who are you?”
It was Sabrina, known as the white-haired witch.
“Hey.”
Tommy licked his dry lips and cautiously began to speak.
“How long are you going to have a staring contest…?”
Sure enough, Sabrina and Hyun were glaring at each other as if they would bore holes through each other. Naturally, all eyes in the dining hall were focused on them.
No wonder, the stormy transfer student and the white-haired witch were facing off. There couldn’t be a more spectacular sight.
Sabrina was the first to raise the white flag.
“Get up, let’s go to the practice room.”
Hyun nodded in response to Sabrina’s suggestion without a word. Thanks to that, Tommy hurriedly followed, leaving his half-eaten egg tart behind.
As they passed through the dining hall building and entered an empty practice room, Tommy felt his breath catch in his throat. It was as if the tension was filling the practice room.
“You eavesdropped on my performance earlier, didn’t you? Now it’s your turn to play.”
Did she have eyes on the back of her head? Sabrina knew that Hyun and Tommy had been sneaking a listen to her performance in the forest.
“Can you wait a moment? I’ll go get my violin.”
“Alright.”
Tommy sat nervously in the empty practice room with Sabrina.
It felt as tense as when he received lessons from Professor Albert, his fingertips tingling with nervousness.
How much time had passed? Hyun appeared, carrying his violin case.
“That’s a very fine instrument.”
Sabrina briefly commented on Hyun’s “Fantasia” and evaluated it as a good instrument.
Tommy wanted to stand up and introduce how amazing the Stradivarius was, but the two seemed uninterested in such matters.
Just then,
Buzz.
Hyun smoothly took his position and started to play the violin.
Even during the tuning, the melody was impressive enough to make one swallow their saliva.
After a brief tuning, the bow and strings met. At that moment, Tommy felt as if snowflakes were falling before his eyes.
It was a continuous stream of cold melodies, like appreciating a breathtakingly beautiful landscape beyond the frost.
Tommy, who had heard Hyun’s fame countless times, finally realized that his reputation was not a mirage.
The youngest winner of the Queen Elisabeth competition and the melodies that had enchanted countless maestros were now resonating in the small practice room.
Gulp.
The sound of cold wind whistling and the sound of frozen branches shedding snowflakes could be heard.
It felt like wandering around a frozen lakeside, with an overwhelming sense of tension.
Tommy realized that this performance was something that couldn’t be seen even if money was paid.
The white-haired witch was also watching Hyun’s performance with fascinating eyes.
As if wishing this moment would last forever. However, when the melody that had frozen the audience soared into the sky, the brief performance ended.
“Is this the end?”
“It’s still an unfinished piece.”
“That’s a pity.”
Sabrina regretfully brushed her lips and looked Hyun straight in the eye. Her turquoise eyes were so mysterious that they felt otherworldly.
“Can I try playing next?”
Hyun nodded briefly. Tommy watched, holding his breath, as the Stradivarius “Fantasia” moved from Hyun’s hands to Sabrina’s.
“Professor Albert, what is going on?”
At Professor Bianca’s question, Albert immediately placed his index finger on his lips, signaling for silence.
Already, many students and professors were gathered outside the practice room. They were there to listen to the melody flowing through the soundproof practice room.
“Sabrina and Hyun are performing in the practice room.”
“Sabrina and Hyun?”
“For six hours already.”
Bianca was speechless. Practicing for six hours straight wasn’t particularly surprising at the Royal Academy of Music.
But if the person was Sabrina, it was different. Wasn’t she the girl who had always avoided performing in front of anyone?
“Amazing.”
At that moment, Tommy was watching the performance of the two with wide-open eyes and ears.
He knew there were other listeners outside because of the murmuring sounds, but he was the only one hearing this performance so vividly and closely.
“Sabrina, how about we go like this for the second movement?”
At Hyun’s suggestion, Sabrina briefly nodded.
Was this how geniuses communicated? After a brief conversation, they were showing everything through music.
It was a violin piece that had never been heard before. However, the enchanting melody that rivaled any famous piece left Tommy speechless.
“The sheet music has become quite interesting.”
Sabrina briefly evaluated Hyun’s sheet music. Hyun also seemed to agree, showing a faint smile.
But the performance of the two showed no signs of ending.
With her silver hair swaying, Sabrina picked up the violin and handed it to Hyun. It meant that the first performance of the completed sheet music should be played by Hyun.
Tommy felt his hands sweating profusely. His mouth was also dry. It signified how long he had been sitting there.
But he didn’t want to leave his seat for even a moment. While it was amazing that Hyun laid the foundation of a masterpiece, Sabrina’s musical talent, which filled it in, was enough to feel a sense of mystery.
Tommy had a hunch.
That these two geniuses, who would rewrite the history of the Royal Academy of Music, were facing each other.
