“Breathing―!”
Tommy wiped the cold sweat off his brow and tried to steady his breath.
Whenever the precise melody seemed even slightly off, Hyun’s warnings would pierce his ears like a ghost.
The same was true when his legs, which supported the cello, became tense. Hyun would tap his legs with a red pen.
Gulp.
Hyun treated Tommy as if he were teaching a novice how to play.
It would be a lie to say his pride wasn’t hurt at all. After all, this was the Royal Academy of Music, where only the top prodigies in music gathered.
Wasn’t Tommy also known as a prodigy at Cambridge? But the more guidance he received from Hyun, the more he realized that such thoughts were nothing but arrogance.
“Stop overthinking.”
Twitch.
“Just focus on your posture―!”
The tension in his body was reminiscent of the first day he learned the cello. To exaggerate, he wasn’t even this nervous during his first lesson with Professor Albert.
Hyun’s gaze was not the usual warm-eyed look. It was as if he could read people’s inner thoughts with his piercing eyes.
“From the beginning.”
Tommy looked at the first page of the sheet music again. Was it a piece composed by Hyun? No, it was Bach’s Prelude No. 1.
Hyun gave Tommy one piece of advice as he started playing again.
“Tommy, don’t be trapped by preconceived notions.”
Preconceived notions, huh? Tommy looked at the sheet music.
On the sheet music written by Bach with a quill, numerous notes were imbued with various emotions.
Musicians interpret and understand the composer’s mind through the sheet music. Bach’s Prelude had been performed countless times by many great musicians.
The interpretations of the Prelude were diverse. Some played it slower, while others played it at a faster tempo.
Even though it’s now one of Bach’s representative pieces, the Prelude wasn’t popular during its initial performance.
Therefore, no musician of that time tried to understand Bach’s mind.
But a gem always shines. Wasn’t the Prelude re-evaluated by the 20th-century cello giant, Pablo Casals?
Since then, numerous musicians were enchanted by Bach’s Prelude.
It took hundreds of years for musicians to start searching for Bach’s mind in the notes left on the sheet music from centuries ago.
How much time had passed?
“Let go of old emotions, and let it flow like water.”
Tommy briefly defined his interpretation of the Prelude.
A somewhat abstract expression. But at that moment, Hyun smiled brighter than ever.
Soon, as if waiting, the bow was lifted. Hyun intuitively felt that the moment the bow touched the strings, the cello’s unique heaviness would disappear, and a fluid sound, like flowing water, would emerge.
“He applied to participate?”
Professor Albert looked incredulous.
“I can’t believe it either. But we received a letter this morning saying he wants to participate in the concert.”
Dixon, who had worked at the Royal Academy of Music for a long time, felt the same way.
The concert at the Royal Academy of Music had a long-standing tradition. It wasn’t uncommon for illustrious musicians who graduated from the academy to perform at the concert. However…
“This person has never applied to participate in our concert before, has he?”
“Yes, he’s always been too busy…”
“Moreover, he applied as a violinist?!”
Professor Albert still couldn’t comprehend many things.
In fact, he was one of the most distinguished musicians among those produced by the Royal Academy of Music. Dixon, curious, asked,
“Could it be the president who requested it?”
Rumor had it that President Samuel and he were alumni of the Royal Academy of Music.
Moreover, they were said to be close friends.
“That’s not the case.”
President Samuel, who appeared from somewhere, smiled and said,
“That friend wouldn’t come even if I asked. Not even if I used the prince’s status, let alone the president’s. He’s such a difficult person to catch, like the wind. Still, I think I know why he applied for the concert.”
Professor Albert and Dixon focused their attention on Samuel.
“Isn’t it because of his student?”
“Student? Ah, you mean because of Hyun!”
When Professor Albert exclaimed as if he understood, Samuel nodded.
“Still, it’s surprising. Who would have thought he’d apply as a violinist instead of a conductor?”
“President, excuse me, but did the maestro originally major in violin?”
“He was a genius in music. Although he majored in conducting, he was exceptional in violin, piano, and orchestral instruments. Even during his time at the Royal Academy of Music, not only the conducting professors but also professors from other majors coveted him. I’m really looking forward to this concert. Hahaha.”
President Samuel laughed heartily and walked away.
Professor Albert and Dixon still stared at the application form. Written there was the name of Maestro Spencer, the pride of England and the chief conductor of the London Symphony.
“Geniuses of this era…”
Hyun thought of Sabrina and Tommy. Compared to his previous life, his musical talent was surging.
Thanks to this, he could interact with many great musicians he had never met during his lifetime.
Starting with the eternal maestro Gustav, then Spencer, the pride of England, Yuri from Germany, Alexei from Russia, and even the empress Karas.
When he came to the Royal Academy of Music as an exchange student, he had one question.
Could there be anyone who would shock him more than these preceding greats?
After all, the people Hyun mentioned were all extraordinary musicians called masters.
However…
It was a misjudgment and arrogance. Sabrina and Tommy, whom he met at the Royal Academy of Music, were extraordinary enough to completely shake Hyun’s musical worldview.
Especially in Sabrina’s case, it was incomprehensible. How could such an outstanding performer not become famous in the future?
Knock knock.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
“Sabrina?”
It was late in the evening when the twilight had fallen. But Sabrina, holding sheet music in one hand, came to Hyun’s room.
“Hey, this is the boys’ dormitory.”
“So what?”
In a way, it was a forbidden area for girls. But Sabrina didn’t seem to care as she handed Hyun the sheet music. Although it was a piece composed by Hyun, Sabrina had been arranging it with him.
As soon as Hyun received the sheet music from Sabrina, he realized the reason she had come.
“You want to extend the cello part?”
“Yeah, Tommy’s pretty good now.”
Sabrina also clearly saw Tommy’s potential. That’s why she nodded without hesitation when he was accepted as a member of the trio.
At that moment, Sabrina looked at the freckled boy Tommy, who was fast asleep on Hyun’s bed, and asked,
“Since when has he been sleeping like that?”
“He asked me all day about the interpretation of the sheet music. He looked so exhausted that I told him to take a nap. After all, we’ll be practicing all day tomorrow.”
Tommy was hugging Hyun’s pillow like a doll and was in a deep sleep.
When Tommy practiced, he did so with all his might, as if his life depended on it. He was the most hardworking among the three of them.
It was probably because he was worried about being a burden to Hyun and Sabrina, which made him work even harder.
“Then I’ll stay here and work on the arrangement a bit.”
“Here?”
“Yeah, we don’t have much time, and it’s better to work together, right? And to monitor you.”
“W-What are you talking about?”
“You didn’t know? Tommy likes you.”
Nonsense.
Sabrina had already pulled up a chair next to Hyun. Before Hyun could say anything, her silver hair swayed as she started modifying the sheet music.
How much time had passed?
Hyun and Sabrina’s arrangement work continued throughout the night. There wasn’t much conversation between them.
As if trying to communicate solely through music, they would briefly play if there was something they didn’t understand.
As dawn seeped through the window.
“Mmm.”
Tommy groaned and tossed in Hyun’s bed. In a dazed state, he squinted and saw the silver-haired girl sitting on the bed.
‘It’s prickly Sabrina? Hehehe.’
Hadn’t he remembered sleeping in Hyun’s bed? Since it was the boys’ dormitory, Sabrina couldn’t have come in. It must all be a dream.
Sabrina turned her head at the sound of Tommy’s tossing. At that moment, Tommy smiled and patted Sabrina’s hair. He wouldn’t have done it if it were real.
Then,
“Tommy, what are you doing?”
Hyun, with a towel around his neck, asked curiously. Only then did Tommy’s blurry vision clear, and he saw Sabrina with turquoise eyes staring at him.
Gasp―!
Tommy hiccuped and jumped out of bed.
Why on earth…
“Why did I do that…”
Tommy was pulling his hair out endlessly. His large eyes were teary as if they would soon wash away all his freckles.
Hadn’t he messed up Sabrina’s hair, thinking it was a dream? If Hyun had been even slightly late in speaking to him, he might have pinched and stretched Sabrina’s cheeks.
The moment he realized that everything wasn’t a dream but reality, Sabrina’s turquoise eyes looked so terrifying that he unconsciously jumped out of Hyun’s room.
He should go and apologize to Sabrina right away, but it wasn’t easy to muster the courage. At that moment,
Thud.
A plate with bacon and an omelet was placed in front of Tommy.
“Tommy, why are you burying your face in the plate again?”
It was Hyun.
“Hyun?”
Worried that Sabrina might have come along, Tommy quickly scanned the surroundings. Fortunately, Hyun was alone.
Hyun seemed to have read Tommy’s thoughts and chuckled.
“Sabrina said she’s tired and will sleep a bit.”
“Hyun, but why was Sabrina in your room in the morning?”
“She came to the dormitory last night because she had questions about the sheet music. She didn’t seem to care that it was the boys’ dormitory. Anyway, since you were sleeping in my room, we worked on arranging the sheet music together.”
Groan.
Normally, undergraduates would be afraid of the dormitory master and wouldn’t intrude without permission, but Sabrina was different. She was unique among the many students produced by the Royal Academy of Music.
“Hyun, do you think Sabrina is really mad…?”
She was a person who even avoided showing her performance to others. She would definitely be extremely averse to anyone touching her.
Hyun put down his fork and seemed to ponder for a moment before saying,
“Well, why don’t you ask her yourself?”
“Ask her?”
At that moment,
“Tommy.”
A familiar voice called out. Tommy glanced up and saw silver hair.
When Tommy bowed his head and avoided her gaze, Hyun smiled faintly. Seeing that, Sabrina narrowed her eyes and asked,
“Tommy, do you enjoy drinking soup through your nose?”
“No, no. That’s not it. Sabrina, what happened in the morning was a mistake. I’m really, really sorry. I honestly thought it was a dream…”
“In your dream, you wanted to mess up my hair like that?”
“N-No, that’s not it.”
The more he tried to explain, the more tangled his words became.
“I’m fine.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but I want you to apologize with a perfect cello performance. Hyun and I finished arranging it last night. If you play well, I’ll let it slide this time.”
Tommy stood up and grabbed Sabrina’s hands. Amid the attention of the onlookers, Tommy nodded repeatedly at Sabrina.
“Thank you!”
“Huh?”
“I’ll do my best―!”
It seemed like Sabrina’s face was turning red.
