‘Sweet, salty, and spicy!’
The broth, simmered for a long time, enhances the flavor in the mouth. The chewy noodles move freely left and right as if they are alive in the mouth.
If it weren’t for the absence of a menu or the noren curtain covering the entrance, one might think it was a family home. But to think it could produce such taste!
Baek Junghoon finally felt the lump in his throat going down. How frantically had he been eating? He was so engrossed in eating that he even forgot the fog that had formed on his glasses.
“Excuse me, but…”
At that moment, a boy approached Baek Junghoon’s table. Judging by the perfect timing when the meal was finished, it seemed he had been waiting for the bowl to be emptied.
However, due to the fog on his glasses, Baek Junghoon couldn’t see the boy’s face clearly.
“What is it?”
Since the boy’s pronunciation was unmistakably Japanese, Baek Junghoon responded in Japanese as well. His experience of studying in Japan during his childhood came in handy at times like these.
As the fog on his glasses gradually cleared, he could see the boy’s face clearly, and he was quite handsome! It seemed he had come to the ramen shop with his grandfather. Then it happened.
“Aren’t you a pianist?”
Baek Junghoon’s eyes widened at the boy’s question. How had he recognized him? He wore glasses and was dressed casually, unlike on stage. Even if he dressed properly, few people recognized him. After all, Asia was a barren land for classical music.
Ah, it must have been due to the collaboration with Professor Hirose. The professor was a hero in Japan.
“How did you know?”
He asked out of courtesy. Children like to show off what they know.
At that moment.
“Brahms Violin Sonata No. 3.”
It was an unexpected answer. Baek Junghoon’s head shot up like a spring.
What was this young boy talking about?
Was he referring to having seen the collaboration with the professor in person? That didn’t make sense. Brahms Violin Sonata No. 3 was a repertoire he had not yet performed on stage.
Before Baek Junghoon could ask anything.
“While the interpretation of a piece is up to the performer, it doesn’t need to be too rigid. You strive for perfection with the left hand that should play a melancholic low tone, don’t you? The collaborator would surely pursue living music, but you seem to be trying to play music that died a hundred years ago.”
Baek Junghoon’s eyes widened. He had made painstaking efforts not to offend the professor. He studied the score until it was worn out, fearing there might be any mistakes.
Brahms’ pieces are known for the stark contrast between objective and subjective interpretations.
Especially Violin Sonata No. 3. It is regarded as the most beautiful chamber music among Brahms’ works, but also famous for being the most difficult to satisfy the audience.
‘Music that died a hundred years ago.’
The boy’s words echoed in Baek Junghoon’s ears.
Suddenly, Baek Junghoon looked up. The boy was already leaving the shop with his grandfather.
As their eyes met, the boy bowed as if to thank him, but Baek Junghoon couldn’t bring himself to speak.
All sorts of questions tangled in his mind. How on earth did the boy know he was a pianist practicing Brahms’ piece?
And even that his interpretation was wrong.
Baek Junghoon, who had been sitting like a statue, suddenly stood up. He rushed out of the shop, but the boy was already gone.
“Hyun, what were you talking about so intently?”
Grandfather seemed curious about the conversation in the ramen shop. As the conversation was in Japanese, he wouldn’t have understood.
How should he explain it? Should he say he alleviated the worries of a young pianist?
The boy ate the ramen so quickly that if he had money, he would have ordered another bowl. The deep calluses on his fingers were proof of his hard work.
“Hmm, it was a counseling session.”
Grandfather looked puzzled but had nothing more to say. After all, he couldn’t say he gave a hint about interpreting Brahms’ Violin Sonata.
By the way, the young pianist’s face he saw in the ramen shop looked strangely familiar. It was like a fishing float that almost surfaced but didn’t fully reveal itself.
“By the way, I paid for that young man’s ramen too.”
It seemed the young pianist’s appearance weighed on grandfather’s mind as well. Then, grandfather tightly held his hand. His large hand, covered in age spots, enveloped his small hand.
“Hyun, walking like this reminds me of the time I spent with your mother. We once came to Tokyo too. It was to see a violinist’s performance, just like now. She loved it so much back then.”
Grandfather’s wrinkled face showed signs of reminiscing. At that moment, he saw the Opera City building in the distance. The tall building was conspicuous even from afar.
“That is Opera City. It’s where the famous violinist Hirose performs.”
Grandfather pointed to the skyscraper.
In his past life, he had visited Opera City. While Suntory Hall was suitable for symphonies, Opera City Concert Hall was better for recitals.
His heart raced at the thought of seeing the queen’s solo performance in person.
He once listened to Hirose’s performances repeatedly. Her performances were endlessly captivating, like her nickname, the Queen of Strings. For some reason, the melody seemed to resound in his ears again.
Son Ilsung wore an incredulous smile.
His only daughter’s cheeks were puffed with air. At a glance, she looked like a squirrel with acorns stuffed in its mouth.
Usually, she didn’t throw tantrums, but recently, she had been acting out more often.
“Father, it seems Yooha is bored because Hyun hasn’t come.”
Son Ilsung expressed his frustration to the chairman. His daughter was sulking just because of a boy. He wondered if all fathers with daughters felt this way.
“Whine. Hyun oppa didn’t even tell me he was going to Japan!”
Anyone would think they were dating. But the chairman found his granddaughter’s demeanor adorable and let out a hearty laugh.
The chairman took a sip of tea and spoke.
“Ilsung, what do you think of Hyun as a person?”
Son Ilsung’s eyes turned curious. His father’s question was different from usual.
He didn’t refer to Kang Hyun as a child but as a person. It meant he wanted an objective assessment of him as a talent.
Son Ilsung hadn’t expected his father to ask such a question.
“Hmm, he seems to be an exceptional child.”
Son Ilsung emphasized the word “child.” Although he had outstanding qualities, he was still just a child.
Of course, no one could predict what the future held, but the process was unknown. Son Ilsung himself hadn’t expected to fight so fiercely with his siblings for the succession.
If he overcame the process, he would indeed blossom.
“Phew.”
At that moment, the chairman sighed. It seemed Son Ilsung’s insight wasn’t as high as he had hoped. Although Son Ilsung felt embarrassed, the chairman didn’t provide an answer. Instead,
“Yooha, come here.”
The chairman called Son Yooha. With no other choice, Son Yooha stood up, still with her cheeks puffed.
“What do you think of Hyun?”
“Hyun oppa?”
Son Yooha let out the air and raised her voice. Watching from the side, Son Ilsung sighed. The cheeks that had been puffed up since morning deflated at the mention of Kang Hyun’s name.
Let’s see what she says. But.
“Hmm.”
Son Yooha’s pretty face frowned. He thought she would answer quickly, but she continued to ponder.
Son Yooha couldn’t give a proper evaluation of Kang Hyun. Despite the short time, Kang Hyun had left a strong impression on her.
“That will do.”
The chairman patted Son Yooha’s head and nodded. Then he glanced at Son Ilsung with a significant look, as if to say to ponder more when evaluating people. In other words, he implied that his daughter had better insight than him.
“Grandfather, can I go to Japan too?”
Suddenly, Son Yooha asked to be taken to Japan, shocking Son Ilsung.
But the chairman shook his head decisively, as if he had anticipated it. He couldn’t interfere with the meeting between the maestro and the prodigy.
Son Yooha puffed her cheeks again at his firm stance.
It was the second day in Tokyo, and as summer was ending, the wind was chilly. However, the number of people heading to Opera City increased as time passed. It was, after all, the queen’s solo recital.
Everyone’s face held excitement and anticipation. I was no different. It was Hirose’s violin performance I had longed to hear in my past life.
“Hyun, are you excited?”
Grandfather checked my face and showed a relieved smile. He had been worried that I might not be interested.
Sometimes, there are prodigies with exceptional musical talent but no interest in the field. But Kang Hyun was clearly different from them.
We sat in the second row from the front on the right side, where we could clearly see the violinist. The melody would also reach our ears without missing a note.
The Opera City Concert Hall was as grand as ever. The moonlight streaming through the large triangular glass ceiling blended perfectly with the soft lighting of the concert hall.
Once all the audience members were seated,
the pianist stepped onto the stage first.
At that moment,
grandfather and I made eye contact. It was someone we had seen before. I quickly flipped through the pamphlet and saw a familiar name.
Baek Junghoon.
I barely held back a laugh. Even though I had come back to the past, I hadn’t recognized the iron-blooded maestro!
And then,
Click.
With sharp footsteps, Hirose appeared.
Her red dress harmonized with her silver hair, making me hold my breath.
Moreover, the instrument in her hand was the ‘Stradivarius,’ one of the three divine violins.
Even someone unfamiliar with musical instruments couldn’t fail to recognize this masterpiece. Just looking at it, you could feel the dignity of its long history.
Then,
Hirose, who was bowing politely to the audience, froze.
Huh?
Hirose stared at me with surprised eyes.
Why? Although I had never met her, my heart pounded as if I knew her.
Maybe it was because I had endlessly listened to her melodies in my past life. Although we were in different timelines, I had indeed met Hirose.
Then Hirose slowly raised her bow toward me. ‘Found you.’
The queen of strings and I reunited like that.
Now, in the same time.
