“Are you telling me to start filming already?”
The Queen Elizabeth Competition boasts a long history. The schedule at the Chapel, known as the Dawn of Melody, is being made into a documentary by the national broadcaster. However, the final list of participants hasn’t even been selected yet.
“Journalists from abroad are starting to arrive. The bait is good, so the fishermen are flocking.”
The director furrowed his brows and tapped the list of the competition with his finger.
Belgium, often referred to as the heart of Europe, is a small country with a population of ten million. The Queen Elizabeth Competition is a significant national event and a major source of tourism revenue.
The documentary produced is set to be exported to various countries, but at this rate, everything might get exposed in my own living room.
The reason journalists caught wind of this is simple. Not a single outstanding new talent from various countries is missing, all heading to Brussels. Moreover…
“There’s someone who received recommendation letters from Hirose and Spencer, isn’t there?”
That’s what the rumors said. Someone who received recommendation letters from the Queen of Strings and the London Symphony arrived in Brussels.
Combining all the circulating rumors, an unbelievable individual seemed to have emerged.
“Are you saying Mozart has been reincarnated or something?”
A 14-year-old boy by Korean age. Of course, there have always been prodigies who started learning the violin at a very young age. But what’s notable here is that this boy has only been playing the violin for just a month.
A child who has learned the violin for a month being selected among the 24 new violinists worldwide? It’s something straight out of a novel. But…
The director felt a tickling sensation on his nose bridge. His deep-set eyes were still focused on the boy’s name.
Not William from England, not Zhang Yan from China, not Erik from Northern Europe, but an unknown Asian boy. The intuition honed by years in the broadcasting station was intensely pointing at this child.
“Ria, film this Asian boy personally. Get the most interviews with him.”
Surely, this boy will be the highlight of this Queen Elizabeth Competition.
Achoo―!
Seeing that I’m sneezing again, someone must be talking about me. Meanwhile, the British gentleman following me around was getting on my nerves. Not only did he appear suddenly, but he was also glaring at me.
I thought about grabbing his hair and giving him a good smack, but seeing him roughly wipe his nosebleed, I shook my head.
I was well aware of his type. They were often seen in my previous life at the Judicial Training Institute.
A genius who has been on the elite course since birth.
“How far are you going to follow me?”
When I stopped, the gentleman also stopped. He seemed to want to ask something but couldn’t muster the courage due to his pride.
I shook my head and moved on. By now, someone persistent like this reminded me of someone.
“Are you going to play the violin?”
I nodded briefly. It was a practice room specially prepared by the competition organizers for the Queen Elizabeth participants. It was connected to the hotel, allowing practice at any time without being restricted by time. The British gentleman seemed to be contemplating something, then looked at me.
“Can I watch?”
“As you wish.”
For the second round of judging, each participant had to perform a piece of their choice. Since it wasn’t possible to change the piece now, I thought it wouldn’t matter much to show my practice.
Of course, most sensitive violinists were reluctant to show their practice to others. The British gentleman, knowing this, remained silent and quietly took a seat.
At that moment.
Ziiing.
The bow carefully touched the strings. The melody played with a downward bow felt as if it were walking on a tightrope.
It made an eerie sound as if wandering in complete darkness. Then, the rosin-stained bow pressed hard on the strings.
Unconsciously, William clenched the hand holding the handkerchief.
He wanted to confirm.
If that child truly deserved Spencer’s recommendation letter.
But as the performance continued, he felt himself getting captivated.
How could someone express such a melody? Moreover, what about the posture and basic skills? It felt like watching a master who had been handling the violin for a long time, exuding an overwhelming tension.
Such things require long experience and age. Yet, that child was doing it effortlessly.
William, who studied at the Royal Academy of Music, had encountered countless geniuses. He always believed himself to be the best wherever he went. No matter how brilliant the prodigies were, they would return to being ordinary violinists in front of him.
But what was this feeling now?
Was this the same emotion Salieri felt when he faced Mozart?
Thump thump thump.
He felt his cold heart pounding uncontrollably. He found himself unwittingly immersed in the precarious melody.
He was sweating profusely all over his body, to the point where he forgot the inexplicable anger he felt towards the boy playing the violin with such dignity.
Although the performance had ended, William still couldn’t let go of the final melody. Knock knock.
It was then that Eva entered the practice room.
“William?”
Eva seemed surprised to see him, but he had no time to care about her. When she didn’t get a response from him, she turned her curious gaze away and looked directly at the boy.
“Hyun, you have a visitor.”
The Pyeongchang-dong mansion was noisy from early morning. The carp swimming in the pond had disappeared due to the commotion.
While Chairman Wang was smiling contentedly, Son Ilsung felt a headache coming on.
“Secretary Kim, how long has Yooha been like this?”
Secretary Kim couldn’t give a proper answer to Son Ilsung’s question.
“Doesn’t it look nice, Ilsung?”
“Father?”
Son Ilsung looked at the luggage his daughter had packed.
All she had to do was deliver a violin. But, as they say, the belly button is bigger than the belly. Anyone would think she was moving abroad.
She hadn’t slept and had been packing ever since she heard she was going to Belgium where Kang Hyun was? Normally, she would sleep until the sun was high in the sky.
“She’s not going alone, so don’t worry too much. By the way, how’s Tianjin coming along?”
At Chairman Wang’s question, Son Ilsung straightened his posture. He no longer had time to worry about his daughter.
“It looks like the approval process will be completed within this year. However, since the Chinese authorities are not very welcoming to foreign capital, aggressive investment seems difficult.”
“That’s good enough. The first step is to break the ice. Attracting foreign capital will eventually resolve itself. By the way, are there any petty thieves in the company these days?”
Son Ilsung immediately understood Chairman Wang’s question. He wasn’t talking about simple petty thieves.
Embezzling materials, embezzlement, and leaking industrial technology overseas.
Didn’t Hyunseong Group suffer greatly because of this? The bigger the company, the more there is to nibble on.
“Ilsung, the more you do it, the easier it becomes to doctor the books. That’s why it’s most important to nip it in the bud and plug any holes. Don’t let your guard down even with your own blood. You know what I mean better than anyone.”
Son Ilsung felt cold sweat forming on his back. He remembered the time he had helped his third brother, who ended up living as an unemployed person after falling out of Chairman Wang’s favor. He had momentarily forgotten that Chairman Wang’s eyes and ears were everywhere within Jeil Group.
“Seeing things like this makes me want that child even more.”
Then Chairman Wang smiled, seemingly thinking of someone. Son Ilsung knew the hidden meaning behind that smile.
It was the expression he made when he, who had everything, strongly desired something.
“Are you saying you’re going to film me?”
Memories of filming a documentary at the Judicial Training Institute in my previous life came to mind.
How much had I suffered? No matter how documentary it is, there is always some dramatization. Having experienced broadcasters once, I wasn’t particularly pleased.
But according to Park Sunyoung…
“Don’t they usually start filming at the Chapel?”
“They did until the last competition, but the rules have changed.”
She was a typical Eastern European beauty, just like Eva. She had a face that seemed more suited for a celebrity than a PD. Although she was speaking English instead of her native French, it made her seem even cuter.
Next to her was a man who reminded me of Hagrid, holding a camera. I wondered if he was the model for the Hagrid character, as the resemblance was uncanny.
“Don’t worry, we won’t ask for anything except for the interviews.”
When I made a hesitant expression, the PD quickly added. Since it was a national event, they wouldn’t make unreasonable requests due to the sensitive nature of musicians.
“Am I the only one being filmed first?”
There were still 24 participants left. It wouldn’t have been strange if they had just sent a cameraman. But the PD came to see me in person.
Of course, there might be more than one PD, but according to what I heard, they hadn’t looked for any other participants yet.
“It’s not because of the recommendation letters, is it?”
The PD seemed flustered but didn’t deny it. Of course, the reputations of the Queen of Strings and the London Symphony were outstanding in the music world. An unknown Asian kid had received letters of recommendation from both, so it was only natural for them to be interested. Moreover, I was on the list of 24 participants.
“Alright. But please don’t disturb me during practice.”
The PD nodded vigorously as if it was a matter of course. She smiled brightly, looking more like a celebrity no matter how you looked at her. I was about to get up after shaking hands.
“Orabeoni―!”
Orabeoni?
At the sudden Korean word, I turned my head without realizing it. Wasn’t there a familiar silhouette walking in from the hotel’s main entrance? Even after I blinked hard, the silhouette didn’t disappear. But my mind was full of questions.
‘If it were Yooha, she wouldn’t say that?’
Instead of saying Orabeoni, Son Yooha would have run to me shouting Oppa! But now, she was walking gracefully like a noble lady. Anyone would think she was a noblewoman. Although she was indeed an heiress to a conglomerate.
Then my eyes widened at the figure following behind Son Yooha.
“Mother?”
Finally, I understood why Son Yooha was acting that way.
“Orabeoni, I missed you so much.”
