“Please give me Pu’er tea.”
The young female employee of the gallery swallowed a lump of nervousness. “Mi-hyun, I’d like the same, please.”
It was no exaggeration to say that the entire gallery was frozen stiff. This was because the chairman of the Jeil Group had personally shown up. The only person who seemed capable of smiling at the moment was Im Hyera.
“Father, if you had called, I would have come to you myself.”
“It’s nice to have some quiet tea time with my daughter-in-law after a long time. Chairman Yoo, that old man, is so envious of me. He keeps praising his daughter-in-law for being so capable.”
“Oh, I haven’t done much. It’s all thanks to you, Father, that I’ve come this far. And Hyun is there at Chairman Yoo’s house. Every time I see that child, I’m so surprised.”
“Even Yooha’s mother thinks he’s not an ordinary child, right?”
Im Hyera thought of Kang Hyun’s image in her mind.
From the first meeting, he had not been ordinary. Not only did he have profound knowledge of contemporary art, but he also quickly grasped the hidden meaning in his own works. Moreover, sometimes when dining together, it felt like she was facing an elderly gentleman rather than a child.
“Mother, how do you plan to educate Yooha?”
It wasn’t about the humanities, including the study of kingship.
“Father, actually I haven’t told you yet, but I’m thinking about sending her to study abroad.”
“Study abroad? I wonder if Yooha would agree to that.”
Hadn’t she refused to study in France because of Kang Hyun previously?
“I gave her some motivation. I told her an old Chinese proverb: ‘No matter how beautiful a flower is, if it has no fragrance, it’s just a flower without charm.’ She’s a smart child, so she understood quickly.”
She even clenched her fists with determination, appearing brimming with ambition.
“What do you plan to do after she returns from studying abroad?”
After finishing her MBA, she would need practical training. It seemed like a story of the distant future, but it would arrive in the blink of an eye. Moreover, she was the successor to Son Ilsung.
“I’m thinking of starting her at Jeil Commerce, Father.”
Chairman Wang smiled as if he had expected it.
“Jeil Commerce, huh? It’s a tough place. Are you sure?”
It was a place that played both construction and trading roles, so it was not easy. Especially since field experience was crucial, it was quite rough and rugged.
It was hard to imagine young Son Yooha leading Jeil Commerce in the future.
But who could know for sure?
“Yes, it has to be Jeil Commerce.”
Jeil Commerce, the place that would be the starting point and her fortress as the Ice Queen.
Damn it!
I was drenched in cold sweat. Of all things, I had to dream about my past life.
Regretful memories I never wanted to repeat. In the dream, I occasionally saw the aged Chairman Son Ilsung and the grown-up President Son Yooha.
I gulped down water to quench my burning thirst.
But no matter how I thought about it, it didn’t make sense. Just thinking of Son Yooha’s appearance brought to mind the cry of “Oppa!” Was the future really progressing properly?
Oh, to hell with it.
“Son, you’re up already?”
My mother’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Hyun—!”
It was Isaac, waving his hand fervently in front of the hotel. Ever since he listened to my original composition, he seemed to be completely captivated by me. He’d constantly pester me to play my compositions, making last week really exhausting.
Next to Isaac stood Michelle, who graciously volunteered to be our driver since the weekend for my mother and me. She hadn’t forgotten her promise to show us around Chartres Cathedral.
“Hyun, the copyright for ‘Beautiful Life’ has been registered. I listed the composer as ‘HYUN.’ Is that okay? I can’t wait to hear your original compositions again. The day you first played it on set, Jean-Pierre called me, his voice brimming with excitement, as if something big had happened.”
“Michelle, it was absolutely amazing! Everyone on set stood still for a long time, as if time had stopped!”
Isaac, who was originally close to Michelle, continued to excitedly recount his impressions of that day. My mother, who didn’t speak much English, had a smile blooming on her face, looking quite elated.
The journey to the outskirts where Chartres Cathedral was felt like a festive homecoming. Who would have thought Isaac was such a talkative kid?
“Michelle, is it okay for us to roam around places with so many people?”
We had arrived in the old town of Chartres after a two-hour drive. With the light festival reaching its peak, there were many tourists around. Despite being a famous singer, Michelle was walking around with just a bucket hat and sunglasses.
“You and your mother don’t have much time left in France. We have to take this risk. Besides, when I don’t wear makeup, people hardly recognize me.”
Come to think of it, that was true. Even amidst numerous tourists, no one recognized Michelle’s face.
Isaac, enjoying his rare holiday, was joyfully exploring the old town.
“Hyun—!”
Isaac grabbed my hand and pulled me. Even though we were the same age, he was much bigger, so I couldn’t help but follow.
Damn it, why are all the kids around me, starting from Son Yooha, so tall and lanky?
The place Isaac led me to had street musicians performing. As expected in Europe, there were cellos and violins in sight.
I had visited the old town of Chartres in my past life too. There were many street performers then, just like now.
Clap clap clap clap—
The sound of applause from the tourists and the musicians bowed. I took out some francs from my wallet and put them in the basket. At that moment, Michelle approached me and spoke in a small voice.
“Hyun, wouldn’t you like to perform?”
“Pardon?”
“In the old town of Chartres, anyone can perform on the street. If you’re good enough, you can even borrow an instrument from the musicians for a while. It looks like they are taking a break now. How about giving it a try? My request is ‘Beautiful Life.’”
“Yeah, Hyun. If you perform, those guys will become rich in no time!”
How could I refuse Michelle’s earnest eyes, let alone Isaac’s?
Michelle, who was like a mentor to me in composing, approached the street musicians without hesitation. After a short conversation, she smiled broadly.
The gentleman who had been playing the violin handed me his instrument with a kind smile. People had already started to gather around.
“Wow.”
The musicians marveled at my fluid violin posture.
My mother and Michelle looked at me with proud smiles, while Isaac was gathering passing tourists, shouting about an amazing performance.
No matter how I think about it, something must have happened the day I first met her. At that moment,
Srrrng.
The bow moved very carefully, like the sound of a blade.
As the first note resonated, the noisy crowd turned to look at me. As the bow and strings met, tourists began to gather in an instant. But no one raised their voice.
Everyone held their breath, captivated by the sorrowful melody and the emotions within.
As the performance continued, it really felt like time had stopped, just as Isaac had said.
Musicians knew that playing slow music was much harder than showing off flashy skills.
The gentleman who had handed me the violin was watching with his mouth agape, and Michelle’s face was filled with excitement.
Then, the bow and strings began to yearn for each other.
With a lyrical start, the tempo picked up towards the end of the piece, depicting a life full of ups and downs. As my breath caught in my throat at the peak of the bowing,
Zing—
The cheerful melody soared into the sky. Despite the rushed bowing, I didn’t hurry. As I approached the final bars of the sheet music, I drew the notes on the staff in my mind, feeling a bittersweet longing.
With my heart pounding, I sent the final melody soaring into the sky, leaving a long-lasting impression.
“Unbelievable…!”
With someone’s small exclamation, clap clap clap clap—
Thunderous applause erupted. The whole old town seemed to tremble with the tremendous cheers. The street musicians also watched in amazement with wide eyes. My mother and Michelle looked at me with happy smiles.
Meanwhile, Isaac was weaving through the crowd with a basket, smiling brightly as he collected francs, showing his talent as an actor.
“Im writer has made up her mind!”
The sound of the teacup being set down was cheerful.
“It’s actually good. Such aggressive behavior will prevent others from thinking lightly. Son, no matter how I see it, you’ve got an extraordinary daughter-in-law.”
“No matter how great Hyun is. At a young age, he’s already so outstanding that even his uncles are wary. Yooha’s mother seems to think very highly of Hyun as well. How about it, old man? Should we hurry and arrange an engagement? If Yooha changes her mind, we’ll really be in trouble.”
“Ahem, let’s save that story for later. By the way, did that child really say she would go study abroad?”
Thinking of Son Yooha’s usual behavior, it was surprising. Hadn’t she always wanted to stay by Kang Hyun’s side? She even cried when she saw Kang Hyun leaving at the airport.
“If the child doesn’t want to, I have no intention of forcing her. I don’t want to make my only granddaughter suffer.”
“Old man, they say women’s hormones increase with age, and you’re proof of that. Who would have thought the hyena who came down from the north would become such a doting grandfather?”
“Old man, are you talking about ancient history? Are you looking for a fight?”
While Chairman Wang and Chairman Yoo were bickering,
“Grandpa—!”
Son Yooha came into the reception room. Seeing his granddaughter, who was so precious to him, Chairman Wang’s face lit up with a smile. Chairman Yoo signaled with a nod, and Chairman Wang, after a small pause, looked at his granddaughter.
“Yooha, did you hear what your mother said?”
“About studying abroad?”
“Yes, if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. You can do whatever you want, Yooha.”
At that moment, interrupting Chairman Wang’s words, Son Yooha exclaimed.
“No, I definitely want to go!”
“Yooha, can I ask why?”
“Mom, no, Mother said that Hyun oppa will become more and more famous, so when will Yooha stop being stagnant? I want to become someone who’s not lacking compared to Hyun oppa…!”
Biting her lips and speaking, she looked as if she was holding back tears.
It seemed the reason for studying abroad was because of Kang Hyun.
No doubt, she was a smart child, fully aware of the difference between herself and Kang Hyun. However, her tearful appearance was so endearing that Chairman Wang and Chairman Yoo struggled to hold back their laughter.
“Grandpa.”
Then Son Yooha turned to look at Chairman Yoo. Wiping her teary eyes with her sleeve, she clasped her hands together like a well-mannered young lady.
“Please take good care of Hyun oppa.”
She seemed ready to bow at any moment. Chairman Yoo patted Son Yooha’s head with a satisfied smile.
“Ahem, old man, I can’t wait to see my grandson-in-law soon.” Chairman Wang’s envious voice echoed through the reception room.
My ears were itchy, as if water had gotten in during my shower. I roughly dried myself with a towel and got dressed.
Today was not a movie shooting day but a day to meet Michelle. Heading to Michelle’s studio in the heart of Paris always made my heart race. Composing was as thrilling as when I first learned the violin.
“Son, should Mom go with you?”
“No, it’s okay.”
My mother looked visibly tired. No wonder, after we watched the light festival at Chartres Cathedral late into the night. She must have been quite stressed taking care of two kids.
“Oh, by the way, take this to Michelle for me. I meant to give it to her yesterday, but I forgot. I really appreciate all her help yesterday. Make sure to thank her.”
It was a gift I didn’t know she had bought. A warm sweater that would suit Michelle well in the coming winter.
I left the hotel lobby and took a waiting taxi to Michelle’s place.
“Hyun, how did you know?”
Michelle was touched as she accepted my mother’s gift.
“Hyun, next time, I’ll make sure to treat your mother to a nice meal at a fancy restaurant.”
“No, it’s alright. My mother was really grateful to you. She knows how tough it is to drive for long hours.”
“Oh my, does Hyun know how exhausting driving can be?”
Of course, I’ve driven accident-free for twenty years.
“You drove all day yesterday.”
After casually brushing off Michelle’s question, her next words left me dumbfounded.
“You want to commission me to compose?”
It was unexpected. How could someone want to commission me when I had just started learning composition? Moreover, not many people knew I was composing.
“A producer who saw your street performance in Chartres yesterday contacted me. He’s someone I know, and when he saw me with you, he reached out directly. At first, he thought the violin piece was mine but was shocked to learn you composed it. Initially, he was disappointed, thinking you only composed classical music. But when he found out you were studying various genres, he immediately wanted to commission you.”
Could this be a coincidence?
“But I don’t have any other compositions yet, Michelle.”
“Don’t worry about that. They’ve given plenty of time. After your movie work is done, they want you to compose a song for a new band. It’s quite similar to composing for a string quartet, though the instruments are different. You’ll have plenty of time to learn about the band’s setup.”
“Michelle, wait, a band?”
That was surprising. Don’t bands usually write their own songs? Especially bands these days, influenced by Queen, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.
“Oh, of course, I’m not talking about the title track. Bands usually write their own title songs. The new band’s name is, what was it, Iris? They’re already quite famous in pubs. The producer is trustworthy too. It’ll be a great experience.”
Wait a minute,
“Michelle, what’s the band’s name again?”
“Iris.”
I almost jumped out of my seat. Iris was a renowned band that took Europe by storm starting in the ’90s. Even I, who didn’t know much about band music, knew their name.
Isn’t it less burdensome since it’s not a title track? No way, I’m a novice who just started learning composition. Not being nervous would be strange.
I had no intention of using any shortcuts. I didn’t even think about recalling future songs. Michelle looked deeply into my eyes and smiled.
“Hyun, you’re really excited, aren’t you?”
