“Son, is that really true?”
Chairman Wang put down the garden shears and nodded briefly.
“Those guys were practically filming a movie at the airport, hugging each other so tightly. Who would’ve thought they’d embrace like that? I thought Hyun was just a typical Gyeongsang-do boy who was slow with emotions, but it turns out he’s quite shrewd. The timing was so perfect that even Choi Soo-jong would cry.”
“Hyun does have a lot of affection, just like me. Son, it’s hot today. Why don’t you stop trimming and come over here to rest for a bit?”
“I was just about to do that, you old man.”
As Chairman Wang and Chairman Yoo sat in the pavilion, a housekeeper brought out a refreshing drink called sujeonggwa and some glutinous rice twisted donuts, as if she had been waiting for this moment. Chairman Wang particularly enjoyed these snacks during the hot days, even when just sitting still made him sweat.
The clear sky with not a single cloud and the blazing sun indicated that it was now fully summer. Chairman Wang took a sip of sujeonggwa and glanced at Chairman Yoo.
“When are you planning to hold the ceremony?”
“What ceremony?”
“The engagement ceremony, of course.”
Chairman Yoo almost spat out his sujeonggwa. He barely managed to stop himself, nearly spraying it all over Chairman Wang’s face.
“Son, didn’t I tell you before? The feelings of the two people involved are what matter most. The era of us old relics arranging marriages by weighing pros and cons is over.”
“Didn’t their dramatic scene at the airport prove anything? I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever see my great-grandchildren in my lifetime.”
“They’re just kids. Their feelings can change dozens of times a day. Who can guarantee that their emotions will last for decades?”
Chairman Wang couldn’t argue with that logic and bit into the glutinous rice twisted donut with some regret. He hadn’t even looked at these when he was younger, but as he got older, he found himself craving sweets more and more.
The same went for his desire for talented people. Instead of diminishing, it only grew with each passing year. When he saw talent, he wanted to make them his own. Especially since that boy wasn’t just any talent; he was an extraordinary genius.
“You old man, you know Hyun comes to play Go with me every weekend, right?”
“Of course, has his skill improved?”
“He’s improved in more ways than one. Sometimes, when I’m playing Go with him, it feels like I’m playing with Choi Sang-chul.”
“Choi Sang-chul from Jinmyung Group?”
Chairman Wang nodded briefly. Both of them knew Choi Sang-chul well. He was once a prominent figure in South Korea’s economic history. Although he had passed away, his management skills were so exceptional that he had once surpassed Jeil Group.
“On other days, it feels like I’m talking to Kim Sung-jong from Myungseong Group.”
Another founder who had also passed away.
“Some days, it feels like I’m facing Lee Myung-geun from Gaeseong. Even though the boy in front of me is just a small child, his answers are always filled with deep meaning. That depth is comparable to that of a seasoned manager. How could I not be intrigued and attracted to him?”
Two years may seem short, but it can also be a long time. During that period, Chairman Wang had gauged Kang Hyun’s character and depth of thought. The results surpassed his expectations.
After much contemplation, he concluded that the boy was too vast to fully comprehend. He was just as exceptional and inscrutable as Chairman Wang himself.
“You old man, one thing is certain.”
At that moment,
“That boy probably anticipates the upcoming storms.”
An unnamed bird flying across the sky circled as if in response.
“Hyung, when are you going to leave?”
For several days now, Baek Jung-hoon had been showing up at the studio every day, just like clocking in at work.
If it weren’t for the recent end-of-term ceremony, he might have even followed me to school.
Unable to hold back any longer, I threw a comment at him, and of course, Baek Jung-hoon responded with his usual nonchalant expression.
“Hyun, if you had to perform Beethoven’s violin sonata, and Beethoven was right in front of you, what would you do? Consulting the composer for interpretation is an incredible opportunity. It’s his creation, after all. It’s the same for me. Practicing elsewhere when the composer of this amazing piece is right in front of me is absurd, don’t you think?”
What on earth did he go through during his two years abroad?
The timid image I saw at the Hyunseong Group wedding was nowhere to be found. Although he seemed a bit shameless, I didn’t find it unpleasant for some reason.
His eyes were as serious as a general going into battle when he looked at the sheet music. Moreover,
“Hyun, can I practice once?”
I couldn’t believe I was going to hear the performance of the iron-blooded maestro right in front of my eyes.
I remembered how hard I tried to get tickets to see Baek Jung-hoon’s conducting in my past life. It felt like my efforts back then were now being rewarded.
Moreover, he was going to perform a piece I composed, making it all the more special.
“As always, Hyun, your studio is the best.”
It was a practice piano, but it was an expensive instrument that was too good to be used just for practice.
Although a synthesizer or electronic piano could have sufficed, Im Hyera was not someone to settle for less.
It seemed I had chosen the right agency.
The sheet music was composed of three movements.
In E-flat major, 2/2 time signature, starting with a lyrical tone and putting strength into each note as it played.
Adagio sostenuto.
It created a dreamy atmosphere, almost like walking through a field of mist. The tension built up through the second movement and the third movement, which was a sonata form that surged intensely, was reminiscent of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
However, the finale was distinctly different. The final melody, as if letting go of everything, pierced my ears.
The piece had indeed found its rightful owner.
“Hyun, does this piece have a title?”
Baek Jung-hoon seemed reluctant to call this sheet music simply “Number 6.”
I hadn’t thought of a title when I was writing the notes on the staff.
“Call it whatever you want, hyung.”
After all, I composed it with Baek Jung-hoon in mind.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, Im Hyera entered after knocking. A glance at the clock told me why she had visited. It seemed her recent hobby was having lunch with me.
“Hyun, we’ve received a call from Japan.”
“Japan?”
“Yes, they asked if you have any plans to release a classical album. Japan has the largest classical music market in Asia. I wonder if Mi-hyun will become proficient in three languages.”
While listening to Im Hyera, Baek Jung-hoon remained deep in thought.
Having had several meals together, I already knew how intense his concentration was when he was lost in thought.
As the meal ended and tea was about to be served,
“Yes, I got it.”
Both Im Hyera and I turned to look at Baek Jung-hoon. Maybe he had eaten something wrong, as a faint smile gradually spread across his face.
“Iron Blood!”
Huh?
“That solemn and fierce sheet music, with its intense finale, exudes the atmosphere of a battlefield. Iron Blood, yes, the word ‘Iron Blood’ matches your sheet music, Hyun.”
As he blurted out the words, Im Hyera looked puzzled, while I felt beads of sweat trickling down my back.
This could be the moment when Baek Jung-hoon’s future nickname is born right here.
Chirp, chirp, buzz, buzz—
From the morning, the sound of cicadas was clear, and the house in Icheon was filled with a savory aroma.
In my past life, I had nothing to do with cooking, but now I could make hobakjeon (zucchini pancakes) with my eyes closed. The housekeeper’s thumbs-up signaled that I had become quite good at it.
After all, making hobakjeon for my grandmother had been my main task for the past two years.
“My grandson makes hobakjeon so well that I’m worried. Your grandmother might like yours more than mine.”
Grandfather smiled and patted my head.
He was dressed in a suit that showed the passage of time. Soon, my mother and father were also ready.
We then drove for quite some time in the car driven by Mr. Kim, the chauffeur. After a long drive, we were greeted by an elderly man who guarded the ancestral graves with a bright smile.
It was a very different feeling. In the past, my grandfather used to visit the grave alone around his wedding anniversary, but now the four of us were climbing the hill together.
“Dear, I’m here.”
Grandfather carefully tended to the grave. It was well-maintained. The yellow lilies and sunflowers that had grown under the summer sun welcomed us.
Grandfather placed the hobakjeon in front of the spot where grandmother would be looking. Instead of makgeolli, he placed white milk, which grandmother liked.
While I was taking in the scent of the wind drifting through the mountains,
“Son-in-law, the world is going to change a lot.”
Grandfather began speaking to my father. My father was preoccupied with commercializing graphene. He wasn’t very aware of how the world was changing, but he listened intently to grandfather, as if he didn’t want to miss a single word.
“Something big might happen soon. Don’t try to run away from the coming storm. Trying to avoid it foolishly might end up burning down your whole house. No matter how harsh the storm, if you fortify your foundation, you can withstand it.”
Grandfather, like Chairman Wang, was undoubtedly anticipating the upcoming storm.
I had a general understanding of historical trends, but grandfather and Chairman Wang were truly at the heart of history. The positions and intensity they felt would be significantly different.
“Yes, Father-in-law.”
“I admire your steadfast nature. In times like these, only those with strong hearts survive. You only need one sharp mind to navigate through business.”
At that moment, grandfather finished speaking and glanced at me.
I pretended not to know anything and looked off into the distance while sipping chocolate milk.
Had my tastes changed because my body had grown smaller? I used to never drink chocolate milk, but here I was, sipping it away. In a scenic place like this, I’d rather be having a glass of makgeolli.
“Well, before your grandmother eats all the hobakjeon you made, I should try some too.”
I had prepared plenty, just in case.
On grandfather’s wedding anniversary, we were enjoying hobakjeon as a family, and surely grandmother in heaven was watching this scene with affection.
But why did grandfather warn my father about the upcoming storm today? The reason became clear shortly after.
Rumble, crash—
The sun was blazing just moments ago, but now it seemed as if the sky had opened up. Thunder and lightning roared, and it poured heavily. The long rainy season had finally begun.
I had planned to head to the studio early in the morning, but it seemed I would have to delay my plans.
As I was toweling my hair dry and heading down to the living room,
“Oh? Uncle, hello.”
Both my uncles and aunts were sitting in the living room, leaving me dumbfounded.
It turned out that they had rushed over early in the morning after receiving a call from grandfather. They also seemed to be unaware of the reason, as their faces showed signs of discomfort and anxiety.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Park, is there some significant event happening today?”
I asked the housekeeper, who had worked in the mansion for a long time, thinking there might be some family event I wasn’t aware of. But she also seemed clueless.
While everyone’s curiosity was growing, grandfather walked out of his study.
At the breakfast table, no one spoke first. Everyone must have felt the same way.
It was only after everyone had finished their meal that grandfather put down his spoon.
“Just one week left.”
What did he mean by that?
“In a week, South Korea will become very noisy.”
Everyone’s faces showed confusion, but not mine. It was all too strange.
Looking back at my past life, the signs of the storm weren’t supposed to start until January next year. Grandfather was certainly anticipating the upcoming storm.
But in a week? Was there something I didn’t know?
There were still over four months left until next year. The beginning was supposed to be at Daehan Steel, the core of Daehan Group.
It was then that it hit me.
“In a week.”
At that moment, I realized.
“It will start with Daehan Steel.”
