Glug―!
At that moment, a scene from “The Truman Show” came to mind.
Doesn’t it seem like everyone is watching me? Of course, there are differences. If Truman was in a scripted movie, this was a real situation.
The face of Dr. Tikhonov, who was sitting next to me, was clearly surprised. He probably never dreamed that I was such a renowned violinist.
Pressing the stop button wouldn’t end the situation. Rather, the heat became increasingly intense, as if I were standing naked in the middle of Africa.
“Violinist Hyun, would you please come this way?”
Isn’t the maestro putting the finishing touch on this situation?
He pointed to the VIP seats prepared on the podium. It was a place where the previously called VIPs were sitting together.
As soon as he finished speaking, another seat was miraculously arranged.
The maestro seemed to be enjoying this situation. Could it be that he was getting back at me for something that happened at Brussels Airport before?
“Excuse me.”
Moses must have felt like this when he parted the Red Sea. I never received this much attention even when I was preparing to run for parliament in my past life.
Not only did the next-generation maestros of Russia, Andrey and Karleya, look at me curiously, but the eternal maestro Gustav also welcomed me like a kind grandfather.
“For the first time in two years, isn’t it, Hyun?”
“Yes, Maestro.”
“You seem to have grown even more than before. Hoho.”
I bowed politely and was about to sit down when I suddenly saw Alexei’s face.
Oh my, seeing the maestro with a nasty expression twitching his cheeks nonstop, it must be revenge, indeed!
“Next, we will have congratulatory speeches from VIPs who have come from afar.”
What?
As soon as the maestro finished speaking, Andrey stood up.
The congratulatory speeches began. I thought I would pass quietly since I wasn’t even scheduled to attend. After the long congratulatory speech from the eternal maestro Gustav ended, the maestro grabbed the microphone and looked at me.
“Violinist Hyun?”
I don’t know how it ended up like this.
I thought I just needed to fill the numbers for the department head inauguration ceremony until this morning. When I came to my senses, I found myself standing on the podium looking at numerous attendees.
I could see my father’s gaze, Dr. Tikhonov’s gaze, and even a young man with brown hair standing at the entrance. Friends were lined up around, and among them were students who had taken lessons from me.
Everyone had a surprised look on their faces. Of course, I was also surprised. The maestro even adjusted the microphone to my height with his mischievous hands.
What should I say?
However, as soon as I stood in front of the microphone, the tension was swallowed like a lie. Moreover, the congratulatory speech was always ready. Didn’t I travel around many campaign sites while preparing to be a parliamentarian in my past life?
I smiled and wished for infinite glory to be bestowed upon the Moscow Conservatory.
“It’s Hyun.”
Everyone looked surprised at the first word. Fluent Russian started flowing out of the mouth of an Asian kid.
“How could such a coincidence―!”
Anton’s face turned red like a boiling kettle. Alexei almost burst into laughter at his usually calm friend’s excitement. Wasn’t it an incredible coincidence?
“Who would have thought that the kid you met on the plane was that friend?”
Who would have thought that the kid who had a heated discussion with the department head of the Moscow Conservatory about Schubert’s “Wanderer Fantasy” was Violinist Hyun?
At that moment, a teacup with floating petals was lifted. Gustav, enjoying the flavor of the tea, looked very interested. Of course, it was because all the stories he heard were extraordinary.
“Maestro, do you like the tea?”
Alexei’s posture was as polite as a respectful student.
“It’s fine, feel free to keep talking. I really enjoy hearing about that kid. If Yuri were here, he would have perked his ears just like me.”
Andrey and Karleya couldn’t even open their mouths in the presence of the maestros. Just being seated here was an honor. The maestros in front of them were living legends.
However, all the stories they heard were full of mysteries. Moreover, Yuri, whom the eternal maestro had just mentioned, referred to the lion of the Berlin Philharmonic.
The more the maestros talked, the more dumbfounded they became.
“Alexei, wasn’t it too much to ask him to give a speech so suddenly? How flustered he must have been without any preparation. He didn’t even know you were the department head, let alone that I was the head.”
“Hmph. Do you think that cheeky, no, Hyun would be that surprised? Didn’t you see it too? How confidently he looked at the audience while standing in front of the microphone. And how about his speech? He spoke so fluently in Russian that you wouldn’t believe how much he had improved. He could probably write a book in Cyrillic. He had a knack for surprising people even two years ago, and it hasn’t rusted at all.”
Gustav, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, also nodded in agreement.
It was so well-prepared that it didn’t seem like an unprepared speech. Rather, it resembled a seasoned politician who had been giving speeches in front of people for a long time.
It was then.
Knock knock.
With a knock, the person they had been waiting for finally entered.
“Hello, Maestro. I couldn’t properly greet you earlier because I was in a rush. It’s an honor to meet you again like this.”
Kang Hyun greeted Gustav, Alexei, and Anton politely. He also gave a short bow to Andrey and Karleya, showing no sign of nervousness. It was as if he had experienced such situations countless times. It was a boldness that couldn’t be seen in a child.
“Hyun, how long do you plan to stay in Moscow?”
“I will probably return to Korea next week.”
“That soon?”
“Yes, since I have already achieved the purpose of this trip.”
Alexei’s deep-set eyes showed contemplation. He cautiously broached the subject while looking at Hyun sipping orange juice.
“Do you know that I gave you the highest score in Brussels?”
“I know. Didn’t the judges’ score sheets get revealed right after the competition?”
It was surprising. From the way Alexei usually looked at Hyun, it wouldn’t have been strange if he had given him the lowest score. But in reality, Alexei had consistently given Hyun the highest scores, fully recognizing him as a musician.
“Then it’s good. I have a request for you.”
“Yes?”
Alexei’s raised eyebrows twitched pleasantly.
Early in the morning, Dr. Tikhonov didn’t look well. Since I parted ways early due to the meeting with the maestros after the inauguration ceremony, I had no way of knowing the reason.
Of course, Dr. Tikhonov said he would wait for me, but I insisted it was okay. One ride in his beloved car was enough for me.
Could it be that he found out? But what he said next was completely unexpected.
“Hyun, no matter how much I said you resembled a person with an Eastern Bloc, I never imagined you would have such a different side. How did you manage to hide the fact that you are a famous violinist who won the grand prize in an international competition?”
You didn’t ask.
Dr. Tikhonov’s face looked like that of a heartbroken person. If I had known, I wouldn’t have come to the chemical research lab with my father.
“When I first saw you, Hyun, I felt an enormous chemical reaction. It was like fireworks bursting inside my body. Like a fanfare. Even Sobrero, who first synthesized nitroglycerin, wouldn’t have been as surprised as I was. I thought I finally found a worthy successor to follow in my footsteps……!”
He was drinking kimchi soup before even getting the rice cake.
Dr. Tikhonov dramatically wiped his face with a hand, looking like a scene from a musical.
He seemed more suited to being a comedian than a scientist. If he ever acted, he would surely win an Oscar.
“By the way, you said you are returning to Korea next week?”
“Yes, Doctor, I need to go back.”
Dr. Tikhonov sometimes felt more comfortable with me than with my father, probably thinking our conversation code matched regardless of age.
My father, as the overall in-charge of this meeting, was quite reserved, probably because it was a business that involved scouting the entire chemical research lab.
Even if my father liked it, the final decision was in my grandfather’s hands. It was then.
“Hyun, it’s not too late. Occasionally, your futuristic thinking and sharp mind are too valuable to be used only for an artist’s life. Shouldn’t you make a significant contribution to humanity?”
The chatty doctor grabbed my hand, his eyes shining as if struck by a brilliant idea.
“How about a chemist who does music?”
“Hey kid, are you a student at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory?”
To fulfill the maestro’s request, I took an old-fashioned Russian taxi. What a coincidence, it was the bearded driver who seemed to have become my regular chauffeur.
He seemed more curious about my identity now than haggling over the fare. After all, every time I asked to go to the Moscow Conservatory, it was understandable.
“No, I’m a violinist.”
“Really? If I get a chance, invite me to your concert. My whole family will come. Don’t feel too down being an Asian alone in a foreign land! Well, judging by how you haggle over the taxi fare, you don’t seem to be the type to get easily discouraged. Here we are.”
Certainly, he was a savvy businessman. Without realizing it, I pulled out an extra 50 rubles from my wallet.
I passed by the Tchaikovsky statue and entered the antique building.
The elegant architectural beauty was always striking, revealing how much Tchaikovsky, the first dean, had devoted to the Moscow Conservatory.
Since I arrived a little early, I didn’t see the maestro.
“Days in Brussels, what a grand title.”
A poster was already on the building’s wall. The youngest winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition giving a lecture; it was almost like a memoir reading.
Brussels was a dream stage for violinists.
The maestro’s persistent request was something I couldn’t refuse. It was a bit awkward, but having given lectures for law school juniors in my past life, I wasn’t too worried.
“Room B-202.”
I walked towards the scheduled lecture room. Thanks to the location explanations on the building walls, I wasn’t lost.
But why was there not a single ant in this vast conservatory?
“Huh?”
The lecture room I arrived at was empty. Was I too early? Still, the fact that no one was there made me feel uneasy. If I had known, I would have had lunch at the hotel.
At that moment,
“Violinist Hyun?”
A security guard entered the lecture room. He looked at me with curious rabbit eyes, and his name tag read Hamann in Cyrillic.
“The lecture room has been changed.”
“Changed?”
“Yes, it was clearly insufficient for the number of attendees.”
What was he talking about? The room seemed spacious enough to accommodate at least a hundred people.
Swallowing my confusion, I followed Hamann. But the direction he was leading me to was…
‘Concert hall?’
As the large door opened, numerous eyes turned towards me. Even the famous musicians on the wall seemed to be looking at me.
I was stunned. Not only had everyone arrived early, but the concert hall was also packed with students, with no empty seats.
I had expected only violin majors to come, but I was wrong.
‘It’s really a ghost!’, ‘The rumors were true!’
Occasionally, strange whispers reached my ears, signaling something unusual. The students seemed to have been waiting for me for a long time.
Following Hamann’s guidance, I stepped onto the podium and surveyed the audience. In the front row, I saw Anna.
It seemed excessive to gather just to hear about my days in Brussels.
However, these were people who came for me. I couldn’t afford to waste time until the scheduled time. As I approached the microphone, the room fell silent.
“Nice to meet you. I’m not sure why so many of you are here for this lecture. I see not only violin majors but also piano and even cello majors. I will do my best to make this time worthwhile. Let me formally introduce myself. I am a violinist studying music with you all.”
A voice with irresistible power flowed through the ceiling. She surely sensed it.
“I am Hyun.”
