“I really like you―!”
Son Yooha furrowed her brow. It was because the unwelcome attention was directed at her.
The person speaking was said to be the captain of the rugby team, known for his mountainous build, deep-set eyes, and square jaw. However, contrary to his appearance, he seemed to enjoy romance movies, as he had even prepared a letter and a rose.
She couldn’t get swept up in the atmosphere and accept it. At times like this, she had to be blunt so that the other person wouldn’t misunderstand.
“Sorry, I don’t like you.”
Not even the north wind from Moscow could be this cold. At her voice, which blew like a chilling wind, the rugby team captain crumbled and sat down on the spot.
As Son Yooha walked past, her friend hurriedly followed. “Yooha, that’s the twelfth time―!”
It’s always the onlookers who make a fuss more than the person involved.
Twelfth time, yes. That number referred to the boys who had confessed to Son Yooha since the new semester began. Rumor had it that one of them was even a student who was also active as an actor in Hollywood. She was already a well-known queen at the prestigious Phillips Academy.
“Why don’t you accept any confessions?”
“Because I don’t like them.”
The Black girl shook her head in disbelief. Even she thought her friend was amazing.
With eyes like a cat, white skin, and lips like cherries, she looked like a painting. Her aura was as haughty as her appearance, making it difficult for anyone to approach her easily. No wonder her nickname was the Ice Rose.
“Yooha, don’t you have a guy you like?”
Girls’ puberty comes earlier than boys’. Moreover, it was Yooha who received confessions regardless of grade. She might have dated someone at least once, but she didn’t. Instead, she resented men and rejected them.
At that moment, Son Yooha stopped in her tracks and spoke firmly.
“I do.”
“You do? Really? Who is it?”
The Black girl’s eyes widened. It was as if she had heard something unbelievable. But she couldn’t get an answer.
“Yooha, I heard you’re going to Korea soon?”
“I’m just planning to make a short trip.”
“No matter what, going to Korea during the exam period is suspicious, isn’t it?”
“There’s an important classical concert.”
The Black girl’s eyes filled with curiosity at the unexpected news.
It didn’t make sense to go all the way to Asia just to watch a classical concert, especially during the exam period.
At that moment, a wallet fell from Son Yooha as she was about to move again.
Oh?
A photo was clearly visible in the open wallet. The Black girl picked up the wallet and looked puzzled.
“Who is this kid?”
At that moment, Son Yooha shook her head firmly, showing an expression she had never shown before. “He’s not a kid―!”
The wallet, which she accepted carefully as if it were a cherished talisman, held a photo. It was a memory of a boy in a suit playing the violin on a stage.
“Huff, huff.”
It felt like my breath was stuck in my throat, pounding relentlessly against my heart. My arms were trembling lightly as if they were experiencing an earthquake after hours of continuous playing.
Didn’t pianist Seymour say that there was no room for compromise in music, and that no excuse or shallow talent would be tolerated?
That was exactly our situation.
“I’ll do it one more time.”
There was only one week left until the concert. At my firm voice, Baek Junghoon gave a brief nod.
Although his fingertips must have been sore, his eyes never left the sheet music. Moreover, weren’t the corners of his mouth gradually rising?
I carefully lifted the bow. The moment the sharp tip of the bow touched the strings, the fingers on the keyboard began to dance.
“Hyun, have you ever given such personal guidance to anyone other than me?”
“Don’t flatter me. We’re just practicing together, not personal guidance. Even if it’s a joke, people would criticize me if they heard.”
“It’s not a joke. At this level, it’s fair to call it personal guidance.”
Certainly, Baek Junghoon, who had been learning music all his life, would know. He knew that I was constantly accommodating him. Moreover, his perceptiveness had significantly increased after studying classical music abroad.
From a teaching perspective, Baek Junghoon was an exceptional musician. Was this how Professor Auer felt when he taught Jascha Heifetz?
It was like pouring water into a bottomless jar. It was right to say that his capacity for learning was different.
“Hyun, if you were to offer personal guidance, musicians from all over the world would flock with blank checks.”
“Hyung, I’m not really interested in teaching others. Let’s take a short break.”
“Why? I’ll prove the effectiveness myself.”
“I appreciate it, but I’ll pass.”
Moreover, there were already plenty of students at the Moscow Conservatory proving its effectiveness.
Baek Junghoon and I went up to the rooftop to clear our heads for a while.
The night sky, which had become dark before I knew it, was drawing a picture with countless stars. In just ten years, these stars would no longer be visible in the city. It felt like meeting a forgotten friend again.
‘A beer would be perfect at a time like this.’
I wanted to crack open a cold beer and munch on dried squid on the vast, open rooftop, but I couldn’t.
My short body was itching, making me feel like I was nearing the end of my growth phase. Initially, it felt lamentable, but what could I do?
Anyway, I should be grateful that this growth spurt was happening during high school. If it had been any later, my future would have been bleak.
At that moment,
“Hyun, do you want to know why I play the piano?”
Baek Junghoon, who had been looking at the night sky, had become more sentimental.
“I wanted to be recognized by my family. The only thing I knew how to do was play the piano. But at some point, I started to hate the music I was clinging to desperately. It felt like I was using the piano. When I decided to quit everything, I met Mr. Hirose. He told me not to resent music but to find answers within it. I didn’t understand at the time, but now I see. The thing I hated wasn’t music; it was myself.”
It was similar to my past life. Just like Baek Junghoon, who clung to the piano to gain recognition from his family, I had been obsessed with power and success.
But the difference was the emergence of an outstanding mentor.
The Queen of Strings had helped steady Baek Junghoon’s wavering heart. Now it was my turn to train him, almost as if to atone for the mistakes of my past life.
“Get up. It’s time to find the answer.”
Though his arms were trembling and his back was soaked in sweat, Baek Junghoon stood up.
Would you believe it if I said that even though we played the same piece repeatedly, it was always exhilarating? It was a series of magical moments.
At that moment, countless stars in the night sky shone like notes on a music staff.
How much time had passed?
It was when dawn broke and the light began to spread. Im Hyera, the director who visited the gallery early in the morning, saw the slightly open door of the studio. The sight she saw when she entered the studio was spectacular.
“Could it be that both of them played all night?”
One was lying on the piano bench, using the keyboard as a pillow, and the other was sleeping with a violin tightly held to his chest. They both had smiles on their faces as if they were dreaming sweet dreams.
Director Im Hyera brought a blanket to cover their backs. She must have sensed it. That these two would become the great figures responsible for classical music in South Korea.
Sizzle―!
After finishing my shower, the smell of meat wafted to my nose.
With a towel around my neck, I went down to the first floor and my eyes widened. It was a feast from the morning. It seemed like the solo recital was not for Baek Junghoon but for me.
Even though it was just a single piece we were performing together, my mother and the housekeeper had teamed up to create a royal feast.
“Hoho, anyone would think today is Hyun’s birthday,” Grandfather said as he picked up his spoon.
“By the way, Hyun, is it alright to eat this much in the morning?”
“It’s fine, Grandfather.”
Each musician had their own way of managing their condition before going on stage. Some would perform on an empty stomach, while one famous maestro always conducted after eating.
As for me, I wasn’t restricted by any particular condition. The moment I held the bow, my mind became as calm as if time had stopped.
Anyway, my mother’s galbi-jjim was indeed revolutionary, just as Jean-Pierre had said. Should I consider galbi-jjim along with soy sauce marinated crabs as part of my business plan?
“Kang Hyun, fighting today―!”
With the help of Mr. Kim, the driver, I arrived at the Seoul Arts Center. Although I was just performing a single piece, a preliminary rehearsal was essential.
Thanks to Mr. Kim’s cheer, I entered the concert hall where Baek Junghoon was already in the middle of rehearsing.
The concert hall was increasingly resembling the memories of my past life. It was proof that the number of people enjoying classical music in South Korea was growing.
“Hyun, Hirose-sensei might come today.”
It was unexpected news.
“Hirose-sensei is currently performing with the Berlin Philharmonic, isn’t he?”
“I heard he’s coming to Korea as soon as the performance is over. Goro even called to let me know.”
It seemed that the Queen of Strings valued her connection with Baek Junghoon greatly. She must have attended his solo recital in Japan and now expressed her intention to come to Korea for another recital right after her performance in Germany.
“Shall we try to sync up?”
With Baek Junghoon’s words, the staff’s attention was drawn.
Usually, classical rehearsals were just about coordinating movements, but Baek Junghoon even sat down at the piano.
Having no choice, I took the violin out of its case. Thanks to this instrument, security guards would be stationed around the backstage area today.
As time passed and the twilight deepened, the audience began to gather at the Seoul Arts Center.
Despite the chaotic times, Baek Junghoon’s ticket power was formidable. Moreover, wasn’t the entirety of the proceeds going to help the underprivileged?
There was no more beautiful donation than this. After confirming the movements and finishing the rehearsal, I was resting in the waiting room when it happened.
‘Tsk.’
I clicked my tongue. My stomach was churning. I had gone to the bathroom several times, but it seemed that my digestion was still incomplete. Thankfully, there was still plenty of time before the performance.
At that moment,
“Thank you.”
Someone entered the room and handed me digestive medicine and a water bottle. Without even checking their face, I gratefully downed the medicine.
The efficacy was so immediate that as soon as it went down my throat, my stomach felt significantly more comfortable. Feeling relieved, my eyes closed involuntarily. Then it happened.
“See, oppa can’t do without me, right?”
