The Healing Life of a Music Genius - Chapter 170



Only Noblemtl

170 I ran into you by chance

* * *

Today is the opening ceremony of Seolwha Yejung’s school at the same time.

“hello! Seniors!”

“Nice to meet you!”

“It’s an honor!”

“and! hello!”

“uh? uh. hi?”

Many children I met on my way to school greeted me.

Young children all wearing light blue name tags on their Sulwha school uniforms.

Until last year, third-year students wore that light blue name tag, but since they have all graduated, it seems that starting this year, new students will start using that name tag.

After looking at the kids who were greeting me at almost a 90 degree angle for a moment, I asked my friend a question.

“Ha-eun.”

“huh.”

“I don’t know them all. What are they? “I don’t think there’s a single one from Saebom Elementary School, which I went to.”

“Uhm. Seojin.”

“huh?”

Lee Ha-eun stopped walking for a moment and gently held my shoulder. And then she calmly continues her words.

“You know you’re the star of our school, right?”

“to be honest······. Isn’t ‘star’ an exaggeration? “No matter how many other students recognize me.”

Lee Ha-eun shook her voice resolutely.

“Seojin. Think about it carefully. Even the kids who took classes with you and saw you a few times in passing sometimes cheered for you, right? “They also cheered me on.”

“······.”

“okay. A certain memory came to mind. But these freshmen are seeing you for the first time. The kids, who had been preparing for college entrance exams for several years now, got to meet the best pianist in Seolhwa. People that come up even if you just search on the internet. “How would you feel if you met that person in person?”

“what······. “It must be fascinating, right?”

“Is it worth that much? For example, imagine that pianist Laurent was one year your senior. “How would you feel if you met him at school?”

“Oh~”

I understood at once.

“It must be like seeing a huge star. I guess I was probably even trying to get an autograph? Because if it’s not now, there might not be a chance. “Pianist Laurent is always busy.”

“That’s probably how they feel when they look at you right now. “I just want to at least say hello properly.”

“······ I am that bad?”

“then? “Why would they say hello at a 90-degree angle for no reason?”

“Hmm.”

Before I had even finished the conversation with Lee Ha-eun, a group of people walking towards me greeted me at the same time, saying “Hello!”

And with sparkling eyes.

With your hands neatly placed on your stomach.

Children who have just graduated from elementary school.

It’s a bit hard for me to say this, but…

They were really cute little kids.

however.

‘Maybe I felt that way last year too?’

‘no way. no way.’

‘Even if it was last year, I was taller than them, so I wouldn’t have looked that young.’

‘okay. That can’t be possible.’

After thinking about it, I waved to the kids, and the freshmen laughed and walked ahead of us, wondering what good that was.

I asked Lee Ha-eun a question.

“But don’t they look particularly young? “It’s different from our time.”

“right? I was thinking about that too. “They really look like children.”

“Thanks to you, it makes me look a little cute.”

“that’s right! Is it because I’m not used to school uniforms yet? Do you think it looks fresh? It’s a good time~”

“Tsk tsk. okay. “It’s a good time.”

When I arrived at school and talked about various things with Lee Ha-eun.

From there, we immediately heard some of the people trying to get to the auditorium whispering when they saw us.

“and! “That’s your senior, right?”

“That’s right! I also looked for pictures on the Internet yesterday, right? “It’s the same as the one in the article?”

“oh my god! “I feel like I can sense some kind of aura from that senior.”

“Shall we give it a try?”

“Isn’t that rude?”

“still. Don’t you need to say hello? “They said if I didn’t, I would get filmed.”

“really?”

“huh. “Is he called immortal for no reason?”

“Ah, that’s right~”

“Senior Han Seo-jin!”

“Seniors! hello!”

“Senior Han! “The weather is nice today!”

“It’s an honor to meet you!”

“······?”

I thought I heard a strange sound among the children’s chatter, but was it my mistake?

Like ducklings flocking to their mother, the new students flocked to me and I had a hard time getting to class.

Still, well…

Being called ‘senior’ wasn’t as bad as I thought.

and.

It seems that I am not the only one who thinks this way.

“As a senior, I have to show a good performance in the future, right? “We are now in our second year.”

“Hmm. that’s right. “From now on, we must act in ways that our juniors can emulate.”

“The new students are so cute! “I heard you wanted to buy me some snacks?”

“that’s right. I heard you were really nervous in front of the auditorium? Is it because I’m still young? “It was really cute!”

“But did we do that at the entrance ceremony?”

“Hey, it wasn’t us~”

“yes? “We were professional from the beginning.”

“Our grade behaved like polite students from the beginning. “I received a lot of praise from my teacher.”

“that’s right. that’s right. “We were a little more mature.”

“Is that so?”

As I entered second grade, I was assigned a new class, but I was still in Class A.

Lee Ha-eun and Baek So-yeon were also in second-year Class A.

There has been no significant change in Seolhwa’s policy, which does not assign classes solely based on grades, but reflects grades to some extent.

“But why am I the only one in class B!”

“I know. “Couldn’t you have done a little better on the test?”

“You said class assignment isn’t based on grades, right? But it’s just me… Why only me…!”

“It was just bad luck.”

“Ugh! This world is not right! “Everyone is doing too much!”

Of course, Shin Joo-won ended up in class B, but due to the nature of the story where they actually took classes together, there was no problem.

There were no second grade classes starting today.

A day to choose the classes you want to take, submit an application to the teacher you want to take lessons from, and hear an explanation of the academic schedule for the year.

I asked Lee Ha-eun a few favors, and she gave me a sad look and said something absurd.

“I want you to clearly show your dignity as a senior.”

“······Do we have to go to that extent?”

“huh. Aren’t all the new students waiting for you to play? Show me your example! “I’m showing my spirit as a second-year representative!”

“······.”

Thanks to being the top student in the music department throughout my freshman year, I was in charge of the ‘entrance ceremony welcome performance.’

In the middle of vacation, I received a call from teacher Yang Woo-joo, and he said I could play whatever song I wanted, so I accepted.

‘You also called it a folktale courtesy tradition.’

Not only that, but since I was attending Seolhwa Ye Middle School for free(?) with a senior scholarship, I thought, ‘Shouldn’t I have to pay for my meals?’

Of course, I was significantly increasing snack sales at the school convenience store, but this was this and that was that.

For reference, in the case of the third-year senior, he was preparing for a welcome party for new students, so he was scheduled to perform at that time.

As if they had heard Lee Ha-eun’s shout, the 2nd grade A class friends said something to me one by one.

Most of it was about ‘the dignity of a senior’ or something like that.

‘······ Anyway.’

I moved to the main auditorium.

The entrance on the other side of the main auditorium where you can go straight up to the stage.

Teacher Yang Woo-ju was waiting for me there.

After briefly saying hello, we went straight into the auditorium.

As the awards ceremony continues for those with excellent admission scores, the last student from the Department of Entertainment is called.

“Hyun Yuri, the top student in the entertainment department, first year! “Please come forward~”

I suddenly remembered the day of last year’s Sulwha Ye Middle School entrance ceremony.

Some of my friends from the music department gossiped a lot when they saw me become a senior.

‘Oh Beom-jun especially quarreled with me a lot. ‘That’s not the case now.’

In some ways, it was a long time ago that was worth laughing at.

A girl who looks just like an elementary school student goes up on the stage.

When he almost fell while climbing the stairs, the teachers nearby were shocked.

“······?”

But what’s a little surprising is…

That kid looks somehow familiar.

But I couldn’t remember clearly.

‘Are you a junior at Saebom Elementary School?’

‘It doesn’t really seem like it.’

After being lost in thought for a moment, I slowly prepared to go on stage when Teacher Yang Woo-joo called me.

Right now, it doesn’t matter who that kid is.

The principal introduces me.

Ettlingen, European debut, Carnegie Hall, Esplanade, charity performance, etc.

Things that seem a bit grandiose are mentioned.

Even though I didn’t tell him, the principal knew my performance activities in detail.

I went up on stage.

Unlike other big stages, slightly faint pin lights illuminate me.

‘It’s not dazzling.’

Thanks to this, I could clearly see the faces of people under the stage and in the audience on the second floor.

In particular, you can clearly see the expressions of the heads and second heads of each department in the first row below the stage.

The freshmen are looking at me with sparkling eyes, just like Suyeon.

A glimpse of his youthful and innocent appearance made me smile slightly.

Before I knew it, I was seated in front of the grand piano prepared in the center of the stage.

The auditorium quickly began to become quiet.

I closed my eyes for a moment.

The piece to be played here today was one of Chopin’s etudes.

A song that will be performed at Queen Elizabeth.

I slowly put my hands on the keyboard.

* * *

The freshmen below the stage were each whispering softly.

“What song do you want to play?”

“well. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

“My teacher said that he saw that senior’s performance in Singapore? “It wasn’t a joke!”

“really?”

“huh. “I think everyone was in an uproar with a standing ovation.”

“But why on earth did you get the nickname immortal?”

“Ah, that. You experienced a plane crash… I guess he jumped right before falling from there. “That’s how you survived.”

“······ hey. Does that make sense?”

“Is it true? “This is a story I heard from a friend who goes to Saebom Elementary School.”

“No, common sense… Ugh. done. “They’re all still kids.”

“What am I doing!”

“You stay still like that for a long time.”

“therefore. If it were me, I would have played it right away because I was nervous. But the atmosphere is no joke.”

“however······. “Senior Han Seo-jin, isn’t he a year older than us?”

“Right? “But why?”

“no. I feel like everyone is expecting too much. “I know you have good qualifications, but aren’t your skills somewhat similar to ours?”

“is it? but. We also practiced really hard. “We also had pretty good grades at entrance to Sulwha.”

“Is that so? To be honest, we have been practicing really hard for several hours a day. I can play pretty much any song. But how much of a difference does it make just because they are our ‘peer’ seniors?”

“I know. You are right… “Ahh!”

“oh!”

Teacher Maruho, who was pacing around the students, gently places his hand on the shoulders of the two students.

Then he speaks quietly.

“really. There are noisy students every year. Can’t you see that the senior of the students here right now is trying hard to concentrate? Why would that senior stay still right now?”

“S-sorry…”

“I will be quiet…”

“Originally, I would have given you a penalty point, but I will only look at it until today. Everyone, listen carefully and practice so that you can play at least ‘similarly’ to that senior. This is a separate homework assignment that I personally assign. “The time is until the end of next month.”

“······.”

“······.”

“Otherwise, we’ll give you penalty points. all right?”

“······ I will practice.”

“······ yes. “I will do that.”

Maruho recorded the students’ names separately in a notebook.

The murmur that remained in the auditorium slowly began to die down.

At that time, the boy on stage slowly opens his eyes and raises one hand high.

The boy’s hand sinks directly into the keyboard.

The thunderous sound of the piano echoes far into the auditorium.

A heavy introduction that will take your breath away at any moment.

A phrase with a strong tone follows, and immediately a splendid distributed chord spreads out freely.

Frédéric Chopin.

A boy interprets a song composed by the so-called poet of the piano and casually performs it in front of everyone.

Beautiful melody.

The boy’s color deepened even further.

A faint melody that will make you cry.

No one in the auditorium even dared to criticize that performance.

Teacher Maruho, who was looking at the stage, just smiled slightly, and the two freshmen, who had been chatting until the performance started, kept their mouths shut.

‘no······. What is this…’

‘wait for a sec. How can I imitate this?’

‘It’s ruined…’

Meanwhile, the boy on stage calmly continued to play.

A boy who has already performed several times on big stages.

Han Seo-jin wanted to show his juniors the piano performance that would be heard on such a stage and should be played on such a stage.

A performance that continues smoothly until the end, keeping the tension tight.

When the coda part, which decorates the finale of the song, is finished splendidly.

“······.”

“······.”

“······.”

“······.”

The freshmen just stared at the stage blankly, unable to do anything.

Overwhelming performance.

Unbelievable skill.

A situation where no words come out.

Most students have even forgotten what they should do now.

At that time, applause broke out for the first time in the entertainment department.

A young-looking female student who stood up and applauded resolutely alone.

Led by that student, cheers erupted from the main auditorium.

“and! “It’s not a joke, is it?”

“The rumors were right!”

“After all, Carnegie Hall is not a place that just anyone goes to?”

“Amazing, Great! Senior Han is crazy!”

“You mean that person is our senior?”

“huh! I guess I should buy some ice cream while passing by. “I said I enjoyed the performance.”

“I would too!”

“It’s so cool! “It was the best Chopin I’ve ever heard!”

“that’s right. “It was truly the best!”

The emotions that had been intimidated by the overwhelming performance burst out in an instant.

Teacher Maruho smiled once again as he overheard the freshmen’s conversation.

Meanwhile, the female student who was the first to courageously applaud in the auditorium was tilting her head while cheering for the performer.

Seolhwa Ye Middle School senior in entertainment department.

Hyun Yuri, who entered Class A of the Applied Music Composition Department, seemed familiar with that senior.

‘That person is definitely…’

Hyun Yuri has been trying to become a pop music producer since she was young.

I attended a composition academy, studied English hard, and went to see many performances whenever I had time.

Hyun Yuri often went to see daytime performances in Hongdae, especially where ticket prices were cheap, and she had definitely seen that senior at the Star Live House, where she happened to stop by.

‘at that time······. I saw you sharing pizza with the band members while taking off your mask. I also saw her face directly. That senior is right.’

Since it happened only last month, Hyun Yuri still remembers it clearly.

Playing the keyboard in a band while wearing a mask.

And even the sight of him playing the acoustic guitar alone.

Just looking at his physique, it seemed like he was the right person.

Hyun Yuri was confused.

The story I heard from people around me was that the senior not only won the top prize in the piano department, but also gave a recital at Carnegie Hall.

But that senior definitely played music in a band in Hongdae.

‘The keyboard and acoustic guitar playing were also top-notch…’

No matter how much I think about it, it’s unbelievable.

Hyun Yu-ri looked at senior Han Seo-jin as he came down from the stage.

“Wow!”

“oh. Are you okay?”

“uh? uh······. thank you.”

Barely overcoming almost tripping over his own feet.

I kept tilting my head.

‘no way······.’

A gifted pianist who is top class at one of Korea’s prestigious arts centers, and a rock star who continues his activities in secret while wearing a mask in Hongdae’s indie scene?

While having such strange(?) imaginations.