Chapter 6

6. Accelerando (Gradually Faster)

The pianos were placed back-to-back.

Sitting at one of them, I couldn’t see Park Eun-ho, who was at the other.

“Do you both know Chopin’s Etude No. 5?”

Kim Min-ho, standing between us, smiled gently and asked.

The well-known name of this piece in Korea is 'Black Keys.'

In a movie, a character had arranged it as 'White Keys' and performed it, and the protagonist gained fame by perfectly imitating it.

“Ah, I need to practice.”

Choi Ji-eun, who had to leave her seat, grumbled.

“Still, aren’t you curious? This is the student that Senior Jeong Seok brought in.”

“Senior Jeong Seok... It doesn’t seem like a lie, but I’m not sure.”

“So, why don’t you check? Just see how amazing this person is.”

I can hear everything, you guys.

Even if they are future renowned pianists, they are still middle schoolers. I can hear them whispering.

After a moment, Kim Min-ho stood between Park Eun-ho and me, still wearing that mischievous smile.

“Since we can’t do on-the-spot arrangements or original compositions like in the movie, one side will play the piece in full, and the next player will play it with Accelerando (gradually faster) until one of you gives up.”

Right. I was curious about how we would determine the winner.

The simple rule is that Park Eun-ho and I would take turns playing, and if one of us couldn’t play faster than the other, they would lose.

'Black Keys' is a technical piece that requires pressing the narrow and short black keys accurately, as all the notes are flats.

If the rule is to determine the winner by speed alone, there’s no better piece than 'Black Keys.'

“Who wants to go first?”

When I turned my head, I met Park Eun-ho’s eyes; he was already sitting and looking at Kim Min-ho.

“Shouldn’t the more experienced one yield?”

Park Eun-ho, trying to act magnanimous, said to Kim Min-ho.

But the two geniuses here immediately saw through his pretense and looked skeptical.

The first player needs to gauge whether they can handle the third round’s speed when 'Black Keys' is played at its original tempo.

However, if they deliberately play slowly, it won’t leave a good impression on Kim Min-ho and Choi Ji-eun.

“As a senior, I suggest you play the first round more relaxed.”

Park Eun-ho even subtly recommended a slower start.

His arrogant attitude was exactly the same as what he would do later at Mihyang Arts High School.

“Thanks for your concern.”

So, I thanked him for his advice.

Park Eun-ho, who had been grumbling, now looked stiff as I showed a bright smile.

Oh, you coward.

You change your expression so quickly when you think I have some ulterior motive.

“Sigh”

I took a deep breath and adjusted my posture.

You should be prepared. Mediocre one.

(Chopin. Etude No. 5.)

'Black Keys' is a short piece, lasting about 86 seconds when played at its original speed.

The sheet music for 'Black Keys' was on the stand, but I didn’t look at it as I started playing.

My hands swept quickly over the piano keys.

Every note was played faster than the original.

The piece is already fast, but I played it even faster.

My right hand moved swiftly, emphasizing the points from my left hand.

Ignoring Park Eun-ho’s advice to play more relaxed, I started the first piece like a brakeless dump truck.

Park Eun-ho always pretended to yield the first round and engage in friendly competition, but he would play at his maximum speed in the second round, forcing the third player to give up.

So, I decided to crush his spirit from the start.

Ding, Ding!-

When I finally lifted my hands after pressing the last key, a sigh of admiration escaped Kim Min-ho’s lips.

“Wow.”

Clap, clap, clap.

Kim Min-ho clapped for me with a genuinely smiling face.

“To play it at such a fast tempo from the beginning, I thought you had some secret. Amazing.”

He then turned to Park Eun-ho.

“No way, you should play the first round at the original speed!”

Park Eun-ho grumbled, but I knew what he would say in such moments.

“The only rule is to play faster than the previous player, right?”

There’s no rule that the first round must be played slowly.

“I agree with Sung-hyun.”

Even Kim Min-ho supported me.

Park Eun-ho, who was about to say something, couldn’t utter a word.

“Tsk!”

He turned away, clicking his tongue.

However, he didn’t start playing immediately. He moved his hands over the keys, clearly trying to avoid any mistakes.

Park Eun-ho isn’t a bad pianist.

Despite spending most of his time with girls at karaoke or bowling, he has never fallen out of the top 20 in the music department.

But even if he had worked hard, I wouldn’t have become his fan.

The reason is direction.

He aimed for extreme technical skill to capture the public’s attention, the opposite of the cantabile realm I sought.

Even if he had grown in a good direction, he would have become a pianist focused on fast playing and flashy movements, not one who adds depth to emotion.

Technical skill requires a natural sense of rhythm, which is different from emotional expression.

In that sense, competing with 'Black Keys' was initially advantageous for Park Eun-ho.

Rumble-

Now, Park Eun-ho started playing the keys.

It didn’t feel faster than my first round, though I didn’t count the beats.

He seemed to be desperately trying to catch up with my previous performance.

The speed was roughly the same.

But soon, his fingers became too stiff, and he pressed the keys slightly slower.

“Oh,”

Choi Ji-eun, who heard it, made a surprised sound.

Kim Min-ho nodded slightly, indicating the match was over.

Park Eun-ho’s performance ended without recovering the tempo.

Ding, Ding!-

Lifting his right hand, which had struck the keys quickly, Park Eun-ho looked like a gladiator confident in his victory.

“How about that? Can you play any faster?”

Despite panting, he tried to act calm.

I was honestly surprised that he could keep up with my speed.

“Park Eun-ho, you lost.”

But Choi Ji-eun, who doesn’t care about others’ feelings, bluntly declared the result.

“What? Why!”

Park Eun-ho, focused on his performance, didn’t realize he had slowed down.

“Your right pinky slowed down from the part where it needed to hit and leap.”

Choi Ji-eun pointed out the flaw, but Park Eun-ho couldn’t accept it.

“But the speed was similar! Anyway, he can’t play any faster! This isn’t a loss, it’s a tie. It’s a tie, right?”

Sigh.

I didn’t plan to go this far, but since he’s a middle schooler...

I turned back to the piano before he could make a worse impression.

I could still hear his indignant voice behind me.

I ignored it, took a deep breath, and adjusted my posture.

Soon,

The rapid notes burst from the beginning.

I pressed the keys at my maximum speed without hesitation.

My fingers moved so fast that I could feel the pain from the calluses on my fingertips.

I completed 'Black Keys' in less than 60 seconds.

“Is that enough?”

Despite the throbbing pain in my fingertips, I calmly turned to Park Eun-ho.

“Wh-what.”

He stood there, mouth agape, unable to respond.

I turned my head to the side, and saw that Kim Min-ho and Choi Ji-eun, who had been smiling, now looked stiff and tense.

What’s going on?

***

“So, this student is the talent that Mr. Jeong found, right?”

In the audience seats on the third floor, overlooking the self-practice room on the second floor, a middle-aged man with graying hair spoke to Jeong Seok beside him.

“Yes. I’m confident that this child has equal or even greater potential than Min-ho, whom the principal brought in.”

Jeong Seok, standing tall, spoke confidently. The principal of M Studio smiled.

“Three geniuses of the same age, I can already imagine how Mihyang Arts High School will thrive from next year.”

“Principal, then, about recruiting Sung-hyun...”

“Ah. That was decided the moment you brought him in. But after hearing his performance, I might need to change my words.”

The principal, suddenly speaking in a mysterious tone.

“What do you mean by changing your words...”

Feeling uneasy, Jeong Seok asked, and the principal laughed heartily.

“Hahaha. No need to worry. I meant that instead of recruiting, we should invite him to join us.”

Jeong Seok’s eyes widened.

“In other words,”

“Yes. To me, this student is a genius on par with Min-ho.”

Indeed, Mr. Jeong, your eye for talent is remarkable. The principal added a compliment and, for a moment, looked at Sung-hyun downstairs with a sharp gaze.

“And he will be the best fertilizer to elevate Min-ho to even greater heights.”

The principal muttered softly.

But Jeong Seok, not hearing this, hurriedly headed towards the self-practice room on the second floor with a happy face.

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