Chapter 44: I Became the Older Brother of a Top Star

A sweet voice flowed through the speakers, gently spreading throughout the room.

The lingering guitar sound, which had not yet faded, felt much like the aftertaste I was experiencing now.

From start to finish, it was a nearly perfect performance.

“...Should I listen to it one more time?”

I don’t know how many times I’ve listened to it already.

It’s been a long time since I’ve repeatedly listened to someone’s performance like this.

“What’s going on? You’re listening to the same song over and over?”

But my concentration was broken by an uninvited guest who opened the door and came in.

“What brings you here, Randy?”

“What brings me here? I came to see the damn genius who’s just wasting time today.”

As he said this, he shook the envelope in his hand.

“What’s so special that you even bought the sandwich I like? This is expensive. And you’re delivering it yourself.”

“Since it’s a sandwich brought by the best singer in Britain, it must be quite expensive. I won’t eat it.”

“No! I didn’t mean you shouldn’t eat it!"

This damn brat.

He doesn’t let a single word pass without a comeback.

Still, it’s embarrassing to see myself consistently coming here to take care of him.

“By the way, whose song are you listening to?”

“It’s from a broadcast in Korea. I’m listening to the performance of one of the participants.”

“Really? Oh, it has quite a high view count.”

“It’s the most talked-about video in Korea right now.”

Out of curiosity, Randy also sat down beside me.

“I may not have your ears, but I do have some. Let me give it a listen.”

After listening to the song that played-

“Wow... What is this?”

He burst out in amazement.

“I don’t understand Korean at all, but I can feel what this person is trying to convey. The emotion is so vivid. It’s not easy to communicate like this through music.”

Music is a language, isn’t it?

Even if we speak different languages, we can become one through music.

And this song proves it.

“Really, he looks so young. Did he compose this all by himself?”

“Yes! Oh, there was an a cappella performance just now. That was by someone else.”

“Wow. Not only are they both beautiful and good-looking, but they also sing incredibly well. And they compose too? This is just like you and Hena, isn’t it?”

“Hmm... Our sister Hena sings well, but she can’t compose. She has no talent for it.”

“Huh. Is that so?”

“From what I heard, the brother composes, and the sister writes the lyrics.”

Seeing the two of them smiling brightly on the screen, Randy was reminded of JJ, who once performed on stage with him. That stage was truly beautiful, and seeing this brother and sister brought back those feelings.

Then,

“I’m suddenly really annoyed.”

“Why?”

“Why? It’s because of you!”

Randy slammed the table and started nagging.

“With your good talent and skills, why aren’t you making music?”

“Um, I’m tired of it?”

“What, what? Tired? How can you be tired of music! How can you be tired of that boiling rock and roll!”

“That’s you, Randy. I’m tired of it.”

Seeing him sitting there with a completely detached look, Randy sighed.

“Yeon-wook. I’ve told you many times, this is a national—no, a global waste. Not using such talent is a sin, a sin!”

But his face remained unchanged.

It’s frustrating not to be able to get through to him.

Still, there is one thing that has changed—

‘He must like this brother and sister.’

Yeon-wook, who usually doesn’t listen to music, is now actively seeking out and listening to their songs.

And he’s listening to them repeatedly.

This is a good sign.

It means he’s starting to get closer to music again.

‘Maybe through their songs...’

Perhaps this is the opportunity to open the heart of this genius, who once stood at the peak and became tired of music, and is now firmly closed.

* * *

The recording of "Tell Your Music" that Yuna and I did became a big hit when it was broadcast.

Clips and other videos started circulating on social media, and when you go to NewTube, the algorithm is filled with videos of our brother and sister performing on the show.

I realized the popularity when,

“Yun-sung, are you going to be on TV now?”

“Hey, your song was really good. When will the music be released?”

“Did you exchange numbers with Ryu Jae-won? And the MCs? Wow, you must know a lot of celebrities now.”

“Hey, since your dad is the CEO of a talent agency, you probably know a lot more celebrities than us, right?”

This was at school.

Although Jeonho Arts High School might seem like a solemn place dedicated to the arts, it’s not really like that.

We’re just teenagers, and at an age where we want to play, the noise during breaks feels like it could pierce the ceiling.

Of course, since the music department has a higher ratio of girls to boys, it’s rare to see boys running around noisily.

“Are you officially debuting as a brother-sister duo? Right?”

“Of course I will.”

“When the album comes out, I’ll buy it right away.”

Since there are few boys in the class, the break time flies by as I listen to the girls chatting.

And the topics of conversation are often related to music.

Who won a competition, who went abroad, etc.

It was a bit overwhelming.

“Alright, everyone, stop talking and sit down.”

The teacher finally came in, and the class began.

Jeonho Arts High School, being focused on the arts, teaches subjects like Korean, English, and Math, but it doesn’t push them as much as regular high schools.

We mainly learn subjects related to our majors, and in our case, we focus on music theory, among other things.

Music theory is the foundation of composition and is often called the mathematics of music.

Learning the basics allows you to compose to some extent, but to create more complex pieces like orchestral works, you need deeper instruction.

‘It’s not easy, after all.’

I thought it would be a bit more relaxed at an arts high school, but it’s actually tighter.

Since we have to do both general and major subjects, we inevitably have to study late into the night.

Still, there is one fortunate thing—

‘The auras are everywhere.’

Every time I walk around the school, I encounter new auras.

Absorbing the overflowing auras in the classroom makes these subjects easier to handle.

That’s why—

Strange things keep happening in front of my eyes.

“Did you all do your homework? Compose a piece based on the theme.”

“Yes.”

“Well, you can’t do it all here, so when I call your name, come up and play it on the piano.”

This was the most tense moment for the students.

They had to go in front of the class and play a piece they composed in a hurry the night before.

Usually, composition homework is given 3-4 days in advance, but with so much to do, everyone ends up doing it the night before the check.

Or they just scribble it out on the day of.

And the result is predictable.

“Is this all you can do? Is composition a joke? Why did you even come here if you’re going to make such a piece? How did you even get in here?”

In music, especially composition, the teachers’ tone is very harsh.

They seem gentle at first, but once class starts, the atmosphere changes completely.

I’ve heard before that when you go to a music college, the professors will make you cry by peeling you like an onion.

I’m seeing that happen here.

“I’m sorry.”

The girl’s eyes turned red.

The teacher showed no mercy.

“If you knew you were sorry, you wouldn’t have made such a piece. Go back! And the next person, come up.”

Another student went up, trembling.

As the student played the piano—

‘It’s happening again.’

Another strange phenomenon was unfolding before my eyes.

‘Ouch. My eyes hurt.’

This has been happening a lot lately.

When someone starts playing music, the waves coming from the instrument turn into notes that confuse my vision.

At first, it looked like an afterimage, but now the notes are clearly visible. The more forcefully the performer plays, the larger and more pulsating the notes become.

So lately, I close my eyes when I listen to music.

‘What the...’

But today, the symptoms seem to be worse.

There was only one piano in the hall, but a violin suddenly appeared next to it.

It was as if a transparent person was playing it, with the bow moving on its own, playing the violin. Then, various instruments started popping up, each emitting their own sound.

‘...Am I hallucinating?’

Absorbing auras at school has made me feel like I’m going crazy.

I tried to close my eyes tightly, thinking it would go away—

‘But it’s still there even when I close my eyes.’

Now I’m also hearing things.

I’m going to go crazy.

But—

‘But this is...’

At first, the notes were tangled and produced unpleasant sounds.

The instruments were making their own sounds without harmonizing, which was to be expected.

But gradually, the sounds started to harmonize.

I opened my eyes.

A new scene unfolded.

‘Wow—’

The violin and cello playing in harmony with the piano.

Even the double bass providing a deep bass.

The harmony they created was like a small orchestra performance.

The only thing that bothered me was—

“Stop.”

The performer’s skill.

“Phew. How come there are no proper students?”

The piano was played well, but the composition was ordinary.

It was a well-made piano piece for a high school student, but that was it.

“You came here to become the best composers, but this is nowhere near it. This is just kids’ play.”

The teacher shook his head and mercilessly criticized again.

“Go back.”

“Yes...”

The girl, who had been scolded for five minutes, returned to her seat, sniffling.

Before coming to Jeonho Arts High School, these students were called geniuses, but now they are constantly being scolded, which must be taking a toll on their mental health.

‘Poor them.’

It’s best not to think about it.

“Next... Jung Yun-sung.”

‘Oh no.’

It was my turn.

“Come up quickly.”

“Yes.”

I walked up to the stage, receiving everyone’s attention.

“Did you do your homework?”

“Yes, I did.”

Of course, I had a lot to do, so I made it in a hurry last night.

I should have done it earlier, but it was too late to regret it.

“Play it once.”

“Yes.”

I sat down, took a deep breath, and started pressing the keys according to the sheet music.

Again, various instruments appeared beside me, each making different sounds. The problem was that the sounds from the instruments didn’t match the piano, making me frown.

‘What’s going on? Why is this happening?’

It was a hastily made piece, but it was a song I liked.

It had a similar feel to the practical exam I took at school.

But something inside me felt off, as if it was telling me this wasn’t what I wanted.

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore—

Bang!

“!?”

I hit the keys hard and stopped playing.

The teacher was taken aback, blinking in surprise.

“I’m sorry, teacher. Can I play it again?”

“Huh? Oh, sure. Play it again.”

I looked at the sheet music in front of me for a moment and then put it aside.

Instead, I glanced at the instruments in my hallucination.

‘Alright. If that’s what you want.’

I slowly placed my hands on the keys.