Chapter 45: I Became the Older Brother of a Top Star

Teacher Park Mihye is one of the most feared teachers among the students.

This is because her educational philosophy is to push students to their limits.

Even though the students who enter the prestigious Jeonho Arts High School are called geniuses, she believes that they are still growing teenagers.

Therefore, she believes that it is her job to push them even harder to help them achieve greater musical growth.

'Praise makes a whale dance? No. It only makes them lazy.'

Do you know why geniuses become lazy?

The problem lies with the people around them who constantly praise them as geniuses.

If you keep hearing that you are a genius, many children start to believe they are something special and look down on effort.

How many talented geniuses have I seen fall because of this?

That's why she prefers harsh criticism over praise, and the whip over the carrot.

Of course, this has its side effects, but from her long experience, the whip always brings better results.

'But this kid...'

Jung Yunseong, who received overwhelming praise from the judges and passed with the highest score, stood there.

He should have been nervous after seeing the students who were just thoroughly criticized, but there was no sign of it.

And the piano piece he composed himself was the best among all the pieces the students had performed.

'He really is good.'

On NewTube, I once saw a video of Jung Yunseong singing with his younger brother, and I smiled widely.

Just like how a baby's bright smile makes us smile, Jung Yunseong and his brother had a charm that made people smile.

With such a face and such outstanding musical talent, his future...

Bang!

Right at that moment.

While listening, Jung Yunseong suddenly slammed the keys and stopped playing.

Park Mihye, startled, looked at Jung Yunseong with wide eyes.

The students also looked at him with shocked expressions.

"Hmm—"

What didn't he like?

After a moment of deep breathing, Jung Yunseong said,

"Sorry, teacher. Can I play it again?"

In a normal situation, she would have scolded him for his impertinence, but the inexplicable aura from this child overwhelmed her.

"Huh? Ah, yes. Go ahead, play it again."

Jung Yunseong bowed and cleared away the sheet music in front of him.

"......?"

What is he trying to play?

Could he be playing without sheet music...?

'Is he going to play an impromptu piece?'

From his actions, it seemed he was indeed going to play an impromptu piece.

Such a presumptuous kid.

Even though it's a class, to think of playing an impromptu piece here.

I like his spirit, but—

'Let's see how bad it is.'

Starting from when he suddenly stopped playing, she planned to criticize him point by point.

'Then he will grow more.'

He is the most talented student in this classroom.

If she pushed him hard, she believed he would show even better results.

However,

Bang!

Just like the first time he stopped, the intense performance began as if to announce the start of the piece.

The rapid tempo and the countless notes flowed from one measure to the next, creating a symphony of sound from his hands.

'Wasn't this an impromptu piece?'

From his actions, it was clearly an impromptu piece.

But could such speed and precise note arrangement be possible in an impromptu performance?

Moreover, she had never heard this melody before.

That means it was 100% created by this child.

Furthermore,

"......"

He suddenly stopped playing and was tapping something rhythmically.

At first, she thought he was stuck, but then—

Ding!

His intense performance resumed.

Then, at another moment, he stopped and tapped the air with his hands.

'Could this be...?'

At that moment, Park Mihye realized.

'This is an orchestral piece?'

She was witnessing something unbelievable.

'It's impossible.'

The piano piece with gaps in between.

At first glance, it might seem like he was stuck while playing an impromptu piece.

But what if other instruments were to fill those gaps?

At first, she thought it was impossible.

No one could spontaneously create an orchestral piece like a machine.

But the piano sounds that followed the short gaps fit perfectly.

'There's a certain pattern in this piece.'

Especially in orchestral pieces, there are well-structured rules of harmony and mathematical calculations.

Just randomly placing notes doesn't make music.

Only by following these strict rules does beautiful music emerge.

And the piece Jung Yunseong was playing contained these beautiful formulas.

Ding!

He played the piano as if possessed, hitting the keys like a bombardment.

With just a piano, it felt like a small orchestra was on stage.

"......"

Jung Yunseong, as if he had poured everything out, took a long breath and lifted his hands from the keys.

The classroom was filled with a heavy silence.

Ah, it's over.

When Park Mihye finally came to her senses,

"Wow."

"Wow—!!"

The classroom erupted with applause and cheers, like a concert.

The students knew.

As musicians, they couldn't help but recognize the greatness of the piece.

"Everyone, quiet."

Park Mihye had to forcefully stop the applause.

She cleared her throat and asked Jung Yunseong,

"Yunseong, was that piece you just played one you created?"

"Yes."

"When? When did you create it?"

"Um... I just played it as it came to me here."

Park Mihye was momentarily speechless.

She had doubted it, but it was really an impromptu piece.

It was an unbelievable talent.

"Wow. Crazy. That was an impromptu piece?"

"Is that even possible?"

"No way."

The students' murmurs grew louder.

"Shh. Can't you all be quiet?"

But they quickly quieted down at Park Mihye's stern voice.

"Is this piece an orchestral piece?"

"Yes. Should I have played it as a piano piece only?"

Park Mihye couldn't help but laugh.

It was surprising enough that it was an impromptu piece, but it was also an orchestral piece, not a piano solo.

"No. That's fine. I didn't set any restrictions. Then, perhaps—"

She became even more curious.

Could this child have composed parts for other instruments in that short moment, in addition to the piano?

"Can I have the sheet music? All the parts you thought of while playing the impromptu piece."

"Yes. I'll create and bring them to you."

He accepted it very coolly, as if he had thought of everything.

"Good. Now, go back to your seat."

"Thank you."

Park Mihye stopped Jung Yunseong as he was about to return to his seat.

"Wait."

"......?"

She believed that pushing students hard was the only way to make them stronger, but today was an exception.

Park Mihye cleared her throat and said,

"Today... you did very well. It was a good performance, something I haven't heard in a long time."

Jung Yunseong smiled.

"Thank you."

His smile made the classroom feel warm.

It was probably because the girls' faces turned red at the sight of his smile.

"Alright. Everyone, relax. We're not done yet. Next is Kim Yujin."

"Ah!"

Despairing groans echoed throughout the classroom.

She even sent a sympathetic look to Kim Yujin, who was next.

'They probably can't concentrate now.'

What would happen to the students who thought they were the best geniuses when they faced a greater talent?

Would they try to overcome the barrier, or give up?

That was up to the students.

And actually, Park Mihye herself,

'I can't concentrate either.'

Jung Yunseong's performance kept coming to mind, making it hard to focus on the class.

All she wanted was to see the completed orchestral sheet music as soon as possible.

* * *

'Are you satisfied now?'

The aura that had filled my body suddenly dissipated like air from a balloon.

The instruments that had appeared in front of my eyes lingered for a moment and then disappeared.

'It's not like I'm listening to the stories of spirits.'

It felt like I was achieving enlightenment.

Still,

'It was a good experience.'

Until now, I had absorbed someone else's aura to create music, but this time, the feeling was completely different.

It was as if a hot, boiling something inside me had filled my body, not someone else's aura.

It was on a different level from what I had felt before.

"Yunseong, was that piece really an impromptu piece?"

"Unbelievable. You really played it impromptu?"

"Your performance was amazing. I've never seen Teacher Park Mihye so captivated."

Such praise made me feel a bit embarrassed.

I had absorbed the auras of the students here to use their abilities.

In other words, these students could also do it if they knew how or tried.

'But what was it exactly?'

I finally understood the feeling of something boiling up from my dantian.

It felt as if it was not someone else's aura but my own that filled me.

Moreover, usually when the aura disappeared, the knowledge in my head would also fade, but this time it didn't.

The notes of the piece I played were strongly imprinted in my mind, and I could write them down on sheet music if asked.

That's why I confidently answered Teacher Park Mihye when she asked if I could write down the sheet music.

'Still, just in case.'

I need to complete the sheet music in the studio today. Otherwise, I might forget everything.

After the class ended, I quickly got up to leave.

"Yunseong, are you going home now?"

"Yes."

"Let's go together."

"I have a driver who always picks me up. I can give you a ride home too."

It seemed that many of the students here were from wealthy families, with their own drivers.

After all, as they say, art is all about money.

Especially in music, especially in the instrumental field, it takes a lot of money, so it's a field that only those with good family backgrounds can afford.

That's why you often see students driving luxury cars even in college.

"That's okay."

"Then how are you going?"

"Um, by bus?"

"Oh, then I'll take the bus too."

"Me too!"

I didn't stop them from coming along.

Surely they wouldn't follow me to the studio.

I walked out of the school and headed for the main gate.

However,

"Wow."

"Crazy. What's going on?"

"Surprised."

The students were murmuring at the school entrance.

They were all holding their phones, as if a famous celebrity had arrived.

Sure enough,

"Huh? Is that...?"

"Yunseong's younger sister?"

The students around me recognized Yuna, who was standing at the entrance with headphones on. Yuna, who had been kicking a stone on the ground, looked up and met my eyes.

"Ah!"

She then jumped up and waved her arms excitedly.

"Brother!"