Chapter 9

Everyone's gaze was fixed on the teacher who had just received a phone call.

Suddenly, Han Yeongeum? ...

"Regarding the admission to the Gifted Institute for Han Sejin, we need some documents...? Ah, yes. So, it's already been discussed with the student...,"

The voice on the other end of the phone was inaudible, but the situation could be roughly inferred from the teacher's reaction.

Indeed, Sejin had already received a call from Han Yeongeum a few days ago.

It was unclear how they had obtained his phone number, but they had directly proposed a special admission.

Han Yeongeum had learned about Sejin through a parent who knew a professor there. This parent had attended the performance that day.

Following the parent's recommendation, they had contacted Sejin after watching the video he posted on NaverTube.

Sejin, of course, was more than happy to accept. Who would turn down an opportunity at Han Yeongeum, especially when they were the ones making the offer?

As a result, Sejin didn't have to worry about his school affairs at all.

This was an incredibly unprecedented event. Normally, students lined up to get into Han Yeongeum, and it had never happened before that the school would extend an offer first, especially outside the regular admission period.

Sejin was still in disbelief, feeling utterly astonished.

He hadn't even considered applying to Han Yeongeum, partly because the application period had passed, but also because he thought his skills weren't good enough yet.

It seemed that his performance of the Bruch concerto had left a deep impression.

"Well, I thought I did a pretty good job myself."

However, there was one thing Sejin didn't know: his skills were even better than he thought.

This was evident from the numerous calls he received from various institutions.

Ding-dong.

Another internal phone rang.

"...KH Asia Foundation? Yes? You say it's already been discussed with the student?"

Huh? What's this about? I remember turning them down.

For some reason, he had a feeling that a lot of trouble was coming his way...

Regardless, in the end, it was a win-win situation for both. Thanks to Sejin's concession (?), Park Juyuan also got an opportunity.

'Whether this is really a good thing for Park Juyuan, I'm not sure.'

The title of "gifted" could be a double-edged sword.

No one can predict who among the selected gifted students will truly succeed, especially in the arts, where innate talent plays a significant role.

Without the right guidance, a gifted student might waste their time chasing unrealistic dreams.

Sejin reflected on what he had thought about Park Juyuan and applied it to himself.

'Not that it's any of my business.'

He didn't plan to stay in this field for long anyway.

* * *

After that day, various foundations started contacting the school, wondering how they had learned about Sejin.

- Yes, I received the call. Where? Lee Sung Foundation?

The chairman of the Lee Sung Foundation, who had heard about it from his daughter, was late to the news.

- Yes? The Arts Hall?

The Arts Hall Gifted Institute.

- ...Professor, who are you?

And a certain middle school also showed interest, curious about the student's future plans and eager to meet him in person.

Suddenly, the school was flooded with calls.

"Seriously, how do they all know and contact us...?"

"Maybe it's because of that NaverTube thing?"

"Someone posted the video of the performance, right?"

"Can a single video cause such a stir? Maybe I'm just tone-deaf... I know he's good, but isn't Park Juyuan also good? Is there really that much of a difference?"

"...So, it must be like that, right?"

Some even came in person, finding phone calls insufficient.

"Seriously, this kid is hard to reach? This is a good opportunity for him, honestly."

"Maybe not. Others might be interested too."

"What! We found him first! We can't let him be taken away!"

Taking advantage of the chaos during dismissal time, the representatives from the KH Asia Cultural Foundation were determined to persuade Sejin today.

They had seen his video on NaverTube and immediately acted, thinking, "This is the one!"

However, despite their haste, they hadn't even managed to have a proper conversation with the student.

Initially, they had managed to speak to him over the phone, but since then, they couldn't reach him at all. That's why they came to the school.

The reason the foundation was interested in Sejin was clear.

While Sejin's current skill level, relative to his age, wasn't exceptionally high,

the key to identifying gifted talent wasn't just about the difficulty of the pieces he could play.

Frankly, technique can be developed early and give a head start, but it won't remain a strength forever.

There are many tragic stories of child prodigies who were famous for their advanced technique but became ordinary as they grew older, lacking the expressive depth to match their technical skills.

Conversely, some children show rich expressiveness due to their unique sensitivity but become ordinary as they grow older, often crushed by the weight of expectations.

Thus, what mattered was not the current level of the pieces but the potential for deeper expression in the future.

Sejin, as seen by the representative, was not a fleeting talent but a genuine one.

"Where can we find him? What grade and class is he in?"

"I don't know. He's in 5th grade, so we can search around there."

"But hasn't he already gone home? Then searching the school won't help, right?"

"We can't just leave. We don't even know his home address. We have to find out something."

The man nodded and stopped a passing student.

"Student, can I ask you something?"

Fortunately, there were many 5th and 6th graders still around, so he could easily ask one.

The answer came easily. When he showed the video, a few students didn't know, but one did.

"Oh, Han Sejin? He's in the same class as my younger brother, 5th grade, 3rd class!"

The friendly boy even gave directions.

However, they couldn't find Sejin in the classroom.

He wouldn't be there after school.

Fortunately, the homeroom teacher wasn't around, and a few students were cleaning up. If the teacher had seen them, they would have been scolded for outsiders entering the school.

"Han Sejin? He's probably in the audio-visual room. He practices there after school."

With this information, they changed direction.

And there, they heard Sejin playing.

Sarasate's Introduction and Tarantella.

The performance, starting softly, evolved into a swirling feast of sound, showcasing brilliant technique.

"...Wow. This is unbelievable, really."

The video was impressive, but hearing it live was on a whole different level, leaving them speechless.

Is this the skill of someone who has only been learning for three months?

While immediate technique is important in identifying gifted talent, Sejin had more than that.

The Bruch concerto he played in the video was impressive, but this was genuinely surprising. He had improved so much in such a short time...

Of course, the Bruch concerto is more difficult, but the depth of expression and interpretation were far beyond what a beginner should be capable of.

...This kid is a real genius. Considering the short time he has been learning, his potential for growth is unimaginable.

"Hello? Are you Sejin?"

During a brief pause in his performance, the representative entered and greeted Sejin as warmly as possible.

"Who are you?"

They exchanged brief introductions, and the representative quickly got to the point.

"KH Asia Foundation...?"

Sejin's reaction was indifferent.

In his previous life, before the regression, Sejin was a gifted student from there.

It wasn't bad, but there was no reason to choose the same place again. He wanted to try something new.

Unaware of this, the representative, along with his junior, began to enthusiastically explain the foundation's gifted support program. His gaze on Sejin was intensely passionate.

"Our Gifted Institute is... "

Unlike Sejin, who was half-listening, Choi Ji-hyun, who had just arrived, listened quite seriously. She wanted to pay attention since neither the homeroom teacher nor Sejin's mother was there.

"...Yes, I see."

The possibility of receiving support from the foundation, separate from Han Yeongeum, was slightly appealing, but that was it.

"Is that true? You've only been learning the violin for a few months?"

This was the most intriguing part. He had heard the rumors, but he wanted to confirm if it was true.

It sounded unbelievable, but stranger things have happened.

"...Yes, that's correct."

After a moment's hesitation, Sejin nodded. This elicited a chorus of amazed exclamations.

"Wow, it's true that there are geniuses that defy common sense... "

The truth was "pre-regression period + a few months," but since it was already known, he had to lie.

'This isn't really a good thing...'

Being called a genius far beyond his age could be harmful.

"Really, really, you're an unbelievable genius! Even before hearing you play, I was surprised. Especially that part, the left-hand pizzicato followed by the continuation. How do you describe it..."

"Right. I didn't think you could express that part so effortlessly..."

The two representatives were making a fuss, trying to persuade Sejin.

But then,

someone else appeared at the door.

"Excuse me, is this where Han Sejin is...?"

The representatives from the Lee Sung Group and the KH Asia Foundation made eye contact.

An awkward tension filled the air between the two groups.

The prodigy violinist had returned.