Chapter 23

023. Dedication

The screen gradually turned black.

The intense finale had also disappeared into the darkness.

The movie was over.

In the silence that followed, I wondered if this was really a theater full of people.

I slowly straightened my back.

Had they added more work to the visuals?

The visual quality had become even more impressive. I had thought, “Wow, it’s like a painting...” while watching the previous version, but now it was truly a work of art.

And my music naturally covered that fairy-tale atmosphere.

Just as the fields and sky were part of the background where the boy was running, the music was also part of that landscape.

The harmony between the music and the visuals couldn’t have been better. Watching it on a large screen with powerful speakers, even I, who had been involved in the production, was surprised more than once.

While moistening my dry lips,

Finally, a reaction came from the front.

A congested voice.

“It hurts... doesn’t it?”

It must have been a couple who came in just before the preview started. The woman was very short, and the man seemed to be some kind of fitness trainer, with a bulky build...

“Ah, yeah.”

“What, are you crying, bro?”

“What are you talking about? Crying? What...”

Yeah.

I felt oddly proud that the bulky man from earlier could produce such a voice.

Not just the couple in front, but sniffles could be heard from all around.

Even though the ending credits had already started rolling, people weren’t leaving their seats, probably thinking, “I can’t go out looking like this.”

‘Alright.’

This is my song. This is a work I was involved in.

But to see such a result...

Even without evaluating the music, the movie itself felt like a gift for all my efforts and hard work. With the positive reactions, I couldn’t help but feel elated.

‘The movie is definitely touching.’

The ending felt more subtly melancholic rather than overtly trying to make the audience cry.

It was like watching a modern fantasy version of Hwang Sun-woon’s “Rain Shower.”

Sniff.

This time, the sniffle was close, so I turned my head.

Thanks to the now brighter lights, I could see two kids with tear-streaked faces.

“Wow, this is a real sight.”

Someone once said that true friends mock you in such situations.

I guess I’m a true friend.

I raised my eyebrows and stared at the kids.

Yang Hangil was wiping his tears, holding the prize he won from the pre-movie raffle.

Lee Ho-ik, on the other hand, was lost in the aftertaste, with tear marks on his face, holding an empty popcorn bucket.

Hmm. To be honest, it’s not a sight I particularly want to keep looking at.

Turning my head, I saw Manager Kim Yoon-ju looking at us with a smile.

“Probably, they’ll come out soon.”

She pointed to the screen, where the credits were rolling.

I smiled and nodded, and Yang Hangil, who had already composed himself, joined the conversation.

“Did you say this was a project your dad’s company worked on? It’s really amazing... I usually can’t even notice the music in movies, but this time it really stuck in my ears. The visuals were great, but I actually got goosebumps from the music. Especially when the crying sound turned into a wolf’s howl at the end... Oh, right, this!”

The song had just changed to the last one I created, “Loss.”

Manager Kim Yoon-ju, who had been listening to our conversation, poked me and whispered.

“What, your friends don’t know?”

“Yes, I wanted to surprise them.”

Understanding what I meant, Manager Kim Yoon-ju made a playful face.

Suddenly, Yang Hangil blinked.

“Huh? What’s it about?”

Before I could explain, Manager Kim Yoon-ju pointed to the screen and shouted.

“Seoho, it’s coming!”

The credits for the music were rolling among the densely packed text.

And right after “Soundfilm Studio,” there it was—Han Seoho. My name was clearly displayed.

“???”

Yang Hangil’s mouth dropped open in shock, and Lee Ho-ik, who had been stealing my leftover popcorn, dropped a handful and looked puzzled.

“Huh? Why is your name there...?”

#

If you could play a symphony with your face, it would look like this.

Watching the rapid changes in their expressions—from doubt to suspicion, to certainty, to shock—I couldn’t stop laughing for a while.

The reactions afterward?

It was chaos. They accused me of tricking them, treating me like a tragic heroine, then dismissing it as a middle school syndrome. But then they asked if it was really me who made it, leading to a return to fundamental doubt.

Finally, when they accepted that I had composed the main songs...

That’s when the real fun began.

We started asking people in the theater about their reactions to the music.

A man who was about to throw away his popcorn searched for the OST.

Women taking photos in front of the promotional stand for Baek Seung-gi in the lobby were talking about when the OST would be released as they entered a cafe.

A man in the fourth stall of the restroom was humming the melody of my song.

And so on...

We even heard about someone’s bathroom activities, which we didn’t really need to know, as we left the theater.

After spending more time with my excited friends, I returned to the company...

“Seoho, did you see this? The director of the werewolf movie gave an interview before the preview today. Take a look.”

Here, it wasn’t much different.

An employee quickly gestured, and I was dragged over to look at the monitor.

Q: What part of the post-production for this movie did you pay special attention to?

A: Yes, there were four scenes that were really hard to shoot. I’m proud of the results, given the effort we put into them.

Q: That sounds really exciting. Is there any hint you can give us to help us find those scenes?

A: You’ll recognize them without any hints.

(Smiling)

The scenes where the acting, visuals, and music all came together perfectly.

Before I could finish reading, the employee next to me started reciting the reactions.

“I saw it today, and I understand where the director’s confidence comes from. I think I found all the scenes the director mentioned. My boyfriend, who came with me, pointed out the same scenes.

Anyway, Baek Seung-gi’s wolf acting was insane, and the visuals were obviously amazing. But the most insane thing? The music. Even though there were no lyrics, I found myself humming it. And just by humming, the movie scenes kept coming back to me.

I’ll definitely rewatch it when it opens, and I plan to listen to the OST every day!

The movie was so good! We both cried so much that our eyes were swollen. People who saw us in Wangsimni, we weren’t fighting~.”

The employees burst into laughter at the lively reading, and I smiled awkwardly.

This wasn’t all. Apparently, the audience members who attended the preview were also posting their testimonials one by one.

This made me feel strangely elated.

It was a mix of pride and embarrassment, but the overall feeling was fantastic.

This was a new emotion I hadn’t experienced as Han Seoho or as Brinner.

‘Not bad, right?’

After being showered with praise in the noisy office, I returned to the studio.

I was about to call my father, who had left early for work from the preview, when a familiar name appeared on my phone screen.

“Professor?”

As I answered, his characteristic stern voice came through.

—It was a movie preview, right?

“Yeah. How did you know?”

—Jihoon told me. He sent me the reactions floating around the internet. He was really proud of his son.

“Hmm, so you’re calling to congratulate me?”

—Among other things.

Among other things?

I was puzzled, but Professor Yun continued.

—The reactions were good. Given the nature of movies, it’s not easy for the music to be mentioned separately, but you managed to do it on your first try.

...It’s about the music!

I was secretly pleased with this call.

I had heard praise for my music all day, but talking about music with Professor Yun had a different meaning for me.

Our conversations reminded me of the nostalgia of exchanging letters with a musician.

“I didn’t specifically limit myself to composing for a movie. It was just a song inspired by a ‘story.’”

—A song inspired by a ‘story’... I haven’t heard a good phrase like that in a while.

With a rare soft tone, Professor Yun asked me.

—What about a song inspired by a ‘person’?

“Huh?”

Surprised by the sudden question, I asked, and Professor Yun simplified it for me.

—A dedication.

...A moment later.

“I put it here...”

Muttering, I rummaged through the piano bench.

Finally, I found a few sheets of music.

They were pieces I had drawn but not created, without any titles.

They were songs I had completed haltingly, recalling old memories.

They were also a long-standing question that had followed me since I regained my past life’s memories.

‘Why?’

For some unknown reason...

These songs never made it to the world.

Not even Ludwig’s ‘Farewell’ for his friend.

Not even Haydn’s ‘The Seasons’ for Wolfgang.

Not even Wolfgang’s ‘Clarinet Concerto K.622’ for a close performer.

All of them remained and became known to the world.

Why...

Did the songs dedicated to me not remain in the world?

No matter how much I used Brinner’s memories, I couldn’t find an answer.

Then a vague thought took root in my mind.

The ancient castle in Baden-Baden, where I had lived in my past life and regained my memories.

Maybe, if I visit again, I’ll find some answers...

#

A few days later.

Professor Yun, who had visited the theater in the morning, stood in front of a large speaker that reached his waist, a smile on his lips.

The Magnat Signature 1105.

In front of the German speaker, known for its top-tier performance in symphonies, Professor Yun carefully selected the music.

There wasn’t enough time to listen to a one-hour symphony, and he didn’t like listening to just movements. So, today, this song would be perfect.

Smiling, Professor Yun played the music.

The soundtrack that was released simultaneously with the movie’s opening.

The song from the OST of the boy who turned into a wolf, “Escape,” created by Han Seoho.

‘Sure enough, I’m impressed again.’

Although Han Seoho had already played it for him, Professor Yun was once again impressed at the theater.

And he was certain.

This is something I can be impressed by every time I listen to it.

Just like the symphonies of other legendary composers.

To someone who loves classical music, it might sound like blasphemy, but to Professor Yun, it was a simple fact.

He listened to the four songs—Escape, Encounter, Settlement, and Loss—back to back.

Each one was about 2 to 3 minutes long, so it didn’t take long.

But the flow was as good as a single symphony.

...So there’s no room for doubt.

The client might be puzzled.

They might come with a high-handed attitude, asking what this is all about.

They might even snort and look for a more suitable candidate.

But no matter the outcome, giving Han Seoho the opportunity to compose is only natural.

At least among his connections, the kid is the best.

Age was never a consideration.