Chapter 33

033. A Realized Dream

······The first time I heard Paganini's completed tone.

I was astounded.

It was a sound beyond what I had imagined.

It seemed as if the sound of heaven had materialized.

Of course, it seemed closer to hell than heaven, but still.

My body froze at the cold tone that filled the room, and my emotions burned like a furnace.

I marveled at the sound itself, but I was even more moved by Paganini, who produced it.

‘What must it feel like to produce such a sound?’

Suddenly, I had the urge to touch that sound.

I wanted to play it myself.

So I imagined holding a violin and playing like him.

I was thrilled by that alone, but at the same time, I felt defeated.

It was an impossible, futile imagination.

······But.

Now, it feels as close as a single sheet of paper.

The distance from the sound he played.

“······”

I opened my eyes and, pressed by gravity, stretched the bow.

Shaking off the lingering aftereffects, I slowly lifted my head.

And, as if in a wedding hall, I saw an old man sitting on a crude electric wheelchair beyond the round tables arranged in a regular pattern.

I could tell at a glance that he was Chairman Baek Hangil.

I smiled.

It seems.

I was anxious.

#

“······I was anxious.”

It was a voice like the wind blowing.

Beyond the tone of exasperation and surprise, there was a sense of awe.

Is this the child who played the piano like a genius?

Is this the child who created such a comforting piece?

“Mr. Yang.”

“Yes... Yes.”

At Chairman Baek Hangil's call, President Yang Jaho responded with a bewildered face.

The question that followed shook his expression.

“When was the last time you played a Guarneri?”

“Violinist Yoo Su-young played one six months ago...”

President Yang Jaho's eyes widened in disbelief as he trailed off.

And.

“It seems the time has come for another performance. What do you think?”

He inwardly sighed, realizing that his disbelief was correct.

A violin rusts if not played.

That's why he had been inviting famous violinists to play once or twice a year.

Chairman Baek Hangil is now giving the child a violin for that reason.

A violin he bought for 30 billion won 20 years ago!

Is he really going to put it in the hands of a 17-year-old child?

President Yang Jaho thought he should dissuade him.

But, there was no way.

Not because Chairman Baek Hangil is the owner of the foundation.

A moment ago, he had heard an unbelievable performance with Chairman Baek Hangil.

The goosebumps from that performance haven't subsided yet. Thinking about it makes them rise even more.

“Hmm. I can't think of any way to argue against it.”

At this, Chairman Baek Hangil chuckled and said,

“Then I'll take that as agreement. We'll have a treat for our ears today. By the way, a famous conductor from the Beinoff Foundation is also coming, so it will be even better.”

Seeing his satisfied expression, President Yang Jaho had no choice but to agree to some extent.

Maestro Pavel of the Beinoff Symphony.

A more symbolic figure than Gregor, the chairman of the Beinoff Foundation.

If he hears this performance.

Especially if he hears it played on a Guarneri.

President Yang Jaho's heart began to beat strangely.

Like he was about to show off a rare instrument to others.

#

“When did you learn the violin?”

Chairman Baek Hangil is looking at me with a face that seems to be asking, ‘What the hell is this?’

If I said I'm actually an alien, he might ponder it for a moment.

I quickly thought.

Strictly speaking, I could say it was about 200 years ago.

Countless orchestral performances I've seen, conversations with performers, letters with masters, and talks with Paganini.

I first held a violin in this life, but I could grow so quickly thanks to my past life's memories.

Of course, I can't say that.

But the problem is,

“Since the beginning of this year.”

It's not a story he would believe, even if I said it the other way around.

“Huh, you're even teasing me now?”

“Haha...”

I knew this would happen.

I smiled awkwardly, wondering how to respond.

Then, sensing something strange from my reaction, Chairman Baek Hangil's expression hardened.

“...You don't mean to say, really...”

Knock knock.

Fortunately, someone knocked on the door. It opened immediately, as if just out of politeness.

The first to enter was the middle-aged man with a stout build I saw in the hall earlier. The foundation president who gave me the Steinway piano and cried.

Is there still a grudge from that time? His expression doesn't seem very good even now...

While I was thinking this, an employee appeared from the back with something.

Wearing white gloves, he carefully brought it in. From the shape, I could immediately tell what it was.

‘A violin case?’

I naturally turned to look at Chairman Baek Hangil.

He said with an oddly excited expression,

“Would you like to try playing this in today's performance?”

Thinking it's definitely not an ordinary violin, I was about to ask what it was when a click sounded.

The employee in gloves slowly opened the case.

And.

...What?

The moment I saw the violin inside, I was speechless.

My spine tingled, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

The familiar shape, color, and details...

“You recognize it, don't you?”

“Guarneri...”

I said without realizing it. Chairman Baek Hangil was slightly surprised, but the foundation president was truly shocked.

“How did you know? You just... saw it and knew?”

He asked, flustered. I replied,

“I've seen it before.”

“...?”

“...In a photo.”

The puzzled looks disappeared with my follow-up.

But the instrument enthusiast, the foundation president, muttered, “To recognize it from a photo?” and stared at me persistently.

You greedy thing.

It seems like that expression.

The bad impression from the Steinway has somewhat dissipated, which is fortunate...

At that moment, Chairman Baek Hangil said, unable to hold back,

“Try playing it. Since it's not your usual violin, you need to get used to it, right?”

I looked down at the Guarneri and reached out to grab it. The foundation president's groan was heard for a moment.

The moment I placed the violin under my chin, the faint smell of wood reminded me of an old friend.

Paganini. The smell when he played was similar. Perhaps it was natural. The violin he used was this Guarneri.

Of course, it's not exactly the same violin.

It was made in a similar era but is subtly different.

That made me even more curious about the sound of this violin.

‘...Let's check it out.’

I quickly picked up the bow and placed it on the strings. Then I drew it firmly.

Zing─

A sound that made my whole body tingle!

I pulled the bow away and took a deep breath.

I was out of breath from just playing one note.

The overwhelming emotion wouldn't settle easily.

Finally...

It was the moment when even the difference of ‘a sheet of paper’ disappeared.

#

“I remember I couldn't attend this event last year. It was a time when I learned about my illness and was deeply discouraged. But what helped me get back up was the power of music...”

Chairman Baek Hangil, who couldn't go on stage, gave a speech into the microphone held by Secretary Park.

When Chairman Baek Hangil finished speaking, the emcee at the end of the stage said,

-Once again, let's give a big round of applause to Chairman Baek Hangil of SJ Group for gracing us with his presence.

Another round of applause.

The emcee adjusted the microphone and introduced the next act.

-And now, we have another person to introduce to you today. A very surprising guest who arrived this morning from Russia. The conductor of the world-renowned Beinoff Symphony, Maestro Pavel!

When the foreigner at the front of the hall stood up, everyone's attention was drawn to him.

The applause was thunderous, and the murmurs were just as loud.

Everyone was incredibly interested.

Most of the people here are classical music enthusiasts, and to them, Pavel is like an idol, if not more.

Pavel calmly made his way to the stage, receiving all the attention.

He took the microphone and scanned the audience with a relaxed expression.

-Hello, I'm Pavel Mamontov.

The interpreter at the emcee's location relayed his words.

When the applause died down, he spoke again.

-I quite enjoy reading books. You might not think so, but my brother still doesn't believe it.

After waiting for the laughter to subside, Pavel continued.

-Last year, I saw a book with a rather interesting title at a bookstore. "Classical Music is Dead"... It was written by Ilya Lloyd, or Lloyd, I think, a modern music master.

The content was exactly like the title. Classical music is dead. He explains it in great detail. I thought, why not just sell the cover?

More laughter erupted.

Pavel, speaking with his characteristic relaxed gestures, then put on a mock serious expression.

-But surprisingly, such books are sold and supported. That's why we need to work together. To nurture the classical music community so that no one makes such absurd claims anymore.

Strong tone. But relaxed expression.

The audience naturally focused on Pavel,

and he ended his speech with just the necessary words.

Amid thunderous applause, Pavel bowed to Chairman Baek Hangil one last time and returned to his seat.

He resumed his relaxed demeanor and leisurely enjoyed the sponsored artists' congratulatory performances that followed.

‘Not bad. Not bad, but...’

Certainly, everyone was giving quite excellent performances.

But my mind was already elsewhere, so I couldn't focus.

‘When can I meet him? Damn, my schedule has doubled.’

When my brother said he was coming, I thought two days would be enough, but now it looks like it will take at least five days.

With more schedules coming in, it seems I've been saddled with a heavy burden by my brother.

‘I didn't expect it to turn out this way, but...’

Still, I wanted to meet him, even if it meant enduring this.

That monster-like child from the movie.

At that moment, the third piano solo ended, and the emcee picked up the microphone again. He guided the audience's applause and introduced the next performance.

-Next, we have Han Seoho's violin solo.

“...?”

Pavel, who had been lost in thought while looking at the candle on the table, suddenly furrowed his brow and looked at the stage.

‘...A similar name, wasn't it?’

It seemed similar to the name of the child who was the reason he was here.

But he didn't think it was the same child. Names can sound similar to foreigners, right?

Besides, it's a violin, not a piano.

‘What was the exact name again?’

Pavel searched through his messages with Lim Jinkyu to find the child's name from the movie.

He thought he should memorize it properly this time. In Russia, calling someone by their name is a sign of respect.

But then.

The performance started with A-flat as the first note.

The second note was also A-flat.

The third note was the same.

“...?”

Pavel lifted his head.

The audience also looked puzzled. Some thought the child was trembling and making a mistake, showing a sympathetic expression.

But Pavel watched the child on stage with growing interest.

‘Playing the same note, but all differently?’

The tone gradually changed.

From the most basic tone, it was heading somewhere.

‘Wait, could it be... a Guarneri?’

As the child drew the fifth and sixth notes, Pavel's eyes widened.

Staccato.

The bow sped up. By the tenth note.

But it was still the same note, and it had never produced the same tone.

Pavel put down his phone.

He looked at the child with a bewildered expression.

It's not staccato anymore.

Jete.

A technique that uses the elasticity of the bow to produce multiple sounds at once, a technique Paganini often used.

A technique where producing sound itself is difficult, and each sound expresses a new tone.

A perfect technique and a long spectrum of tones that seemed to show the path the child had walked.

After many tones had passed, so many that it was hard to count,

───!

It finally came to a stop.

Pavel, who had played with the best violins, including the Stradivarius, had never heard such a tone.

The child began a proper performance with that mysterious tone.

‘What...!’

Pavel was moved and shocked by the sound, which was so piercing and beautiful.

At the same time, he was astounded.

Right here,

There was another monster.