Chapter 36

036. The Next Step (3)

“Haaaaaam─.”

I yawned widely and sat down at the table. I could feel my hair sticking up, as if a bird’s nest had formed on my head. I slowly blinked my eyes, closed them, and then opened them again, glancing at my phone.

On the free music sharing site, Sound Cloud, a variety of songs were being uploaded at that very moment. And just a few hours ago, I had joined that lineup.

I had spent the night arranging and recording, and five tracks of decent quality, though not as smooth as those touched by professional engineers, were now up on the site.

And the views were increasing under each track.

These were songs that would never have been heard by anyone if they weren’t free.

Songs with light motives or too complex.

Songs that showed a certain limit even after being arranged.

So they didn’t pass my standards, but it was a shame to throw them away.

But now, someone was listening to them. They even pressed the heart button to say they enjoyed them.

“Oh, seven.”

The count just went up by one. Without realizing it, the corners of my mouth curved upward. This really feels good.

“Haaaaaam─.”

Just then, the door to the master bedroom opened, and my father came out. He shuffled straight to the refrigerator and gulped down a glass of water as if his throat was on fire.

“Ah, I feel better. Where’s Mom?”

“She said she needs to nourish your body, so she went to the market. Today’s menu is samgyetang.”

“Oh, samgyetang, here we go~.”

My father, who was nodding and about to head back to the master bedroom, suddenly stopped and looked at me. Then he chuckled and asked,

“I was curious about what you were working on yesterday, but your laptop was password-protected?”

“Yeah, I need to be more careful now.”

I joked, and my father laughed and said,

“Good job. Leaving your creations unattended is like dereliction of duty. Oh, one more thing. Make sure to save regularly.”

“Of course.”

My father, who was about to move with his empty stomach, stopped again.

“But, I’m curious. What did you work on?”

#

Han Jikun sat at the desk in the study instead of the bed in the master bedroom.

He opened his laptop and immediately went to Sound Cloud, searching for Seoho’s ID.

He listened to the tracks that were uploaded one by one.

As the engineer had said before, the sound was clean, with nothing to tweak.

His expression began to change from moment to moment.

He opened his mouth in surprise at the sound that filled his headphones.

He marveled at the beauty of the melody that followed,

and swallowed hard at the piano and violin duet that passed the lead back and forth.

“Is this... a practice piece?”

To him, it was far from a practice piece.

He chuckled bitterly, recalling the practice pieces he had once made.

If those were practice pieces, how could this be a practice piece?

With just these, he could make an entire album of performance pieces right away!

If even one of the five tracks had been like this, he wouldn’t have been so surprised. But all five tracks elicited the same admiration.

This was a moment when he realized again how high Seoho’s standards were and how remarkable the kid was.

‘He said they were practice pieces and he’s satisfied with them, so what can I say...’

Still, it was a bit disappointing, and as he recalled the conversation from earlier, he shuddered.

The kid had said,

He only plans to upload practice pieces here,

and the ones with potential, the ones that meet his standards, are kept separately.

Han Jikun, whose fatigue had suddenly vanished, muttered to himself,

“What kind of level are those pieces...?”

#

Since I started uploading my practice pieces to Sound Cloud, my days have become even busier.

I still draw sheet music on staff paper whenever inspiration strikes, continue my violin practice, and make time to arrange and record.

And I finish each day by consistently uploading at least one track to Sound Cloud.

As the days flew by, the weather got colder, and the first snow of the season fell.

And before I knew it, it was winter.

Music was still enjoyable, and my skills were growing steadily, just like my height.

But the worries in my mind grew day by day.

Specifically, the competition.

Should I participate or not?

If I do, which instrument should I use?

These worries continued.

What might be a simple decision for someone else was so difficult, probably because of the other me.

Brenner’s memories and feelings were still filled with disappointment about the competition.

But despite my inner turmoil, the new year was already approaching.

So,

it was time to make a decision.

“So, in short—”

The homeroom teacher’s words were not yet finished, but the students were not paying attention at all.

And for good reason, today is...

“Everyone, stay healthy. Don’t pretend you don’t know each other just because you’re in 2nd grade. Say hello when you see each other in the hallway.”

It’s the end-of-term ceremony.

As soon as the closing remarks were over, the students jumped up as if the starting gun for a relay race had been fired.

I gathered my things in the midst of the chaos.

I put today’s staff paper in my bag, stood up, and left the classroom with the other students.

“Hey, let’s meet up often during this break. We’re in 2nd grade now. I might go to another cram school. There’s no hope...”

As Yang Hangeul complained, Lee Hoik saw his chance and brought up the topic.

“Wanna go to the Spita concert?”

To the usual question, Yang Hangeul unusually nodded his head.

“Let’s go, let’s go. We should do something. When we have time, let’s visit Seoho’s company.”

Huh?

“Company?”

I tilted my head, and Yang Hangeul puffed out his chest and said,

“Remember, I saw your dad at the school gate the other day when he came to pick you up. He told us to come visit.”

“Yeah, I heard that too!”

With the girls also testifying, the students were already buzzing as if they had decided to visit today.

“I hope Yoon Yeon can come too!”

“Yeah, she couldn’t even make it to the end-of-term ceremony.”

“She seems really busy...”

As I listened to their voices filled with regret, I left the school gate.

And on the main street in front of the school,

the banner that had been hanging on the streetlights for a few days was fluttering in the winter wind.

I looked up at it and took a deep breath.

My postponed worries filled my mind, and I suddenly thought,

...Should I go again?

#

Most of the people gathered in the lobby were family members there to cheer on the participants.

Holding bouquets and gifts to congratulate them, they waited anxiously for the entrance.

I spotted Professor Yun standing in the crowd and approached him. Seeing me, Professor Yun chuckled and asked,

“What’s the matter, you’re coming to watch the competition?”

“Just, I suddenly felt like watching it. I need to make a decision about the competition now, but I’ve only seen it once, five years ago.”

I had gone with high expectations and enjoyed the performances. But the disappointing result and the memory of it conflicted with Brenner’s musical attitude, creating a bad memory of the competition.

Professor Yun nodded and looked around.

“This competition is quite famous in Korea. I hope you can see something different from what you saw back then.”

...With that, we bought our tickets and entered.

Since it wasn’t a performance, the atmosphere was very solemn. Only the friends and family of the participants offered small cheers.

And the competition finally began.

The performances of the participants continued. Since it was the final round, the judges did not interrupt the performances.

So, I could enjoy the performances more comfortably, but I tried to look for something more. I focused on the participants and thought about why they were participating in the competition.

That’s when it happened.

A girl walked onto the stage.

I looked at her without much thought.

...Huh?

I couldn’t help but shift in my seat.

I leaned forward and furrowed my brow, straining my eyes to confirm again.

It seemed certain.

‘Clearly, the previous person played better, didn’t they?’

The first competition I went to with Professor Yun. The participant who cried because she didn’t win, despite playing better.

It was her.

Regardless of my surprise, as soon as the introduction ended, the performance began abruptly.

Chopin Etude Op.10 No.4

Chase.

The sixteenth notes were struck relentlessly.

A piece as brilliant as it is intense, with strong expressions like crescendo, forte, and sforzando.

When the soul-stirring performance ended, she walked off the stage with a relieved expression.

Professor Yun marveled softly from beside me.

“She played well.”

“Yeah.”

Still,

I waited for all the performances to end and for the awards to begin.

And when I saw her confidently win the first prize, I smiled.

I had unknowingly been cheering for her. For her, who had taken steady steps in the uncomfortable competition.

I clapped hard and thought,

Maybe there’s more to music than the nobility Brenner thinks.

Until now, I had focused on Brenner’s thoughts and feelings about music,

but this time, I decided to step out of his perspective.

Not as Brenner, but as a 32-year-old office worker.

And as I was living again at 17, I was curious.

What makes them so passionate?

#

Lee Ji-a, her face flushed from crying, held bouquets in both hands and left the concert hall.

As she was about to leave the art center, a boy approached her.

“...?”

“Congratulations on your win.”

Surprised by the boy’s sudden congratulations, Lee Ji-a was momentarily taken aback but soon bowed her head.

“Thank you!”

“Your performance today resonated with me the most.”

“Aah, thank you.”

Perhaps because of the words that it resonated, Lee Ji-a’s voice trembled again.

The boy, seeing this, smiled and said, “Good job,” before disappearing somewhere.

“Who was that?”

Her mother, who had been watching the scene, asked, and Lee Ji-a blinked.

“Hmm? I’m not sure.”

“Was he one of the participants today?”

Ah, was he? Lee Ji-a muttered, glancing in the direction the boy had disappeared, and tightly pressed her lips together as if determined not to cry.

“But, it’s really touching. I should remember his face. If he was a participant, we might meet again at another competition soon.”

“Or maybe you just think he’s handsome and want to remember him?”

Her sister laughed, and Lee Ji-a flared up.

“Am I your sister!”

#

“How was it?”

Professor Yun asked as we left the art center.

Inhaling the cold air, I felt relieved and smiled.

“It was fun today.”

“Really?”

Professor Yun, delighted, asked again, and I nodded.

“So, you’re going to try it once. The Tchaikovsky Competition.”

“...!”

Professor Yun’s eyes widened in surprise, and he laughed.

“Have you made up your mind?”

“Yes.”

At my clear answer, Professor Yun’s face lit up, and he asked,

“Then, which instrument are you going to use? Honestly, with your skills, you could participate in either category, but personally, I think the piano...”

Seeing Professor Yun subtly trying to persuade me, I chuckled.

“You mean it doesn’t matter which one I choose?”

“Well, it doesn’t... but if I could, I’d prefer the piano...”

“Then, can I apply to both?”

“...Huh?”

It was a question he had never considered,

and Professor Yun looked more flustered than I had ever seen him.