Chapter 9, Time Solves Nothing (2)

Chapter 9, Time Solves Nothing (2)

The face of Han Yeoreum, who had covered her mouth, gradually turned red.

I was just taken aback.

She's still young, but for her to speak like that...

'Alright...'

It was just two words, but to hear admiration from someone I had only ever admired from behind the TV...

It felt quite refreshing.

Although the person in question couldn't lift her head, her face was still red.

"Hmm, don't both of you have any feedback to give?"

After a moment of silence, Jong-woo spoke first. Still, no other words came out.

One child had her head bowed, her face red,

while the other seemed to want to point something out but couldn't find the words.

'Yuseong-woo.'

Yuseong-woo, who had bitten his lip, reluctantly answered.

"...Yes. I don't have any."

He must have noticed some flaws, but as a young sprout, feeling them was probably the best he could do.

No matter how much of a genius he was.

"Yeoreum?"

"......"

"It seems Yeoreum doesn't have anything either."

Jung Jong-woo nodded, not showing any particular disappointment. Or, rather, no discernible emotion at all.

His eyes, devoid of any feeling, turned to me.

"Hyun-woo, what do you think?"

He was asking me.

How I thought my performance was.

"I... "

I paused, choosing my words carefully.

I was happy.

Yeoreum's reaction was one thing, but I had also managed to leave the two geniuses speechless, despite being young.

But the happiness was short-lived,

as I saw Yuseong-woo's disapproving gaze—yes.

"It wasn't the best performance."

It wasn't the best.

Jung Jong-woo tilted his head, seemingly surprised by my answer.

While maintaining a cold gaze, as if testing me, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.

"Really? Why?"

The things I had felt during my performance just now.

The slightly awkward sensation between leaps,

the dissonance I felt when playing consecutive third and sixth harmonies.

I also explained the mistakes that came from insufficient practice.

As I continued, the corners of Jung Jong-woo's mouth kept twitching.

It didn't turn into a smile, but it seemed enough.

Clap.

Jung Jong-woo clapped once, drawing our attention.

"All three of you must have your own thoughts, right?"

Han Yeoreum and Yuseong-woo's faces were a mix of surprise, anger, and a fighting spirit,

but Jung Jong-woo concluded the situation.

"Alright, let's end the first joint lesson here."

For a moment, I saw a subtle smile on Jung Jong-woo's face.

It disappeared quickly,

but it seemed like a satisfied smile.

* * *

'He's smarter than I thought. Much smarter.'

A smile spread across Jong-woo's lips as he sat in his private study.

Alone, he couldn't get it out of his head.

Hyun-woo's smooth expression and use of terms. His knowledge, which seemed to be deeply rooted in music,

'Where did he learn all those terms?'

'I told him to read the books I gave to Chae-won... '

The books Sang-gil gave his nephew weren't just sheet music.

He had given him music theory textbooks, from basics to advanced, even if they were hard to read.

Yes, it took a week for Hyun-woo to get here for the project.

Sang-gil's advice was to use that spare time.

But Jong-woo couldn't help but doubt his ears.

'He said he read them all.'

In just one week,

the boy had read and thoroughly understood several theory books before coming here.

He might not have mastered them, but he could use them fluently.

Even if he liked reading, there's a difference between reading novels and theory books.

'A gem, a diamond in the rough.'

Jong-woo could feel the boy's passion even more.

The only thing lacking was in his performance.

Of course, it was excellent, but he couldn't make up for the lack of experience.

After all, the piano is an instrument that gradually learns subtle differences through repetitive practice.

That's what we call experience and maturity.

But the boy, despite lacking maturity, showed a sense of experience. His rich expressiveness and understanding.

The only thing that seemed lacking was his fingers,

which seemed unfamiliar, perhaps due to a lack of performance experience. Or maybe he was too focused on his wrists. It was worth pointing out.

'He also talked about the hospital.'

The additional clause in the contract, added at the boy's request.

At the time, he thought it was a cautious move for a young child, but perhaps it was the intuition of a genius.

'Yes...'

Jong-woo rubbed his temples, picked up a document, and started writing,

continuously, for a while.

For quite a long time.

A diamond or adamantium, a gem is still a gem.

What matters is how you process it.

Yes, he would refine it more firmly than anyone else. Jung Jong-woo.

His passion for education, which had practically made Sang-gil the president,

burned brightly throughout the night.

* * *

As soon as I opened the front door, my mother came out in her slippers.

She tried not to show it, but it was clear she had been anxiously waiting.

"Our Hyun-woo! Did you learn well?"

Her excited expression made it impossible to hold back a smile.

"Yes, Mom."

I had received a few more tips from Sang-gil during the private lesson, but the most important thing was practice.

There were still many things I knew but couldn't execute.

Training to awaken my senses would be more effective than learning.

Meanwhile, my mother, stroking my slightly calloused hands, seemed at a loss.

Calming her down, I glanced at the kitchen.

"Have you had dinner?"

"Of course, I ate well."

Despite her words, the kitchen still had a meager spread that hadn't been cleared away.

A rice bowl with water stains and a plate with leftover kimchi soup.

As always, she had probably just mixed some water with her rice.

"I knew it."

"But, Mom, even if you eat like that, it still tastes good."

With a sheepish smile, I took out a plastic bag I had hidden behind my back and handed it to her.

"Oh, what's this... Oh my!"

The rich aroma and golden color of the food soon revealed itself.

It was a delicacy my mother particularly liked, pig's feet.

"Where did you get the money to buy this?"

"I knew you'd eat like that, so I did."

Even while eating beef with Chae-won in Seoul, I couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling. Knowing my mother would eat like this.

After finishing the beef, which didn't go down well, I boldly asked for an advance.

"Can I have an advance?"

When I asked for ten thousand won from the 3 million won support fund, Sang-gil readily gave me a bill.

He said it was fine to treat it as pocket money for my mother.

"Eat quickly, Hyun-woo."

"I'm full, Mom. I ate a lot."

Before I could eat, my mother placed a piece of meat in front of me, patting her stomach playfully.

Inside, I was thinking about the future.

"Mom, you know the 3 million won support fund?"

"Hmm?"

I wanted her to use it for something different.

To quit the tiring restaurant job first.

"How about opening a side dish store with that?"

"What?"

"Let's open a side dish store."

In this second life, I would button up every detail from the start.

To never regret anything.

* * *

After the joint lesson, individual lessons continued for several days.

This trend would likely continue for a while.

"Hyun-woo, let's start with Hanon exercises."

I nodded in agreement with Jung Jong-woo.

Hanon exercises, the foundation of piano practice.

But they were also basic enough for even professionals to practice occasionally, building a solid foundation.

"Understood."

On the surface, I was a beginner, so starting with Hanon exercises was appropriate.

I also wanted to build a solid foundation, so it was good.

Jung Jong-woo's various tips were also helpful.

To see notes spatially, like drawing a picture, and practice combinations,

not just to memorize with your fingers but also to internalize techniques with your mind.

And to practice applying and adapting, like the patterns in Hanon 15 and 8 that appear in Mozart's Sonata No. 5,

along with other pieces.

It felt like he had prepared specifically for me, which was very considerate.

The only problem was,

there was one.

"......"

That overt gaze, thinking I wouldn't notice.

The owner of that gaze was Han Yeoreum.

"......"

When I turned my head, she ran away again.

Yes, this strange behavior had started a few days ago.

Han Yeoreum's strange behavior was quite bothersome.

Whenever she passed by my C practice room to go to the water dispenser, she would peek in and stare at me for a while before leaving.

The vibe she gave off wasn't good either.

What was the problem?

Finally, out of curiosity, I decided to ask her directly.

"Why do you always stare and then leave?"

"Phew!"

The water in the paper cup spilled onto the floor as it went into her mouth.

I waited calmly for her answer, despite her breathing difficulties.

"Ah, cough."

After catching her breath, she spoke playfully.

"What, what? Me?"

"......"

"When?"

Thanks to this, I understood two things.

If Han Yeoreum had acted, she would have failed the audition for even the smallest role,

and she had no intention of telling me the reason for her spying.

So, her spying continued, but it wasn't particularly annoying, so I decided to ignore it.

She only peeked for a few minutes at a time.

Yes, except for this minor issue, the genius project was going as I had expected.

The two geniuses, Han Yeoreum and Yuseong-woo, who would later shake the world.

Their performances over the past few days had not disappointed my expectations.

Yuseong-woo, with his unparalleled technique, showing off crazy skills.

Han Yeoreum, infusing the music with a diverse atmosphere and soul.

Though still young and unpolished, their fiery performances were enough to remind me of the two people I knew.

They had already been receiving education here for a month before I joined.

Even without that, they had been learning piano formally for several years.

Yuseong-woo, slightly lacking in technique but top-class in expressiveness.

Han Yeoreum, slightly lacking in expressiveness but top-class in technique.

The two, standing at opposite ends of perfection, were a perfect pair for this project.

Then, what about me, who had inserted myself between them—

'I want to excel in everything.'

I wasn't foolish enough to not have such ambition after getting a second chance.

To be standing shoulder to shoulder with the two geniuses I could only watch in my previous life.

To choose laziness in such a situation.

No.

Everything.

"......"

In the midst of my thoughts, I felt Han Yeoreum's gaze peeking in.

She seemed to be thinking about something, her brow slightly furrowed.

'Is it okay to help them improve their weaknesses in advance?'

They were geniuses who would overcome their weaknesses and strengthen their strengths on their own.

Helping them would surely benefit me in the end.

Not for them, but for me.

Han Yeoreum, of course, and even Yuseong-woo, despite his pickiness as a rich kid.

They were, after all, musicians who loved music.

Finally, I recalled Jung Jong-woo's words.

'About a month should be enough.'

The time he suggested for mastering Hanon was a month, which was too long.

A week.

Just a week would be enough.

My path ahead was too high.