Pianist's Village

On the way to Korea University for the orientation meeting the next day. As Soo-hyun walked alongside Ji-ye, telling her what had happened the day before, Ji-ye responded as if it were interesting.

"Really? I didn't think Jaehee would go first since she's so shy. She really came to our house on her own?"

"Yes, Sister. And I didn't come home alone. We went to the bookstore together."

"Wow, you must have talked a lot. You came home later than me yesterday. Did you two play together?"

"Well, should I say we played together?"

In Soo-hyun's head, he reviewed the day. From going to the bookstore and choosing books to give to the old men, to being in the music corner. Even when they saw little kids laughing on the metal slide in a small playground on the way home, Jaehee just followed him everywhere.

'Honestly, I think we were together for about five hours, but I still haven't heard Jaehee speak. That doesn't mean she doesn't express herself. She uses her head to indicate if something is right or wrong.'

Ji-ye smiled when she saw Soo-hyun's strange expression.

"Well, if you get that close, you'll be able to have fun together someday."

"Is that so?"

"Of course! Hey. But if I go to school today, will I be able to see my friends?"

"Probably. I heard there are about ten friends who will be starting school with you. I heard the orientation meeting is where the professor meets with the friends who will be studying next semester and gives them assignments."

"Assignment?"

"Yeah, don't you like it?"

"No! I'm just bored and want to do something."

"Haha, that's typical of you. But Soo-hyun..."

"Yes, Sister."

"Why do you only play Chopin and Liszt?"

'That's all I've learned, Sister. The songs the old men wrote and the studies they made for me to practice are all I know.'

"Well, I just like them."

"Don't you like other songs?"

"To be honest, I've never heard of any."

Ji-ye's expression turned suspicious.

'How many other composers have you never heard of? What do you mean? You don't know other composers?'

"I know them, but only up to Bach," he said.

The question was revealed in her expression.

'How can a genius like you do that? Is it because he's still young? Actually, to play Chopin and Liszt's music at that level, one would have to dig only one well from a young age.'

"Well, I think it would be a good idea to start with an audio system. I'll talk to the chairman. It's quite expensive."

"What's an audio system?"

"You can listen to other people playing."

"Is it like a concert?"

"No, you hear it at home. Even if he's not in front of you, you hear him playing."

"Wow, really?"

"Yes, really."

'So you can hear Bach playing the piano at home? That's what the old man said! Bach is the musician of the century and the poet of the soul!'

"Uh, uh... huh? Bach himself?"

"Yeah! My sister told me I could listen to it at home."

'Has there ever been a record of Bach playing an orchestra or the piano? Impossible to have done it in that era.'

"No, that's not it. You can listen to Bach's music performed by other musicians."

"Oh?"

'It's disappointing. I wanted to hear Bach himself play it. But that alone is not bad.'

"I see."

Ji-ye patted Soo-hyun's shoulder, who seemed a bit discouraged, and explained.

"You can't listen to all the performances of Chopin or Liszt that you like. Back then, there was no recording technology. Everyone who listened to them is no longer around. But their music is still cherished. World-famous musicians continue to perform their music and release albums."

'Is there anyone here who has heard Chopin or Liszt play, Sister? So, is there no one else in the world but you? That, in its own way, feels a bit lonely.'

"Anyway, we'll know when the audio arrives. What's your assignment?"

"Well, I don't know anything about this system. And Jaehee's father said the assignments change every year. That's why no one prepares in advance. The reason is to give the students a certain amount of time to practice and then check it at the beginning of the semester so that the professor can create a curriculum that suits their level."

"Ah."

"Let's look forward to what kind of assignments await us."

It took ten minutes to walk to Korea University. Of course, since it was a very large school, there was the inconvenience of having to take a bus from the main gate. The school bus that circled the school was empty, perhaps because it was winter vacation. The Music Gifted Education Institute, which Soo-hyun chose as his school, raised his expectations about the school he would be attending as he looked at the beautiful campus.

Although it was called an orientation meeting day, there weren't many people, perhaps because there were only ten students enrolled. However, the attention of a few people was focused on Soo-hyun as he got off the bus. Children in matching white shirts and black pants with suspenders. And their parents, standing next to them, looked curiously at their children's friends who would be competing with them for the same title.

Then, a child's mother's eyes lit up.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

As all attention was focused on the mother who suddenly screamed, the mother pointed to Soo-hyun and shouted.

"It's Nam Soo-hyun!!"

When Soo-hyun's name came out of her mouth, the commotion grew louder.

"Nam Soo-hyun? Where have I heard of him?"

"You idiot! You shouldn't say that if you're the parent of a music student. If it's Nam Soo-hyun, he's the winner of the International Chopin Competition!"

"Huh! That, that... missing from the Swiss train accident?"

"That's right! The genius Nam Soo-hyun! I'm talking about the boy that Professor Lech of the Warsaw Conservatory of Music adores!"

"Hahaha... My son has to compete with a kid like that? I'm going crazy!"

Some parents quickly knelt down and talked to their children.

"See that guy over there? He's tall, pale, and very handsome. You have to be his friend. Okay?"

The children who heard their parents' words looked at Soo-hyun blankly. But, looking at his tall height, handsome appearance, curly hair, and exotic blue-green eyes that made it hard to believe they were the same age, it didn't seem like he would be easy to approach.

Kim Ji-ye, who wasn't even Soo-hyun's parent but had a lot of pride on her shoulders, was the first to greet people while holding Soo-hyun's hand. As she had worked at the embassy, she was naturally quite sociable.

"Hello, please take care of him."

Ji-ye said one word, but the response she received was dozens of words.

"We have to take good care of her! Our daughter's name is Jiyeon. Please remember it."

"Please take care of me. My son's name is Yeonwoo. Yeonwoo, shall I say hello?"

"Please take good care of my son. He has won all sorts of children's competitions."

"Oh, you're studying cello! Soo-hyun is studying piano, so you should play with our son!"

Ji-ye, who was worried that someone would tell him not to play with him because he was an orphan, put aside her worries and smiled kindly.

'The better I look now, the more kindness Soo-hyun will receive.'

"Yes, yes. I hope you get along well, since you are children who will become great musicians."

The place that drew people's attention. Soo-hyun looked at Ji-ye, who seemed to have a lot of grease on her shoulders, as if she were strange, and then he saw Jaehee and her father in a corner of the forest that surrounded her. When Soo-hyun smiled slightly and raised one hand, all eyes turned to Jaehee.

'Soo-hyun was the first to say hello! If that genius Nam Soo-hyun was the first to say hello, he must be an amazing child.'

"Wow...."

"That child..."

"Are you saying hello to a child like that?"

Everyone was wearing expensive-looking clothes. In contrast, Jaehee was wearing slightly shabby clothes and was carrying a violin case. In addition, she was so shy that she couldn't even lift her face when people looked at her with her bangs covering her eyes. Jaehee's father also looked a little embarrassed as people's eyes were focused on him.

When Ji-ye felt that the situation was not good for Jaehee and quickly dragged Soo-hyun to the school, an old man who could not control his curiosity asked Jaehee's father.

"Hello?"

A man handing out a business card. Jaehee's father looked at the business card and said.

"Ah, hello? Ah, you're a lawyer."

"Yes, if I can help you with anything, please call me anytime. By the way, the child has a violin. Is it his specialty?"

"Ah, yes… well, that's about it for now."

"Haha, I see. Nice to meet you. My son also studies violin."

"Ah, yes...."

"You must see each other often. Whether it's because of the children or because of work. What do you do for a living?"

"...."

It was unlikely that the question was asked with malicious intent. As a lawyer, it was likely a question to determine if the other party was a potential client. But it was inevitable that there would be people who would be hurt even by trivial questions. Jaehee's father ran a successful business, but the company went bankrupt last year. Because of that, he divorced his wife, and for a while, he was addicted to drinking. But with the sole intention of supporting Jaehee, he did everything he could. But at that moment, the father, who had become small in front of his daughter, could not answer.

It was the teaching assistant, Han Ji-hye, who saved Jaehee's hesitant father.

"Parents and students, please come in."

The lawyer quickly took the child's hand and went in, saying that they would talk again later. Jaehee's father, who had been staring blankly at the crowd rushing in, spoke in a weak voice.

"Let's go too, Jaehee."

A girl with a blindfold on her eyes stares at her father. Perhaps she is trying to get his attention.

Small gym. The father of Jaehee, who entered the place where the chairs were lined up and Professor Lee Chan-ho was standing on the podium with a big smile on his face, deliberately sat far away from Soo-hyun, who was at the center of everyone's attention.

Professor Lee Chan-ho said he blew on the microphone several times to test its operation.

"Parents and musically gifted students. Welcome to Korea University. This place was created to help talented students from all over the country develop their musical potential to the highest level by discovering and educating them from an early age, and to foster world-class musicians through this process."

Professor Lee Chan-ho winked slightly at Soo-hyun, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

'Of course, don't worry. I will continue to receive the basic education that ordinary students receive.'

When Professor Lee Chan-ho bowed, the parents and children applauded. Professor Lee Chan-ho looked at the audience with the aforementioned expression and said.

"The Korea University Music Gifted Education Institute traditionally assigns assignments to students who have gathered for the preliminary assembly. The students will go home and practice the assignment they received today, and they will compete as soon as the semester begins. Of course, it may be tricky to rank the growing children, but the purpose of this assignment is to clearly assess their current level and provide them with an appropriate education, so I ask for your understanding."

When Professor Lee Chan-ho gestured to Han Ji-hye, she turned on the project. When the gaze was focused on the project with the blue light on, the word 'Duet' appeared on the screen and at the same time, Professor Lee Chan-ho's shout was heard.

"The first assignment at Korea University this year is a duet. The mission is to form a group with a friend you like and play a duet song together. An instrument can be played alone, but even more synergy is created when played in a group. I think it will be a good experience for our future students who will be playing with the orchestra in the future."

The parents' complaints grew louder and louder.

"Who should I team up with?" "With a friend I like? Wouldn't it be better for the professor to choose one?" "No, this way you can pair your child with a skilled child instead of pairing them with a less skilled child." "The best policy is to somehow team up with the genius Nam Soo-hyun."

Then Professor Lee Chan-ho continued to speak.

"It may be difficult to decide right now. I will give you three days to discuss it calmly, and if there are still students who have not found a partner, the teaching assistant Han Ji-hye will help you find one. However, please note that the two instruments must be played in a duet."

This made it clear that children who majored in piano could not be paired with Soo-hyun, and the parents of children who majored in cello or violin brightened up.