Genius Idol’s Strategy to Conquer the Entertainment Industry

Chapter 183

I knew someone who loved the ever-changing piano melodies, as versatile as a magician’s tricks.

As a child, I grew up listening to the piano sounds that sometimes flowed like a stream, sometimes like a river, through the slightly opened door, never feeling bored.

It was once my daily routine to wait on the living room sofa for my mom to finish her performance and come out, only to fall asleep there.

It was natural for me to come to love the same thing.

If I liked the sound itself by one measure, I loved the person who effortlessly brought out that sound by a hundred measures.

However, my greed wasn’t satisfied with just listening.

I shouldn’t have done that.

“Mom, I want to try playing this.”

Anyway, it was a request I made with a lot of courage.

****

Anyone who has ever learned piano, even a little, or has shown some interest in it, would have heard it at least once and might have even tried playing it.

Starting with a lively tapping on the white keys with just the index fingers of both hands, the piece grows richer and more complex as it progresses.

Another characteristic of this piece is that it’s a duet, making it impossible to play alone.

Of course, it can be arranged for solo performance, but it’s much more famous as a duet.

The reason I chose that specific piece from the countless available scores was because of that.

– I wanted to play together.

Bringing that sheet music to someone who played the piano was like saying that.

After looking at the sheet music I brought for a long time with a quiet gaze, my mom finally responded to my request in an unusually calm voice, as if making a big decision.

“Alright. Let’s give it a try.”

Actually, there was no particular reason for my mom to teach me directly. She could have just sent me to an academy or assigned another teacher.

Looking back now, I think the reason she took the time to teach me herself was her own effort to forcibly attach affection by teaching what she loved to the child she had to love.

Unfortunately, at that time, I was too young to notice what kind of heart my mom had when she sat on the auxiliary chair next to me.

I just…

I just liked that my mom was taking the time for me.

To be honest, now that I’m saying it, my mom wasn’t particularly good at teaching.

Fortunately, I wasn’t so talentless at piano that I felt embarrassed to ask the best performer I knew for lessons. I did my best to understand her not-so-great explanations.

During the lessons, my mom tried to speak kindly and act affectionately toward me consciously.

It was a time when we both made an effort.

“Hae-jae, didn’t I tell you to ask Mrs. Yeo to cut your nails beforehand?”

“I’m sorry. I forgot…”

“…Give me your hand. I’ll cut them for you.”

Noticing this, I often did childish things like deliberately not cutting my nails and letting them grow until the lesson day.

Anyway, the precarious lessons continued longer than my mom and I expected.

“You can pull as much as your heart desires, but don’t break the flow.”

“Yes.”

However, even efforts have their limits.

“I’m sorry, Hae-jae. I’m sorry.”

Do you know how miserable it looks when an adult, unable to bear it, cries in front of a child?

“No, it’s okay. I think I can practice on my own now.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. I’ll practice hard, so please play with me later.”

But there was never another time when my mom and I sat together, and naturally, that day was the last of the lessons.

After that, the door to the room with the piano was firmly closed, and I never had the chance to fall asleep listening to the heartwarming performances again.

The reason was that my mom’s work had become busier, but the real reason might have been because of me.

That made me a bit sadder.

It felt as if it was my fault that she eventually gave up on me.

* * *

“Raon.”

“Ah, yes.”

I snapped out of my daze at Muk Hye-sung’s question.

I sat on the piano bench.

It would be foolish not to play it here.

With the green forest, the beautiful piano, and an absolute beauty all in one place, the scene would naturally look great.

Even if I played something as simple as “The Cat’s Dance,” the production team would do their best to edit it nicely.

“Hoo…”

It had been a long time since I sat in front of an upright piano instead of a synthesizer.

The weight of pressing down the keys was different, and the emotions I felt were overwhelmingly burdensome.

“Sister, do you have a nail clipper?”

The stylist sister quickly found a nail clipper.

“Here it is. Should I cut them for you?”

“Yes. They seem a bit long.”

“Should I do it for you?”

“No, I’ll do it.”

Since nails grow back quickly in a few days, I trimmed them neatly as I had learned in the past, so that the flesh of my fingertips protruded slightly beyond the nails.

In the meantime, perhaps the word had spread, as people gathered around in a circle.

“I’m not skilled enough to deserve such an audience…”

“Be confident.”

“But it’s been a really long time since I last played.”

Preparing an excuse in advance, I warmed up by playing a part of “Dream.”

“Dream” is a piece with a subtle dissonance that makes it charming.

Playing such a song on a slightly out-of-tune piano had its unique appeal.

I knew the melody and chords of our title song thoroughly, having watched Seo Moon-gyeol work on it as a reference.

I didn’t forget my purpose of promoting our song.

Connecting the first verse and the bridge part, the surrounding people applauded.

“Thank you.”

I stood up and bowed deeply to the audience.

Then I sat back down and briefly played the opening part of the unforgettable “Chopsticks March.”

Ah, as expected.

It didn’t feel right playing it alone.

“Teacher, do you know this song?”

“Of course.”

I also knew that Muk Hye-sung could play this song.

Because…

While preparing for the broadcast a few days ago, I found an old video of Muk Hye-sung playing this piece with his mother at his solo concert.

“I don’t think it sounds quite right when I play it alone. Shall we play it together?”

Since I was sitting on the left side of the bench, Muk Hye-sung sat to my right.

“We don’t have the sheet music, so let’s just go with the flow!”

“We could get it.”

“No, I can follow you.”

“Really?”

“I’m serious. I can play well enough not to be embarrassed on the broadcast.”

“Alright.”

Soon, amidst the hushed anticipation of the audience, the performance began.

Jazz is a genre that is played improvisationally within a basic framework.

Thanks to one person, the harmony between Muk Hye-sung and me, both familiar with this genre, was so perfect that it was hard to believe it was our first time playing together.

In truth, I was the one adjusting to him.

Imagining countless scenarios of how my mom would play when the day finally came for us to play this piece together was my little delight.

But I felt a murmur among the spectators gathered around the piano.

Before I could turn my head to see what was happening,

A vibrant violin sound, as splendid as the piano duet, smoothly joined in.

A brief cheer erupted from the audience, who seemed to have grasped the situation in their own way.

‘What is this? Who is it? A surprise camera? Someone the production team prepared? But I just suggested this song a moment ago? Why is it so good? How long should we keep playing?’

My head, previously blank from focusing on my fingertips, was suddenly filled with a whirlwind of thoughts.

I was too busy following my intuition to identify the right notes.

After a while, the piece ended.

Fortunately, both Muk Hye-sung and the mysterious violinist naturally adjusted to me.

No matter how much I danced or exercised, I didn’t have the delicate muscles needed for playing the piano, so my fingers to my arms were all tingling.

Still, I felt incredibly good.

A cool breeze gently brushed my sweat-drenched forehead.

‘Ah, who played the violin…?’

Turning my head, I saw a foreign woman with dark chocolate-colored hair tied back, lowering the violin she had held under her chin.

When our eyes met, the foreign woman, who had slightly opened her mouth, soon smiled.

“[That was a wonderful performance!]”

At my double thumbs-up and admiration, the woman responded happily.

“[You two were wonderful too. I couldn’t resist the music calling me, so I joined in. I hope I wasn’t rude.]”

“[No, it was truly amazing. By the way, who are you…]”

“[Oh, I’m Hannah’s colleague. My name is Christine.]”

Hannah.

Hearing an unexpectedly familiar name in this place made my heart suddenly sink.

Muk Hye-sung, who had also suddenly heard his cousin’s name, seemed a bit surprised.

“[Hello, Christine. Do you know me?]”

After the customary greeting, Christine’s expression showed a hint of awkwardness at my question.

“[Your playing style is just like Hannah’s. I thought you were a fan of hers. Was I wrong?]”

It seemed Christine had no idea that I was her son.

How could such a coincidence happen?

“[No, you’re right.]”

For some reason, I couldn’t help but laugh, and I just hoped it didn’t seem strange.

“[I’m a fan of hers.]”