A Musical Genius Who Plays Memories - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 12. Don’t know why (2)

The atmosphere at the playground turned cold.

The woman who had grabbed Aeyeon’s wrist had long straight hair like a child’s and a face without makeup.

Under her dark circles, she showed no will to hide her fatigue.

Nevertheless, her rough breathing and the sweat flowing down her face showed that she had been searching for Aeyeon.

Her expression, which conveyed nothing but pure anger, was even frightening.

Aeyeon’s mother let out a deep sigh and spoke in a sharp tone.

“Who are you?”

“I’m the mother of a child who goes to the same preschool as your daughter. Is something wrong?”

“Preschool… Oh, I’m Aeyeon’s mother, Lee Ye-eun. I’m sorry you had to see me like this on our first meeting.”

“Oh, not at all! I’m Hee-seong’s mother, Shin Ji-eun. Did my child do something wrong?”

Father was nowhere to be seen, having stepped away for a moment.

At the mention that they attended the same preschool, a slightly flustered look crossed Aeyeon’s mother Lee Ye-eun’s face.

As soon as she heard my name, she turned her face to look at me.

Her eyes rolling up and down were somewhat unsettling.

After hearing Mother’s words, Lee Ye-eun seemed to calm her anger momentarily, catching her breath before speaking.

“Our child attends an academy nearby.”

“Oh, are you talking about Pianissimo?”

“Yes. I arrive about 10 minutes late due to work, after the academy ends. But when I arrived at the academy today…”

“He wasn’t there, so you must have run around looking everywhere.”

“Yes, exactly.”

Lee Ye-eun nodded at Mother’s words.

At the same time, the strength left her hand that had been gripping Aeyeon’s wrist tightly.

Her rough breathing also seemed to become slightly more comfortable.

“The child must have been bored. He was having fun playing with our child.”

“…Aeyeon was?”

Aeyeon was sniffling and crying.

Aeyeon and Lee Ye-eun’s eyes met as he wiped his tears with his left hand.

That gaze, which continued for a moment, was withdrawn in less than a second.

Lee Ye-eun looked at Mother and said.

“Thank you for letting me know. We’ll be going now.”

“You’re leaving already? Aeyeon was having such a good time…”

“I’m sorry. We’re busy, so we must go…”

Having finished speaking, Lee Ye-eun bowed her head and quickly left.

It was such a swift action that neither Mother nor I could react.

I could only feel sorry watching Aeyeon being led away by Lee Ye-eun’s hand.

The contrast was striking between Lee Ye-eun striding away and Aeyeon hurrying along with his short legs.

Those small hands hastily wiping away tears would likely remain in my memory for a long time.

Mother spoke to me as I watched the mother and son disappear so suddenly.

“Hee-seong, are you close with that child Aeyeon?”

“Um… We do talk the most.”

“Then ask him if he’s okay when you see him on Monday. Got it?”

“Yes! I will!”

I answered energetically.

I was planning to do that anyway.

Since he disappeared without even saying goodbye, I’ll say something to him on Monday.

Or maybe I should play a song he wants to hear.

Should I practice any song at home to surprise him?

“What? Hee-seong, where did your friend Aeyeon go? I bought drinks.”

Father must have gone to a convenience store, as he had a plastic bag in his hand.

The sight of him eating a sausage with his other hand was unmistakably that of an old man.

‘Well, he is an old man.’

I pondered Father’s question for a moment.

As I was wondering how to explain this, Mother conveniently answered for me.

“Aeyeon’s mother came to pick him up.”

“Oh, really? I should have said hello.”

“Since they go to the same preschool, there’ll be plenty of opportunities. Anyway, push me. I want to swing for the first time in a while.”

“Ugh, you’re too heavy to push…”

“What?”

“Nothing, you’re lighter than a feather.”

The heavy atmosphere instantly brightened with Father’s arrival.

The conversation between Mother and Father always made me feel good.

However, an uncomfortable feeling still remained in one corner of my heart.

‘I wonder if Aeyeon is okay?’

I looked toward where Aeyeon had disappeared for a moment before turning my gaze away.

Hoping Monday would come quickly.

***

Early Monday morning.

“Hah…”

In the kitchen with only one light on, Lee Ye-eun let out a long-held sigh.

Having graduated from university early and worked at the same company for over 10 years, she had eventually earned the title of department manager after her name.

She worked busily even on weekend mornings, managing subordinates while handling her own tasks.

On weekdays, the housekeeper would clean the house or pick up Aeyeon, but not on Saturdays.

Therefore, Saturday morning.

Picking up Aeyeon after finishing work and his academy classes was one of her daily routines.

However, since the academy’s end time didn’t match her work end time, the child had to wait for her endlessly.

Lee Ye-eun knew that 10 minutes was far too long for a child, but there was nothing she could do.

‘Should I change academies?’

Being busy with work, she had no time to spend with Aeyeon.

That’s why last Saturday, she ended up getting very angry at Aeyeon.

‘Mom always told you. If you wait in front of the academy, Mom will come.’

But Aeyeon cried bitterly.

In the car, at home, continuously throughout the weekend.

Lee Ye-eun wanted to know what feelings the child harbored.

The only contact that came through the smartwatch she gave him for communication was always just notifications that academy was over.

However, no contact came through that smartwatch during the weekend.

Like the expensive smartwatch she gave to a 5-year-old child, her main expenses were always related to Aeyeon.

‘…Should I enroll him in more academies?’

She needed someone to take care of the child in place of herself, who was busy with work.

That’s why she hired a housekeeper, but thinking about it now, it seemed like just killing time.

‘It would be better for the child to go to academies instead of playing at home.’

Lee Ye-eun thought this way.

Learning something would definitely be helpful rather than just playing.

She studied hard for her one and only daughter.

She joined mom cafes and read all the writings of famous professors and psychological counselors.

She would do everything she could for Aeyeon.

What she thought of was money.

She had risen to the position of department manager through her own efforts alone.

She poured all that money into Aeyeon.

Among the academies she researched, she enrolled him in the one that taught best and was most expensive.

They had installed an expensive piano at home and hired a housekeeper for no small amount of money.

It was Aeyeon’s Mother’s wish for her daughter, who had a voice as sweet as honey no matter what she said, to grow up beautifully.

“Husband… what should I do…?”

Aeyeon’s Mother said while looking at her phone’s wallpaper.

There was Aeyeon as a newborn baby smiling brightly, and a young man holding such a child.

The face younger than Aeyeon’s Mother was frozen in time.

Even now, The Man’s time had stopped and no longer flowed.

“I’ve really been working so hard, but why do things keep going wrong…?”

Aeyeon’s Mother always wanted her daughter to be the best.

That’s why Aeyeon always had to be first place.

‘Aeyeon, there are many people in this world who will look down on you. So you have to climb to the highest place.’

Those were words she could say as a mother who had lived in the world.

Because not having a father meant anyone could tear you apart.

Aeyeon’s Mother wanted to raise Jeong Mi-rae to be strong.

She had thought that if she had outstanding talent, she would grow up to be a child everyone would look up to.

‘Is something wrong…?’

She was working hard for her child, but she kept feeling like something was wrong.

She just didn’t want Aeyeon to get hurt.

She didn’t want her to be ignored or teased for not having a father.

Aeyeon’s Mother collapsed face-down on the dining table.

Through her long hair, her voice could be heard along with a sigh.

“When our daughter went missing, I was really shocked, but instead of worrying, I got angry first…”

Since she had to work, she couldn’t drink alcohol from the morning.

Drinking plain water from a glass, Aeyeon’s Mother held back her tears tightly.

Her reddened nose and moist eyes urged her to cry quickly, but Aeyeon’s Mother turned away from those feelings.

She was the head of the household.

She had to be strong.

The mountain she had to climb was never gentle, especially for the world Aeyeon would live in.

‘Let’s do our best today too!’

Just like Aeyeon’s Mother’s husband always used to say, Aeyeon’s Mother spoke those words.

“Let’s do our best today too…”

However, unlike back then when hearing it would give her strength she didn’t have.

Now, no matter how many times she repeated it, she felt no strength at all.

Aeyeon’s Mother couldn’t tell if it was because she had repeated it so many times that she had become numb to it.

The one thing she could know was that whether she felt energized or not, she had to go to the company today.

Early morning time passed and it was time for Aeyeon to go to preschool.

“Aeyeon, have a good day at preschool today too.”

Aeyeon’s Mother said while stroking her daughter’s prettily tied hair.

Honey dripped from her eyes as she looked at the child with sincere love.

“The housekeeper will come pick you up today too. Then you’ll go to the academy, you know that, right?”

“Mm…”

“Yes, our cute Aeyeon. Thank you for listening to mommy so well.”

The child nodded her head.

That small head carried something too heavy for nodding.

Between the mother and daughter waiting for the preschool bus at the apartment complex, conversation always flowed, but what each was saying was completely different.

One side would speak, but what came back were very simple words.

Aeyeon’s Mother wanted to say something, anything, but didn’t know what to say.

No matter how much she said she was cute or thanked her, it didn’t sound pretty at all.

It seemed like she was wrapping something up, but it didn’t look that way at all.

“Aeyeon, should we try a different academy? Don’t you like the one you’re going to now?”

“Mm…”

At Aeyeon’s Mother’s words, Aeyeon shook her head back and forth.

Then she thought for a moment and tried to say something.

Opening her tightly closed mouth, when something that had been held back for a long time was about to come out.

“Ma’am! Hello! Aeyeon, hello too!”

The preschool bus had arrived.

Unfortunately, Aeyeon’s Mother didn’t notice that the child had something she wanted to say.

“Teacher, hello.”

Aeyeon looked at the teacher and bowed deeply.

Watching such a child, Aeyeon’s Mother smiled bitterly.

“Please take good care of her today too.”

“Of course! Now, Aeyeon, you should say goodbye to your mother, right?”

“…I’ll be going now.”

“Have a good day.”

Aeyeon’s Mother waved her hand.

She continued until Aeyeon, sitting in her seat and talking and laughing with friends, disappeared from view.

After the bus carrying Aeyeon disappeared from sight, Aeyeon’s Mother’s heavy feet headed toward the company.

She had to do her best today too to raise her daughter who wouldn’t hurt even if put in her eyes.

“Let’s do our best…”

Speaking words that were difficult to say, Aeyeon’s Mother headed to the company today too.

“Manager, are you skipping meals again today?”

“I’m fine. Everyone go eat.”

At the company too, Aeyeon’s Mother was alone.

In the past, she used to become friends with people easily, but these days it wasn’t like that at all.

She kept her distance, afraid that if she tried to get closer, they would move away.

Aeyeon’s Mother’s meal was a triangle kimbap in the pantry.

After filling her stomach, she would sit at her desk and focus on work.

The position of manager was always burdensome for her.

Even so, she had to endure it.

It was her will to let Aeyeon do everything she wanted to do.

No, to be precise.

‘I’ll let our daughter do everything she wants to do. Because I couldn’t do that.’

Perhaps it might be a natural parent’s heart.

But today, that natural parent’s heart felt somehow heavy.

“Phew… if things continue like this, it’ll be fine. Oh my… the time already.”

After working hard, it was 4:50 PM.

Soon it would be time for Aeyeon to leave preschool.

Since it was almost her quitting time too, she hurriedly prepared.

Ring- Ring- Ring-

While preparing to leave work, Aeyeon’s Mother’s phone rang.

– Preschool Teacher Yu-ra

Aeyeon’s Mother was flustered by the contact from the teacher who took care of Aeyeon.

Shocked that something might have happened to her daughter, she hurriedly answered the phone.

“Hello? Teacher? Did something happen to Aeyeon?”

“Ah! Ma’am, I didn’t call because something happened to Aeyeon! However…”

As the teacher’s words continued, Aeyeon’s Mother’s expression changed strangely.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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