A Musical Genius Who Plays Memories - Chapter 18

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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 18. You Have a Friend (2)

‘What should I do…’

Park Jeong-a pondered.

It was still early in the semester, and she was concerned that there were already children fighting.

‘Ajin is timid, but for him to cry this much… Oh, there was a time.’

The first day of preschool.

Ajin was one of the children who cried because he hadn’t adapted yet.

He cried so sadly that he even fell asleep from exhaustion.

“Ajin, are you okay?”

Nod.

Ajin nodded his head slightly.

The child’s parents said he didn’t speak much at home either.

If he didn’t speak well to his family, he didn’t say anything to her as his teacher either.

The only communication was nodding his head.

“Then shall we go in now? Garam probably didn’t do it on purpose.”

Nod.

“You’ll talk with Garam and make up with each other, right?”

Nod.

“Good. Then shall we go in now?”

When they opened the door and entered Moran Class, an unexpected scene greeted them.

Garam, Aeyeon, and Heeseong were huddled together talking about something.

Perhaps hearing the door open, everyone’s gaze turned toward Ajin.

Perhaps feeling burdened by those gazes, Ajin quickly hid behind Park Jeong-a’s legs.

She bent her knees to meet Ajin’s eyes and said.

“Now, Ajin. Let’s go make up with Garam together…”

“Teacher!”

Park Jeong-a’s words were interrupted by Heeseong’s shout.

Park Jeong-a was slightly flustered by the sudden call.

She wondered if something had happened.

But before she could think about it, Heeseong approached and whispered in her ear in a small voice.

“Aeyeon and I will help them make up!”

The words that they would help the two make up.

Park Jeong-a didn’t know how to react to the unexpected words.

Then a certain conversation came to mind.

A conversation she had recently shared over a meal with Jeong Mi-rae and Cha Yu-ra.

– Heeseong is surprisingly mature.

Praise for Heeseong that began with Jeong Mi-rae’s opening.

– That’s right! Other children seemed to be crying or dejected, but Heeseong wasn’t like that.

– Though he did sleep a lot.

– That’s true.

Heeseong was mature.

He seemed that way now too.

Heeseong’s eyes showed no wavering.

When she turned her head slightly, Aeyeon had already approached nearby.

She could feel Garam looking at Ajin from far away.

Park Jeong-a had this thought.

‘Though Ajin doesn’t talk with parents and adults like myself.’

Strangely, she knew that he could have at least some conversation with children his age.

So she thought it might be good to watch from the side.

Park Jeong-a bent down and whispered in Heeseong’s ear.

“Still, the teacher will help them make up, so can Heeseong help the two get along well?”

At those words, Heeseong nodded his head.

***

“….”

“….”

Ajin and Garam in front of me had their mouths tightly shut.

A little while ago, Park Jeong-a had helped the two make up.

They held hands tightly, shook hands, and said sorry to each other.

‘But that wouldn’t resolve things easily.’

Even I, who had never raised a child, seemed to understand.

Garam kept saying he was sorry, but Ajin kept sulking and showed no reaction.

At this point, Garam seemed to be hurt too.

He would think his apology was being ignored.

“Heeseong, this is bad…! They’re not talking!”

Aeyeon, who was beside me, whispered in my ear.

As Aeyeon said, the two weren’t saying anything.

“Now, everyone has gathered and sat down, right? Today we’re all going to draw what you like together!”

Cha Yu-ra said energetically.

“Talk with the friends sitting next to and in front of you while you draw!”

“Yes!”

During the time to draw what they liked, the children began drawing with concentration.

The children around me were the same.

Garam and Ajin silently picked up their crayons.

Aeyeon concentrated as if her nose would touch the sketchbook.

“Isn’t Heeseong going to draw?”

Then Park Jeong-a, who was nearby helping the children, spoke.

At her words, I fell into thought.

I wasn’t confident at all when it came to drawing.

Music maybe, but drawing.

I had never been close to drawing in my previous life or this life.

Still, seeing Park Jeong-a’s eyes, I couldn’t just sit there.

“I’m thinking about it.”

“Then let’s think about it together with the teacher. What does Heeseong like most?”

“Music and piano. I really, really like them!”

“Hehe, I see, I see. Then how about drawing that?”

“Hmm… Yes!”

At my words, Park Jeong-a smiled warmly and left to check on other children.

I did pick up a crayon, but I was at a loss for what to draw.

All that came to mind were piano keys.

I thought about just drawing some keys, but it felt too plain.

At times like this, it’s best to look at other children.

“Aeyeon, what are you drawing?”

When I asked, Aeyeon slightly lifted her sketchbook and answered.

“Chuchoo!”

Is that supposed to be Chuchoo?

There was a pink-haired character wearing a princess dress.

It was quite well drawn for a 5-year-old.

“You drew it well.”

“What is Heeseong drawing?”

“…I’m still thinking about it.”

At that moment, I heard a sigh from across the table.

When I turned my head, Garam was sighing as he put down his crayon.

Hearing that sigh, Aeyeon said,

“Garam, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t like my drawing…”

The drawing Garam had made was of a violin.

But looking closely, there was a smudged line in the middle where he seemed to have made a mistake with a yellow crayon.

Just like what had happened to Ajin’s drawing.

Garam’s expression darkened again in an instant.

I carefully opened my mouth.

“Do you like violins, Garam?”

“…Yeah. I like them the most.”

“Then you can just draw it again.”

“…But I keep making mistakes.”

Garam’s voice grew smaller and smaller.

Aeyeon glanced at Garam’s sketchbook and said,

“Since Garam plays violin well, you’ll draw well too!”

What does drawing have to do with violin?

Aeyeon always connected unrelated things.

But perhaps that quirky charm worked, as Garam’s eyes widened.

Garam’s gaze toward Aeyeon wavered.

“How did you know I play violin…?”

“I saw you in the music room before! It was cool!”

Was that after school?

After preschool ended, if there was time left and you were with a teacher, you could use the music room.

It seemed like when his parents were running a bit late, he would practice violin in the music room.

I was surprised that Garam was learning violin.

When Aeyeon smiled brightly, Garam’s face gradually relaxed too.

Even while this conversation was going on, Ajin, who sat next to Garam, was still quietly drawing without saying a word.

I sneaked a look at Ajin’s sketchbook.

Ajin was drawing a flower garden.

It was a picture full of colorful flowers in bloom.

It was a really pretty drawing.

“Ajin’s drawing is pretty too.”

When I spoke to him, Ajin flinched slightly.

He avoided eye contact and gripped his crayon tightly.

“Do you like flowers, Ajin?”

Nod.

“My mom likes flowers too.”

At my words, Ajin’s eyes wavered.

What?

Ajin hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“…Really?”

“Yeah, my mom really likes growing flowers.”

There were actually a few small flower pots at home.

When I came home, there was always a fragrant smell that made me feel good.

Ajin seemed to have warmed up a little as he moved his lips.

“Me too…”

Garam said in a small voice.

Ajin’s gaze slowly turned toward Garam.

But Garam’s words were cut off.

“Alright, everyone! Are you all done with your drawings?”

Cha Yu-ra called the children with a bright voice.

The gazes of the two children who were about to meet couldn’t connect.

Garam looked disappointed, but Ajin didn’t.

The spark of life that had briefly appeared in his eyes quickly disappeared.

“Then shall we tell other friends about what you like most? Who wants to go first!”

“Me!”

As soon as Cha Yu-ra finished speaking, a child with pigtails raised her hand high.

Since it was a chance to talk about what they liked most, the active children couldn’t hold back.

“This is my family’s dog! His name is Mungchi!”

The child said with a bright smile.

The child who was sincerely talking about what she liked had laughter around her eyes.

Aeyeon sitting next to me also said in a small voice,

“Should I do it too?”

“Huh? Do you want to go up?”

Aeyeon nodded slightly.

That action made me laugh.

“Go ahead. You drew Chuchoo well.”

“Really?”

Aeyeon seemed to gain courage from my words and raised her hand high.

She must have really wanted to do it.

It seemed like sparks were flying from her eyes.

“Me!”

“Great, Aeyeon, will you come up and introduce your drawing?”

Aeyeon walked forward energetically.

Gripping her sketchbook tightly, her voice trembled as if she was a bit nervous, but she still spoke in a loud voice.

Aeyeon was becoming a more and more lively child.

“This is Chuchoo! Chuchoo is a princess, and she gets along well with friends and is always kind! I want to get along well with friends like Chuchoo too!”

At those words, the children cheered loudly.

It seemed like the character called Chuchoo was incredibly popular among the children.

‘Hmm… Should I watch it too?’

It felt like I should watch what the children liked, even a little, to get closer to them.

While I was thinking such thoughts alone, Aeyeon, who had finished her presentation, walked back slowly.

Aeyeon returned to her seat with a red face but looking proud.

I couldn’t help but smile too.

“Good job, Aeyeon!”

“Hehe, thank you!”

Following that, other children also took turns introducing their drawings.

There were children who said they liked robots, space, and their parents the most.

They were all equally cute, and the other children all cheered.

‘Huh? What is he doing?’

While everyone’s presentations continued, Garam was concentrating on drawing something.

While constantly turning his head to look at Ajin’s drawing.

‘Ah.’

I realized what Garam was doing.

After finishing his drawing in the sketchbook, Garam raised his hand high.

The child’s eyes were sparkling as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Alright, Garam! Come up and present for us.”

Garam walked forward with big strides.

There was a confidence that hadn’t been visible when he made the mistake with Ajin.

Still, he seemed a little nervous about presenting in front of the other children.

Even so, he spoke cheerfully.

“This is a violin. It’s my favorite instrument!”

The drawing Garam had spread out was different from before.

The yellow line he had mistakenly drawn had been transformed into a flower.

That flower resembled Ajin’s flower.

“This is a sunflower… Oh, it’s my favorite flower!”

Garam continued with his presentation, and I glanced over to look at Ajin.

‘Wow. Garam is pretty perceptive, isn’t he? To immediately pick up on what Ajin likes.’

Ajin’s eyes couldn’t leave Garam’s drawing.

She was staring intently and listening carefully to the child’s explanation.

It seemed like Garam’s strategy was working.

No one would dislike it when someone else says they like the same things you do.

Rather, it’s human nature to feel more favorable toward them.

And so Garam’s presentation ended.

“Last friend who wants to present?”

When Cha Yu-ra spoke, Ajin reacted.

Her left hand moved as if she wanted to present too.

It was a different side of Ajin from the quiet one we’d seen until now.

However.

“Me!”

Another child raised their hand high first.

The child’s hand that was about to go up came back down.

And then came a small voice.

“…wanted to.”

Those who heard that voice were me, Aeyeon, and Garam who had just returned to his seat.

During the other child’s presentation, Ajin just stared intently at her own sketchbook.

And Garam was watching her do that.

‘It would be nice if she could speak up.’

I thought that to myself, but a child’s courage isn’t something that can be easily drawn out.

And it wouldn’t be very good for someone else to speak for her either.

That’s how Ajin seemed.

Being forced to present by someone else?

The Ajin I’d observed for a week would run away from that situation.

She only used nods when talking with teachers, so could she really give a presentation?

‘She has the will to do it. But whether she can actually do it is what matters.’

All these thoughts were giving me a headache.

“Teacher!!”

And there was someone who made my head hurt even more.

Garam raised his hand high.

His eyes were shining with pure innocence, while Ajin’s expression was pale in contrast.

The child’s eyes had grown wide and were actually trembling.

Oh no.

It seemed like something big was about to happen.

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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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