A Musical Genius Who Plays Memories - Chapter 38

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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 38. Feel Good (2)

 

As soon as I sat on the chair the staff member brought, my first thought was ‘this is nothing special.’

 

Of course, when I saw the synthesizer’s red body and white and black keys, my heart couldn’t help but race.

 

It was similar to the feeling I had when I first saw Father’s electronic piano, that is, his keyboard.

 

‘I thought, is this the modern piano?’

 

Come to think of it, according to Aunt’s explanation, Father’s keyboard was also a type of synthesizer.

 

After all, it’s an instrument that produces sound through electricity.

 

But this would be one step further than that.

 

– Bam-♪

 

When I pressed the keys, I heard a heavy resonating sound.

 

The reason I said this was because it seemed like several instruments were combined.

 

Should I say it cleverly wove together the sounds of brass instruments?

 

A sound that connected the low notes of the horn with the mid-high notes of the trombone and trumpet.

 

It was heavy but confident, clearly asserting its presence among other instruments.

 

“Oh…”

 

“The sound is interesting, right?”

 

“Yes! It sounds like a trumpet but there seems to be something more!”

 

“Oh my, you noticed that?”

 

The staff member nearby was covering her mouth and speaking after hearing my conversation with Aunt Sujin.

 

She seemed excited and taught me various functions of the synthesizer.

 

“The sound you just heard is basically built into this device. As you said, it combines brass instruments. And…”

 

The staff member kindly taught me various things.

 

The synthesizer was essentially close to playing recorded sounds.

 

But what was amazing was that you could edit those recorded sounds.

 

Of course, you needed a computer for that.

 

“Wow! Harp sounds are coming from the piano!”

 

“Huh? Young-hoon didn’t tell you about this? His should be able to do this too?”

 

“I only played piano. I don’t know about other things.”

 

“This, this. Aunt will have to teach you!”

 

I was looking forward to the lessons I would receive from Aunt.

 

But right now, my head was full of thoughts about playing the synthesizer.

 

As I looked at the synthesizer with sparkling eyes, Aunt said to me.

 

“Heeseong, can Aunt play once too?”

 

“Of course!”

 

“Hehe, good. Heeseong, stay seated. Aunt will go.”

 

Aunt quietly stood next to me and started touching the synthesizer.

 

She manipulated some buttons and pressed the keys.

 

– Bam-♩

 

It returned to that first sound.

 

Aunt seemed satisfied with the warm brass instrument sound and smiled as she spoke.

 

“Aunt will play once, will you listen?”

 

“I’d love to!”

 

“Hehe, thank you. This song is one of Aunt’s favorites.”

 

With those words, Aunt’s dazzling performance began.

 

– Para para paba-♬

 

It was a lively start.

 

It was a song I had heard somewhere before.

 

No, most people living in South Korea would probably know it.

 

As if answering my thoughts, Aunt whispered quietly.

 

“It’s a song that came out almost 40 years ago, but these days it’s also well known as a cheer song.”

 

While saying that, I found myself staring intently at Aunt’s continuing hand movements.

 

The slowly resonating melody of the synthesizer made my heart race, somehow.

 

It felt like I could accomplish anything.

 

I thought this song definitely had that kind of power too.

 

The song that had been continuing suddenly stopped.

 

Aunt’s fingers stopped, and I looked up in disappointment.

 

‘Ack. That expression…’

 

Aunt was narrowing her eyes and raising the corners of her mouth.

 

My shoulders shrank at the somewhat ominous atmosphere.

 

That expression was the one Aunt made before playing pranks.

 

I couldn’t imagine what she was trying to do.

 

“You know this song, right?”

 

“Yes! Father often played it for me.”

 

“Then, would you like to try playing the accompaniment, Heeseong?”

 

“Me…?”

 

“Yes. Aunt will help you.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

I was conflicted.

 

What I was conflicted about was not having practiced.

 

I was someone who valued practice highly.

 

Normally, I wouldn’t have performed here.

 

‘But there’s no need for that now.’

 

Practice was important when doing the music I wanted to do.

 

But right now it wasn’t such an important stage, and I just needed to enjoy it.

 

There was no need to feel burdened at all.

 

Rather, I was looking forward to it because it was a performance with Aunt.

 

“Alright.”

 

“Don’t feel too much pressure. Aunt will help you from the side.”

 

“Hehe, okay!”

 

“Then, Aunt will start first, so come in when you see the timing, got it?”

 

“Yes!”

 

If Aunt was helping, that would make a difference.

 

And if you could play this kind of instrument, you’d naturally want to play even without practice.

 

Or play songs you already knew.

 

It didn’t matter what.

 

As long as I could play enjoyably, what did it matter?

 

Besides, she was someone who could turn mistakes into art.

 

So even if I made mistakes, Aunt Sujin would help me.

 

She had that level of skill.

 

My worries disappeared quickly like trash swept away by waves.

 

“Now, I’ll start slowly.”

 

The melody became slower than what she had just played.

 

The melody that seemed to cut off sharply was missing the accompaniment.

 

The song was like a fish tank without fish.

 

To say it was empty, there was something filling it, but it wasn’t pretty.

 

There was something perfect for this.

 

– Bam-♪

 

I pressed the keys in time with Aunt’s rhythm.

 

The accompaniment slowly supported Aunt from behind.

 

Being with Aunt, I found myself smiling without realizing it.

 

I put just a little more strength into my fingers.

 

***

 

‘This song is…?’

 

Kim Eon-seung was pushing through the crowd, drawn by his favorite melody.

 

“Isn’t that the one?”

 

“To you… Ah!”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

 

He bumped into people, but he didn’t stop.

 

His body was reacting on its own.

 

“A child…?”

 

After pushing through all the people, what he saw was a young child and a woman playing the synthesizer together.

 

Kim Eon-seung couldn’t help but be amazed at the sight.

 

Such beautiful playing was unfolding from that young child’s hands.

 

Of course, the woman beside him was helping.

 

It was such an overwhelming feast of an introduction.

 

It was a performance that made his heart race and his body move naturally.

 

It was clearly a song he had heard countless times before, but Kim Eon-seung couldn’t understand why it sounded different now.

 

‘Can a child really play like this?’

 

Of course, having seen various idols and singers, he knew there were people who had been playing since childhood.

 

But whether such a young child could play to this extent was a different story.

 

‘That aside… it’s good.’

 

The mechanical sound of the synthesizer that followed was certainly alien, yet paradoxically warm.

 

His heart pounded with excitement, just like when he first heard this song.

 

‘Is the child playing the accompaniment?’

 

He realized belatedly.

 

That it was different from the accompaniment he knew.

 

The melody was the same, but the accompaniment felt different, as if it had been arranged.

 

Looking at it now, the tempo of the song was also slower.

 

It flowed slowly, but maintained the lively atmosphere of the original.

 

It was gentle yet had the power to move people’s hearts.

 

‘Ah, video! I should record a video.’

 

Kim Eon-seung hurriedly took out his phone and began capturing Hee-seong diligently playing the accompaniment.

 

Even while doing so, he focused on Hee-seong’s performance.

 

The slow accompaniment was definitely filling the gaps in the empty melody.

 

Like colorful fish entering an empty aquarium, the atmosphere of the song was gradually ripening.

 

‘It would be even better if there were other sessions…!’

 

The child’s performance left something to be desired.

 

That didn’t mean it was bad.

 

The performance was excellent.

 

Rather, it was amazing.

 

He was following the melody of the woman beside him so wonderfully.

 

Rather, he was playing an accompaniment that made the song’s atmosphere even richer.

 

So wanting other sessions was Kim Eon-seung’s greed to hear an even better song.

 

‘Now it’s time for the vocals to come in, what will they do?’

 

Manager Kim took a sharp breath in anticipation, recalling the voice he knew.

 

– Ba-ba-ba-bam-♪

 

Instead of vocals, fingers were singing through the synthesizer.

 

At the tickling yet warm performance that naturally brought lyrics to mind, Manager Kim found himself unconsciously muttering along inside.

 

Many people were probably already singing along in their hearts.

 

The two people’s performance bloomed like a flower among the other music, and it ignited fire in people’s hearts.

 

‘Can I bring them over?’

 

While listening to the performance, Kim Eon-seung thought.

 

Because some words flashed through his mind.

 

His superior’s words to bring in talent.

 

‘Let’s not think about that now. For now.’

 

It was time to focus on the performance.

 

The incredibly good performance quickly cleared his head.

 

Hee-seong’s performance continued, and Kim Eon-seung, watching it, found his eyes curving without realizing it.

 

***

 

“Whew!”

 

The performance was over.

 

I found myself out of breath from supporting Aunt from behind.

 

“Hee-seong really plays well. He’s definitely my nephew.”

 

“Hehe…”

 

I straightened my bent back and stretched.

 

Although not much time had passed, playing a song I hadn’t practiced was difficult because I had to pay attention to many things.

 

‘I made mistakes several times in the middle.’

 

No matter how excellent a pianist, they needed to practice several times to completely follow a piece.

 

Still, it was a song I had heard a lot, and I only played the accompaniment, but it was still difficult.

 

“Wow, you play incredibly well.”

 

“Right? Our nephew is very talented.”

 

Aunt’s nose went up and her shoulders rose high, thinking about bragging about me.

 

Seeing that made my face even more embarrassed.

 

A staff member who had been listening nearby stared at me intently, then spoke to Aunt.

 

“Are you by any chance working in music?”

 

“That’s right. What’s this about…?”

 

“There’s a good competition, and if you’re interested, I’d like to let you know about it.”

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“Here’s an information pamphlet. If you’re interested, it wouldn’t be bad to apply once.”

 

Then some man’s voice interrupted the staff member’s voice.

 

“I’ll tell you about that.”

 

When I turned my head, a man in a suit was approaching.

 

Handsome appearance. He looked to be around the same age as Aunt.

 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Eon-seung.”

 

“Hello.”

 

A calm voice lingered in my ears.

 

I bowed my waist to greet him, but I couldn’t hear Aunt’s voice.

 

When I looked back, Aunt’s expression was somehow unusual.

 

“It’s… been a long time.”

 

“Yeah. It’s been a long time, Su-jin.”

 

What’s this.

 

The way the two people looked at each other affectionately was unusual.

 

Looking at the two of them, something tingled and rang in a corner of my head.

 

An indescribable feeling was coming.

 

This was the feeling of someone who had lived long.

 

‘There’s something between these two people!’

 

I was pondering about the two people.

 

However, contrary to my concerns, the affectionate atmosphere between the two quickly disappeared.

 

“So what were you trying to explain?”

 

“The competition. I’m also involved in that.”

 

“Hm? Why you?”

 

“Because the place hosting this competition is the company I work for. And the prize is pretty amazing.”

 

“What’s the prize?”

 

Aunt Sujin asked, crossing her arms.

 

At those words, Kim Eonseung pointed with his finger behind me and Aunt.

 

“Huh? Really?”

 

Aunt turned around and showed a surprised reaction.

 

I was the same way.

 

As soon as I saw the prize, my mouth fell wide open.

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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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