A Musical Genius Who Plays Memories - Chapter 55

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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 55. Warmth (2)

 

The next day dawned.

 

“Heeseong, Heeseong! Help me!”

 

Garam said to me as soon as he came to preschool.

 

His tone was extremely urgent.

 

He was like Father looking for a place to hide after making Mother angry.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“I think Grandfather is sick!!”

 

“Huh? What? Then he should go to the hospital!”

 

“But he’s sick but not sick!”

 

What kind of talk is this.

 

As expected, it was hard to understand what 5-year-old children said.

 

But what can I do.

 

I have to keep asking until I can understand as much as possible.

 

“What exactly did he do? Did Grandfather clutch his chest or something?”

 

“No, he didn’t. Um… Ah! I remembered!”

 

“Okay, tell me slowly.”

 

“Grandfather was holding the violin really, really tightly!”

 

So he’s saying that the reason Grandfather Manbok is sick is because of the violin.

 

‘It’s possible. Grandfather can’t play the violin. He showed me directly. But…!’

 

I recalled Grandfather’s left hand.

 

Though he couldn’t play the violin, strangely his hand was covered with calluses.

 

If what Garam said was true, it meant he had held the violin countless times.

 

He had the hands of a performer.

 

I couldn’t possibly know how much time he had spent to make such hands.

 

“Hah…”

 

“Why? Did you figure it out?”

 

“Not yet. But I think I roughly understand.”

 

“Really! Heeseong really is a genius!! Then Grandfather won’t be sick anymore!”

 

I put aside thoughts about Grandfather Manbok for a moment and looked at Garam.

 

Whatever it was, right now it was important to confirm Garam’s feelings.

 

“Garam, do you want Grandfather to not be sick?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Well, because he’s my grandfather?”

 

The child’s words contained many meanings.

 

Because he’s my grandfather.

 

It was words that contained the feeling that since he’s family, though scary, he still hoped he wouldn’t be sick.

 

At those simple but easy words, I couldn’t help but smile slightly.

 

“Haha, right. Then that’s settled.”

 

“What is?”

 

“Nothing. You’re sure you want to make Grandfather not sick?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“But we can’t do it, right?”

 

“Huh, why?”

 

“Well, because we’re not doctors.”

 

I wasn’t a doctor.

 

Just because he told me didn’t mean I could reduce Grandfather Manbok’s pain.

 

Garam’s expression changed as if he understood what I said.

 

What should we do?

 

Garam’s face was saying that.

 

The way to solve this was very simple.

 

“You can give Grandfather a present.”

 

“A present?”

 

“Yeah. A present that Garam gives.”

 

A present.

 

That was a way to convey a person’s feelings very clearly.

 

You could give it to congratulate, or give it hoping for recovery.

 

Or you could just give it because you thought of them.

 

So this depended on Garam’s heart.

 

“Playing the violin. For Grandfather.”

 

The child’s eyes were like the night sky.

 

The bigger they got, the more sparkles were contained within them.

 

“Good! I want to!”

 

“Okay. But it’s a secret from Grandfather.”

 

“Yeah! Secret!”

 

I thought so.

 

This wasn’t a present.

 

It was comfort I was giving him as a fellow musician, senior and junior.

 

So this couldn’t be made with half-hearted feelings.

 

I had to compose in a quiet place that held the tranquility of dawn.

 

And such a place was very close by.

 

“Hehe, it’ll be fun.”

 

I would also include Garam’s laughter.

 

Because that’s what music is.

 

***

 

“What are you going to compose today?”

 

After finishing dinner, I entered Father’s studio very naturally.

 

Father also followed me in and asked.

 

I thought about what would be good to answer.

 

‘It would be better not to talk about Grandfather Manbok.’

 

It wouldn’t be good to carelessly gossip about someone I wasn’t even close to.

 

So I made up something vague.

 

“I want to try writing a violin performance piece.”

 

“Really? Violin is also Dad’s specialty.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Of course! Dad’s favorite instrument is the violin. Though I can’t play it.”

 

He scratched his head and laughed heartily.

 

He’s probably embarrassed that he likes it but can’t play it.

 

There’s no one in the world who can play every instrument.

 

If there was, that person would be the god of music.

 

“It’s okay. I can’t either, hehe.”

 

“Wouldn’t it be strange for a 5-year-old to already play piano and violin too?”

 

“Garam does it though.”

 

“What.”

 

“Just kidding, hihi.”

 

“To tease Dad…!”

 

Father said that and stuck his hands under my armpits.

 

And he started tickling me like crazy.

 

“Ahahahahah!!”

 

I couldn’t contain my laughter.

 

For several seconds, I had to stay still, caught by Father.

 

“But Heeseong plays piano the best, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“That’s my son. It should be that way naturally.”

 

He naturally put the headset on my head.

 

A warm sensation enveloped my ears.

 

This action was a kind of signal for me.

 

The feeling that I had to do well.

 

It reminded me of that feeling.

 

It felt like ventilating the window of my heart.

 

‘Alright, let’s do this!’

 

I placed my fingers on the familiar piano.

 

And played naturally.

 

It was a performance to warm up my hands.

 

Today’s song was ‘If You Stay By My Side’.

 

“It’s a good song.”

 

Father said quietly.

 

I didn’t answer.

 

Actually, I didn’t have time to answer.

 

This song was originally made for two people to play together.

 

My hands were moving brilliantly like doing tap dance.

 

Several minutes passed like that.

 

“Are you done?”

 

“Yes, now I’ll try composing!”

 

I quietly closed my eyes as I always did.

 

It was a process of conversing with myself about what I should express.

 

Violin.

 

Grandfather Manbok’s performance,

 

And Garam.

 

My head spun from the feast of words flashing through my mind.

 

‘…Together?’

 

I became fixated on that word.

 

Together.

 

That word was quite difficult for me.

 

In the past, I was always alone, so I couldn’t properly understand that word.

 

But now it was different.

 

Juung♩

 

I pressed the piano.

 

But the sound I heard was a violin melody.

 

I concentrated on that slowly continuing sound.

 

I mobilized all my nerves to find the sound I wanted.

 

‘I need to find a warm sound.’

 

I don’t know the reason.

 

But when I recalled Grandfather Manbok’s performance, I unconsciously thought I should write a warm song.

 

‘I found it!’

 

It was a low resonance.

 

The lowest note a violin could produce.

 

A note that could seem melancholy in some ways.

 

I would use that note.

 

Slowly continuing notes.

 

“Hmm…”

 

I heard Father’s voice quietly listening beside me.

 

It was a reaction showing he didn’t know what to say.

 

I understood.

 

The song I was playing was utterly melancholy.

 

It was a sound you might hear when walking alone on a mountain path in a horror movie.

 

That’s why I was writing this kind of song.

 

‘This is a song to be played ‘together’.’

 

I pressed the piano once more.

 

Jaang♬

 

A pleasant melody slowly continued.

 

***

 

Today too, in Choi Man-bok’s head, the resonance from that day continued endlessly.

 

“Hah…”

 

A sound he still couldn’t forget.

 

The performance filled with warmth sounded awkwardly damp.

 

Like a storm making a bonfire wet, his heart also cooled down.

 

That’s why he picked up the violin.

 

He wanted to rekindle the bonfire extinguished by the storm.

 

But it wasn’t easily accomplished.

 

“Kugh…!”

 

His fingers were painful.

 

But it was pain he had to endure.

 

The cause of the pain was himself.

 

He put even more strength into his fingers.

 

“Kheup! Kuk…!”

 

However, fanning a bonfire with dead embers wouldn’t bring the dead sparks back to life.

 

He needed to pour oil.

 

Light a lighter, or if that didn’t work, strike flints against each other.

 

But Choi Man-bok couldn’t do that.

 

Whatever was in his hands, he would never be able to light a fire.

 

That’s what he thought to himself.

 

“I couldn’t do it today either.”

 

Today too, the endless performance of guilt and atonement ended.

 

Creak.

 

Then an unwelcome visitor came to his uncomfortable heart.

 

At the sound of the old hinge, Choi Man-bok turned his head.

 

“Hieek!”

 

Tap tap tap.

 

Garam ran away making footsteps.

 

At the unexpected commotion, Choi Man-bok could only stare blankly at the open door.

 

‘How long was he watching.’

 

He was afraid that his suffering appearance might have a bad influence on Garam.

 

He always thought.

 

‘Don’t become like me.’

 

That’s why he absolutely didn’t want to make him learn violin.

 

But he received a request.

 

‘Father, I’m asking you a favor.’

 

It was a request from family.

 

It was a request from the family he had left behind.

 

‘Mother had a wish. She wanted to open a violin academy together when Father returned.’

 

His family had given him a burden.

 

A burden so heavy that he couldn’t put it down.

 

That’s why Choi Man-bok opened the academy.

 

‘Will you teach Garam too?’

 

At his son’s request, he began teaching Garam.

 

He, who couldn’t play the violin, taught children.

 

A teacher who didn’t demonstrate, or rather, couldn’t demonstrate.

 

That’s what he was called among the children.

 

Garam had talent.

 

Whether he was gifted or a genius, one thing was certain – he played well.

 

That was also the reason he sent him to Hansul Preschool.

 

‘So Garam’s skills improved even more, and overseas…’

 

Smack!!

 

He suddenly slapped his own cheek hard.

 

He had been thinking something ridiculous.

 

Overseas.

 

That word had now become nothing but a terrible and disgusting word to Choi Man-bok.

 

But still.

 

If his granddaughter grew up and went overseas.

 

If people were moved to tears by the child’s performance.

 

‘No, no… I shouldn’t think about it…’

 

He stopped thinking.

 

He knew well that it was his own greed.

 

He was still dreaming of the performances he had overseas.

 

Every night.

 

That brilliant stage was still taking place in his mind.

 

That’s why he could hear the gentle violin melody he didn’t want to hear.

 

“Hah…”

 

It seemed like he would hear that performance again tonight.

 

***

 

“Hehe! Aeyeon! Ajin! Did you watch Pashu-man yesterday?”

 

“Yeah. It was fun.”

 

“Right… It was fun.”

 

Today too began with a conversation between Aeyeon and Garam.

 

Pashu-man was, how should I put it.

 

An animation where the protagonist was a thief who stole people’s treasures.

 

‘Whatever it is, isn’t he just a thief? …Now isn’t the time to think about such things.’

 

I turned my attention away from the children.

 

Right now, I needed to write a song for Grandfather Manbok.

 

But I couldn’t seem to write it.

 

I had only seen Grandfather playing.

 

The image of Grandfather Manbok in my mind had become fixed as him performing on stage.

 

I wanted a more everyday image of him.

 

His appearance when eating, watching, or doing things he liked.

 

So I asked Garam.

 

“Garam, tell me about Grandfather.”

 

“Our Grandfather?”

 

“Yeah. To give Grandfather a present, I need to know what he likes.”

 

Garam thought for a moment and then said.

 

“Um… red candy…?”

 

“…”

 

“And… um… hmm…”

 

Garam racked his brain trying to think of what Grandfather liked.

 

But his expression wasn’t good, as if nothing came to mind.

 

“Ah!”

 

“Oh! Did you remember?”

 

“Our Grandfather likes violin!”

 

“Hmm, right…”

 

But no good answer came out.

 

I could know if I lived close by, but I couldn’t do that.

 

But what about Garam?

 

“Garam, I’ll give you a mission.”

 

“A mission? Ah! Like Pashu-man?”

 

“Right, like Pashu-man.”

 

This was something only Garam could do.

 

“Find out what Grandfather likes.”

 

“Gasp! That’s an incredible mission…!”

 

“Right, but if you succeed, we can give Grandfather a present.”

 

“That’s right! A present!”

 

Did you forget about the present, Garam!

 

Garam clenched both fists and steeled his resolve.

 

He looked like a soldier carrying out an important mission.

 

“If I fail the mission, I’ll be trapped on a deserted island!”

 

…It’s not that serious.

 

“I don’t know what it is, but Garam looks like Pashu-man.”

 

“So cool…!”

 

No, what exactly are you guys looking at.

 

Contrary to my thoughts, Garam’s expression was serious.

 

Then he laughed, “Heh.”

 

He was probably imagining himself as Pashu-man.

 

Sigh… He’ll do well, right?

—————
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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