A Musical Genius Who Plays Memories - Chapter 66

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

Chapter 66. Rewrite (3)

 

“Uncle will raise you!”

 

“Huh, what…?”

 

I made an expression that showed I couldn’t understand.

 

If there had been a camera in front of me, it would have made quite a funny scene.

 

That’s how out of the blue Hwang Su-yeol’s statement was.

 

It was then that Aunt Sujin intervened.

 

“What are you talking about!”

 

“Ah.”

 

“I told you not to say that!”

 

“But I can’t help it when I can’t hold back…”

 

What is this about now?

 

I became curious about what she told him not to do.

 

Seeing how Hwang Su-yeol said he couldn’t hold back, it seemed to be related to me.

 

As if they had talked about this before, Aunt Sujin continued speaking.

 

“You said that before too, why do you keep saying such things?”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

When I spoke, both of them made expressions like “oh no.”

 

They seemed to have momentarily forgotten about my presence.

 

I didn’t know about other things, but I was curious about what Hwang Su-yeol had said.

 

Raising me? Why?

 

“You’ll raise me?”

 

“Heeseong, well…”

 

Aunt seemed to be pondering what to say.

 

Was it such a serious topic?

 

Then it was Hwang Su-yeol who spoke instead of Aunt.

 

“It’s because Heeseong is so smart.”

 

“Uh…”

 

What’s this, the atmosphere is strange.

 

Aunt was sighing deeply, and Hwang Su-yeol was looking at me fondly yet with somehow sad eyes.

 

I could guess.

 

That something had happened between them.

 

‘Did the two of them have a fight or something?’

 

Just from what they were saying, it really seemed like they had a big fight in the past.

 

Aunt Sujin’s words were supporting that theory.

 

“Yeah. Heeseong, it’s nothing.”

 

Does someone who says it’s nothing break out in cold sweat like that?

 

I wanted to ask that.

 

I couldn’t help but think something had happened to Aunt too.

 

I unconsciously became anxious seeing a side of Aunt I had never seen before.

 

“So we were wondering if Heeseong might want to compose in a bigger place.”

 

Hwang Su-yeol said.

 

As if he had pondered a lot before bringing up those words, a bead of sweat was trickling down Hwang Su-yeol’s face too.

 

Now I was even more curious.

 

What their concern was, and where this bigger place was.

 

Aunt and Hwang Su-yeol’s concern seemed to stem from me.

 

‘But how do I ask?’

 

Contrary to my feelings, I couldn’t easily ask.

 

I tried to think more about the question, but the two didn’t give me a chance.

 

“Now isn’t the time to worry about it. Later, when Heeseong is older, I’ll tell you.”

 

“R-right. Heeseong, could you show Aunt the lyrics you wrote?”

 

Though they had been bickering just moments before, now they were in perfect sync.

 

Is this what it means to be siblings?

 

But aside from that, my curiosity was growing even more.

 

They seemed to be hurriedly trying to retract their statements, which made me even more curious.

 

‘Should I ask persistently?’

 

I could just close my eyes tight and let it pass, but I didn’t want to do that.

 

Hwang Su-yeol’s statement about wanting to raise me made me feel even more that way.

 

The reason was simple.

 

I wanted to know why he said that.

 

‘It seems to be because of the songs I wrote.’

 

Aunt Sujin had made my ‘Blue Night’ sound even better.

 

Hwang Su-yeol was also unable to hide his amazement after hearing it.

 

‘Then he must be thinking similarly to Aunt.’

 

He could make the same evaluation.

 

So it was highly likely that he would naturally think about wanting to raise me.

 

This wasn’t bragging.

 

I knew all too well that the current me had skills that didn’t match my age.

 

I couldn’t argue if others saw me as a genius.

 

I opened my mouth.

 

“I want to hear it!”

 

“Uh, huh? What… are you talking about…?”

 

“What Aunt and Uncle said!”

 

I deliberately rolled my tongue like a little child.

 

I was throwing a tantrum like a child right now.

 

If this was a weapon that a 5-year-old possessed, I should naturally use it.

 

But for some reason, both of them closed their mouths again at my words.

 

They were weighing their words.

 

Then Hwang Su-yeol spoke.

 

“Heeseong, do you want to join Uncle’s company?”

 

“Oppa…!”

 

“Wait for me.”

 

Hwang Su-yeol said.

 

His statement was so surprising that I momentarily gaped with my mouth wide open.

 

‘Company? Why? Is it related to what he said about raising me?’

 

I tried to think for a moment, but Hwang Su-yeol didn’t stay still.

 

He continued speaking.

 

“I’ll make you into an incredibly great person, Heeseong. You’ll make much more music too.”

 

“Me…?”

 

“Yeah. If Heeseong wants to.”

 

In other words, the choice was mine.

 

I could feel from his words that he had my best interests at heart.

 

But looking at Aunt’s eyes beside him, I didn’t get that feeling.

 

‘It’s a look that says she hopes I won’t do it.’

 

And I felt the same way as Aunt.

 

It was natural.

 

I liked how things were now.

 

I liked slowly composing my own music, and I liked playing casually with friends.

 

I liked talking about music with my parents and taking Jeong Mi-rae’s lessons.

 

A bigger world didn’t suit the current me.

 

“I like how things are now.”

 

At my words, the two of them smiled.

 

Aunt Sujin let out a sigh of relief.

 

Hwang Su-yeol gave me an approving smile.

 

Perhaps feeling the tension ease, Aunt Sujin leaned forward on the dining table and spoke.

 

I focused on her lips moving as she peeked her head out slightly.

 

“Aunt was hoping Hee-seong wouldn’t join the company. Thank you for saying that.”

 

I could feel her sincerity.

 

It was just a guess, but Aunt seemed to feel a sense of kinship with me.

 

Her gaze felt familiar.

 

‘Ah, it resembles my friend’s gaze. Though the essence is different.’

 

My friend’s was pity disguised as friendship.

 

Having watched me fall apart from beginning to end, he looked at me with pitying eyes.

 

But Aunt was different.

 

There was anguish mixed in with the pity.

 

Like a mirror, she was seeing something in me.

 

I couldn’t tell what it was.

 

“The lyrics Hee-seong wrote are really good.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Well, because I could understand what Hee-seong was thinking.”

 

Aunt went through the lyrics one by one, asking what each part meant.

 

Why the night was blue, why I heard the river’s lament.

 

I told them everything.

 

I didn’t mention the past, but even that seemed to be quite a shock to both of them.

 

“Oh my…”

 

“Really? Hee-seong?”

 

“Yes. I wrote it while thinking like this.”

 

“Haha…”

 

Hwang Su-yeol laughed helplessly.

 

Beside him, Aunt Sujin was also rubbing her face with her hands.

 

Now I could understand both of their emotions.

 

Honestly, even I would be surprised if a 5-year-old wrote like I did.

 

But I wasn’t an ordinary 5-year-old.

 

Though I would look normal to them.

 

“Alright, good. Shall we refine it now?”

 

“Huh? We’re not using it as is?”

 

“Of course not!”

 

Hwang Su-yeol continued his explanation.

 

“Writing is something you need to be careful with at first. There are many strange parts.”

 

He meant there could be awkward and odd descriptions.

 

This happened often when composing too.

 

When I thought of a better melody line, or discovered a more suitable instrument.

 

The sheet music was continuously revised in that way.

 

The lyrics would probably be the same.

 

I accepted a new sheet of paper as he intended.

 

Just as I gripped the pen to write the lyrics again.

 

-Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-

 

I heard the sound of the door opening.

 

The rhythm of the sound was leisurely and free, like someone I knew.

 

Mother had returned.

 

“What’s this? Were you three playing together?”

 

“Yeah. We were writing lyrics.”

 

“Lyrics? Isn’t this Hee-seong’s song? Is there someone to sing it?”

 

Did Mother hear my song too?

 

No, when?

 

‘Aunt! When did you play it for her again!’

 

Mother always knew about my news without anyone knowing.

 

Like when I composed songs for children, and when I wanted to participate in competitions.

 

Aunt was probably Mother’s informant.

 

She knew everything about me.

 

Separately from that, I became curious too.

 

Lyrics are completed only when there’s someone to sing them.

 

In other words, a singer was needed.

 

“You.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You’re going to sing it.”

 

What?

 

Really?

 

Both Mother and I were stunned by these unexpected words.

 

“Why?”

 

Though the person who said such things was making an expression like she didn’t understand either.

 

But her words weren’t finished yet, as her mouth continued moving.

 

“Oh, and Hee-seong.”

 

“…Yes?”

 

“The competition deadline is the end of June.”

 

“…?”

 

What is this about now!

 

Why are you dropping another bomb!

 

***

 

“Did you really have to say that?”

 

In the car on the way home.

 

The relationship between Hwang Su-yeol and Hwang Su-jin seemed close yet distant.

 

Their childhood had been quite painful.

 

Their parents only cared about money.

 

They squandered their entire fortune on gambling and even sold off their children.

 

More precisely, they sold their talents.

 

Hwang Su-jin and Hwang Su-yeol had to make music.

 

By force.

 

This was possible because their father had also lived the life of a composer.

 

In conclusion, Hwang Su-jin and Hwang Su-yeol’s father was jealous of his children’s talents.

 

“What.”

 

“Was it right to say that to Hee-seong?”

 

“What are you worried about, tell me.”

 

“I don’t want Hee-seong to belong to anywhere. The moment he joins a company, Hee-seong’s freedom disappears.”

 

“We can just say he’s free to do as he pleases when making the contract.”

 

“That’s just freedom in words. What if the company people don’t like the songs Hee-seong composes?”

 

Her words were sharp.

 

Having experienced it herself, she could be more certain than anyone.

 

She thought of that time when she lost her freedom to adults.

 

It was so difficult that she didn’t want to recall those memories, so Hwang Su-jin squeezed her eyes shut and spoke.

 

“I want Heeseong to enjoy happiness.”

 

“I feel the same way.”

 

“What you’re saying is too early, oppa. I told you. Let’s talk about that later.”

 

“Alright.”

 

The conversation between the two was calm.

 

The streetlight illuminated both of their faces.

 

At the same time, Hwang Su-jin played Blue Night, which Heeseong had composed.

 

Hwang Su-yeol, who had been quietly listening to the music, spoke.

 

“Just for now, right?”

 

His words carried many meanings.

 

“Yes. Heeseong should enjoy the present. Music is about enjoyment, not money.”

 

“And we’ll be there to support him?”

 

“That’s right. To make free music, you need adults who support you from behind.

 

Hwang Su-yeol was nodding at Hwang Su-jin’s words.

 

And at the same time, he recalled something.

 

“I think it’s because he resembles those kids. Heeseong, I mean.”

 

Hwang Su-jin also nodded.

 

The children who had helped them.

 

She thought of Shin Ji-eun and Yoon Young-hoon, who now had the hearts of proper parents.

 

And also Heeseong, who was their child.

 

The child was still too young to venture into the bigger world.

 

But the talent he possessed was not.

 

That’s why Hwang Su-yeol thought it would be okay to keep him in their embrace a little longer.

 

He brought up a different topic.

 

“But did you tell them that Ji-eun would sing the song Heeseong composed?”

 

“I didn’t. I just thought of it when Heeseong was writing the lyrics.”

 

“Then you should have mentioned that first! It’s the first time I’ve seen Ji-eun make that expression.”

 

“That’s…!”

 

Instead of arguing back, Hwang Su-jin turned her head away sharply.

 

Whatever she said, it was her mistake, so she didn’t bother to speak.

 

To change the subject, Hwang Su-jin recalled another thought.

 

It was also somehow fascinating how Heeseong’s expression gradually turned pale when she mentioned the competition date.

 

He changed like a blank canvas in an instant.

 

“Pffft!”

 

“Did you think of something funny?”

 

“No, I was thinking of Heeseong.”

 

At her words, Hwang Su-yeol nodded.

 

Thinking of Heeseong diligently writing lyrics, he also made a comment.

 

“Heeseong is definitely a genius.”

 

“Right?”

 

Hwang Su-jin said that while rummaging through her bag.

 

And she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.

 

The handwriting was crooked but each letter was pressed down firmly, catching the eye.

 

Hwang Su-jin gently smoothed down the paper as if it were precious and said,

 

“I didn’t expect him to finish writing all the lyrics in such a short time.”

 

“I know. He really is a genius.”

 

The faces of the two were reflected in the glass that embraced the night.

 

The faces of two people wearing such warm smiles.

 

Hwang Su-jin guessed that this song would end soon.

 

Her intuition would never be wrong.

 

Blue Night was now coming to an end.

 

Once the final revisions were complete, they would submit it to Lumos.

 

‘Alright, let’s do our best. Heeseong.’

 

The child who received her encouragement was still absorbed in something even now.

 

“Great…!”

 

“Heeseong, you need to brush your teeth!”

 

…It was time for the child to go to sleep.

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