A Musical Genius Who Plays Memories - Chapter 8

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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 8. From an Unknown Land (3)

I turned my body and adjusted my posture.

I could see Jeong Mi-rae loosening her wrists in preparation to play, which I had been looking forward to.

All the children so far had wanted to play the piano themselves, so she had simply watched quietly.

However, since Aeyeon didn’t have a song he wanted to play, it seemed she was going to play for him directly.

If it was a simple piece, Aeyeon would quickly follow along.

Though I had only seen him play piano once, Aeyeon’s skill was quite advanced.

‘Oh, she’s starting to play now.’

Jeong Mi-rae’s hands, having finished loosening her wrists, gently rose above the keys.

And they moved slowly like a branch swaying in the wind.

Sol-sol- La-la- Sol-sol- Mi-

It was a very familiar melody.

The school bell goes ding-ding-ding.

When I was one year old, among the countless children’s songs Mother had sung to me, this was the one I could confidently say I heard the most.

‘Was this made by a Korean?’

Why do I know this?

Of course, it’s thanks to my wonderful Father who imparts musical knowledge to me.

Father had told me many behind-the-scenes stories about songs.

He would simply tell me when a piece was created and for what reason it was made.

This song was created in 1948 by a Korean named Kim Mary.

A very simple 4-measure song.

The children’s song melody was so simple that Jeong Mi-rae could make eye contact with Aeyeon without looking at her fingers.

Therefore, Aeyeon would be able to quickly listen and follow along.

He was a child who had continuously played because he didn’t like Twinkle Star.

Jeong Mi-rae’s performance continued.

Past the 2nd measure, past the 3rd measure, and soon the 4th measure.

Sol-mi- Re-mi…

However, the song couldn’t continue.

Jeong Mi-rae couldn’t play the final Do- that would end the song.

Silence fell.

The noise from the upright pianos the other children were playing diminished, and the stillness Jeong Mi-rae created grew larger.

I gently moved my eyes to look at her wrist.

Her right hand trembling finely.

Her left hand hastily covering the wrist of that right hand.

Her short, interrupted breathing and fluttering shoulders looked painful.

I couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or shame that she couldn’t bear to show.

However, one thing was certain: there was something seriously wrong with Jeong Mi-rae’s wrist.

She hurriedly spoke to Aeyeon.

To prevent him from focusing on her wrist, I could see her telling the child to try playing the piano.

Since the sound of the children playing piano was blocking Jeong Mi-rae’s voice, I could barely hear “…shall we try?”

Soon Aeyeon began to play.

Sol-mi- Re-mi- Do-

It was a perfect performance, complete to the very end.

Since it was a simple melody, Aeyeon would be able to play it right away.

However.

‘Did she use her wrist too much?’

My attention was focused more on Jeong Mi-rae than on Aeyeon.

Hands were more precious than anything else to a pianist.

I knew how important the wrists that support those hands were.

There was a time when my wrist hurt so much that I couldn’t sleep at night.

According to my friend, it was a condition caused by using my wrist too frequently.

Before my fingers were cut off, it was the most intense pain I had ever felt.

Because of that, I had to rest for several months without being able to play piano.

I even thought about quitting piano altogether.

I wondered if Jeong Mi-rae was having such thoughts too.

‘If she is having such thoughts…’

I would help her fold away those thoughts carefully.

I couldn’t let her easily give up a talent bestowed by heaven.

***

Jeong Mi-rae couldn’t concentrate on listening to Aeyeon’s performance.

Her right wrist was trembling from the piercing pain.

Goosebumps rose on her back and cold sweat began flowing down her shoulder blades.

As rough breathing passed between her lips and interfered with her breathing.

“…Teacher, are you okay?”

Aeyeon said.

Only then did Jeong Mi-rae come to her senses and look at the child.

Two eyes filled with innocence because he knew nothing were shining.

Jeong Mi-rae felt as if countless eyes in the spacious music room were looking at her all at once.

She felt a sharp sensation as if pure windows would pierce right through her.

That coldness she had felt long ago was gently stabbing at her skin.

When she couldn’t bear the tension, chills, and goosebumps tightening around her throat and was about to bolt from her seat.

Pat.

Jeong Mi-rae saw a small hand gently covering her own.

Aeyeon had a worried expression.

“…Teacher, are you okay?”

She was barely able to pull herself together.

Jeong Mi-rae steeled her mind to forget the past that had already gone by.

So she lightly shook her head and began conversing with Aeyeon.

“Aeyeon, have you ever learned piano before?”

“Yes, I learned at an academy.”

“Oh my, really? That’s why you played so well.”

“Hehe.”

“Could you tell me how old you were when you started playing?”

Aeyeon thought for a moment, then spread his fingers and said.

“Three years old!”

“You learned early. Thank you for telling me, friend Aeyeon.”

A smile appeared on Jeong Mi-rae’s face, contrasting with the sweat flowing down.

Just as she was about to raise her voice to send Aeyeon away and call the next friend.

“Mi-rae teacher!”

Another teacher who had been watching the children whispered in a small voice.

“We need to go to the classroom now. It’s snack time.”

Looking at the watch on her wrist, the time had passed 9:10.

Since Jeong Mi-rae had received training and knew that snack time was important, she stood up from her chair.

“Friends who couldn’t play piano with teacher today, let’s do it together again tomorrow. Understood?”

At those words, some children whined as if disappointed.

But most nodded their heads saying they understood.

“Well then, teacher will be going. Enjoy your snacks and I’ll see you later.”

Jeong Mi-rae said those words and left the music room as if fleeing.

Just before closing the door, her eyes met with Hee-seong’s.

Though it was just a brief moment, Jeong Mi-rae seemed captivated by an inexplicable sensation.

“Hah…”

She collapsed in front of the music room door.

A sudden pain struck her wrist, which she thought had gotten better.

She thought she had escaped from the past, but she was still trapped.

Jeong Mi-rae gripped her wrist tightly and barely managed to let out a heavy sigh.

“Oh my, Mi-rae!”

Startled by the voice calling her, she jumped up from her spot.

When she turned her head, she saw who had called her.

“P-Principal…?”

“What are you doing here? Does your wrist hurt?”

“Oh, I’m, I’m fine…!”

Jeong Mi-rae hurriedly hid her wrist.

However, the sharp-eyed Principal caught Jeong Mi-rae and quickly headed to the Principal’s Office.

The Principal began wrapping a bandage around her right wrist.

In the quiet Principal’s Office, Jeong Mi-rae sat awkwardly, reading the atmosphere.

It was the Principal’s gentle voice that broke the silence.

“The children cried a lot, didn’t they?”

At the Principal’s question, Jeong Mi-rae nodded and said.

“So I took them to the music room. Music calms children down.”

“Well done. It’s killing two birds with one stone, watching the children while you’re at it.”

How were the children, how should they be taught – the two began talking normally.

Both their eyes were looking at Jeong Mi-rae’s wrist, but their conversation was the kind teachers would have.

Their conversation continued on.

After the Principal finished tying the bandage, she offered tea.

“How were the children?”

“They all did well. Some children played well, probably because they’ve been learning piano.”

“Were there any children you noticed?”

“Aeyeon. He did well, probably because he goes to academy. He seems to have talent too.”

“What about Hee-seong?”

This was because during the consultation with Hee-seong’s father Young-hoon, she was told the child had been learning piano since he was young.

Hee-seong’s performance that she heard when he came for the admission consultation was deeply etched in the Principal’s mind.

She had seen countless children’s performances, but only Hee-seong’s came to mind.

“I didn’t see Hee-seong today. I think I’ll have to see him tomorrow.”

“Good. When you hear Hee-seong’s performance, you’ll be very surprised, Mi-rae.”

“I hope so.”

Jeong Mi-rae gently rubbed her bandaged wrist.

The Principal, who had been slowly watching this, whispered softly.

Setting aside her position as Principal, she spoke as one person, as a teacher.

“Does it still hurt?”

“You know. This is just pain created from the past.”

“Mi-rae, you’ve been hurting for years now.”

The Principal was someone who knew Jeong Mi-rae’s past and understood her pain.

That’s why the Principal’s gaze was filled with sympathy.

Receiving that familiar gaze, Jeong Mi-rae slightly raised the corners of her mouth and said.

“I have to overcome it somehow. To escape from the past…”

“Yes. How could I win against your stubbornness.”

The Principal looked at the tea in her teacup and fell into thought.

It was hard to bear watching her former student trapped in pain.

This wasn’t a problem she could solve.

And since she couldn’t rashly give advice either, she fell into deep contemplation.

“Get close to the children. That’s all I can say.”

The Principal could say this because she too had healed past wounds with children’s laughter.

Jeong Mi-rae knew this too.

However, this wound wasn’t one that could easily heal with children’s laughter.

She smiled bitterly and said.

“I’ll try.”

Jeong Mi-rae was in charge of a total of 3 classes, including the Moran Class where Hee-seong and Aeyeon were.

So there were still many children she needed to check on.

Even if they couldn’t play piano, what the children liked, what songs they wanted to perform.

Jeong Mi-rae had a duty to know.

The parents had told her before admission, but Jeong Mi-rae wanted to hear it directly from the children.

Though they were 5 years old, children could also express their opinions.

Jeong Mi-rae listened to those opinions and ran around like this because she wanted the children to go down a better path.

“Well, I’ll be going. I still have classes left.”

“Will you be okay with your wrist hurting?”

“I’ll have to play with my left hand.”

“Sigh… Alright, I understand. Good work, Mi-rae.”

Jeong Mi-rae left the Principal’s Office and walked down the hallway, lost in thought.

There were still many children she hadn’t asked yet.

She even had other classes besides the Moran Class, so she had to busily move around.

‘I wonder what kind of music Hee-seong likes.’

Since the Principal had praised Hee-seong so much, Jeong Mi-rae was curious inside.

She resolved that tomorrow she must hear Hee-seong’s performance.

***

“Hee-seong. How was preschool?”

“It was good!”

After lunch time, Father came to pick me up.

It was my first day at preschool, and he probably came to pick me up personally in case I had a hard time.

In the car on the way home, Father couldn’t contain his curiosity and began a barrage of questions.

“Were there many pretty kids?”

I’m 5 years old, Father.

Isn’t that question a bit too early for your son?

I didn’t say that.

Instead, I decided to ask about something I was curious about.

“Oh, there’s a teacher who plays piano really well.”

“Really? Who could it be? Will you tell Dad?”

“Um… the teacher’s name was… Ah! It was Jeong Mi-rae!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Father’s eyebrows shot up.

Father’s reaction was clear enough that anyone could tell he was surprised.

He said in a loud voice.

“Really? That person is working as a teacher?”

“Yes! Is she someone really amazing?”

“Of course! Before Hee-seong was born, she played piano so well she was probably on TV too. You can still find her if you search now.”

“Really? I want to see!”

Father smoothly provided the information I wanted.

The hot afternoon sun heated up the car, and Father’s voice filled with memories was the same.

Just listening to Father’s explanation made my interest begin to bubble up.

“She suddenly disappeared, but she was working at a preschool.”

Hm? What’s that supposed to mean.

Father’s words made my curiosity about Jeong Mi-rae grow even more.

“Father, is Young Teacher going to disappear?”

Something deep in my chest was urging me to find out about her.

I didn’t refuse that urge.

I was curious about Jeong Mi-rae.

That smile I saw before she left the classroom wouldn’t easily fade from my memory.

Because Jeong Mi-rae’s lips had trembled as if something heavy was weighing on them.

I asked Father with curiosity about the modern pianist.

“Well, that is…”

Father opened his mouth, and the car was still driving down the road.

And a moment later.

“Is, is that really true?”

I couldn’t help but be shocked.

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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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