The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 22

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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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A subtle smile spread across Professor Baek Ga-hee’s lips.

Clap clap clap!

“Good. That was excellent.”

At praise from Baek Ga-hee, famous for being strict, the students still wore dazed expressions.

As if they couldn’t believe what they’d just witnessed, their mouths half-open.

“You may go in.”

After bowing politely, I walked steadily toward the back. Professor Baek Ga-hee’s voice echoed behind me.

“As you all can see, a student with this level of skill is allowed to be late to class. They probably already know all the content anyway.”

On my way past, I saw Lee Hyun-ji and her group.

When I nodded in greeting, Lee Hyun-ji looked startled. Han So-yeon made a tsk sound and turned her head away sharply.

Yu Da-yeon gave me a little wave, and Choi Dong-hyeok grinned.

“Who is that guy?”

“He’s a transfer student.”

“I heard he’s from the piano department?”

“He must have perfect pitch. But I’ve never seen this level of perfect pitch before.”

Whispers spread like wildfire.

I pretended not to notice all the commotion and sat down next to Mun Ah-rin.

Only then did Mun Ah-rin snap to attention, looking apologetic.

“Sorry, Seol. It’s my fault for no reason.”

“…No. It’s my fault for being late.”

Whether what she said about confusing professors was true or not. That was something only Mun Ah-rin would know.

“You were amazing earlier. I knew you had perfect pitch, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”

Mun Ah-rin offered praise with reddened cheeks. Her gently curved eyes held a strange light.

“Did you practice separately or something? When you were preparing for the transfer exam?”

The flames burning intensely in her pupils couldn’t be hidden. Mun Ah-rin was jealous of my talent right now.

“No. I didn’t do any practice like that.”

I smiled briefly and opened my textbook.

“My hearing was always good.”

“Ah… Really?”

I deliberately responded as if I didn’t notice.

“It’s not really that amazing. Having good hearing doesn’t make you good at composition.”

“Mm-hmm. That’s true.”

Mun Ah-rin responded with a forced smile.

Soon after, as Professor Baek Ga-hee’s class continued, we both turned to face forward and began focusing on the lesson.

But somehow, if I said Mun Ah-rin’s face seemed subtly more rigid than before, would that have been my imagination?

***

“You couldn’t find them?”

Jeong Do-hyun’s voice was low, but suppressed urgency seeped through. From the other end of the phone came the sound of Jeong Tae-seong chuckling.

-Hmm. Who knows?

Jeong Do-hyun’s gaze turned coldly distant.

-That’s what I always told you. Show your face to the students more often, get acquainted with them. I told you to do that, didn’t I? I said it would add some vitality to your dreary life!

“…”

-Always running away and avoiding them, then only coming to me when you’re desperate? That’s not a good habit.

As Jeong Tae-seong’s words dragged on, Jeong Do-hyun asked once more in a firm tone.

“Did you find them or not?”

Anyone else would have frozen up and started stammering.

Jeong Do-hyun’s sharp rebuke had the power to make even veteran staff members tense up.

But it was useless against Jeong Tae-seong alone.

-Hehe. Even if I knew, would it be right for me to carelessly leak student information when they don’t want it?

You found them.

Jeong Do-hyun immediately sensed it.

Though Jeong Tae-seong was a frivolous character, he wasn’t the type to boast when he had nothing.

‘He has someone in mind to some degree, but he’s speaking indirectly because they don’t want to meet.’

When all was said and done, it seemed Jeong Tae-seong also cared for his nephew. There was no way he wouldn’t know that Jeong Do-hyun would pick up on his indirect hints.

-Young people these days are so sensitive about personal information leaks and such. If I mess up, I could lose my department head position?

Jeong Do-hyun swallowed a sigh and spoke bluntly.

“Professor Jeong. Do you know how expensive every minute and second of my time is? Even wasting time like this is regrettable.”

-Oh my.

“You know how much I pour into Korea University in scholarships every year.”

If you take money, you pay the equivalent price – that’s the way of the world.

For Jeong Do-hyun, now was exactly the right time.

That enormous amount he’d poured into Korea University as scholarships. If he thought of it as the price for finding one composer who caught his eye, wasn’t it a decent deal?

-Hahaha. Our nephew. But what won’t work, won’t work.

“…”

-My brother really raised his child wrong. Thinking everything in the world can be solved with money!

Jeong Do-hyun pressed his fingertips firmly against his brow.

-Come and look for yourself.

“…Are you serious?”

Jeong Do-hyun was already living by cutting into his sleep.

Every day was scheduled by the minute, yet he was telling him to look for himself. How could such an irresponsible statement exist?

-Can’t help it. I can’t force a meeting on a student who doesn’t want to meet, and I can’t just hand over student information to an outsider like you either.

Jeong Tae-seong’s voice carried amusement, as if he found this situation entertaining.

-But a scholarship foundation director watching students’ recitals and having a private meeting with a student of ‘exceptional talent’… that’s not such a strange picture, is it?

He was saying he’d somehow arrange a meeting with that student.

Jeong Do-hyun quickly checked his schedule. Even briefly would be fine. If there was a day when he could spare even an hour.

“…A month from now seems possible.”

That was the earliest point.

And even that was assuming everything went smoothly without a hitch.

-Good. It’s your schedule anyway, so it’d be faster to discuss with Secretary Kim than with you. So you’ve decided to come? Hm?

“Understood.”

-Sheesh. Our nephew’s face is damn expensive. Fine. Then I’ll see you at the recital in a month. I’ll personally arrange a spot backstage then.

“I’ll be counting on you.”

Click.

Jeong Do-hyun immediately hung up. There was no point holding on longer since he’d just bother him with pointless chatter.

He looked over documents with one hand while resuming the music he’d paused.

-♩♪♬♪

【Mercury】 began flowing from the speakers.

Soft humming penetrated his ears.

Jeong Do-hyun briefly closed his eyes tightly. His sharp expression gradually relaxed.

It was a beautiful piece even on repeated listening.

The layered melodies were strangely beautiful. Jeong Do-hyun found himself unconsciously tapping out the beat with his fingers.

When he first heard this piece, how his spine had tingled.

He knew immediately. That he’d been wandering in search of music like this. That he’d finally met someone who could quench his long thirst.

Jeong Do-hyun slowly opened his eyes.

His cold gaze remained the same, but within it flickered a faint light.

‘I can’t let this slip away.’

It was the gaze of a predator stalking its prey.

***

[ SYSTEM – V1.0 ]

> Congratulations!

> You have secured a connection with an important figure (□□□).

> Normal trajectory recovery rate: 8%

‘What?’

I blinked my eyes.

I hadn’t done anything, yet the normal trajectory recovery rate had risen from 7% to 8%. It wasn’t a high number, but it was puzzling that it had suddenly increased.

“Seol, what are you doing?”

“Nothing. Just a moment.”

When I stopped packing and stared blankly into space, Mun Ah-rin urged me on. I quickly moved my hands again and put my textbook into my bag.

“I’m going to my part-time job now. What about you, Seol?”

“I’m going home. I have a lot of assignments too.”

I also had to finalize the contract matter with Min Chan-hyeok, and somehow all the professors seemed to love giving out assignments.

Did they all think students only took their classes?

“Right. There really are so many assignments! The professors are too much…”

“Ah-rin!”

Just then, several students called out Mun Ah-rin’s name and approached with big steps. Were they Mun Ah-rin’s friends?

I looked at their faces, but they weren’t familiar.

“Looks like we’re taking the same class!”

“Did you have a good break?”

“Did you lose weight? Or did you dye your hair?”

I quietly stepped back from their noisy chatter.

This kind of thing happened often even before my regression. Mun Ah-rin drew everyone’s attention wherever she went, so when I came to my senses, I would find myself standing a few steps behind, watching Mun Ah-rin sparkle brilliantly.

It was a familiar occurrence.

Just as I was about to take another step back.

“But is this your friend?”

“Your pitch recognition skills were amazing earlier.”

“Nice to meet you!”

Huh.

I hesitated as attention suddenly turned to me.

This had never happened before…

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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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