The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 23

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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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In an instant, my body froze under the gazes pouring toward me.

I was always used to standing behind Mun Ah-rin. Even with Mun Ah-rin standing in front, having those gazes reach me was a first.

“Your name was Yoon Seol, right?”

“There aren’t many people whose names Professor Baek Ga-hee remembers like that. You must have been amazing during the transfer exam.”

“Wow, how did you catch all that? It was only 10 seconds, but there were so many instruments.”

“I heard you were from the piano department. Right?”

Questions followed one after another in succession.

I blinked in bewilderment, then smiled slightly and nodded.

“Piano department is correct.”

“I knew it!”

“Oh right. You’re the same age as Ah-rin, right? Then just speak casually with us too~.”

“Right. We’re friends anyway.”

“You were so cool earlier. Did you get one over on Baek Ga-hee? She always embarrasses kids who are late like that. This time she got it back~.”

“Oh, exactly. Totally satisfying.”

Laughter bloomed like flowers.

“Perfect pitch, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I knew it. I thought so.”

“Hey, do you think all perfect pitch is the same? I have perfect pitch too.”

“At least you have that. I’m always at the bottom during ear training tests.”

“Isn’t Seol’s level like Cho Yun-je’s?”

Cho Yun-je?

I tilted my head at the unfamiliar name.

“Seol probably doesn’t know? There’s this kid. He’s our classmate who’s called a genius. The professors absolutely adore him.”

“He was also born with perfect pitch like you.”

“Almost Mozart level or something. You know? That famous Mozart anecdote.”

Of course I knew.

The story of 14-year-old Mozart hearing a 9-part choral piece once and transcribing it exactly onto sheet music was famous enough that everyone knew it.

There’s a genius comparable to that Mozart?

‘I never heard this story before my regression.’

If there was a genius who monopolized the professors’ favor to that extent, wouldn’t he have stood out later too? But it was strange that even the name was unfamiliar.

“So what? He just has good ears.”

“That’s true.”

“Pfft.”

The atmosphere subtly changed somehow.

Then,

Someone suddenly held out their phone.

“Can you give me your phone number?”

“Huh?”

I was dumbfounded again at the sudden suggestion.

“We could do assignments together later. And grab meals when our free periods overlap.”

“Right. You probably don’t know a lot since you transferred departments. It’d be good to get close with classmates~.”

I flinched without realizing it.

Having someone reach out first felt awkward. But it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Just as I was about to cautiously reach out my hand.

“What should we do? Seol is a bit shy around strangers.”

Mun Ah-rin stood blocking my way.

“And we have our next class right after this, but the lecture hall is pretty far, so if we don’t hurry we’ll be late. Seol, let’s go quickly!”

“Huh?”

“We’ll head out first!”

Mun Ah-rin spoke as if cutting off my words and grabbed my hand to pull me along.

I tried to shake free, but Mun Ah-rin’s grip was firm so I couldn’t. While I was bewildered, I found myself walking down the building corridor with Mun Ah-rin.

Mun Ah-rin’s profile as she walked ahead seemed unfamiliar today.

‘No, was she always like this?’

Subtly blocking those who tried to approach me, trying to confine me within her world.

I had vaguely noticed it in the past too. But I thought it didn’t matter. I only needed Mun Ah-rin anyway.

I thought we had an implicit agreement to monopolize each other, since I didn’t want Mun Ah-rin to make other friends besides me either.

But….

“Why did you do that?”

I asked Mun Ah-rin.

“We have 30 minutes until our next class.”

“….”

Mun Ah-rin stopped abruptly.

When she whirled around, her face was filled with worry.

“Seol, nothing good will come from getting close with those girls.”

“What?”

“You saw earlier. How they were talking about Cho Yun-je.”

The atmosphere did change suddenly. It felt uncomfortable somehow, like they were mocking that kid.

“Those girls gossip a lot and are bad quality. If you gave them your number, they’d whine for you to come to drinking parties, then spread every word you say to their close friends and make you look weird.”

She spat out thorny words in a definitive tone.

“I’m not even that close with them. They just pretended to be friendly because they wanted to talk to you.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah. I blocked them because I was worried you’d get into trouble. I didn’t mean anything else by it. …Was I being too meddlesome?”

Looking at her face smiling sheepishly, it seemed like she really had no other intentions.

“I just don’t talk about it much, but there are a lot of weird kids in our department. They only sparkle on the surface, but they’re rotten inside. Getting close to them will only give you headaches.”

Mun Ah-rin’s tone was gentle and affectionate. Like someone trying to protect me.

“So… if you want to make friends in the future.”

Mun Ah-rin grabbed both my shoulders. Despite her appearance, she put in strong force that was slightly painful.

In that state, she whispered in my ear.

“Ask me first. Which kids are okay, who you shouldn’t get close to. I’ll tell you everything.”

“….”

“You understand, right? It’s a secret from the other kids that I told you this stuff?”

Mun Ah-rin stepped back slightly and winked at me.

I smiled briefly and nodded.

“Yeah. I will.”

Only then did Mun Ah-rin smile with satisfaction.

“Alright, let’s go to our next class!”

***

“Everyone please submit your assignments over here~.”

The teaching assistant called out from the front. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out sheet music.

Then Mun Ah-rin naturally extended her hand.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why.”

Mun Ah-rin answered with clear eyes as if it was the natural course of action.

“What about mine?”

“Yours?”

“Yeah. When we got the assignment last time, you definitely said it. That it was a chance to get evaluated by the professor, so you’d yield it to me.”

I flipped through my music folder and tilted my head.

“Did I? Ah… Sorry. I forgot.”

Mun Ah-rin’s eyes instantly widened.

“What?”

“No. You clearly said you’d contribute ideas too and find reference songs. Since there was no particular discussion about it, I just assumed you were handling it.”

“…So you really didn’t do it?”

“Yeah.”

Mun Ah-rin looked incredulous. Her face seemed to turn pale.

I added nonchalantly.

“You should have asked at least once in the middle if I was doing well.”

Mun Ah-rin’s lips trembled. She seemed to want to say something but barely held back. The corners of her eyes quivered.

“Seol. You said you’d do it, so what am I supposed to do if you suddenly act like this? Then at least give me your assignment.”

“Each person was given a different song, so that won’t work, right?”

“Then what are we supposed to do…! Hah.”

Mun Ah-rin choked up but barely held it in.

Her face was rigidly frozen, as if her insides were churning.

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Don’t worry about it. Ah-rin, you usually do so well that not submitting one assignment won’t be anything.”

I smiled and added one more thing.

“Unlike me.”

And before Mun Ah-rin could react, I went to the teaching assistant, told them my student number, and submitted my assignment.

The teaching assistant seemed to be checking who had submitted assignments, making marks next to the attendance sheet.

Even until I returned after submitting my assignment, Mun Ah-rin still didn’t look well. Her lips were blue with shock.

Just then, the lecture hall door opened.

“Alright, alright! Everyone take your seats~.”

It was Jeong Tae-seong’s entrance.

When the teaching assistant handed over the organized assignments and list, Jeong Tae-seong received them with a boisterous greeting.

“Look at this. Everyone says they can’t do it, can’t do it, but you all did so well. Right?”

“Ugh.”

“It was hard~.”

Even as the students booed, Jeong Tae-seong didn’t care.

“I don’t need to call attendance today, right? I’ll substitute with the assignment submission sheet? Anyone who didn’t do today’s assignment~ raise your hand. Your hand!”

I looked around, but no one raised their hand.

I poked Mun Ah-rin.

“Ah-rin, you need to raise your hand. What if you get marked absent?”

When I whispered quietly, Mun Ah-rin bit her lips tightly, then slowly raised her hand.

“Everyone did well, no one’s… Huh?”

Jeong Tae-seong looked at Mun Ah-rin with a surprised expression.

“Ah-rin didn’t do the assignment this time?”

All the students in the lecture hall looked at Mun Ah-rin. Mun Ah-rin nodded with her face flushed red.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no. Even if it’s late, if you submit the assignment, I’ll give you half the assignment points, so submit it by next week. I’ll mark you present for now~.”

Jeong Tae-seong scribbled something on the attendance sheet, then lifted his head up and asked.

“But what happened? You usually do things meticulously and well.”

“Well…”

Mun Ah-rin’s gaze slowly reached me.

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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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