The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 43
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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 test?”
“Yeah. A test.”
I emphasized it once more.
“Your mother is coming, right? To this scholarship recital.”
“…”
“It’s the perfect opportunity to let her hear your music. If you get her recognition then, that’s it. You can prove that the path you chose is right.”
“Ha. You think it’s as easy as it sounds?”
Cho Yun-je’s eyes turned sharp again. They held a mixture of suspicion, wariness, and a hint of curiosity.
“If it were easy, it wouldn’t be a test.”
I chuckled.
“The choice is yours. But wouldn’t it be better to at least try once, rather than crying your eyes out and being forced to go on an escapist study abroad?”
“…You said my music was terrible.”
Cho Yun-je muttered in a sulky tone.
“Boring, predictable, simple composition, sounds like something I’ve heard somewhere before, and strangely doesn’t stick in your ears!”
How did he remember all that? It must have really stuck with him.
“But how am I supposed to get my mother’s recognition? Wouldn’t it just prove that my mother was right? I’d only become a laughingstock.”
Cho Yun-je gave a bitter smile.
“In that case, it would be better to just step back on my own.”
“Then do that.”
When I readily nodded, Cho Yun-je flinched.
“If that’s what you think, then go ahead and do it.”
“You… how can you give up so quickly…?”
“Because I can’t force you.”
Instead, I just hoped he’d go study abroad as quickly as possible so I could find the next scholarship student for Seol’s scholarship recital.
When I spoke matter-of-factly, Cho Yun-je looked dumbfounded.
“…You said I have talent.”
“Yeah. You do. But if you don’t want to, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“You said my music was terrible.”
“Yeah. It is terrible.”
“How is that possible?”
“Having talent doesn’t mean you can create good music from the start.”
When I replied calmly, Cho Yun-je’s expression changed subtly.
“Even a rough stone needs to be polished to become a gem. Of course that process won’t be easy. If you don’t have the confidence to endure it, well. Even if it’s a rough stone, what can you do? You’ll just live as a pebble.”
“…”
“I’ll ask you one last time.”
There was no reason to keep indulging his whining any longer.
“Will you try? Or will you give up?”
When I held out my hand, Cho Yun-je quietly looked down at it.
A brief silence passed. The wind tickled our hair. Cho Yun-je finally let out a very long, deep sigh.
And then he took my hand.
His fingertips were cold from however long he’d been on the rooftop, and they were trembling, but he didn’t run away.
“I’ll try.”
Cho Yun-je whispered softly.
“I want to try.”
At that moment, a system window appeared.
[ SYSTEM – V1.0 ]
> Congratulations!
> You have successfully used ‘Relationship Free Pass (A)’.
[ SYSTEM – SUB QUEST ]
> Prove ‘Cho Yun-je’!
> Content: You have decided to prove Cho Yun-je’s talent. He doesn’t even believe in himself, so can he truly demonstrate his worth? Help the character Cho Yun-je spread his wings.
> Achievement Condition: Recognition from character ‘Oh Su-yeon’
> Rewards:
1. Character ‘Cho Yun-je’s Trust +100
2. Character ‘Oh Su-yeon’s Recognition +20
3. Skill ‘Gem Appraisal’
> Penalty:
1. Character ‘Cho Yun-je’s Distrust +100
2. Character ‘Cho Yun-je’ will permanently turn against you as an enemy.
‘So this becomes a Quest too.’
That admiration was brief. Looking at the rewards and penalties, I almost gaped.
Trust, recognition, skills – all of that was fine. But the phrase ‘will permanently turn against you as an enemy’ in the penalty section bothered me.
Permanently.
Didn’t that mean this relationship could never be recovered by any means? How extreme.
Then again, this was a system that gave hearing impairment as a penalty.
In a way, it seemed natural.
‘Then the rewards must be equally good to match this?’
More than anything else, I was tempted by the skill.
‘Gem Appraisal. Just from the name, it seems like it would give me the ability to recognize talented people.’
If so, it would make future music work much easier.
Creating music doesn’t require just one composer. At minimum, if I could find even one lyricist…
“But what exactly do I need to do?”
Just then, Cho Yun-je’s words broke my thoughts. I made the Quest window disappear, then smiled brightly at Cho Yun-je, who was looking at me with tense eyes.
“What do you mean what? We have to keep going until we succeed.”
“…What?”
As if sensing something ominous, Cho Yun-je’s complexion turned pale.
“By the way, I don’t go easy on anyone, okay?”
If I pushed him hard enough to make him want to die, something would come out of it.
***
“Good work everyone~!”
“Everyone did great!”
“We’re meeting again at 9 tomorrow, right? See you then.”
One by one, they said goodbye and left the practice room. Kang Se-a rolled her wrists as she carefully put her guitar in its case.
Mun Ah-rin absentmindedly touched the piano keys while watching everyone else leave.
Click.
After the last person left, only Kang Se-a and Mun Ah-rin remained in the practice room.
“Hm? Junior, why? Do you have something to talk about?”
Kang Se-a tilted her head and looked at Mun Ah-rin. Mun Ah-rin scratched the back of her neck awkwardly and said.
“Well, actually… Senior, are Yun-je and Seol getting along okay these days?”
Kang Se-a’s eyebrows twitched as if asking what she meant.
“Why?”
“It’s just, you mentioned before that those two seemed to not be getting along well. I’ve been worried ever since. …The scholarship recital isn’t far away either.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’m also worried that Seol might be having a hard time.”
Mun Ah-rin acted as if she was beside herself with worry about Seol.
Kang Se-a zipped up her case with a light chuckle.
“It looks like you two made up~?”
“…Oh, really?”
“Yeah! Whenever I go to the practice room these days, you two are always together. That’s why I’ve been booking and using a different practice room.”
“I see. That’s good to hear.”
“But you know what.”
Kang Se-a picked up her guitar and stood up, then looked directly at Mun Ah-rin and asked.
“You said Seol is your friend. Why are you asking me instead of asking her directly?”
“Huh? Oh, well… Seol doesn’t really talk to me much about scholarship-related stuff. I’m being silly, aren’t I? Sorry. I guess I was being nosy.”
Mun Ah-rin smiled softly and took a step back. But she didn’t forget to add a subtle remark.
“Actually, I really wanted to be the scholarship student. I desperately needed the scholarship money… Hehe. But since Seol got it, I don’t need to worry about it anymore.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. At first I was a bit surprised since Seol knew all about my situation and didn’t even need the scholarship money. But now I’m totally fine with it. Seol just got it because she’s more skilled than me!”
Mun Ah-rin spoke while trying to act cheerful. To others, she would have looked like an admirable person bravely trying to overcome all kinds of hardships and difficulties.
“Right. The scholarship money is important, but the scholarship student represents our department, so it should be decided by skill level.”
Kang Se-a responded as if it was no big deal.
“That’s right. I think so too.”
Mun Ah-rin agreed with a smiling face.
“And did you tell her properly?”
“Huh?”
Yoon Seol doesn’t seem like the type of person who would be greedy about something like that. If you had told her that, she might have given it up.”
“…Do you think so?”
“Just saying.”
Kang Se-a just shrugged. She didn’t want to get involved in the affairs between underclassmen she didn’t know well.
“Anyway. I reserved this practice room until 12, so practice more if you want to.”
“Oh, I was planning to practice just a little more before leaving.”
Kang Se-a slung her guitar over her shoulder and waved her hand, stopping short of turning off the practice room lights.
“Alright then.”
Kang Se-a smoothly opened the door and headed outside.
Kang Se-a’s figure gradually disappeared into the distance.
Meanwhile, Mun Ah-rin’s face, left alone behind, slowly hardened. The good-natured smile she had been wearing just moments ago vanished without a trace.
Mun Ah-rin quietly opened her bag and took something out.
Clank.
A heavy, dull sound rang out.
Swoosh,
A hammer revealed itself under the fluorescent light. The rippling light over the metal seemed to faintly reflect Mun Ah-rin’s distorted face.
Mun Ah-rin took a long, deep breath.
Step, step.
Walking silently,
She could see Kang Se-a just heading toward the stairs.
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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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