The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 61

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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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Neon signs flickered outside the hotel window.

 

Jeong Do-hyun was savoring the night view while sipping whiskey, glass in one hand.

 

Before he knew it, it was two in the morning. Though it was pitch-black dawn, it was nothing but familiar to Jeong Do-hyun.

 

For once, he had finished all the documents that needed immediate attention and was enjoying a brief moment of leisure.

 

Buzz—.

 

At the phone vibration that shattered that moment, Jeong Do-hyun’s eyebrow twitched. Seeing the name on the screen, he let out a small sigh before answering the call.

 

“Hello.”

 

—How are things, our CEO Jeong?

 

Jeong Tae-seong asked in a playful tone.

 

—How about it. I’m not stealing your busy time, am I?

 

“It’s two in the morning here.”

 

—Oh my. It’s only eight in the evening in Korea now.

 

“It doesn’t matter.”

 

Jeong Tae-seong apologized lightly with a “Sorry~” in a tone that wasn’t sorry at all. Then he immediately shifted the topic to what he wanted to talk about.

 

—How was it? Was it the student you were looking for? What did I tell you? I said you’d like them.

 

His attitude was confident.

 

And rightfully so. He had selected a student who met Jeong Do-hyun’s demanding standards and brought them before him.

 

In fact, hadn’t Jeong Do-hyun personally sought out Seol even before the performance ended and made a dinner proposal?

 

Unless he was quite taken with them, someone like Jeong Do-hyun wouldn’t have made such an impulsive move.

 

—This student transferred in recently, but their skills are exceptional. The professors are full of praise too. Even those picky Professor Baek Ga-hee and Professor Cha Moon-ho subtly join in when Seol’s name comes up, you know?

 

Jeong Tae-seong chuckled.

 

While pretending otherwise, it was obvious they wanted to talk about what Seol did in their classes.

 

—Those people are quite sensitive usually. Seol must really be something special. When I actually met with the piano department professors to talk, I barely heard anything about Seol. But from what I can see, they play piano brilliantly too. It’s like they suddenly became a completely different person. Maybe composition is their true calling?

 

“What’s your point?”

 

When Jeong Tae-seong started rambling unnecessarily, Jeong Do-hyun immediately cut him off.

 

Because he knew that once you start entertaining this, Jeong Tae-seong was the type who could talk by himself for an hour or two.

 

—Seol is going abroad to study?

 

“….”

 

—How about not sending them abroad and having them learn a bit more at Korea University? I mean, how long are we going to keep educating our country’s talent overseas? Our professors are paying special attention, so it would be better if Seol stayed at our Korea University…

 

“No.”

 

—What? No? Then what, are they jumping straight into the professional scene? With Seol’s skills, that would be possible too.

 

Jeong Do-hyun barely swallowed a sigh.

 

“…What I mean is, Seol won’t accept my sponsorship.”

 

—What? Didn’t you make the proposal during that dinner? After seeing those skills, what is there left to observe that you’re taking your time?!

 

“It’s not that I didn’t make the proposal, but they rejected it.”

 

—…Huh?

 

A stupid sound came through the receiver.

 

Jeong Tae-seong fell silent as if trying to grasp the situation. Soon after, just as Jeong Do-hyun moved the phone slightly away from his ear, he asked back at tremendous volume.

 

—Re-rejected? Seol rejected your sponsorship?!

 

“Yes.”

 

—Well, I’ll be.

 

Jeong Tae-seong couldn’t continue his words, then burst into hollow laughter.

 

—Seol really is different. Right? This is your first sponsorship rejection ever, isn’t it?

 

“If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”

 

—Ah, wait, wait! Our nephew is being too cold~.

 

Jeong Tae-seong chuckled and continued.

 

—Your stomach must be quite upset. To think you’d be rejected after going through the trouble of arranging a meeting and making a proposal.

 

“….”

 

—As expected, geniuses have some peculiar aspects.

 

A low voice followed.

 

—They don’t know reality well either.

 

A strange lingering feeling remained. Jeong Do-hyun took a sip of whiskey, then brought up another topic.

 

“Besides Seol, there’s something I want to ask about another scholarship student.”

 

—Ah, the other students are also quite skilled. As you saw, Cho Yun-je is also Su-yeon’s son. Se-ah would have been amazing too, but she couldn’t perform due to an accident.

 

“Not those two, there’s one more person, isn’t there.”

 

Jeong Do-hyun tried to recall a faint impression.

 

When Seol and the other students went back to the waiting room to change clothes, someone had stayed behind at the end and approached Jeong Do-hyun with a subtle tone.

 

The name he heard then was definitely…

 

—Ah, Mun Ah-rin?

 

Right. That was the name.

 

—That student isn’t bad either. If it weren’t for Seol, Ah-rin would have officially become a scholarship student. She’s kind, diligent, and has a decent reputation. Her relationships with classmates are also smooth. However…

 

Jeong Tae-seong hesitated for a moment, then continued in a cautious tone.

 

—Her relationship with Seol is a bit… somehow subtle.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

—Well. Last time Ah-rin came to me for counseling and opened up about something. She said Seol subtly bullies her, I guess. But when you actually see them together, they just look like close friends.

 

Seol bullying someone. He couldn’t imagine it at all.

 

With those upright eyes?

 

—Of course, as a third party, I can’t know what goes on between the two of them. Even after saying that, Ah-rin seems to get along well with Seol. Sometimes there seems to be a subtle tension in the atmosphere between them. Anyway, it’s hard to simply call them ‘friends.’

 

“Hmm. I see.”

 

—But what’s this about? Taking interest in other students.

 

Jeong Tae-seong’s puzzled mood could be felt even through the phone.

 

Mun Ah-rin was certainly an excellent student, but that was only an evaluation based on diligent class participation and a pleasant attitude.

 

Next to students like Cho Yun-je or Seol, she was bound to appear dim.

 

But for the thoroughly meritocratic Jeong Do-hyun to take interest in Mun Ah-rin. It was quite unexpected.

 

“Well.”

 

Jeong Do-hyun chuckled and muttered.

 

“I saw something interesting.”

 

—Interesting?

 

“Never mind. I was rejected for sponsorship this time, but I’ll find out soon enough.”

 

Jeong Do-hyun swirled his whiskey glass. The pale brown liquid swayed, creating beautiful ripples.

 

“That the world isn’t so easy.”

 

The brilliant night view was reflected in the whiskey glass.

 

Jeong Do-hyun gazed at it quietly, then gulped it down.

 

Such was the way of the world. Jeong Do-hyun was in a position where he could control that city at will if he set his mind to it.

 

Without a protective barrier to shield from the rough storms of the world,

 

small boats were bound to capsize easily.

 

—Um, CEO. Actually, there’s something I’d like to carefully mention.

 

Especially,

 

—Seol… has such outstanding skills that the school has high expectations, and there seems to be a lot of pressure in various ways. We’re a bit worried about that. It seems like they’re pushing themselves too hard.

 

If hands trying to pull down from close by were added to that.

 

—Especially this performance, it was originally a piece I was preparing together with them. But Seol suddenly said they’d do it alone…

 

Jeong Do-hyun looked at Mun Ah-rin’s smile.

 

On the surface, she looked proper.

 

Her eyes were clear, and her voice was calm.

 

But within that, he saw a burning desire flickering.

 

-Ah, I’m sorry. Please keep it a secret that I said these things.

 

Jeong Do-hyun had seen many people like this. Pretense, ambition, inferiority complex. Such things always gave off a stench that was impossible to hide.

 

-Seol is truly a genius. Sometimes it looks painful for her, which breaks my heart, but if someone like you, CEO, could give her strong support from the side, I think Seol might be able to open her heart a little.

 

Jeong Do-hyun had an intuition.

 

This woman would destroy Seol.

 

He tilted his head and looked at Mun Ah-rin’s face again.

 

In those eyes, flames of desire blazed.

 

Though it was just a small spark now, it would surely become a massive wildfire someday, turning everything around it into scorched earth.

 

-I apologize for the intrusion.

 

‘I’ll need to take action.’

 

Jeong Do-hyun had no intention of just standing by and watching Seol get swept up in those flames and turn to ash.

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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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