God of Piano

“Awesome, great love!”

On the sofa in the library common room. Kate continued to mumble, unable to take her eyes off her phone screen. The first audition acceptance email from Carnegie Mellon University appeared on the palm-sized screen.

“No matter how I look at it, I can’t believe it. do you believe I’m stuck!”

“okay. It stuck.”

Rowoon nodded. For the second day, Kate continued to reflect on the happiness of passing the first round. She stared at the email as if she were going to kiss her phone, then slowly turned to Rowoon as if she realized something.

“But if you and I both stick together until the second round, then it’s going to be really far away.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter where you go, no matter which university you go to, you’ll get farther away. It’s because they are all far away.”

“I only thought that America’s vastness was an advantage…”

She muttered, but it wasn’t hard to guess what she meant to say after that. However, as always, she did not hold on to the problem for which she could not find an answer for long. Instead, he smiled.

“Anyway, let’s celebrate what is to be celebrated. There is nothing else I can do.”

“congratulations. sincerely.”

“thank you. Thanks to you.”

“…is it thanks to me?”

“Honestly, I was stunned. Even when I looked at my performance, there was nothing competitive about it. But after listening to the advice you gave me… should I say that I’ve become something special. It was good.”

At Kate’s words, Rowoon scratched his head as if embarrassed. In fact, the things I told Kate were things I came to understand naturally after following the guidance of Walkman. In fact, it was the same that he was also a person who played without understanding the original composer.

Kate continued.

“But after seeing how calm you were after you got attached, I thought it would be no big deal if you actually got attached… but isn’t that true? I feel great! I think I will be able to smile even if someone hits me!”

“Was I indifferent?”

“huh. very. The first time you checked your email, you didn’t even smile, so I thought you were gone. Oh, or maybe that’s it? Aren’t you glad you passed because you have to separate from the girlfriend you love?”

“Uh… that’s right. Right. It is because of it.”

“What is it, you answer so soullessly?”

Facing Kate’s pale eyes, Rowoon smiled silently. To be honest, Rowoon couldn’t help but be surprised when he was notified that he had passed the first round. It was because I thought it was a natural result. If he were a judge, he was confident he would never drop him. The performance he sent was at the level of confidence.

Even Baum was about to say this right away.

— No need to wait for an announcement. Get ready for the second audition right away.

— Is that okay? If it ever falls…

— You’re not serious, are you? California Conservatory professors aren’t stupid enough to drop you.

However, it was not Baum that Rowoon believed, but his performance that made Baum have no choice but to say that.

‘The performance journal was great.’

Baum has always given Rowoon good reviews lately, but nevertheless, when he presented Prelude No. 4, which he had read from Chopin’s performance journal, his reaction was extraordinary. It had to be. Even in Rowoon’s eyes, the performance he showed at that time was far beyond his limits.

It is a performance stolen from Chopin. Some may point fingers at him saying that it is not his true performance, but it cannot be denied that the performance itself is beautiful.

In the 2nd audition, in addition to all the songs sent to the 1st audition, online application, two more songs had to be presented. One had to be all songs that guaranteed play time of 10 minutes or more, and the other was a sonata by one of Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart.

Haydn, Beethoven, or Mozart has already been decided. And another one too.

Chopin.

Precisely, we have already decided which song to play, and we have already started practicing. There was no reason to hesitate. It was Chopin that he had the highest understanding of right now, and it was clear that he could best express Chopin’s music.

“Uh, Ron. Kate.”

“Milla!”

After waiting for a while, a familiar face entered the break room. While Kate flashed her arm and waved it, Rowoon looked at Mila with a strange expression.

“Why is your voice so hoarse?”

“……Ah, sometimes.”

“Wasn’t it that you guys sang the song with a double voice so it wouldn’t strain your throat?”

“It’s not that the group doesn’t go at all. And it’s not because I sang the wrong song. Just uh, um… a cold. huh. It’s a cold.”

“Manage properly. If you’re hoarse at a time like this, there’s no excuse. The professors there would just say that it wasn’t self-management.”

“okay. okay. Why are you nagging me as soon as we run into each other again? nagging.”

Mila rolled her eyes and sat down next to Kate. Kate looked at Mila, twitching her lips.

“right. Milla. You said you passed the first round of Juilliard? congratulations!”

“Ah, thank you. I heard you became Carnegie Mellon too.”

“Oh, you know?”

Kate laughed softly. After the first round, she seemed to be happy no matter what she did. Rowoon looked at Kate for a while, then returned his gaze to Mila. I suddenly felt that the hoarseness of her voice was not the same as yesterday or today.

But Rowoon stopped worrying. Mila wasn’t an idiot, and she was a person who would take good care of her neck.

And he had an important job ahead. As already mentioned, among the three, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, he had already decided whose piece he would play. Ever since I realized the ability of the Walkman, I always had this in my heart.

The time has come to say hello to ‘Maksung’.

#

“Prelude No. 4!”

cried Donati. His outstretched fingers were pointed at a man with a desolate face that seemed unlikely to lift an eyebrow even in a typhoon. Donatti exclaimed in a triumphant voice.

“That funny guy you talked about the other day, right? uh?”

“well. I don’t know.”

“I don’t know! He was the only one you dared to describe as ‘interesting’.”

“You know you can’t say it’s right, even if it’s right.”

“……Well, that’s the case. Anyways… yes, let’s say I don’t know. what the hell is that kid? There wasn’t a single contest written in your career that sounded like it, right?”

“What more do I know? I am no different from you.”

“I didn’t ask. admired. No, not even admiration. It was amazing.”

“It must have been strange.”

Corrected by Professor Aiden Hahn. Donatti thought for a moment and then nodded.

“······okay. It was strange. The sensibility you want to convey is far above, but the movement of your fingers… Have you ever been hurt somewhere? The truth is, your skills are ridiculously amazing, but did it happen after an accident and after rehabilitation?”

“Don’t think about guessing. You will find out eventually.”

Han said sullenly. Donatti looked at such resentment and said quietly.

“Aiden. I felt Chopin in his playing.”

“Since you played Chopin’s pieces, it’s only natural that you feel Chopin.”

“You know it’s not like that, right? You tipped me off first, so why are you pretending not to be interested now?”

Han remained silent. He looked at Donatti in silence, then opened his mouth slowly.

“I don’t want excitement to turn into excitement.”

“… Let’s watch for now, is this?”

“I don’t know what that student will look like at the audition, but it’s not too late to judge after that.”

“okay? But I guess I’ll have to make that decision first.”

Donatti’s eyes burned.

“I want to be the professor in charge of that guy.”

“…”

“If you can’t tell if it’s fluttering or fluttering yet, you don’t have any regrets, right?”

“Do we need to have this conversation already? I haven’t even passed yet.”

“Are you really worried about whether this guy can pass or not?”

“I know the sprouts are good, but they are less ripe.”

“So you are a student. That’s why teaching is fun.”

Han’s eyes narrowed at Donatti’s words. It seemed that his colleague had fallen for the young Chopin quite well, more than he had thought. Donatti urged.

“Are you not interested? yes?”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t interested.”

“Oh, I knew that.”

Donatti grinned as if he hadn’t expected it in the first place. That prelude was a prelude that pianists could never let go of. As a professor, he is a coveted student. It was no different than Han.

Facing Han’s confused expression, Donatti clenched his fists. I wanted to meet the young Chopin soon. I wanted to see the potential of his playing with his own two ears.

‘Was it Rowan Lee?’

It’s a difficult name.

However, Donatti was confident that he would not forget the name.

#

When he finished playing, Rowoon’s body was drenched in sweat.

It’s not that the practice room was hot. It wasn’t even an intense workout. However, while playing, he had to feel the weight and burden as if a sandbag was suspended all over his body. It was rather fortunate that it ended to the extent that my body was drenched in sweat.

He looked at the Walkman for a while. He couldn’t even pick up his earphones. It’s not that I’m afraid of being criticized. I was used to the days of receiving harsh criticism from them. However, it’s just that I’m not ready to face him yet.

Inhale slowly. Exhale. Clench and open your fists. I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants, moistened my dry lips, and then grabbed the Walkman.

Things including the score of the performance dryly pass by my ears. Rowoon slowly waited for his voice.

And the malignant said.

[A deaf person. ]

＜ Music of the Deaf (1) ＞ End

＜ Performance by the Deaf (2) ＞