Chapter 75
Junwoo, sitting on the sofa on the terrace of the InterCity Hotel Bonn, held his cell phone and boasted enthusiastically.
"Yes, Mom! I made it to the third round! Huh? There are only ten left! Your son made it to the top 10! Can you believe it? Huh? Soo-hyun? Mom, how could Soo-hyun have failed if I made it to the third round?"
Junwoo, who until recently had been full of rivalry towards Soo-hyun, had completely changed. Even when he called his mother to boast about his grades, he seemed to be acknowledging that Soo-hyun was superior to him.
The two sisters who were drinking wine on the terrace couldn't understand Korean, but they seemed to know that Junwoo was boasting to his family and looked at him with pleased eyes.
"Yes! I heard that a famous professor named Hermann from the Munich Conservatory of Music even invited me to Germany. Really? Yes, yes! Isn't that great? Oh, well, I'll go in about a year…"
Junwoo, who was enthusiastically boasting to his mother, turned around at the sound of the elevator and saw Soo-hyun coming down. Junwoo hastily hung up the phone.
"I'll call you later!"
The older sister noticed. It was a little strange that he hung up so suddenly when Soo-hyun appeared. She whispered something to her younger sister as she watched Soo-hyun approach.
"That call just now, did you think it was to his parents?""Yes, that's what it seemed like.""But when Soo-hyun arrived, he hung up in a hurry. What could it be?""Well? Isn't this the kind of absurd plot twist you see in Korean dramas?""Which one?""For example, the person who called earlier wasn't his parents, but Soo-hyun's woman. And Junwoo pretends to be my friend while secretly having an affair with Soo-hyun's woman. What do you think, my family?""You're crazy.""Well, it's very possible."
Soo-hyun was too close for the sisters to ask him questions. Junwoo said, hiding the phone behind his back,
"Just one more round and we'll be in the finals."
It seemed he was looking for another topic. The sisters didn't understand because it was in Korean, but they got the idea and narrowed their eyes, even more suspicious. Soo-hyun nodded, found an empty seat on the sofa, sat down, and then spoke in English.
"You have the sisters here, so if German is difficult for you, speak in English. It would be rude to speak in Korean in front of them."
"Ah, okay."
When they finally got to a language they knew, the younger sister looked around and asked.
"Soo-hyun."
"Yes?"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Yes."
"Oh, you have one?"
"Yes."
When the younger sister looked at her older sister in surprise, Junwoo spoke bluntly.
"Hey, I don't mean your friend. I mean your lover. Someone you love."
After hearing Junwoo's words, Soo-hyun realized the meaning and corrected his words.
"I only have female friends, but I don't have anyone I love."
The older sister frowned as if to say look at him, but the younger sister continued to ask questions.
"So, what about Junwoo?"
"No, me neither."
"Really? So do you know each other? The friend from before?"
"Yes, of course. He lives below Soo-hyun."
"Really? What's your name?"
"Jaehee. He's also a violinist, just like you."
The younger sister's eyes widened and she crossed her arms. 'So, the two of them are engaged in a fierce battle over one woman? And an attractive girl who plays the violin.'
The older sister, who was looking back and forth between the two boys who didn't know English, also had a curious expression on her face.
"Is Jaehee pretty?"
Junwoo's body tensed slightly. For an instant, the image of Jaehee came to his mind. 'White skin, red lips. A quiet child with big, round eyes.' Seeing this, her older sister intervened discreetly.
"Isn't she pretty?"
"Well… yes, I guess so."
"Wow!"
My sister's face looked mischievous as she crossed her arms and made a face that said, "Oh, I see."
"So, even from Soo-hyun's perspective, do you think Jaehee is prettier? In what way is she better than your older sister?"
Soo-hyun took a sip of his cola, looked at his older sister, and spoke without thinking.
"My older sister is prettier."
"Wow!"
The older sister was very happy for some reason. The younger sister constantly observed Junwoo's and Soo-hyun's expressions.
'Soo-hyun isn't thinking about anything, and Junwoo is restless. That means Junwoo likes Jaehee. But why is Junwoo so secretive? And he's watching Soo-hyun's reaction? What could it be? There's something there.'
The younger brother, who was thinking quickly, asked Junwoo as if he were testing him.
"By the way, who called just now?"
The boy's bewildered appearance was reflected in his younger brother's eyes, which were looking at Junwoo with his eagle eyes.
"That, that, and, friend."
"Oh, really, were they friends?"
"Yes, yes! My friend!"
My sister tilted her head and said,
"In Korean, is your friend your mom? You were saying mom over and over again before."
Junwoo's body froze like ice. Junwoo, who was watching Soo-hyun's expression, quickly put his index finger to his lips as if asking him to be quiet. The two sisters, who didn't know English, fell silent. As a result, an awkward silence settled over the crowd.
Soo-hyun burst out laughing. Now he understood why Junwoo had been watching him. He was a great friend.
"Junwoo."
"Oh…?"
"Just because our parents passed away, there's no reason for you to feel self-conscious in front of me. You have parents. I'm happy to hear stories from my friends' daily lives. Of course, I'm a little jealous. So don't hide it too much. Junwoo has parents. That's my friend."
"…"
A story told in English. The two sisters were surprised to quickly find out the full story through Soo-hyun's words. Junwoo, who was deep-hearted, hid the story of his phone call to his mother for Soo-hyun, whose parents were not around, but they unwittingly intruded on the story and let everyone know.
'What should I do? Should I apologize and say I'm sorry? Or will the atmosphere get even worse if I apologize?'
Two restless sisters looked at each other and communicated with their facial expressions.
'It's your fault!''You were curious too, sister!''What do I do now?''What do I do? Let's move on to another topic! Hurry up and change the subject!'
The sisters finished their conversation through facial expressions, as if they were communicating through telepathy. The older sister cleared her throat and asked.
"Is this the last round before the finals? What song will Junwoo be singing?"
A look of gratitude crossed Junwoo's face. He seemed grateful for the change of topic in an awkward situation. Of course, the two sisters were the ones responsible for everything.
"I was thinking of Bagatelle for piano in A minor, WoO 59, 'Für Elise'."
"Oh, 'Für Elise'?" As expected of the sisters who made music, they knew right away.
"Yes, this was something Soo-hyun and I decided on before we left Korea. I didn't know I would actually be able to participate. In fact, I thought I would be eliminated sooner."
"Haha, why are you so insecure? You play well. Compared to other children, you are very good. I'm not just saying that."
Junwoo was not aware of his own skills, perhaps because he was always compared to Soo-hyun. Soo-hyun, who learned from Beethoven, passed it on to Junwoo, and Junwoo's skills couldn't help but improve by leaps and bounds. Junwoo looked at Soo-hyun's face, throwing his head back in embarrassment. He told him not to worry, but he couldn't help but worry.
"Soo-hyun, you… are you going to sing that song you used to do?"
"Huh."
"You surprised me last time when you suddenly said you were going to do the Moonlight Sonata. We were very worried about whether we should do that song, so I was worried when you said you would do it. You're not going to suddenly change it this time, are you?"
"No, I'm going to do it as it was this time."
My sister asked.
"What song is it?"
"Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major, Op. 81a…"
The younger sister and the older sister clapped their hands at the same time and said,
"Wow! I love that song!" "Goodbye! Beethoven's farewell performed by Soo-hyun. I'm really looking forward to it!"
My sister clasped her hands and said,
"If Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier is the Old Testament for pianists, Beethoven's sonatas are considered the New Testament. Beethoven invested so much in his music that he is considered the author of the culmination of the classical era and the beginning of the romantic era."
The younger brother added something to the story.
"Isn't it true that only Pathétique and Farewell were the pieces that Beethoven named himself? In fact, there are several theories about Pathétique. Some say that Beethoven named it himself, while others say that it was the publisher. However, there is no doubt that Farewell was the piece that Beethoven named himself."
Soo-hyun nodded. 'I want to tell them both that Beethoven wrote it, but if I do, they'll treat me like a weirdo.'
Junwoo asked.
"But why did Beethoven title it 'Farewell'?"
The two sisters also didn't seem to know and just pouted. Junwoo nodded with an expression that said, "Do you know, Soo-hyun?" Soo-hyun nodded slightly when the two sisters and Junwoo saw her, and recalled what Uncle Beethoven had said about the farewell.
The Pianist's Village, Beethoven's House, Zelkova Piano Stage. Beethoven, who was standing next to Soo-hyun, who was sitting on the piano stool, leaned on the piano and spoke.
"I tried to commit suicide in 1802. I was so frustrated that I ended up writing a will. At that time, I had almost lost my hearing and was extremely nervous. For a composer and pianist, hearing loss must have been a source of great sadness and frustration, and it's understandable. I also heard the story of the will that the old man just mentioned from Professor Lee Chan-ho. It must be the famous 'Heiligenstadt Testament'," Beethoven said as he patted Soo-hyun on the back. "You, from what I've heard from other guys, you don't have any friends or anything. Do you have friends now?"
Soo-hyun said with a shy smile.
"Yes, there are two."
"You only need one friend in life. It's a serious mistake to think that having many friends means you have a good personality. No matter how many you have, there are few who can help you when you're in trouble and who don't feel sorry for you when you're happy and are happy with you. On the contrary, a boy with many friends is more likely to be a liar who knows how to disguise himself."
"Both are good friends."
"Yes, treat them carefully. That way, those two will have a reason to send you out into the world."
"But why are you suddenly talking about your friends?"
Beethoven said, patting the sheet music.
"This song was for my only friend who shared my pain, Archduke Rudolph."
"Friend? Why is the song for a friend called 'Farewell'? Did you guys break up?"
"He was my patron and also my disciple who took music lessons."
For a moment, Junwoo's face came to my mind.
"But why did you name a song for a friend like that?"
Beethoven tilted his head and said,
"One day in 1809, the French army, led by Napoleon, attacked Vienna. He had already left Vienna at that time. I wrote this song after watching my friend leave."
He became cautious. Perhaps he was also hurt by losing a friend in the war? Beethoven chuckled as he looked at Soo-hyun, who had a solemn expression on his face, and slapped him hard on the back.
"Don't look at him, you hooligan! He's back. Can't you guess from the title of the third movement, 'Reunion'?"
'Ah, that's right. The first movement was the farewell, the second the absence, and the third the reunion. Luckily, my friend came back.'
"Ah… So the meaning of this song is not about an eternal separation, but rather a song full of longing for a prompt reunion?"
"Huh? You noticed right away. Yes, that's right."
"I was a little confused by the name."
Suddenly, Beethoven ground his teeth.
"The damn publishing company gave it a name. The original title was 'Das Lebewohl.' It's a greeting that is only given to loved ones who give you their hearts. But they published it as 'Les adieux,' which is a general farewell that can be said to anyone. I was furious, but it was already published, so I couldn't do anything."
"What an absurd thing to happen!" Beethoven said, clenching his fist. "After hearing this song, I was asked countless times, 'Why does a song about a breakup have so much energy?' Damn them."
Soo-hyun laughed as he watched Beethoven, who was grinding his teeth and looked like he was about to break the piano.