Chapter 78
"Hahaha! Dean! Soo-hyun and Junwoo both made it to the top ten in the third round! This is a great achievement for all of Korea University!"
Chairman Park Ki-jun, who flew in from Korea as soon as he heard the news, could barely contain his excitement as he smiled with satisfaction. Professor Lee Chan-ho, sitting opposite him in the hotel cafe, waved his hand.
"What did I do? It was all thanks to the children."
"Haha, you're so humble. The children are growing up well because they have a good teacher."
Professor Lee Chan-ho was tickled. As much as he thought about it, he realized he hadn't done much. But that was just his personal opinion. If Soo-hyun had been assigned a teacher who taught according to their own judgment, instead of Professor Lee Chan-ho, who allowed him to practice freely, things might have been different. Moreover, it was a difficult decision for a teacher to let him be when he knew that Soo-hyun was teaching Junwoo, a fellow student. Professor Lee Chan-ho was a teacher who had the courage to trust his students.
Chairman Park Ki-jun said with a smile,
"I met some people when I arrived in Germany, and they told me that the performances in this round were really great. I heard that Junwoo played 'Für Elise' and Soo-hyun played 'Les Adieux'. How did people react?"
When the story of the students came up, Professor Lee Chan-ho erased the disappointed expression he had and began to speak enthusiastically.
"Last time, I reported that Junwoo received an offer to study in Germany. After this performance, he was asked if Germany could sponsor him."
"Haha! Really? The sponsors' eyes are the eyes of truth that never fail. So, are there many inquiries?"
"I asked Assistant Professor Han Ji-hye in Korea to sort it out. When I spoke to her this morning, she said she had received five corporate sponsorship requests."
'The main sponsor of Korea University is Kumhwa Asian. However, it's okay for companies to personally sponsor talented students.'
"Haha, I see. Junwoo's parents will love it. How big is it?"
"It's worth 100 million won a year."
"Great! I can cover all my study abroad expenses with that. Now, tell me about Soo-hyun."
Chairman Park Ki-jun's eyes were shining. It seemed he had been wanting to ask about Soo-hyun for a while. Professor Lee Chan-ho smiled.
"Professor Lech asked to see me."
The chairman's eyes widened.
"Professor Lech?"
"Yes, twice."
"What did he say?"
"Our first meeting was after Soo-hyun finished the first round. He said that he had made the right decision in sending him to Korea and that it was an excellent decision for the boy."
Chairman Park Ki-jun looked pleased.
"And our second meeting?"
"He seemed a bit bored."
"Yes?"
"He told me not to send Soo-hyun to Poland."
The chairman's face hardened.
'I heard Soo-hyun performed wonderfully. But why did Professor Lech react like that?'
"Why… why did he say that?"
Professor Lee Chan-ho said with a treacherous smile,
"They said that Soo-hyun was a child too big to be in Poland's arms."
"…"
Chairman Park Ki-jun was speechless. He knew Soo-hyun was a genius and that it would be a waste to keep his talent in Korea's small embrace. That's why he calculated the best time to send him to study abroad, and he planned to send him to Poland. But Professor Lech was saying that his own arms were small.
"Well, then…"
"Haha, Professor Lech said it would be a good idea to send him to Italy or Austria. He might even write me a letter of recommendation if necessary."
A letter of recommendation from a world-renowned professor held great power. Chairman Park Ki-jun, who was lost in thought, said with a happy smile,
"This is getting scarier and scarier."
"Haha, me too."
The chairman took a sip of his cold coffee.
"By the way, Junwoo. I heard that he only participated in Korean competitions."
"That's right, he won awards in eight of them."
Still, it would be painful to ask the proud chairman, 'Who would recognize the Korean Competition?' He coughed in vain.
"I don't know if it's a dream or a reality that a child like that has made it to the top three finalists of the Beethoven Competition."
"It's all thanks to Soo-hyun. Towards the end of the competition, I left Junwoo's education to him."
"Ah… That's what happened. Children of that age are usually very jealous, so I'm glad you followed me."
"Haha, Junwoo was like that at first too. Luckily, he had a good counselor. You know? Professor Kim Eun-joo? The professor who gave Soo-hyun the psychiatric evaluation I told you about last time."
"Yes, I know."
"I followed that professor's advice and this is what I got. I'm glad I followed it."
"Haha, she has that kind of skill. We need to recruit her for our group."
"She's not coming. It seems she's happiest when she's studying."
"Haha, I see. Then I should support you so you can focus on your research."
"You'll be delighted."
"Then I'll handle it that way. Ah, and where are the students?"
"They'll be on the terrace by now. There's a piano there."
"Then shall we go see the students?" the chairman said as he headed for the elevator. "Is the final round an orchestral collaboration, like the Chopin Competition?"
"Yes, Mr. Chairman."
"Have you decided on a song?"
"Haha, Mr. Chairman, you too. I already decided before participating in the competition."
"Great. Please prepare well without any problems. I will also be attending the final round."
"Yes, Mr. Chairman."
The chairman couldn't hide his big smile.
"I swear I really heard you. You were whispering in my ear, 'Friend, after a long and strange wait, you're back'." "I'm not lying either. I heard a voice that said, 'I've been waiting for you to come back, my friend, after the cruel season has passed.' It wasn't Soo-hyun's voice, but an old man's."
The two sisters were arguing passionately with Junwoo. He opened his eyes wide.
"Hey, what kind of nonsense is that?"
While Soo-hyun was buying drinks, the two sisters spoke to Junwoo as if they were frustrated.
"Did you really hear that? You don't believe me? Huh?" "I'm serious, believe me. My sister said she heard it too."
"If one sister decides to deceive, it's easy to make a fool of someone. Then, when I open my eyes wide and ask, 'Really?', you say, 'I'm lying!' Are you doing that to make a fool of someone?" Junwoo said, shaking his head. "A pianist sings poetry with his heart. Not with his mouth, but with his heart. I thought of poetry when I listened to Soo-hyun, and I've had similar experiences before. But an old man's voice? I didn't hear it like that."
It seemed that Soo-hyun's performance was perceived differently by each person. The two sisters looked at each other as if they wanted to believe the truth, but Junwoo grabbed his head and said.
"I'm getting a nervous breakdown just thinking about rehearsing for an orchestra concert that starts tomorrow. Why are you doing this to me?"
In fact, Junwoo had never practiced with an orchestra.
'Perhaps the only positive is that Professor Lee Chan-ho, who is well-prepared, made me practice the piano concerto as a solo. Ugh, Director, that must be scary, right? Starting tomorrow, I'll be practicing while getting scolded a lot, I… Ugh… I'm going crazy just thinking about it.'
It was said that the final round would be a competition for young people, but as expected of a Beethoven competition with the backing of a large corporate sponsor, the famous Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra would be participating. The conductor was Kirill Petrenko.
"That conductor is great! He's young!" the older sister said, clasping her hands.
"That's right. It's rare to find an orchestra conductor in their 40s," the younger brother agreed.
"That's right! If you're that capable, your charisma must be amazing. You wouldn't hit me, would you?" Junwoo said with a sad face.
The two sisters' eyes widened.
"Do teachers hit students in Korea?" "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Junwoo held his head and bent his back.
"Ugh! I'm dying of insecurity, seriously."
The two sisters patted Junwoo's back, but it was no comfort at all. At that moment, Soo-hyun returned, holding two glasses of milk.
"Junwoo, this is yours." "Oh, thanks." "My own." "I bought it yesterday." "So I'm telling you that tomorrow is your turn." "Okay, you punk."
A casual conversation between friends. Soo-hyun loved these kinds of conversations. When he sat down next to Junwoo and drank milk, the two sisters looked at him with unusual eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Junwoo said with a pitiful look as he looked at the two sisters with shining eyes.
"Well, these ladies said they heard poetry while you were playing. Does that make sense? Soo-hyun, you were playing by hitting the keyboard, not by reciting poetry. It's supernatural, so I think we should report it on a TV show."
Soo-hyun looked to the side as he drank milk.
"I heard it too."
"What?"
"I heard it too. When you were playing."
"…"
Soo-hyun looked at the milk left in the glass with an expression that said, "German milk tastes different from Korean milk." Junwoo asked cautiously.
"What did I say?"
'Of course, if you really heard it, you shouldn't. I can't let my feelings for Jaehee be found out. That bastard Soo-hyun will definitely try to push me. Then Jaehee will be so pitiful!'
Soo-hyun, who was holding a glass of milk to his lips, said as he got up from the sofa.
"Like a cold that only gets better if you pass it on to someone, a fever called love that only gets better if you pass it on to someone…"
"Ugh! You, Joe, shut up!"
When Junwoo suddenly stood up and tried to cover Soo-hyun's mouth, Soo-hyun ran away with the glass of milk and shouted.
"I just found out that second-year middle school syndrome is real. Oh my goodness!"
"Hey! Don't just stand there!"
Soo-hyun ran away laughing and Junwoo chased after her with a red face. The older sister, who was watching the two friends playing, said,
"So, Soo-hyun heard it too. We didn't hear anything from Junwoo's performance."
My brother nodded and said.
"The important thing now is not that Soo-hyun is covering his mouth… The important thing is that his performance can also convey a message to someone…"
However, Junwoo, who was on the verge of death from embarrassment, did his best to shut Soo-hyun's mouth as he ran away and said embarrassing things. Soo-hyun shouted as he ran away holding a glass of milk.
"I was trying to tell you that when you play with an orchestra, you just have to do that!"
"Shut up! Just shut your mouth!"