Volume 6 / Chapter 216

TL: LightNovelCafe

Editor: adkji

Jun Hyuk and Danny finished rehearsals, came back home, and threw their exhausted bodies on the sofa.

“Did Mr. Yoon go out?”

“Because he knows New York City well, he must have gone out to take a walk.”

Danny saw a large suitcase in the living room.

“What is this? Did he pack his bags? Is he going back to Korea?”

Jun Hyuk saw the suitcase and realized right away that it is Amelia’s.

“Oh. Amelia’s here. That’s hers.”

“Oh. I guess I’d better run away. She kind of scares me.”

Jun Hyuk laughed and Danny frowned.

“Danny, I’m not laughing because of you. Imagine it. We weren’t here, so the two of them met. What do you think it was like?”

Danny started laughing right away. They imagined a middle-aged Asian man and open and lively young South American woman coming face-to-face as a scene from a comedy movie. The apartment entrance opened while the two people were laughing.

Amelia had her arm linked with Yoon Kwang Hun’s and entered while laughing, and Yoon Kwang Hun had several large shopping bags in both of his hands.

“Where did you go when you two are meeting for the first time? Shopping?”

“Yeah. They’re gifts from Amelia because of the performance. There are a few tuxedos and suits for Danny and you. We also got a suit for me and a dress for Amelia. We’re going to wear them and go to the concert together.”

But, Jun Hyuk could not respond. Amelia had run to him and was covering him in kisses.

Yoon Kwang Hun tossed the shopping bags in the living room and slipped out of the apartment. Danny also hastily followed Yoon Kwang Hun.

***

“You still don’t look satisfied, Maestro.”

When the last rehearsal was over, bandmaster Samuel Gilberto looked at Jun Hyuk and spoke cautiously.

The orchestra’s performance was perfect and the vocal soloists had been great. Even the few who had only opened and closed their mouths like goldfish, had mispronunciations, and weak voices had elegant and saintly singing that even moved Maestro Carras.

But Jun Hyuk still looked a bit trifled.

“No. I’ll tell you confidently that tomorrow’s performance will be a success.”

Jun Hyuk quickly changed his expression and spoke loudly while smiling. However, the bandmaster had already seen Jun Hyuk’s uneasy face. There is nothing he can do now though.

“Maestro. Is there anything you want to ask us for the last time?”

“Hm… Oh. There is one thing.”

The orchestra members and chorus, almost 300 people, looked to Jun Hyuk.

“Do you all remember what I said in the beginning about how Beethoven felt? Beethoven needed to withstand an alcoholic father who was trying to make him the next Mozart. But he succeeded in Vienna, where even Mozart had failed, and he is full of the desire to brag about this success. That’s in the choral symphony that we need to perform tomorrow.”

Jun Hyuk hesitated for a moment and organized his thoughts.

“Actually… When he is alone after arrogantly strutting and bragging like this… He’ll be really embarrassed and full of regret. Why did I do that? No?”

No one responded. Even if someone had that experience, it is embarrassing to respond.

“Then, do you think our Beethoven regretted it? Don’t you think he would have?”

Though no one responded, they knew that Beethoven would not be one to regret it.

“Alright. Then I’ll listen to the answer to this question during tomorrow’s performance.”

Jun Hyuk’s last words bewildered the members. He will listen at the performance? When they looked at each other in confusion, Jun Hyuk bowed to them and left the theater.

***

Danny focused on practicing with the score in the living room, while Yoon Kwang Hun laid on the sofa and enjoyed Danny’s violin.

Jun Hyuk came back to the house, saw this and sighed, taking the violin away from Danny.

“What is it? Why’d you do that?”

“Quit it. You think it’ll be helpful to practice right now when the concert is tomorrow? It’s better to just relax and rest.”

Danny knows this well, but he could not let go of the violin if he wanted to relax. This is the biggest stage he is getting on since he started on his path as a professional performer. Thinking of the concert in a day, he could not relax.

“But what about Amelia?”

“She’s fighting with your score.”

Yoon Kwang Hun slowly got up from the soda and pointed to the soundproof studio.

“What? My score?”

“I think she was shocked after hearing Laura’s singing. She’s determined to implement beyond that on the piano. Hey, are South American girls always like that? Do they run in without thinking?”

“I don’t know that. Amelia’s the only South American girl I know.”

Jun Hyuk laughed and sat on the sofa, while Yoon Kwang Hun snapped his fingers.

“Danny, Jun. I thought of something fun. What do you think? Do you want to try it?”

Yoon Kwang Hun seemed excited as though he had come up with an original idea.

“Jun plays the orchestra part on the piano, Amelia the piano part, and Danny the violin. What do you think?”

“What? The choral symphony between the three of us?”

Danny’s eyes became round.

“Yeah. Danny, since you’re nervous as it is, you’ll be doing something different. Amelia hasn’t played the piano part yet. I’m curious about her interpretation of it too.”

Jun Hyuk thought that it would be a fun combination, and jumped up from the sofa. He carefully opened the door to the soundproof studio, and a piano melody flooded out.

Amelia was so concentrated that it was hard to interrupt her, and the 3 men entered the room and closed the door. They quietly sat down and started enjoying Amelia’s piano.

“Huh? When did you come in?”

After she played the 5 songs one after the other, she got up from the piano.

“Jun, what do you think? I played as the score said but strangely, the emotion doesn’t come out.”

“It’ll be like that. The piano isn’t fun, right? One hand does nothing because there’s no accompaniment or chord.”

Piano songs are usually configured with an accompaniment and melody. These 5 songs however, are for a person’s voice. It only has one melody.

“Yeah. I’ll have to arrange the whole thing. And I tried combining the 5 songs…”

“Those 5 songs can never mix. I had no intention of making them a 5-sheet song. Instead, I’m thinking of making a piano concerto that’s played with one hand. One that’s 30 minutes to play the 5 songs in continuance.”

“What? A piano concerto?”

The 3 people shouted at the same time to Jun Hyuk’s words.

“Yeah. Why are you surprised? Playing the piano with one hand isn’t a new thing.”

Bolero’s composer, Maurice Ravel, wrote for pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right hand in WWI. Paul Wittgenstein is also the brother of genius philosopher of the period, Ludwig Wittgenstein.

does not have any shortcomings when compared to normal piano concertos. If one listens to the music without watching a video, it would be hard to tell that it was being played with one hand.

“You already made a concerto?”

When Amelia looked at him in surprise, Jun Hyuk tapped his head instead of responding.

“The configuration is done. I just have to move it onto a score.”

Jun Hyuk winked and Amelia smiled, thinking that he had created a concerto for her as a pianist.

“But why did you all come in here together?”

“Oh. We were thinking that the 3 of us should play the choral concerto together.”

Jun Hyuk tapped Danny’s shoulder as he spoke.

“He’s so nervous, we should help him relax.”

Amelia was already opening the score. She had been wanting to play the song too. Since it is a concerto, it’s not a song that she can play on her own. It’s only possible if the maestro picks her.”

“Mr. Yoon, please.”

Yoon Kwang Hun dragged a chair to the piano.

He sat next to Amelia acting as the page turner, and relaxed as he enjoyed their performance. Danny warmed up and relaxed with Jun Hyuk and Amelia’s novel performance.

***

On the day of the concert, the apartment was busy with people. President Stern, Tara, and three or four employees arrived first, and Danny’s agent came running as well.

“Oh, Amelia. I heard you were here. You’re becoming more beautiful by the day.”

“Hello, Isaac.”

President Stern gave Amelia a hug and then, he took both of her hands in his.

“Amelia. Your sponsor contract is over next year, right? Along with your agency contract?”

“Yes.”

“Then, do you want to sign on with our company? I’m willing to make the contract with great conditions.”

“Thank you, but I’ll decline. My agent has been suffering until now and just started getting better since last year. I can’t turn my back now.”

President Stern looked at Amelia smiling for a moment and tapped Jun Hyuk saying,

“Jun, you have an eye for women. It’s hard to find young woman with such loyalty these days.”

“Isaac, my loyalty’s pretty great too. Tara, what about what I asked for?”

Tara took a small box out of her bag and whispered to Jun Hyuk,

“I took a lot of care in picking this out. You’re going to have to thank me.”

Jun Hyuk gave the box to Amelia.

“Wear this to the concert today. And… I’ll tell you honestly. I don’t know this stuff, so I asked Tara to help me. It’s okay, right?”

Amelia’s eyes sparkled as she opened the box. A necklace with dozens of jewels was sparkling inside.

“I asked her to pick out something that would go well with the black dress you wore yesterday. I hope you like it.”

Yoon Kwang Hun saw Amelia’s expression of fascination and mumbled,

“Damn it. Do I have to get out of the apartment again? This early in the morning…..”