The Music of an Arts High School Genius Must Be Special - Chapter 182



Only Krnovel

Episode 182. Suited performer

“Dohyun? Dohyun!”

I heard my name called in the moderately noisy hallway.

Teacher Lee Bo-ram was quickly approaching me, holding a laptop in her arms.

“Hello Teacher.”

“Oh, Dohyun, teacher, just a moment.”

She alternated between holding her laptop with one hand and rummaging through her trouser pockets.

After a while, the teacher put a lot of snacks like small candies and chocolates in my hands.

“Oh, something just came out.”

“Our class B kids like this kind of stuff, so the teacher makes sure to bring it along. Do-hyun will be improving soon, so eat it and be strong!”

“Thank you, I will enjoy the meal.”

The teacher said with a grin.

“And the video of our club’s performance that was uploaded last week was so cool! The teacher watched it several times and promoted it to people around us a lot.”

“You even promoted it?”

I’m so thankful that there are more people who care about me.

If there hadn’t been a hint of mischief in her eyes, I might have been more impressed.

“This is such a great student, huh? He’s going to be a pianist in our club’s performance, so please pay more attention to him during the festival… … and so on.”

The teacher raised the corner of his mouth and nudged me with his elbow.

Although I haven’t been able to show my face yet due to the many tasks that are immediately at hand, the club was one of the important activities of this second semester.

“Once I finish improving, I should join the club and say hello and such.”

“Okay, okay! These days, there are a lot of second-year students who are also improving, so we don’t get to meet often, so don’t feel pressured.”

The teacher who had been patting my shoulder tilted his head as if something suddenly occurred to him.

“Oh, Do-hyeon. Have you ever talked to the manager?”

“Are you talking about the manager who teaches conducting?”

“Yeah, okay. You know what I mean?”

“It’s not like there’s no relationship at all… … But why?”

“Well, we’re having a meeting because of this improvement. The manager said Do-hyun was singing a song, a song, something like that. I wondered what was going on.”

Mr. Director of the Command Department.

This is the person who offered me a job as a conductor when I was busy with the second evaluation of the first semester.

I think you were vaguely holding off on it back then… … So you haven’t given up yet?

“I guess that means many teachers are expecting it. Is practice going well?”

“Yes, I am working hard. Teacher Han Yong-seong is also here.”

“Professor Han Yong-seong?”

I thought I said something very routine, but the teacher’s reaction when he came back was quite strange.

“Didn’t you know? You’ve been my private tutor since the first semester.”

“No, I know that… … I heard that Professor Han Yong-seong is going back to Vienna after finishing only one semester.”

“yes?”

Now that I think about it, it was strange.

Pianists have a hard time leaving their main stage for long periods of time. Unless they are a substitute, they have to set their performance schedules in advance, and if they teach students for a long time, won’t their skills as performers be greatly diminished?

‘It was quite a while later that pianist Han Yong-seong began to pursue a career as an educator in earnest… … .’

In short, he has a stronger sense of self as a pianist at present. From what I remember, he is currently in the midst of his performing career.

“Hey, well, you must have your own circumstances, but it’s rude to dig too deep, right? I guess Do-hyun is good at learning and likes it, so that’s why you did that.”

The teacher woke me up from my moment of deep thought and raised his clenched fist.

“Anyway, Dohyun, fighting!”

After she walked away, I stuffed the snacks in my pockets.

I need to share some with the kids, they can’t eat it all by themselves.

“Kwon Do-hyun, are you in a club?”

“… … Ah, that’s a surprise.”

Now, as I was going back to class, I was startled by a girl who came up to me and stood next to me.

Among the people around me, the only people with this kind of stealth mode are Lee Ha-yeon and Seol Yu-jin, and this time it was the latter.

“What are you?”

“Did you join a club?”

“Didn’t you know? I introduced myself as a jazz club when I performed last time.”

Seol Yu-jin, who had been giving me a stinging look for no reason, crossed her arms and leaned back against the window.

“I was at the hotel that day.”

“There’s even a video on YouTube.”

“I don’t know, the introduction was too long, so I skipped the first part.”

“Hey, how many minutes is that going to take?”

I think Senior Jinseong would be sad if he heard that. It’s an important part that explains the circumstances of the rainy performance and our efforts.

“And why are you performing on a rainy day? Are you crazy?”

“How crazy is it that someone goes up to the auditorium and plays during the entrance ceremony?”

“When did you talk about the enemy… …!”

“It hasn’t even been a year.”

I followed Seol Yu-jin, who was getting angry, and leaned my upper body against the window.

“Hey, come to think of it, no matter what, if your friend is performing, wouldn’t it be okay to come out with an umbrella? It didn’t rain much when you were performing.”

“Before we were friends.”

She smiled and pointed at herself and me with her index finger.

“You and I are competitors.”

“I was just saying that, but you still consider me your friend? Thank you.”

“……what?”

I gave some candy to Seol Yu-jin, who frowned and tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand what I meant.

“Eat, and put on some face.”

“… … .”

Seol Yu-jin didn’t necessarily tell her to eat it right away, but she put the candy in her mouth and mumbled.

“You, don’t be so excited about joining a club. I was just waiting for the second semester.”

“Yeah, yeah. I worry about everything.”

“I’m serious.”

“Hey, the person who came in last in the practical test is more serious.”

“… … Last place, this is ridiculous. Heh heh, last place… … .”

He looked down at Seol Yu-jin, who burst into laughter, and made a dumbfounded expression.

I will never joke with this guy again.

“When will you improve?”

“Don’t you know that? It’s my third week.”

“Week 3… … But why are you saying this as if I should know that for sure?”

“Of course you should know!”

“I don’t know, you should start getting ready too.”

“Ready… … . Well, I’m preparing.”

Seol Yu-jin let out a sinister, nasally laugh as if she was plotting some grand scheme.

What was even more absurd was the fact that it was a laugh that was already familiar to me.

“I told you not to laugh like that.”

“Look forward.”

“Okay, prepare hard. And write a good review.”

Just as I was about to turn back, I suddenly stopped and spoke.

“You shouldn’t write a strange review just because you don’t like something.”

“… … .”

That guy was clearly avoiding eye contact on purpose.

“The appreciation is also an evaluation factor, and teachers also look at it.”

“It’s anonymous anyway.”

“Would you like to be anonymous to your teacher too?”

“… … You can’t see it.”

“Don’t you know that I wrote it?”

I let out a small sigh, but I wasn’t completely anxious.

Since you said you changed after the second semester, it’s polite to believe me at least once.

“Let’s be objective, each other.”

***

A pianist has to be pretty or handsome. No, looks are innate, so at least he has to look cool.

In common parlance, it means that you have to have some coolness.

“It’s true that it’s good to be pretty and handsome no matter what you do… … but why are you suddenly asking me to do something for you?”

On the day of the concert.

I borrowed the lunch break before the performance and was getting my hair styled by Kim Joo-hee at home base.

Lee Ha-yeon was blankly staring at us, while Lee Seong-hyeok was reading Petrushka’s music score.

“If you think about the stage, the instruments are usually facing the audience. Only the piano is placed horizontally, so the direction is different.”

“huh.”

“Do you know why that is?”

“… … Huh? Really? I’ve never thought about it before.”

This is a custom that originated for a rather absurd reason.

The starting point is the performer’s appearance.

“It was Liszt who started turning the piano on its side. Franz Liszt.”

“Another list? Oh, I really hate that guy… … He only writes difficult songs, making it hard for us.”

“Ouch, it’s hot!”

“Are you okay? Hehe, sorry. But it’s already a bit hot, so bear with it.”

I continued speaking after glancing around in the table mirror in front of me.

“The piano was originally played while looking straight ahead, right? But then the performer would be hidden. Liszt didn’t like that. He should show his handsome face.”

“What, what bad luck.”

“So I turned the piano around so that I could see the side of his face. That’s how it’s always been.”

Liszt is known to be a very tall and handsome performer, and his womanizing is also quite extravagant.

“List was really popular back then. After finishing a performance, the women who came to see the concert would faint, throw jewelry, and fight with each other to take away dropped gloves or cigarette packs.”

“Hey, fainting is a bit much.”

“No, really.”

As I watched my hair being gradually completed by Kim Joo-hee’s hands, I began to feel a sense of confidence.

I’m feeling pretty good today… … .

“I think I’ll wear gloves and play later too.”

“why?”

“If you leave it behind, the girls might try to take it.”

“Oh, stop talking nonsense!”

“Not funny.”

“Look! If Ha-yeon says it’s not fun, then it really is not fun. You know that, right?”

“… … .”

I can’t even joke.

Anyway, the important thing is that Franz Liszt was a performer with great performance skills.

On a test with such a strong performance aspect like today, I couldn’t help but think of him.

“Okay, that’s it! It’s done.”

“Thank you, Joohee. You worked hard.”

“Then do you want to try applying some tint?”

“I really hate that.”

“Oh, why! Just once, okay? You said looks are important.”

“Come out and see.”

This time, I stood in front of a large mirror that took up part of one wall and checked my appearance.

I like the way the C-shaped curls look and the way the hair sways.

While I was adjusting the collar of my shirt and the position of my tie, Kim Joo-hee asked me rudely.

“But you said you were going to wear your school uniform?”

“Well, just.”

“He got his suit delivered yesterday. He suddenly changed his mind.”

Oh, I also received a black suit from home.

I used to worry about not wearing proper costumes until I could perform a truly perfect performance by my standards, but if you think about it that way, it’s never-ending.

As Kim Joo-hee said, it was a rare opportunity to perform in clothes other than a school uniform, so I just tried to feel good. It was easy to tie a tie, even though it was the first time in a while.

Besides, this is my first concert in my life. Today was a meaningful test and performance.

“Dohyun has good physique.”

“Well, you know. It’s just, I just keep wanting to pick a fight.”

“Be honest and praise me.”

“… … It’s amazing how well they match. The image does look completely different.”

I looked at myself in the mirror, my face looking younger than before, and smiled bitterly.

‘It’s a suit… … .’

It was an outfit that was so familiar to me, but this time, the purpose and meaning of wearing it were different.

If back then it was like a pair of overalls that I had to force myself into to go to work, today it was like a peacock’s feathers to show off a better performance.

You have to come to your senses and play well so that you don’t embarrass yourself with all the spirit you’ve put into it.

Even though I chose that difficult Petrushka, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

‘Let’s do well today.’

After lightly patting her cheek, she moved to the concert hall with her friends.

As I was walking, I received a few messages that just made me laugh.

[Senior Da-eun: Do-hyun, keep improving!!!! It’s too bad I can’t go see you ㅜㅜ I know you’re cheering me on, big sister ㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎ]

Contacting this senior always felt a little burdensome.

[Senior Gyuri: Petrushka lol]

[Senior Gyuri: Are you crazy?]

[Senior Jinseong: I told Da-eun and Gyuri that you improved today. Haha, you play well!]

The reactions were varied, but one thing was true: there were many people who supported me.

It is no exaggeration to say that it is not a practical exam where the lives of the students are at stake, but rather a test that is conducted every week at music schools.

Ah, it was great to see her dressed up so nicely and playing, and I thought once again that it was a good thing that Ye-rim came.

I entered the performer’s waiting room with a little excitement.

“… …What are you?”

The first thing that greeted me was Myung Woo-bin, wearing a tuxedo instead of a typical suit.

Plus the most formal white tie!

… … I thought it might be a bit over the top.

“Hey, since you have a long neck, those kinds of clothes suit you.”

“You said you were wearing a school uniform?”

“When I thought about the list, I thought it would be a waste to just wear my school uniform and play.”

“What list?”

“There is something like that. Am I okay? What are you wearing today?”

“Well, it suits you.”

I sat next to Myung Woo-bin, who answered concisely as if blurting it out, and looked around.

Everywhere I looked, it was shiny and bright. If I had come wearing my school uniform, I would have been considered the weird one.

As is usually the case in music departments, there were a lot of girls in the waiting room, and their colorful dresses were a sight for sore eyes.

A child with his eyes closed and a nervous expression on his face, a child quietly humming and reminiscing about his song selection, a child walking around the room busily…

The air was heavy and dense, as if everyone was sharing similar feelings.

“hey.”

I was quickly calming myself down and thinking about Petrushka when Myeong Woo-bin suddenly called out to me.

“huh?”

“Thank you for practicing with me. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t help. My lesson teacher also said that he improved a lot while practicing with you.”

In an instant, the clarity of the view became blurred and an odd expression appeared.

Why is this guy like this?

Are you transferring schools tomorrow?

“… … All of a sudden? It doesn’t seem like something you should say.”

“Come to think of it, you always say thank you, but I don’t think I’ve ever properly greeted you.”

“Oh, well, I was grateful too.”

He was a bit mean to me in the first semester, but Myungwoobin is a really decent guy.

I was just laughing for no reason.

“No, even after you finish improving, we can still practice together sometimes. Are you going to graduate or something?”

“… … Or so it is.”

I don’t know who will be called first between Myungwoobin and me, but there is one thing I have been praying for consistently since last time.

I hope that my mention of pianist Myeong Seo-jin last time doesn’t interfere with this guy’s performance today.

It was a performance, but it was also a test, so I wanted to do well on equal terms.

Myung Woo-bin’s Prelude and my Petrushka, which side will the audience and teachers raise their hands for?

“Everyone, please focus. I will call your name starting with the piano major. Jo Hae-in!”

The first week of improvement concerts has begun.