That day, Soo-hyun heard Jaehee's voice for the first time. The girl's voice was clearer and sharper than he expected, but it was cracking and shouting with a raw tone.
"Why didn't you come to see me? Why?! Waaaaaah!!!"
Jaehee's mother hugged her daughter tightly and whispered something. A whisper of love that Soo-hyun couldn't hear.
'I don't know why she couldn't come. Because I couldn't hear it.'
Soo-hyun simply watched them both with envious eyes. Jaehee, who had been sobbing through the story, nodded and didn't leave the clothing store for a long time. Perhaps she was so dazed after meeting her mother that she forgot about Soo-hyun for a moment.
Those who didn't understand the scene where Jaehee met her mother dispersed to chat among themselves, guessing what happened between the two, while Soo-hyun still remained seated on the piano stool with swollen eyes. The old woman, who had been watching Soo-hyun from a distance, unable to say anything more as he cried sadly, wondering if he was missing someone, prepared a cup of hot chocolate and handed it to him.
"Would you like to drink some of this?"
Soo-hyun looked at the steaming cocoa. The aroma of dark cocoa in a thick white cup filled his nose. He felt the warmth of a heart that was given without reservation. Soo-hyun looked at the woman with his reddened eyes and nodded.
"Thank you, ma'am."
"No, I'm more grateful. If a child like you came to our store often, we wouldn't have to spend money on advertising."
Soo-hyun sipped the hot chocolate. The old woman, who had been watching the scene in silence, also gave him a small cookie.
"People are usually very hungry after they cry. Expressing emotions takes more energy than you think."
'The woman who seemed aloof has become a mother in the face of her child's crying. She must also have a child like Soo-hyun.'
"Thank you."
'I have it, but I don't want to eat it now.'
The woman asked, watching Soo-hyun drinking cocoa again while carefully trying not to break the cookie in his pocket.
"Do you live around here?"
"No."
"Then?"
"It's near Korea University."
"Gwanak-gu? That's quite far from here."
"Yes, that's right."
"You don't come around here often. I'd love for you to come often. If you happen to be around here, would you like to play for me? I'd love to hear it whenever you want. You can play on the most expensive piano over there."
Soo-hyun turned his head at the woman's words. A black grand piano with gold keys was visible.
'Will this piano produce a better sound than the one Professor Lech gave me at home?'
The old woman said quietly, "That's right," as she watched Soo-hyun staring at the piano.
"Your friend went in to work. Would you like to play the piano in the meantime?"
Soo-hyun saw the clothing store Jaehee had entered. The store, without customers, was surrounded by mannequins and was quiet.
'Inside, Jaehee must be having a long-awaited conversation with her mother, right? I'm so jealous. Suddenly, I remember the things I used to do when I missed my mom. It seems like I'll have to make the same decision this time too.'
As soon as Soo-hyun lifted his bottom, the woman quickly moved the chair away and went ahead to pull out the expensive piano chair so he could sit comfortably.
'He's a sensitive child. You should be gentle with him.'
The old woman had the powerful performance from before in mind, but the song Soo-hyun wanted to play was not the Brahms song. A song he listened to while thinking of his parents. It was the old men's song. Soo-hyun sat in the chair and said as he placed his hands on the keyboard.
"Don't worry. It's a song about delicately suggesting, assuming, hinting, seducing, and persuading."
'What is he doing?'
Soo-hyun, who skipped the answer, rolled his hands and straightened his back. The beautiful melodies of Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 flowed from Soo-hyun's hands, which were completely different from his previous performance, where he played the keyboard as if he were destroying it. A performance that started from an emotion. First, let's start and then connect the emotions. Like a poet searching for words to express. A perfect performance that starts from musical notes transforms into human emotions.
In the beautiful poems that spread across the notes, what was contained was a clear soul. The performance spread note by note in a sublime performance. Without realizing it, he was throwing words of comfort as gently as the air.
The first thought of the woman who was listening to the performance was that she hoped Soo-hyun's performance would make the passersby look around the store again. But at some point, she was so intoxicated by the performance that sounded like someone was reciting a poem that melted her ears, that she lost her focus on Soo-hyun and the piano and was dazed. A poem of empathy that understood her feelings rather than a heavy comfort. Soo-hyun's performance, which started slow and then picked up speed, seemed to understand the emotional turmoil the other person was going through.
It was a comfort that was not directed at anyone else but himself, but fragments of it reached the store owner. An old woman with unfocused eyes who trembled slightly as fragments of light passed through her body. A child who caught the attention of a woman who had momentarily lost her mind. His curly black hair slightly covered his eyes, and his turquoise eyes had white dots reflected in them. A slightly curved, white nape, even whiter and clearer cheeks, and lips so red they seemed to be biting a rose.
She had been so surprised by the performance that she hadn't really noticed the child's appearance. The mother, who had finally gotten a good look at the child and thought he would grow up and make many women cry, couldn't take her eyes off Soo-hyun's profile even after the performance was over. What woke her from her stupor were the cheers that erupted from outside the store.
"Wow!!!" "Bravo!!! Clap, clap, clap!!" "Awesome!!! Awesome!!!"
The startled woman looked outside the store through her glove. There were more people standing in front of the store than a moment ago, when the girl's sad violin was playing.
'When did so many people gather?'
Some people even came into the store to see the piano that produced beautiful sounds. As the inside and outside of the piano store, which was usually full of flies every day, began to fill with people, a delighted old woman ran out, exclaiming as if she were flying.
"Welcome! Our piano sounds really good, right? This one is a little cheaper, do you want to take a look?"
The people didn't get up from their seats as they watched Soo-hyun continue to sit in front of the piano even after the performance was over. The boy's expression was as if he wanted to hear more of that beautiful performance, but he just stared blankly at the keyboard, wiped away his remaining tears, and smiled slightly.
A woman in her twenties who was filming the scene opened her mouth when she saw Soo-hyun smiling on her phone screen.
"Wow… I didn't notice when you were bowing your head while playing… When you smile, you're so handsome." "Where, where? Wow, that's right. Isn't he an aspiring singer or actor? Judging by his age, he's just the right age for a trainee." "It could be. Shouldn't I ask for an autograph? With that face, he's sure to succeed!" "I guarantee it. He's gorgeous."
At that moment, an old man who seemed to remember something and was hastily searching on his phone, took a picture that appeared on his phone and compared it to Soo-hyun's face, then opened his mouth and shouted.
"It's Nam Soo-hyun!!!"
Suddenly, everyone's attention was focused on the screaming man. The old man, who had been looking at the people around him curiously even though he hadn't been asked what it was, began to defend himself, perhaps embarrassed for having shouted too loudly.
"Oh, you're Nam Soo-hyun, the winner of the International Chopin Competition!"
Many people were unaware of the status of the Chopin Competition, but Soo-hyun was not really famous for it. Surprised people took out their phones, searched for Soo-hyun's name, and began to shout as the images appeared.
"Oh my God! It's really Nam Soo-hyun!" "Swiss train accident survivor?" "That's right! A genius who disappeared for seven years and suddenly reappeared and swept the International Chopin Competition!" "Gyaaaah! Is that really Nam Soo-hyun? I wondered what he was doing in a place like this! Let's get an autograph!"
People rushed into the piano store, shouting. It was to get a closer look at Soo-hyun's face. The owner of the store froze in place.
'Wow, are you the winner of the Chopin Competition?'
Only then did it all make sense. The incredible skills that were not typical of his age. Everything about the boy who cried and trembled at the sight of the girl meeting her mother. But that boy was in his store right now. Soo-hyun, surrounded by people, had a questioning expression on his face.
'I played the old man's music and barely managed to calm my mind, but who are these people?'
"Soo-hyun! Let's take a picture with you!"
"A picture?"
"Yeah!"
"Yes, what are you taking a picture of?"
"Wow!"
People lined up to take pictures. Someone said, taking out a notebook and a pen.
"Can you sign this, please?"
"What's a signature?"
"Huh? No autograph?"
Soo-hyun said, pulling out his pockets and showing them.
"There's nothing."
The woman who asked for his autograph burst out laughing.
"Haha. A signature isn't an object, it's a sign that proves it's you. Don't you have one yet? Yeah, I guess you didn't make one because you're young. Then let me take a picture too! Hahaha, why is he so cute? He's so handsome, but how cute is he when he does this, really!"
The number of people requesting pictures did not decrease. As so many people gathered, people who had come to see what was going on asked the people who were waiting, and the people who heard their answers also wanted to take pictures. Finally, the mall's security guards appeared. A group of men in black suits came in and blocked Soo-hyun's path, then pushed people away and spoke.
"Mr. Nam Soo-hyun?"
"Yes?"
"Can you stay here? If you take more pictures, we can help you control it. If you need to leave, we can make way for you."
"Ah…"
'It's not hard to take pictures. It's not like my face is tired, so what's the big deal? Anyway, I have to wait for Jaehee, sir. I don't know how to get home.'
"It's okay…"
Just as he was about to say, "It's okay, I'll take more pictures." Now I see Jaehee's face running towards me in a panic, as if she had just remembered Soo-hyun. Jaehee, whose face was flushed, ran to Soo-hyun with an apology on her face and bowed her head in front of her. Although she didn't say anything to apologize, she seemed very sorry for having momentarily forgotten about me, as she crossed her hands in front of him and bowed her head.
Soo-hyun looked up from below and smiled.
"Did you have a good meeting?"
"...Sorry."
Soo-hyun clapped his hands and laughed.
"Wow, he's talking!"
"…"
Jaehee couldn't lift her head in shame. Soo-hyun smiled brightly at her and showed her his white teeth.
"Don't apologize today. It's a happy day for you."
The security guard who was controlling the crowd asked again.
"Nam Soo-hyun? What should we do?"
Soo-hyun looked at Jaehee and asked.
"Are you done telling the story?"
Nod, nod. Even though she could already speak, she still seemed more comfortable sending signals with her head. Soo-hyun said, getting up from his seat.
"Thank you, sir. I think I should be going now."
"Yes, then I'll let you through."
As Soo-hyun left the store with Jaehee, he raised his hand towards the store owner.
"Thank you, ma'am. I enjoyed the chocolate."
The old woman shook his hand without realizing it and then flinched. The old woman looked at the hand she was waving and her face became happy. It seemed that she was very happy to be able to give a little comfort to Soo-hyun who was suffering. Soo-hyun, who was walking down the path given to him by the security guards while holding Jaehee's hand, suddenly asked.
"But why did you suddenly find the courage to meet your mother?"
Jaehee, who was walking while looking at the hand that was holding Soo-hyun, lowered her head in surprise. The girl's thoughts turned to Sambok's words, whom she had met in Baeksa Village.
I was so happy it was annoying.He only lived for about a month before he passed away.I wanted to complain, curse, and harass to my heart's content.So I wanted to give back even a little bit of the pain I received.That didn't work.I prepared some food on my way home from work.My steps quickened because I wanted to see my mom who was waiting for me.
Soo-hyun, who was walking, smiled brightly as he looked at the silent girl. It seemed that he could convey the message without saying a word.