For The Musical Genius (Novel) - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

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“How did you know?”

Grandfather asked with a surprised expression. The album jacket had no name written on it, and the recorded LP had no voices except the instruments. How could his young grandson know that this performer was his mother?

How should I answer?

As soon as Kang-hyun heard the violin melody and piano keys, he felt as if the music was dancing before his eyes. From understanding the composer’s intentions to the balance between violin and piano, and even the performer’s small habits. It felt like watching the performance right in front of him.

“I saw mother’s photo on the desk.”

Grandfather seemed to just realize there was a photo of his youngest daughter playing violin on his desk. But the violin sonata that had just played was a piece his youngest daughter had recorded with great care. A performance that even he, a frequent classical music listener, couldn’t help but praise. What was surprising was this point. His grandson had discerned the difference between amateur and professional after just one listen.

Could it be coincidence?

“Then listen to this one too.”

Grandfather picked up another record from the LP collection.

Click.

The sight of the turntable’s tonearm reading the LP’s grooves was captivating even on second viewing. After the analog silence, violin melody and piano keys resonated again.

“Hyun-ah, this is Beethoven’s Violin Sonata ‘Spring’ First Movement.”

As grandfather said, it was the same piece as before. But.

‘It’s different.’

From the first melody, a succession of sweet notes full of spring flower fragrance. You could feel how well the performer understood the score. A perfect performance without even common mistakes. The violin consistently accommodated the piano keys. But even that didn’t feel awkward.

While mother’s previous performance had the violin and piano matching tempo like a three-legged race, this melody was clearly different. It was even heartrending, as if they were whispering love to each other.

After the performance.

Grandfather looked at me as if curious about my impression.

“That’s an amazing violinist.”

Grandfather seemed to want more commentary, but I had nothing more to say. The musical balance and proportions were nearly perfect. Moreover, the harmony between violin and piano was literally beautiful love itself, just as Beethoven had intended. Whoever performed it must certainly be highly skilled.

“Grandfather, but you haven’t listened to this LP much, have you?”

It was originally a piece his youngest daughter often listened to. She had played it so much for her father that the turntable’s tonearm was nearly worn out. After his youngest daughter recorded the violin sonata for him, he hadn’t touched it. But why was I asking this?

“The pitch has dropped slightly.”

It wasn’t the violinist’s fingering that was wrong. A very subtle difference that ordinary people wouldn’t notice. An LP that hadn’t been played for a long time. The news had been reporting record-breaking heat waves. No matter how well it was maintained, there was no way to prevent the effects of humidity.

“What?”

Grandfather was speechless. He had listened to the performance with his grandson but couldn’t distinguish the difference at all. How could human ears even detect such a thing?

* * *

“Chairman, wouldn’t it be better to send Hyun home now?”

The younger uncle carefully broached the subject after entering the chairman’s office. Having the eyesore accompany them on the way to work was bad enough, but he hadn’t imagined Kang-hyun would stay in the chairman’s office. Grandfather’s expression darkened as he checked the approval documents.

“Today, Hyun has somewhere to go with me.”

The younger uncle gulped at grandfather’s firm voice. But then his eyes widened.

“Surely you don’t mean Hyun is going to the gathering?”

Usually lacking in perception, the uncle was quite sharp at times like this. Grandfather took his eyes off the documents and looked directly at the younger uncle. Only then did the younger uncle seem to realize his voice had been too loud, but it was too late.

“Why do you want to know that?”

At grandfather’s gaze, not only the younger uncle but even the executive standing behind him tensed up. The younger uncle lowered his head, seemingly trying to hide his frustrated expression. He usually couldn’t even properly participate in golf meetings. To think he’d feel threatened by his nephew.

“Father, not just anyone can attend that gathering, can they?”

Of course.

It was a gathering only for actual chaebol group successors.

Even illegitimate children couldn’t cross that threshold. Like aunt, the younger uncle looked indignant. Don’t tell me this guy was thinking he could take a third-generation seat? Why such obsession?

“I understood about older brother. He’s the family’s firstborn. But Hyun is different, isn’t he? To be blunt, has Hyun-ja even visited you once since she ran away from home? What has she done! She hasn’t contacted you for over a decade, and now she’s pushing her child forward because she wants the company?”

Well, well.

Not only aunt but even the younger uncle has a tendency to present nonsense as truth. I wanted to jump up and add my piece, but this wasn’t the place for me to step in. Grandfather’s eyes looked ominous.

“How dare you talk about the company when you can’t even answer simple questions properly!”

When those tiger-like eyes flashed fiercely, the younger uncle immediately lowered his head. Cold sweat covered his face. One should stretch their legs according to their blanket, not just blurt things out thoughtlessly. I wondered if the younger uncle had any capacity for learning at all. But.

‘He looks familiar.’

One executive standing behind the younger uncle kept catching my eye. The same person who had caught my attention since this morning’s commute. Now I noticed he was always with the younger uncle, even when submitting simple approval documents. Being decades in the past, even if I knew him, the chances of recognizing him were slim.

“Chairman. I’ve committed an unforgivable sin by disturbing your peace.”

The younger uncle pleaded, formally addressing grandfather as “Chairman” as if in an official setting. Grandfather’s eyes looked ominous, and now he even had to feel tense around his nephew, not just his older brother. Cold sweat of humiliation continuously ran down the younger uncle’s face.

“Director Jeon, why did you come along?”

Grandfather asked the executive standing right behind, without even looking at the younger uncle.

“Chairman, I’m in charge of new chemical materials development research. I came with Director Yu thinking you might need the approval documents related to this development research.”

He was a slick-looking executive, like a smooth snake. He appeared to be around the same age as the younger uncle. It was irritating, like ants crawling in my head, as I felt I almost remembered something.

“I see, you may go now.”

The younger uncle hurried out of the chairman’s office as if he’d been dismissed. His shirt was visibly damp with sweat, showing how nervous he’d been.

* * *

“Hyun-ah, I’m sorry. You saw many things you shouldn’t have seen at the company today.”

The luxury sedan carried grandfather, me, and the older uncle. The older uncle seemed to be extremely careful with his words, probably having heard about grandfather’s outburst at the younger uncle. He knew that with grandfather’s fiery temperament, one wrong word could cost him his attendance at the gathering.

“It’s fine, grandfather. It was fun, like going on a field trip.”

“Fun, you say?”

Oops, grandfather’s eyes became peculiar again at the word “fun.” His previous comment about wishing I were older felt sincere. But if there was one good thing.

‘His patriarchal tendencies have diminished.’

Though it hadn’t been long, I could feel grandfather’s tendencies gradually changing. Of course, the foolish actions of my uncles and aunt had contributed to this. Grandfather had commanded Dongju from the management frontline for many years. He must have clearly seen how his children over forty were conscious of their young nephew. How pathetic must his children have seemed to him.

“Beom-jin, you know what kind of gathering this is today.”

Being outside the company, grandfather quietly called the older uncle by his name. The older uncle straightened his back like a student receiving orders. Having been scolded earlier for failing to answer questions properly, his body was tense.

“Yes, father.”

“Good, conduct yourself properly.”

The older uncle’s Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably. A sign of how nervous he was.

“Chairman, we’ve arrived.”

At the driver’s words, I looked out the window. I hadn’t noticed while talking with grandfather, but this was.

‘The Silla Hotel?’

It was the same Silla Hotel where we had dropped off the middle-aged foreigner earlier. As soon as grandfather’s car arrived, hotel staff opened the doors as if they had been waiting. Their uniforms and appearances suggested they weren’t simple bellboys but hotel managers.

This wasn’t an ordinary gathering. A meeting of three generations of chaebol groups.

The hotel staff was already bustling as if on high alert. The corridor leading to the banquet hall was completely empty. Probably for the privacy-conscious chaebol.

‘Finally.’

My body tensed involuntarily. I was about to directly experience the legendary gathering I’d only heard about in group inside stories in my past life. Moreover, not as a third party but as an officially invited third-generation chaebol. The world is truly unpredictable. To think I’d so easily enter a place I couldn’t even approach in my past life of chasing vanity.

Trudge.

While grandfather seemed unfazed, tension was evident on the older uncle’s face. He must have been afraid of making a mistake and falling out of grandfather’s favor.

As the hotel managers personally opened the banquet hall doors, the legendary gathering revealed itself.

“Chairman Yu!”

Chairman Wang of Jeil Group hurried over upon seeing grandfather. His face was full of smiles, like meeting an old friend. Son Il-sun followed behind him, immediately bowing deeply to grandfather.

Gulp.

Though I had met Son Il-sun in my past life, this was my first time seeing him so young. Moreover, I couldn’t have imagined Son Il-sun bowing so deeply to anyone. That’s when I noticed someone standing behind Son Il-sun.

‘Huh?’

Not an Asian. A Western foreigner with light-colored eyes.

He stood with Chairman Wang’s group as if he belonged there, which didn’t make sense. A foreigner at a gathering of three generations of chaebol?

But he looks familiar somehow.

Just as Son Il-sun was about to introduce the Westerner.

“Young gentleman?”

The middle-aged Westerner recognized me.

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