For The Musical Genius (Novel) - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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The cicada’s cry rang out clearly from the green shade. This was before the era of grey forests in the city. Back when apartments were only for the middle class and most citizens lived in houses. A time when neighborhood relationships were so close that people joked they even knew how many spoons their neighbors had. After school, children’s laughter filled every alley. Who would have thought I’d feel this nostalgia again.

Meanwhile, on TV, there’s a buzz about Jeil Group.

“Wow, Jeil Group is really something!”

Father exclaimed while watching TV. Not only had Jeil Group pioneered the previously barren semiconductor industry, but they had also developed the world’s first 256M DRAM. When they first ventured into semiconductors, rumors circulated that Chairman Wang had lost his mind. By now, President Son Il-sun would be at the helm – someone I had met personally.

‘If you don’t change, you die.’

That was Son Il-sun’s favorite saying. He changed everything except his wife and children. The first thing he did after Chairman Wang’s death was to remove his own brother from the group. Having worked in Jeil Group’s legal team, I had witnessed firsthand how aggressive he was. No wonder they maintained their firm position as the top conglomerate.

[Prime Minister Ko Jin-woo and Jeil Electronics President Son Il-sun are inspecting the semiconductor factory together. This is the moment when Korea stands tall as a world leader in the semiconductor industry. We can sense that Korea is approaching OECD* membership just half a century after the Korean War. This is truly a moving moment.]

T/Note- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental organization that helps countries develop policies and standards for economic and social progress.

Son Il-sun on TV looked much younger than I remembered.

I shook my head. He’s someone I’ll never meet again.

That’s when.

“Son, what are you going to do during summer vacation?”

Mother brought out watermelon on a tray. I picked up a piece and gave it to father. Then I took another piece for mother and said,

“I should help at the laundry shop, it’s peak season now.”

This was before air conditioning became common in households. Most people fought the heat with electric fans, so many people visited the laundry shop drenched in sweat. But mother’s expression wasn’t happy. Neither was father’s. They exchanged glances before speaking.

“Son, I’m proud of you, but I’m worried. I’ll tell you if we really need help. Why don’t you visit grandfather’s house this summer vacation? He says he wants to see his grandson.”

“Yes, Kang Hyun. During summer vacation, don’t study, go to grandfather’s house, see the city, eat good food, and enjoy yourself.”

They must have been concerned about me helping at the laundry shop after school every day. It was understandable, seeing me scurrying around the neighborhood collecting laundry with my small frame. Plus, I studied late into the night, which naturally worried them as parents. Come to think of it.

‘Grandfather passed away about five years later.’

He was already over seventy. Five years later, when I was preparing for college entrance exams, grandfather passed away from old age. Back then, I barely attended his funeral. I only stayed at the funeral home for thirty minutes before returning to the study room. Sigh.

Words caught in my throat like a sweet potato. How ungrateful was I back then? I felt endlessly guilty. But regret won’t change the past. Didn’t I vow not to repeat such mistakes? My parents’ expressions brightened at my next words.

“Mother, what food did grandfather like?”

* * *

I rode the intercity express bus for quite a while.

This was an era when the term “non-smoking area” was still unfamiliar. People smoked casually in bars, teachers’ offices, and companies. Express buses were no exception. Each seat had an ashtray on the back of the headrest, perfect for smokers. The pungent tobacco smell made my throat tingle, but it also made me crave a cigarette.

I wiped my nose and turned to look out the window. Cars that dominated the 90s lined the modernizing highway. Then

[East Seoul IC]

The sign caught my eye.

Though I was heading to grandfather’s house, in a way, it was like moving up to Seoul from the provinces.

“To Ichon-dong, please.”

It was late, and not knowing the bus routes, I took a taxi. If it weren’t for the money grandfather had set aside for his grandson’s visit, I couldn’t have afforded it. The taxi driver glanced at my face in the rearview mirror and commented on the nice neighborhood.

“We’re here, student.”

At the driver’s words, I looked out the window. This was Dongbu Ichon-dong, one of Seoul’s wealthiest areas alongside Apgujeong-dong. A place frequented by successful singers, actors, congressmen, and business figures. Being within view of the Han River made it traditionally expensive. While streetlights were still rare in the provinces, here they lit up the night like day.

Thud.

I had been here before in the past. But too much time had passed to rely on memory alone. I followed the map mother had drawn for me.

“How grand.”

The grey walls were tall enough to be called fortress walls. When I pressed the doorbell on the large gate, an elderly woman’s voice answered. Must be the housekeeper.

“This is Kang Hyun.”

The iron gate opened with a loud noise. Between flat stone steps stood expensive-looking landscaping trees. Golden carp swam elegantly in a pond that enhanced the garden’s atmosphere. I entered the mansion holding a wrapped package.

“Student Kang Hyun, you must be tired from your long journey.”

The housekeeper welcomed me.

The mansion’s interior was filled with classical furniture. It exuded elegance through restraint rather than extravagance.

“What’s all this?”

“Mother packed some food that grandfather likes.”

“Oh my. The master will be so pleased. Look at me being forgetful, Kang Hyun. Give me the food and wait in the living room. You know about the family gathering today, right?”

Family gathering?

I moved forward without showing my surprise. The spacious living room sofa already had guests. All of them adorned in expensive luxury brands. It’s awkward to call them relatives – they’re mother’s siblings in name only, but there was no real relationship. More accurately, they all looked down on mother.

“What brings you here?”

The eldest uncle asked Kang Hyun suspiciously. His voice clearly showed disapproval. Was this somewhere I shouldn’t be? Not just the uncles, but even aunt was glaring.

“Hyun-ja must be trying to get on father’s good side now. She said she didn’t need money or family when she cut ties and left home, but now she’s pushing her son forward. Isn’t it too obvious? Right, brothers?”

The aunt wearing large rings said while drinking tea. That woman has always been skilled at speaking rudely regardless of place. In the past, I would have stormed out red-faced, but I’m Kang Hyun who has lived through middle age. Knowing the future, I held back a smirk.

“Grandfather called for me.”

Kang Hyun said this while taking a seat on the sofa. At the mention of grandfather calling, both aunt and uncles’ expressions changed instantly.

“Grandfather called you? Brothers, does this make any sense?”

That’s when.

“Yes, I called him.”

Grandfather, wearing modernized hanbok, emerged from his study. The previously arrogant uncles and aunt suddenly straightened up like model students. Grandfather looked remarkably fit for his seventy years. I hadn’t seen much of grandfather even in my past life. Since he passed away when I was nineteen, this was like meeting him again after decades. He used to seem so intimidating back then.

“I heard Kang Hyun ranked first in his school. I was pleased and told him to spend his summer vacation comfortably at his grandfather’s house.”

No one dared to object to grandfather’s firm words.

“Our Seok also ranked third in his class, father.”

The aunt with large rings added disapprovingly. Not knowing that her precious son would later be caught for fraud. That’s why the aunt, who never kept in touch, suddenly appeared after decades. Asking if I could help her son somehow, saying we were cousins after all. What happened?

That cousin stayed in prison until I left the Western District Prosecutors’ Office. I heard the aunt later fell ill from the stress. Grandfather didn’t even respond to her words. Instead, he looked at Kang Hyun and asked quietly.

“Is your mother doing well?”

He was the grandfather who had cut ties with mother. Perhaps age made him miss his child. In my previous life, grandfather never sought me out like this. The butterfly effect must have occurred somewhere I didn’t know about.

“Yes, grandfather.”

As our conversation continued, the uncles’ expressions grew increasingly displeased. Just as the conversation was ending.

“Father, we need to discuss business matters now. Why don’t you have Hyun stay with his cousins? The children would be happy to see him after so long.”

“Yes, father.”

The aunt eagerly supported the eldest uncle’s words. They must have been worried I might try to take mother’s place. These people’s hearts are still as black as ever. Almost putrid.

“Grandfather, I’ll go upstairs then. As uncle said, it would be good to see my cousins after so long.”

Grandfather nodded briefly.

I stood up, bowed to grandfather, and walked away.

Upstairs, the cousins were gathered in a large room. Though calling it a room seems inadequate – it was as large as a typical house’s living room, almost excessively spacious. The cousins were gathered in groups. While the younger ones played with toys.

“What brings you here?”

The older cousins were sitting together, playing at being adults. Especially my aunt’s son, who was the oldest. His name was Yu Jin-seok, two years older than me.

Jin-seok stood up and strode toward me. He was the age-based king among the cousins. He was much taller than me too. His arrogant expression was identical to his mother’s.

“Are you deaf? I asked what brings you here?”

Jin-seok asked again with an intimidating expression. This kid – images overlapped of him later begging me for help after committing fraud and embezzlement in my past life. Kang Hyun surveyed the classical room. This wealth that seemed eternal.

“Jin-seok.”

It all collapsed less than five years after grandfather’s death.

“Don’t act up.”

Jin-seok’s eyes widened at Kang Hyun’s sudden informal speech.

“What?”

Just as Jin-seok raised his hand with a red face.

“Huh…?”

Jin-seok felt his body tilting. Then Kang Hyun’s hand roughly grabbed Jin-seok’s hair. The children were too shocked to close their mouths. It happened in an instant. The small-framed Kang Hyun tripped Jin-seok and grabbed his hair.

The cousins all strongly inherited their parents’ cowardice. They were especially arrogant, tending to look down on others permanently once they showed weakness. But Kang Hyun had lived as a prosecutor for many years. He had been through everything imaginable.

Dealing with these kids was.

Crack.

“If you act up one more time.”

Jin-seok, his head bent back, looked into Kang Hyun’s gleaming eyes and nodded repeatedly.

“You’ll die.”

Above all else, it was easy.

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