For The Musical Genius (Novel) - Chapter 71

Chapter 71

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“What was your favorite scene?”

His brow furrowed. It was a habit he had whenever he was deep in thought.

“That’s a difficult question to answer. The days filming ‘La Vie en Rose’ were like a continuous dream. Let me rephrase the question. Instead of my favorite scene, let me tell you about the most memorable one.”

Jean-Pierre continued without hesitation, recalling the scene that was etched most vividly in his mind.

“It was a night filled with so many stars that it reminded me of Van Gogh’s paintings. A boy with an eye patch played the violin on a hill. Sadly, it wasn’t a scene in the movie. But that melody carried the essence of ‘La Vie en Rose.'”

The melody that flowed under the full moon on that hill, shrouded in twilight, was still vivid in his ears. It was so beautiful that everyone on set was left speechless. How beautiful was it? Even two years later, it still captivated Jean-Pierre, so much so that further explanation would only be redundant.

“It was truly heartbreaking. If only the 6mm camera we used for the behind-the-scenes footage hadn’t broken, we would still have that scene. I was so depressed for days after finding out the footage wasn’t recorded.”

Just then, the waiter arrived with their drinks. Jean-Pierre sipped his tea and nodded.

“I’m already thinking about my next project. I want to make a film about Paganini’s life. It’s been a dream of mine since I first entered the film industry. The script is already complete. But I don’t have an actor yet. Of course, I have someone in mind.”

For some reason, Jean-Pierre’s voice grew somber.

“Unfortunately, he’s Asian. Niccolò Paganini was Italian, after all. But if it’s not him, how else could we hear Paganini’s music again? The moment I saw him, I immediately thought of Paganini. He’s not an actor. He’s a renowned violinist and a composer the whole world admires. Who is it?”

The teacup with café au lait and milk was set down with a clink.

“HYUN.”

*

Boom—!

The heavy rain was accompanied by thunder, as if expressing the turmoil in my heart.

“Father, what do you mean?”

My eldest uncle cautiously asked. It was understandable. Grandfather’s words about Daehan Steel being the starting point were hard to comprehend.

“Daehan Steel will collapse.”

“What?”

My eldest uncle raised his voice without realizing it. Disbelief was evident on his face. My younger uncle and aunt were equally shocked. After all, who would believe that Daehan Steel would go bankrupt in just a week? It was even joked that the small businesses around Daehan Steelworks were as prosperous as some medium-sized enterprises. The steel industry was one of the most capital-rich industries, after all.

“Everyone, be cautious and prepare for the coming storm. I will give further instructions on what to do next. In the meantime, don’t act recklessly. Especially you, Beom-kyung.”

“Yes, Father…”

Grandfather’s voice was firmer than ever. My younger uncle, who had been sweating profusely, and everyone else were frozen in place, as if turned to stone. It was such a significant matter that it felt like declaring war the next day. The economic climate seemed so prosperous that his words sounded absurd. As Grandfather stood up, I quickly followed him.

“Grandfather, do you have a moment?”

Grandfather smiled mysteriously and nodded briefly. His study was filled with well-worn bookshelves. The sound of the heavy rain hitting the windows was loud, but he paid no mind. Grandfather waited silently for me to speak first.

“Grandfather, why is Daehan Steel going bankrupt now?”

“Hyun, you’re so smart. You even know the term ‘bankruptcy.’ Then let me ask you, why do you think Daehan Steel is going bankrupt? You said ‘now,’ so it seems like you already know the reason, don’t you?”

Grandfather was as sharp as Chairman Wang. Of course, without that, Dongju wouldn’t exist today. “Daehan Steel isn’t actually in the steel business.”

It was ironic, but true. Daehan Steel was technically in the steel industry, but it was like a hollow shell. The steel industry requires skilled technicians and accumulated know-how. It’s not an industry you can just jump into because it seems profitable. Anyone who has studied the economic turmoil of late 20th-century South Korea would know this. Moreover,

“Current Daehan Steel is just a sandcastle with a pretty facade. It was bound to collapse eventually, but I didn’t expect it to happen this quickly.”

“A sandcastle with a pretty facade, you say? What makes you say that?”

“Debt.”

It was a short word, but I could see Grandfather’s eyes widen. He hadn’t expected to hear this from me. It was a simple term, but digging deeper, it referred to government-controlled finance. Through relentless lobbying, they had amassed enormous debt. Daehan Steel was like a ticking time bomb built on blank checks, but by the time everyone realized it, it was already too late.

“Now I understand why Chairman Wang said that. It feels like I’m talking to an old friend. Hyun, do you have any idea what’s going to happen next?”

When I nodded, Grandfather let out an impressed sigh. He hadn’t expected a middle schooler like me to have such insight into socio-economic issues. Of course, if the flow of history hadn’t changed, I wouldn’t have said anything to him.

“Hyun, it was like this after liberation and after the war. Crisis always comes with opportunity. Just like the small rice mill that once stood on the barren land of Seoul has now become a company that spans all of South Korea. Your uncles seem completely unaware of what’s about to happen in South Korea. But you’re different.”

At that moment, Grandfather and I locked eyes.

“It was thanks to you that we caught Director Jeon last time. This time, I’m curious too. How will you respond to the coming storm, Hyun?”

“Grandfather, I’m just a middle schooler.”

Both Chairman Wang and Grandfather sometimes treated me like an adult, which was a bit overwhelming. For a moment, Grandfather looked at me with a strange expression. His gaze felt like he was reading my mind.

“History repeats itself, Hyun. Where will you stand?”

* * *

For days, my mind was tangled like a ball of yarn. I felt so stifled that I couldn’t relax, and only by writing down notes on the staff paper did I feel some relief. Baek Jeong-hoon was still clocking in at the studio every day, but whether it was because of my expression or his intense focus on the score “Iron Blood,” he remained silent. After staring at the score for a long time, Baek Jeong-hoon suddenly spoke up.

” Hyun, what kind of inspiration do you need to create a score like this?”

Maestro of Iron Blood, I was thinking of you when I wrote this.

“Hyung, aren’t you preparing for your solo concert?”

“I’m doing it here.”

Somehow, he was becoming more and more shameless. He often played the repertoire for his solo concert in front of me. And then he would ask if there was anything I thought needed fixing. Who would have thought the Maestro of Iron Blood would ask me such a question? Especially since it was for the piano, not the violin.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, Mi- Hyun noona entered after knocking.

“Hyun, we’ve received a call from France.”

“From France?”

Not from the U.S. or Japan, but France?

“It’s from Director Jean-Pierre, who worked with you before. He said he wants to work with you again on a film about the life of a violinist named Paganini.”

Now that I thought about it, Jean-Pierre had mentioned wanting to make a film about Niccolò Paganini. But I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck, as if Baek Jeong-hoon was staring at me.

“How long do I have to give an answer?”

“It’s not urgent, but he said to contact him whenever. He said if you don’t do it, he won’t proceed with the project at all.”

“What?”

It sounded like a joke, but knowing Jean-Pierre’s stubborn personality, it didn’t seem like a lie. Meanwhile, Director Im Hye-ra had been absent for days. If Daehan Steel was going bankrupt as Grandfather said, it was obvious she would be busy.

*

Grandfather’s words turned out to be true.

‘So it was a hollow shell after all—Daehan Steel’s bankruptcy!’ The news made headlines at nine o’clock. The steel industry is the backbone of a nation’s economy. The area around Daehan Steelworks was in chaos, and the South Korean economy began to falter. Both Grandfather and Father watched the news with tense expressions.

‘The list hasn’t been exposed yet.’

Daehan Steel was burdened with trillions of won in financial debt, made possible by the lobbyists of Daehan Group’s chairman, Kim Dae-sik. The list of names involved would later be known as the “Kim Dae-sik List,” sparking controversy. It was the epitome of corruption. The news was only showing the tip of the iceberg.

At that moment,

“Hey, you punk, get in here!”

My eldest uncle appeared at the entrance, shouting. The housekeeper was startled and dropped what she was holding. It was understandable, as my younger uncle was being dragged in by the eldest uncle. His face was swollen, and his eyes were already black and blue like a panda’s. Grandfather stood up and glared at the two uncles, his gaze sharp enough to kill.

“Father, I’m sorry—!”

My eldest uncle knelt down and pleaded. My younger uncle, sprawled on the floor, was too scared to even meet Grandfather’s eyes.

“Beom-kyung, this punk took money.”

Money?

Grandfather gestured for my younger uncle to speak. Finally, my younger uncle came to his senses and quickly knelt down. His lips were trembling, and his words were slurred.

“D-Daehan offered me money for some documents on new materials… I didn’t know what I was doing…”

I was too shocked to speak. No wonder my younger uncle had been so quiet lately. Grandfather had banned him from entering the company, so he had no way to make money. But to think of selling new materials, especially to the controversial Daehan Group…

“That’s not all, Father. Yoo Beom-kyung! Tell him everything, you punk!”

My eldest uncle was also furious. He looked like he was about to beat my younger uncle to death, his eyes wide with rage. My younger uncle was trembling like a wet mouse, prostrating himself as if he had committed a mortal sin.

“I… I also embezzled company funds.”

Embezzlement?

Father rushed over to stop Grandfather, who looked like he was about to grab a golf club and beat my younger uncle. My younger uncle was shaking like a leaf. What on earth…

‘This is going differently from my past life!’

Perhaps in my past life, my younger uncle hadn’t been fired, so this hadn’t happened. The flow of history had changed. Moreover, it seemed to be heading in a direction that threatened Dongju.

If this continues, it’s going to be a huge problem.

As I watched my younger uncle trembling and crying,

“History repeats itself, Hyun. Where will you stand?”

Those final words kept echoing in my ears.