TL: LightNovelCafe

  Editor: Isleidir

  Amelia dropped Jina off at school and went to Jun Hyuk’s studio right away.

  When she went in quietly, she wasn’t able to move a single step. Other than the path to walk to the basement studio, there were pieces of paper stuck to the floor and all of the walls.

  Jun Hyuk must be in the basement because she could not see him anywhere.

  When she looked up at the ceiling, it was the same.

  “Amelia. What are you doing here?”


  She was so surprised that she did not even notice Jun Hyuk had appeared.

  “Jun. What…… what…… on earth……”


  When Amelia couldn’t even speak properly, Jun Hyuk slightly frowned.

  “It’s what I’m working on. It’s nothing. You don’t have to worry about it.”


  Amelia was about to say something, but stopped. It is a scene that is hard for her to understand, but Jun Hyuk said that it is his work on music. She knows that there is no point in saying anything to him about music.

  “Yeah. I came because of something else.”


  “Something else?”


  “It’s because of Jina.”


  “Jina? Why? Did something happen at school?”


  When she said Jina, Jun Hyuk jumped in surprise. This was so unbelievable she almost laughed. She realized again that to her husband, she is not there and he only cares about Jina and music.

  “No. It’s not school but you.”


  “Me?”


  Jun Hyuk did not understand and his eyes grew wide.

  “Yeah. What on earth are you doing to the kid? Jina’s just 15 years old now. Her body is weak too. How can you make a girl like that sing for 5 or 6 hours everyday when that’s even difficult for adults to handle?”


  Jun Hyuk sighed in relief.

  “Oh that. It’s okay. Jina’s plenty capable of handling it.”


  “What are you talking about? Even if she was born with a great voice, this could ruin her body.”


  Amelia’s voice became sharp and Jun Hyuk frowned more.

  “Amelia. There’s a world that you don’t know. Don’t make hasty conclusions.”


  “I’m not talking about geniuses right now. I’m just saying that it’s difficult physically.”


  “Stop.”


  Jun Hyuk put up his hand and stopped Amelia from speaking.

  “When Mozart created his opera, a 1 person opera was being created in Korea. Thoughts on the song might be different but looking at just the singer, Western vocalists are young kids. The singer of the 1 person opera in Korea performs 3 or 4 hours alone. There are songs that are nearly 8 hours too. The only prop is a fan and the only accompanying instrument is a drum.”


  “What, what nonsense.”


  Amelia was hearing such an unbelievable thing for the first time. A 1 person opera performing an 8 hour opera?

  “It’s true. And I know Jina’s condition best. She’s able to do an 8 hour performance even now.”


  The long song that Jina talked about, 1 person opera, and 8 hours. Amelia became scared when she combined these words.

  Is the song Jun Hyuk is writing now, one that is over 8 hours long? And does he think of Jina as just an instrument to bring out the music that he wants?

  Couldn’t it be that he is thinking that it’d be okay to ruin Jina if it means that he could listen to that music even just once?

  Amelia ran out of the studio and looked for Yoon Kwang Hun. If what she is imagining is true, she needs to stop it now. And the only person who can stop Jun Hyuk is Yoon Kwang Hun.

  ***

  When Yoon Kwang Hun went into Jun Hyuk’s studio with Amelia, he was speechless.

  Pieces of paper stuck everywhere, even to the ceiling. Those papers created a giant maze and notes filled up the maze’s pathway.

  “Father, what is it? It’s so early in the morning.”


  Jun Hyuk had been laying on the ground and staring at the ceiling when he bolted up.

  “I wanted to have a coffee with you.”


  “I’m a little busy……”


  “You don’t even have time for a coffee?”


  Jun Hyuk flinched under Yoon Kwang Hun’s prickly glare.

  “Oh, no.”


  Jun Hyuk looked at Yoon Kwang Hun and Amelia, and made coffee.

  “What is that? Are you creating a maze?”


  “Yes. I made it like that because I can’t organize it.”


  “With notes inside a maze?”


  Yoon Kwang Hun shook his head. It is a world he cannot understand anyway. There is no point in discussing a maze right now.

  “You can think of that maze and those notes as the inside of my head. And I need to solve it.”


  “Wasn’t it your style to write things out on a piece of paper. Being able to write out the music in your head within moments?”


  “You’re right. But that’s not working for this song. I’ve drawn out exactly what’s in my mind through that maze. I need to find a path within that.”


  Yoon Kwang Hun took a glance at Amelia and spoke again,

  “Are you teaching Jina pansori?”


  “What? Pansori?”


  “Yeah. Your wife said that it looks like you’re making a 1 person opera that goes for over 8 hours. I realized right away. That’s Chunhyangga.”


  Jun Hyuk blinked for a while and suddenly burst out in laughter.

  “Amelia. What misunderstanding was there? I don’t know what kind of music is coming out. Look at this maze. The form will come out once I solve this.”


  Jun Hyuk gestured to the pieces of paper stuck everywhere.

  “Then why are you working Jina so hard? Does 5 to 6 hours make sense for a young girl like that?”


  “That’s not it. Jina’s an instrument that exceeds our imaginations. I actually shortened the time because I was worried. If you leave her alone, I’m pretty sure she’ll sing for 24 hours straight.”


  Yoon Kwang Hun was silent. It seems Amelia had misunderstood. This is Jun Hyuk as he is. He is just bringing out the music that is inside his head. It is just that this time, it is taking more time.

  “Amelia. Father. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but Jina’s my daughter. I don’t do anything that would harm her in any way.”


  Amelia seemed reassured as well. Jun Hyuk took a deep breath in and out. And then he spoke slowly and calmly.

  “It is true that I’m sensitive because this is hard work for me. And I can’t think of anything beyond this maze. This is music I’ve kept with me my whole life. I can’t say how happy I am that I’m able to make a try at it because of Jina.”


  “What? Music you’ve kept with you?”


  Amelia’s eyes grew wide.

  “It occasionally tangles up like thread…… It was music that showed that a little. I was just giving up on it because there isn’t a tool or way to express it anyway……”


  Jun Hyuk grew more excited.

  “The music I’ve made until now is just one piece of this thread. I’ve expressed the tangled thread through that maze. I’m anticipating what kind of form it’ll take.”


  Yoon Kwang Hun spoke cautiously,

  “You’re…… you’re okay, right?”


  “Yes. Don’t worry. I’m done with more than half now. You know, right? No matter how tangled a thread is, it becomes easier to untangle as you go forward. I’m going to complete it.”


  Jun Hyuk squeezed Amelia’s hand.

  “Amelia. I’m going to retire completely once this song is complete. And I’ll stick to you 24 hours a day. There’s no need to make more music.”


  Amelia and Yoon Kwang Hun jumped in surprise. What retirement all of a sudden?

  “Jun, you’re saying you won’t create music? What on earth are you talking about?”


  “Because no matter how long I continue making music, there’s never going to be one better than this. All of me is in this.”


  Jun Hyuk smiled brightly at Yoon Kwang Hun.

  “When this is all over, I’m going to tag along behind Jina and Amelia like you did and be jobless. I’m living out your life. The only difference is that I have a lot of money? Ha ha.”


  Yoon Kwang Hun took Amelia out of the studio.

  “Do you think everything Jun is saying is true?”


  “Amelia, don’t worry.”


  Yoon Kwang Hun pat Amelia’s back.

  “He’ll find the music he’s been seeking all his life. That’s an inevident reaction. There was a song you practiced like crazy too, right? Music that you practiced so much even eating seemed like a waste of time?”


  “Yes.”


  “It’s that. The only difference is time. Jun is just taking a few years. No, for us it’s years but for Jun, it’ll be a short moment.”