Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: The Piano Prince
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To Yeonwoo, Orion was a musician in need of rehabilitation, but to the organizers of Himari's event, they were a tool to hype up this performance.
After all, the legendary band Orion had teamed up with the genius Yuin to celebrate Himari's 20th anniversary.
It was the kind of news that would thrill jazz fans.
Sure enough, Orion's return after years of inactivity became such a hot topic that it made headlines.
As a result, more and more Japanese jazz artists were clamoring to join the orchestra.
Hashimoto Atsushi was one of them.
With his handsome looks and session work across genres centered on jazz, he'd gained public recognition and earned the nickname "Piano Prince" as a rising star.
Himari had taken notice of his talent too, even calling him in once for some guidance. The world hailed him as a promising talent handpicked by Himari herself.
That was until Yeonwoo came along.
Though he inwardly resented the fading spotlight on him as a jazz pianist, he couldn't pass up an opportunity like this.
And with Orion joining no less—he took the initiative and contacted Himari to express his interest.
"Right? Then come to Fukuoka. You remember that Tenjin practice room from before, yeah?"
Himari welcomed his participation with open arms and summoned him to her studio (now that her headaches were sorted, she'd moved it back to Tenjin for the ramen).
Hashimoto Atsushi made his way to Himari's Tenjin studio with trembling anticipation.
"[Uesugi-sensei, it's been too long.]"
He greeted her with utmost courtesy.
"[Yeah, come on in.]"
But the moment Hashimoto Atsushi stepped through the door Himari held open for him, he froze solid.
'Orion...!'
For someone in his mid-twenties like Hashimoto Atsushi, the legendary jazz band Orion—whom he'd never met—was right there, sitting in Himari's studio.
'Orion... in the flesh...!'
If Himari had been the biggest influence on his decision to become a jazz pianist, it was Orion's songs from his teenage years that had first sparked his love for jazz itself.
To him, they were idols on par with Himari.
He'd known they were participating, but he hadn't expected to come face-to-face with them in the studio like this.
And yet...
Something was off.
"[Uncle Shigeru, that's not how you do it. Like this! Why can't you ride the swing when you used to nail it?]"
"[Ahh, sorry, sorry. I'll give it more effort.]"
"[Uncle Nobuo too. You're still making mistakes.]"
"[My fingers won't loosen up. I'll work on it.]"
"[Auntie Naomi, everything else is great, but you need more finger strength. Your fingers are so used to handling flowers, you've forgotten how to handle keys.]"
"[Mm, got it.]"
"[Uncle Takeo, you're trying to go solo again!!]"
"[I wasn't... yeah, you're right. I'll be careful. Uh... please don't glare like that, senpai.]"
The mighty Orion was fumbling helplessly in front of a child.
Well, except for the drummer, Mori Takeo.
Takeo seemed a bit defiant toward the kid at first, but he quickly spotted the elderly woman seated behind the child and tucked his tail.
That old lady...
'Jade Heo...!'
The world knew her as the pianist who'd been hugely active in the US before Himari, and Himari's teacher to boot—but she had other disciples besides Himari.
Plenty of the current 30- and 40-something leaders of Japan's jazz scene were her students from her university days.
Hashimoto Atsushi had no direct connection, but the professor he'd studied under at music school had been one of Heo Ok's disciples—straight out of her assistant program.
Which meant that kid was...
'Yuin!'
Was he wielding his legendary grandmother's influence like a weapon to bend the great band Orion to his will?!
In the meantime, the child—Yeonwoo—snatched Kobayashi Naomi's keyboard and placed his hands over the keys.
"[The keyboard plays a super important role in my orchestra. You have to make all kinds of sounds that match the beat. Play it delicately, like charara, flowing smooth. Like this.]"
He'd set it to some effect sound other than piano—the sound of clinking glasses flowed out.
Like falling stars. Yeah, just like Yeonwoo said: actual star sounds.
While Hashimoto Atsushi was still savoring the noise, the kid suddenly hopped up, dashed off somewhere, grabbed a guitar, and planted himself in front of Takahashi Shigeru.
Then, before what was hailed as Japan's top jazz guitarist, he had the audacity to demonstrate.
"[That's how the guitar swing feels.]"
Yeonwoo played with a unique technique, riding the swing with fluid grace. As Hashimoto Atsushi jolted in surprise, Takahashi Shigeru nodded.
"[Yeah, yeah, I get it.]"
"[Come on, remember it quick. You've got swing in your bones, uncle.]"
"[You're right.]"
Yeonwoo beamed as if just seeing Shigeru recall the swing was enough to excite him.
'Hmm...!'
It wasn't just the halo effect.
Hashimoto Atsushi could feel it from watching Yeonwoo's guitar work.
This kid was something else—no ordinary child.
"[What, amazed to see a kid shredding guitar like that?]"
Himari approached as Hashimoto Atsushi stared blankly at Yeonwoo.
"[It's my first time seeing a kid play guitar that well, sensei.]"
"[That kid's even better on piano.]"
Hashimoto Atsushi knew that much. Why else would Himari share the stage with him at Budokan?
But there was a world of difference between hearsay and seeing it firsthand.
Frankly, the idea of an eight-year-old being "good" at piano didn't really compute on a common-sense level.
So Hashimoto Atsushi played dumb.
"[That good, huh?]"
Himari nodded right away.
"[Better than you?]"
"[......Pardon?]"
That was an answer he hadn't seen coming.
"[He blew me away after just three months of lessons, reached stage-ready level with me after a year, and now? He plays better than me. Even better than my teacher over there.]"
Better than Himari—not to mention Jade... Hashimoto Atsushi couldn't wrap his head around it.
But then he watched Yeonwoo slide onto the piano bench with Orion and play alongside them, and he had no choice but to believe Himari.
What was it? The texture was just... different.
Atsushi had never in his life seen anyone ride the swing with such delectable flavor.
Age aside, he figured just joining the orchestra led by this boy would do wonders for him—so he offered Yeonwoo the deepest, most respectful bow(?).
* * *
On the way to grab a bite with Himari, Heo Ok, and Jihoon after practice, Yeonwoo suddenly remembered something Himari had said and asked her about it.
"[Auntie Himari, you said Orion doesn't have a vocalist, right?]"
"[Yeah, that's right. Orion has no fixed vocalist.]"
"[But all the singers who've performed with them—I know at least three off the top of my head.]"
"[Those are guest vocalists.]"
"[Guest vocalists?]"
"[Yep. Orion doesn't keep a permanent vocalist in the band. They bring in vocalists to fit the song or album concept.]"
"[Oh...! Is that just something bands do?]"
"[Nah, producers or composers who only handle writing and producing sometimes use guest vocalists for albums under their own name too.]"
More groups and individuals used guest vocalists than you'd think, but it was pretty rare these days—so it was a novel concept to Yeonwoo.
Still, it resonated with him big time.
It was the exact reason why Yeonwoo—who'd always dreamed of starting his own band—hadn't formed one even after revealing his identity to the world.
With endless genres he wanted to tackle, locking in a fixed vocalist would limit what he could even attempt, robbing the band of its purpose.
So up until now, whenever he found a singer he liked, he'd hand them songs and produce for their albums instead. But now, he could flip the script.
Invite singers he liked to sing on his album.
Then scout sessions who could handle any genre and deliver killer performances.
No—even better. If their playing clicked, he could teach them to handle any genre, produce it himself. So he could recruit based on raw potential, right?
The thought made Yeonwoo's heart race.
He was supposed to be taking a break, but suddenly he wanted to tour the world right now and assemble his own band.
Failing that, he at least wanted to drop an album under Yuin's name immediately.
"[You look deep in thought.]"
"[I was imagining an album under Yuin's name.]"
"[Using guest vocalists?]"
"Yeah."
"[A Yuin album? Just the thought of it—I bet it'd sell out in Japan.]"
"[Dunno about that, but why didn't I think of a guest vocalist system? I could've made an album ages ago.]"
Yeonwoo sounded genuinely wistful about the lost time.
"[You're still a kid. You've got years ahead to make albums, so maybe don't dwell on the past?]"
"[Yeah, fair. The past is what made me famous anyway—not a waste.]"
Himari chuckled at Yeonwoo's grown-up response.
Come to think of it, his Japanese had improved by leaps and bounds. He was using words even adults rarely did.
"[When you make that album, let me guest once or twice?]"
"[Deal—I'll invite you as guest piano. No backing out later, okay? Promise?]"
Yeonwoo shot out his pinky at Himari's words.
"[You think I'd say no to featuring on your album? Promise. Let's seal it.]"
They pressed thumbs together and grinned.
Watching the pair fondly, Heo Ok glanced at her wristwatch and grew serious.
"[This isn't the time for chit-chat.]"
"[Why, Sensei? What's up?]"
"[The yakitori place you all wanted to hit is about to open.]"
Both their faces hardened at that.
"[We gotta hustle.]"
The chicken skewer joint they were headed to was so popular, lines formed before it even opened.
Miss the window, and it'd fill up in seconds.
"[Fukuoka has way too many tourists for its size!! Running the open rush every day. Yesterday the wait was insane—we couldn't even eat!!]"
Yeonwoo vented his frustration and surged ahead faster than anyone.
Guest vocalists? Whatever. His head was now crammed full of sizzling skewers.
That's when it happened.
His phone rang—Dad.
"Dad!"
-Yeonwoo, you on your way to the shop? Dad's holding a spot in line.
Yeonwoo's steps slowed. A massive grin spread across his face.
"Dad, you're the best!!"
-Yeah?
"You know what Yeonwoo loves most, right?!"
-Yeah, sure.
"Dad, but loving you the best and calling you the best isn't just because of yakitori."
-...Kinda feels like it is?
"It's real!"
Yeah. Anyway, Yeonwoo loved his dad more than anything.