Chapter 31
Chapter 31
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Sushi Song
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Yeonwoo's world started from the narrow kitchenette and extended to his grandmother's apartment complex, kindergarten, the big supermarket, the zoo, or the amusement park—that was about it.
At just six years old, even taking all that in had its limits.
For such a Yeonwoo, Japan was an utterly unfamiliar world.
The neighborhood signs were nearly impossible to find in the Hangul he had only just begun to learn, the languages he had never heard before, and crowds even bigger than those at the large supermarket.
And the weather was different too.
In Korea, fall was practically skipped, winter arrived abruptly, and nights were so cold without a jacket that it was hard to go out.
But Japan—Fukuoka—was different.
It was a bit more humid and warm, to the point where wearing the jacket he had on in Korea made him want to take it off because it was too hot.
Well, Yeonwoo didn't mind.
To begin with, he wasn't as sensitive to the cold as other kids his age. In fact, compared to Korea where he had to bundle up in cumbersome clothes and jackets, he preferred being able to go around in lighter attire like now.
On top of that, for Yeonwoo who was serious about eating, this Japanese neighborhood was a place full of delicious new foods different from what he ate in Korea.
"Yeonwoo, is the sushi tasty?"
Take this sushi, for example.
Putting raw fish on top of rice and eating it—what in the world? But it's delicious!!
Yeonwoo nodded with a happy face.
"Yeah. Tasty."
"Really? Then when we go back to Korea, we should eat sushi a lot."
"There's sushi in Korea too?"
At Yeonwoo's question, with his mouth full of sushi, Jiyeong nodded.
"Of course there is in Korea too."
"But why didn't we eat it?"
"Yeah, why didn't we?"
At those words, Heo Ok spoke up from the side.
"Because Yeonwoo's dad doesn't like fish."
"Ew? Did my brother say that?"
"He's hated fish since he was little—raw, in soup, grilled, steamed, he wouldn't even look at it. Even before, I made grilled mackerel and he didn't touch it with his chopsticks."
"Oh, I see. I didn't know."
At Jiyeong's words, Yeonwoo frowned and asked his aunt.
"Auntie knows what?"
"Huh? Hey, Auntie went to college, college. Master's degree holder. I know tons of stuff?"
Yeonwoo didn't know what college or a master's degree was.
But he knew this.
"Auntie doesn't know more about Grandma or Dad than I do."
"Th-that's not true?"
Yeonwoo looked at Jiyeong, who was stuttering unconfidently for some reason, and asked.
"Then quiz time! What's Grandma's favorite thing?"
At Yeonwoo's quiz, Jiyeong said triumphantly.
"That's easy. You'd have to be dumb not to know. Obviously jazz."
"Wrong!"
"What? Then piano?"
"That's not it either."
"Then what? What does my mom like besides piano and jazz?"
Yeonwoo said it as if to ask if she didn't even know that.
"Of course it's me! Right, Grandma? Grandma likes Yeonwoo the best?"
At those words, Heo Ok smiled brightly and said.
"Of course, this grandma likes Yeonwoo the best in the world."
Jiyeong, who had dropped a rank in Heo Ok's favorites list thanks to jazz, piano, and the bonus of Yeonwoo rolling in, looked at the grandmother and grandson with an incredulous expression.
The two of them seemed to have lost interest in the quiz already as they brought new pieces of sushi given by the chef to their mouths.
"Mackerel really is best in Fukuoka. To eat it this fresh in sushi."
"Grilled mackerel is tasty, but sashimi is too!"
Jiyeong glared at the two as if burning with envy, but only for a moment.
"...Is it that good?"
The mackerel sushi melted smoothly in her mouth, and she broke into a happy smile as if wondering what had just happened.
It had been three days since coming to Japan and meeting Himari.
The sightseeing of Fukuoka city, which didn't have all that much to see, was pretty much done already. Today, they had gone out early in the morning, shuttled between Hakata and Tenjin for shopping, and settled both breakfast and lunch at famous eateries.
"Ah, the sushi was delicious. Right?"
"Yeah."
"So what should we do now? Mom, anywhere you want to go?"
"Hmm, nothing in particular for me."
"Um... then maybe more shopping? Where was that place with the huge robot? Lalaport? Should we go there?"
While Heo Ok and Jiyeong were pondering, Yeonwoo spoke up.
"Himari Aunt said to come to her studio."
"Oh, right."
"Then we should take Yeonwoo to the studio."
The mother and daughter took Yeonwoo to Himari's studio in Tenjin.
* * *
"Ah... that was delicious."
Himari's manager looked at her with a weary expression as she set down her bowl.
It was because she had devoured five bowls of tonkotsu ramen, three plates of fried rice, and four orders of gyoza at the ramen shop she loved so much that she had bought the building right in front of the studio for it.
And yet, she was looking at the ramen bowl with a somehow unsatisfied expression.
Then suddenly.
"Ah, I forgot to add garlic to the ramen."
For the first bowl, plain; second with shichimi; third with lots of ichimi and sesame; fourth piled high with chashu and pickled ginger—she had forgotten to add garlic on the fourth bowl.
Having broken her usual routine, she frowned discontentedly, then said.
"Since it's like this, I should add garlic and have one more. Mister!! One more ramen here......"
That's when the manager cut in.
"Uh, Uesugi-san. Didn't you have plans to meet Yeonwoo-kun?"
"Ah, shoot. Look at me. There's a message... I need to hurry back and prepare to greet the guest."
Himari left the shop, pushing aside her regrets, humming a tune as she went.
The manager following behind was inwardly surprised. It was the first time Himari had stopped eating midway and come back with such a bright expression.
"Um... Himari-san?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
"With what? Is there any reason I wouldn't be?"
"Ah, no."
Though he said what, Himari knew why the manager was asking if she was okay.
She had never once felt good about being interrupted while eating.
She herself was so sensitive and sharp about it that it was hard to control.
She had even deliberately stopped eating midway to harness that emotion for performances or composing.
But what could she do about being excited now.
She really was excited.
Being with Yeonwoo made it impossible not to feel good.
Just watching the small, cute kid play piano was healing and made her feel full.
But that wasn't all—seeing the child's genius talent drew her in.
His skill improved every single day without exaggeration or lies.
Yeonwoo was absorbing almost all the experience and technique Himari had built on the world stage in just a few days.
Her foundation was being drained, but he sucked it up so easily that there was no room to feel upset.
It was just thrilling.
But what was even more frightening and thrilling was Yeonwoo's composing ability.
Yeonwoo created songs as naturally as breathing.
Long or short, he produced them nonstop.
No—hours of free playing was composition in itself.
Of course, even if not to that extent, Himari—no, any composer—could write songs without rest.
Probably no composer hadn't played around basing on money codes at least once.
But Yeonwoo was different.
Every single song was new.
She was dying to know what his brain structure was like to churn out unfamiliar yet perfectly polished songs without stopping.
But even such a Yeonwoo surely had flaws.
Today, she planned to talk about that.
"Yeonwoo-zzang! Come out!!"
Now close enough to add the affectionate -zzang from the military, she entered the studio to find Heo Ok and Jiyeong gone, and the company executive enjoying Yeonwoo's performance.
Listening closely while following the executive, the song Yeonwoo was playing wasn't jazz.
By now, Himari also knew that Yeonwoo was the creator of the songs heating up the K-pop market.
"Idol song today?"
"Yes, making idol songs."
"Why? Fun?"
"It's fun, and it makes a lot of money."
This genius knew all too well what made money.
A genius like this... sticking only to jazz would be a waste, right?
Thinking that inwardly, Himari sat next to Yeonwoo.
"Nice."
"Nice?"
"Yeah, but one thing's missing."
Yeonwoo looked at Himari with round eyes at her words.
That look was unbearably adorable.
Himari pinched his chubby cheek without thinking, then placed her hand on his chest and said.
"Emotion."
"Emotion?"
Himari nodded.
At least in this current era where she lived and breathed, she was certain no two such geniuses existed. This kid was already proving himself a pro by churning out unbelievable songs.
But to climb higher, there was one lacking thing.
Emotion.
Of course, in this instant era accustomed to fast food, even songs churned out like factory machines could make you world-famous.
But how many of those people would be remembered long-term?
Some songs dominated an era but were forgotten like lies, while others from the same era lingered in memory and kept getting played.
Himari was convinced that the difference was the emotion embedded in the songs.
Yeonwoo's songs were so highly skilled that it wasn't noticeable at first, but after listening long-term, she realized.
Yeonwoo's songs had no emotion.
Except for one.
"Yeonwoo-zzang, can you play Mama for me?"
"Yeah."
Yeonwoo nodded and began playing Mama.
It was a masterpiece no matter how many times she heard it.
Enough to make her own song Hoyunoyumi feel embarrassing.
This song undoubtedly evoked the image of Yeonwoo becoming a master in any genre.
Probably because it fully captured the longing and emotion for his mom, which she now knew from the backstory.
"This one has emotion."
Himari said after listening to the end.
Yeonwoo thought for a moment at her words, then said.
"Come to think of it, I just made it. Thinking only of a song that's nice to listen to."
"Right. So now, let's add emotion."
"Emotion......"
To the pondering Yeonwoo, Himari said.
"Doesn't have to be sad. Joy, fun, happiness—all emotions. Anger, sadness, fear too. Got it?"
"Ah."
Yeonwoo nodded, thinking.
Actually, Yeonwoo hadn't had anything sad, angry, or scary lately.
But joyful or fun things? Plenty.
Especially recently.
Mostly eating-related.
Eating made Yeonwoo so happy.
Especially new foods beyond the usual—the joy and pleasure were indescribable.
Right, today's sushi was like that.
That was when.
The moment Yeonwoo recalled the sushi, the fairies rushed onto the piano.
As if sharing what he felt eating sushi, they expressed it through the piano in song.
It looked fun, so Yeonwoo unconsciously reached for the keys.
Following the fairies at first, soon Yeonwoo started weaving in his own ideas to develop the song.
Himari and Heo Ok watched Yeonwoo's playing with wide eyes.
It was lighthearted, bright music.
Reading the emotion conveyed, Himari said.
"Joy? Fun?"
At Himari's question, Yeonwoo grinned and said.
"This song's title is Sushi."
"Sushi? Sushii??"
"Yeah, I ate sushi for the first time at lunch today, and it was so good."
No, even if sushi was delicious, really.
Who makes music on the theme of sushi?
Even world-class Himari herself couldn't replicate it after one listen—it was that complex.
But thinking about it, that lively rhythm felt like a live fish flopping.
And that boisterous rolling part—rice grains?
As Himari pondered listening to the sushi song infused with emotion by Yeonwoo, he started a new piece.
One hand creating heaviness with low notes, the other linking high notes in rapid runs.
"Then this song is?"
"Ramen!"
"...My god."