Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Overflowing Inspiration
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After being told to infuse emotion into his music, Yeonwoo's composing started to spiral out of control.
"This song's title is Daycare Center. This one's Bed, this is Tyrannosaurus, this is Booger! And this is Poop!"
Yeonwoo, who topped it off with the ultimate humor codes no kid could resist—boogers and poop—didn't stop there.
Himari watched it all and notated the sheet music.
Just like a Joseon dynasty historian recording every piece of music Yeonwoo made.
Of course, it hadn't been like this from the start.
But the more she watched Yeonwoo churn out song after song, the more she couldn't help but write down the scores.
It was educational.
Truly.
One might think someone of Himari's caliber in the world had nothing left to learn, but she really was learning.
Yeonwoo never once repeated the same chord progression, nor did he copy any similar tunes.
Even for someone just starting to compose, this was impossible.
Just as paintings have styles, composers have their own signatures.
Did geniuses not bother with such constraints?
She, once hailed as a genius herself, was spending her days feeling ashamed of that label.
People didn't know.
The only true musical genius left was this child.
Was there another like him?
That would be God's prank.
No, maybe the child himself was God's prank.
To shake up the stale music industry?
"Our Yeonwoo keeps surprising us every day."
As time passed, Himari praised him in her now much improved Korean.
"How did you do that?"
At her words, Yeonwoo, who had just been playing a fart tune, stopped and looked at Himari.
Meeting those eyes that shimmered gold beyond brown in the sunlight, Himari felt her heart stop.
They were too beautiful.
It had to be God's prank.
Bestowing not just talent, but visuals too.
"It's what Auntie taught me."
Ugh, even his speaking bombed straight to the heart.
"Putting emotion into it. Making songs with themes is so fun. Feels like the music comes out better too."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Himari Auntie is amazing."
Grateful for the praise, but I couldn't pull off a song on farts as a theme.
Lately, Himari had a dilemma.
Yeonwoo's emotion-infused songs were so good she wanted to release an album of them.
Of course, she'd need permission from Heo Ok—or rather, Yeonwoo's dad—but before that, there was a bigger issue.
No way could she fill an album with titles like Poop, Booger, and Fart.
Anyway.
"I'm not amazing. Yeonwoo is. Not just anyone could do this."
Right, at least I couldn't turn poop and farts into brilliant tunes.
"Himari did it too."
"I did?"
I've never done one on farts?
As Himari thought that, Yeonwoo played her "Fuyuno Umi," Winter Sea.
It carried a sorrow as profound as his mother's.
Yeonwoo, who had been playing Winter Sea calmly, stopped at the keys and looked at Himari.
"But, Auntie."
"Yeah?"
"Why do you only write sad songs?"
As Himari froze at Yeonwoo's question, he played her compositions one after another.
The medley of pieces flowed quickly, each one steeped in sorrow.
Not all were like that, but the others carried negative emotions beyond just sadness.
"Ah, um..."
Himari was at a loss for words. Her limited Korean wasn't enough, so she pulled out her smartphone and spoke in Japanese.
"[There was a really sad thing. It was so big I couldn't get out of it for a while.]"
"I see."
Yeonwoo nodded readily. Young as he was, he wasn't the type to pry thoughtlessly into others' stories.
Having lived carefully, reading the room, he avoided things people disliked.
"Still like that?"
"Huh? Somewhat...?"
"So that's why you don't write new songs?"
"That's not it."
Even seasoned artists who had run dry of ideas struggled with new songs.
"Then just write one."
"It's not easy?"
"Try writing about something you like, Auntie."
"Hmm... Adults writing about ramen or stuff like that isn't easy."
"I get adults' situations."
Phew, glad he understands.
A six-year-old not innocently suggesting poop or farts was something.
"You have other likes besides food."
"Hmm? What could it be?"
"Our grandma."
"Ah... Sensei."
Right, Himari had something she loved more than food.
Her teacher, Heo Ok.
Probably as much as Yeonwoo did.
Her respect might even surpass his.
At that moment, Himari felt like lightning struck the top of her head.
Why hadn't she thought of it before?
After idolizing her so much, why hadn't she ever written a tribute to Sensei?
"Yeonwoo."
"Yeah?"
"I'll try. Thinking of Sensei."
"Yeah!"
Himari stroked Yeonwoo's head and stood up.
"Where you going?"
"To compose."
She couldn't improvise like Yeonwoo. As Himari headed to the studio, she paused.
"Ah... Can't leave Yeonwoo alone."
"[Um....]"
"[Oh, Manager. Thought you stepped out 'cause it was quiet.]"
"[Am I that unnoticeable?]"
"[Yeah, oh! Perfect timing. Yeah, I'll write in the recording studio, so can you watch Yeonwoo?]"
"[R-Really? Composing? Go on in, write before the inspiration fades! I'll look after Yeonwoo-kun.]"
The manager rarely smiled brightly at Himari.
From his perspective, anxiously awaiting when she'd compose and return to activity, he couldn't help but welcome her diving into work.
After Himari entered the recording studio to build on her sparked inspiration, the manager quietly watched Yeonwoo from behind.
He had managed Himari from the start, but with seniority, he now oversaw more artists.
He still focused intensely on Himari, but he handled numerous singers and managers contracted to his agency's distribution arm.
They weren't all jazz artists.
He had watched singers of various genres perform and compose.
So he could tell Yeonwoo was no ordinary child.
Long in the industry, he could distinguish the extraordinary from the ordinary—people and songs alike.
That kid produced extraordinary songs every time.
With Himari and the even more intimidating Heo Ok around, he didn't dare say it, but honestly, he coveted Yeonwoo.
What if his distribution company handled that kid's music?
Japan—no, the world—would go wild like they did for Himari.
Of course, a pipe dream.
He lacked the confidence to handle Himari's hysterics and Heo Ok's charisma.
"Huh?"
Then his smartphone blared its ringtone.
He fumbled it out in panic and looked at Yeonwoo.
Seeing Yeonwoo, mid-new piece, look back, he panicked and said,
"S-Sorry! Oh, sorry, uh, um... Sorry!!"
"It's okay."
Yeonwoo said that and resumed playing. Grateful, the manager hurriedly tried to silence the call.
But he couldn't.
'President?'
The call from the company head—an underling manager couldn't ignore.
He answered in terror.
"[Matsuda here. Got your call!]"
- [Y-You brat. How's Himari lately?]
"[Uesugi is right now....]"
- Hold on.
"[Yes?]"
-[Piano sounds? Is Himari composing?]
"[Well, that's....]"
-[No, this ain't that damn girl's piano. Heard it somewhere?]
"[It's....]"
The manager shivered as the president cut him off.
-[...Jade. It's Heo Ok.]
Finding Heo Ok in Yeonwoo's playing was shocking.
"[That's....]"
-[I'm coming there.]
Click. The call ended.
The manager stared at his phone, dry-washing his face with one hand.
"[Not the time.]"
He rushed toward Himari's studio.
Normally, he never disturbed her composing.
No reason to poke a stable bomb.
But not now.
Himari was a controllable bomb; the president was uncontrollable, liable to explode anytime.
Same for Himari.
"Uesugi!!"
"[What? Who's coming?!]"
"[B-Big trouble! The president, the president's coming!!]"
The manager's scream was like a Wu general facing Zhao's invasion.
Himari felt the same.
"[Why's that crazy old man coming here?!]"
"[He heard Yeonwoo-kun play and asked if Teacher Heo Ok was there....]"
"[Oh no...!]"
Himari dropped the pen in her hand with a thud.
* * *
Heo Ok, arriving at Himari's Tenjin studio after shopping to pick up Yeonwoo, heard her out and wore the world's iciest expression.
Like the north wind and bitter cold about to blow in, it was the Jazz Witch incarnate.
As Himari unwittingly froze, Heo Ok spoke heavily.
"Who's coming?"
Normally replying in Japanese for Himari, Heo Ok growled in Korean.
Himari shrugged and poked the manager's side.
"[I-I was on with our president, and he heard Yeonwoo-kun's piano and said he's coming here... S-Sorry. My thoughtless move....]"
"So that president is Datemura Shuji... that damn old coot?"
"Y-Yes. Sensei."
"Still not dead, huh...."
Heo Ok muttered with a sigh.
Datemura Shuji.
Owner of POJ Music, one of Japan's top music distributors and talent agencies. [In Japan, entertainment companies are called talent agencies.]
With foresight, they grew idols minimally yet stayed top-three in Japan for years.
Actually, after Japan's top agency collapsed, downsized, and relaunched due to some incident, POJ was arguably the largest native Japanese distributor and agency.
But the key point...
"Call him. Tell him if he comes, he won't get off easy."
"...."
"Though that old man won't listen to me."
They weren't on good terms.
They shouldn't share the same sky, let alone meet again.
Caught between them, Himari dreaded the situation two long-estranged people would create.
"Grandma! Listen to this. This song is Wes Montgomery!"
Meanwhile, Yeonwoo was blissfully oblivious and having a blast.