Chapter 113
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Seven Dollars
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Choi Yuseong and Natalie, both music students, went for a walk in a nearby park. They smiled as the sound of various instruments filled the air.
“Lots of buskers out today, too.”
“Well, it’s right next to the music school. Probably students from our department and others.”
“Hey, Natalie. Look over there.”
Natalie followed his gaze. Where he was pointing, a young boy stood holding a violin that looked too big for his small frame.
Choi Yuseong and Natalie moved a little closer. Up close, they could see that the boy’s clothes were worn, and the violin he held was old.
In a corner of the peaceful, sun-drenched park, the boy, who seemed to exist in black and white, drew the gazes of passersby.
He must have played a few songs already, as several coins and bills lay in his open violin case.
“Paying upfront isn’t a bad idea.”
Choi Yuseong and Natalie also dropped some money in and waited. The boy bowed to them before resting his chin on the violin.
As the boy’s bow arm began to move, Choi Yuseong and Natalie, both violin majors, simultaneously winced.
“His posture…”
His clumsy hand movements and awkward grip on the bow reminded them of themselves when they were very young.
The violin performance that followed was just as they expected. A single stroke of the bow produced a jumble of notes. His incorrect posture turned the sound into something grating.
‘Still…’
Despite the mistakes, Choi Yuseong and Natalie were slightly moved by the boy’s determination to finish the piece. He was a beginner, but it was clear he was trying his best.
“What is that noise?”
Some people frowned at the racket, ready to curse, but after seeing the boy, they simply clicked their tongues and walked away.
Well, that was to be expected. They had to agree it was a performance difficult to endure with a clear mind.
Even as they listened to the unbearable music, Choi Yuseong and Natalie felt a sense of wonder. The performance was atrocious, yet quite a few people were listening until the very end.
The violin boy finished his last piece and gave a deep bow. A smattering of applause followed. With a faint smile, the boy packed up his money and violin case and left. The onlookers also began to disperse.
The image of his worn clothes and pale complexion was etched into Choi Yuseong and Natalie’s minds. Staring at the spot where the boy had disappeared, Choi Yuseong spoke.
“I hope he gets a proper dinner.”
“Yeah.”
“But I can’t believe someone was filming a performance like that.”
“Well, maybe it’s for the memories?”
“…I just hope he doesn’t become a laughingstock.”
Natalie sighed at Choi Yuseong’s words.
* * *
Escorted by his bodyguards and An Daho, Seojun headed to the shop being used as a waiting room. He changed out of the old clothes and handed them to a staff member. The staffer took the clothes but gave the violin back to Seojun.
“I’ll bring a different outfit next week. You can take the violin with you to practice. It’s different from the one we’ll use for the actual shoot, so it might be hard to play otherwise.”
“Okay! Oh, what about the money?”
Seojun looked down at the bills and coins resting in his hands.
Since it was a promotional video shoot, he hadn't intended to accept any money, but someone had opened the violin case on the bench and put some in. After that, a few others added coins and bills. He couldn’t stop them while he was playing.
The staff member smiled and said,
“You earned it, Seojun, so it’s yours. Buy whatever you want. You worked hard today.”
“Goodbye!”
While Seojun was saying his goodbyes to the staff and bodyguards, An Daho pulled up to the front of the shop with the car.
After placing the two violin cases in the back seat, Seojun, clutching the coins and bills tightly, sat in the passenger seat.
He buckled his seatbelt and opened his palm, counting the coins and bills one by one.
“Seven dollars! It’s seven dollars, Daho Hyung.”
“Oh yeah? That’s great.”
An Daho smiled at Seojun’s words.
“Some of this is from you, isn’t it, Hyung?”
“…How did you know?”
“I saw you sneak it in.”
In the middle of his performance, Seojun had spotted An Daho secretly dropping in some coins.
He probably did it because he knew just how terrible ‘Gray’s First Performance’ was and worried Seojun would be disappointed by the small amount of money in the case. Putting in a large bill would have been too obvious, so he must have just added a few coins.
Besides An Daho, he recalled the faces of the people who had listened closely to his playing. The coins and bills in his hand felt heavy with the weight of their kindness.
‘I should save this, not spend it.’
Seojun chuckled to himself and carefully tucked away the coins and bills.
* * *
The next scene to be filmed was of Gray learning the violin from Rebecca.
Still a boy of monochrome, Gray would only smile as brightly as a colorful flower when he held the violin.
While filming a scene where Gray, Rebecca, and George were talking, Jayden Moore, who visited the set every day, felt a sense of déjà vu watching Rebecca.
“That’s…”
“Doesn’t she look like Professor Morton when he’s teaching?”
Jayden Moore turned his head. Emily, the assistant director, continued.
“It seems the professor’s gentle teaching style left a strong impression on her during practice.”
Just as Emily said, Catherine’s mannerisms were similar to Professor Benjamin’s. Since studying the people around them was a common acting technique, Director Sarah Rothe proceeded with the shoot without comment.
Following Rebecca’s instruction, Gray drew the bow across the strings for the first time. Unused to the delicate control required, he pressed the bow against two strings at once.
When two notes sounded, Rebecca shook her head. George giggled as he watched them.
“Relax your arm. Gently, like you’re petting a puppy.”
“I’ve never petted a puppy before…”
In Downrock, there were only large, fiercely growling stray dogs. His mother, hearing rumors they were fighting dogs, never let him go near them. Gray wilted. As his brilliant colors faded to black, Rebecca grew anxious.
“I have a puppy at home! Should I bring him? He’s super cute.”
“…Really?”
Imagining a cute puppy, Gray beamed.
“Cut! OK!”
After the morning shoot ended, the children chattered away over lunch.
“You earned seven dollars?”
“With *that* performance?”
Catherine and Paul, who had already heard the performance they were about to film in the practice room, stared at Seojun in astonishment. Seojun nodded while eating his meal.
“Daho Hyung gave me about two dollars, but strangers gave me the other five.”
“I can’t believe that performance could earn five dollars…”
Paul shuddered, recalling the ear-splitting music.
Catherine said as she dipped a piece of meat in sauce.
“Are you going again this week?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m really curious what kind of promotional video it is.”
At George’s words, both Catherine and Seojun nodded.
The next scene was of Gray performing for the first time in his life.
“Ready, action!”
Rebecca said.
“Don’t worry about mistakes. Just try playing up to the part I taught you.”
“But I’m not very good…”
“We need to hear you play for real to know what to fix. It’s an easy song, so just try.”
The song was the familiar children’s tune, ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’.
A very nervous Gray rested his chin on Rebecca’s violin. George’s camera pointed at him.
Gray recalled what Rebecca had taught him.
Keep your back straight, shoulders level. The fingers of your left hand on the strings should be arched, and your right hand holding the bow should be rounded, as if holding an egg. Be careful not to let the violin droop.
He drew the bow downward.
Screeeech—
A squeaking noise echoed through the quiet park. Rebecca and George—no, Catherine and Paul—forgot they were acting and couldn’t help but press their lips together to stifle their laughter. Gray, however, had taken Rebecca and George’s words to heart, so he continued to play with a serious expression, not even cracking a smile.
It was ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ as if played from the depths of hell.
The staff, Professor Benjamin, Jayden, and even Director Sarah waited with tightly sealed lips for Seojun’s performance to end.
When he finished the part he had learned, Gray fidgeted awkwardly. He knew it himself. It was a mess. Still, he was happy that he had played the violin for real. He looked at his friends with a bashful expression and opened his mouth.
“…How was it?”
“Ahahahaha!”
“Puhahaha!”
The script did say they should laugh, but Catherine and Paul were genuinely roaring with laughter.
After capturing Gray pouting, Director Sarah yelled, “Okay!” and laughter erupted from the crew as well.
“Jun, you’re really good!”
“If it were me, I would have burst out laughing in the middle of playing.”
At Catherine and Paul’s words, Seojun couldn’t help but laugh too.
* * *
Filming continued the next day.
Today, George and Rebecca arrived not with violins, but with bags full of staff paper.
“Composing?”
“Yeah. It’s for our vacation homework. Gray, you know how to read music, so let’s do it together.”
Gray nodded at George’s words. Although he wanted to play the violin more, he enjoyed doing anything with his friends, so he happily picked up a pen.
“But how do you compose?”
“You just write down the music that comes to mind. Don’t overthink it. Think about what kind of feeling you want to express in a song.”
“Just coming up with a rough foundation is fine.”
A performance he wanted to play. Gray blinked. For a moment, something flashed through his mind. It was the sound of a violin, surprisingly clear and pure.
While Rebecca and George, who had a teacher to check their homework, were racking their brains and groaning, Gray, who could compose freely and at ease, put his pen to the staff paper.
Hmm.
As Gray, Seojun gave a wry smile inwardly. The piece that came to mind wasn’t Professor Benjamin Morton’s ‘Over the Rainbow’.
The Dream Fairy, the Goblin Violinist, and Gray came together, creating a simple yet emotionally charged piece unique to Gray.
‘This isn’t bad either… but let’s write and play it next time.’
Seojun didn’t forget that this was a movie shoot.
Gray’s hand moved. He awkwardly filled in round circles with a black pen, creating musical notes. His clumsy movements made him look just like a child writing music for the very first time.
Seeing this, Professor Benjamin Morton couldn’t help but be reminded of Jayden Moore’s younger days.
Watching the children compose with brilliant smiles, he recalled that time in Jayden’s life, who couldn’t make it to the set today because he was preparing for a recital.
* * *
On Sunday, Choi Yuseong visited the park alone. Because of school, Sunday was the only free day he had. The image of the violin boy would occasionally cross his mind.
“I wonder if he’s here.”
He headed to the same spot, a little earlier than when he had come with Natalie. Fortunately, the violin boy was there. He hadn’t played a single song yet, it seemed, as the violin case was empty. Choi Yuseong put some money into the case.
“Thank you.”
“Do you come here every day?”
“No. I come every Sunday.”
The boy spoke in a small voice and picked up his violin. Choi Yuseong looked around at the onlookers waiting for the boy’s performance.
The crowd was about the same size as last week. There seemed to be other students who, like him, had come out of concern for the boy, as well as some rough-looking faces that made him wonder about their occupations.
Just then, a distinctly blue whale logo caught Choi Yuseong’s eye.
‘Is that a new brand? It seems popular since I see it a lot, but strangely, I’ve never seen it outside the park… Something, something’s different…’
His train of thought was cut off by the screeching sound of the violin.
Choi Yuseong’s gaze turned to the boy. He was still in faded clothes, holding a small, old violin. And yet, the boy continued to play.
Watching the violin boy’s posture, Choi Yuseong spotted several mistakes. He wanted to teach him, but he worried it would be overstepping. Sighing inwardly, he listened to the squeaky violin music once again.
Seojun giggled as he dropped the bills and coins into a clear piggy bank he had bought on his way home. Today, he had earned a full ten dollars, without any help from Daho Hyung.