Chapter 353
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 353
Chapter Title: The Violin Competition
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Seojun asked Subin, who was nodding his head as he looked at the sheet music.
“Subin. Is the order set?”
“Yep! We drew lots. I'm last.”
At Subin's words, Kim Heesang and Choi Soohui recalled the scene in the waiting room just moments before.
As a second-grader, Subin was noticeably smaller than the other kids, so he had drawn the attention of all the elementary division participants and their guardians in the waiting room. As if that wasn't enough, he ended up with the very last slot.
“Everyone was underestimating him.”
Kim Heesang said with a wry smile, whispering so that Subin, who was engrossed in his sheet music, wouldn't hear.
Seojun scratched his cheek.
It wasn’t that he didn’t understand. Playing an instrument required experience and practice, so at a young age, one's skill could often be judged by their apparent age.
Fifth and sixth graders versus a second grader.
The difference in the time they had spent playing the violin was visible to the naked eye.
*But none of that matters in the face of true talent.*
Pianist Choi Soohui, who had seen many geniuses while active in Europe, looked at her son.
Even judging objectively, not as a mother, Subin was similar to those prodigies. You could teach him one thing, and he would understand ten, mastering it in an instant. The emotion contained within his performance was also incredible.
*Of course, he still struggles to express emotions he hasn't experienced.*
There were many kinds of sadness and many kinds of joy. For Subin, who had yet to experience that full spectrum of emotions, sadness and joy were simple. He was a nine-year-old boy whose greatest sadness was not being able to play with his Seojun-hyung.
*His skill far surpasses his age... but that's not just because of his talent.*
Choi Soohui knew that Subin loved the violin more than anyone and practiced diligently.
She hoped he would continue to be a child who loved the violin just as much in the future.
Seojun smiled brightly and said to Subin.
“As long as you don't get nervous, you'll do great.”
“Yeah! I'm going to play for people just like Gray!”
The ranking in the competition didn't matter to Subin. He just wanted to let many people hear his violin performance, just like Gray Vainie.
*It's a really, really big competition, so there will be a lot of people.*
His cheeks flushing red, Subin looked around. The thought of so many people listening to his violin performance made his heart pound and his breath quicken.
“Seojun-hyung. Do you think Gray's heart pounded like this too?”
A smile spread across Seojun’s face at Subin’s question.
The movie was several years old, yet having a fan who loved it so much made both ‘Gray Vainie’ and ‘Lee Seojun’ truly happy.
“Of course. It was pounding so hard... But isn't it exciting? Just think about how much people will enjoy your performance.”
“Hehe. Yeah. I like it.”
As Subin giggled, Seojun smiled along with him.
* * *
After neatly folding his sheet music and putting it in his violin case, Subin sat on a chair, dangling his legs.
“Hyung. When is Eunsu coming?”
“Eunsu? She should be here in a little bit.”
Just then, Seo Eunchan, his wife Kim Sooryun, and seven-year-old Eunsu were entering the annex.
Seo Eunhye caught Seo Eunchan's eye and gestured. He and Kim Sooryun quickly caught Eunsu, who was about to dart off in another direction, and brought her to where the two families were gathered.
“It's Oppa!”
Seeing Seojun with Subin stuck to his side, Eunsu's eyes lit up. She was about to dash over when Kim Sooryun stopped her. Kim Sooryun spoke with a stern face.
“What did Mommy say about running in crowded places?”
“Oh, right!”
Eunsu’s eyes went wide as she giggled and tiptoed toward Seojun and Subin. Seeing their daughter being overly cautious this time, Seo Eunchan and Kim Sooryun couldn't help but laugh.
* * *
Time flew by as they listened to Eunsu's kindergarten stories and Subin's school stories. The crowd in the lobby had thinned by about half, signaling that the competition was about to begin.
“The elementary division finals of the violin competition will begin shortly! Participants, please head to the waiting room. Audience members, please proceed to Hall 2!”
People began to disperse following the Milky Way Center staff's announcement.
Only one guardian was allowed in the waiting room, so Choi Soohui, the accompanist, went with Subin, while Kim Heesang decided to join Seojun’s family in the audience.
Unlike the other nervous participants, an excited-looking Subin waved enthusiastically at Seojun and Eunsu.
“Listen carefully to my performance!”
“Okay! Oppa! You have to get first place!”
“You too, hyung!”
“Yeah. Go, Subin!”
Beaming at Eunsu and Seojun’s encouragement, Subin held Choi Soohui’s hand tightly and headed for the waiting room. As Seojun watched Subin walk away with a light spring in his step, he couldn't help but chuckle at the voice coming from behind him.
“...Subin. Dad's here too, you know?”
The adults and Seojun burst into laughter at Kim Heesang's sorrowful words. Eunsu, blinking, not understanding why the adults were laughing, soon joined in.
* * *
While Eunsu went to the restroom with her mom, Seojun pulled his gray cap down low and headed to a corner of the lobby. There were some kids who had caught his eye earlier. Quietly approaching them, Seojun tapped one of them on the shoulder.
“Huh?”
Kim Hanseok, who was talking with his friends, turned around at the unfamiliar touch on his shoulder. A person in a gray cap with a somewhat familiar air stood there.
*...Who is that?*
He was just blinking blankly when the brim of the cap was lifted. Seojun revealed his face to Kim Hanseok and smiled warmly.
“Hey, Hanseok.”
“...Gasp!”
Kim Hanseok was so startled by the face—so familiar he'd just seen it on Plus+ the other day—that he clutched his heart. It was someone he never expected to see here.
“S-S-Seojun-hyung...?!”
“Shh!”
Seojun quickly put a finger to his lips. It was a good thing the lobby wasn't too crowded.
Not only Kim Hanseok, but the other Mirinae Arts High students who had turned their heads at his voice, stared at Seojun, stunned. They had never imagined they would see their senior, whom they only caught rare glimpses of at school, in a place like this.
“S-Seojun-hyung, what are you doing here?”
“My little brother is in the competition, so I came to cheer him on.”
At those words, Kim Hanseok and his friends looked horrified.
Was that really something to be so shocked about? Seojun tilted his head, confused by the kids' over-the-top reaction.
“...You have a brother, sunbaenim?”
Seojun laughed and waved his hand dismissively at the first-year juniors, whose eyes were wide with shock.
“No. Not my actual brother, just a kid I know.”
“...Oh...”
Kim Hanseok and the others nodded in understanding.
A first-year violin major, who was scheduled to compete today, asked Seojun with a slightly nervous expression. If it was a kid Lee Seojun—who had delivered such a magnificent performance as 'Gray Vainie'—knew, he must be incredibly skilled.
“If he's a kid you know, is he in the high school division? I’m pretty familiar with the faces of the high school competitors... or is he in the middle school division?”
“He's not a high schooler, he's in elementary school.”
“Oh...”
Kim Hanseok and the first-years let out a sound of admiration at the unexpectedly young age. The first-years carrying violin cases also looked relieved. Thankfully, he wasn't a competitor.
Meanwhile, Seojun asked about something he'd been curious about since he first spotted the kids.
“By the way, why are there only first-years here? I don't see any second-years or third-year seniors.”
He had hoped to say hello and offer some encouragement if he saw anyone he knew, but there were no second or third-years in sight.
A first-year violin major quickly answered.
“The seniors probably competed in this last year, so they likely entered other international competitions during this summer break.”
“Really?”
It seemed there was a certain order to which competitions you entered. Seojun, who didn't know much about the music department, nodded.
“Sunbaenim, if he's an elementary schooler, is he in fifth or sixth grade? There's a TV in the waiting room, so we can watch too.”
“Seojun-hyung, we'll cheer for him from the audience too. What's his number?”
Seojun smiled and answered the kids' questions.
“He's a second-grader.”
“...What?”
“An elementary school second-grader. And his turn is last.”
The Mirinae Arts High first-years were so shocked by the much younger-than-expected age that they could only blink in stunned silence.
* * *
After cheering on the first-year music students competing today, Seojun returned to his family. Eunsu quickly grabbed his hand and giggled.
“Did you meet your friends?”
“Yeah. I saw Hanseok and the other first-years, so I went to cheer them on. They said they're competing in the high school division today.”
“Hanseok?”
When Kim Heesang tilted his head in confusion, Seo Eunhye spoke up.
“He's the kid who was in *One Step* with Seojun. They go to the same school. You went to the same middle school too, right?”
“Yeah.”
Seojun nodded at Seo Eunhye's words.
Kim Heesang's memory was jogged by the mention of *One Step*. Kim Sooryun and Seo Eunchan, who were listening nearby, also recalled Kim Hanseok.
“He was a good actor. Isn't he in the acting department?”
“A friend of his is a violin major, so he came to cheer him on. That's why I'm planning to watch the high school division too.”
The ATR Violin Competition was held in elementary, middle school, high school, and general divisions, with the awards ceremony scheduled after all performances were finished.
The participants could leave after their turn and return for the awards ceremony. Plus, there were breaks between performances, so the audience could come and go freely. It was possible to just watch the division where an acquaintance was competing.
The adults nodded at Seojun's words.
“Then we can have lunch during the middle school division and come back. We should ask Subin if he wants to watch, and if he does, he can watch with you, Seojun.”
“I have a feeling Subin will say he wants to watch with Seojun...”
“I think so too.”
Hearing the words 'watch with Seojun,' Eunsu's interest was piqued, and she shot her hand up.
“Me too! I want to watch with Seojun-oppa too!”
“Honey, there's a kids' cafe nearby, you know?”
At Kim Sooryun's words, who had done her research beforehand, Eunsu gasped and began to ponder with a serious expression. She even stroked her chin, contemplating, ‘Seojun-oppa or the kids' cafe.’ The sight made the adults burst into laughter.
“I need to think about it some more!”
“Okay. Think about it over lunch.”
Listening to the elementary division performances might make Eunsu's choice easier.
*This is probably going to be pretty boring for someone as active as Eunsu...*
As if he knew what Seojun was thinking, Seo Eunchan called out to Eunsu before they entered Hall 2.
“Eunsu.”
“Yeah?”
Eunsu, who was happily walking hand-in-hand with Seojun, turned back at her father's call.
Seo Eunchan grinned, putting on a fierce face. Having seen that face since birth, Eunsu was immune. She simply stared back at her father with wide, round eyes, unfazed.
“If you get bored listening to the music, don't say anything, just take Daddy's hand. Then we can go out during the break.”
“But I won't get bored.”
Seojun and the adults smiled warmly at Eunsu's words. They knew all too well how short a child's attention span was.
“Still, if you get sleepy or want to play while listening to the music, you'll just quietly take Daddy's hand, okay? Everyone is trying their best to play, so they'll be sad if it's noisy. You don't want to make Subin-oppa sad, do you?”
Eunsu's eyes darted around for a moment as she imagined a sad Subin, then she quickly nodded her head.
“Okay! I'll take Daddy's hand if I want to leave!”
“Aigoo. Such a good girl!”
Moved by her agreeable response, Seo Eunchan tried to sweep her up in his arms, but Eunsu giggled and dodged him, hiding behind Seojun. Seojun and the adults all smiled warmly.
* * *
Seojun and his family entered Hall 2 and found seats near the back of the audience. Sitting in two rows, Kim Heesang explained the competition to Seojun and the others.
“For the elementary division finals, they each play one freestyle piece. Subin is number 15.”
“A freestyle piece must have been hard to choose.”
Kim Heesang nodded at Seojun's words.
“Soohui had a tough time choosing a piece that considered the difficulty level and was also one that Subin liked.”
In a competition like this, selecting the right piece was practically part of the test. Whether or not the music matched one's performance style had a bigger impact than one might think.
“So what's Subin playing?”
“Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3, 1st movement.”
Lee Minjun raised his hands in surrender; he didn't recognize the piece even by name. The others were the same. They all took out their phones to look up the piece Kim Heesang had mentioned. Some even took out earphones to listen to a short clip.
“...This sounds difficult.”
“He practiced hard, so he'll do well,” Kim Heesang replied with a smile to Seo Eunhye's comment.
A short while later, the lights in the auditorium dimmed. The audience members, who had been chatting amongst themselves, quieted down one by one.
Soon, an announcement came through the hall's speakers.
[We will now begin the 8th ATR Violin Competition.]