25
## Chapter 25 — Fame Comes Even If You Stay Still
At Jia’s words asking whether I had any intention of officially releasing the piece we had just improvised under my own name, I froze in embarrassment.
Seeing my reaction, Jia suddenly grabbed my hand tightly and spoke with sparkling eyes.
“If that piece gets officially released, people all over the world will be able to hear such beautiful music! I’m sure it would become a worldwide sensation!”
“……”
“And creep-nim could gain fame too, and Korea’s classical music scene would also—!”
Swish.
Before she could finish, I gently pulled my hand away from hers.
Then I shook my head, refusing.
“…Huh? You don’t want to…? B-But why…?”
Jia stared at me with wide eyes, unable to understand.
And honestly, I understood her feelings.
Making countless people hear your beautiful performance and becoming famous for it—
that was every classical musician’s dream.
But…
that very dream had ruined me as a child.
The dream of becoming the world’s greatest pianist and gaining worldwide fame had trapped the younger me inside a room.
It made me stop loving the piano for a long time.
And even now, it was the same.
If I started chasing fame and recognition again, eventually there would come another day when I grew sick of the piano and began to hate it.
I didn’t want that.
I liked the current me—
someone who could love the piano freely and without worries.
More importantly, what I was doing now was far more important than officially releasing a song.
[Because I’m currently traveling.]
“Ah… traveling…”
The nationwide journey I was taking now wasn’t some simple vacation to clear my head.
It was a journey meant to transform the weak person I used to be.
Officially releasing songs and registering copyrights would undoubtedly require time and complicated procedures.
I didn’t have the luxury to stop for all that.
“B-But that piece really should be released and preserved…”
[Thank you for your concern. But I’ll handle those things myself later.]
Releasing the song was important, of course.
But that was something I could take care of on my own.
Actually, once I returned to Seoul someday, I already planned to officially release the precious works I’d created during this journey and register all their copyrights properly.
“Ah…”
Apparently realizing my true intentions at last, Jia bowed her head with a reddened face.
“I’m sorry! I overstepped! creep-nim obviously must have your own plans already, and I kept meddling…”
[It’s not meddling. I know you said those things out of kindness.]
If she were the selfish type, she would’ve insisted that since she also contributed to the arrangement, her own name should be included on the duet too.
And then she would’ve shamelessly demanded a share of the rights.
But Jia never once mentioned her own name.
From the beginning, she only wanted my name attached to the piece and only wanted to elevate my reputation instead of her own.
Just as I shook my head again to reassure her—
Murmur murmur.
“Alright, everyone, please start dispersing now.”
The same police officers who had arrived earlier because of the missing child appeared once more and began organizing the crowd.
‘Ah.’
Jia and I instantly realized why.
This area already had heavy foot traffic, and now an enormous crowd had gathered because of our performance, blocking pedestrians from moving through.
So we immediately approached the officers and bowed apologetically.
“W-We’re so sorry! We got too absorbed in playing and didn’t realize so many people had gathered…! I’m violinist Kim Jia! If there’s any fine or penalty fee, I’ll gladly pay—!”
“A fine? Haha, not at all. It’s alright.”
Contrary to our worries, the police officer simply smiled.
“We listened to the two of you perform too. Honestly, it was the most beautiful music we’ve ever heard in our lives.”
“Ah… thank you very much.”
“But that’s enough for today. You should wrap things up now.”
Conveniently enough, our performance battle had already ended anyway.
Once we nodded, the officers began dispersing the crowd, and the audience slowly started leaving despite their disappointment.
As people departed, they applauded us once more.
“That was an amazing performance!”
“It was a precious experience I’ll remember forever! Thank you!”
Hearing those words, I felt deeply fulfilled as I quietly began walking away.
I intended to casually blend into the departing crowd and disappear unnoticed.
But Jia stopped me.
“E-Excuse me, creep-nim…!”
“……”
Her eyes carried a heavy sense of lingering regret.
She clearly didn’t want to let me leave like this.
Which was exactly why I’d tried sneaking away.
“You said you’re traveling… but… would it be possible for you to spare a few more days?”
“……”
“I actually came here with an orchestra for volunteer work. So… would you maybe consider performing with us? Ah, there’s no pressure at all! Since it’s volunteer work, creep-nim could just think of it as enjoying the stage…”
An orchestra.
Even if it was volunteer work, any orchestra Kim Jia belonged to was undoubtedly among the very best in Korea.
Just imagining dozens of musicians creating harmony together felt absolutely intoxicating.
But—
[I must refuse.]
I declined that offer as well.
For the same reason I parted quickly from the hyungs of <The Stretched Band> in Haenam.
Because seeing Jia again made me incredibly happy.
Because performing together with Jia had been unbelievably enjoyable.
If I became any more attached to her here, I felt it would become impossible to leave this place.
“…Ah.”
After even her final proposal was rejected, Jia froze stiffly.
Confusion filled her face.
Honestly, that reaction was understandable.
How many people in Korea would repeatedly reject invitations from Kim Jia, the woman known as Korea’s Paganini?
And yet, even until the very end, Jia never lost her smile.
Letting me go, she spoke sincerely.
“Today’s performance with you meant far more to me than simple enjoyment.”
“……”
“Performing with creep-nim gave me tremendous inspiration.”
Inspiration.
To an artist, that was something more valuable than life itself.
Artists found inspiration everywhere.
Sometimes from an unusually clear sky.
Sometimes from a beloved pet licking their hand.
And naturally—
sometimes from another person.
A person who inspires an artist.
That person was called—
“creep-nim, you were my muse.”
The word *Muse* originated from the nine goddesses of art and learning in Greek mythology.
“…If we part ways like this, do you think there’ll ever come a day we meet again?”
“……”
To an artist, a muse was a truly precious existence.
Looking into Jia’s strangely desperate eyes, I raised my notebook once more.
Scratch, scratch.
[Someday, we’ll definitely meet again.]
“…Ah.”
After reading my words, Jia paused briefly—
then smiled softly.
“Thank you, creep-nim. Let’s definitely meet again someday. And… have a wonderful journey.”
Nod.
I waved goodbye to Jia as she bowed toward me and then continued on my way.
After walking ahead for a while, I glanced back once—
and saw Jia still watching my departing figure until the very end.
Seeing her like that made me smile faintly.
Travel really was strange.
To think I would unexpectedly reunite with a childhood friend I hadn’t seen in years in a place like this.
I was Jia’s muse?
If that was the case, then Jia was my muse too.
Because performing together with her again after so long had been unforgettable.
‘Who will I meet next… and what kind of fun trouble will happen then?’
And with growing anticipation for my next destination, I kept walking forward.
---
“Phew…”
The moment I got away from the crowd, I immediately tore off the suffocating bread bag.
Unlike the other masks, this thing made even breathing uncomfortable. I seriously thought I was going to die.
“Now I can finally breathe again.”
The place I headed afterward was Mokpo Passenger Terminal.
Originally, I’d planned to stay in Mokpo for another day or two—
but unexpectedly, I’d attracted far too much attention.
It probably wouldn’t happen, but just in case someone recognized me, I decided it would be better to head to Jeju Island sooner.
“One adult ticket, please.”
Thankfully, there happened to be a ferry departing soon, so I immediately bought a ticket and boarded.
Apparently, the ferry ride from Mokpo to Jeju took about five hours.
I planned to find a seat and get some sleep.
But then—
Bzzzz.
“…Huh?”
My phone vibrated.
That alone was unusual.
Almost nobody ever called me, so my phone practically functioned as nothing more than a clock.
Thinking perhaps my parents were calling, I tilted my head and checked the screen.
And the moment I saw the name displayed there—
I froze.
[Jia]
“…!”
Jia was calling me.
‘Did she realize I’m creep and…?’
No, that wasn’t it.
If she’d figured it out, she would’ve confronted me immediately.
Which meant—
“……”
Jia wasn’t calling the faceless pianist creep.
She was calling me—
Baek Hangyeol.
Her longtime childhood friend.
---
Performing together with creep had been a massive shock to Kim Jia.
“An improvised arrangement…”
And not just any pieces—
*Erlkönig* and *La Campanella*.
Two compositions infamous for their monstrous difficulty.
More than anything, meeting creep had opened an entirely new horizon for Jia, who mostly focused on textbook-perfect performances.
Improvisation.
“He really was an incredible person.”
Watching creep play the piano had completely mesmerized her.
She’d experienced this feeling once before too.
While listening to her oldest and most precious friend perform.
creep’s piano playing resembled Baek Hangyeol’s from years ago so closely it was uncanny.
Maybe that was why—
“……”
After a long moment of hesitation, she picked up her phone and made a call.
Ring… ring…
Even as the call continued connecting without answer, she almost gave up.
After all, Baek Hangyeol had closed off his heart years ago and rarely even agreed to meet her anymore.
But just as she was about to hang up—
[Hello?]
“…! Hangyeol-ah!”
Her friend answered.
[Jia.]
“……”
Hearing her friend’s voice again after so many years made her chest tighten emotionally.
But she hid it and spoke casually instead.
[What made you call?]
“Ah, today something *really* fun happened! I wanted to tell you about it too!”
And so she told Hangyeol everything that had happened that day.
Coming down to Mokpo for volunteer work.
Meeting the faceless pianist creep there.
And even the performance battle they held together.
[Yeah, so that happened.]
Her gentle friend listened carefully to every story she told.
And after talking together for around fifteen minutes, it almost felt like returning to the past.
Back to when they laughed, talked, and performed together without worries.
“…I miss you, Hangyeol-ah.”
The words slipped out before she could stop herself.
Immediately, she panicked.
Those words might pressure her emotionally fragile friend.
But—
“Ah…! I didn’t mean it like I’m forcing you to leave your room or anything—!”
[I miss you too, Jia.]
“…!”
Baek Hangyeol gave an entirely unexpected answer.
The same Baek Hangyeol who had shut himself away for years and refused even to meet her—
said he missed her too.
[Someday, we’ll definitely meet again.]
“…Uh… wait.”
Kim Jia tried to respond but suddenly froze from an odd sense of déjà vu.
‘Someday, we’ll definitely meet again.’
That was exactly—
what creep had said to her before they parted.
‘…Is it just a coincidence?’
Just as confusion began swirling in her head—
[Ah, Jia. I think I need to hang up now.]
“Ah, alright. I’ll call you again next time.”
As Hangyeol hurriedly ended the call, sounding as though something urgent had happened—
HOOOOOOONK—
‘……Huh?’
She heard the unmistakable sound of a ship horn through the receiver.
A sound impossible to hear inside someone’s room.
‘Wait… is he actually outside right now…?’
The suspicion in her mind instantly began snowballing—
but then—
HOOOOOOONK—
“…Ah.”
A massive ferry passed directly in front of her.
This was Mokpo Passenger Terminal, after all.
Apparently, the ship horn hadn’t come through the phone—
it came from the ferry right in front of her.
“Right… Hangyeol probably still can’t bring himself to leave his room easily.”
Letting out a disappointed sigh, she watched the ferry slowly departing somewhere far away.
At the same time, she recalled her performance battle with creep.
“What exactly *is* that person?”
Among all the pianists she knew, none matched creep.
It was unbelievable that a pianist of that caliber had managed to hide their identity until now.
“…Maybe he’s actually a foreigner who happens to speak Korean.”
No matter what, it was still such a shame.
If creep officially released his compositions, so many more people could hear that beautiful music.
“creep-nim really seemed completely uninterested in money or fame. Sigh… what a waste.”
But both Kim Jia and creep had overlooked one important thing.
In modern times, even if you made no effort to promote yourself—
fame spread instantly through social media anyway.
[GENIUS VIOLINIST KIM JIA vs FACELESS PIANIST creep — PERFORMANCE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY ㄷㄷ]
[Views: 100,165 — Uploaded 10 minutes ago]
—Wow this is absolutely insane
—Kim Jia is amazing but what the hell even *is* creep…?
—Isn’t he the same guy who played piano wearing the rabbit mascot head in Gwangju?
—First he rearranged *La Campanella*, now *Erlkönig*, and then turned *La Campanella* into a duet piece too??
—I don’t know much about classical music but even I can tell creep’s a genius
—Holy shit this performance battle is even crazier than *Secret* (movie)
Even while the man himself did absolutely nothing—
creep’s status on the internet was already exploding uncontrollably.