Chapter 1
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: The Silent Virtuoso
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There once was a boy named Han Yuhyeon.
Han Yuhyeon, Youngest Korean to Win First Place in the Queen Elisabeth Competitions Violin Category
The Reincarnation of Paganini, Promising Global Violinist Han Yuhyeon
He was the youngest Korean in history to win first place in the violin category at the Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the worlds top three musical contests.
To be as skilled with the piano as he is with the violin, its like watching Johann Strauss himself!
No, he is truly the reincarnation of Paganini!
Beyond string instruments, he displayed his musical genius by mastering a variety of others, including woodwinds and brass.
Watching Yuhyeon, some said Johann Strauss had returned, while others praised him as the reincarnation of Salieri, Mozart, or Beethoven.
Even the name of Paganini, whose talent was called demonic, was invoked.
He could play every existing instrument and even showed a flair for composition; no descriptor felt adequate for him.
A new Akseong has been born. Yuhyeon is truly a saint of music!
People believed without a doubt that as time passed and Yuhyeon matured, he would become one of the greatest musicians of the century.
However.
It only took a single moment for such a great musician to be erased from the publics memory.
Screeeeeech!
On the day the supernovas first concert back in Korea was scheduled.
Craaaash!
He was met with an accident that would turn his life completely upside down.
It all happened when he was just fifteen years old.
The cause is unclear, making it difficult to treat with modern medicine.
Yuhyeons gaze fixed on the doctors mouth. Quickly catching the keywords, Yuhyeon organized his thoughts and replied.
Does that mean Ill have to live without my hearing from now on?
He could understand the doctor through lip-readinga communication method for the hearing-impaired that involves understanding speech by observing the speakers lip movements and facial expressions.
Having lost his hearing after the accident, Yuhyeon had fortunately adapted quickly to lip-reading and could carry on everyday conversations to some extent.
At a glance, he could almost pass for an ordinary person.
We recommend consistent rehabilitation therapy. After observing your progress with the prescribed treatment
He had heard these words countless times. It was the same thing he heard every time he came for a check-up.
A year had already passed like this. Today, Yuhyeon, who had come for treatment once again, asked with a desperate expression.
Is there still no way today? Have there been any cases of this being cured elsewhere, or has a new surgical procedure come out?
Yuhyeons desperation translated directly into his words. But the doctor simply shook his head.
Im sorry.
It had been a year of desperate struggle. It had also been a year of no results.
A long shadow of despair fell over Yuhyeons face.
Still, if you continue with rehabilitation and regular hospital visits, you might see some improvement someday
Thank you thank you so much for all your help until now.
Yuhyeon left with those words and was never seen again.
The boy who was once called Akseong vanished without a trace.
In a dark, single-room apartment with not a single light on.
A man, relying on the white glow of a monitor, tapped on a master keyboard.
He was currently working on a classical composition he had been commissioned to write.
CEO Sumare: Ive reviewed the piece you sent. Is this the final version?
His eyes narrowed as he checked the message on his phone.
Where did I make a mistake this time?
CEO Sumare: It certainly seems well-composed, but the harmony in the background from 2:45 to 2:52 sounds dissonant.
The man hastily checked the sheet music.
That cant be right. I checked it over and over.
He could easily tell if it was dissonant by playing it on the keyboard in front of him, but for some reason, instead of placing his hands on the keys, the man closed his eyes and began to play the score in his head.
A moment later, when he opened his eyes again.
The CEO was right. This is bad. Im starting to lose the notes.
He began to revise the sheet music again. He then sent a message to the CEO, promising to deliver it by the deadline.
CEO Sumare: Then please make sure to deliver it by the day after tomorrow. If you finish this one well, Ill introduce you to another company. Theres a classical music boom in the fashion industry these days.
The man pressed on his strained eyes and replied that he would do his best.
He couldnt hear a thing, but with the notes remaining in his head, he somehow managed to compose.
This man, once called Akseong but now a nameless composer, was the twenty-five-year-old Yuhyeon.
A few hours later.
CEO Sumare: The dissonance is completely gone. It sounds great. Could you just do the mastering, please?
It was a long time before Yuhyeon finally reached the end of his work.
Mastering was the process of making the sound more pleasant to listen to, similar to the final editing stage for a novel.
In other words, the songs concept and structure had been approved; he just needed to polish and finalize the content.
Ugh. My neck, my back
Yuhyeon stretched his body, which was hunched over like a turtles. He rolled his neck and twisted his waist, feeling aches and pains everywhere.
Ill just take a short break.
He desperately needed a beer. An ice-cold beer that would make his teeth ache. Yuhyeon grabbed a can and leaned against the wall of his small room.
Hoo
It seemed he would barely be able to pay this months rent. Of course, that was only possible if he successfully finished this job and got paid.
What am I going to do next month?
Even before this project was finished, he was already worrying about the next month. The main reason was that commissions were scarce these days due to declining demand for classical music.
Sigh, worrying about it just gives me a headache
As Yuhyeon sighed, his gaze drifted to a shelf.
On it was a photo from his days as a musician.
A photo from when he won first place at the Queen Elisabeth Competition, a photo from when he performed with the world-renowned maestro Andersen
Once, Yuhyeon had been a globally acclaimed musician.
From the moment he, an orphan, was sponsored by a businessman and picked up a violin, to the moment he grasped the honor of first place at the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Though he started from the bottom, he thought his path ahead would be paved with flowers for the rest of his life.
Han Yuhyeon, the nations youngest genius violinist, is reported to be returning home today.
Yuhyeon is scheduled to hold a solo recital after his return, and all 50,000 seats have already sold out
Returning home in triumph, Yuhyeon appeared on various TV shows and media outlets, handling a packed schedule.
Though only fifteen, he was incredibly happy in those moments.
It was, quite literally, the golden age of his life.
And that day was the day of his very first recital.
The day all 50,000 seatsan unprecedented number for a classical concertwere sold out.
Screeeeeech!
The accident that changed his life occurred. The cause was a head-on collision with a truck from the opposite lane whose driver had dozed off.
As a result, Yuhyeon lost hearing in both ears. It was a miracle that he had even survived.
But for a musician, hearing loss was practically a death sentence.
For nearly a year after that, he traveled the world seeking a cure.
But after spending all his prize money from competitions and the money he had earned, the only answer he received was this.
There are no issues with the nerves. Its difficult to treat at present, so with rehabilitation therapy
For now, the cause is hard to find, so lets just wait and see.
It was essentially a way of saying there was no cure.
That day, Yuhyeon lost his hope for life and, avoiding the public eye, disappeared to a place where no one knew him.
That was already ten years ago.
He tried to play again, but without his hearing, mistakes were inevitable, and a performer who made frequent mistakes could not stand on stage.
So, the second field he tried was composition.
Composition allowed for continuous feedback and revision, so he could somehow manage to complete a piece.
Although he couldn't hear, his head was full of musical knowledge, and his ability to play various instruments besides the violin was a great help in composing.
But recently, a problem had arisen.
I cant remember the sounds clearly anymore.
Perhaps because it had been so long since he lost his hearing, he felt the melodies left in his ears were gradually fading away.
Lately, his clients had been giving similar feedback.
- Something about the pitch feels off. The harmony has a strangely dissonant feel to it.
- It feels less vibrant than before, which is a bit disappointing.
They couldn't put their finger on it, but they felt the quality of his music had declined.
This was a definite problem. For the Yuhyeon of today, composing wasn't a hobby; it was his livelihood.
Age 25, an orphan, hearing-impaired. His qualifications were sorely lacking for finding a job outside.
Now, aside from composing, there was nothing else he could do.
How am I going to make a living from now on?
Just thinking about it made his future seem bleak.
I dont know. Lets just finish this work for now.
Just as Yuhyeon forced himself to focus and sat down at his computer.
Blink, blink.
The light doorbell in his apartment flashed. It was a device that helped him know when a visitor had arrived.
Soon, a man entered through the front door. It was Park Sangcheol, his only friend, whom he had been close with since their orphanage days.
Yuhyeon! Im here Jeez, look at the state of this room.
Sangcheol frowned the moment he entered the room.
A dark room, scattered beer cans and cup noodle containers.
It looked like the room of a recluse, not a person.
There you go again. Turn on some lights, clean up a bit. You need to get out more, man.
I have a deadline tomorrow, so Im busy. Come back later. I dont even have time to eat today.
Despite Yuhyeons grumbling, Sangcheol paid him no mind and started cleaning the room as he spoke.
I hear your music isnt coming out so well lately. Of course it isnt, when youre cooped up in your room staring at a computer all day. A composer needs to get outside, get some sun, find some inspiration
It was the kind of nagging that close friends could exchange.
But Yuhyeons reaction was unusually sharp today.
Go out and what? What changes if I go out?
Huh?
You think Ill magically be able to hear if I go out?
Yuhyeons cold mutter echoed quietly in the small room.
A brief silence hung in the air for a few seconds.
Coming to his senses, Yuhyeon spoke with an apologetic expression.
Sorry. I guess the deadlines making me edgy. Ive been under a lot of stress lately
I know, I know. Dont worry about it. Anyway, its all because youre cooped up in here. Id be stressed too in this environment, man.
Sangcheol fully understood why Yuhyeon was being so sensitive.
Growing up in an orphanage, losing his hearinghow many trials had he faced?
It wouldnt be strange if he had developed social anxiety.
But even so.
Its just a waste for a young guy like you to be living like this, you punk.
Was it because he had once shone so brightly?
The words that other hearing-impaired people lived normal lives didnt seem to register with Yuhyeon.
If music was difficult, there were plenty of other paths open to him.
He needed to let the past be the past and start anew.
Knowing this, Sangcheol kept visiting Yuhyeon, looking out for him.
Hey, how about this? Want to go out and play some games? Have you heard of Wonderland? Its the hottest game right now.
What time do I have for games when Im this busy with a deadline? Its right around the corner.
Around the corner? When is it?
Tomorrow afternoon.
Tomorrow afternoon? Thats even better. It means you can take a short break, right?
Sangcheol said with a friendly expression.
Lets just go! Tonight, dinner and everything after is on me. Games, movies, whatever!
Hah alright.
After Sangcheols persistent coaxing, Yuhyeon reluctantly nodded.
In truth, Yuhyeon wasnt oblivious to Sangcheols efforts to help him.
Whenever something bad happened and he tried to retreat deep into his cave, Sangcheol would always show up and miraculously pull him out.
He just felt pathetic for lashing out at such a grateful friend.
At that thought, Yuhyeon spoke softly, almost inaudibly.
Just wait a bit. Ill just wash my hair and be right out.
A small smile had appeared on Yuhyeons previously ice-cold, expressionless face.
Leaving the studio, the two headed to a neighborhood pork belly restaurant.
Sipping his beer, Yuhyeon was startled by what Sangcheol said and asked.
What? Really?
Heh heh, I hit level 30 in Wonderland. I made 50 gold this month alone.
How much is 50 gold?
In the game, 1 gold is 10,000 won in cash, so after fees and everything, its about 500,000 won. In other words, I earned a 500,000 won bonus just by playing. Hahaha!
Yuhyeons eyes widened.
You earn money from a game? Does that even make sense?
He had never played an online game in his life.
But just because he didnt play games, he didnt think he was completely ignorant of how the world worked.
There were many ways to get news, like the internet, news reports, and YouTube.
But hearing his friends story, he felt like his understanding of the world was crumbling.
What era are you living in, man? Big-shot rankers and streamers are practically walking corporations. And its not just rankers; lots of people make a living with interesting content.
No matter how he heard it, the story sounded unrealistic. The annual salary of a popular streamer being that of a walking corporation
Then theres no need to work a regular job anymore. If you can earn that much, everyone would just quit their jobs and play games.
You dont know? Its a trend among office workers these days to use up all their vacation days to grind in Wonderland. If they get a great class or item, they quit their jobs and become streamers on the spot.
Wow, how did the world come to this?
What he had said as a joke was a reality for some people.
While some were pulling all-nighters, staring at screens until their eyes popped out just to cover living expenses, others were deciding to quit their jobs after playing a game during their vacation.
The world had changed too much while he was cooped up at home.
Its been three years since the game launched, but not even 10 of the content has been unlocked, so its a total gold mine. They say its common for a good weapon to sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars. People are saying Wonderland is better than the lottery now.
But is there content for a beginner like you to make money?
Level 30 isnt a total beginner, you know. Wait a minute you seem a little interested now that I mentioned making money, huh?
Well, I mean
Yuhyeon evaded the question with narrowed eyes.
Just from listening, it sounded like you could make money while having fun, so it was impossible not to be interested.
His composing career was already on shaky ground, and he knew the time had come to find another way.
At that thought, Yuhyeon answered honestly.
Of course Im interested if I can make money. Hmm, but I wonder if itll be okay with my hearing Since I cant hear, I feel like Id be at a big disadvantage compared to others.
Youre good at lip-reading, right? When I see you, its not even noticeable youre having a conversation like a normal person. No, wait, lets go check it out right now.
Suddenly? Now?
We were planning to go out and have fun anyway, right? Lets go try it and see if you can do it or not.
Sangcheol practically dragged Yuhyeon out of the pork belly restaurant and into a nearby VR capsule room.
Thatll be 60,000 won total for two adults for three hours.
Sangcheol nonchalantly paid for two capsules.
Ill pay with my card.
Yuhyeon said with a startled expression, surprised by the expensive price of the capsule room.
H-Hey, isnt this too expensive? You paid for the pork belly earlier, too! Its already well over 100,000 won
Yuhyeon, are you really going to worry about that after coming all this way? Just for today, lets throw our worries away and just have fun.
Sangcheol placed a hand on Yuhyeons shoulder.
Im not struggling so much that I cant even do this for you. So stop worrying and just relax, man.
Sangcheol had always been this kind of person.
Someone who always led him out into the world whenever he was struggling.
At that thought, Yuhyeon smiled and said.
Ill pay you back later. Thanks, really.
Heh heh, just buy me a meal if you get a good item.
With a good-natured laugh, Sangcheol headed to his designated capsule.
Anyway, Ill send you a friend request when you get in the game, so make sure you accept my whisper. Have fun!
Yeah, you too!
After seeing Sangcheol off, Yuhyeon walked to his own designated capsule.
Inside was a chair and a holographic monitor that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.
Do I just go and sit down?
With a skeptical look, he sat down, and the capsules wires automatically came toward him, attaching themselves with little clicks.
Pshhhh
Soon, the capsule closed, and the lights dimmed.
Simultaneously, the hologram lit up brightly.
Would you like to connect to Wonderland? If you wish to log in, please say Login.
Startled for a moment by the sudden pop-up window, Yuhyeon soon calmly said.
Login.
At that time, he had no idea.
Might as well hope for a good item while Im at it.
That the game he had entered without much thought, just following Sangcheol.
I could treat him to a meal and use the rest as spending money.
Would change his life by 180 degrees.
It was something he could not yet even imagine.