Ch.170Side Story) Dream of China (4)

The classroom’s grand piano was being played by a student whose expression was stiff with tension.

Unlike usual, Soo-hyun was personally observing the performance, causing the piano majors to sweat profusely with nervousness.

When Soo-hyun, wearing an unusually dark expression, narrowed his eyes, the student playing the piano was startled and pressed the wrong key, bringing the performance to a halt.

“…No need to continue. I’ve heard enough.”

There were many shortcomings. How could someone who called themselves a performer lack even the basics?

Piano wasn’t simply played with the hands. Even breathing, which seemed completely unrelated, affected the performance. While playing, one needed to focus entirely on the sheet music and the world of music.

What was wrong with students these days? He had come back to Korea and offered to observe their performances, but their level was far below his expectations, making him frown involuntarily.

He was fully aware that his presence made the students nervous. He had taken that into account while listening, but he could only sigh at their inability to execute even the basics properly.

“I’m sorry—”

“No need to apologize. If you should apologize to anyone, it’s to the sheet music. I suggest recording your performance and listening to it. That way, you’ll clearly understand what needs to be fixed. I didn’t want to say anything harsh, but honestly, this performance was disappointing in many ways.”

As Soo-hyun spoke, the students hung their heads low, staring at the ground.

Even if they wanted to say something, they were facing pianist Lee Soo-hyun—the giant who had won all three major international competitions.

When he first said he would visit the school to teach them, their hearts had raced with excitement. But now, facing Soo-hyun in person, they couldn’t hide their rising disappointment.

He wondered briefly if he had expected too much. Perhaps his standards had become too high, he thought, trying to console himself.

After all, he had been in places where only the world’s best gathered. Even among these students, many might never reach that level.

Perhaps it would be better to lower his expectations rather than exhaust himself like this.

The students flinched with every change in Soo-hyun’s expression, but he paid no attention to that. He sighed softly and looked around. Within those gazes of admiration and aspiration, he could now glimpse tension and fear that he hadn’t noticed at first.

Perhaps that was why they couldn’t perform properly.

“…Alright, let’s start over from the beginning. With simpler pieces—”

Bang!

Just as he was about to start teaching again with a renewed mindset, the door suddenly burst open, breaking his concentration. Soo-hyun bit his lip slightly. He was about to get angry but instead looked steadily at the student who had opened the door and spoke.

“What is it?”

“Um… there’s someone looking for you, Professor. They said they want to meet you right away.”

“Can’t you see I’m in the middle of class? Tell them I’ll come after class—”

“They said you’d know if I mentioned Irene Yuris…”

The moment he heard the name Irene, Soo-hyun, who had raised his hand in the air, simply ran it through his hair.

If it had been any other name, he might have ignored it, but this person… he felt he should meet them.

He didn’t know why he felt this way, but sometimes people are drawn to certain things, aren’t they?

This was just one of those times. Soo-hyun left the classroom, leaving the students behind. Without a moment’s hesitation.

#

“…Was I too harsh?”

He was well aware that he had been particularly sensitive during the lecture.

When disappointed about something he genuinely loved, he tended to get angry.

Even when teaching fencing before… no, he had never taught fencing.

He didn’t know why such a thought suddenly crossed his mind, but Soo-hyun glanced around and reflected on his recent behavior.

It might have seemed too obvious. Irene Yuris—a name that clearly sounded female, didn’t it?

Perhaps it looked like he was rushing off to meet a girlfriend, but it was too late to turn back now. Still, he was surprised she had come all this way to find him.

After walking for a while toward his office, he saw Irene already seated alone.

“You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for quite some time.”

“Why did you come so suddenly? Without any notice.”

“I did notify you. Check your messages more often instead of ignoring them.”

When he checked his phone, there was indeed a message from Irene.

“I’ll visit you today,” sent about 30 minutes ago.

As Soo-hyun frowned, Irene smiled brightly, put down her teacup, and spoke.

“Well, I didn’t come with anything specific to say. I just had one question.”

“You could have asked that over the phone.”

Soo-hyun plopped down in front of where Irene was sitting, and she looked at him with a dissatisfied expression.

She thought they had become somewhat close, but how should she react to such a cold response?

Of course, Soo-hyun wasn’t being intentionally cold. He just… felt awkward being alone with a woman like this.

He didn’t know what to say, and the conversation from last time kept coming to mind, making him uncomfortable.

When someone openly expresses interest, it’s inevitable to have various thoughts, isn’t it?

Still, aware that he might have been a bit rude, he scratched his cheek and continued.

“…It’s just a bit sudden, that’s all. It’s the first time someone has come looking for me like this.”

“Get used to it. I’ll be visiting like this often from now on.”

“What did you want to ask? If you came all this way, it must not be something trivial.”

“I’m participating in a concert. I can’t hold one individually like some people, but it’s a concert with some notable participants. So I’m looking for an accompanist…”

When Soo-hyun narrowed his eyes at the mention of looking for an accompanist, Irene flinched, glanced at the white paper in her possession, and smiled awkwardly.

The paper Rofena had given her contained various notes—anticipated responses to what Irene might say and how she should answer.

Fortunately, one of them matched Soo-hyun’s reaction, allowing Irene to clear her throat and respond smoothly.

“Um, please be my accompanist. I couldn’t find anyone else… besides you.”

“…Me as an accompanist?”

For someone known as the world’s best pianist to be asked to accompany—it was an audacious request from someone in the music industry.

And it was a risky request for Irene. If her skills were inadequate, there was a danger that her violin would lose its distinct color, overshadowed by the accompanist’s performance.

“Are you sure about this? About me being your accompanist?”

He didn’t mind being an accompanist. Especially since it was a request from Irene, whom he had recently become interested in.

She had mentioned they were close, and he liked that idea, so he thought accompanying her would be fine.

But for a concert, he should be the main attraction, and if he joined, the attention would shift to him.

“Of course it’s fine. Do you think I’d ask without considering that?”

“Well, if that’s the case… I’ll be your accompanist.”

But for Irene, what mattered more was that Soo-hyun had agreed.

Clenching her fist inwardly, she quietly tucked the paper Rofena had prepared back into her pocket and looked at Soo-hyun.

He was dressed similarly to when they last met—a white shirt and black dress pants.

But she had never seen someone who wore them so well, so she just touched her reddening ears and slightly moved her lips.

“Hmm, hmm.”

Actually, that wasn’t all she came to discuss. She had asked him to be her accompanist but hadn’t mentioned that the concert was in a few days.

She had wanted to tell him earlier but… somehow felt too embarrassed to say it.

Now that she had finally asked, how could she tell him they needed to start practicing right away?

Her hands fidgeted on her knees, but Soo-hyun didn’t notice.

Thinking about being an accompanist, something he had only done occasionally in his youth, he voiced a thought that suddenly occurred to him.

“By the way, when do we start practicing? I need to adjust my schedule.”

“Ah, about that…”

Caught off guard by his direct question, Irene’s eyes widened.

Would he get angry if she said they needed to start right away? But she couldn’t hide it either. Finally, she bowed her head and spoke.

“…We should start practicing today. The concert is in a week.”

“In a week.”

“Yes. In a week.”

When Soo-hyun gave her a dumbfounded look, Irene couldn’t meet his gaze and lowered her head even more.

He had thought it might be urgent when she suddenly asked him to be her accompanist, but the concert was just a week away.

Yet strangely, he wasn’t angry. It was certainly something to be angry about, and given his already tight schedule, he would have been justified in expressing dissatisfaction.

But oddly, he wasn’t angry at all. Tilting his head in confusion, Soo-hyun simply responded calmly, without a trace of anger in his voice.

“Then let’s start preparing now. I’ve pretty much finished what I needed to do today anyway.”

In truth, he still had more classes to teach, but he had already decided to leave those to Chris.

Why he was lying, why he wanted to be with her despite saying such things—Soo-hyun couldn’t understand his own reasons. He only knew for certain that he wanted to do this.

#

Irene, holding her violin, glanced at Soo-hyun seated at the piano.

She always thought this, but Soo-hyun looked completely different when sitting at the piano.

More serious, and much more… immersed in something, wouldn’t you say?

His complete focus on the piano made him look quite handsome, and Irene didn’t hide her gaze that kept drifting toward him.

“Aren’t you going to play?”

“…Oh, I was just looking at you.”

When Soo-hyun frowned, Irene smiled playfully and turned her head away.

Honestly admitting that she was looking because he was handsome seemed like quite a difficult thing to do.