Chapter 106: Interview (1)

“Turn on the TV. Right now.”

The urgent request from my blackmailer who’d suddenly contacted me was simply to turn on the TV.

It made absolutely no sense. I almost questioned why they were making such a random joke.

I didn’t because there was no hint of playfulness in their voice through the phone.

They didn’t seem like the type to exchange pointless jokes with someone they barely knew anyway.

“Why the TV all of a sudden?”

When I questioned their intention, a curt response came back.

“Did you not hear me say right now?”

“And did you not hear me ask why?”

“Just hurry up and turn it on. …I’m only passing along a request I received.”

As they grumbled, their dissatisfaction was evident. What request? From whom? I felt like I’d get an immediate scolding if I asked such questions.

There was no real reason to refuse such an insistent demand. This person probably had their own reasons, so it seemed better to comply.

Unfortunately, this house didn’t have a TV. However, I’d heard some channels could be watched online.

I took out my laptop from my bag and asked which channel I should watch. Between the slow boot-up and connecting to the broadcasting company’s website, quite a bit of time passed.

After clicking the ‘ON AIR’ button in the menu bar, an uninteresting commercial started playing. Apparently, I’d have to watch the entire ad before seeing the actual broadcast.

“Are you watching?”

Too impatient to wait even for this, they asked hurriedly.

“Not yet. Seems I need to wait for the ad to finish.”

“That’s fine then. I have nothing more to say, so I’ll hang up now.”

After hearing my answer, they acted as if their business was done and tried to end the call.

While I had nothing more to say either, hanging up now would leave me not knowing what to do. Hastily, I called out, “Hey, wait a minute.”

Soon, the unfriendly voice greeted me again.

“What now?”

“I mean, what’s supposed to happen when the broadcast comes on?”

Surely watching TV wasn’t the only purpose. Since I’d followed their instructions without knowing why, I at least wanted to know what I was supposed to do while watching. Otherwise, I’d just be viewing TV normally.

Though this was the intention behind my question, they cut me off firmly with their answer.

“You’ll know when you see it.”

…I’ll know when I see it?

Just then, the commercial ended. A “Loading” message appeared on the black screen, followed by a morning program. It was the kind of show where announcers and various panelists discussed pre-recorded videos.

And in that moment, I gasped, drawing in a deep breath.

What eventually appeared on screen was a tiny girl completely immersed in playing the piano.

The place where the performance was taking place was somewhere I’d seen dozens of times and was familiar with.

Her elegant hand movements, sorrowful expression, and lovely appearance. Along with the captivating performance scene that instantly enchanted viewers, a melody deeply engraved in my mind flowed from the laptop speakers.

It was… a piece I’d heard countless times in the piano room.

Belatedly, I read the caption floating in the corner of the screen.

—Charity concert held at Korea’s top prestigious high school! Interview with world-renowned piano prodigy Han So-yul.

“…Ugh.”

A sound involuntarily escaped from the back of my throat.

Someone I desperately wanted to see but could never meet again.

Someone whose absence felt immensely vast because she was the most precious person in the world to me.

That person… I could see So-yul again, even if only through a screen.

My heart swelled with a mixture of joy and longing. Emotions welled up, making my lips tremble. I even felt my eyes growing hot.

During this time, sound must have been coming through the phone.

The person on the other end muttered sharply:

“…You’re both such idiots, seriously.”

Immediately after, I heard the sound effect indicating the voice call had ended.

They probably hung up after completing their assigned task. To me, though, it felt like an action to avoid interrupting this momentary reunion.

I dropped my hand holding the phone onto the bed.

As if this was some kind of signal, the screen changed.

What followed was a female reporter holding a cue sheet with a broad smile.

Right beside her was… So-yul, managing a fresh smile like usual despite obvious difficulty.

It seemed the segment introducing the charity concert had ended, and they were transitioning to the interview.

The reporter spoke in an energetic voice, apparently trying to lift the mood:

“Alright! From now on, we’ll be interviewing Han So-yul, who played a significant role in this charity concert. Han So-yul, are you ready for the interview?”

“…Yes. I’m ready.”

Dressed in a neat school uniform, So-yul responded with adorable eye-smiles.

Her slightly hoarse voice and somewhat bloodshot eyes felt infinitely pitiful.

Though her eyes were swollen from days of crying, it was fortunate that she at least appeared healthy.

I’d worried she might collapse from not eating, but as Juho had said, she seemed to be living normally, which was reassuring.

The reporter looked at the cue sheet in her hand and said:

“First, I think we should introduce Han So-yul. Looking at the script, it’s almost entirely compliments. Will you be okay hearing them?”

“Ahaha… I guess I have no choice. It’s embarrassing, but I’ll endure it.”

So-yul scratched her cheek in response to the deliberately playful comment. Her incredibly adorable appearance naturally brought smiles to the panelists’ faces.

“Got it. Then I’ll introduce you quickly. As some of you might know, Han So-yul is Korea’s most promising piano prodigy. Since childhood, she’s been sweeping awards in domestic and international competitions, making her a pianist with a highly anticipated future.”

“…Ahaha.”

Perhaps feeling shy hearing praise from someone else’s lips, So-yul bit her lip with an expression resembling a bitter smile. Her cheeks were already flushed crimson.

The reporter, glancing at So-yul’s state, didn’t miss the opportunity to ask:

“Are you dissatisfied with my introduction?”

“What, what…?”

So-yul widened her eyes and questioned in response to the reporter’s mischievous joke. It must have been a 100% satisfying reaction because the reporter burst into laughter saying, “I was joking, just joking.”

The panelists watching the video also smiled, saying “Han So-yul is really cute.” I completely agreed with this.

The fact that I had shared love, even briefly, with someone so cute and lovable.

It felt like a miracle I’d never experience again in my lifetime, making my chest ache.

The cheerful interview continued.

“Actually, the charity concert was held on Sunday, and we’re filming this interview on Thursday morning. So it’s been about four days since the performance.”

“Four days… That’s right.”

So-yul’s face showed a slight trace of pain as she acknowledged this.

Considering what had happened in the four days since the charity concert… it was a very natural reaction.

The reporter, unaware of this situation, continued with a friendly smile:

“But you know what? Even now, positive reviews about your performance are still continuing on social media and various communities.”

“…Oh, r-really?”

“Oh? You didn’t know? A video filmed by an audience member spread around and became somewhat of a topic. There were enthusiastic responses about an incredibly pretty child giving an incredibly impressive performance.”

As the reporter spoke, images capturing various community posts appeared on screen.

Among the panelists, someone even expressed agreement saying, “Ah, I saw that video too.”

It didn’t seem like another malicious lie to tease So-yul.

“…Ah, umm, th-thank you.”

Taken aback by unexpectedly becoming a topic of conversation, So-yul blinked her large eyes repeatedly, looking dumbfounded.

I was just as surprised. So-yul’s performances were always excellent, so there was no special reason for this charity concert to become a topic. Well, if pressed, I supposed it was due to the influence of having many general audience members.

The reporter comforted the completely frozen So-yul, helping her relax:

“I was also amazed after watching your performance video earlier. So I’d like to ask: what do you think is the secret to delivering such an impressive performance in front of so many people?”

“Secret…”

So-yul repeated the reporter’s expression in her mouth.

To me, she seemed to be hesitating, unsure how to answer.

That was natural, of course. So-yul’s performance hadn’t been perfected overnight.

She practiced diligently every day. Never satisfied with her playing, she constantly strived to improve.

She’d even mentioned taking up movie-watching as a hobby to learn emotion expression. Essentially, all of So-yul’s 24 hours were devoted to the piano.

She seemed to be hesitating about how to express the fact that she had worked so hard. Honestly, I would have felt the same way in her position.

To help So-yul, who was struggling to answer, the reporter offered an example:

“Could it be your parents’ influence?”

At that moment, So-yul flinched. The smile that had been on her face instantly froze.

If there had been parental influence, it would have been negative. Under a mother who constantly tried to mold her daughter to her own taste, So-yul had endured without wavering until the end.

Separately… her mother’s influence had also contributed to our separation. She might not want to mention her parents at all.

Of course, an ordinary reporter couldn’t know these behind-the-scenes details.

“Your mother was a former violinist, and your father is a famous composer, right? In other words, you were born and raised in a family of musicians. Either you inherited talent, or you were educated from an early age. Is that it?”

Another question seemingly seeking So-yul’s agreement.

“…”

However, even after hearing the reporter’s suggested “model answer,” So-yul didn’t open her lips.

There couldn’t be a more comfortable answer in the world. Thanks to inherited talent and early education? It was an answer anyone would nod to. Without even having to think about what to say, she could just agree with a simple “Yes, that’s right.”

Yet So-yul seemed determined to continue her deliberation until the end.

Did she feel she needed to give the right answer?

Or did she not want to credit her parents, even with empty words?

I wasn’t sure how much time passed after that. So-yul seemed lost in thought for a long while, but finally, as if her mind had cleared, she slowly lifted her face.

Somehow, her expression seemed to reveal a strong and powerful will.

“I…”

Finally breaking her silence briefly, So-yul looked directly at the camera:

“…I think being honest with your own emotions is the most important thing.”