Pianist's Village

[Next, we will announce the winners of the XVIII Chopin Competition for Children.]

The host's voice resonated through the microphone in the arena.

10 minutes passed as the applause for Soo-hyun subsided.

Just like on the Zelkova piano stage, the sky wasn't visible, but instead of dense trees, the venue's ceiling was illuminated by bright lights. Soo-hyun, who had been lifting his head and closing his eyes to look at someone, remained in that position as the audience continued to applaud. Finally, the audience quieted down only after the organizers sent staff to the stage and moved Soo-hyun backstage.

When the intermission before the final results announcement ended and the host's voice was heard, the remaining audience members who were still talking outside the venue hastily re-entered.

President Joseph, with the aforementioned expression, sat down, his face still excited, and spoke.

"Did you just hear that? No, did you see it? I've heard Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 countless times in my life! But this is the first time I've heard it performed like that. Did you hear it too? I wasn't dreaming, was I?"

President Tateushi also blushed and agreed.

"I heard it without a doubt too! Chopin, who disliked concerts and only composed two in his life, heard it countless times. But what a touching feeling! I felt as if someone was reciting a painful love poem right by my ear!"

"Yes! Me too! It was as if that little child was reciting a poem whispering about the pain of love! The first movement made me miss my old self, recklessly running towards love; the second movement reminded me of a painful love poem; and in the third, I saw the back of a man who told me to forget everything, turned around, and walked down a bright path. Me too! Me too!"

Chairman Park Ki-joon, who was sitting in his seat next to the two people who were chatting animatedly and didn't leave during the intermission, lost his mind and thought the voices of the two people, which were in Polish anyway and thus unintelligible, were just noise.

'Although the stage is empty now, the image of Soo-hyun sitting at the piano and playing still lingers.' 'F, Franz Liszt... Professor Lee Chan-ho's words, Conductor Janusz's words, they were all true! It was like watching the real Liszt play. No, perhaps I was so absorbed in Soo-hyun's appearance that I couldn't concentrate on the actual performance. Everyone here is excited and remembers it. That means the child's performance was real.'

Chairman Park Ki-joon leaned his back, placed his elbows on his thighs, and ran his hands through his hair.

'A perfect performance, like Chopin's, with the splendid stage prowess of Franz Liszt. A child who disappeared for seven years and suddenly returned…'

Chairman Park Ki-joon, who was looking at the stage, saw Professor Lech slowly walking onto the stage and standing in front of the podium holding the microphone the staff had handed him.

Professor Lech tapped the microphone with his fingernail to check its operation, then looked at the audience and said.

"Now we will announce the winners of the Chopin Children's Competition."

There were parents of boys and girls among the audience. When it came time to announce the winners, they tightly held hands and looked at the stage with expectant expressions.

'Because if you place in the top 5, your child's future will be bright.'

"First, fifth place goes to Song Meiling from China."

A cry of joy resonated from backstage. He must have brought a good cheering squad, as more than twenty adults applauded, and a Chinese child wearing white knee-high socks came up and proudly received his prize.

When people, whether parents or family members, went up on stage and gave flowers to the child, the child received so many flowers that he had to put them on the floor because he couldn't carry them all himself.

Although winners were not asked to comment separately, they had to wait in the back.

Professor Lech said with a smile as everyone present congratulated the child and left.

"Fourth place goes to Japan's Ryo Ishibashi."

After China, a boy from Japan appeared. Unlike China, there were five or six spectators who didn't cheer but only jumped up. They also approached the winning child and gave him a bouquet of flowers.

"Third place goes to Marine Le Pen from France, second place goes to Ignacy Daszyński from Poland."

Third and second place were both girls. The girls, all elegantly dressed, smiled brightly as they received their prizes from Professor Lech and were showered with bouquets of flowers by their respective parents.

The audience applauded and prayed for the young geniuses to grow up bright and upright.

But as soon as it was time to announce the winner, the audience fell silent. Everyone implicitly knew who would win, but it would only be the true ending if it became a fact.

Professor Lech also seemed to convey the audience's feelings as he looked at them for a moment and smiled.

'Am I wasting too much time?'

A low chuckle erupted among the audience.

"I don't think this needs to be announced."

The parents and relatives of the other contestants who were not announced as winners remained there, but they stood still as if they had already taken the first place for granted. The audience looked around for Soo-hyun's family, but no one seemed particularly excited.

The audience stood up at the same time.

The audience had already raised their hands and were preparing to applaud, even though Professor Lech hadn't even made any announcement.

Professor Lech turned and pointed backstage.

"Number 1 is Nam Soo-hyun from South Korea!!"

The audience applauded with all their might. The encouragement for the young piano prodigy reached the stage in the form of applause.

The audience applauded louder when they saw Soo-hyun emerge from behind the curtain, and the applause grew even louder when Professor Lech, who had only handed out trophies and shaken hands with the other award winners, embraced Soo-hyun and smiled.

But after Professor Lech stepped down, it was time to receive flowers from his family, but for some reason, Soo-hyun was there alone.

Soo-hyun stared blankly at the audience seats, which were not visible due to the lights shining on the stage, and looked at the other award winners.

'Children who received so many bouquets of flowers that their bodies couldn't even be seen.' 'But there's no one to give him those flowers.'

Soo-hyun's expression became slightly sad.

The audience murmured in confusion.

"What? Is no one here even though I won first place?"

"That's ridiculous! If he's such a genius, there's no reason his family wouldn't follow him."

"No matter how busy you are, are there parents who send their children to Poland alone?"

Then a woman was seen hesitantly emerging from behind a black curtain.

A woman flinched in surprise at the sight of a crowded audience.

This was Kim Ji-ye.

She was holding a large bouquet of flowers in her hand.

As the gaze of the audience, including Professor Lech, shifted, Soo-hyun felt it and turned around.

Even after winning first place, Soo-hyun looked like he was about to burst into tears, but when he saw Ji-ye, he smiled sadly.

"Thank you, unnie."

Kim Ji-ye, who saw Soo-hyun smiling with tearful eyes, gathered her courage and took each step forward.

Kim Ji-ye, who walked precariously and tensely, as if she would collapse at any moment, barely reached Soo-hyun and bent down to hand him the flowers.

"It's okay, congratulations."

"Thank you, unnie."

"I'm sorry the bouquet is small. The flower shop ran out of flowers today, so I waited all morning to buy them, but this is all I could prepare."

She saw the bouquet of flowers Soo-hyun was holding in his arms.

Contrary to Kim Ji-ye's words that she regretted the small flowers, it looked like she paid quite a lot of money for the large bouquet.

"No, it's a very beautiful flower. Thank you, unnie."

"Actually, it's a flower that Professor Lee Chan-ho and Han Ji-hye bought together… They asked me to give it to you… I'm so nervous. How well did you play here? You're amazing, really."

There were still tears in Soo-hyun's eyes. But the child smiled like an adult and said.

"I was able to do it because I had someone holding flowers in my arms and someone throwing thousands of flower buds with their heart."

"Mom, with your heart?"

"Yes."

When Kim Ji-ye spoke too much, Professor Lech gestured for her to step aside.

When Kim Ji-ye hastily stepped aside, the audience erupted in applause once more.

On this day, Soo-hyun received the most honorable award.

And under the spotlights, he smiled radiantly, holding only the most disheveled bouquet of flowers among the awardees.

Zelkova Piano Stage

The men who brought three piano stools in front of each other shouted loudly.

"Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Did you hear that, Franz? I heard there's a prestigious competition named after me! Didn't our Soo-hyun win it?!"

"Hahahaha, hey. How many times do I have to say this? Is it that good?"

"Good! Good! I feel like I'm flying! I've never been this happy in my life. Hahahaha!"

"Isn't it obvious that Soo-hyun won? He's your disciple!"

"Then! He's my disciple! Of course, he's yours too!"

"Did you hear that when Soo-hyun won, he used the technique I taught him? You have to acknowledge that I had a lot to do with it too!"

The two friends, who had hoped there would be no news today but still came to the Zelkova piano stage with hope, found Soo-hyun sitting on a chair, holding a bouquet of flowers and a trophy, smiling shyly. They rushed towards Soo-hyun at full speed and embraced him.

The two people, who had been separated for only about a month, but reunited as if they were family they hadn't seen in years, were very happy to hear Soo-hyun's story about the competition.

Frederick felt especially pleased to know that the competition named after him was still the most prestigious in the world. Frederick kept urging him to talk about the competition.

Franz, who had been tirelessly watching Soo-hyun recount the competition story, looked at the trophy placed on the piano with new eyes.

"Wow… I never thought such a competition would actually exist."

Franz, who was silently approaching the trophy, flinched.

"For a moment..."

Frederick, who was talking to Soo-hyun, looked back.

"What did you say?"

Franz looked at Soo-hyun with wide eyes.

"Soo-hyun."

"Yes, sir."

"This trophy...."

"Yes?"

Franz's mouth opened wide in surprise, as if he was speaking.

Frederick said, patting his friend's shoulder.

"What's wrong? I just want to hear more of Soo-hyun's story."

Franz stammered.

"Th-that… So, you don't know what's strange?"

"What are you talking about?"

Franz pointed to the trophy.

"The language is a real thing."

"What is that? GAAAASP!!!"

Frederick realized this too late and gasped. The two people who quickly looked at Soo-hyun spoke at the same time.

"Can you bring real objects here????"

Soo-hyun tilted his head.

'What's so strange about that, guys? I opened the door and walked in with a trophy in my hand.'

"Why is that?"

Soo-hyun didn't know, but it was a great shock to both of them. If this was true, the two people would be able to see modern objects from over a hundred years after their deaths through Soo-hyun.

Franz swallowed hard and said.

"Soo, Soo-hyun."

"Yes?"

"Hey, where are you from?"

"Poland."

"Well then! If you go back, you won't get a headache or feel dizzy or anything?"

"I don't feel anything at all."

This time, Frederick grabbed Soo-hyun's hand.

"Then! Will you come visit us just once?"

'Why are you telling me to leave? It's not that annoying, I just have to open the door.' 'Actually, even if it's annoying, I'll endure it for the sake of the two gentlemen.'

Soo-hyun got up from his chair and asked.

"What's happening?"

Franz intervened first.

"Books! Can you bring me some books?"

"What book?"

"Anything! Not classics, but modern books… No, books from your generation would be fine!"

'No problem. There are books everywhere in the hotel lobby.' 'And what about Uncle Frederick?'

"I, I... I...."

When he suddenly tried to think about it, it seemed he couldn't think of anything.

Soo-hyun, who had been waiting for a moment, moved and spoke.

"Let me know if you remember. I'll get the book first."

The two people who had been staring at the door until Soo-hyun returned after opening the door and leaving, soon cheered when they saw the book under Soo-hyun's arm.

"Hahahahahaha! No way! I've found a way out of this boring place!"

"Hahaha! As expected, we raised a disciple well! I want to see it first!"

Although there were only two books, Soo-hyun smiled happily as he watched the two uncles fighting each other.

'Yes, I don't feel lonely because I have two uncles who give me thousands of flowers from their hearts. Right, Nam Soo-hyun?'