Chapter 6.2 - Faster 2 (1/2)
Wearing a large grin, I unwrapped one of the candies and threw it inside my mouth as the fragrant aura of red ginseng spread out throughout my body.
Ah this is it.
Enjoying the flavour, I rolled it around with my tongue when a dull voice echoed from the side.
“…You really like red ginseng candies?”
“Un? Isn’t this nice?”
Seeing me proudly waving the red empty package, Lee Suh-ah stared at me with an expression as if she had bitten on a lemon. Why’s she like that? I was tilting my head when Lee Suh-ah dragged Song Mirae over to a corner before starting a chit chat.
Curious, I pointed my ears a bit and could hear some of their words.
“…You give something like… just because his body is… idiot.”
“My uncle liked it though?”
“Uncle… have you given… to other guys…”
“Why would I give a present to other guys?”
Song Mirae wore a bold expression and Lee Suh-ah heaved out a sigh.
“Alright. The person himself likes it so I guess that’s fine.”
Then, she shot a glare at me.
“Even your taste is totally like an old man. I should’ve figured it out when you wanted a mint-flavoured candy last time.”
“No, what’s wrong with mint?”
“Don’t tell me you like mint chocolate as well?”
“…That’s…”
*
“…”
Ku Mingi quickly carried his feet. The sceneries of the corridor sped past him and from within, some of the students gave greetings. Normally, he would’ve kindly given a response but the current him was indulged in his thoughts.
‘Jo Yunjae…’
Suddenly, the memories of the past resurfaced. That first time he had seen Jo Yunjae at the interview – that old memory.
Thinking back, it wasn’t anything special. It was just that he had heard something interesting walking past and was thus interested, and had merely held it once because of that unique hearing ability.
It was similar to an impulsive buying like when seeing a new product in the market. Later, he would forget that he had even bought it, and neglect it before ultimately throwing it straight into the bin – that kind of student which he had picked without a real reason.
“Hmm…”
But that kind of student had shown a full mark in the music dictation test and distinguished himself apart before showing amazing diction skills in the Concerted Music lesson. Plus, there was the diligence shown in the Improvement Concert with his earnest development.
Up to here, he had evaluated him as ‘a disciple worth growing’ but nothing more. However, the new image shown by Jo Yunjae in the lesson room this time had broken his thoughts into pieces.
A talent never seen before.
A singer that could sing any song if they were inclined to, a charming opera singer like an eight-coloured bird. Ku Mingi had labelled him like this,
‘Heaven-defying’
All the songs in the world… no, there was no need to even be able to sing that much. If he could sing half of that, or perhaps even another half of that; singing the masterpieces of composers stacked over countless years without any restriction…
He would be able to lay his hands on a repertoire of songs incomparable to other opera singers. And that shocking change of vocalisation would bring a massive earthquake to the world of classics.
“…”
A smile appeared on Ku Mingi’s lips.
Kim Wuju.
At the start, he was planning on taking him in as a disciple. Kim Wuju was definitely worth taking in as a disciple, or in fact it was correct to say that he was overflowing with the potential.
Timbre, vocalisation, technique, diction… no matter in which aspect, he surpassed the boundary of norms – an extraordinary genius.
‘But there’s no need for me to be the teacher.’
A perfected genius was a word fitting of Kim Wuju.
Even if he did raise him, no-one would think that it was thanks to Ku Mingi’s abilities. Kim Wuju was already someone walking down his own path after completely mastering the traditional methods so he might not even consider Ku Mingi as his teacher.
On the other hand, how was Jo Yunjae?
A beginner amongst beginners who had never learned opera before. And naturally, he had never hired a teacher before nor did he have any other teachers aside from him. Finding that hidden gem and refining it into the one and only gem of the universe…
Just the thought was enough to have his heart thump in excitement.
“…”
He who had been walking with a grin raised his hand to knock the door.
[Principal’s room]
Glancing up, he could see those words hanging. After waiting for a bit, a voice telling him to come in was heard from the room and Ku Mingi pushed the door open.
A room painted by the red sunset entered his eyes. Scanning through the elegant wooden furniture, expensive paintings hanging here and there, ceramics and the various instruments, Ku Mingi then turned his gaze towards the front.
[Principal Song Muntak]
Ku Mingi glanced at the nameplate decorated by the fancy handwriting before greeting the principal.
“Hello.”
“Right. You’re here Mr Ku? Sit.”
The principal Song Muntak gave off the same, easygoing old-man vibe but it looked like his forehead had expanded compared to before. When Ku Mingi who had been staring pitiably at the retreating hairline sat down, Song Muntak amiably opened his lips.
“Right, it seems like it’s been a while since I’ve met Mr Ku. Nothing wrong right? Did you want something like this maybe? There’s no tea ready…”
Seeing the red candy being reached out, Ku Mingi politely shook his head.
“Red Ginseng… I’m okay. There’s enough energy in my body you see.”
“I see… those are good times. There was a time when I was full of energy as well…”
Like that, words similar to a complaint continued falling out of his mouth. The fact that he had conducted in the past; the things that had happened in the opera ensemble; back when he was famous during the university…
After repeating the same stories that Ku Mingi had heard a dozen times already, the principal finally started the main topic.
“Yes, that was how I met the maestro back then in LA, and it was through that connection that I was able to invite him to the ‘Master Class’ this time… Right didn’t you say you had something to say regarding the master class?”
“Yes.”
The principal slowly locked his fingers together and asked.
“What is it”
“I have a special talent to recommend for this year’s ‘Master Class’.”
Song Muntak who had been leaning back raised his body with interest and seeing that, Ku Mingi gave a nod.
Master Class.
Literally, they were going to receive a lesson from a master maestro of one field and was similar to a kind of a lesson. A lesson with multiple students gathered and giving them advice.
However, in this ‘master class’, the scale of the person teaching was leagues different. A legendary pianist, a violinist with their name etched in the books of history, opera singers raging through the world, conductors that have experienced conducting countless ensembles…
The Future Performing Arts High School annually invited those people to teach for a ‘master class’, to show the students a wider world.
Tilting his head, Song Muntak observed Ku Mingi before opening his mouth.
“Recommend huh… the chance to attend the master class is equally given to all students so what do you mean recommend?”
Indeed, in normal master classes, several hundreds of students gathered and listened to the lecture. Regardless of the recommendations or whatnot, any student from the Future Arts High had the right to listen.