Devil’s Music

Chapter 235: Her Final Performance

In the auditorium of a university in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, everyone was holding their breath, focused on the live performance displayed on the large screen set up in the auditorium. The Music College, encouraged by the foundation to specialize, had obtained permission from Fantagio in advance to screen the opera performance, attracting many students to visit the school before the semester started to watch the performance together.

In the auditorium, over five hundred students, having run out of seats, were lined up all the way back to the corridors to watch the screen. Baek Man-jun, the chairman of the Korean university, seated in the front row with the faculty, never took his eyes off the screen as he whispered to a middle-aged professor beside him.

“This performance will be of great benefit to the students.”

The middle-aged professor nodded vigorously.

“Indeed, Mr. Chairman. It’s surprising. I thought it was just a performance by a musician named Kay, but I didn’t expect it to be such a high-quality opera stage.”

The chairman twitched his eyebrows and looked at the dean.

“It’s Leontine Price’s last performance, professor. With music by John Corigliano. It couldn’t possibly be a hastily prepared performance.”

The middle-aged professor slightly bowed his head.

“It seems I had a prejudice against pop singers.”

“Not just for those in music, but for anyone involved in creative cultural activities, prejudice is an obstacle that must be avoided. It wouldn’t do for a professor teaching students to have such bias. And while Leontine Price is indeed leading this stage, the most shining presence on it is Kay. If there was ever an artist underestimated for being a pop musician, this performance should overturn that assessment.”

After seeing Geon's confident and slightly smug divine expression in the center of the stage, the dean looked down at the goosebumps on his forearm.

“Indeed. If I'm in such a state, I imagine other artists feel similarly.”

The chairman turned back to observe the students, who were so engrossed in the performance they seemed to be sucked into the screen, and wore a satisfied expression.

“Are Yeonha University and Goyeon University also screening the performance in their auditoriums?”

“Yes, Mr. Chairman. Not only that, but most schools with music colleges have requested Fantagio and are officially screening it at their schools.”

“Hmm, as expected.”

“It's not just our country. Prestigious music colleges in the US and Europe are conducting auditorium screenings for their students. Leontine Price's students are faculty members in music colleges worldwide, and the performance has garnered significant attention.”

The chairman stroked his chin, looking troubled.

“Our music college is linked with Juilliard through a sister school relationship, right?”

“Yes, Mr. Chairman.”

“Hmm… Is there any way we could bring Kay to our school, maybe as an exchange student or for a tour?”

“There might be a way, but would Juilliard allow it? Even if we go through the proper channels, if the school decides to decline, that’s the end of it.”

“If it can’t be done, so be it, but at least try. Just having Kay visit our school would change its status.”

“Even if Juilliard agrees, I'm not sure Kay would want to come. Our music college is renowned, but it doesn’t compare to the reputation of Juilliard. There might not be much reason for him to come to our school.”

The chairman coughed uncomfortably at the dean's frank words.

“Humph, I see you’re bold enough to say such things in front of me. Haven’t I been increasing the budget for the music college every year? Try to make it a school not inferior to Juilliard.”

“Hehe, that wasn’t my intention, but if you continue to do so, I would be more than happy. I'll check on the possibility of bringing Kay here.”

“Don’t force or pressure them. Make sure you present our school well to Kay or Juilliard. Even if they refuse, part on good terms, ensuring we maintain a good relationship.”

“I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Chairman.”

After their conversation, the two immersed themselves in the performance again. However, their discussion wasn’t unique to the Korean university but was reflective of conversations happening among chairpersons of nearly all universities that were screening the performance. Most schools were contemplating various conditions they could offer to have Geon visit their institution for at least a semester.

**

Standing alone on stage, Geon looked around the audience with an expression of leisure as if he were a god, then retreated into the darkness. It seemed to turn into night as the lights dimmed, and a girl with a small bag tied to a tree branch slung over her shoulder trudged along a night road. The solitary figure of the girl walking the quiet mountain path was incredibly mystical. Though she walked alone, her expression was full of dreams and anticipation as she touched the flowers in the

field or hopped along the mountain path. The girl plucked a flower, put it in her mouth, and sang.

Far and alone

A black horse, a large moon

And raspberries in my saddle

Into the plains, into the wind

The black horse sees the red moon

The dawn flower has already opened its embrace

The black horse, snorting at the moon's cold scent,

Sprouts white wings from its black back

And flies into the sky

As she reached the last lyric and stretched her hand towards the sky, a woman's voice from behind a curtain echoed.

“The day I walked to New York alone with Geoffrey’s help. Saving on the fare, my only pair of shoes wore through, but I was happy. The long tunnel with an end in sight gave me hope. And at the end of that tunnel was Juilliard.

That’s how I ended up at Juilliard School.”

The stage began to rotate, and when it had turned 180 degrees, the house that was originally behind was gone, and a stage with a few chairs appeared. On the chairs were about six students, each holding an instrument, playing with joyful expressions.

A bright-looking Caucasian student wearing suspenders played the violin and sang.

This is Juilliard

Where there is music, there is joy

Where there is joy, there will be you and me

This is Juilliard

Where there is music, there is hope

Where there is hope, there will be you and me

The students accompanied the Caucasian student’s song, each playing their instrument, including the cello and flute, merging into a single piece of music filled with hope and joy. Their performance brought smiles to the faces of the audience. Carlos, too, smiled and quietly tilted his head towards Norman, whispering.

“It’s the first time I've seen actors playing instruments in an opera performance.”

Norman nodded slightly.

“It’s not unheard of. There have been precedents, but it's rare. These are students from Juilliard, where geniuses of music gather, so it’s a class of its own.”

Carlos whistled softly.

“Kay isn’t the only genius here. Seeing how many geniuses are gathered in one place, it’s hard to comprehend the extent of Kay’s talent, shining even in such a place.”

“Indeed. Graduating from Juilliard is a badge of honor in itself. Kay, shining so brightly here, is a treasure to humanity. I look forward to what tomorrow brings more than today.”

“Haha, you’ve fallen hard for Kay, Norman.”

Norman chuckled and replied.

“Of course, wouldn’t I have flown all the way to the US to see a single performance otherwise?”

A girl, barefoot and with mud on her feet, climbed onto the stage. The dirt-streaked girl looked at the singing and playing students with eyes full of longing. Unable to approach closely and just looking from a distance, Geon appeared behind the girl in a clean white shirt and brown pants. After observing the girl for a moment, Geon placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to startle and turn around. Geon grinned and took the girl’s hand, leading her towards the joyfully playing students.

The girl, hesitantly approaching, showed embarrassment on her face, but the playing students, undeterred by her shabby clothes, encircled her with their instruments, continuing to play. As a smile slowly spread across the girl’s face, Geon nudged her back and gestured for her to sing. Looking up at Geon, the girl bowed her head briefly before raising it to sing in a beautiful, clear voice.

I dream of singing

Singing of dreams

In the brilliant light of dreams manifesting

I fear my eyes might be blinded

I may become bruised from countless falls

But with each fall, I wish to be someone who picks something up

Geon and the students were surprised by the beautiful voice flowing from the girl. The students, momentarily stunned, joyously circled the girl even more as she sang. The girl, too, smiled happily, and Geon, standing a bit away, slowly nodded in approval.

Again, the voice of a woman hidden by the curtain spoke.

“I learned at Juilliard that the desire to fulfill my dreams leads to a craving for learning and a duty to learn. And there, I met my first and last love in life.”

The stage darkened and then lit up again, revealing the girl and Geon sitting side by side on a bench set up on one side of the stage. Geon, with an acoustic guitar on his thigh, looked at the girl with a loving gaze as he plucked the guitar strings. As the audience focused on the love serenade Geon was about to sing, his beautiful voice, accompanied by a quiet arpeggio melody, resonated clearly in everyone’s ears.

Does holding your breath stop the heart?

Even if I hide my feelings of

love,

It's like they can't be hidden.

I'm always curious about you,

Thirsty for the actions you show me.

Everything I feel for you is a deficiency.

A familiarity that feels ancient,

But each time we meet, it feels like first love

I don't want to act to complete

An unfinished love. Like your sincere song,

I want to convey my heart simply

Female audience members, in particular, clutched their hearts and drew hearts in their eyes in an instant. The beauty of the young man, more than his appearance, was in the timbre of his voice and the way it whispered yet clearly resonated in the ears. Not only the audience in the venue but also women watching on PC screens in their homes and school auditoriums were feeling similar emotions.

As the stage lights dimmed, leaving the happy couple in view, the audience smiled and focused their attention on the woman behind the curtain. However, no words came from behind the curtain after a brief silence. Just as the audience began to feel uneasy, the woman's voice, mixed with tears and forcibly suppressing trembling, flowed out.

“I thought our love would last forever. But he, having joined the Vietnam War in 1955, never returned.”

The audience couldn't hold back and screamed out.

“Oh no!”

“Again?”

“War is truly horrific!”

“God! How could you bestow so much hardship on one woman!”

As the murmurs of anger and sorrow grew louder, the chief secretary began to pay closer attention to Harold Winston's reaction. The president, sitting askew and staring sternly at the stage, deepened his gaze.

>

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