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Chapter 520:

Chapter 520

The same day.

London, England.

“Please pack your bags and gather at the departure time after lunch!”

The people nodded at the schedule manager’s words and started their lunch. 

They quickly got their warm food as they chose their favorite menus.

“It’s the last concert now.”

“I know. I thought it would be long, but it feels short now that it’s over.”

“Oh, do you remember the maestro who came to the German concert?”

“The maestro who was close to Professor Morton? Of course I remember!”

They were the team of violinist Jason Moore, who had finished their concert in England and were heading to their last concert venue, Paris, France.

A violin recital usually only had a violin and a piano on stage, but this Jason Moore’s recital had both a solo recital and an orchestra collaboration in the second part.

The performers here were temporary orchestra members gathered for this concert.

But being temporary didn’t mean they lacked skills. They recruited skilled performers and practiced enough in advance.

The performers also tried hard to impress the important guests who would come to the concert of Jason Moore, a world-famous violinist, such as orchestra officials or maestros. Maybe they could join a new orchestra with that connection.

“Please let the staff know if you have any pain!”

The staff had to run around busy with so many people.

“Please check your instruments before departure!”

It was fine for instruments like violins that could be carried on board, but large instruments like cellos or contrabasses had to be handled with care.

“I heard that one of the British airlines was voted the number one airline that musicians should avoid. They opened the cello case they sent as checked baggage and found a broken cello in pieces…”

The performers shuddered at the story that was worse than a horror story. They felt goosebumps on their arms.

“Thank goodness. We rented a seat for it…”

There was another way besides sending it as checked baggage, which was to buy an extra seat to store the instrument.

It might look strange to see an instrument taking up a seat instead of a person, but if they heard the price of the instrument, they would think differently. The instruments of these high level performers were almost as valuable as their assets.

“It’s complicated because each airline has different regulations.”

“That’s true. I almost used a Japanese airline before, but they told me to buy three tickets for one cello.”

“Three tickets?”

The performers were surprised by the cellist’s shrug.

“They measured the cello lying down. So I just moved to another airline.”

“Is it still like that?”

“They must have had a lot of complaints, because they changed it.”

The performers, who had traveled around here and there for competitions or concerts, shared their stories about the airlines they had used.

One of the violinists who had finished their meal early and returned to their room ran out of the elevator with a pale face. The violinists who saw him called him with a puzzled look.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Did you lose your violin or something?”

The hotel staff nearby tensed up.

“Do you know where Jason is?”

“Jason should be having lunch with Professor Benjamin…”

The violinist quickly moved to the location that one of the performers told him. His face was pale, his eyes were anxious, his breath was rough, and his hands were trembling. His friends who were close to him put down their forks and knives and got up from their seats to follow him.

Jason Moore and Professor Benjamin were talking at a table near the window. Professor Benjamin’s face was full of satisfaction and Jason Moore’s expression, which always seemed stiff, was relaxed.

“It’s already the last one.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Well, it’s a bit hard now.”

“I told you I could do it alone…”

Jason Moore frowned slightly.

He knew that it wasn’t easy for him to travel and stay with him throughout the European tour, considering his age.

“I’m not that old, Jason. I had fun. I watched the concert and met my friends.”

Jason Moore sighed lightly at Professor Benjamin’s words. He wouldn’t have worried if he had just watched comfortably. He was the one who came to give advice every practice time.

Jason Moore was about to sigh again when he heard a trembling voice.

“Ex, excuse me.”

Professor Benjamin and Jason Moore turned their heads. It was a violinist who occupied one of the first violin seats. Both of them sensed something wrong with his pale face.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m, I’m sorry. My, my wife and son had an accident… I just got a call…”

There were sounds of breathing in from everywhere. The violinist said with a trembling voice.

“I… I think I have to go now… I’m sorry… There’s still a concert left…”

He could see the violinist’s hands shaking as they held each other.

He knew how important the concert was.

He also knew well that there were great people among the performers, among the artists, who put their family matters behind, held back their tears, and went on stage with determination for the waiting audience.

But it was still hard for him.

He didn’t think Jason Moore wouldn’t let him go, but he had a bit of anxiety left, so the violinist quickly added.

“…I’ll pay the penalty. I’ll find a violinist to replace me as soon as possible… I’m really… really sorry for not participating until the end of the concert…”

While the violinist choked back his tears, silence hung over the table nearby. They all had worried about it at least once when they went on stage away from their families.

Jason Moore opened his mouth.

“You don’t have to pay the penalty. Accidents happen.”

“Th… thank you.”

“You don’t have to worry about the violinist either. I happen to know a good violinist in Paris.”

Jason Moore said.

“So don’t worry about the rest and go quickly.”

The violinist thanked him several times, took the luggage that his colleagues, who  he had become close to over the past few months, had prepared for him, and hurriedly left the hotel. The staff agreed to send the rest of his luggage.

Jason Moore sighed deeply as he watched the violinist leave. Professor Benjamin Morton spoke.

“It would be easier if he was an orchestra member, then he would have a backup to take over… but not otherwise.”

Stage or family.

It was a question that Jason Moore, who had no one to replace him and worked solo, had to think about at least once.

“What would you do?”

He had no family, but he had a teacher who was like a family.

Jason Moore, who had grown up receiving his sincere love, looked at Professor Benjamin’s smiling face and felt his throat tighten. He barely uttered a word.

“…I don’t know.”

He had never thought about his teacher having an accident.

Professor Benjamin smiled softly at his student, who still looked young.

“By the way, Jason. The violinist in Paris right now…”

“He’s the only one.”

Jason Moore smiled mischievously, having regained his composure.

***

Clap clap clap clap!

The applause filled the auditorium. Seo-jun also applauded the actors who showed their passion.

“Ha. That was fun.”

Seo-jun stretched as he left the theater and looked at the play pamphlet again. The page after the cover had a book introduction, which was the original novel of the play he had just seen.

“This is the play that started last month, right?”

It was a newly made work, but it was the most interesting and fun among the shows he had seen today. Seo-jun enjoyed it and the audience’s reaction was good, so he thought it wouldn’t be long before it came to Korea.

He wondered how it would be like if Korean actors performed it, and stopped by a bookstore on his way back to his accommodation to buy the original novel. But Seo-jun’s hand was empty when he left the bookstore.

***

“They were all in French.”

The kids burst into laughter at Seo-jun’s words, who dropped his shoulders.

“Jun, you can read some French fairy tales, right?”

Charlie, who had recommended those fairy tales, said to Seo-jun. 

Today’s cooking was also what Mina and Charlie had learned from Le Cordon Bleu. 

They taught and learned from each other at dinner time because they took different classes.

“This book is a mystery. There might be clues in every word. There might be clues to the mystery in the text. I don’t want to miss them.”

“That makes sense.”

“Of course, the English translation might feel a bit different from the original, but they must have translated it well.”

Grace and Ji-yoon suddenly started laughing. Seo-jun and the kids looked at them with curious faces.

“Did you think of something funny?”

“No, it’s just. We talked about it at the book fair with Grace. It was in front of the booth of the fairy tale book that was the original of the children’s play. Seo-jun would read it right away, we thought. Should we buy one?”

Ji-yoon continued, and Grace said with a smile.

“Jun loves books that are adapted, being adapted, or would be good to be adapted.”

The kids laughed at Grace’s words.

“That’s true. That’s how Seo-jun chooses books.”

Seo-jun scratched his cheek at Ji-woo’s words. He had just told them that he had gone to buy the original novel of the play, so he had nothing to say.

The laughter died down and Mina asked Seo-jun.

“So are you going to the book fair tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I’m meeting Jason and Professor Benjamin in the afternoon. So only in the morning.”

“Oh. They’re coming tomorrow.”

“They arrived in Paris today, but they had a lot of things to do and move, so we decided to meet tomorrow.”

The kids talked about their own schedules, starting with Seo-jun’s tomorrow schedule. It was not a very travel-like travel schedule, but they all had bright faces.

***

The next day.

Seo-jun bought books at the international book fair and had lunch, then headed to the Paris Music Hall. He had to match Jason Moore’s schedule, so he did.

The Paris Music Hall, which was one of the top three theaters in Paris, had not only a place for performances, but also a practice room where they could practice. Seo-jun, who had contacted them in advance, headed to the other entrance instead of the one where the audience came in.

“Jason! Long time no see!”

“Yeah. Long time no see.”

Jason Moore came out to meet Seo-jun, who had brought two hands full of cookies from the cookie shop that Charlie had recommended for the orchestra members. They had contacted each other often, but it had been a long time since they met in person, so Seo-jun greeted him with a happy face.

“Can you come out like this? Aren’t you busy?”

“We had some trouble, so we’re starting the real practice tomorrow. How did you bring all that? Give me some.”

Jason reached out for the paper bags in Seo-jun’s hands. Seo-jun smiled and avoided him.

“Nope. Violinists can’t carry heavy things. What if you hurt your fingers? It’s your concert, you can’t ruin it.”

Jason Moore snatched one of the paper bags with a sneaky smile.

“That’s why we have to share the load.”

Seo-jun blinked his eyes in confusion at Jason Moore, who looked unusually playful.

“One of the orchestra violinists dropped out.”

“! Really?”

“So I recommended you.”

“…What?”

He seemed to have finished talking, and Jason Moore walked ahead. Seo-jun quickly followed him.

“Jason! You remember I’m an actor, right!?”

Jason Moore and Professor Benjamin Morton, who were waiting at the entrance, chuckled at Seo-jun’s panicked scream.