A bus stopped in front of the Warsaw Conservatory of Music, where the preliminary round was to be held.
On the side, a sticker in English read: Center for Musical Education for the Gifted, Korea University.
From time to time, some local students would look at the bus curiously, but since it wasn't a world-renowned school, it didn't attract much attention.
A man in his sixties, in a brown suit, got out first. He clapped his hands as he spoke:
"Good, guys. We're there. The preliminary round is in two days, so today we'll take a quick look. Then we leave early to rest. Do we grab the shoulder of the one in front and go down? Be careful!
Inside the bus you could hear the voices of the children shouting: "Yes!
One by one they went down: some looked to be about ten years old, others were twelve or thirteen. They were all wearing elegant children's suits.
There were only four children, but then more than ten adults went down. They were his parents.
"Parents, please take good care of your children. The building opposite is historic, a cultural asset. Be careful what you touch.
How many people in the world can say that they have entered the Warsaw Conservatory?
The parents looked excited.
A mother asked, shaking the camera:
"Excuse me, professor. Can I take a photo? I would like one in front of the statue of Chopin.
"Oh, yes. Jeong-hyeon's mother. It is ok. See you in front of the front door in fifteen minutes, shall we?
"Thank you!" How flexible our teacher is. Haha.
"So, take pictures with your children and meet us in fifteen minutes."
Even if they are prodigies, they are still children.
Seeing the grass and the beautiful buildings, they wanted to run. They would grab their parents' hands and complain, "'Let's go there, quick.'
As the parents and children dispersed, a young woman with a crossbody bag got off the bus.
"Professor, that's all.
"Ah, thank you, Jihye.
The teacher took the bag and looked at the woman named Jihye.
She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she wore sober clothes, similar to those of a flight attendant. She wore her hair up in a net, without letting a single strand escape: a style that was very pleasing to adults.
"Thanks for joining us, Jihye. It must be exhausting.
Jihye smiled sweetly.
"You too, professor. If you go, the assistant goes too. Haha.
"Haha. You're graduating this year, right? What plans do you have?
—I'm auditioning for orchestras. So far I have only been contacted by one. I'm not in a hurry, I'll take my time.
"Yes, impatience always brings problems. Oh, did you receive a reply to the email I sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
"Yes. What was his name? I don't remember. In short, I refused the special test with the greatest courtesy, as he indicated. The Ministry responded that it would try to comply with the conditions requested by the school.
"Mmm...
The professor sighed.
Jihye didn't know all the details, but she knew who the dean was. He had met with him directly. He also knew who the child who requested the special test was.
At first, she was curious about the case: a child recommended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and not by his parents or his academy?
A couple who couldn't honeymoon due to lack of resources had finally traveled to Switzerland with their six-year-old son, seven years after they got married.
All the passengers who were on the train... Died.
One child was reported missing, but it was assumed that, at just six years old, he could not have survived alone in the mountains.
Then, it appeared. Seven years later. The same child for whom the Ministry had requested the special examination.
I feel sad... and also compassionate towards humanity.
But at the same time... There were other children who took classes from the age of four, who paid very high rates for lessons with renowned musicians.
If such a child competed with them, what would the other children feel when they took the exam and were not accepted?
"Later—"
After talking to the school, the teacher concluded that he had made the right decision. Still, the guilt persisted.
Upon investigation, she learned that the news of the boy's return had not yet been communicated to the media.
If it is later revealed that our academy rejected your application... We could be criticized by public opinion.
The professor, who could not help sighing every time he thought of it, murmured as he sat down on a bench in the garden:
"I'm going to rest a little." I must go to the bathroom... We have been on the bus for two hours.
"Do you feel like it?" I'll buy you a coffee when I arrive. Just, please.
"Haha... I told you that Jihye is the only one who takes care of me. Thank you. I'm glad Jihye, who speaks Polish, came.
Jihye smiled at the teacher, went to the bathroom, walked to the cafeteria, placed an order, and waited for the coffee to be ready.
She stood in a corner of the Warsaw Conservatory's cafeteria, where students and professors were chatting with each other, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
'I wanted to study in a place like this, too.'
Of course, Korea University's Music Talent Academy is a great place.
It is also where a genius was born who, a few years ago, won the first prize of the International Chopin Competition thanks to the support of an important national company.
But she's not that genius. He graduated from college, found no opportunities, and ended up taking refuge in graduate school. Now she fulfills the role of facilitator, helping other bright children find their way.
'I learned Polish thinking that one day I would come here... and now I'm using it.'
Here and there, the murmur of language surrounds her.
Jihye listens carefully, comparing the sentences to the grammar she knows... until a peculiar conversation reaches his ears.
—Did you hear that the teachers met with SOL yesterday?
"Oh, I heard it too. It seems that one even went away just to see it... but he ended up losing the opportunity to Professor Lech.
"Wow! How many minutes was he out?
"I heard there were about thirty people.
"Kiya, it seems that SOL was no joke. I want to see it too. Can we get into the second round of preliminaries?
"I don't think so. Only relevant people are allowed access.
"Tch... I want to see with my own eyes what kind of child he is. They say he's twelve, don't they? If he achieved something like that with Professor Lech at that age... That makes him a true genius.
"I think so too. He will surely stand out in the competition. I'll talk to my dad and try to get you a ticket to the main tournament... and yours too.
"Oh! As expected, you are my friend. That's why it's good to have rich friends.
"Stop talking nonsense.
"Hahahaha!"
Jihye's eyes lit up as she finished listening to the conversation. It was not his intention to spy... but he couldn't help it.
'A strong rival for the students of the Academy of Musical Talents...? Did Professor Lech... Piłsudski? I've always wanted to take classes with him. Did you recognize a child? If they say he's twelve, he'd be thirteen in our age... Judging by what they say... that kid is competing here too.'
The coffee was ready.
Although she was supposed to go to the bench where the professor was waiting for her, Jihye discreetly wandered among the older men who looked like professors. He sat nearby, pretended to drink his coffee, and listened to their conversation.
"SOL, there's a video of you playing that's circulating. Did you see it?
"Of course! Thanks to Professor Lech, rumors now run through the school.
"Really?" I haven't seen it. If you have the file, please send it to me.
"Well, I'll go to the office and send it to you."
"How was it?" Tell me the essentials before we meet.
"Haha... It was a perfect performance.
"What piece was it?"
"Butterfly.
Hearing the title, Jihye quickly thought:
'If it's Butterfly, then it's Chopin: Étude Op. 25, No. 9 in G-flat major. It's a difficult piece for a child. In what country is such a child raised?'
The conversation between the professors continued:
—Ah, that's a piece that our students usually play. Why did you think it was perfect?
"You know, when you teach children—" If they manage to play a mezzo piano well, they are called prodigies. Did you know?
"Of course. It's harder to play soft than loud.
"But that boy, SOL... He played pianissimo and pianississimo impeccably.
"What?" Can a thirteen-year-old child produce such delicate sounds?
"That's why it was amazing. It was an almost digital execution. Without a single stumble. Exactly as it was written.
"That's incredible.
"And besides... have you ever seen a thirteen-year-old student distinguish perfectly between sforzando and rinforzando?"
"You mean you got this far?"
"Of course! That's why I was so surprised! It is understandable that Professor Lech reacted like this.
Disbelief turned into rabbit eyes.
Mezzo piano is a term that means "slightly soft." Pianissimo means "very soft," and pianississimo translates to "supremely soft."
It's easy to say, but incredibly difficult—even for adults—to distinguish them correctly in interpretation.
And to distinguish clearly between sforzando and rinforzando?
Both mean the same thing: "the sound is especially loud."
But the difference is in the kind of emphasis that appears within the expression of the piece.
It is a subtlety that can only be perceived by adults listening to professional pianists, because it requires a perfect understanding of the work.
"Thirteen years??" What's the point of that? Who the hell is SOL?
Jihye's head shakes.
Two of the children he has brought are being carefully educated at Korea University.
Companies that sponsor the competition have high expectations placed on Korean candidates.
But if a boy named SOL — whose nationality they don't even know — is being evaluated so favorably by the teachers...
It becomes difficult to imagine Korean children earning anything.
'I have to tell the teacher as soon as possible.'
Jihye, still with the coffee intact in her hands, quickly got up to leave the cafeteria.
But just then, someone's voice stopped her:
"It's SUN... that boy. The SOL that the rumors talk about.
Jihye stopped. He turned his head with his eyes wide open.
A boy with curly black hair was walking down the hallway.
The professors, who had stopped circulating, murmured:
"That boy." The one they call SOL. Lech's smile.
"He's from Korea."
The coffee that Jihye hadn't tasted yet fell from her hands. It spilled onto the ground.
'Ha ha... is he a Korean boy?'