1995. Busan, South Korea.
Inje University Busan Paik Hospital.
"Just a little more- you're doing amazing, Park Ha-eun-ssi," the nurse encouraged. The rhythmic beeping of monitors filled the space, along with the slowed breath of the woman on the bed.
Pain, fear and hope- all of it collided in her chest. Her hand tightened around the one holding hers, refusing to let go.
"I'm right here. You are not alone," came the reassurance from her husband.
Another push. A sharp cry was heard throughout the room. The room filled with tension gradually calmed down. The doctor smiled beneath their mask, carefully lifting the newborn into the light.
"It's a boy." The baby's strong cry filled the room. It had his tiny hands clenched, face scrunched. They placed him gently against his mother's chest. The woman's tears slipped down her eyes as she looked at him.
"Hi…" she whispered. "Hi, my baby…". The boy quieted slightly. Beside her, her husband, Kim Hyun-woo, broke into a crying laugh.
"My baby boy. He is finally here. Ha-eunah, thank you. Thank you for bringing him in this world." The man slowly kissed his wife's forehead through the mask on his face.
"What do we name him?" Park Ha-eun asked her crying husband.
"Kim Seo-jun. A fitting name right? He will be handsome and talented like you," the man whispered.
The woman instantly broke into a smile. She liked this name.
"Welcome home, Seo-jun. Eomma loves you." The woman slowly muttered to the baby boy and closed her eyes.
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2008.
The classroom buzzes with chatter, chairs scraping against the floor. Kim Seo-jun, now 13 year old, sits at the very front to listen to the lectures. Fair skin, slightly messy black hair that falls just above his eyes, his uniform was neat, but his tie was loosened just a little. He notices the admiration his classmates gives especially from the young girls however he chooses to ignore them all. After all, the only thing that constantly roams around his mind is music.
He was 10 year old when fell in love with music. Piano, guitar, violin- he liked them all. He even tried writing lyrics for his own songs but those were in vain. He just didn't have the inspiration for creating original songs. From his mother, Park Ha-eun, he got his strong and powerful voice.
The bell rang, signifying the end of the class. Putting everything in the bag, he went to the music room. The sound of a melody in piano was heard. He saw two girls playing the piano as duets. When the girls saw his face, they slowly stood up and gave him to play. Why? Because, the whole school knew how obsessed he was with music.
He sat down, focusing on the keys of the piano. His fingers, hovering above the piano. Then it happened-
The first notes of Moonlight Sonata- 3rd Movement exploded into the silence.
Fast, Relentless and Intense. The quiet sunny boy was gone instead it was replaced by something intense and untouchable.
Each note hits with precision but there's also emotions behind it. It was anger, frustration and helplessness.
The girls didn't understand it. They just admired the way he played. Yet all these was noticed by the music teacher passing by.
"Sigh, the sweet boy is gone now. Why must heaven test him like this?" He, the teacher muttered silently.
He remembered the gossip from the area. Apparently, Kim Seo-jun's father, Kim Hyun-woo committed suicide.
Why? It was found out that his childhood bestfriend took loans of about 400 million won from a loan shark for business. Kim Hyun-woo was his friend's guarantee. His wife, Park Ha-eun didn't like it when he signed the agreement. She requested him to consider but Hyun-woo trusted his friend a lot yet that friend betrayed him and suddenly went missing. As a result, all the loan burden with accumulated interest fell on Hyun-woo. In total, they had to pay around 560 million won.
Kim Seo-jun's family was a middle income family. His father, Hyun-woo had business in textile sector. So, he could come up with 560 million won. But, to bring that much amount, he would have to sell his lands or business. Hyun-woo didn't want to sell all things just to repay loans. Ha-eun gave all of her jewelry to her husband for sale.
[In 2008, the apartment value was not that much].
As if the burden of loan sharks wasn't enough, Ha-eun was diagnosed with breast cancer 4th stage. If its treated now, she may live up to 5-10 years with 30% chance. But, the treatment amount was too much. Ha-eun herself didn't want to waste anymore money.
"No need to waste anymore money. I think we need to sell the business and keep the house so that seo-jun can have a home." She whispered to her husband.
Hyun-woo repeatedly slapped his own cheeks, tears flowing from his eyes. He screamed with sadness, "I should have listened to you. I'm so useless. I can't even save you."
The 10 year old Seo-jun watched all this. He himself shed tears because of his mother's illness. But, he was too young to understand the suffering of his parents.
After some time, Hyun-woo sold his business and paid the loan sharks. Just when he was returning home, he received a phone call from Seo-jun. The 10 year old Seo-jun, in his crying voice, screamed at his father that his eomma wasn't waking up from her sleep and wasn't breathing.
Hyun-woo in his grief, couldn't think properly. His only thought was- he failed his wife. Slowly, he jumped on the subway track facing the approaching subway. "I am gonna accompany you."
A foolish thought from a foolish man who committed suicide in the subway and abandoned his son.
Seo-jun became an orphan in 2005. He had a house alright but it was the only thing he had.
A sharp explosive note from the last section of Moonlight Sonata stopped the teacher's reminiscing. He saw Seo-jun, still in the piano seat. His hands remain on the keys, unmoving. His chest rises and falls slowly. For a moment, he just sits there, head slightly lowered.