Devil’s Music

Geon Kim awkwardly smiled as he pulled the sheet music Carlos was looking at and placed it next to himself.

"It's still unfinished. I'll show you the lyrics later."

As Kevin moved closer to Geon's side, curious and trying to grab the sheet music, Geon quickly snatched it back and shook his head firmly.

"Not yet. It's not complete."

"Come on, just let me see it for a bit."

"No."

"Why!"

"Who wants to show something that’s incomplete?"

"Ah! But it’s our song, we deserve to see at least the interim results!"

"Geez!"

Kevin gave up trying to snatch the sheet music from Geon's hands, and Carlos, who was watching them, put his hands in his coat pockets and said.

"So... there’s nothing for us to do yet?"

"Yeah, there’s nothing. I’ll get things ready so we can practice tomorrow afternoon."

"Alright, I’ll come back tomorrow then. Let’s go, Kevin."

As Kevin stared intently at Carlos, he glanced at the hidden sheet music and said.

"Can’t I just stay here?"

Carlos grabbed Kevin by the arm and lifted him up.

"No, dude. Don’t hang around and get in the way, let’s go."

"Argh, I’m dying of curiosity!"

"Forget it, go home and practice some more."

As Carlos dragged Kevin out, Geon met Kiska's eyes and smiled at her, and within a minute of their departure, he began to concentrate. Notes began to transfer from Geon's pen to the sheet music, each bordered with a color.

‘Certainly mastered it. The way to paint notes with the colors of the mind.’

The sheet music Geon was drawing on had red notes with a green border. Having filled about a page, Geon lifted the sheet music to the light.

‘Red representing anger and hate, green borders signifying the resolution of emotions. This is my second 'Fury' that enables a healthy expression of rage.’

As he put away the sheet music that was lit up, Kiska, smiling sweetly and resting her chin on her hands, appeared behind it. Geon's eyes momentarily saddened, but before Kiska could notice, he quickly regained his composure and stroked the girl's head, then looked at the wall clock.

“Hungry?”

As Kiska put her chin-resting hand down on the table and nodded with a big smile, Geon put the pen and sheet music on the table and put on his coat.

“Let’s eat something. The school cafeteria is not bad, right?”

Hungry as she seemed, Kiska jumped off her chair and put on her pink coat that was left on the sofa. After some struggle getting her arms into the sleeves properly, Geon adjusted her coat properly and took her hand, heading to the cafeteria. Since it was a vacation period, there weren’t many people, but there were still about a hundred students eating in the vast Juilliard cafeteria. As Geon and Kiska, holding hands, passed through, all the students' eyes were focused on them. Being relatively safe inside the school, Geon didn’t pay much attention and bent down to Kiska’s eye level to look up at the menu together.

“What do you want to eat? There are three options today. There’s spaghetti, and cutlets, oh, and there’s ramen too? Ah.. it’s Japanese ramen, that’s too bad. What do you want to eat, Kiska?”

Kiska raised her tiny hand and pointed to the spaghetti, and Geon stood up to order two of the same from the menu. True to a school cafeteria, the food was served quickly on a tray, and as Geon looked for a place to sit, he froze. The hundred or so students in the cafeteria were all silently staring at them. Geon awkwardly smiled and slightly lifted the tray, a gesture meant to indicate that they were just there to eat without causing a fuss, but a few clueless girls approached, trying to strike up a conversation. Seeing this, Geon quickly led Kiska to the most secluded spot in the cafeteria.

After setting the tray on the white table and seating Kiska, Geon turned to the approaching girls, his face curious. The girls, who were advancing with curiosity-filled eyes, instead stopped in their tracks as Geon looked towards them, startled. Geon stepped forward and said,

“Sorry, I just want to be with Kiska without being disturbed. If you want an autograph or a photo, I'd like to get it done quickly and have our meal.”

The girls, who had approached hoping to chat or get something signed, seemed satisfied with Geon’s offer and quickly took a few photos, thanked him, and left. Geon looked around the cafeteria, sending a glance that seemed to urge anyone else coming over to make it quick, then pulled out

a chair and sat down. Kiska, although hungry, waited until Geon sat down before she clasped the spoon and fork in her hands and playfully pounded the table with her fists, causing Geon to laugh.

He placed the cream spaghetti in front of Kiska and the tomato spaghetti in front of himself, then gently swept Kiska’s bangs from her face and smiled.

“Let’s eat.”

Seemingly very hungry, Kiska buried her face in the bowl of spaghetti, sucking in the noodles with cream smeared around her mouth. Geon pulled a tissue from the table and wiped around her mouth.

“You were very hungry, weren’t you? Eat a lot, Kiska.”

Geon's expression changed momentarily as he wiped her mouth, watching her. When Kiska looked at the bowl, his eyes were sad, but when she looked at him, he smiled warmly.

The other students whispered among themselves,

“Kevin... doesn’t it feel a bit off today?”

“Yeah, I've seen them often, and they’re always holding hands and laughing. It’s the same today, but... Kevin’s expression seems off. He always looked like he absolutely adored the kid.”

“Look, look there. His face turns almost like he’s about to cry when he looks down.”

“Are they practicing for an act or something?”

“What acting? They’re musicians.”

“Why not? Musicians do dramas and movies too.

“That’s for those who aren’t popular or are interested in that sort of thing. Kevin wouldn’t do that. He doesn’t need to.”

“That makes sense.”

“Now! Look now.”

“Yeah, really. He only smiles when he’s wiping the kid’s mouth.”

“Doesn’t it look a bit sad? That expression. I don’t know why, but it kinda hurts to look at.”

“Really? You're a Kevin fan, and you sympathize with something you don’t even understand? Cut it out, okay?”

“Jeez, I'm serious.”

Disturbed by the approaching and whispering students, Kiska glanced at them then shifted her gaze back to Geon. Always smiling brightly, Geon was in her sight. Kiska, puzzled, watched the people until her gaze landed on Geon’s untouched plate of spaghetti. He laughed and pushed the tomato spaghetti towards her.

“Want to try this too?”

With cream still on her face, Kiska opened her mouth wide as Geon twirled some tomato spaghetti onto a fork and placed it in her mouth.

“Tasty?”

Chewing and tasting the spaghetti, Kiska grinned, and Geon smiled back at her, resting his elbows on the table and watching her endlessly. It seemed a bit different today, but Kiska, enjoying all the attention being poured on her, laughed joyfully. The time spent with Kiska, though trivial, was precious to Geon, who continued to play with her and didn't return to Red Castle until late at night. As he handed Kiska over to the nanny waiting there, Geon watched the little girl’s retreating back intently.

“The day you leave for England. The boss and the lady will leave as well.”

Without looking at Miroslav, who had approached and spoken beside him, Geon kept his gaze fixed on Kiska’s back until she was completely out of sight, then slightly bowed his head and sighed.

“Only a few days left.”

Miroslav, watching the side of Geon’s face, nodded slightly. Seeing the sadness in Geon’s expression, a flicker of pity crossed Miroslav’s face as he managed his expression and said,

“Let’s go inside. It’s cold.”

“Yes.”

Despite his reply, Geon continued to look up at the main house for a while before moving his steps and opening the door to the annex.

“You here?”

Wearing only underwear and lying on the couch, Byungjoon scratched his armpit as he raised a hand to Geon, who chuckled and said,

“I came with Kiska, put on some clothes.”

“Oh, alright.”

Byungjoon went into the room to get dressed. After putting on shorts and a T-shirt, Byungjoon came out to the living room where Geon, still in his coat, sat dazed on the piano chair.

“What’s up?”

Byungjoon, looking strangely at Geon, suddenly changed his expression and shouted.

“You’re not having a headache again, are you?”

Byungjoon thumped over and touched Geon’s forehead.

“You don’t have a fever. What’s wrong? Tell me.”

Looking up at Byungjoon touching his forehead, Geon’s expression gradually contorted. Seeing this, Byungjoon widened his eyes and touched Geon’s head again.

“Are you really sick? Do you want to go to the hospital now?”

As Geon’s face twisted more, he suddenly burst into loud sobs.

“Waaaahhh!!”

“What, what!”

Sitting on the piano chair, Geon buried his face in Byungjoon’s stomach and cried out loud, startling Byungjoon who tried to pull him away while shouting,

“What’s wrong! Are you really sick? Ah, this won’t do! Let’s go to the hospital quickly!”

No matter how much Byungjoon tried to pull him away, Geon clung tightly to his stomach and didn’t stop crying. Realizing that Geon wasn’t crying out of pain but out of sorrow, Byungjoon stopped trying to detach him and quietly looked down at Geon’s head. It was about ten minutes before Geon stopped crying. His shoulders still heaving slightly, but seeming a bit calmed, Byungjoon sat down next to him by the piano. After a moment of silence watching Geon’s profile, Byungjoon asked,

“What’s wrong, what happened?”

“Sniff, sniff.”

“Tell me. There’s nothing you can’t tell me, right?”

Geon rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, tears streaming down like chicken droppings.

“Sniff, sniff.”

Byungjoon patted Geon’s back, trying to soothe him. As Geon’s crying subsided, Byungjoon listened to his now calmer voice.

“Sob, Gregory and… sniff Kiska are leaving.”

Byungjoon’s eyes widened.

“What? Where to?”

“To Gregory’s hometown…”

“How long?”

“Sniff, sniff.”

As Geon didn’t answer, Byungjoon grabbed his shoulder and looked him in the eye.

“How long? A month? Two months?”

Geon’s face smeared with tears twisted again as he cried out again,

“They might not come back!”

Byungjoon, with a shocked expression, let go of Geon’s shoulder.

>

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