Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 353:

Chapter 353

Seo-jun asked Subin, who was nodding his head while looking at the sheet music.

“Subin, did you decide on the order?”

“Yes! I drew lots. I’m the last one.”

At Subin’s words, Kim Hee-sang and Choi Soohee recalled the situation in the waiting room a while ago.

Subin, who was in second grade, was noticeably smaller than the other kids, so he attracted the attention of all the elementary participants and their parents in the waiting room. 

And to make matters worse, he ended up being the last one to perform.

“They all looked down on him.”

Kim Hee-sang smirked and whispered so that Subin, who was immersed in the sheet music, couldn’t hear.

Seo-jun scratched his cheek.

He understood why. 

Playing an instrument required experience and practice, so when they were young, they could judge their skills by their apparent age.

Fifth and sixth graders versus second grader.

The difference in the time they had played the violin was visible to the eye.

‘But that doesn’t matter in front of talent.’

Choi Soohee, a pianist who had seen many geniuses while working in Europe, looked at her son.

Even if she wasn’t his mother and evaluated him objectively, Subin was similar to those geniuses. 

He learned ten things when taught one, and he mastered them in an instant. 

The emotions he expressed in his performance were also amazing.

‘Of course, he has a hard time expressing emotions he hasn’t experienced yet.’

There were different kinds of sadness and joy. Subin, who hadn’t experienced many emotions yet, had a simple view of sadness and joy. 

He was a nine-year-old boy whose greatest sorrow was not being able to play with his hyung Seo-jun.

‘His skills have surpassed his age by far… but that’s not just because of talent.’

Choi Soohee knew better than anyone how much Subin loved the violin and practiced hard.

She hoped he would continue to love the violin like that.

Seo-jun smiled brightly and said to Subin.

“You’ll do well as long as you don’t get nervous.”

“Yes! I’ll play in front of people like Gray!”

Subin didn’t care about the ranking of the concours. 

He just wanted to share his violin performance with many people like Gray Vainy.

‘There will be a lot of people at this huge competition.’

Subin looked around with his cheeks flushed. 

His heart pounded and his breath quickened as he thought of all these people listening to his violin performance.

“Seo-jun hyung. Do you think Gray was also nervous like this?”

At Subin’s words, Seo-jun smiled.

It was a movie from years ago, but he was happy that he had such a loving fan as ‘Gray Vainy’ and ‘Lee Seo-jun’.

“Of course. He was very nervous… but isn’t it fun? Think about how much people will like your performance.”

“Hehe. Yes. I like it.”

Subin giggled and Seo-jun smiled along.

***

Subin folded the sheet music neatly and put it in his violin case. He sat on a chair and swung his legs.

“Hyung, when is Eun-su coming?”

“Eun-su? She’ll be here soon.”

Just then, Seo Eun-chan and his wife Kim Su-ryeon, along with their seven-year-old daughter Eun-su, entered the annex.

When Seo Eun-hye waved at Seo Eun-chan, Seo Eun-chan and Kim Su-ryeon dragged Eun-su, who was trying to run away in another direction, to where the two families were gathered.

“It’s oppa!”

Eun-su’s eyes sparkled at the sight of Seo-jun and Subin clinging to him. 

She ran towards them with a whoosh, but was caught by Kim Su-ryeon. 

Kim Su-ryeon scolded her with a stern face.

“Didn’t mom tell you not to run where there are many people?”

“Ah, right!”

Eun-su opened her eyes wide and giggled. Then she walked carefully towards Seo-jun and Subin. 

Seeing their daughter being too careful this time, Seo Eun-chan and Kim Su-ryeon ended up laughing.

***

Listening to Eun-su’s kindergarten stories and Subin’s school stories, time flew by quickly. 

The lobby was half empty as the concours start time approached.

“The violin concours elementary finals will begin shortly! Elementary participants, please go to the waiting room. Audience members, please move to Hall 2!”

Following the guidance of the Milky Way Center staff, people dispersed.

Only one guardian could enter the waiting room, so Choi Soohee, who was accompanying Subin as an accompanist, went to the waiting room with him. 

Kim Hee-sang decided to go to the audience seats with Seo-jun’s family.

Unlike the other nervous participants, Subin looked excited and waved his hand vigorously at Seo-jun and Eun-su.

“Listen to my performance well!”

“Yes! Oppa! You have to get first place!”

“Hyung too!”

“Yes. Subin, fighting!”

Subin grinned at Seo-jun and Eun-su’s cheers. 

He held Choi Soohee’s hand tightly and headed to the waiting room. 

His steps looked light.

Seeing Subin, Seo-jun chuckled at the voice that came from behind.

“…Subin, dad is here too?”

At Kim Hee-sang’s sad voice, the adults and Seo-jun burst into laughter.

Eun-su, who didn’t know why the adults were laughing, blinked her eyes and soon laughed along.

***

While Eun-su was led by her mom to the bathroom, Seo-jun pulled his gray hat down and headed to one side of the lobby. 

There were some kids he had been eyeing since earlier. 

He quietly approached them and tapped one of them on the shoulder.

“Huh?”

Kim Han-seok, who was talking to his friends, turned around at the unfamiliar touch. 

There was a person with a familiar vibe wearing a gray hat.

‘…Who is he?’

He was just blinking his eyes when the hat brim lifted up. 

Seo-jun smiled brightly as he showed his face to Kim Han-seok.

“Hi, Han-seok.”

“…Huh?!”

Kim Han-seok was startled by the face he had seen on Plus+ just yesterday. 

He was someone he never expected to see here.

“Seo, Seo, Seo-jun hyung…?!”

“Shh!”

Seo-jun quickly put his index finger on his lips. Fortunately, there weren’t many people in the lobby.

Not only Kim Han-seok, but also the other kids from Mirinae High School who heard Kim Han-seok’s voice turned their heads and stared at Seo-jun in astonishment. 

They never imagined seeing their senior, whom they had only seen briefly at school, in a place like this.

“Seo-jun hyung, what are you doing here?”

“I came to cheer for my brother who’s in the concours.”

At his words, Kim Han-seok and his friends looked shocked.

Was that something to be so surprised about? Seeing the kids’ reactions, Seo-jun tilted his head.

“…You have a brother, hyung?”

“Not a real brother, but a brother I know.”

“…Oh…”

Kim Han-seok and his friends nodded as if they understood.

The first-year violin major who was going to participate in the concours today asked Seo-jun nervously. 

He was curious about the skills of the brother of Lee Seo-jun, who had played so coolly as ‘Gray Vainy’.

“Is your brother in high school? I’m familiar with the faces of the high schoolers who are in the concours… Or is he in middle school?”

“He’s not a high schooler, he’s an elementary schooler.”

“Oh…”

Kim Han-seok and the first graders gasped at the younger brother who was younger than they expected. 

The first graders who were carrying violin cases also looked relieved. 

Fortunately, he was not a competitor.

Meanwhile, Seo-jun asked a question that he had been curious about since he saw the kids earlier.

“But why are there only first graders? I don’t see any second or third graders.”

He wanted to greet and cheer for the people he knew, but he didn’t see any second or third graders.

A first grader majoring in violin quickly answered.

“The seniors probably participated in this concours last year, so they must have gone to other international concours during this summer vacation.”

“Really?”

There seemed to be an order to participate in the concours. 

Seo-jun, who didn’t know much about the music department, nodded his head.

“Senior. Is he a fifth grader? Or a sixth grader? There is a TV in the waiting room, so we can watch too.”

“Seo-jun hyung. We will cheer for you from the audience. What is your brother’s order?”

Seo-jun smiled and answered the kids’ questions.

“He’s in second grade.”

“…What?”

“He’s in elementary school second grade. And the last one to perform.”

The first graders from Mirinae High School were too surprised to blink at the much younger brother.

***

Seo-jun, who had cheered for the first graders participating in the concours today, headed to his family. 

Eun-su quickly grabbed Seo-jun’s hand and giggled.

“Did you meet your friends?”

“Yeah. I saw Han-seok and the first graders, so I cheered for them. They are performing in the high school division today.”

“Han-seok?”

Kim Hee-sang tilted his head and Seo Eun-hye opened her mouth.

“He’s the younger brother who had a crush on Seo-jun. He goes to the same school as Seo-jun. They were also in the same middle school, right?”

“Yeah.”

Seo-jun nodded at Seo Eun-hye’s words.

Kim Hee-sang recalled the memory at the word ‘crush’. 

Kim Su-ryeon and Seo Eun-chan also remembered Kim Han-seok’s appearance.

“He was good at acting, wasn’t he? Isn’t he in acting department?”

“He said he came to cheer for his friend who majors in violin. So I’m going to watch the high school division too.”

The ATR Violin Concours was divided into elementary, middle, high school, and general divisions, and awards were given after all performances were over.

The participants of the concours could go out after their turn was over and come back by the time of the award ceremony. 

Besides, there were breaks between turns, so the audience could come and go comfortably.

It was possible to watch only the division where their acquaintance participated and leave.

At Seo-jun’s words, the adults nodded their heads.

“Then we can go back after having lunch during the middle school division. Let’s ask Subin if he wants to watch the concours too. If he does, let him watch with Seo-jun.”

“I think Subin would say he wants to watch with Seo-jun…”

“That’s right.”

Eun-su caught on to the words ‘watch with Seo-jun’ and raised her hand.

“Me too! Me too! I want to watch with Seo-jun oppa!”

“Honey. Is there a kids cafe nearby?”

Eun-su gasped at Kim Su-ryeon’s words that she had researched beforehand and started to think seriously with a serious expression. 

She held her chin with one hand and wondered ‘Seo-jun oppa or kids cafe’. 

The adults laughed at Eun-su’s appearance.

“I’ll think about it more!”

“Okay. Think about it while having lunch.”

Eun-su might have made her choice easier after listening to the elementary division performance.

‘It might be a boring time for lively Eun-su…’

As if he knew Seo-jun’s worry, Seo Eun-chan called Eun-su before entering Hall 2.

“Eun-su.”

“Huh?”

Eun-su, who was walking happily holding Seo-jun’s hand, turned around at her dad’s call.

Seo Eun-chan smiled wickedly. 

Eun-su was immune to his face that she had seen since she was born, so she didn’t get scared and looked at her dad with round eyes.

“If you get bored listening to music, don’t say anything and hold my hand. Then you can go out with me during the break.”

“I won’t be bored?”

At Eun-su’s words, Seo-jun and the adults smiled faintly. They knew how short the children’s concentration was.

“Still, if you get sleepy or want to play while listening to music, just quietly hold my hand, okay? Everyone is playing hard, so it will be sad if you are noisy. You don’t want Subin oppa to be sad, do you?”

Eun-su rolled her eyes for a moment and imagined Subin being sad. She quickly nodded her head.

“Okay! I’ll hold your hand if I want to go out!”

“Oh, my. Our daughter is so nice!”

As he was about to lift her up with emotion at her not being stubborn and answering well, Eun-su avoided him and hid behind Seo-jun with a giggle. 

Seo-jun and the adults also smiled faintly.

***

Seo-jun and his family entered Hall 2 and took seats at the back of the audience. 

Kim Hee-sang explained the concours to Seo-jun and the adults who sat in front and behind.

“The elementary division finals play one free piece each. Subin is number 15.”

“It must have been hard to choose a free piece.”

Kim Hee-sang nodded at Seo-jun’s words.

“Soohee had a hard time choosing a piece that suited Subin’s level and preference.”

Choosing a suitable piece for oneself was also a test in this kind of concours. 

It made a lot of difference whether the piece matched one’s own playing style or not.

“So what is Subin playing?”

“Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 First Movement.”

They didn’t know the piece even after hearing the title, so Lee Min-jun raised both hands. 

The others were the same. 

They all took out their phones and searched for the piece that Kim Hee-sang mentioned. 

They also listened to it briefly with earphones.

“…It seems difficult?”

“He practiced hard, so he will do well.”

Kim Hee-sang smiled and answered Seo Eun-hye’s words.

After a while, the audience seats darkened. 

The audience who were chatting with each other closed their mouths one by one.

Soon, an announcement came out of the speakers installed in the hall.

[We will now begin the 8th ATR Violin Concours.]