Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 525:

Chapter 525

“Hello, I’m Jun.”

Professor Arno introduced the student standing next to him with a friendly smile.

“Nice to meet you. He’s my disciple.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Matteo.”

Professor Arno boasted that Matteo was still a student, but he was a promising painter who was gradually making a name for himself in the art world. 

He also said that he participated in today’s exhibition. Matteo looked a bit shy.

Professor Benjamin, who had suggested having lunch together, moved his steps. 

Seo-jun also took a pamphlet with the introduction of the works and the artists and stood next to him. The two slowly looked around the students’ works.

There were some paintings that seemed obvious what they were, and some abstract paintings that made no sense at all. But they could still feel the passion of the students in them.

“It’s not just paintings.”

The exhibition had various works, not only paintings, but also sculptures, installation art, and so on.

There was a work that looked like a mess of objects, but when you looked at the shadow, you could see the profile of a person. 

There was also a work that looked like nothing up close, but like a landscape painting from afar.

“There are a lot of interesting works.”

Seo-jun and Professor Benjamin looked up.

A small space separated from the gallery.

At a height that barely touched their hands, glass of various colors sparkled and hung. The shapes of the glass crafts reflected by the light were also diverse.

“Matteo made those glass crafts himself, professor.”

The title of the work was [Regret].

It was one of Matteo’s works that they had met earlier.

“People regret because they think that what they didn’t choose is now an unreachable, sparkling opportunity. They say, I should have chosen that.”

Seo-jun nodded at Professor Benjamin’s words and looked at the countless unchosen opportunities and regrets that sparkled on the ceiling.

The future that he didn’t choose seemed somehow more brilliant and successful.

Matteo’s [Regret] didn’t end there.

As they walked a little further, they saw colorful glass pieces hanging at the height of the visitors’ hands. It was a participatory work that said they could touch it.

<However, you can only choose one.>

Because of the name of the work, [Regret], or because of the notice, people carefully chose one of the many ‘opportunities’. Seo-jun and Professor Benjamin also picked one of the many pieces and touched them with their hands.

“Ah…”

The glass craft seemed to have a device and turned black. The carefully chosen ‘opportunity’ no longer sparkled. A regretful sigh came out of the visitors’ mouths.

“Wow!”

The eyes were drawn to the surprised voice of a child. The small bird-shaped glass craft in the child’s hand was shining brightly.

For a moment, people felt that way.

‘I should have chosen that.’

And then they immediately remembered where they were standing.

[Regret]

There was no time when the title of the work felt more urgent than this moment.

The child who took a picture with the sparkling bird-shaped glass craft smiled brightly and moved with his family. As soon as he did, the person next to him touched the glass craft.

Everyone there thought that the bird-shaped glass craft would shine brightly again like before.

But it wasn’t.

The glass craft that had been shining in the child’s hand was dyed black. It made people startled and made them sigh again.

“I guess it means that what is a good result for some people can be a regretful thing for others.”

“That’s right.”

Perhaps the sparkling ‘success’ was hiding among these many glass crafts again, waiting for someone’s choice.

They all looked around with admiration at the pieces of ‘opportunity and regret’ that were not chosen and hung from the ceiling.

***

The two professors and the two disciples headed to the restaurant for lunch. It was a place with a private room. 

Professor Arno and Matteo, who wondered why they needed to rent a private room, soon found out the reason.

“…! Jun?!”

When Seo-jun took off his hat to eat, Matteo recognized him right away. 

There were no kids his age who didn’t like the hero movie of Marina Studio. Matteo was so surprised that he couldn’t breathe. Seo-jun smiled and introduced himself again.

“I’m actor Seo-jun Lee. I’m sorry. I couldn’t greet you properly earlier because there were so many people.”

Professor Arno also exclaimed.

“Did you decide to become a violinist, Lee?”

That was the surprising point.

Professor Benjamin laughed and shook his hand.

“No. I was just joking.”

“I see! I almost got blamed by Lee’s fans. That’s a relief.”

The laughter filled the private room.

Matteo, who had relaxed in the comfortable atmosphere, stiffened again.

“I saw ‘Regret’ and it was amazing. 

The part where the audience participated was impressive too. I unknowingly regretted that I should have chosen that.”

Matteo didn’t know what to do as the superstar praised his work and clasped his hands tightly.

“This work is good, but the oil paintings you exhibited before were also good. They sold out quickly! The collector who bought Matteo’s work has a good eye. Oh, he also has watercolor works. There was also a picture drawn on the snow. I have a photo of it, do you want to see it, Jun?”

Professor Arno, who was in a good mood with Seo-jun’s compliment, didn’t know his disciple’s feelings and bragged about him endlessly.

“He even got a request for game background concept art last time! Matteo can do anything! Hahaha!”

Please, professor.

Matteo looked like he would cry if he touched him a little.

“Did you see the article that came out this time, Arno?”

Professor Benjamin, who was not easy to deal with if he loved his disciple, joined in. He thought he would only talk about Jason, but he also talked about his little brother Subin. Brotherly love, Seo-jun also joined in.

“Subin has been good since he was young. He has talent and he practices very hard. Oh, I have a recording, do you want to hear it?”

Matteo was the only one who had a hard time looking at the three excited people.

The noisy lunch was over and they had dessert while Professor Arno and Professor Benjamin chatted. Seo-jun called Matteo, who seemed to be half out of his mind.

“Matteo.”

“Yes, yes?”

Seo-jun smiled brightly as he looked at Matteo, who was flustered by the superstar’s call. If his friends saw this smile, they would have tapped their foreheads and said this.

“Are you not interested in movie art?”

Of course, it was a prelude to a movie.

“There’s also stage art.”

No, it was a prelude to a work.

Matteo blinked his eyes at the sudden question of the superstar, but he nodded his head with a nervous expression because it was a field he was interested in.

Seo-jun smiled broadly and handed his phone to Matteo.

***

Thursday evening.

The third concert in Paris was over.

The orchestra members felt the huge applause from the audience as they were excited. 

On the stage, Dmitry and Derek Rutz also had flushed faces as they tried to keep their composure.

The applause continued even after the performers moved backstage. It was a successful concert.

How many articles would pour out tomorrow?

He couldn’t help but be thrilled to think that his name would be in those articles. He didn’t expect an offer from a famous orchestra.

“I know you’re all excited, but the day after tomorrow is the last performance. Please focus until then. And don’t forget about tomorrow’s rehearsal.”

Derek Rutz said to the excited members. It would be a disaster if they made a mistake because they were in a good mood. The members knew that and nodded with serious faces.

The members left for their lodgings one by one with their luggage. Jason Moore, who took his Stradivarius, headed to Dmitry Vasilyev. It was Dmitry’s last participation in the concert.

“Thank you.”

Jason said to his friend who willingly helped him with the sudden concert. Dmitry smiled faintly.

“No, I think I’m getting more out of it.”

As if recalling the feeling on the stage, he clenched and unclenched his hands. Above Dmitry Vasilyev’s head, there was a number that only Seo-jun could see.

“I wish I could join the last performance.”

Jason Moore, who was thinking for a moment, nodded at Dmitry’s words. It seemed okay since Seo-jun and Dmitry were together during the practice.

“Then do it.”

Dmitry laughed at the cool answer. The two also left the concert hall. But their destinations were different.

“Where are you going?”

“To practice.”

Dmitry, who was about to head to the lodging, smiled bitterly and walked in the same direction as Jason. That’s why he felt like his skills were improving even during the tour.

“How long are you going to do it?”

“I won’t do it for long, since we have rehearsal tomorrow.”

Dmitry, who nodded, entered one of the two practice rooms rented by Jason Moore’s team.

Jason entered the other practice room. His phone rang.

-Benjamin: Jun’s friends are good at cooking.

-Benjamin: Take some when you go.

<Yes. Be careful.

Jason Moore smiled.

Throughout the European tour, his teacher, who never missed Jason’s concert, was busy with Jun and company in Paris.

Jason Moore scratched his neck with a strange feeling.

“Is this how a brother feels when his parents are taken away by his younger brother?”

He felt embarrassed to feel this way at his age, and it was also ridiculous that he, an orphan, felt this way.

He smiled and put down his phone. He stretched his neck and shoulders lightly and reached for the Stradivarius on the table.

He rested his chin on the Stradivarius he inherited from his teacher and held the longbow in his right hand. The feeling of touching his chin and shoulder and the feeling of holding the bow in his hand were familiar as one body.

Jason Moore exhaled lightly and started playing the violin. It was a piece for the first part, where only piano and violin went up.

[(Line) Orchestra Conductor’s Connection is activated.]

With the power of his ability added to his basic skills, the performance was still excellent.

But Jason Moore’s brow was furrowed as if he was not satisfied with the excellent performance.

***

“Finally, tomorrow’s performance, Jun.”

“Yeah. Bro.”

Choi Yoo-seong smiled. He didn’t expect to be called brother by actor Seo-jun. Above Choi Yoo-seong’s head, there was a sparkling number.

Seo-jun looked around the practice room.

The pianist who would participate in both the first and second parts with Jason, and the conductor Derek Rutz and Dmitry Vasilyev who would play together in the first violin, the cellist, the flutist, and so on, including himself, there were a total of 10 people with numbers flashing above their heads.

He felt like his rank would go up at tomorrow’s performance, seeing the affinity marked by numbers.

“Let’s start practicing!”

Friday practice began.

Of course, they would practice a little tomorrow morning, the day of the concert, and also rehearse on the stage, but the performers participated in the practice more focused than usual.

[(Line) Orchestra Conductor’s Connection is activated.]

The mind was expressed as affinity. Seo-jun rolled his eyes at the numbers rising little by little.

‘Could it go up today?’

That seemed fine.

Feeling restless, as if his rank would go up or not, the practice continued until the afternoon.

“Then let’s do it one more time and end today’s practice.”

Derek Rutz swung his baton. 

The orchestra started playing along. 

The intense performance that subsided and intensified again was followed by Jason Moore’s solo. Seo-jun, who stopped his hand for a moment, admired it.

Great.

Jason Moore was going higher.

As if not only Seo-jun admired, the number above Jason Moore’s head was rising.

‘He might go up today.’

Jason Moore’s performance was followed by the orchestra’s performance. And then the solo and the orchestra started playing together.

‘This is where the ability shines the most.’

It was an ensemble.

The melody of the violin and the orchestra blended together and created a wonderful harmony. The numbers sparkled. The conductor’s baton swept the air.

The orchestra played along with Jason Moore’s violin, and Jason Moore played the violin along with the orchestra’s performance.

‘…Huh?’

Seo-jun opened his eyes wide.

It felt a little different. But he didn’t know what had changed.

‘Is it because the ability hasn’t gone up yet?’

Seo-jun nodded inwardly, looking at the numbers running toward 100.

Once again, the orchestra-solo passed and the ensemble.

Seo-jun felt the strange feeling again. And he figured out the cause. Dmitry Vasilyev and Derek Rutz also noticed the strangeness and looked at Jason Moore.

At some point, the orchestra was drawn to Jason Moore’s performance.

‘No… Rather than being drawn…’

It felt a little different.

Jason Moore was not ignoring the orchestra’s performance.

As he had done on the stage, where he received praise from the audience and music industry officials, he was playing in perfect harmony with the orchestra.

He just added his own strong and unique feeling to the performance.

Yeah.

Personality.

The thing that you can never feel while [(Line) Orchestra Conductor’s Connection] is activated.

He was playing it now.

The intense melody that flowed from the Stradivarius filled the practice room. The orchestra members unknowingly stopped their hands. Seo-jun was the same.

It was then.

[One of the connectors voluntarily leaves the (Line) Orchestra Conductor’s Connection!]

‘…?’

At the same time as the incomprehensible notification popped up,

“Ha ha!”

A cheerful laugh from Jason Moore, who seemed to hear it for the first time, was heard.

Seo-jun looked at Jason Moore with trembling eyes.

He was playing the violin with a cool and refreshing expression on his face. 

Above Jason’s head, the number that had been sparkling until a while ago had disappeared without a trace.