Devil’s Music

The musicians bustled to their positions. Professor Alan Gilbert climbed onto the stage last, standing at the conductor's podium. As he surveyed the audience and lifted his baton, every musician placed their fingers on their instruments. When Alan's hand pointed towards Damian, he struck the percussion, eliciting a cheer.

"Ha!"

The percussion played a rhythmic reggae beat for four measures, followed by the violins and cellos starting the prelude to "Parachute." However, the performance halted not even ten seconds in, stopped by Alan at Geon's signal.

Geon, looking troubled, spoke into the microphone.

"Dre, sorry, but could you halve the amp volume?"

Dre, who had been watching Geon from the side of the stage, lifted one ear off his headphones, nodded, and adjusted the amp. Geon requested Alan to restart the performance, but it was halted again before twenty seconds had passed. Geon spoke again into the microphone.

"We need to proceed more quietly, everyone. Please play as if you're trying to minimize the sound from your instruments as much as possible."

A female cellist raised her hand, and at Geon's gesture, she cautiously asked.

"Could I ask about the volume level you're envisioning? We've seen the arrangement intentions in the score, but there hasn't been guidance on the volume of the performance."

Geon, holding his Haku, crossed his arms and pondered with a contemplative expression. All musicians focused on him until he finally spoke.

"Does anyone remember the lullabies your mother used to sing, or do you rely on ASMR to fall asleep because of insomnia?"

Most musicians raised their hands, indicating they had such memories or experiences. Geon nodded and continued.

"The commonality between a mother's lullaby and ASMR is that they comfort the listener, right? You all would prefer a lullaby that doesn't disturb your ears but gently lulls you to sleep. That's the concept for this arrangement. Please play even more softly, with more restraint."

He looked at Damian in front of the percussion.

"Damian, even the initial exclamations should be softer. Think of exhaling, not inhaling, as you make the sound."

After Damian nodded, Geon turned to Sean at the piano.

"Sean, the piano volume is good. But could you play it more like water flowing?"

Sean considered Geon's request carefully before touching the piano keys.

"How about this?"

"A bit closer between the notes, please. The volume and melody are fine as they are quite unobtrusive, but the notes should flow continuously like water."

"I'll try."

Geon then addressed the trumpet player.

"Please check your straight mute again. We're playing at a lower overall volume, so even with the mute, it might stand out too much. Could you prepare the tube just in case? If the volume doesn't match, we'll install the tube and continue practicing."

The trumpet player showed a black tube he had prepared, shaking it. Geon smiled slightly and then addressed Professor Alan.

"Professor, could we try again, please?"

Alan, having observed Geon giving instructions, suggested,

"Kay, how about you conduct for now? Even I'm not fully grasping your intentions, so it might be better for you to take over until we complete a run-through. Let's exclude your guitar for this practice."

After a moment of consideration, Geon set down his Haku and approached the conductor's podium. Alan handed him the baton and stood by, arms crossed, observing the musicians. Geon looked at the baton in his hand, then around at the musicians, and said,

"This might take a while... I apologize for extending the final rehearsal because I couldn't join earlier. I bow my head in apology."

As Geon stepped aside and bowed, the musicians were taken aback. Voices erupted from among them.

"No need! We've all seen what you've been through!"

"Right! It's okay! We understand!"

"It's because of you, Kay, that we students can share the stage with such famous musicians!"

"We're prepared to stay all night if necessary! I've already called home!"

Seeing the musicians rallying around him, Geon smiled faintly.

"You might regret saying we can stay all night, but you really mean it, right?"

"Yes!!!!!!!!!!"

"It's fine! After tomorrow's performance, it's all over anyway!"

"Let's do it right until the end!"

Smiling, Geon looked around at the musicians and then, as if struck by an idea, handed the baton back to Alan.

"Professor, I'll be right back. Could you give the musicians a 10-minute break?"

"Now? We've barely started."

"I've got an idea that might help with practice. It'll only take 10 minutes."

"Ah, really? Alright then. Go ahead."

After the musicians were given a break, they didn't leave the

stage but individually reviewed their scores and practiced quietly. About five minutes later, as Geon re-entered the auditorium, female musicians screamed in delight.

"Kyaa!! What, what! So cute!"

"Ah! It's my first time seeing a baby tiger up close!"

"Oh, look at the baby bear!"

As Geon approached the stage, followed by Ricky and Pye, even the male musicians couldn't help but watch the adorable gait of the baby animals. When Geon climbed onto the stage, and the two baby animals scrambled as if wanting to join him, female musicians screamed again.

"Ah! I want to touch them just once!"

"Me too!"

About twenty female musicians rushed to the podium to pet Ricky and Pye, shrieking with excitement. Watching them, Geon clapped his hands to gather attention.

"Clap clap"

"Alright, everyone, back to your positions. We need to hurry if we don't want to pull an all-nighter."

As the female musicians, sending regretful glances, began to return to their places, Geon continued.

"If we finish practice before 10 pm, I'll let you spend some time playing with Pye and Ricky, so please get ready quickly."

The musicians' movements hastened at Geon's words. Quickly seated, they held their instruments, their eyes urging Geon to start.

"As I mentioned earlier, this piece should flow as comfortably as a lullaby. Though the baby animals would probably fall asleep anyway, if they twitch their ears or roll over during their sleep, consider it a failed performance. Only if they fall into a deep sleep, fully immersed in slumber, can we call it a success. Please focus your attention on the animals as you play."

The musicians, intrigued by this unusual practice method, murmured among themselves.

"Wow, there's such a practice method? This will be interesting."

"Yeah, I've never heard of anything like it. Let's give it a try. I thought only cartoons had stuff like this, haha."

"Hey, keep it down, the animals are watching us. They need to sleep so we can go home."

After briefly chatting, the musicians quietly turned their attention to Geon's baton. When Geon gestured towards Damian, he softly struck the percussion. Compared to when he hit it with the palm of his hand, the sound was significantly muted, and as Damian's cry followed, the violins and cellos joined in.

That night, no musician had time to play with Ricky and Pye after practice. The baby animals did not toss and turn but fell completely asleep well past 2 am. Yet, no musician felt disappointed for not playing with the baby animals. They were filled with a sense of accomplishment and a pleasant fatigue at the end of the practice, and they quickly headed home. Sean, needing to preserve his voice for the next day's performance, left for the hotel where Damian was staying.

Left alone on stage, Geon stepped down and sat beside the sleeping Pye and Ricky, gently stroking them.

"Sorry, you two had a hard time because of me. I'll give you lots of tasty snacks later!"

The two baby animals seemed to enjoy Geon's gentle touches, purring and exposing their bellies. After spending some time petting Ricky and Pye, Geon carried them to Olivia's lodging. He quietly opened the door, placed the sleeping animals on the sofa, covered them with a blanket, and stealthily exited.

As Geon headed back to his own lodging, he heard birds chirping from afar.

"Hm? It's late, why are they still awake?"

Geon changed his direction towards the aviary on the hill. In the dimly lit zoo, illuminated sporadically by streetlights, he saw birds flying restlessly inside the cages. The birds calmed down and perched on branches as Geon approached, turning their bodies to face him.

Puzzled, Geon stared at the birds and then smiled broadly.

"Have you been waiting for me?"

As if answering, the birds chirped back, and Geon, sitting on a bench next to the cage, took out his guitar.

"I'll sing for you tonight as well, guys. Dream sweet dreams!"

Soft arpeggios flowed from Geon's guitar, and soon, a beautiful melody filled the air as he began to sing.

The song hadn't even finished before the Bronx Zoo was enveloped in silence. The animals that were already asleep sank deeper into their dreams, and those awake soon found rest. Geon's song continued into the early morning.

Looking at the quieted cages, Geon glanced up at the sky, his eyes sparkling.

"Tomorrow's the day. The day to release the sounds of nature to the world."

>

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