Devil’s Music

Upon arriving at Juilliard, Geon Kim and Kiska got out of the car and spoke to Byungjoon who remained inside.

"Bro, then please go ahead."

"Alright, I'll come to pick you up later, so give me a call."

"Yes, brother. Let's go, Kiska."

Excited about the rare outing, Kiska grabbed Geon's hand, shaking it vigorously while laughing. Geon, seeing the adorable Kiska, smiled back and opened the door to the Juilliard School. Inside, students who came to practice during the vacation were surprised and started screaming, quickly turning the place into chaos.

"Aaaaahhh!!!!!"

"Kay! Kay! Aaah! I love you!"

"Mommy! Kiska is so cute next to him!"

"Aaaahhh so cute!"

Geon chuckled at this. Even though he was once a student like them, his status had elevated to that of a star after making it onto the Billboard charts.

"Phew, life at school won't be easy from now on."

Kiska, surprised by the crowd pushing towards her, quickly noticed the friendly glances and smiled while waving her hand.

"Aaaahhh!! So cute! How about coming to my house, huh? Huh?"

"Donevan! Take a picture with me and her! Quick, quick!"

Girls who kneeled down to match Kiska's eye level and took selfies with their phones, and numerous students who approached Geon to take friendly pictures with him, almost made him lose grip of Kiska's hand. Geon, without losing his smile, shouted.

"Sorry! As you know, I'm here for class registration, so I have to go now. You know, I'm re-enrolling. There will be plenty of chances to see me in the future, so please let us go today!"

Hearing Geon's words about re-enrolling, students began to ask questions while still clicking away with their phones.

"Are you returning to school? Really?"

"Wow, you're already a star, what more are you looking to learn?"

"Wow! So we'll see our Kay every day at school now?"

Even as students made way for them, they didn't stop taking pictures. As Geon and Kiska walked through the path cleared by the students, a security guard, startled by the commotion, stood dumbfounded.

"Hello, sir. Long time no see."

The security guard awkwardly smiled and said.

"Ah.. Kay, nice to see you. This way, you're going to see Professor Sharon, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Alright then, students! Disperse now, or I'll have to ask you to leave!"

At the guard's not-so-subtle warning, the students reluctantly backed off, taking one last picture. The guard escorted Geon to the second-floor staircase before returning to his post, as Geon and Kiska walked down the long corridor where the professors' offices were located. Just before reaching Professor Sharon's office, the door of the neighboring room opened, and a man with a coffee cup in hand came out, cheerfully exclaiming upon seeing Geon.

"Hey! If it isn't Kay! Nice to see you!"

Geon, holding Kiska's hand, opened his arms to hug the man.

"Professor Corigliano! I've missed you, haha."

Professor Corigliano, after hugging Geon, held his arm and looked him up and down with a smile.

"Wow, you've become more dashing after your military service. I saw what you did in Nepal on the broadcast. That was commendable. Oh! And this must be Kiska Miočić? Wow!"

Discovering Kiska, Corigliano kneeled down to meet her eye level.

"Wow, what a pretty and cute little lady. You're even prettier than in the newspapers. Hello, little lady? I'm John Corigliano, a composition professor at Juilliard."

Kiska, seemingly pleased with Corigliano's gentlemanly greeting, smiled shyly from behind Geon's leg, beaming at him. Corigliano, while not touching her head or attempting to pet her, smiled at her like a grandfather admiring his granddaughter.

"She's really cute. Where did you find such a girl? I'm envious."

"Haha, right? It feels like I've got a new little sister. I'm happy."

Standing up, Corigliano pointed his coffee cup towards Sharon's office.

"You're here to see Sharon, right? She seemed to be waiting from a while ago. Go on in. We'll talk more later."

"Yes, Professor. See you later then. Let's go, Kiska."

Kiska, liking Professor Corigliano, looked up at him and waved her hand cutely while laughing. Corigliano, watching her pass by

, waved back with a look as if he wanted to pinch her cheeks. After giving Kiska and Corigliano enough time to greet each other, Geon knocked on Sharon's door.

Knock Knock

Sounds of hurried movement came from inside, and then the door swung open, revealing Sharon's welcoming face. Sharon, with a scream of joy, hugged Geon tightly.

"Kay!!! Are you okay? No injuries? You weren't threatened, were you?"

Sharon frantically checked Geon over, to which Geon responded with laughter.

"Nothing like that, Professor. Haha."

"That's a relief, I was so worried. Come in, oh? Who is this little lady?"

Sharon looked down at Kiska, then widened her eyes.

"Kiska Miočić?"

Kiska had been frowning ever since Sharon hugged Geon. She puffed her cheeks and looked up at Sharon with displeasure, then abruptly turned her head, hugging Geon's leg. Sharon looked at Geon with a puzzled expression.

"Haha, Kiska is a bit shy. Please understand, Professor."

Sharon looked down at Kiska again, then quickly smiled and gestured inside.

"Alright, come in. Little lady, please come in too."

After surveying the professor's office they hadn't visited in a long while, Geon sat on the sofa and placed Kiska in the adjacent chair.

"Nothing has changed here."

Sharon laughed while making coffee.

"It's good to have something that hasn't changed. I'm having a coffee, Kay, you're still into tea, right?"

"Haha, yes, Professor."

Watching Sharon prepare the tea, Kiska alternated her gaze between Geon and Sharon, her expression clearly dissatisfied. However, Geon didn't notice her look. Shortly after, Sharon offered two cups of tea, looking into Kiska's eyes.

"I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I brought tea. I made it a bit sweet, hoping it suits your taste."

Kiska quietly looked into Sharon's eyes, tasted the tea, then, seemingly finding it unpalatable, placed the cup back on the table and turned to look around the room. Geon, with an embarrassed expression, said.

"Haha, please understand. Kiska's been staying home every day, so she's not used to going out."

Sharon simply smiled at the child's behavior before Geon's words caught her off guard, her eyes widening.

"Staying home? I thought she was ten, according to the newspapers, but she looks much younger. Surely she's not at an age to just stay home?"

Geon replied with a playful expression.

"Think about the name. The answer will come to you."

"The name? Kiska Miočić... could it be!"

Sharon looked at Kiska in shock, and Geon laughed.

"Yes, she's the daughter of Gregory Miočić."

"Oh my God! Really?"

"Yes, haha."

Sharon, still in shock, and Kiska, indifferent to Sharon's astonishment, stood up from the sofa and began to touch a classical guitar Sharon had placed next to her desk. Geon, observing Kiska, quietly said.

"Kiska, be careful. It's a precious instrument to the Professor."

While Kiska busied herself, Geon saw Sharon still dazed and asked.

"Everything's been okay?"

Sharon snapped back to reality and said.

"Ah! Well, nothing special.. ah, you know Professor Leontine Price, right?"

"Of course, she's a pride of our school."

"The school's pride has long since changed to Kay, ho ho."

Geon laughed awkwardly, and Sharon continued.

"Professor Price is retiring soon."

Geon leaned forward in surprise.

"Really? Why?"

Sharon took a sip of her coffee and put the cup down.

"She's getting on in years. She's ninety-four this year. She's well past retirement age but continued to serve as an emeritus professor by her own will, but now it seems too much for her."

Geon sighed with a look of pity.

"I didn't realize she was that old. She always looked so graceful. You must be very sad, Professor."

"Yes, she's been like a teacher to both Professor Corigliano and me."

Sharon took another sip of coffee and put the cup down.

"She was curious about you, Kay. Shall we go visit her?"

"Of course, where is she?"

Sharon looked at the clock on the wall.

"At this time, she would be at the opera house."

Geon puzzled.

"At the opera house? Why? There's no performance during the vacation, is there?"

Sharon shook her head, putting the coffee cup down.

"She's not just retiring from teaching. She's ending her life as an opera singer as well. She's preparing for her retirement performance. Now is her time to contemplate alone. She wanted her last

performance to be her own composition rather than someone else's song. So, Professor Corigliano and I have been helping with the performance."

Geon stood up, nodding.

"I see. It's her last... Let's go then. Kiska, let's go say hello to Grandma Professor."

Kiska hurriedly ran to Geon, grabbing his hand. The trio left the professor's office and found the opera house within Juilliard. The small auditorium, with about five hundred seats, was empty, as if emphasizing the vacation period. As Geon cautiously opened the door at the back of the auditorium, he saw a black woman standing alone in the center of the stage. Dressed in a fine purple dress as if for a main performance, Leontine Price, having lived her life as an opera diva, naturally exuded an aura fitting her status.

Listening to the pre-recorded music, seemingly an unfinished piece with only the piano playing, Geon murmured quietly.

"It feels sad but also nostalgic."

Geon let go of Kiska's hand, took out a sketchbook from his bag, and began to translate the music into notes. Sharon quietly moved to a seat, focusing on Geon's movements. Geon, absorbed in the music, rapidly filled the pages with notes, while Kiska watched him intently. After a while, surprise appeared in Geon's eyes.

"Celadon? It wasn't just sadness or nostalgia? Nobility, infinity, eternity, mystery, represented by celadon notes. This was about singing the life of Professor Price, who lived as an opera diva."

As Geon looked up, still astonished, he saw Professor Price, still without lyrics, humming in a beautiful soprano. Geon, placing the sketchbook on the armrest of an adjacent seat, fell into thought. Kiska, having quietly observed the sketchbook, took it and began to draw on the music notes with crayons she pulled from her backpack, sitting on the floor.

>

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