Devil’s Music

Three days after completing the work, everyone gathered in the reception room.

Tim Burton handed each person a USB containing sheet music and recording files, placing them on the coffee table. "Ah, you've all worked hard for seven days. Seems like everyone finished their work well."

Hans, touching his scruffy beard, spoke up. "Ah, Tim. I'm not entirely satisfied with the song I made in just seven days. If you're considering my music, it needs a new recording."

Corigliano, looking tired, added, "My music too. The orchestra members didn't have enough rehearsal time. We'll need to re-record."

Tim Burton smiled at both of them and glanced at Geon. "Kay, what about yours?"

Geon replied with a bright face, "My music is fine. It's a piece I played without using the orchestra."

Hans, envious, said, "Ah, that friend. He doesn't even look tired, maybe because he's young."

Not knowing what Geon had been through until a few days ago, Hans admired Geon's youth, and Corigliano chimed in, "True, when I was Kay's age, I could go for days without a problem. But now, getting older, it's not so easy. Oh, my back."

Tim Burton clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Alright, alright. Now that the work is done, you can all go back."

Tim Burton chuckled, raising the USB. "The selected music will be communicated individually. Once we contact you, let's re-record only that music separately. Well, there's not much time left until the re-opening. I'll go back and add music to the film. Great job, everyone."

Packing up his sheet music and USB, Tim Burton stood up, and as he left, Hans hastily asked, "Are you leaving now?"

Tim Burton waved without saying anything, leaving the remaining three looking at each other, chuckling. Eventually, they each went to their rooms, slept for over two days, and three days later, Corigliano and Geon boarded a plane back to New York.

When Geon returned home in the US, unpacked, and did the piled-up laundry, Tim Burton, who had returned to his house in California, sat in his study, plugged the USB into his PC, and put on headphones.

"Let's listen to Hans' music first. He's filled all eight tracks, as expected."

Hans Zimmer, the renowned music director, had composed eight tracks, filled with grand orchestral music, matching precisely what Tim Burton had in mind. Except for some discordances due to lack of orchestra practice, the music was flawless.

Editing the music to fit the scenes, Tim Burton played it back. The music complemented the scenes perfectly. Then he synced Corigliano's music, reaching the third track, and found himself puzzled.

"Opera? He used opera music?"

Corigliano's hint from the third track led to the use of opera music, created with a female vocal humming. Despite the subtle vocal tone, it created a mysteriously enchanting ambiance. Tim Burton, intrigued by this new attempt, nodded approvingly and opened the folder labeled 'Kay.'

"Ah, only one song. Probably ran out of time. Still, completing one song as a student is impressive, right?"

Rummaging through his pockets for a cigarette, Tim clicked on Geon's recording file. As he searched for a lighter, unable to find it even after going through his pockets and his shirt, music began playing through the headphones.

Suddenly, Tim's eyes widened, and his cigarette dropped from his mouth.

"Humming? There's no music, just humming?"

The music coming through the headphones was a song made by Geon, consisting solely of humming without any instruments. Holding the headphones closer to his ears, Tim's eyes trembled. The tremor passed through his eyes to his mouth, and finally, his hand holding the headphones started shaking.

Tim hurriedly synced Geon's file to the final scene of the film and played it with his headphones on. The original music featured a mysterious ambiance created by a high-pitched female vocal humming, while Geon's music was a melancholic piece composed of a deep male hum, completely different from what was expected.

Tim, staring at the screen with his mouth open, covered his eyes with both hands. His hands trembled, tears streaming down his face. Alone in his study, Tim cried for a while until his nine-year-old daughter, Nell Burton, wearing pajamas, opened the study door.

"Dad? Are you crying?"

Hearing his daughter's voice, Tim quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve, putting on a smiling face, raising his head with both arms open.

"Nell, Dad isn't crying. Come here, I'll give you a hug."

Taking a step forward with an adorable smile, Nell approached, and as Tim hugged her, she met his teary eyes and teased, "Crybaby dad. Hehe."

Tim, trying to hide the tears once more, shook his head, saying, "No, something just got in Dad's eye."

Looking at her with knowing eyes, Nell said, "Come on, Dad. Why were you crying?"

Chuckling, Tim nodded and explained, "I can't deceive my daughter. Haha."

Seating Nell on his lap, Tim continued, "Dad made a mistake a long time ago."

Curiously, Nell asked, "A mistake? What mistake? Did you make a lot?"

Laughing, Tim shook his head and said, "Nope, not many. But Dad, as a kid, didn't tell the truth when I should have. Haha."

As they shared this moment, father and daughter found solace and understanding in each other's embrace.

"Um, I made a big mistake, something Dad would regret for life."

Nell touched Tim Burton's face, asking, "So, is that why you cried?"

Tim Burton chuckled, shaking his head. "No, it's because Dad can make things right now. That's why I cried, I'm happy."

Nell looked at Dad strangely. "You're happy, so why cry?"

Standing up, Tim Burton held Nell up, saying, "You'll understand when you're a bit older. Tears aren't just for sadness. Come on, let's go outside and get burgers, your favorite."

As they left, the faint voice from the headphones around Tim Burton's neck softly echoed in the room.

**

Three weeks passed.

Geon had been shuttling between the school's practice room and home, dedicating himself to practice. Today, although he was heading to school without visiting Dante Park, where he used to go often besides dropping by Logan's sandwich shop, he was going to see Corigliano, who was reopening the scissors hand exhibit.

As Geon arrived at the school, Corigliano, already waiting, waved at him. "Kay, right on time. It's been three weeks, huh? Sharon said you've been here every day; you should have contacted me, we could have had a meal together."

Geon smiled. "I've been busy preparing for a trip. Need to practice in advance, don't want to fall behind in classes after the trip. I already had less practice compared to other students."

Corigliano pursed his lips. "You had less practice, but think about what you've done. You solved the museum issue, gained Daniel Weiss's support, performed live with Santana, even recorded for the 48th-anniversary album. No student at Juilliard has built such a career yet."

Geon grinned. "Thanks to the attention and opportunities from professors. This time as well. I'm always grateful."

Corigliano smiled apologetically, "Speaking of which, any contact from Director Tim Burton?"

Geon shook his head. "No. After we parted, there was no contact. How about you?"

Corigliano looked slightly sorry. "I was contacted. They'll compose three pieces of my music. So, I asked for a re-recording and sent the files to the New York Philharmonic."

Geon nodded as if it were expected. "If it's your music, it should be just right. I'm sure the director liked it too."

With an apologetic smile, Corigliano hailed a taxi towards 'AMC Empire 25', the nearest and quite a sizable theater where the reopened movie was being screened. After a five-minute taxi ride, as Geon was about to buy the movie tickets in front of the theater, Corigliano stopped him.

"I'll pay; you shouldn't spend money. I'll take care of it."

Geon chuckled, glancing around, seeing the poster of the scissor hand's re-release on the large signboard. It was exactly like the poster from 26 years ago, unchanged to evoke nostalgia, and the audience entering the theater varied in ages.

Contrary to Geon's expectations of mainly people in their 40s and 50s, there were quite a number of teenagers and people in their 20s. Probably owing to Johnny Depp's continued active career.

As they observed the audience entering the theater, Corigliano, now carrying popcorn and cola in both hands, approached Geon. Taking them, Geon thanked him.

"Ah, thank you, Professor."

Checking his wristwatch with the now freed hand, Corigliano said, "We're lucky. It starts in five minutes. Let's go in."

As they entered the theater's H section and took seats in the F row, advertisements began, followed by a black screen signaling the start of the movie. When Geon noticed Corigliano shaking his head, it seemed as if Corigliano was disassociating himself from the music subtly playing in the background.

Geon nodded, focusing on the movie. The music composed by two renowned musicians like them kept the audience engaged and mesmerized throughout the movie. By the middle, Geon was entirely absorbed in the film, occasionally checking with Corigliano but eventually losing himself entirely in the story.

As the movie approached its climax with Edward killing Kim's boyfriend in the castle, and Kim informing the villagers and the police about Edward's false death, the perspective shifted to an older Kim, filled with regret, with the scenery outside her window expanding and music playing softly.

Suddenly, Geon jolted from his seat. "Th-this music, I made it, didn't I?"

>

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