Devil’s Music

After bringing Shizuka home and returning to the Red Castle late at night, Geon opened the annexe door to find Kiska sitting on the sofa, looking at him. Geon smiled and spread his arms wide.

"Kiska! I just went to school for a bit. Did Byung-jun have fun with you?"

Kiska ran up to Geon, laughing and hugging him, then suddenly her expression changed and she started sniffing. Geon watched her curiously as she sniffed his clothes.

"Why, do you smell something? These are freshly laundered clothes."

Kiska glared at Geon with fierce eyes and puffed up her cheeks as she trudged back to the sofa and sat down. Geon, puzzled by Kiska's reaction, sniffed his own clothes and, finding no odor, tilted his head in confusion as he approached the sofa.

"What's wrong, Kiska?"

Kiska crossed her arms and sharply turned her head away. Geon sat next to the little girl, who shifted slightly away from him. Seeing her unusual reaction, Geon was about to speak when Byung-jun emerged from the room.

"Hey, you're back? Everything okay at the studio?"

Geon nodded at Byung-jun.

"Yes, bro. No problems. But why is Kiska like this?"

Byung-jun glanced at Kiska, who was still pouting, and shrugged.

"Don't know? She was drawing and playing well with me just before."

Byung-jun plopped down next to Geon and was about to say something when he sniffed.

"Hmm? What's this smell? Are you wearing perfume?"

Geon lifted his arm to his nose and shook his head.

"What perfume? You know I can't be bothered with lotion, I just use a skin lotion combo."

"But what is this smell? Sniff, sniff."

Byung-jun sniffed Geon's arm and glanced at Kiska. Raising his eyebrows, he leaned in close to Geon and whispered.

"Did you do something with Shizuka?"

Geon whispered back.

"Just talked at the studio..."

"Talked? Then why do I smell Shizuka's perfume on you!"

"Oops!! That, that..."

Geon turned to look at Kiska, who fortunately hadn't heard their conversation and was still pouting. Byung-jun suddenly cleared his throat loudly and winked at Geon.

"Ahem, that, that, have you been using that perfume I gave you? Heh heh."

Geon quickly stammered a response.

"Of, of course. Bro. I even wore it today."

Byung-jun loudly feigned surprise.

"Right! That's why I smell perfume!"

"Ye, yes, that, that's right, bro."

Byung-jun glanced at Kiska as the girl turned her head towards them. He hastily shrank back like a turtle and raised his voice even louder.

"Right! You're a celebrity now, so it's only right that you wear perfume! There!"

"Ah, haha. Yes, yes... thank you, bro. I really like it."

Byung-jun sneakily peeked at Kiska then looked back at Geon. Out of Kiska's sight, Byung-jun winked at him.

"That's right, smells killer. Kiska! How about this smell? It's the perfume I gifted!"

Geon, sweating coldly, turned towards Kiska as she stared back with an expressionless face. Feeling the sweat drip down his back, Geon hesitated before extending his arm.

"Do you dislike this smell, Kiska? Byung-jun got it for me..."

Kiska stared at Geon for a long time, then sniffed his arm with her small hands and shook her head. Geon breathed a sigh of relief and stroked Kiska's head.

"Ah, so you don't like it? Then I won't wear it. Byung-jun, is that okay?"

Byung-jun, taken aback by the sudden focus, jumped and shouted.

"What!? Of course!! If Kiska doesn't like it, I'll go throw it out right now!"

With loud footsteps, Byung-jun entered Geon's room, grabbed any cosmetic bottle, and threw it outside the annexe as Kiska watched. After Byung-jun left, Kiska turned to Geon, who stood up from the sofa, confused.

"Uh, that... where's the ice cream... Just a sec."

Geon rushed to the refrigerator, opened the freezer, and upon seeing that there was still ice cream left, he sighed in relief and scooped some into a cup. Kiska, hearing the rustling sounds from the freezer, came to the kitchen and smiled upon seeing the ice cream, clapping her hands. Geon, noticing Kiska's expression, wiped the sweat from his forehead and sat down at the table with the

 cup of ice cream.

'That was a close call. Phew.'

Byung-jun did not return until after Geon had fed Kiska the ice cream, washed her hands, read her a bedtime story, and put her to sleep. It was only late at night that he cautiously returned to Geon's room and whispered.

"Is Kiska asleep?"

Geon, sitting on the bed, grinned.

"Yes, she just fell asleep. Thanks to you, bro. Hehe."

Byung-jun leaped onto the bed and applied an armbar on Geon while shouting in a low voice.

"What did you do with Shizuka! Spit it out! Even at my age, I'm still single, and here you are dating?"

"Ouch, it hurts, bro! I didn't do anything, Shizuka just suddenly started crying, so I hugged her! Uh!"

Byung-jun intensified the hold and said.

"So! Why did you make Shizuka cry! What did you do, you pervert!"

"Ouch, let go! Let's talk, please!"

Geon tapped out on the bed, and Byung-jun reluctantly released his arm, pushing Geon away with his foot.

"Spill it. We're both responsible for managing celebrities, I need to know everything. It's okay if you're dating. I just need to know so I can handle any sudden situations."

Geon, rubbing his sore arm and frowning, said.

"No, it's not that. Shizuka was just upset, so I was trying to comfort her."

Byung-jun squinted his eyes and asked.

"So why was Shizuka crying? Tell me that."

"That, that's..."

"Why can't you say? What did you do?"

"It's not that... I really don't know why she was crying."

Byung-jun narrowed his eyes further and said.

"You don't know the reason? You made a girl cry and you don't even know why? That's sociopath behavior!"

"Oh come on! It's not like that."

Geon explained the details of his conversation with Shizuka to Byung-jun, who stroked his chin and said.

"So, putting it all together, Shizuka thought you were angry because of her straightforward words, and that's why she cried."

Geon widened his eyes and asked.

"Me? Angry? I've never been angry, bro."

"Oh you blockhead! Think about it. Imagine if you spoke directly to someone and they suddenly started shaking and didn't respond. Wouldn't you think they were mad?"

"Well, that, that..."

"Man, Shizuka is such a sensitive girl. It's natural she cried. Oh."

"...Is that so?"

"Phew, anyway, it's good that nothing serious happened. So, did you come up with a concept for the song?"

"Um... not exactly a concept, but I figured out what direction I need to think about."

"Good, that's settled then. You'll produce results soon. Let's do well this time too."

"Hehe, yes."

**

The next day.

As Geon headed to the studio, Kiska followed him closely, holding his hand as they walked down the studio stairs. Upon arriving at the studio, Kiska touched various instruments and machines, seemingly fascinated. Geon cautioned her.

"Kiska, I need to work, so please don't touch the machines too much. Especially the buttons that turn things on, okay?"

Kiska nodded in understanding and sat quietly in a chair against the back wall of the studio, placing her hands on her stomach. Geon, finding her adorable, stroked her head, and Kiska smiled happily.

Soon, Geon entered the recording booth, tried playing a guitar, and scribbled on music staff paper before tearing it up. Kiska, bored, opened the studio door and stepped outside. After wandering around for a while, she saw a shadow descending the stairs and startled, hid behind a wall. Only her eyes peeked out as she watched the person coming down.

Relieved, Kiska saw a beautiful Asian woman she had seen when they went to Japan descending the stairs. Unsure whether to greet her as she seemed to be carrying food, Kiska hid behind the wall. Shizuka passed by without noticing the girl and continued on.

Kiska took a few steps towards where Shizuka had passed, then stopped. Her expression hardened as she sniffed the air where Shizuka's perfume lingered. Confirming the scent, Kiska cautiously opened the studio door slightly to peek inside. The first thing she saw was Geon in the recording booth, headphones on, writing music. She also saw Shizuka gazing dreamily through the recording booth window.

After a moment, Shizuka started taking out a lunch box from a shopping bag she had brought. Unsure of what she packed but it appeared homemade, Shizuka set the table and

 sat down, resting her chin in her hand and smiling at Geon inside the booth. Time passed, and Geon, noticing Shizuka outside, quickly got up and came out.

"Shizuka, you came?"

Shizuka smiled as she sat at the table.

"Yes, I thought you might be hungry, so I made something. Please try it."

Geon's eyes widened as he sat down.

"Wow, that's a lot! Did you make this, Shizuka? You're quite the cook."

"Hehe, I'm not that skilled. Just eat comfortably."

"Hey, where did Kiska go? Did she go to the bathroom?"

Geon looked around and spotted Kiska's eyes peeking through a slightly open door.

"Uh? Kiska, what are you doing there?"

As Geon approached and opened the door wide, a trembling, furious girl stared back at him.

The girl's anger did not seem to be directed at Geon. Her clenched fists trembled, and so did her eyes as she watched Geon approach, yet she stood still. Kiska was not just a young girl. Having lost her mother at a young age and lived among people in the mafia that others feared, she had the blood of the mafia boss Gregory flowing through her.

The girl quickly sorted through the information she knew in her mind. First, Geon had come back late last night, and there was a scent of women's perfume on him. Second, she had smelled the same scent on the Asian sister she met today. Third, Geon and Byung-jun had lied to her yesterday. When she had sorted this out, Geon came up to her, knelt on one knee, looked into her eyes, and said,

"Kiska, where have you been? Did you go to the bathroom? You should have told me, I would have gone with you."

As Kiska silently stood and watched Geon, the current information in her mind was updated once again.

Geon was examining his body for any bruises or wounds. He was always kind to her as usual. Although the sister sitting at the table across was staring with wide eyes, he still took care of her before anyone else.

When they came here, Geon hadn't told her that this sister would be coming. In other words, this sister came without Geon's permission or a promise. Nevertheless, Geon was still looking at her with concerned eyes. Kiska briefly lowered her head. Geon caught Kiska's small shoulder and asked,

"Kiska, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Lift your head, let me see your face."

Kiska quietly extended one hand. Geon, taken aback, took her hand, and as Kiska lifted her head, she had an expressionless face and pulled Geon towards the table where Shizuka was sitting.

"Oh, Kiska?"

After pulling Geon to the table, Kiska patted the sofa, signaling Geon to sit down. As Geon quietly looked at the chair and then sat down, Shizuka looked confused but Kiska stared at her coldly and climbed onto Geon's lap. Suddenly, as Kiska tried to climb up, Geon put his arms under her armpits, lifted the girl, and placed her on his lap.

"Kiska, are you hungry?"

Sitting on Geon's thighs, Kiska glanced at Geon and then pointed with her finger at the appetizing fried sausages. Geon picked up a sausage with chopsticks and offered it to Kiska, who protruded her mouth to eat it, still staring coldly at Shizuka. The child stared back as if displeased by something, causing Shizuka to be flustered.

"Uh, Kiska, would you like to try this too?"

Shizuka carefully picked up a fried item and offered it to Kiska, who pushed it away with her hand and pointed at another side dish. An embarrassed Shizuka put down the fried item and reached for what Kiska pointed at, but Kiska sharply shook her head again, pointing directly in front of Geon and then looking up at him. Geon, looking down at the girl's large eyes, smiled and fed her the side dish she indicated. Kiska, smiling back and munching, returned to a blank expression when she looked back at Shizuka. Kiska then distinctly changed her expressions when looking behind at Geon and when facing Shizuka. As time passed, an increasingly bewildered Shizuka, after finishing her meal, packed it into a shopping bag and hesitated before speaking,

"I, uh, Kiska, I think I should be going now."

Geon lifted Kiska, turning her face towards him, and patted her stomach while laughing, then exclaimed in surprise,

"Why, leaving so soon? No, you can stay longer."

Shizuka, sitting on Geon's thighs and facing him, saw Kiska turn her head towards her. The girl's expressionless face and cold eyes were too much for Shizuka, who was torn between wanting to stay with Geon and feeling overwhelmed.

"Well, that's..."

Unaware of anything, Geon put Kiska down and approached.

"It's okay, Shizuka. You've been a great help to me this time. I'd love your help with the music."

"What? Me, help with the music you're making, Kay?"

Geon, with a beautiful smile, nodded.

"Sure, you can help. Come to the studio. I needed someone to discuss this with."

Geon took Shizuka's hand and entered the studio, with Kiska following them in.

"Hey, Kiska, do you want to come in too?"

As Kiska squeezed herself between Shizuka and Geon, Geon let go of Shizuka's hand and

 extended his to Kiska, smiling.

"Yeah, were you bored? Let's go in together then."

Kiska successfully grabbed Geon's hand and pulled him into the studio, turning back to stick her tongue out at Shizuka while pulling her eyelid down with her finger. Shizuka, baffled by the girl's antics, hurriedly squeezed herself into the studio as the door was closing. Inside the stylish yet antique studio, filled with various instruments, Geon pulled out a folding chair for Kiska to sit on, then looked around with a troubled expression.

"Ah.. no chairs."

Shizuka, waving it off, moved behind the keyboard.

"It's okay, I'll sit at the keyboard chair."

"Is that okay? Sorry about that."

"Hehe, no, it's fine."

While sitting, Shizuka, wary of Kiska's cold gaze, turned her eyes away, fearing to meet the girl's. Geon, holding a guitar, sat in the middle and began,

"Let me tell you what I've come up with so far. I haven't decided on a genre yet. The only thing I've specified is to break the stereotype of creating beautiful songs, and to find a common ground between Kevin's heart and mine."

Shizuka quietly listened to Geon's words, then he continued,

"Kevin and I both have no intention of understanding our fathers. Though our situations are different, I think they're close to feelings of hatred or anger."

Shizuka, a bit startled, asked,

"Are you trying to make a song filled with hatred or anger, Kay?"

Geon, with a serious expression, shook his head.

"No, not yet. I don't know whether it will be hatred or anger. But, you know, there's a saying that certain emotions must be vented to avoid festering. These are usually negative emotions like crying, hatred, and anger. They say that only by venting them can you achieve catharsis and resolve them. The unconditional forgiveness preached by religions is very difficult, right? Usually, people need an emotional explosion to forgive."

Shizuka, crossing her arms and with a serious face, said,

"So, an explosion for forgiveness is like a preparation for forgiving someone, right?"

Geon nodded slightly but with a displeased expression,

"That's true. But that's not how I feel right now. I'm not ready to prepare for forgiveness. I don't intend to think about what comes after. I just want to know if it's true that you feel refreshed after you've let it all out."

Shizuka nodded slightly and said,

"So, you mean it's better to cry freely when you feel like crying than to hold it in?"

Geon snapped his fingers and smiled.

"Exactly, Shizuka."

Shizuka, watching Geon's reaction, cautiously asked,

"I've heard about Kevin, but since I haven't heard your story, I'm not sure how I can help you..."

Geon paused and stared intensely at Shizuka for a moment, then turned his head to meet Kiska's bright eyes and sighed briefly.

"That's fine, both Kiska and Shizuka are precious to me now..."

Upon hearing Geon's words, both women's faces brightened. Although Kiska was not pleased to hear that both were precious, she was happy to be acknowledged by Geon, and Shizuka, unable to consider Kiska as a rival, felt differently but also delighted. After a moment of looking back and forth between the two women, Geon began his own story. He talked about his childhood experiences with domestic violence, his mother's mental escapism, and the surrounding people's insistence on understanding that violence over a long period. Seemingly exhausted, Geon paused for a breath, and silence filled the studio.

Shizuka, who had grown up with abundant love and support from her parents, but who had also faced loneliness due to her mother's illness, had harbored resentment against her mother as a child when friends distanced themselves. Likewise, Kiska, whom Gregory cherished immensely, had also lost her mother due to her father's profession. The person who had taken her mother away was none other than her father, harboring a sentiment of resentment within her. However, after hearing all the minor stories from Geon, the two women finally understood why Geon hadn't called home while in America.

As a heavy silence hung in the studio for a long while, the burden of the silence became too much for the tender-hearted Shizuka, who hesitantly spoke up.

"That was a difficult story to tell. Thank you for sharing it, Kay."

Geon weakly smiled and waved his hand.

"We're friends, aren't we?"

Shizuka, cheered by the mention of friendship, managed her expression and asked,

"So, after talking about this, do you feel a bit relieved?"

"Hmm..."

Geon pondered with a troubled look and then spoke,

"Not really.

 But there was a time I did. Once, I was crying in front of someone's grave and spilled this story. I think I felt some relief then."

Shizuka touched her cheek and remarked,

"Hmm. Then, such a knot should be exploded with a stronger burst to truly say it has been exploded."

"Well, that might just be me. I'm not sure."

As the two were talking, Kiska began writing something on the blank side of a sheet of music paper. Geon, noticing what Kiska was writing, chuckled and ruffled the girl's hair.

"Seems like you've gotten some inspiration, our Kiska."

Unwilling to disturb Kiska's concentration, which was unusual for a child, Geon turned to Shizuka and placed his index finger on his lips. Quietly observing Kiska for a while, the two leaned forward as the girl sat up, showing them the paper she had been writing on. After reading the child's writing, Shizuka exclaimed with wide eyes,

"Wow, she's really a genius! To think a ten-year-old wrote this!"

Geon beamed and patted Kiska's head, and the pleased girl smiled back triumphantly at Shizuka. It was a mysterious smile, but seeing the confident smile directed at her, Shizuka smiled back in surprise. Geon, reading the lyrics Shizuka had written once more, nodded.

"Alright, with lyrics like these, we can definitely evoke empathy from people who need an explosion of anger. Next, we need to decide on the genre. From here on, it's my job. Thank you both for your help."

As Geon indicated that he would work alone from now on, Kiska, happy to have provided significant help with the lyrics, looked at Shizuka, placed her hands on her waist, and flicked her index finger. Confused by the unexplained gesture, Shizuka gave an awkward smile.