Devil’s Music

In the ornate yet antique corridors of the White House in Washington State.

Matt Bessler, the President's Chief of Staff, walked down the hallway with a binder under his arm. As Matt reached the secretarial office outside the Oval Office, he nodded to the secretary seated at the desk, who then picked up the intercom.

"Chief of Staff Matt Bessler is here."

The secretary quickly ran to the door and said, "Please, come in."

As the secretary opened the door, Matt slightly bowed and entered the Oval Office where Harold Winston was seen from behind, listening to the soft sound of 'Fury' while turning his swivel chair towards the window. Matt approached the desk, glanced at the large speaker spewing exciting beats, and placed the documents on the desk.

"Here's the report on young master Kevin and Kay. Also included is the status of Montana's album sales."

Harold Winston, without turning around, gestured and said, "Go on."

Still viewing Winston's back, Matt began reading from the binder in a businesslike tone.

"Master Kevin returned to the U.S. two days ago. He currently resides in the Hughes Penthouse in Midtown Manhattan, living with Carlos Montana. A drummer from Mexico, Jose Alanis, is also staying with them."

Harold slightly bowed his head and then said, "That's good to hear. The president's son being abroad had put the CIA on high alert. Continue."

Matt resumed reading.

"Kay has not left Red Castle except for visiting a factory in North Dakota and dining at the home of the factory owners. Sources indicate that he's holed up in a guesthouse on the premises, engaged in some research. Only Fantagio's manager and Kiska Miocic have access to him, so no further details are available."

Harold nodded at this, prompting Matt to continue.

"Next, the sales figures for Montana's album. As of yesterday, nine days after release, sales exceeded six million copies, counting only the U.S. and Europe. If Asia is included, the figure is expected to exceed ten million, though accurate data from Asia has yet to be reported."

After checking the back of the document, Matt said, "The boom in CD player manufacturing and repair services is a related development. Record production plants have managed their operations with the total albums produced over the past two years, covering with just Montana's album. Montana has officially announced not to release digital albums, which has also significantly boosted CD player sales."

Harold, still looking out the window, asked, "Has Montana switched companies?"

"Yes, to Kay's company, Fantagio. There shouldn't be any issues since master Kevin originally had a contract with Fantagio."

"That's good to know. Thank you. Anything else to report?"

Matt double-checked the binder, then folded it and placed it on the desk.

"That's all for the major details. Please check the documents for any minor ones."

Harold nodded without turning around.

"Understood. Good work, you may go."

As Matt bowed and walked towards the door, Harold's voice came from behind.

"Matt."

Matt stopped and turned around, only to see Harold still facing away, sighing before speaking.

"Before I was President of the United States, I was a father to a family, wasn't I?"

Matt, with a serious look, watched Harold's back, then his expression turned cool as he responded.

"Consider yourself the President of the United States before being a father to a family."

After a moment of silence, Harold spoke.

"I see. That's your opinion. Alright, you may leave."

Matt, with a stern face, opened the door and exited as Harold, left alone, opened a drawer, took out a sealed cigarette, and lit it. He coughed a few times after a long absence from smoking and covered his eyes with his hand. Amidst the repetitive playing of 'Fury', a voice akin to that of his son's pierced through the music.

Every child's story begins with the parents.

**

Night at Red Castle.

As Geon brushed off the snow that had settled on his coat's shoulder, Byung-jun entered, and Geon brightened up.

"Brother, you've arrived? It must have been tough today."

Byung-jun, taking off his coat and holding it in one hand, smiled.

"Yes, Shizuka has been busy, so I've been out of my mind too. What were you doing?"

"Playing with Kiska."

"Did you? Kiska, have you eaten?"

Kiska, sitting on the floor and looking up at Byung-jun, nodded. Byung-jun rubbed the chubby cheeks of the girl and carelessly threw his coat on the sofa.

"Director Lin will come tomorrow."

As Geon picked up Byung-jun's coat, he asked,

"Is it about Montana's contract?"

Byung-jun, loosening his tie

 and throwing it on the sofa, replied,

"Yes, someone of Montana's stature requires the director to handle the contract personally."

Geon frowned and picked up the tie.

"Why do you always do this? There's a hanger right there. Instead of throwing it on the sofa, you could just hang it. Why do you always have to be like this?"

"It's more comfortable this way. Don't nag like a wife. Men should be a bit messy. Isn't that right, Kiska?"

Not understanding what was said, Kiska blinked her large eyes, and Byung-jun, finding her cute, lightly pinched her cheek and chuckled before standing up.

"Ah, I need to shower and go to bed early. I have to finalize the contract with Montana early tomorrow morning and prepare for Shizuka's afternoon schedule. You two should head to bed early too."

After Byung-jun entered the shower room, Geon, seeing Kiska's sleepy face, picked her up and headed to the bed. After laying the girl down, he picked a fairy tale book from the shelf and sat next to the bed.

"Shall we read a book about wolves tonight?"

Kiska, with sleepy eyes, tossed and turned as if to say read anything, prompting Geon to start reading with a smile.

"This is a book about a boy from an Indian village who goes to a wise chief and hears stories. The chief said there are two wolves living in everyone's heart. One wolf is named Joy, Hope, and Pleasure, and the other is named Despair, Gloom, and Melancholy. These two wolves fight and bite each other all the time."

As Geon turned the page, he paused briefly. Reading a few words from the picture book, he spoke softly and quietly.

"The chief said, 'The one you feed will win.'"

Looking down at Kiska, who had quietly fallen asleep, Geon reread the book from the beginning. Although it was a short book, he read it three times, then turned off the mood light and quietly left the room. He picked up the music score of 'Fury' lying on the dark living room table and headed to his room. Turning off the room light and turning on the lamp, Geon lay on the bed, staring at the music score of 'Fury' with a red note bordered in purple.

'If I had recorded that music filled only with red notes, how many wolves living in people's hearts would I have fed?'

Geon chuckled lightly.

'Who am I to think so deeply, haha.'

He ran his hand over the notes and fell back into thought.

'I still haven't figured out how to draw the border. If I discover that method, I might reach a little higher than now.'

Geon sat up, placed the music score on the desk, and sat down. He started transcribing Fury from the beginning. He meticulously copied the entire score, but the notes he drew were all in red. Crumpling the newly drawn score, Geon tore at his hair in frustration.

'What's going on? The notes haven't changed, and even the sharps and flats are exactly the same, so why are all the notes I drew in red? What did I do in my sleep that day? I can't remember!'

Leaning over, he banged his head on the desk and scratched furiously. After a while, he slumped forward, his forehead on the desk, and fell asleep. The clock on the wall of Geon's room began to slow down, and eventually, the second hand stopped, and all the colors in the room faded to black and white. A dark and gloomy swirl formed on the ceiling, and a giant black hand suddenly emerged, grabbing the sleeping Geon and pulling him into a black space.

After a long time, Geon, realizing he had fallen asleep with his head on the desk, opened his eyes to find himself not at his desk but in a meadow in the woods. Confused, Geon looked around, noticing that despite being in the woods, there were no sounds of birds or insects, and the trees and flowers had an eerie and unusual appearance. Even though it was daytime, the woods gave off an ominous vibe. Touching the petals of a purple and red wildflower, Geon wondered aloud.

"What kind of flower is this? Where am I?"

As Geon walked through the woods, his eyes caught sight of a huge castle built on a cliff. Like the castle of the legendary Dracula, it had several sharp and pointed roofs, surrounded by bats flying around even in broad daylight, and the castle precariously perched on the cliff had a very ominous black exterior.

"It looks cool... Could this be a dream?"

Geon pinched his cheek, feeling no pain, and nodded.

"It's a dream. It's been a while."

Relieved that it was just a dream, Geon approached the castle. A blonde beauty standing in front

 of the castle spotted him and approached. As the woman came closer, Geon's eyes widened in astonishment.

'She's incredibly beautiful. But... where have I seen her before?'

As the woman reached him, she immediately grabbed his hand. Startled by her sudden action, Geon gaped as the woman smiled and said,

"Welcome. I've always watched you with gratitude for being there for Kiska."

Stunned, Geon replied,

"Kiska? You know Kiska?"

The beautiful woman nodded and smiled gently.

Led by a woman's hand, Geon passed through the massive gates and caught sight of a garden that was beautiful yet somehow eerie. The bushes were trimmed into perfect triangles, and the sound of a violin could be heard, making Geon tilt his head curiously.

"Is that a piece by Niccolò Paganini?"

Between the bushes, he saw the back of a tall man with long brown hair, dressed in a black tuxedo, playing the violin. The man was playing Caprice No. 24, a piece that was lively yet melancholic. Geon tried to lean forward to see the man's face, but the woman holding his hand pulled him back, preventing him from seeing.

"It's better not to see his face," the woman whispered in Geon's ear.

Despite the excellent violin performance that piqued his curiosity, Geon moved to a spot where he could see the man's profile. Just as the violinist's side face came into view, a delicate white hand covered Geon's eyes, gently turning his head away before being removed, revealing the face of a worried-looking woman in front of him.

"I'm telling you this for your own good. Don't look at his face."

Noticing the genuine concern on the woman's face, Geon nodded. He wanted to look back at the man, driven by a nagging curiosity and the compelling violin performance, but he forcibly kept his eyes on the ground as he finally reached the entrance of the inner fortress. As the massive black door of the inner fortress opened, about thirty women, either gardening or dressed as maids, turned to look at him.

Seeing only beautiful women inside the fortress, Geon's mouth fell open, and a blonde woman beside him laughed and led him by the hand into a large reception room. The fortress was decorated mostly in black, with occasional sinister purple accents, and even the flowers in the vases were black and purple. The portraits hanging on the walls also featured dark backgrounds, and it seemed that the house's owner had a hobby of collecting various people's portraits.

The woman seated Geon on a sofa and closely examined his face, making him blush as he looked away.

"Uh... you were mentioning Kiska just now?"

Just as the woman was about to reply, there was a commotion behind the sofa.

"Natalie, where are you?"

The woman hurriedly got up and bent over at the door as a white hand emerged from the darkness and touched her head.

"Has the child arrived?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good, you may go."

Natalie gave Geon a regretful look before disappearing into the darkness. Then, a man with long wavy brown hair, dressed in a purple tuxedo and black slacks, emerged from the darkness. He approached with a casual demeanor, placing his hands in his trouser pockets.

"Ah, just sit down, it's okay."

Geon, though startled by the man's informal tone, felt it was oddly appropriate and sat back down. The man walked up to the fireplace, picked up a paper, and came back to the sofa, muttering, "Should have called you right from the start, saved myself the trouble."

Geon watched the man silently as he sat across from him and showed him the paper in his hand. It was the music sheet for Fury.

"Uh... that's my composition..."

"Yes, I know your piece," the man said after skimming through the music sheet, then frowned slightly.

"It's still rubbish."

Geon clenched his fists on his lap, feeling indignant, yet something about the man's manner made him hold back any retort. The man glanced at Geon's clenched fists, smirked, and stood up.

"Listen, this is a dream. You know that, right? You dream a lot?"

Geon nodded quietly.

"I've been dreaming a lot since I was a child. Are you a musician from some past era unknown to me?"

The man chuckled.

"Right, we speak the same language. Let me repeat: this is a dream. Got it?"

"Yes, I understand," Geon replied.

The man came up behind Geon and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I am not a musician, but I stand above all music."

Unable to turn and look at the man, Geon murmured, "Above all music?"

The man tapped Geon's shoulder a couple of times and then moved away.

"My name is Amdusias. I'm here for some off-the-books lessons. Follow me."

As the man turned and walked away, Geon got up and followed. He couldn't help but glance towards the garden through the window, where he thought he saw the face of the violinist.

"Stop, you'll regret seeing his face," Amdusias called out without turning back.

"Who is he that we shouldn't see his face?" Geon asked, managing to restrain his turning head.

"Niccolò

 Paganini," Amdusias replied briefly.

Geon exclaimed in surprise, "Niccolò Paganini? The legendary violinist?"

Amdusias nodded and continued walking. Geon followed him, his expression blank as he listened to Amdusias muttering, "Yes, the violinist of the century by human standards. He sold his soul to me and now suffers eternally, his eyes gouged out, weeping blood as he cannot escape the torment of his playing."

Following Amdusias without stopping, Geon thought to himself, 'Why is this dream so absurd? It's nothing like my previous dreams.'

They walked for a while until Amdusias opened a door to a large room without windows. As he stepped aside, Geon peered inside and saw walls covered with paintings. The bizarre aspect was not only that many of the paintings were masterpieces, but they were also mixed without any boundaries. The Mona Lisa seemed to be looking at Van Gogh's self-portrait, and Gustav Klimt's The Kiss appeared to be mocking Rembrandt's The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, which was about to capsize.

Geon paused at the threshold as Amdusias pushed him from behind into the room and then closed the large door. They stood in front of two canvases.

"Sit," Amdusias instructed, gesturing to a chair in front of a blank canvas.

Hesitantly, Geon moved forward and sat down. Amdusias, sitting beside another canvas, pointed with a brush at one wall.

"See that self-portrait of Van Gogh? Sorry, the guy painted a lot of them. It's the one at 11 o'clock, right up against the ceiling. Found it?"

"Yes, I see it," Geon replied.

"Try to paint it."

"I can't paint, though."

"Just try. It's alright."

Geon looked doubtfully at the palette filled with various colors. After about an hour of painstaking effort, he finished the painting, and Amdusias burst out laughing.

"Haha! Even if you received no talent for painting, this is just too much! Haha!"

Embarrassed, Geon looked down. His canvas might have looked better even if Kiska had painted it; it resembled a monster more than anything else. Amdusias finally stopped laughing and said, "Haha, I haven't laughed like this in a long time. Now, let's talk about the emotions you felt while painting this."

"Emotions?" Geon questioned, turning back to his own painting.

"You see colors in paintings, right?" Amdusias asked, standing beside him.

"How did you know that?" Geon asked, startled.

"Haha, we'll get to that later. What emotions do you feel from your painting?"

Looking at his black-and-white painting, Geon shook his head, "I don't feel anything."

"What about that one?" Amdusias pointed at the self-portrait on the wall.

Geon followed his gaze to the portrait, which had multiple colors blended together, making it appear blurry.

"It's hard to tell. The colors are mixed up, making it blurry," he replied.

Amdusias nodded, smiling, "Still, you're not entirely blind. You're right. That painting has many emotions mixed into it."

"It seems like the colors are mixed, but each still shines on its own. It's not that the colors blend into a new one; instead, each mixed color seems to emit its own light," Geon observed.

"Reminds you of something?" Amdusias grinned.

"Sheet music. It's like the notes on the sheet music for Fury," Geon replied.

"Good," Amdusias smiled, walking forward to stand before the wall painting and crossing his arms as he looked up at Van Gogh's self-portrait.

"Van Gogh was known to have practiced portraiture on his own reflection due to lack of funds. That's why he has many self-portraits. Each one carries a different emotion depending on when and under what circumstances he painted it. This one could be from 'after visiting his sister's house'."

"After visiting his sister's house?" Geon asked, puzzled.

"Yes, he loved his sister," Amdusias replied, leaning back against the wall and laughing.