No More Thug Life, I’m Playing Music

Chapter 058. Student Music Festival (3)

“Ma Ducheol? Got it.”
Park Deuksu hung up after a brief phone call as he exited the cafe on the first floor of Hanshin Hotel.

When he returned to his seat, he found two men chatting with smiles and a woman sitting stiffly, her expression cold.

“Apologies for stepping away. Something urgent came up,” Park said as he sat down.

One of the men, with eyes as sharp as a snake’s, tilted his head.
“Busy man, are you, Representative Park?”

“Not at all, Vice Chairman,” Park replied politely.

“Being busy is a good thing,” Kim Changsik said with a crescent-eyed smile, turning his head slightly toward Han Gwangsook and Yoo Jungyeol, who were seated across from him.
“Our representative must be swamped with work. Please forgive him.”

“Of course,” Yoo Jungyeol replied heartily, glancing at Han Gwangsook, who had yet to say a word.

From the moment she arrived, Han Gwangsook had remained silent, her face a mask of displeasure. She had only come because her husband, Yoo Jungyeol, invited her for coffee, unaware of the meeting’s nature. Moreover, she wasn’t fond of JS Art, so she sipped her coffee without engaging.

Despite her cold demeanor, Kim Changsik continued with a smile, steering the conversation.
“This hotel is excellent. Our company has a retreat center as well…”

The small talk eventually circled around to JS Art.

“Our main focus is on singers and actors. Classical music is… well, it’s a bit niche. Not many people enjoy it, so it’s less profitable.”

At this, Yoo Jungyeol cleared his throat.
“Ahem, many people around me do enjoy classical music…”

“As much as pop music?”

“Well, not quite…”

“See?” Kim Changsik chuckled, gesturing to Park Deuksu.

Park handed over a file from his briefcase.
“That’s why JS Art is trying to use this opportunity to promote classical music more…”

Clink!
Han Gwangsook suddenly slammed her coffee cup on the table and stood up.

“I’ll be taking my leave. That niche classical music performance is about to start.”

“…What?”

“You—wait a moment…” Yoo Jungyeol grabbed her wrist.

She yanked her hand free, her voice icy.
“If you waste my time like this again, even you won’t be forgiven.”

With those words, the sharp clicks of her heels echoed as she disappeared toward the concert hall.

“Hah.”
Kim Changsik let out a hollow laugh, his head bowed. His fist clenched tightly, barely concealing his irritation.

“Such a frosty woman,” Yoo Jungyeol clicked his tongue and looked at Kim.
“Changsik, you made a mistake too.”

“…I did?” Kim Changsik raised his head, his face stiff.

“Why? Was it the comment about classical music?”

“Not just that. Didn’t you mention Baekjung earlier?”

“Yes, I did. The name was just so absurd.”

Kim had joked about Baekjung, calling him an attention seeker, in an attempt to lighten the mood. A pamphlet with the festival details had caught his eye, prompting the comment.

“That kid is special to Han Gwangsook, almost like her own child. I don’t know the story, but…”

“…Huh.”

“Anyway, let’s end it here for today. We can meet again another time.”

Yoo Jungyeol stood, straightening his jacket.
“And next time, do your homework.”

With that, he headed toward the parking lot.

“…….”
Kim Changsik bowed his head again, his expression unreadable. Beside him, Park Deuksu fidgeted, glancing around nervously. The unease made him forget what he had initially planned to discuss.

“…Should I kill him?”

Kim’s muttered words prompted Park to whisper cautiously,
“Vice Chairman… there are people here…”

“Hah…” Kim pressed his temples and raised his head.
“Didn’t you say that bastard Yoo Jungyeol frequents Gangnam clubs?”

“Yes, Vice Chairman.”

“Let me know when he’s there next time.”

Kim stood, glancing toward the direction where Han Gwangsook had disappeared, sneering under his breath.
“Without her father, she’s nothing.”

He exited the cafe with Park Deuksu.

As they neared the front entrance, Kim’s gaze fell on a signboard for the “Student Music Festival.” The name Baekjung and a large photo of Jung Seojoon were prominently displayed.

“Baekjung…” Kim stopped, staring at the image.
“Is it my fault for thinking the name was ridiculous? Damn it. Baek Jinseong is useless even in death.”

Just as he started toward the exit, he hesitated.
“You know what? Let’s have a drink before we leave.”

“Yes, Vice Chairman.”

They turned back, heading toward the elevators.

“Oh, what was that call earlier about?”

“You mean the phone call? …Ah!” Park’s face lit up as if he had just remembered something.
“Ma Ducheol is in the building next door.”

Kim Changsik froze, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Park.
“Ducheol?”

“Yes, Vice—ugh!”

Kim kicked Park’s shin with the tip of his shoe.

“You idiot! Why are you telling me this now?”

His shout drew the attention of everyone in the lobby.

“S-sorry!”

“The building next door… the concert hall?”

“Yes, Vice Chairman!”

“Let’s go.”

Kim pivoted sharply and marched toward the concert hall.

*****

In the elevator, the soft sound of piano music filled the space. The source was an advertisement screen above the floor buttons, displaying a performance by Jung Seojoon. His calm voice accompanied the visuals.

“Hello, this is Baekjung. As the crisp autumn sunlight shines on the turning leaves…”

“Are you heading to a wedding?” 

Prosecutor Eom Jichun spoke to his wife.
His wife, who had been adjusting her outfit while looking in the mirror, smiled faintly as she replied.
“It’s been such a long time since I’ve attended a concert in Korea.”
“This is just kids playing pretend, not a real concert.”

Despite Eom Jichun’s grumbling, his wife beamed warmly. She knew how much of a big decision it was for this man to even come here.

—… Please cheer for the children whose dreams shine brighter than anyone else’s. Welcome to the Student Music Festival.

The elevator doors opened.

A spacious lobby filled with bustling people came into view. Towering windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling, and a massive artwork installed on the opposite wall caught the eye. Above the artwork hung a large banner that read, “Student Music Festival,” flanked by two large faces.

One was Im Hajoon, with bright yellow hair and a radiant smile. The other was Jung Seojoon, expressionless.

“Honey, I’ll be right back. I need to use the restroom.”
“Alright, go ahead.”

Left alone, Eom Jichun glanced around. As he marveled at the crowd, he noticed a display stand filled with pamphlets. He walked over and grabbed one, flipping through the pages until he reached the final one.

Eom Jichun stared at Jung Seojoon’s photo. At the same time, he recalled the first time he had encountered him in the auditorium of Poonggwang High School.

“Eom Deokgu!”

An agitated Eom Jichun had raised his hand, ready to slap Eom Deokgu. But before his hand could land, Jung Seojoon had stepped in front of him.

“Prosecutor.”
“And who are you?”
“This is a school where kids study.”
“So what?”
“You should also think about how your son might feel. Acting like this doesn’t make you a good father.”

That brazen kid…

Whenever Eom Jichun thought back to that moment, he felt both embarrassment and curiosity. How had that boy known he was a prosecutor? And what was that about being a good father?

He quickly dismissed the questions as trivial and unnecessary.

“Still, an invitation, huh….”

Using his position, Eom Jichun had once orchestrated the disbandment of the Poonggwang High School orchestra. Although the misunderstanding was later cleared up, he hadn’t reversed his decision. No matter the reason, it wasn’t good to let a group of troublemakers gather.

As a result, Jung Seojoon and the orchestra’s participation in the Student Music Festival had also been canceled.

But now, Jung Seojoon wasn’t just a participant; he was an invited performer. Eom Jichun wasn’t familiar with his fame or circumstances, but he felt a twinge of guilt that the boy had to take the stage alone, leaving his friends behind. After all, this was an age where friends mattered most.

“…….”

In truth, there was another reason for his guilt.

When he looked further down, under Baekjung’s name, another name appeared: “Baritone. Eom Deokgu.”

His own son was the only one taking the stage among the students.

For some reason, it felt as if they had stolen someone else’s seat or opportunity.

“Tsk….”

At that moment, a loud voice came from behind him.

“Well, look who it is! Prosecutor Eom!”

Turning around, he saw Kim Changsik approaching with his arms raised, a broad smile on his face as though reuniting with an old friend.

“…….”

Eom Jichun furrowed his brow and said nothing.

Oblivious to his reaction, Kim Changsik closed the distance and bent at the waist in a 90-degree bow.

“What an honor to see you here!”

His exaggerated greeting drew the attention of those around them. The combination of the stout, imposing Eom Jichun and the swaggering Kim Changsik stood out even more amidst the crowd.

“You crazy bastard.”

Eom Jichun shoved both hands into his pockets.

“What’s a thug like you doing here? Did I come to the wrong place?”
“Haha, I’m just here on business. But what brings our busy prosecutor to a place like this?”

Kim Changsik scanned the area as if looking for someone.

“What, did another thug show up?”
“Hey, Kim Changsik.”
“Yes, Prosecutor!”
“Don’t mess around.”

Eom Jichun reached out and grabbed Kim Changsik’s ear.

Park Deuksu, who had been standing behind Kim Changsik, started to step forward, but Kim Changsik blocked him with an arm.

“Stay out of this, you idiot.”

His eyes turned icy as he glared at Park Deuksu.

“Apologies, Vice President.”

As Park Deuksu stepped back, Kim Changsik turned back to Eom Jichun, flashing a smile.

“Prosecutor, you still think I’m the same Changsik who used to get smacked around by you, don’t you?”
“That’s right. But now you’re the Vice President of JS, aren’t you? The one who ousted your boss?”

“…….”

Kim Changsik’s expression hardened.

“What did you just say? Ousted?”
“Oh? That face. Did I hit a nerve? Wasn’t it you who knocked Baek Jinseong out of the picture?”

As Eom Jichun spoke, his wife returned from the restroom.

“Honey!”

She quickly approached and made him release Kim Changsik’s ear.

“Who is this? People are watching….”
“Ah, Madam!”

Kim Changsik bowed deeply to Eom Jichun’s wife.

“You’re as beautiful as ever!”
“Do you… know me?”
“Of course! I used to follow you…”

Before he could finish, Eom Jichun stepped in front of his wife, glaring down at Kim Changsik.

“I’m warning you, don’t mess around.”

With that, he grabbed his wife’s wrist and led her into the concert hall.

“Who was that?”

As soon as they were seated, his wife asked.

“Nobody important. Just a lowlife.”

She didn’t ask further. If her husband reacted like this, it was bound to involve gangsters.

Time passed, and the empty seats in the concert hall gradually filled.

“You brought this, didn’t you?”

She snatched the pamphlet Eom Jichun had been holding and began flipping through it.

Eom Jichun scanned the pamphlet thoroughly and finally spotted Eom Deokgu’s name. A fresh smile spread across his face as he tapped his fingers lightly on the paper.

“By the way, this Baekjung student seems really famous. Everyone in the restroom was talking about him.”

“Really?”

Eom Jichun feigned disinterest.

“And look at this crowd. It’s been ages since I attended a concert like this.”

“You’ve seen plenty at church. Didn’t you rave about that organ performance a while back?”

“This is different.”

“People play instruments and sing on stage. A performance is a performance.”

“How did I end up with a man like you…? Never mind. So, tell me—why did you want to come to this concert? You’ve never shown much interest in Deokgu’s singing.”

Faced with his wife’s question, Eom Jichun hesitated. At that moment, the memory of a rainy day came flooding back.

“Father… I want to sing so much… with them….”

It was the first time he had seen his son cry. The usually stoic boy had broken down completely. Even when recounting painful memories from the past, he had always been calm. But that day, his words were filled with boundless sorrow.

Music.

What was it about music?

After that day, Eom Jichun had decided to let his son go, to let him pursue the music he so desperately wanted. On one condition: he had to show results. And today was the day to prove it.

“Honey?”

“Yeah?”

“Why are we here?”

“Just because. It’s my day off.”

“Right… I shouldn’t have expected much,” she sighed and then clapped her hands as if recalling something.

“Oh, by the way, I ran into some people from church in the restroom.”

“Here?”

“Yes, even Conductor Park Myunghoon is here.”

“Elder Park? Really? I should go greet him.”

As Eom Jichun began to rise, his wife tugged his arm.

“How will you find him here? Meet him after the concert.”

“Alright… but I’m surprised he’d come to an event like this.”

“He said he’s here to support a junior of his.”

“A junior?”

Eom Jichun’s face lit with interest but soon hardened. His gaze fell on a distant figure sitting in an arrogant posture.

It was Kim Changsik.

“What is that punk doing here….”

****

“We’ll head out now,” Yoon Seol, the conductor of Han Chamber, said as she rose from the couch. She patted the shoulder of Han Yeoreum, who sat beside her.

“Concertmaster, you should come along. It’s about to start.”

“No… just a bit more. Five minutes, okay?” Han Yeoreum spread her fingers wide to emphasize.

Professor Han Gwangsook, seated nearby, pinched Han Yeoreum’s arm.

“Hurry up. If you keep this up, I’ll freeze your card.”

“Bye!” Han Yeoreum darted past Yoon Seol and exited first.

Only Professor Han and I remained in the waiting room.

“Seojoon,” she called out just as I was reaching for the coffee cup on the table.

“Yes, Professor?”

“Did something happen today?”

“No, nothing.”

“I heard your expression didn’t look good during rehearsal.”

Did it? In truth, ever since the incident with Ducheol earlier in the day, I’d been a bit out of it. It felt like I was submerged in murky water, drinking in the filth with every breath. A complicated, unpleasant, sticky feeling crawled under my skin, leaving me restless and nauseated.

“Was there a problem with our chamber group’s performance?”

“Of course not. They’re always impeccable.”

Today, it was all my fault. My wavering heart, as fragile as reeds in a typhoon, was the issue.

“I’m sure you heard during rehearsal—I made too many mistakes.”

It was the first time my body wouldn’t move as I intended. It felt like my body and mind were disconnected, as if my own body was rejecting me.

“I know. But so what? We’re all human. Sometimes our bodies don’t cooperate, especially after we’ve worked as hard as you have this past month preparing for today. Your body just couldn’t keep up.”

She wasn’t wrong. I’d been pushing myself too hard recently. That had to be the reason. It couldn’t be anything else.

I had fought through the depths, endured the sharp edges of hardship, and sprinted on an icy path. I couldn’t let myself falter over something as trivial as Kim Changsik’s name, no matter what he might have done—even if he had killed me.

“Don’t worry about it. When you step onto the stage, your usual self will shine through. I guarantee it.”

Professor Han offered firm reassurance as she slid the coffee cup closer to me.

“Today’s beans are quite good.”

She spoke casually, as if trying to ease my nerves.

“Are they?” I murmured, staring at the coffee cup. It was the same brew she often brought to the professor’s office. Simple but thoughtful.

“Thank you as always.”

I took a moment to savor the coffee’s aroma, letting its warmth soothe my jumbled thoughts. Lifting the cup to my lips, I prepared to take a sip.

Then—

Clatter—

Hot coffee spilled onto my shin.

“Seojoon! Are you okay?” Professor Han jumped up, quickly grabbing the overturned cup and using her sleeve to wipe my leg.

But that wasn’t the real problem.

“Ah….”

I stared at my right hand. From my fingertips to my wrist, it trembled violently, like a frail leaf caught in the wind.

“My hand….”

This wasn’t a matter of emotions.

“It’s not moving….”

It was purely physical.