The Double Life of a Genius Musician

Chapter 95: I Make Music

No wonder I wanted to come home early.

There must have been a reason.

Maybe it was because my voice sounded so damp when I called,

‘Mom…….’

Mom asked me with concern.

“Taeyoon. Why, did something happen? You said you’ve been busy these days.”

“Uh……. No.”

“Isn’t it nice to see me after so long?”

“Of course…….”

I met Mom’s eyes.

There was so much I wanted to say.

Have you been well, how are my aunts doing, are you having a hard time, didn’t you miss your son, do you know what I’ve been up to these days……

Where should I start.

After hesitating, I just smiled.

“You’re so bland, sit down quickly.”

I hurriedly sat at the table.

This was practically a feast.

Starting with japchae, there were jeon, galbi-jjim…… even side dishes piled high.

I knew cooking all this must have been a lot of trouble.

Feeling embarrassed, I picked up my chopsticks and scolded her for no reason.

“I told you I’d come down next week. Why’d you come all the way up here?”

Hyung jabbed me in the ribs with his elbow.

“At times like this, you just say ‘Thank you for the food!’ and eat. Right, Mom?”

“Alright. Thank you for the food!”

The savory scent of sesame oil, the sweet soy sauce seasoning.

In no time, I cleared two bowls of japchae.

“……Dongyoon.”

“Yes.”

“Are you starving your brother?”

“He eats better than me.”

“Then why’s he eating japchae like he’s possessed? Did Taeyoon always like japchae this much?”

“It’s just…… it’s been a while.”

Hyung chimed in with a word.

Thank goodness.

“You don’t often get to eat japchae at home. It really has been a long time, Mom’s japchae. It’s really delicious.”

Mom wouldn’t know.

Why I grew to love japchae like this.

The reason was nothing special.

The day before my parents’ divorce was finalized, and Dad left for Ulsan.

Japchae was on the dinner table.

I hated the heavy atmosphere, so I just kept shoving japchae into my mouth.

Whenever I eat japchae, I still remember it vividly.

The decorations in the living room, the smell of fabric softener in the house, the family photo on the dining room wall, the songs Dad loved to listen to……

These little strands of glass noodles.

They felt like they could take me back to that faint past I could never return to.

“That’s right.”

“Japchae’s nothing special…… I’ll have to make it every time I come up. Eat slowly, there’s plenty.”

From then on, whenever I smelled sesame oil, I naturally thought of japchae.

Did I miss Mom’s japchae?

Or did I miss the sight of the four of us sitting around the table for the last time?

I didn’t know.

Maybe it was both.

“Sometimes I think food is really similar to music.”

“Hm? All of a sudden?”

It’s really amazing, isn’t it.

Like when a familiar scent suddenly seeps in.

Music too, sometimes out of nowhere, stirs up memories.

Cooking, music.

The heart of the person who made it quietly seeps in.

So when I feel that moment in good food or good music, it feels like someone’s heart is touching mine.

……But of course I couldn’t say that.

Because Hyung would definitely make fun of me, asking what nonsense I was talking about.

So I just summed it up like this.

“They’re both nice, right.”

At my words, Mom and Hyung looked at each other and shrugged.

Hyung grimaced.

“……Seo Taeyoon, emotions exploding. Is puberty hitting you now?”

But Mom seemed to think differently.

Resting her chin on her fist, she looked at me warmly.

“Well, what’s this. I didn’t know Taeyoon could say things like that.”

“He always spouts nonsense like that once in a while. Mom, give me more rice.”

“No way. Dongyoon, you already had three bowls.”

Hyung stared at me as Mom took his bowl away.

What, does he want me to give him some of mine?

No way.

I slid my rice bowl closer to my chest.

Then Mom, looking at me with proud eyes, said,

“Wow, my youngest baby, you emptied a whole big bowl? Was Mom’s rice that good?”

I nodded, but.

I felt like I had to tell the truth.

After glancing around, I asked,

“Mom.”

“Yeah?”

“Can I be honest?”

“Of course.”

I felt a burning gaze.

I glanced to the side—Hyung was glaring at me, mouthing, ‘Don’t. Don’t.’

But something like this needed an honest opinion.

Why, music’s the same.

There has to be harmony. If one instrument sticks out, the whole atmosphere falls apart.

So I decided to just say it.

“Everything’s delicious……. but the galbi-jjim’s a little saltier than usual? That’s why Hyung ate more rice than usual too. And the seasoning on the grilled pollack is…….”

I stopped, feeling like the air dropped.

Chilly.

Hyung sighed, and Mom……!

Zap.

She was glaring at me with sharp eyes.

Uh oh? But taking away my ribs is cheating, isn’t it.

“So you mean you don’t want to eat? Hand it over!”

Ah, I’d forgotten for a moment.

How seriously Mom takes her cooking.

“……I meant, despite that, it’s delicious! Really!”

Putting on an exaggeratedly sullen face, I pulled the galbi-jjim dish back toward me.

In moments like this, quick response was the only answer.

What if she really didn’t let me eat.

Stuffing my mouth full of galbi-jjim, I gave her a thumbs up.

“Today’s lesson: if the side dish is salty, just eat more rice!”

Only then did Mom’s expression brighten.

Phew……. what a relief.

While Mom went to get drinks, Hyung quickly whispered to me.

“Read the room, don’t say unnecessary things.”

Nod, nod.

Another thing I learned today.

Don’t make Mom sad!

Thanks to my quick wit, the ‘honestly evaluating Mom’s cooking’ incident ended safely.

I almost lost all my food.

After the meal, Hyung brought out glasses and drinks.

“Since it’s been a while since we gathered, let’s have a toast.”

Clink-!

The glasses clashed refreshingly.

Mom and Hyung had beer. I had soda.

Fruit and drinks after a meal.

Ah, this is nice. So nice.

What more is happiness? This is happiness.

As we exchanged small talk, Mom suddenly said,

“Is your dad doing well?”

She brought up Dad.

I wasn’t even surprised anymore.

The same repertoire.

Hyung and I looked at each other and laughed.

“Of course.”

“Is he still in Ulsan these days?”

“He’s still working at the company.”

“Does he drink?”

“He hasn’t had any in a while.”

And so it began.

A barrage of questions—half concern, half greetings!

The questions were always the same.

But it was never just for formality.

Because they kept getting more detailed.

Sometimes I thought, maybe it’d be better to just put her on the phone with Dad.

But Hyung always jumped in and objected furiously.

As always, Mom asked, and Hyung answered.

“He’s not still going around carrying a guitar, saying he’s doing music, right?”

Ah, this one was my turn.

“Not guitar, bass.”

“Same thing.”

“No, it’s different, really. Guitar’s a little flashy, but bass is cool. Want me to show you? Just a second.”

“I don’t really know, but sure, play me something.”

This pattern was always the same too.

Even if I answered dozens of times, explained the difference between guitar and bass, showed her a performance.

Next time, she’d still call it a guitar. As if she were doing it on purpose.

So I’d always stomp off and bring out my bass.

I played like I was making a case.

First, Queen’s <Another One Bites the Dust>.

A representative bass-led track.

Its addictive rhythm—any listener would recognize it in the first few seconds.

Next was Michael Jackson’s <Billie Jean>.

A simple yet uniquely captivating bass line.

It set the mood in less than five seconds.

But today……

Something was off.

As I was about to head into my room, I turned back sharply.

“Huh……?”

Hyung and Mom were stifling giggles.

Then, startled, they forced awkward smiles.

No way?

I strode back to the dining table.

Hyung, struggling to hold back laughter, said,

“What’s wrong, Seo Taeyoon. Play your bass already.”

“Wow, Hyung, you thought I wouldn’t notice?”

“You catch on fast, don’t you.”

“……So that’s what it was?”

This time I asked Mom,

“Mom, did you do it on purpose?”

“Our youngest just figured it out?”

Boom-

As I stood there dumbfounded, Mom soothed me.

“This way, I get to hear my son play bass. Mom likes bass too. It’s solid but sometimes sentimental.”

“Well, that’s true, but…….”

My chest tightened a little at those words.

Because bass was almost Dad’s symbol.

Was this really like Oh Jisoo and Jung Jaewook’s relationship?

If it was something like that, maybe I could do something.

Not now, of course.

“Mom.”

“Yeah?”

“From now on, I’ll play for you every day.”

“At what time should I call you?”

“Not on the phone.”

“Then what, you’ll come down to Gimhae every day?”

“It’s just that…….”

“Come visit often. You two should come down sometimes too. Your aunts want to see you.”

As soon as I entered university, Mom declared her child-rearing duties finished and moved back to her hometown.

She must have been exhausted too in her own way.

Anyway, I had been sincere.

But maybe Mom thought I was just saying it.

In that moment, seeing her face, I realized.

I…… must have missed Mom.

“Mom.”

“My son, why are you calling me so much today. You’ve matured, seeing your mom after so long?”

“Come back up to Seoul.”

Mom glanced around the place.

The small two-room I shared with Hyung.

It was tidy, but clearly too cramped for three adults to live together.

Of course she understood.

So maybe that’s why, instead of answering, she just patted the back of my head and smiled.

“Oh my. When did my little one grow this big. Still a kid, though. Look at you, wanting your mom around, right?”

“Mom, I’m not joking.”

“Alright. First, go back to school. How many times have you taken a break already? Graduate, get a job. Then we’ll think about it.”

I was Mom’s pride.

……Or so I thought?

A well-behaved son who always listened.

A model student who, despite our tight finances, got into Hanyoon University.

But deep down, I was always thinking otherwise.

I wanted to make music.

I loved music the most.

One day, I would do music.

Mom would hate it.

Because thanks to that whole record production mess, our family got torn apart.

It was such a simple chain of thoughts that I still hadn’t told her.

Hmm…….

“Son, what are you thinking so hard about.”

I snapped back to reality.

Music wasn’t at fault.

It wasn’t music’s problem, but Dad’s lack of business sense.

And the fault of bad people who deliberately scammed him.

“Mom.”

Instead of complicated numbers, instead of incomprehensible jargon.

I calmly told her my reality.

“I make music.”

“Gasp.”

Thud-

Hyung sucked in a sharp breath and jabbed me in the ribs with his elbow.

“Argh, that hurts!”

“Hey, be quiet.”

Hyung gave an awkward laugh and spoke up in my place.

“Mom. You know Taeyoon’s hobby, right? He’s been good at playing bass since he was little, and he could sing pretty well too. The academy director used to praise him a lot. Hahaha. He says he’s just doing it for a bit before going back to school. Hey, hey. Seo Taeyoon, you say it.”

Hyung’s pot-lid-like hand landed on mine.

A strong pressure settled on the back of my hand.

‘If you don’t want to see Mom collapse, just say you’re going back to school.’

That must have been what he wanted to say.

Hyung, stopping me when I recklessly charged ahead without reading the room.

I was grateful—really, I was.

But not today.

Mom said nothing.

Considering her personality, the fact that she didn’t get up and smack my back was already half a success.

Was now the time?

The time to tell her about the plans and determination I had prepared.

“The truth is……”

Ah, a little disappointing.

I was planning to go down to Gimhae next week and tell her then.

If I’d revealed the gift I had prepared with a big “Ta-da!” in front of my aunts, it would’ve really lifted Mom’s spirits.

“I compose, perform, and do this and that. I’ve been at it for a while…… I just didn’t have the chance to say it. That song <More Than Time> you were listening to earlier, Mom? I composed that too.”

“Hey, Seo Taeyoon.” Google seaʀᴄh novel[f]ire.net

“What? I should say it. How long am I supposed to keep hiding it?”

“Ha…….”

Letting out a sigh as if to say, do whatever you want, Hyung leaned back, and I looked at Mom.

Even if she got angry, even if she told me to stop right away.

It couldn’t be helped.

I couldn’t back down anymore.

But Mom’s reaction was……

“……”

Nothing.

She neither got angry nor pressed me for answers.

She just stared intently at the end of the table.

Gulp.

All I could hear was Hyung swallowing.

A brief silence.

Mom’s gaze still lingered at the table’s edge.

What was she staring at so deeply?

I rolled my eyes to follow her line of sight.

“Huh……?”

My most treasured possession, my bass, was sitting there.

It was the first time I realized.

That someone’s gaze alone could almost crush a bass.

“Gasp.”

I rushed over, hugged the bass tightly, and pleaded.

“No, please. This is my treasure. Anything but this……!”

Then Mom gave me a strange look.

……What was this situation supposed to be.

But it didn’t matter.

Because I was already fully prepared.